Not too soon to start discussion TENNESSEE? So much to discuss... My questions are= | Page 3 | The Boneyard
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Not too soon to start discussion TENNESSEE? So much to discuss... My questions are=

CONNCAN said:
I think that, as a Freshman, Tennessee's Mia Pauldo is extremely similar in playing style as Hanna Hildalgo was during her Freshman Year at Notre Dame.
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Not as dangerous defensively or offensively. She is not as consistent. I believe UConn will have a game plan for her.
 
LuvBball said:
Jada Civil has really come into her own lately. I' looking forward to a great game.
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I agree to some extent but maybe my view is colored by expectations. Early in the season I visited the LV chat room and someone probably proclaimed that civil is the best freshman. They didn't mean on the Tennessee team, they didn't mean in the SEC, they meant in the country. She did have 3 points in her first three games, two of which were in double digits, which isn't bad, but she didn't have another double-digit scoring game until Arkansas. I paid attention through roughly the next five games when she scored 13 points, not in a game and all five combined. I wrote off the likelihood that she's the best freshman in the country.

She has been playing better lately which is your point and is supported by the numbers. They played six games in 2026 and she is hitting 51.7% of her field-goal attempts which is decent.
 
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CONNCAN said:
I think that, as a Freshman, Tennessee's Mia Pauldo is extremely similar in playing style as Hanna Hildalgo was during her Freshman Year at Notre Dame.
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It think it's interesting how many little speedy guards have come into D1 recently. Hannah, of course, but Jaloni (and Kennedy), Londynn Jones, Mia (and Mya) Pauldo, Aubrey Galvan, Jasmine Bascoe, ChitChat Wright, Holloway and Quarles-Daniels. I'd say Hannah is in a league of her own compared to this group. The next closest is probably Jaloni. After those two, there's not a ton to choose from, though I might put Jasmine and ChitChat next in line, and maybe Aubrey.

PS, I didn't include KK because she's too tall for this group. Blakes is a closer call, as is Jada Williams.
 
Not sure the "Freshman Wall" will affect Quinones the same as other. Seeing as how she is not coming from HS but rather from a professional league. ???
 
meyers7 said:
Not sure the "Freshman Wall" will affect Quinones the same as other. Seeing as how she is not coming from HS but rather from a professional league. ???
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Blanca played in far less games as an Italian pro than most US high schoolers play. The freshman wall in college is largely attributed to the increased number of games played at a much higher clip. BQ had exposure to the much high clip playing Serie A, but not the sheer number of games.
 
YKCornelius said:
The freshman wall in college is largely attributed to the increased number of games played at a much higher clip.
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I would link it also, and perhaps mainly, to being a teenager experiencing a new mode of life — as a student at a higher level, as someone living away from home, as a student-athlete playing at a higher level, as someone experiencing a more intense social life than was possible at home.

Not all of these apply to Blanca, who’s been living and playing basketball away from home for several years already. This is one reason she may come through the wall more quickly than most.
 
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Bone Dog said:
It think it's interesting how many little speedy guards have come into D1 recently. Hannah, of course, but Jaloni (and Kennedy), Londynn Jones, Mia (and Mya) Pauldo, Aubrey Galvan, Jasmine Bascoe, ChitChat Wright, Holloway and Quarles-Daniels. I'd say Hannah is in a league of her own compared to this group. The next closest is probably Jaloni. After those two, there's not a ton to choose from, though I might put Jasmine and ChitChat next in line, and maybe Aubrey.

PS, I didn't include KK because she's too tall for this group. Blakes is a closer call, as is Jada Williams.
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I also think that its interesting that until KK, UConn was typically burned by quick guards of all sizes driving to the basket. I remember a Notre Dame game a few years ago where this seemed to be ND's entire game plan. Now, with KK, Azzi, etc. rare to see this strategy used against UConn.
 
YKCornelius said:
Blanca played in far less games as an Italian pro than most US high schoolers play. The freshman wall in college is largely attributed to the increased number of games played at a much higher clip. BQ had exposure to the much high clip playing Serie A, but not the sheer number of games.
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Not sure I agree with that. Remember her team played in the Serie A and the EuroCup. So that's like 26+ right there. Plus, I not sure if they had any domestic cup games (actually looking that up they did, not sure how many though 3-4?). Some HS's might play more than that, but not all. And the league season went from Sept to April/May. Most HS's run just in the Winter sports calendar. 3-4 months. So the practice schedule/length would be more in-line with College than HS.

UCONN is still probably more intense than what she had, but probably a lot closer to what she was used to than a normal HS player.
 
Tonyc said:
UConn won another game yesterday and the starters didnt play the entire game again. What do you think UConn will to a team like Tenn when the starters play the entire game? Dont even think about Tenn beating UConn. It aint happenin.
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Probably 95% of the boneyard said the same thing last year. It's highy unlikely UConn loses this game, but crazier things have happened and will happen.
 
Maybe I am missing something. IMHO, (eye test and #'s), Blanca is playing better than the first half of the season. Geno is playing her more minutes-- her defense is off the charts, she is the BEST driver to the hoop on UConn, her shot is pretty consistent, she is a top athlete (maybe the best on the team.) BQ is adjusting to the fouls and turnovers. BOTH are more aggressive mistakes-- which I believe Geno does not mind as much. She reminds me of Jackie Joyner Kersey the great Olympic Pentathlete. Her instincts are pro like (I guess those YEARS in Italy show up once in a while.) Sorry--- ain't no wall here!
 
What an interesting discussion.

I haven't given a lot of thought to the freshman wall, but I vaguely thought it had to do with the length of the season.

I'm sure that's part of it, but thinking about Blana suggests there are other factors as well.

I realize top ranked high school women's basketball teams do a fair bit of traveling so I can't totally apply my high school recollections, where 50 miles was a long road trip, but my impression is that even the top high school programs only take a handful of such trips during the season, whereas the college schedule has half the games away and in most cases that's multiple states away, some involing plane trips and time zone changes.

Plus the academic requirements in college are typically a material jump up from high school academics. I'm betting there are more hours of practice college than in high school, so these these athletes I dealing with a quadruple whammy:
  • More time spent in practices
  • Increased intensity of games
  • More time needed for studies
  • What time for social interactions meeting a whole new group of friends

All of this on top of a longer season.

Blanca probably sees increased intensity but to a lesser extent than many freshman, but she does have all of the other issues. (I see some back-and-forth on exactly how long her typical season was as a pro)
 
Phil said:
What an interesting discussion.

I haven't given a lot of thought to the freshman wall, but I vaguely thought it had to do with the length of the season.

I'm sure that's part of it, but thinking about Blana suggests there are other factors as well.

I realize top ranked high school women's basketball teams do a fair bit of traveling so I can't totally apply my high school recollections, where 50 miles was a long road trip, but my impression is that even the top high school programs only take a handful of such trips during the season, whereas the college schedule has half the games away and in most cases that's multiple states away, some involing plane trips and time zone changes.

Plus the academic requirements in college are typically a material jump up from high school academics. I'm betting there are more hours of practice college than in high school, so these these athletes I dealing with a quadruple whammy:
  • More time spent in practices
  • Increased intensity of games
  • More time needed for studies
  • What time for social interactions meeting a whole new group of friends

All of this on top of a longer season.

Blanca probably sees increased intensity but to a lesser extent than many freshman, but she does have all of the other issues. (I see some back-and-forth on exactly how long her typical season was as a pro)
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She needs to adjust to living in the U.S. - new language, new foods, new weather, new customs. Plus, she’s in school and has academic requirements. It’s a lot to assimilate
 
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Tennessee's game tonight with Miss State has been postponed!
 
Starters:

Tenn;....6'4" - Senior;...6'4" - Senior;......6'0" - Junior;............5'7" - Senior;.......5'6" - Freshman
...................Barker..........Spearman.............Cooper....................Robertson...............Pauldo

UConn: 6'4" - Senior;..6'2" - Soph;.........5'11" - Graduate;....5'10 - Junior;........5'9' - Junior
.................Williams..........Strong.........................Azzi.....................Shade................Arnold

Coming off the Bench:

Tenn:.......6'0" - Freshman;..6'2" - Junior;..6'2" - Freshman;..6'3" - Freshman;....5'7" - Freshman
........................Civil..................Latham...............Prawl....................Hurst.....................Pauldo

UConn:.....6'2" - Freshman;..6'5" - Soph;....6'0" - Soph;........6'2" - Sophmore;..5'9" - Sophomore
........................Quinones,..........El-Alfy,............Ziebell,...................Patterson,..............Heckel


Reserves:

Tenn:.....6'5" - Senior;...5'9" - Sophomore;...6'0" - Senior
..............Wolfenbarger,.............Boyd,..................Wynn

UConn:..6'2" - Senior;...5'9" - Freshman;..6'5" - Freshman;..6'3" - Junior
.................Ducharme.............Fisher...................Gandy...................Ice
 
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Im reading post by so many fans saying this may be the greatest UConn team ever and then I read how some fans are concerned about the Tenn game. Do be concerned.
 
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