Paige Bueckers to UConn | Page 8 | The Boneyard

Paige Bueckers to UConn

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bballnut90 said:
Not the news I was hoping for but congrats on landing Bueckers. She is a stud. Reminds me a LOT of Taurasi with her swagger and style of play.

The rich get richer....Geno sure has a stronghold on #1 recruits:
#1 Recruits Since 2006:
UCONN-8 (or 9): Charles, Moore, EDD (signed NLI but never played), KML, Stewart, KLS, Walker, Williams, Bueckers
Stanford-2: Ogwumike and Jones
Baylor-2: Griner and Cox
Tennessee-1: Russell
South Carolina-1: Wilson
Delaware-1: EDD
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Evina Westbrook?
 
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EricLA said:
A couple of things to add. I'll admit I did venture over to the ND board - was surprised they were so shocked. She always wanted UCONN. But...

I did enjoy their angst over thinking Bueckers was "in the bag" given her friendship with Brunelle, but a few things about that.
  1. Brunelle wanted UCONN up to near the end, but there was no scholly extended. Everyone will believe what they want, but there it is. I have reasons for believing what I do. Others may disagree and that's fine.
  2. If you really listen to Paige's comments, it was ALWAYS UCONN. Just like Tenn fans thought they led for Maya, for any ND fans who thought they ever led for Paige, fact is, it was always UCONN. She idolized UCONN from a young age, and I doubt very much ND EVER led for her, regardless of how much Brunelle may have tried to convince her.
  3. If you watched any of the games where Bueckers, Fudd, Brunelle, Boston, Jones, Horston etc. played together, it was always Bueckers and Fudd together as thick as thieves. Any ND fan who thinks Fudd is ND bound needs to rethink that. Then again, maybe not, but be prepared to be disappointed.
I think Paige may be the most important recruit since Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. I'm not talking about sheer talent - I believe Bueckers has the potential, from a talent perspective, to be the 4th true face on UCONN's Mt. Rushmore - Dee, Maya, Stewie and... ? Anyway, I say most important for a couple reasons...

But first an aside to explain about KML... she was not only a #1 recruit, but EVERYONE liked her and most everyone wanted to play with her. I think she was instrumental in helping land the holy trinity (Mo, Stewie, Morgan - even tho I think we always led for Stewie).

So I say most important sine KML for 2 reasons. 1) She's a PG. The PG is who has the most control over the pace of the offense, how it runs, and how gets passed to when/where etc. Even Berube noted everyone wants to play with Paige. She's THAT good. We read about Christyn wanting to play with Dangerfield. Gabby and Kia Nurse wanting to play with Jefferson. I think Paige is the linchpin of the next 2 recruiting classes. Everyone will want to play with her. Not saying we will get everyone, but get ready for a sustained collage of top recruits coming our way. And 2) she's just that good. She just oozes confidence and leadership. Kids who want to win NC's want to go where the talent is. I cannot overstate how important she is to our future and how devastating it is to the team who thought she was coming their way.

I am cautiously optimistic that the dominoes will continue to fall UCONN's way in recruiting for 2020, 21, and 22. If it goes as I hope, UCONN is on the precipice of another era of domination. All the worry warts can officially retire for the next 5 years.
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Eric:
Congrats on Ms. Bueckers choosing UConn. As I've said, it's a beyond -good get for any school, particularly one that plays at the level of excellence that UConn does.

Glad you came over to the Bench. We don't bite (well at least most of us don't :rolleyes:...every board has its you know whats)....stay awhile once the season is over and blood pressures are down.

If you look there, you'll see a longstanding post at the top on recruiting and you'll see a familiar name assigned to it. And some of the most frequent contributors belong to two other Boneyard posters. As such, allow me to say I don't think the Bench was totally under the impression that Paige was ND-bound. Not in any way, shape or form. Some of her proponents have been very vocal in their support of Paige coming, but I don't recall more than a few "in the bag" comments.
In fact, there was a lot of "Paige vs. Caitlin" talk going on.

BTW, not everyone on every board (only a few of us crazed ones :rolleyes:) looks at every tea leaf. Sure in retrospect, it becomes a bit more obvious, but if all hints are prophecies, why is Aliyah Boston headed to S. Carolina?

Most Benchers are remarkably aware that the Irish just don't get the top recruits: we come close with Bri Turner or very close with Sam Brunelle and Jackie Young (depending on which service your looking at), but never quite the pinnacle coming out of high school. That's one reason why so many were excited about pursuing Paige Bueckers. But if you more than perused the Bench, you'd see that Caitlin Clark has also been in the "mutual interest" (Muffet's term) zone.
A sign that competition was tough was when Deja Kelly visited ND and ND, in turn, visited her in Texas.

So, I'm sure MM and company will bunker down, get some lessons learned and move on. We have not done too shabbily with either Sam B. and Anaya Peoples, who has an interesting blend of physical attributes, composure and leadership that will hopefully lend itself to winning. And in 2020, the still-growing (nearly 6'1") and still-improving Alli Campbell is coming aboard. Not as highly rated, but an improving, talented and hungry player, nonetheless.

Once again, tip of the hat. We're fine at the Bench (well if we had lost to Stanford, that might've been another story :rolleyes:). Our Irish will see you on Friday at Tampa and our coaches will see yours at other gyms in America.
 
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This, indeed, is wonderful news. I, also, hope that this class is filled with lots of additional talent especially, the 8 foot Russian, Ivana Stepalovaya. I really would like to see UConn with a very, very, very tall talented person who can play center and really jump 3 feet into the air.
 
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Paige doesn't know.

Butch said:
I guess being in the AAC isn't an issue.
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CocoHusky said:
Looks like someone changed their tune! :eek:.
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Now I hope you pick up your face because it dropped as soon as Paige committed to the UCONN!!!!
 
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Fast forward a year. Paige is standing outside in a foot of snow. On each side of her is a Husky puppy dog. She reaches for a pen to sign her Letter of Intent on the back of her father's snowmobile. Seems something similar happened a few years ago from the cold north region and, if I remember correctly, some good things came from it.:D
 
Awesome news. She's gonna be a fun one to watch for 4 years.

Those poor souls who have been advocating the end of UCONN and Geno. SMH. I believe someone on here (ahem...:rolleyes:.....:cool:) has widely proclaimed that history shows following a "down" year of recruiting, UCONN gets a very, very good class. We're on our way.
 
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Wbbfan1 said:
Azzi Fudd is Class 2021, they'll be room for both. Both have the ability to play either guard position.
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Worked really well on Team USA. Bueckers basically played a secondary role extremely well.

You might expect that to reverse a bit given she'll have some seniority at UCONN.
 
osu87 said:
Full disclosure since this is my first post and I just joined, I was very happy to hear this news. I am a huge UCONN women’s basketball fan going all the way back to Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizotti. I am an alumna of The Ohio State University and the only team in America I would ever root against UConn would be if they were playing my alma mater, other than that I fully invested In UCONN women’s basketball. Go Huskies!!
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Welcome to the Boneyard!
 
UConnNick said:
He recently mentioned that getting two particular recruits would be enough to keep him coacing at least until their careers are over at UCONN. Although he obviously mentioned no one by
name, Bueckers is one and Azzi is two. We're halfway there.
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Yes, those were the 2 players he was referencing.
 
meyers7 said:
Ah yea some Timbuk 3 (who, though not MN, are from WI)

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What a great treat from eighties. Thanks! I guess the other schools (read Notre Dame) are listening to Timbuk 3's other song "Life Is So Hard". And of course Geno is thinking, "I Just Want to Funk With Your Mind". What a blast from the past as the Sixties Dee Jays said.
 
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I tried to rewatch Bueckers u17 play this morning and couldn't. Seeing Boston dominate put a knot in my stomach.

I realize the chances are like .000001% but wouldn't it be interesting if Horston doesn't like the new hire, asks for her release and gets immediate eligibility at UCONN?
 
My comment about Paige being the best recruit since Stewie is not intended to insult or denigrate anyone. I think Lou, Phee, Megan, and Christyn all are or will be great players. I love all of them and wouldn't trade any of them. They were deserving of their rankings (though Phee may have been slightly too low). My point is simply that some #1s are better than other #1s. Most people think that Diana, Maya, and Stewie are on the UConn version of Mt. Rushmore. Paige is at their level, in the opinion of several people, including Geno. We'll have a problem with Mt. Rushmore if we get Azzi, because she may the best of the group. There were 3 standouts in high school this year, perhaps 4 if we count Jordan Horston. The others were Haley Jones, Paige Bueckers, and Azzi Fudd. Regardless of class, Paige was about as good as anyone. Geno doesn't normally start freshmen, especially at PG, but he started Renee. Paige is not a normal recruit. Both Geno and Kara Lawson compare her to Diana.
 
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HuskyNan said:
Yes, seriously. It’s not a knock on those players, it’s just that Paige will probably be on the Diana, Maya, Stewie level -rarified air
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Thanks, Nan. That was exactly my point. Paige and Azzi were 2 of the best 3 or 4 players in high school this year, regardless of class. In Geno-speak, Paige is really, really, really, really good.
 
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