Pick all 5 starters next season (given the recent Megan to WNBA announcement) | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Pick all 5 starters next season (given the recent Megan to WNBA announcement)

5 votes - pick your best guess for the 5 starters

  • Westbrook

  • Williams

  • Nelson Ododa

  • Griffin

  • Makurat

  • Bueckers

  • Edwards

  • McLean

  • Muhl

  • Gabriel

Results are only viewable after voting.
Has there ever been a team win a NC without seniors? I’ll gladly take that feather for Geno’s cap.
 
GRIFFBIFF20 said:
As a comparison (Breanna Stewart vs. Paige Bueckers, vs Aubrey Griffin):

Aubrey Griffins High School (Senior Season) - 28.2 PPG, 4.3 APG, 10.4 RPG, 3.5 SPG, 2.0 BPG
Paige Bueckers High School (Senior Season) - 21.4 PPG, 9.4 APG, 5.0 RPG, 5.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Brena Stewarts High School (Senior Season) - 23.0 PPG, 2.9 APG, 9.8 RPG, 2.7 SPG, 3.0 BPG

We all know that High School Basketball and playing at UCONN are "Two Totally Different Experiences". Yes, Aubrey had what many would say was a "Typical Season for a Highly Recruited Freshman at UCONN" (many would say that she was, especially in the 2nd half of the season, even better than expected). Paige, while being rated as the #1 recruit, still will be a "Freshman" at UCONN next season. Remember, Breanna Stewart's Freshman Year at UCONN she averaged:

B. Stewart: Average Minutes Per Game: 22.0; PPG: 12.2; APG: 1.0; 6.5 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 1.9 BPG

In comparsion:

A. Griffin: Average Minutes Per Game: 16.7; PPG: 6.4; APG: 1.0; 5.4 RPG; 1.5 SPG; 0.6 BPG

So remember, we all need to continue to see the great potential that is in front of us with regards to Aubrey Griffin's ability to increase her scoring and be that tremendous factor that we all know she will be for UCONN. In the same manner, many need to temper their expectations, at least for the Freshman Year for Paige Bueckers.
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Comparing performances in high school is nearly meaningless. Some high school conferences are extremely weak, some very strong. For example, a 6’ 5” player might average 20 rebounds a game in a league with few players even 6’. What got me about watching some of Paige’s games were the number of D-1 players on both teams.
 
MilfordHusky said:
Could be, but it was the waiver denial, not the surgery, that kept them from playing together.
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Either way the result is the same. But I’m not sure EW could’ve played the whole season without the surgery becoming necessary anyway although I have no way of knowing.
 
Argonaut said:
Has there ever been a team win a NC without seniors? I’ll gladly take that feather for Geno’s cap.
Expand ...

The last team to win without a single senior on the roster was the 2002-2003 UConn Huskies. Led by Diana Taurasi who was a junior.
 
CBus13 said:
The last team to win without a single senior on the roster was the 2002-2003 UConn Huskies. Led by Diana Taurasi who was a junior.
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I didn’t realize that team was without seniors. Thanks!
 
GRIFFBIFF20 said:
As a comparison (Breanna Stewart vs. Paige Bueckers, vs Aubrey Griffin):

Aubrey Griffins High School (Senior Season) - 28.2 PPG, 4.3 APG, 10.4 RPG, 3.5 SPG, 2.0 BPG
Paige Bueckers High School (Senior Season) - 21.4 PPG, 9.4 APG, 5.0 RPG, 5.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Brena Stewarts High School (Senior Season) - 23.0 PPG, 2.9 APG, 9.8 RPG, 2.7 SPG, 3.0 BPG

We all know that High School Basketball and playing at UCONN are "Two Totally Different Experiences". Yes, Aubrey had what many would say was a "Typical Season for a Highly Recruited Freshman at UCONN" (many would say that she was, especially in the 2nd half of the season, even better than expected). Paige, while being rated as the #1 recruit, still will be a "Freshman" at UCONN next season. Remember, Breanna Stewart's Freshman Year at UCONN she averaged:

B. Stewart: Average Minutes Per Game: 22.0; PPG: 12.2; APG: 1.0; 6.5 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 1.9 BPG

In comparsion:

A. Griffin: Average Minutes Per Game: 16.7; PPG: 6.4; APG: 1.0; 5.4 RPG; 1.5 SPG; 0.6 BPG

So remember, we all need to continue to see the great potential that is in front of us with regards to Aubrey Griffin's ability to increase her scoring and be that tremendous factor that we all know she will be for UCONN. In the same manner, many need to temper their expectations, at least for the Freshman Year for Paige Bueckers.
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While I understand that you may want to promote Griffin as the next great thing, you shouldn’t bother to use these meaningless stats to do it. First, when recruiting these kids the coaches pay more attention to how they physically handle the much better AAU competition than the great numbers they put up against the usually overmatched HS kids. And secondly, comparing Griffin’s freshman season to Stewart’s statistically isn’t relevant either. Stewart’s team was so loaded it allowed Auriemma to limit her minutes for teaching purposes. If she’d been on a team like this year’s and more production was needed, in more minutes she’d have easily exceeded those numbers she had. Griffin has a lot of potential and will most likely have a nice career but this comparison isn’t a good one. On that team Griffin would’ve likely gotten similar minutes to the walkons.
 
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I went with Paige, Williams, Westbrook, Olivia and Edwards. Gives us a legit 1-5 - good balance between bigs and guards for good movement. This team should be able to up tempo games on the defensive side and maybe even press. Ana is a step slower physically and has a role as a game changer with her offensive game. Nika will need some time to adjust but Aubrey and Mir will be able to change the game defensively while Ana and Nika should be able to change the game offensively. UConn will be a matchup nightmare for most of America next year.
 
I think Christyn, Olivia and Anna are near locks. They bring the most experience in a UConn uniform and have already developed a near full season of chemistry. The rest is really interesting to debate.

Edwards- if she comes in and is composed and mature, I’d really like to see her start at the 4. It’s been a while since UConn started a true front court with size.

Westbrook- I’m not sure how Geno is going to use her. With Paige being the future pg of the program, does he use Evina as a 2/3? If he is using her at the 1, I think she starts over Paige if healthy.

Paige- if she is as good as advertised from the beginning, she immediately gets the keys to the car. But playing pg for Geno as a freshman isn’t always easy.

Aubrey- if she can develop a jump shot, I could see her starting at the 4. I’d prefer she came off the bench to change defensive intensity and our overall energy. But since she returns some experience, she could start easily as her main competition will come from freshman.

My guess is that day one Westbrook, Williams, Makurat, Griffin, and ONO will start. But won’t be surprised to see Bueckers, Williams, Makurat, Edwards, and ONO get a lot of court time together.
 
A little bit of analysis and observation. I LOVE that 230+ and counting people have voted. I think it's interesting that Olivia is the only player who 100% of the people who voted thinks will start.

Christyn is next at 95.7% and Evina a bit behind at 91.3%. I also find it interesting that Aubrey at 74% and Aaliyah at 17% picked up some votes as well. Regardless of whether or not they start, I think it's pretty clear people feel they will see SIGNIFICANT time off the bench and will give excellent contributions to the team next season.

IMHO IF Aubrey works on her midrange and possibly 3-point game (she already has become a better FT shooter throughout the course of the season), she will be even more valuable.

I LOVED seeing Mir and Nika pick up a few votes as well. I think both are a bit of a wild card - Nika the only "non" starter per the poll who's a guard, and Mir, with her insane athleticism, has a chance to do for the team what Aubrey did this year.

I think we all believe Piath will be a work in progress / project for the coaches, but given Megan's departure, IMHO it's much likely she will be asked to redshirt, unless she is woefully unready for college basketball.

I know Geno does not read the boneyard, but we are filled with multiple levels of knowledgeable fans, many of who I think know more than coaches currently coaching Div 1 WCBB teams. Just read the comments and observations of each player as many have written in such detail. Bravo BY!!
 
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EricLA said:
A little bit of analysis and observation. I LOVE that 230+ and counting people have voted. I think it's interesting that Olivia is the only player who 100% of the people who voted thinks will start.

Christyn is next at 95.7% and Evina a bit behind at 91.3%. I also find it interesting that Aubrey at 74% and Aaliyah at 17% picked up some votes as well. Regardless of whether or not they start, I think it's pretty clear people feel they will see SIGNIFICANT time off the bench and will give excellent contributions to the team next season.

IMHO IF Aubrey works on her midrange and possibly 3-point game (she already has become a better FT shooter throughout the course of the season), she will be even more valuable.

I LOVED seeing Mir and Nika pick up a few votes as well. I think both are a bit of a wild card - Nika the only "non" starter per the poll who's a guard, and Mir, with her insane athleticism, has a chance to do for the team what Aubrey did this year.

I think we all believe Piath will be a work in progress / project for the coaches, but given Megan's departure, IMHO it's much likely she will be asked to redshirt, unless she is woefully unready for college basketball.

I know Geno does not read the boneyard, but we are filled with multiple levels of knowledgeable fans, many of who I think know more than coaches currently coaching Div 1 WCBB teams. Just read the comments and observations of each player as many have written in such detail. Bravo BY!!
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Liv is 100% because she is the only returning big.
 
PG/Point F - Makurat
W - Williams
W - Westbrook
PF - Edwards
PF - Nelson-Ododa

I love Griffin as a player but she's still going to be too raw of an offensive player next season. I see her making the jump her junior year not next...that being said she'll still get A LOT of minutes off the bench.

I gave Edwards the start because I think she brings the experience, athleticism, and offensive game at a size that this team will need while also complimenting ONO on the defensive end.

The other three seem like obvious locks to me, only question mark I have is Westbrook. Obviously a really talented player who's had a year with the team already but playing well in games for a new program is an adjustment for any player. That being said, if the athletic ability is still where it once was come next season. She, along with CW will be a go to player for this team down the stretch.

Paige is an incredible talent but I doubt she'll start off the season as a starter and if she does I don't foresee it lasting all season long. Her woman to woman defense IMHO is pretty bad and there's a lot of pressure on her shoulders to perform so it may be best to let her work her way into the pressure cooker position that is PG at UConn. She along with Griffin will be amongst the first players off the bench, spelling Westbrook, Williams, and Makurat.

I think McLean will follow a path similar to Griffin/G. Williams, and Muhl actually has the potential to have a big impact on this team depending on how well she can translate her game to this system and the physicality of college ball. I haven't seen any footage of Gabriel to judge her game, but going by her size and things I've read about her she may surprise in a couple ways.
 
GRIFFBIFF20 said:
As a comparison (Breanna Stewart vs. Paige Bueckers, vs Aubrey Griffin):
Aubrey Griffins High School (Senior Season) - 28.2 PPG, 4.3 APG, 10.4 RPG, 3.5 SPG, 2.0 BPG
Paige Bueckers High School (Senior Season) - 21.4 PPG, 9.4 APG, 5.0 RPG, 5.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Brena Stewarts High School (Senior Season) - 23.0 PPG, 2.9 APG, 9.8 RPG, 2.7 SPG, 3.0 BPG
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Breanna Stewart
High school
Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2012)
USA Today Player of the Year (2012)
Gatorade Female Basketball Player of the Year (2012)
Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year (2012)
McDonald's All-American (2012)
Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Player of the Year (2011)
USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year (2011)
ESPN Rise All-America second team (2010)
Parade All-America fourth team (2010)
College - Freshman Year
2013 Final Four MOP
2013 NCAA Tournament Bridgeport Regional MOP
2013 All-BIG EAST Tournament Team
2012-13 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team
2012-13 All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention

Aubrey Griffin
High School
2019 McDonald's All-American
2019 WBCA All-American
2019 Miss New York Basketball
2018 New York Section 1 Player of the Year and all-state selection
2018 One of 18 finalists for the 2018 USA Basketball U-17 team
College - Freshman Year
2020 American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team
2020 American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team

Paige Bueckers
High School
Gatorade National Player of the Year (2020)
Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2020)
McDonald's All-American (2020)
Jordan Brand Classic (2020)
USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year (2019)
FIBA Under-19 Women's World Cup MVP (2019)
College - Freshman Year
TBD
 
Last edited:
GRIFFBIFF20 said:
As a comparison (Breanna Stewart vs. Paige Bueckers, vs Aubrey Griffin):

Aubrey Griffins High School (Senior Season) - 28.2 PPG, 4.3 APG, 10.4 RPG, 3.5 SPG, 2.0 BPG
Paige Bueckers High School (Senior Season) - 21.4 PPG, 9.4 APG, 5.0 RPG, 5.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Brena Stewarts High School (Senior Season) - 23.0 PPG, 2.9 APG, 9.8 RPG, 2.7 SPG, 3.0 BPG

We all know that High School Basketball and playing at UCONN are "Two Totally Different Experiences". Yes, Aubrey had what many would say was a "Typical Season for a Highly Recruited Freshman at UCONN" (many would say that she was, especially in the 2nd half of the season, even better than expected). Paige, while being rated as the #1 recruit, still will be a "Freshman" at UCONN next season. Remember, Breanna Stewart's Freshman Year at UCONN she averaged:

B. Stewart: Average Minutes Per Game: 22.0; PPG: 12.2; APG: 1.0; 6.5 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 1.9 BPG

In comparsion:

A. Griffin: Average Minutes Per Game: 16.7; PPG: 6.4; APG: 1.0; 5.4 RPG; 1.5 SPG; 0.6 BPG

So remember, we all need to continue to see the great potential that is in front of us with regards to Aubrey Griffin's ability to increase her scoring and be that tremendous factor that we all know she will be for UCONN. In the same manner, many need to temper their expectations, at least for the Freshman Year for Paige Bueckers.
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Breanna played her freshman year on a team withStefanie Dolson, Kian Stokes, and Morgan Tuck. The 6-5 senior Heather Buck was also on the roster to take up minutes in the post. You are comparing apples and oranges.

uconnhuskies.com

2012-13 Women's Basketball Roster - University of Connecticut Athletics

The official 2012-13 Women's Basketball Roster for the University of Connecticut Huskies
uconnhuskies.com uconnhuskies.com

i am a big Aubrey fan but she wouldn’t have averaged more than 10 minutes in Breann’s freshman year, especially with Kelly Faris to play defensive stopper.
 
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Geno will start as usual his five best players he determines during preseason.

Olivia, Williams and Page I believe are starters for sure.

The last two are to be determined from the rest of players.
 
cferraro04 said:
My Maya comment went to the fact that Maya was all everything coming out of high school. She was the prize of the class and everyone knew she was a game changer and would impact the game of women's college basketball...yet Geno did not start her on day one. Can't remember who it was...but, it took a starter to get injured and Geno started Maya and never looked back after that. I just don't think Paige starts on day one...she might as she might be that good...but, either way by mid January...Geno will have trouble trying to keep the kid on the bench. In my analysis I deliberately kept scoring prophesies on the conservative side because quite frankly I think next season's version of the huskies is a better offensive team in many ways.

This year's team was hampered by inconsistent shooting by Chrystn Williams and Megan Walker. Yeah, I know Megan averaged 19.6 per game...but she often took a lot of shots and she was inconsistent against top ranked teams. Makurat didn't find her stroke until the last third of the season. ONO got better and better as the season went on as did Aubrey. As a result Crystal had to be a scoring point guard and in many cases she had to carry the offense. I don't think that is going to be the case with next year's point guard, which will eventually be Paige.

At the beginning of the season with Paige coming off the bench (and this is just a scenario that may change if Geno, et al., decide that she starts from day one)...

Christyn Williams who was essentially a shooting guard in high school but who was also counted on to play the point, will be more than likely playing the 1/2 as will Evina who at 6'0" played point guard in high school. With the two of them sharing point guard duties I think the scoring will fall primarily to Williams who we all know is capable of 20 plus points at any given time. Consistency and confidence have been her problems this past season...I look to her to get past all of that and I think she leads the team in scoring with around 18 points.

ONO is going to be hard to stop in the middle next year and she will average double figures 12 to 14 points as well, Makurat has caught up to the college game...issues of speed aside, she is one smart basketball player with a great stroke. She will play the 2/3 position where she will be counted on for threes, rebounding to go along with her beautiful passing game. When Paige gets into the game it is going to be a thing of beauty watching them work the ball around and finding open shooters.

Evina can shoot the three...at Tennessee she made 85 threes while shooting 31 percent from the arc; in sophomore year she made 100 threes, shooting 39 percent from the arc. She is a hell of a player off the bounce....and a pretty good playmaker. Here is her ESPN profile description while she was in high school: "Confident, versatile play-maker brings size to the back court; superb court awareness, passes with purpose in uptempo game; mid-range game creator moves to the arc; an elite guard in the class of 2017" Bret McCormick from the All Star Girls Report had this to say about Evina when she signed for Tennessee: “There’s nothing she can’t do,” McCormick said. “She’s a great passer. She lives on the free throw line. She rebounds. She defends. She affects the game in so many ways. She doesn’t need to score a lot of points to be effective.” I believe that next year is Evina's team...she will be the vocal leader and she has been waiting a long time to get back on that court. I am sure that I under-rated her scoring contribution in my original analysis but the was by design...as I wanted to keep scoring predictions on the conservative side... Good thing I did because I still came out with UConn averaging 88 points a game. That is a fairly high average given that Geno usually has the team take their foot off the gas in games where he is up by 30 or more. Starters usually spend a lot of time on the bench in the 4th quarter...so, players point totals take a hit. So, while Evina might score more than I attributed to her...I don't think that is a bad problem to have.

Aubrey is too athletic to be held down and to be unproductive. This year Aubrey job was to find her sea legs...she did that in the second half of the season...you could literally see the teams energy come up as soon as "the disrupter" came into the game. She has a real nose for the ball...the ball comes off the rim and bingo..there is Aubrey...her muscle twitch makes her the first person off the floor and aerial which enables her to snag rebounds away from bigger players. She will only be better next year. Some folks may not know this about Aubrey but in her senior year in high school she averaged 28.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. Interestingly, her total varsity averages over three years in high school were 26.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 3.5 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. That is consistency over her entire high school career. Aubrey was a versatile scorer as this description indicates: "Athletic guard with versatility; aggressive offensive threat looks to attack on every possession; exploits mismatches, finishes plays in traffic; handles and scores in uptempo; a shot maker off the dribble with range to the arc" If Aubrey becomes a starter it is going to be difficult to put her back on the bench... She will consistently score and she will consistently energize the defense which in turn will spark the offense...she will earn the title of "the disrupter".

There is no point getting into each of the freshmen...as I have already done in my original post...but suffice it to know that there will be points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocked shots from this very talented freshmen class. The more aI look at the players, the more I believe that next year's team will be slightly better than this years team and by March...I believe that next years team will be a final four team with a good shot at the championship.
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Ono and Aubrey need a reliable 15 footer, for when the floor opens up and no one is in their face. If that happens it will rain.
 
All the things being imagined for PB. The forced of her skills are going to propelled her into -- not just a starting role, but the starting role; that of her personality (culled from videos and other techniques of knowledge production) will provide the natural leadership missing since the great one. I am also thinking of another (lesser for sure) heroine-- Westbrook. Left one school (the evil empire) to join another school (the bad for the game one) and was punished- forced to sit a year and; would you know it, she is coming off the bench. Well, I really don't know if she has aspirations for the WNBA or fully recovery from her surgery, so not more here. Actually, I wouldn't want Tenn. to have the last laugh on this matter. Just imagine if you can! Aubrey is another that I'm holding eyes on. Now that coach dad is home(?), can he not coach the hell out of her-- what else to do (read books, lament about the missed opportunity to show the nation that you are the NEXT ONE: as narrated by a commentator) in times of Covid-19.
 
tower1 said:
Im still trying to figure out why Megan is leaving this year. She could definitely use one more year to improve her game. She can't even make a lay up yet.
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Kids leave for many reasons. I celebrate how hard she worked starting her freshman season when she was often in the dog house, to her sophomore year where she did not have a tremendous sophomore leap to her junior season, where she transformed her body and diet, and I believe she should have been on some AA teams, even 1st team AA.

I wish her the very best and while I'm disappointed as a fan of the team and what I think she could have brought in helping win the NC next season, I will root for her no matter where she goes. No one begrudged Sabally saying she was leaving for $$ reasons. Does ANYONE on the BY know Megan personally and know the exact reasons?

Once and forever a Husky. Best of luck Megan!!
 
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