NOW can we talk starting lineup? (Merged thread)

[CL82]

Why do some of you think Westbrook will get a waiver?

Coaching change + "abuse" by fans on social media. She's got a decent case. Whether or not the NCAA will grant it is another thing.

 

[CL82]

1) Dangerfield (Westbrook, Makurat)
2) Westbrook (Makurat, Christyn)
3) Christyn (Westbrook, Makurat, Megan)
4) Megan (Adebayo, Camara)
5) Olivia (Adebayo, Camara)

8 man rotation.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

I still don't think Geno is done recruiting for 19-20 season yet. A foreign player or a graduate transfer with size to pair along with Olivia on the front line is still needed.
Starters:
ONO
Player X
Walker
CW
CD III
Rotation :
Camara (4/5)
Adebayo/Irwin (4)
Griffin (3)
Makurat (2)
Westbrook /Bent(1)

So 11 kids, of whom 3 are going to be satisfied coming off the bench: Bent, Irwin, and Camara. Camara may have to be limited in minutes due to her knee injury.

So there are 8 kids vying for playing time. Walker, Crystal, Crysten are locks, given their performance so far. ONO is a lock because she's the only healthy kid who is tall on the team.

So 4 kids are vying for the starter position and for the bulk of playing time. Of those, Adebayo is a grad transfer, and will only be there one year. So she won't be unhappy if she's coming off the bench in later stages of the game, but could play her way into (foul-prone) ONO's playing time.

So that leaves 3 kids who will be vying for the starting position and prominence in the program. Will Westbrook be satisfied if she's not a starter? Will she be upset if she doesn't come in within 4 minutes of tip-off? Were any guarantees or understandings sent her way by Coach Geno?

And how will Griffin and Makurat interact? And with another European guard on the way in a year's time, what will be the dynamics at the guard position?

Don't have answers. Just curious how it will shake out....

 

[CocoHusky]

So 11 kids, of whom 3 are going to be satisfied coming off the bench: Bent, Irwin, and Camara. Camara may have to be limited in minutes due to her knee injury.

So there are 8 kids vying for playing time. Walker, Crystal, Crysten are locks, given their performance so far. ONO is a lock because she's the only healthy kid who is tall on the team.

So 4 kids are vying for the starter position and for the bulk of playing time. Of those, Adebayo is a grad transfer, and will only be there one year. So she won't be unhappy if she's coming off the bench in later stages of the game, but could play her way into (foul-prone) ONO's playing time.

So that leaves 3 kids who will be vying for the starting position and prominence in the program. Will Westbrook be satisfied if she's not a starter? Will she be upset if she doesn't come in within 4 minutes of tip-off? Were any guarantees or understandings sent her way by Coach Geno?

And how will Griffin and Makurat interact? And with another European guard on the way in a year's time, what will be the dynamics at the guard position?

Don't have answers. Just curious how it will shake out....

I don't know.
I doubt it.
Absolutely not !
Marvelously.
I predict spectacular championship dynamics.
I have a followup question: For the past few years some have complained about Geno not using the bench. Am I supposed to suddenly start worrying that Geno has too many guards now? FYI -I'm not.

 

[Hayven]

1) Dangerfield (Westbrook, Makurat)
2) Westbrook (Makurat, Christyn)
3) Christyn (Westbrook, Makurat, Megan)
4) Megan (Adebayo, Camara)
5) Olivia (Adebayo, Camara)

8 man rotation.

Aubrey will get some playing time too

 

[Carnac]

Our new found depth and speed will allow our defense to be much more aggressive. Our guards in particular will be able to harass and disrupt from the opening buzzer.

Correct!! And because Geno will now have “quality “ guard depth on his bench, he can press the ball for longer periods of time.

His full court pressure was effective, but because it takes so much extra energy to execute, he could only run it for short periods of time. Now he’l be able to rotate fresh bodies into the game keeping the pressure on their opponents like they did during the Stewart era. Teams rarely scored over 65 ppg.

Let's look back at the 4 year run UConn won national championships.
These are the final four games -
April/2013 - Semi final Conn 83 vs ND 65 - Final Conn 93 vs Louisville 60
April 2014 - Semi final Conn 75 vs Stanford 56 - Final Conn 79 vs ND 58
April 2015 - Semi final Conn 81 vs Maryland 58 - Final Conn 63 vs ND 53
April 2016 - Semi final Conn 80 vs Oregon 51 - Final Conn 82 vs Syracuse 51

Do you see the pattern? During that run of 4 in a row, only two teams broke 60 points. That was during the BIG 3's freshman year. They got stingier as they matured.

Last year Geno said that scoring was not a problem, keeping the other team from scoring was. Look at the score of the last 3 FF games they lost. Look at the difference.

2017 - Conn 64 vs Miss St 66 O/T
2018 - Conn 58 vs ND 61
2019 - Conn 76 vs ND 81

 

[Fairfield Fan]

I don't know.
I doubt it.
Absolutely not !
Marvelously.
I predict spectacular championship dynamics.
I have a followup question: For the past few years some have complained about Geno not using the bench. Am I supposed to suddenly start worrying that Geno has too many guards now? FYI -I'm not.

UConn has not been a team with a deep bench for a long time. I can't recall when UConn had this many talented guards, though it may have. Just don't recall.

I think a big question is how a kid from a dysfunctional program will fit into the strenuously conforming culture of Connecticut? How will a kid who dissed (understandably) her former coach at the end of the season acquire that winning and team-oriented mentality that Coach Geno and his players demand?

I think the culture on this team will have to evolve- will be forced to evolve- in a short period of time like no other team I can recall in Storrs.

Huge changes, big culture challenges, a brand-new outlook.

This is going to be interesting....

 

[CL82]

Aubrey will get some playing time too

Duh! I felt like I was missing someone!

So I guess it would look something like this in a close competitive game:

1) Dangerfield 30, Westbrook 10, Makurat (as needed)
2) Westbrook 20, Makurat 12, Griffin 8
3) Christyn 30, Makurat 7, Griffin 3
4) Megan 30, Adebayo 7, Camara 3
5) Olivia 30 Adebayo 7, Camara 3

9 man rotation? Have we ever seen that in Storrs?

Starters 30 minutes each = 150
Makurat - 9
Griffin - 1
Adebayo - 14
Camara - 6

150 + 19 + 11 + 14 + 6 = 200.

 

[UConnCat]

For the past few years some have complained about Geno not using the bench. Am I supposed to suddenly start worrying that Geno has too many guards now? FYI -I'm not.

 

[CocoHusky]

Correct!! And because Geno will now have “quality “ guard depth on his bench, he can press the ball for longer periods of time.
His full court pressure was effective, but because it takes so much extra energy to execute, he could only run it for short periods of time. Now he’l be able to rotate fresh bodies into the game keeping the pressure on their opponents like they did during the Stewart era. Teams rarely scored over 65 ppg.
Last year Geno said that scoring was not a problem, keeping the other team from scoring was. Look at the score of the last 3 FF games they lost. Look at the points they gave up.

I don't think it is was fatigue or depth that cause Geno to stray away from using the press more effectively over the last 3 years. It was more of a skill set issue. You need two things to make the press work effectively you need fast twitch activity at the top and rim protection at the back. On this current team ONO might emerge as that rim protector but among the current UCONN guards I don't see that fast twitch at the top to deny even adequate ball handler and force the ball handler to speed up. When Geno pressed last year he used Napheesa at the top and it was mostly token pressure. The guards are all going to have to play good individual & better team defense to even get on the floor.

 

[CocoHusky]

Does that make 9 guards and Ono?

That is an uninformed post.

IDK about that. I think it is entirely possible that the UCONN starters and "regular" rotation will consists of 1 post player (ONO) 4 Wings (Walker, Griffin & Adebayo, Makurat) and 3 guards (Williams , Dangerfield, Westbrook)

 

[veryolddog]

A player on this team who will be a starter is going to be one of the best next year and that is ONO. Right now, there is no back up for her at all sitting on the bench. She proved that last year. She filled a big hole and provided defense to the inside that right now, cannot be provided with the current and enlisted players on this team.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I don't think it is was fatigue or depth that cause Geno to stray away from using the press more effectively over the last 3 years. It was more of a skill set issue. You need two things to make the press work effectively you need fast twitch activity at the top and rim protection at the back. On this current team ONO might emerge as that rim protector but among the current UCONN guards I don't see that fast twitch at the top to deny even adequate ball handler and force the ball handler to speed up. When Geno pressed last year he used Napheesa at the top and it was mostly token pressure. The guards are all going to have to play good individual & better team defense to even get on the floor.

Fouls definitely took us out of pressure defense at times. Geno couldn't afford to have Crystal, for example, sit for any length of time.

 

[Carnac]

Our new found depth and speed will allow our defense to be much more aggressive. Our guards in particular will be able to harass and disrupt from the opening buzzer.

We saw this year how UConn was able to "throttle" some teams the entire first quarter, but then had to back off because of lack of bench depth, and having to play most of the starters 40 minutes.

 

[CocoHusky]

UConn has not been a team with a deep bench for a long time. I can't recall when UConn had this many talented guards, though it may have. Just don't recall.
I think a big question is how a kid from a dysfunctional program will fit into the strenuously conforming culture of Connecticut? How will a kid who dissed (understandably) her former coach at the end of the season acquire that winning and team-oriented mentality that Coach Geno and his players demand?
I think the culture on this team will have to evolve- will be forced to evolve- in a short period of time like no other team I can recall in Storrs.
Huge changes, big culture challenges, a brand-new outlook.
This is going to be interesting....

Seamlessly!
Seamlessly well!

 

[CocoHusky]

Fouls definitely took us out of pressure defense at times. Geno couldn't afford to have Crystal, for example, sit for any length of time.

Agree but fouls are usually the result of bad technique before fatigue comes into play. It is good to have depth for when someone gets in foul trouble but far better to have superior technique. BTW Evina's defensive technique offers great growth potential. She has all the tools but they were never used at TN.

 

[Dillon77]

I still don't think Geno is done recruiting for 19-20 season yet. A foreign player or a graduate transfer with size to pair along with Olivia on the front line is still needed.
Starters:
ONO
Player X
Walker
CW
CD III
Rotation :
Camara (4/5)
Adebayo/Irwin (4)
Griffin (3)
Makurat (2)
Westbrook /Bent(1)

Sorry, as a former lacrosse player, I've been watching some playoff action. Congrats on Ms. Westbrook choosing UConn. I'm sure Geno A. will get this combination of players excelling on collective and individual levels in a way that will be both effecting and entertaining (darn....)

Interesting. At just about the same time you (Coco) wrote this, I was reacting to news on this over at "The Bench" and scribbled in the exact line-up, save for me calling "player x" the ??? factor. I wonder if Geno will try to see if a combination of Camara/Adebayo and/or Irwin at the x/??? factor and back-up to O N-O will do the trick.

For that reason, I do think that Genor will continue to work on the international/transfer/2020 front to get another strong post/forward. While it's water way under a bridge we can't see in the rear-view mirror any more, A. Boston's decision to head to South Carolina caused some major disruption at a few campuses in America. Geno A. and MM will make up for it, but still.....lot of air miles and telephone calls on that position.

If Westbrook is granted a waiver, I can't see her not being inserted into the starting line-up. For the vast majority of the Huskies games, I don't think this will matter all that much. But I just can't see Walker as a regular power forward. She's not Gabby (and Gabby is not her): she's better suited to the wing position who can alternately attack the lanes and use her middle-game and increasingly improving long(er) game. (If this sounds like I'm writing about Jackie Young, well, yup...)

I think this X/? factor will also affect a lot of the comments I've seen about team speed in relation to the fast break. I have no doubt the guards will all move well, but to run the break you need the rock. Let's see how that's addressed. Once again, congrats on Westbrook and all the other guard additions.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Agree but fouls are usually the result of bad technique before fatigue comes into play. It is good to have depth for when someone gets in foul trouble but far better to have superior technique. BTW Evina's defensive technique offers great growth potential. She has all the tools but they were never used at TN.

Fouls can also result from poor officiating or a momentary lapse of reason. Whatever the cause, a deeper roster allows pressure defense for a longer stretch.

 

[Carnac]

UConn has not been a team with a deep bench for a long time. I can't recall when UConn had this many talented guards, though it may have. Just don't recall.

I think a big question is

1. how a kid from a dysfunctional program will fit into the strenuously conforming culture of Connecticut?

2. How will a kid who dissed (understandably) her former coach at the end of the season acquire that winning and team-oriented mentality that Coach Geno and his players demand?

I think the culture on this team will have to evolve- will be forced to evolve- in a short period of time like no other team I can recall in Storrs.

Huge changes, big culture challenges, a brand-new outlook.

This is going to be interesting....

1. Like all first year/time players at UConn, she will have to be "deprogrammed", then built back up. In her case, quickly. If she gets that waiver, Geno will not have the luxury of time to do this.
2. New environment - different culture. When you associate, you assimilate. It begins during her fist pick up game this summer. It will continue and be reinforced daily by Geno and staff when official practice begins. Everyone on THIS team has a positive attitude that will bleed over onto and into Westbrook. She's probably never experienced the level of "genuine" support and camaraderie that she'll see and experience from the UConn bench once the season begins. She'll be fine. It's possible that Walker will be her roommate this year, so she'll have Megan in her ear all year long pouring positive vibes into her.

 

[Carnac]

A player on this team who will be a starter is going to be one of the best next year and that is ONO. Right now, there is no back up for her at all sitting on the bench. She proved that last year. She filled a big hole and provided defense to the inside that right now, cannot be provided with the current and enlisted players on this team.

The envelope sez that will change before the end of the recruiting period for the upcoming season. Geno is not done yet. Still lots of time left. Contacts and recruitment inquiries/pitches have been made. We're just waiting on announcements and reveals at this point. Just like we got one last night, expect to get another.

 

[soxfan23]

1) Dangerfield (Westbrook, Makurat)
2) Westbrook (Makurat, Christyn)
3) Christyn (Westbrook, Makurat, Megan)
4) Megan (Adebayo, Camara)
5) Olivia (Adebayo, Camara)

8 man rotation.

Don't forget Griffin

 

[Dokey]

The question asked is who will be the fifth starter. It assumes that CD, Megan, Williams, and ONO are starters. Not necessarily so. Likely perhaps. But..

 

[Carnac]

Duh! I felt like I was missing someone!

So I guess it would look something like this in a close competitive game:

1) Dangerfield 30, Westbrook 10, Makurat (as needed)
2) Westbrook 20, Makurat 12, Griffin 8
3) Christyn 30, Makurat 7, Griffin 3
4) Megan 30, Adebayo 7, Camara 3
5) Olivia 30 Adebayo 7, Camara 3

9 man rotation? Have we ever seen that in Storrs?

Starters 30 minutes each = 150
Makurat - 9
Griffin - 1
Adebayo - 14
Camara - 6

150 + 19 + 11 + 14 + 6 = 200.

I'm looking for the bench to get a lot of playing time late in games this season because Geno will be able to keep the pressure on teams the entire game. Because of this, many games will be decided by the beginning of the 4th quarter, especially AAC games. I see Griffin averaging 5-8 mpg. The rest of them as you have suggested. No doubt Geno wants to get Griffin ready for next year. He going to need her more then. Funny, a month ago some posters here were thinking she could possibly start.

 

[BobbyJ]

Agree but fouls are usually the result of bad technique before fatigue comes into play. It is good to have depth for when someone gets in foul trouble but far better to have superior technique. BTW Evina's defensive technique offers great growth potential. She has all the tools but they were never used at TN.

As my college coach told us, if you apply the pressure correctly you won’t have to foul. They’ll give you the ball.

 

[CocoHusky]

Sorry, as a former lacrosse player, I've been watching some playoff action. Congrats on Ms. Westbrook choosing UConn. I'm sure Geno A. will get this combination of players excelling on collective and individual levels in a way that will be both effecting and entertaining (darn....)

Interesting. At just about the same time you (Coco) wrote this, I was reacting to news on this over at "The Bench" and scribbled in the exact line-up, save for me calling "player x" the ??? factor. I wonder if Geno will try to see if a combination of Camara/Adebayo and/or Irwin at the x/??? factor and back-up to O N-O will do the trick.

For that reason, I do think that Genor will continue to work on the international/transfer/2020 front to get another strong post/forward. While it's water way under a bridge we can't see in the rear-view mirror any more, A. Boston's decision to head to South Carolina caused some major disruption at a few campuses in America. Geno A. and MM will make up for it, but still.....lot of air miles and telephone calls on that position.

If Westbrook is granted a waiver, I can't see her not being inserted into the starting line-up. For the vast majority of the Huskies games, I don't think this will matter all that much. But I just can't see Walker as a regular power forward. She's not Gabby (and Gabby is not her): she's better suited to the wing position who can alternately attack the lanes and use her middle-game and increasingly improving long(er) game. (If this sounds like I'm writing about Jackie Young, well, yup...)

I think this X/? factor will also affect a lot of the comments I've seen about team speed in relation to the fast break. I have no doubt the guards will all move well, but to run the break you need the rock. Let's see how that's addressed. Once again, congrats on Westbrook and all the other guard additions.

Almost universal agreement here except for Westbrook starting.
A healthy Batouly is exactly the kind of rugged presence that UCONN needs to go along with ONO up from and I think that is why Batouly came back.
Megan Walker not suited to play the PF position on a full time basis.
Westbrook has a tall order to start at UCONN because she would have to displace CW, CD or MW or have one of the three switch position. Displacing CD as the PG is out of the question in my mind because then you are interrupting the continuity with CW, ONO and Megan.

 

[BobbyJ]

Almost universal agreement here except for Westbrook starting.
A healthy Batouly is exactly the kind of rugged presence that UCONN needs to go along with ONO up from and I think that is why Batouly came back.
Megan Walker not suited to play the PF position on a full time basis.
Westbrook has a tall order to start at UCONN because she would have to displace CW, CD or MW or have one of the three switch position. Displacing CW as the PG is out of the question in my mind because then you are interrupting the continuity with CW, ONO and Megan.

I agree. Don’t know why everyone gets so hung up on who starts. Bill Russell said that for several years Havlicek was the most valuable guy on the Celtics when he was coming off the bench.

 

[UConnCat]

But I just can't see Walker as a regular power forward. She's not Gabby (and Gabby is not her): she's better suited to the wing position who can alternately attack the lanes and use her middle-game and increasingly improving long(er) game.

I disagree with you on Walker. Maya played the PF in UConn's offense and Meg and Maya are about the same size (Meg maybe slightly bigger). Although Meg is not as good as Maya, that position in UConn's offense allows her to maximize all of her skills. Maya was a playmaker (lots of assists), drove to the basket, shot a lot of 3s, shot mid-range jumpers, etc. Meg can do all of those things. Neither Gabby nor Pheesa could shoot 3s so they weren't moved around as much as Geno moved Maya and will move Meg to provide a variety of opportunities and mismatches. Meg isn't as athletic as Young so I don't get that comparison.

 

[huskyd]

Another guard? We got the right guard:

 

[eebmg]

The envelope sez that will change before the end of the recruiting period for the upcoming season. Geno is not done yet. Still lots of time left. Contacts and recruitment inquiries/pitches have been made. We're just waiting on announcements and reveals at this point. Just like we got one last night, expect to get another.

Geno's recruitment strategy, I will never be caught with a roster of 5+ players again.

 

[Golden Husky]

Duh! I felt like I was missing someone!

So I guess it would look something like this in a close competitive game:

1) Dangerfield 30, Westbrook 10, Makurat (as needed)
2) Westbrook 20, Makurat 12, Griffin 8
3) Christyn 30, Makurat 7, Griffin 3
4) Megan 30, Adebayo 7, Camara 3
5) Olivia 30 Adebayo 7, Camara 3

9 man rotation? Have we ever seen that in Storrs?

Starters 30 minutes each = 150
Makurat - 9
Griffin - 1
Adebayo - 14
Camara - 6

150 + 19 + 11 + 14 + 6 = 200.

I'm guessing, Makurat 19, and Griffin 11, is what you meant to type?