Official starting lineup...

[JordyG]

Lol.
Dixon started 0 games the year before and 1 game that season before Hartley was inserted in game 2.
CW has started 98 of 99 games.

It hardly changes the fact that if CW is out played and out performed in practice and in game she'll sit. Granted, it wouldn't be easy for a freshman or anyone to do, but how can you still deny this? If Liv is out performed by Dorka do you also think Liv will continue to start? Doesn't this go for anyone on the team? Your LOL is starting to sound like madness.

 

[JoePgh]

It hardly changes the fact that if CW is out played and out performed in practice and in game she'll sit. Granted, it wouldn't be easy for a freshman or anyone to do, but how can you still deny this? If Liv is out performed by Dorka do you also think Liv will continue to start? Doesn't this go for anyone on the team? Your LOL is starting to sound like madness.

If a younger player consistently outperforms a senior who has been a multi-year starter both in practice and in games against good competition, then eventually that younger player will get significantly more minutes than the senior. BUT, long-term starters will get a lot more leeway before they are displaced than someone like Lorin Dixon or Saniya Chong who had not been a regular starter in the past.

Even in cases such as you are describing, I think it's likely that Geno would start the senior and then sub in the younger player after a few minutes, as he did when Caroline Doty (that would be "CD2") was a senior. Nicole Wolff was another example of Geno using that approach -- she worked harder than anyone in practice, but for some reason couldn't deliver offensively in games.

Unless, of course, he thought that the senior needed an attitude adjustment. I don't think that is the case with Liv or Christyn.

 

[JordyG]

If a younger player consistently outperforms a senior who has been a multi-year starter both in practice and in games against good competition, then eventually that younger player will get significantly more minutes than the senior. BUT, long-term starters will get a lot more leeway before they are displaced than someone like Lorin Dixon or Saniya Chong who had not been a regular starter in the past.

Even in cases such as you are describing, I think it's likely that Geno would start the senior and then sub in the younger player after a few minutes, as he did when Caroline Doty (that would be "CD2") was a senior. Nicole Wolff was another example of Geno using that approach -- she worked harder than anyone in practice, but for some reason couldn't deliver offensively in games.

Unless, of course, he thought that the senior needed an attitude adjustment. I don't think that is the case with Liv or Christyn.

Perhaps. It is also true that perhaps the newcomer, rather than starting, would get more minutes. As I stated before, Geno will and has given seniors more leeway, but ultimately by the end of the season, if the senior is continually outperformed the freshman will get the majority of court time.

 

[DEpup]

I really liked the starting line up and then doing the double substitution at the 5 min mark of Dorka and Azzi to just keep the waves of players going...

 

[Rb335]

Azzi will be a special player, but I like her playing the role KML had as a freshman. Instant offense off the bench. KML led the team in scoring that season, and Geno never felt the need to insert her into the starting lineup. I see the same thing happening this year. CW has been effective as a starter for 3 full years, and I don't see a dramatic drop off in her play happening to result her moving to the bench. And I can't see Westbrook moving to the bench as one of our vocal leaders. Just because you come off the bench doesn't mean you aren't one of the top 5 players on the team.

 

[meyers7]

Very true, think Saniya Chong and Kia Nurse

And you are comparing Chong with Williams??? SMH.

Seriously, what is the matter with you people???

 

[meyers7]

You've shaken your head, once again, until it has bounced over your shoe tops. Bria vs. Dixon is a clear example of an experienced senior guard being outplayed by a freshman, guard then starting. Which is the very point of my example. Nothing more and nothing less. There are plenty of examples over the years of freshman or sophomore wings and forwards that have forced Geno to sit seniors at their position. If someone were to outplay CW she would sit, plain and simple. Geno's mantra for his entire residence as coach at UConn has been you earn your PT during practice, and if someone else shows their worth during practice and then in games their counterpart sits. Sure, Geno gives his seniors the benefit of the doubt, but that's hardly playing favorites, and the replacement in the lineup would absolutely not be because the team was tanking. One would think that after so many years some so called UConn fans would realize this.

(and it's JordyG)

I give up, you're clueless.

 

[willtalk]

In other words, even if the better player is a sub, it is usually better for them to earn starting over time. The entire team needs to see the logic of any move.

Since when did Geno give a fig about what the team thinks. This is not a team of grizzeld professional veterans, but a team of young college kids. If a coach starts being concerned with pleasing the team they might as well just hang it up. Players at this stage need to trust the coach or just pick up and go elsewhere. We are talking Geno here , not some young inexperienced coach just taking over a program.

 

[Rudy1927]

These seniors (who I love) have not got the job done. My leash would be short. If someone is better they play as far as I’m concerned. That’s just me.

 

[baggerbob]

Very true, think Saniya Chong and Kia Nurse

He changed his thinking, after the way he handled Stewie her freshman year. Bria was hurt at the beginning of the season. Stewie started, and had a great first 10 games. Bria game back got in game shape went back into the starting line-up. Stewie went into a funk, and almost didn't come out if it.
Before the Tournament Bria decided to come off the bench, and the rest is history. Even Geno admitted he made a mistake with Stewie.

 

[Cornell Lt]

And you are comparing Chong with Williams??? SMH.

Seriously, what is the matter with you people???

Not comparing anybody. The point I was making is that Geno will sit an upperclassman starter or replace them in the starting lineup if a freshman/sophomore is better.

Seriously, what is the matter with you people???

 

[meyers7]

Not comparing anybody. The point I was making is that Geno will sit an upperclassman starter or replace them in the starting lineup if a freshman/sophomore is better.

Seriously, what is the matter with you people???

You absolutely where comparing. We were talking about Williams. Williams level player, not a Dixon or Chong level. You should understand what is being discussed when you join in the conversation.

Geno does not sit a starter/captain/1st Team BE player/ AA HM player just because he's got a "better" freshman. And at this point, I doubt the Fr is better. (she, hopefully, will be down the road) Unless said player gets injured or goes into some kind of slump (and even in a slump Geno will probably try to let the senior player play through it).

 

[huskyd]

Paige
Christyn
Evina
Aaliyah
Olivia

It was posted on Huskies All Access stats link.

View attachment 70794

This reflects Geno's desire to honor his seniors by respecting their multiple years of play. BUT the real powerhouses may be sitting, and Dorka and Azzi will see a lot of playing time. Think 7, not 5.

 

[Cornell Lt]

You absolutely where comparing. We were talking about Williams. Williams level player, not a Dixon or Chong level. You should understand what is being discussed when you join in the conversation.

Geno does not sit a starter/captain/1st Team BE player/ AA HM player just because he's got a "better" freshman. And at this point, I doubt the Fr is better. (she, hopefully, will be down the road) Unless said player gets injured or goes into some kind of slump (and even in a slump Geno will probably try to let the senior player play through it).

 

[TeamFirst!]

Or...maybe he starts the seniors and brings the freshmen in under a lower stress sub approach and keeps his best players as healthy as he can and let's it rock with the top players in the playoffs when he needs them. Let's face it. Geno only needs his top players for 6-7 games a year.

 

[Hayven]

 

[Purchase1]

You've shaken your head, once again, until it has bounced over your shoe tops. Bria vs. Dixon is a clear example of an experienced senior guard being outplayed by a freshman, guard then starting. Which is the very point of my example. Nothing more and nothing less. There are plenty of examples over the years of freshman or sophomore wings and forwards that have forced Geno to sit seniors at their position. If someone were to outplay CW she would sit, plain and simple. Geno's mantra for his entire residence as coach at UConn has been you earn your PT during practice, and if someone else shows their worth during practice and then in games their counterpart sits. Sure, Geno gives his seniors the benefit of the doubt, but that's hardly playing favorites, and the replacement in the lineup would absolutely not be because the team was tanking. One would think that after so many years some so called UConn fans would realize this.

(and it's JordyG)

The thing is Lorin had very little experience even as a senior so that example is null.

 

[DefenseBB]

Ok, let's get the main points back in sync on this board as some posters seem to be parsing and veering on a path not on point.

• The fact is CW has started 98 of 99 games at UConn, her only game she didn't start was Senior night her freshman year.
• CW was the #1 player in her class, has always worked hard, put forth the effort and while the results were not what we wanted as BY posters, Geno has supported her by starting.
• Some of the brethren here are suggesting that CW could lose her starting spot and then use Lorin Dixon being replace by Bria Hartley being given as an example.

So YES, that "example" is laughable on many levels as Lorin had started only 1 game and the talent that Bria had/has was abundant and is why she's in the WNBA. Talent trumps as they say. CW is talented and while others (Azzi/Caroline Ducharme) may have as much talent or potentially more, that gap between Bria and Lorin was significantly vast, whereas the talent gap between CW and any sub is either not there or very small. Geno will not be benching CW for anyone. If her defense is poor, I could see her minutes being reduced, that's the extent of any limitations. Heck, even DT did not start for UConn until injuries forced the situation on that loaded team.

If anyone wants to say that a starter would lose the starting position due to being outplayed in practice or consistently underperforming in games, yes, that is true under Geno but the specific point was being made for replacing CW and that is not happening. If you want to die on that hill than so be it but no one is buying that argument.

 

[Gus Mahler]

And I think we should all keep in mind that Saniya was a mere sophomore when supplanted, having started only two games.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Geno explained that he went with the starting lineup that he ended the season with last year. That was the least "controversial." ( My thought, not necessarily Geno's). Geno said he could use several different starting lineups. (Probably to appease Barnyard posters and speculators.)

Is your post directed at this board or our visitors from Stanford? They're the ones with a farm, right?