Playing time this year

[mhshuskies]

It makes sense to have a bigger rotation because there are more good players.

I can't see Geno ever training players for big games by playing them less. On the other hand, I could see him playing different players or lineups in different situations or vs. different types of opponents.

Several thoughts. Clearly if faced with a choice between a very good player that may be overworked vs. a fresh sub that is significantly worse, Geno goes with the relatively gassed star. Last year is exhibit A for that. Three of our four main players were around 35 minutes a game. That is 87.5% of the game, and the equivalent percentage of an NBA game would be 42 minutes.

Are Uconn athletes better conditioned? Yes, but this is still pushing it. In addition those 35 minutes included blowouts, where those players were not in for the last few minutes, so it games that counted it was an even heavier role.

Last year the trade-off was stark. We were really only 6 deep, but had to use 8. I'm sure Geno had no trouble using Aubrey, she was a star off the bench, but the heavy minutes were to minimize how much he had to use Kyla and Molly.

I think CW can be a much better player this year on a per minute basis if she is closer to 30 minutes a game. In fact no player on this team is expected to be so head and shoulders above say our first 8, that they need to play tired.

In addition the strategic options are really opened up. Can you press if you are burning out your starters with heavy minutes? Of course not if you don't trust your bench. Players can be more aggressive defensively and rebounding because of not being as scared of getting in foul trouble. Having a bench you can count on doesn't just make the bench better, it also allows the starters to be better, and gives the coach more strategy tools to use.

This year I feel pretty confident he will have confidence in 8. Mir has a decent chance of making that 9. Nobody has to play 35 minutes anymore. Maybe a solid 8 even allows you on a spot basis to press every once in awhile. Next year if he wanted to Geno could press for most of the game, even with the starters and reduce their minutes to the mid twenties if desired.

I am hoping for that kind of evolution over the next couple of years. It also might be necessary if we hope to retain most of these new recruits. That will not happen with a 7 or 8 player rotation.

I thought Genos own drive for perfection restricted him in the past few years from using more players. Granted he said he needed to have trust in players, but that led to a short bench, which I think has been his Achilles heel. I think it cost UCONN in the semi of KLS senior year and in that stunner loss to MissSt. I think MM figured that out and was always trying to get UCONN going deep into its bench as her main strategy. Maybe the two latest (20,21) recruiting classes are an effort to deepen the bench going forward.

 

[hoophuskee]

But as we could see from players like KLS, sometimes you try to power through that injury (even when it might not be the best idea) because there isn’t a good option coming off the bench.

Last year Christyn and Crystal averaged over 35mpg. Megan averaged 34. The year before Crystal averaged 34.9 with KLS and Phee averaging over 33. The year before that, Kia averaged 33. Ideally, I don’t think you should want anyone to average over 30.

Many have insinuated that there is no way to keep the freshmen happy (and especially next year’s freshmen...) because there aren’t enough minutes to go around. My point was that when there are people on the bench who have earned the time and the trust, Geno will give them time to show what they can do.

Now, being happy with their performance during those minutes so you keep going and come in meaningful moments is another story. That’s on the player’s shoulders — not on Geno’s. If you lay an egg against teams like Xavier and Georgetown, you’re not getting in against South Carolina unless there isn’t another option.

But no one said that any player should average near 35 minutes a game. If so -- who said it? What posts? What was said I recall that some of us want the superstars in big games getting big minutes. But for this team it's unknown who the superstars are. So I haven't seen - "you got to give . . . player 33 minutes per game." Maybe I missed that. So if no superstars then sure - share the minutes more. But how often does UCONN not have multiple superstars?

As far as playing 30 minutes or under on average, sure if you are blowing teams out. Or like in 02-03 and 03-04 in which many of the players are about the same and your superstar (DT) is banged up hurt.

If UCONN is as good as we think and there are no injuries - - there would be 9 players getting 10 more minutes. But will a player that is getting just above 10 minutes per game be enough to make her content if the player is not contributing in big games? Morgan Valley had foot issues so 11 minutes was fine. And I'm not sure anyone is saying only 7 players will get 10 minutes or more. It's in big games which Geno has shown the propensity to use less of his bench. There are exceptions-- and in some cases desperation for a specific game. Is what I'm saying wrong????????????

I think everyone would agree with you at least 8 players (just like in 02-03 and 03-04) will get at least 10 minutes. But for that player getting 10-11 minutes and not being played at all in big games or sparingly be okay just getting 10-11?

 

[hoophuskee]

I thought Genos own drive for perfection restricted him in the past few years from using more players. Granted he said he needed to have trust in players, but that led to a short bench, which I think has been his Achilles heel. I think it cost UCONN in the semi of KLS senior year and in that stunner loss to MissSt. I think MM figured that out and was always trying to get UCONN going deep into its bench as her main strategy. Maybe the two latest (20,21) recruiting classes are an effort to deepen the bench going forward.

MM won a title with a short bench.

 

[oldude]

MM won a title with a short bench.

Correction. MM won a title with no bench. During the FF in 2018 ND’s starting 5 played 189 minutes vs UConn and 176 minutes vs MS St. The Irish only sub, Kristina Nelson, wasn’t particularly effective in either game, although she did have a bucket in each.

 

[oldhusky]

Hoophuskee and Oldude make very valid points, namely you can win with a very short bench. But it takes a pretty unusual set of circumstances for that to be true. Notre Dame had five future WNBA players in that lineup, that were also very used to each other, because 4 were seniors with one junior (Jackie Young) who joined them declaring early for the draft. They had talent, experience, and teamwork from familiarity, that is close to as good as it can be from five starters, with some Uconn five's being there as well.

I also agree somewhat with mhshuskies. I think Geno with some teams has been overly reluctant to use his bench, and I think he runs up the score in blowouts by sticking with starters way past the period when the game was in doubt. Now with many computer power rankings etc. running up the score can help your rating, I get that aspect of it, but maximizing the final point differential can be a negative to achieving other objectives.

Developing players and retaining players are also important objectives, and could be even more important in the next few years. If Geno wanted to run up the score with the 2016 championship team by limiting Pulido minutes to the last minute of a 40 point blowout, that is one thing. She was a walk-on that didn't matter much in the big scheme of things, and for sure the difference in ability was so great that yes you might lose a few points of that huge margin while she was in the game.

In the next few years, developing and retaining highly regarded players is a far more important objective. Geno may well go with mostly 8 early this year, but if he sticks with that over the next couple of years, the highly regarded recruits won't accept being the 9th or 10th player on a great team. It's probably true this year, but beyond this year almost a certainty, that the players deep on the bench when inserted into the lineup will expand the lead not shrink it, mostly against other teams subs, so what's the downside?

Next year the gap between our team's bench and our opponents, will likely be significantly larger than for our starters vs. their starters. So why not press and pick up the pace on offense, wear out the opponents starters, and have more of the game be a battle between the benches than it would otherwise. Find a role for more of the recruits, retain more of them, and increase the margin of victory at the same time.

 

[Huskee11]

2021-2022 and beyond will provide some interesting challenges. I hesitate to call it an embarrassment of riches, for fear that the Boneyard would come down on me like a ton of bricks. And I know, I`m getting ahead of things, the 2020-2021 season hasn`t started yet.

In any event, if everyone is there that could be there, admittedly a big "if", 2021-2022 shapes up as the deepest team in UConn history. Perhaps even deeper than the 1999-2000 National Champions, which I think was Geno`s deepest team although that is obviously subject to debate. Six WNBA players- Abrosimova, Schumacher, Bird, Cash, Jones, Williams; plus Ralph, Sauer and Hansmeyer.

Positions are flexible and ESPN rankings are not the be all to end all. Nevertheless, using reasonable position assignments and applying that somewhat arbitrary ranking scale:

Guards: three number ones - Williams (2018), Bueckers (2020), Fudd (2021); a number two - Westbrook (2017); a number five - Ducharme (2021); a highly regarded 2020 international player - Muhl; and 2020 walk-on Chiasson.

Forwards: four in the top 30 - Griffin (21, 2019); Edwards (23, 2020); McLean (25, 2020); and Poffenbarger (30, 2021). ESPN probably underrated two or three of those players. Plus Makurat, 2019, a highly regarded international player who started as a Freshman.

Center: a number five - ONO (2018); a number 15 - DeBerry (2021); and a 2020 with size and potential, Gabriel.

Oh my.

 

[hoophuskee]

Correction. MM won a title with no bench. During the FF in 2018 ND’s starting 5 played 189 minutes vs UConn and 176 minutes vs MS St. The Irish only sub, Kristina Nelson, wasn’t particularly effective in either game, although she did have a bucket in each.

I meant Mufftt McGraw.

 

[oldude]

I meant Mufftt McGraw.

So did I?

 

[hoophuskee]

Hoophuskee and Oldude make very valid points, namely you can win with a very short bench. But it takes a pretty unusual set of circumstances for that to be true.

Developing players and retaining players are also important objectives, and could be even more important in the next few years.

In the next few years, developing and retaining highly regarded players is a far more important objective. Geno may well go with mostly 8 early this year, but if he sticks with that over the next couple of years, the highly regarded recruits won't accept being the 9th or 10th player on a great team.

Next year the gap between our team's bench and our opponents, will likely be significantly larger than for our starters vs. their starters. So why not press and pick up the pace on offense, wear out the opponents starters, and have more of the game be a battle between the benches than it would otherwise. Find a role for more of the recruits, retain more of them, and increase the margin of victory at the same time.

I still don't understand the points made here about there being "a refute" that you need a deep bench other than what has been said on here - "that UCONN will go with at least 7 in big games." I don't recall one post stating UCONN will only go with 6. Or that UCONN will run most of it's starters for more than 30 on average for the entire season.

Yes it takes an unusual team to win with fewer players -- but isn't that why we are so excited this year and the next few? Doesn't UCONN have up to 5 players that are A?A caliber? OFC not all 5 or 4 or probably 3 will make it to at least 3rd team - but nearly every year they have something unusual which is why UCONN has the consecutive FF streak and so many titles over 25 years. And how unusual is the ND team vs most of our past teams? UCONN gets super recruits so ofc they are unusual. Even this year.

Nor do I understand the point that you say Geno runs up the score (run up the score is a very subjective term) - is he doing it actually and if by your definition he is - is it bad? If it is bad yet you want press as much as possible?

And as olddude pointed out ND basically had 5 players. How can it be so unusual then if UCONN had 2 bench players getting 30 between them, and 5 starters get an average of 28 minutes- 140-- so that is 170 minutes. Give the last player on the bench 5 - then it means player 8-10 get the balance of 25 split near even. How is that unusual or too hard on the starters? Not saying do it this year-- no idea how this team is going to break out as- but if we've seen a ND team do it-- with 5-- and UCONN usually has a team stacked with amazing talent-- why can't UCONN have 7 main players and the rest under 10 minutes as an option? Again- not saying do it-- because we don't know but it is an option. What I just said can be "refuted?"

Last 2 points -- superstars need their minutes. They are more important than the 8th and 9th player on the bench. If you want to keep landing the number 1 recruits then you had better give them near 30 minutes as UCONN has done. After all UCONN has won 11 titles and 9 of them come from DT, Maya and Stewie. Ofc they need other players but the bench players need the superstars more, right? Generally (not all the time) a superstar can go longer, right? And don't the superstars usually play more minutes in big games? That's bad?

I still don't know where you and others stand on this (That the superstars or much higher caliber player than the bench player get big minutes in big games?)- but are some posters suggesting Geno has been doing things all wrong, or that he is no longer on top of what is going on? "Highly regarded players" 1st and foremost are potentially players like Paige and Azzi. If they live up to the hype of super-elite-play- is the point being made that in big games only give them "30" minutes?

 

[oldhusky]

I still don't understand the points made here about there being "a refute" that you need a deep bench other than what has been said on here - "that UCONN will go with at least 7 in big games." I don't recall one post stating UCONN will only go with 6. Or that UCONN will run most of it's starters for more than 30 on average for the entire season.

Yes it takes an unusual team to win with fewer players -- but isn't that why we are so excited this year and the next few? Doesn't UCONN have up to 5 players that are A?A caliber? OFC not all 5 or 4 or probably 3 will make it to at least 3rd team - but nearly every year they have something unusual which is why UCONN has the consecutive FF streak and so many titles over 25 years. And how unusual is the ND team vs most of our past teams? UCONN gets super recruits so ofc they are unusual. Even this year.

Nor do I understand the point that you say Geno runs up the score (run up the score is a very subjective term) - is he doing it actually and if by your definition he is - is it bad? If it is bad yet you want press as much as possible?

And as olddude pointed out ND basically had 5 players. How can it be so unusual then if UCONN had 2 bench players getting 30 between them, and 5 starters get an average of 28 minutes- 140-- so that is 170 minutes. Give the last player on the bench 5 - then it means player 8-10 get the balance of 25 split near even. How is that unusual or too hard on the starters? Not saying do it this year-- no idea how this team is going to break out as- but if we've seen a ND team do it-- with 5-- and UCONN usually has a team stacked with amazing talent-- why can't UCONN have 7 main players and the rest under 10 minutes as an option? Again- not saying do it-- because we don't know but it is an option. What I just said can be "refuted?"

Last 2 points -- superstars need their minutes. They are more important than the 8th and 9th player on the bench. If you want to keep landing the number 1 recruits then you had better give them near 30 minutes as UCONN has done. After all UCONN has won 11 titles and 9 of them come from DT, Maya and Stewie. Ofc they need other players but the bench players need the superstars more, right? Generally (not all the time) a superstar can go longer, right? And don't the superstars usually play more minutes in big games? That's bad?

I still don't know where you and others stand on this (That the superstars or much higher caliber player than the bench player get big minutes in big games?)- but are some posters suggesting Geno has been doing things all wrong, or that he is no longer on top of what is going on? "Highly regarded players" 1st and foremost are potentially players like Paige and Azzi. If they live up to the hype of super-elite-play- is the point being made that in big games only give them "30" minutes?

Regarding running up the score, I was expressing my opinion that Geno is relatively slow to bring in the tail end of the bench for mop up minutes. The game has usually been decided for a long time before he makes that change. If you are up by 30 at the end of three quarters, you could empty the bench then, not wait until two minutes to go or something like that.

Are there advantages to doing it like Geno does? Sure, the final point margin will probably be higher, and rankings that look at point spreads might rate us higher for that reason. I agree with you that few on the Boneyard think next year's team will utilize a very short rotation, because the talent is too great not to use it.

Whether right or wrong, I believe our second team could beat most opponents second team by a significantly bigger margin, than our first team could beat their first team. If true then having our starters press and play a fast breaking game will wear out both team's starters faster. That would limit the minutes of our stars and our opponent's perhaps to 25 minutes a game instead of 30.

Doing that means a bigger part of the game will be a battle of benches where we have a huge advantage. I think Geno has been reluctant in the past to use the bench when it is a major drop-off, where a shrinking margin is possible. In this case fully utilizing the bench in a way that forces opponents to use their subs could very well expand the lead even faster than the starters could have.

Your point about stars expecting to get major minutes, say at least 30 minutes a game, involves a trade off. True some players won't come here if they can't be the first option on offensive, play big minutes and compete among the national leaders in some statistical category. We could lose a superstar who doesn't want to give up any of their potential minutes to a great bench and a strategy that would eat into some of her minutes.

That is possible, but with this team as constructed, isn't the far greater risk that we will lose many very talented players that are not starters because they couldn't get meaning-full minutes?

The 2016 championship team might be an interesting comparison. Geno did use 9 players and sometimes 10 in most contested games. His first two off the bench were future All American's and WNBA players, in Pheesa and Gabby. 8 & 9 were also drafted by the WNBA in Saniya Chong and Natalie Butler. Courtney was number 10, and sometimes she was used and sometimes not in big games. Both Natalie and Courtney transferred. Pulido and Lawlor got only insignificant minutes right at the end of a game with huge leads.

That was a great bench, number 8 & 9 got at least 12 minutes a game or so, and our starters if memory serves me right were playing 25-30 minutes a game. Geno has a far greater challenge in terms of developing and keeping players this time. Maybe he looses #9 and #10 this time too. The difference is he may also have that level player at 11,12, &13, not Pulido and Lawlor.

Geno will have to use them or lose them. I think if he wants to, he can find a role for quite a few of them, but it requires him to get out of his comfort zone of overusing his top players. Next year if not this one, he has a bench he should have confidence in, that will build leads, not lose them. Last year we had three players averaging about 35 minutes a game, despite having many blowouts. All of them in my opinion would have been more effective if their minutes were closer to 30. Was much of that because otherwise he would have to use Kyla or Molly more? Of course but for the next few years that won't be a problem

 

[hoophuskee]

(1)Regarding running up the score, I was expressing my opinion that Geno is relatively slow to bring in the tail end of the bench for mop up minutes.

(2)Whether right or wrong, I believe our second team could beat most opponents second team by a significantly bigger margin, than our first team could beat their first team.

(3) In this case fully utilizing the bench in a way that forces opponents to use their subs could very well expand the lead even faster than the starters could have.

(4)Your point about stars expecting to get major minutes, say at least 30 minutes a game, involves a trade off. We could lose a superstar who doesn't want to give up any of their potential minutes to a great bench and a strategy that would eat into some of her minutes.
That is possible, but with this team as constructed, isn't the far greater risk that we will lose many very talented players that are not starters because they couldn't get meaning-full minutes?

(5)The 2016 championship team might be an interesting comparison. Geno did use 9 players and sometimes 10 in most contested games.
That was a great bench, number 8 & 9 got at least 12 minutes a game or so, and our starters if memory serves me right were playing 25-30 minutes a game.

(6) Geno will have to use them or lose them. . . . Last year we had three players averaging about 35 minutes a game, despite having many blowouts. All of them in my opinion would have been more effective if their minutes were closer to 30.

(5) -- I want to start with this one because as I've said - 5 starters get 140 minutes which should be fine - that great 15-16 team you refer to had 3 starters get about 88 minutes. and Tuck and KLS got about 50. That just in the range I said. It's the perfect range imo. So are you and others say he made a bad move that year? No team came under 10 points vs them. IMO this is exactly as I've said - you don't need big benches. **Two of their big games vs Md and SC they had a 7/8 player rotation with 4 of the starters getting 32 and above minutes.

(1) - What you call "running up the score - for me running up the score is more what you want to do is to keep pressing. Unless you pull the press early. And fats breaking as much as you can is running up the score. Halfcourt sets with some of your your stars -in-and-out- imo not as much. I'm a firm believer in offensive execution. I love the move Geno does keeping his starters in because the bench players need to learn how to play with the starters- but you can't have all 10- otherwise the starters and bench if treated like separate entities- won't mesh as well when competing against the elite. When they go against the elite teams the elite player(s) for UCONN need as many minutes as possible

(2) - I don't believe vs the elite teams you can assume that you are going to "wear down" a bunch of 20 year olds that are also working the tails off with practices etc. Maybe some but it isn't worth the risk of "hoping the press will work with your 2nd team" - if you have an offense - with great / superior starters- that can't be stopped very well. I can't speak for this year- too many unknowns but

(3) I don't think you can assume you'll get many minutes from the opposing team's bench as you suggest. One thing is - when the opposing teams starters are in - and they denned UCONN's 2nd team - they can rest more. Assume Paige and Azzi are superstars at some point. The pressure they put on each offensive set - that is more likely to wear the other team down- having to worry about them - while having to try to keep up scoring with them at the other end. A sense of frustration inevitably happens and then you see UCONN " make the run." If there is a big separation between 1st team and 2nd team - or have a few super players- you keep them in as long as they can perform. . The 2015-2016 shows the results-- play your big 4 in those big games 32+ minutes you won't lose. Too risky using the bench too much vs playing your stars.

(4)- I have acknowledged that I can't make an assessment on this year's team this early in terms of style. IMO no one can on here. I had an earlier trying to project "minutes" as "whistling in the wind." I'm specifically talking general here- and that is if you have superstars - you play them big minutes. While you lose some kids - by winning you'll gain more the next year. And as I have indicated- when UCONN gets that super-superstar-- nine times they have won titles. Continuing to get the superstar is more important than worrying about the 9th player on the bench. More interested in seeing what Paige and Azzi can do for 40 minutes rather than 25 in big games. Though too young now for that when they become frosh players.

(6) - Yes last year's team could have used a better bench. But last year's team number 1 1st team A/A - where would you rank Walker vs any other UCONN 1st team a/a? Think of this- I would put her 4th best player on the 15-16 team you referred to before. And what about the 2ndbets player Dangerfield? A fine player but in terms of a pg-- where would we rank her vs the pats pg's? And overall where would we rank her for example as best player vs the 16-17 and 17-18 teams? Yet this team she was 2nd bets player. Walker and Dangerfeild were fine players- they are limited in what they can carry vs the big superstars. That's not a slam. I love walker and Danger for what they did. I firmly believe we were right there to be 4th best team last year- kept us "relevant" in a manner of speak. For the talent they had-- that's pretty good.

It's okay to lose bench players vs getting superstars in return. You can win with halfcourt offensive execution vs playing a press. Many teams have shown that.

 

[Cornell Lt]

I'm of the opinion that the clearing of the bench is triggered by the team that's getting their asses kicked. When they sub out their starters then so will the other team. Been that way since I can remember.

 

[Tonyc]

The next couple of years UConn has alot of top 10 players who will get playtime. How many minutes we dont know. I will say it again...they didnt come here to sit on the bench. Geno will find playtime for them as they develop. UConn is really loaded with top talent with more coming in next season and the following season we already have a commitment from ICE and shes not coming here to sit either.

This season UConn needs to develop team chemistry as well as cohesiveness and most importantly confidence individually and as a team. This takes time. There will be hiccups early on as we work out the kinks and as the season progresses it will get better. With that said we have a bunch of big games early on and we dont know who will step up in crucial situations like Meg and Crystal did last season. ONO cant not get in foul trouble. which would change the game. We have alot of talent and great potential but lack experience playing as a team this year. We dont know who will bail us out like Meg and Crystal did. I think early on we will depend alot Evina Anna and CW. I also expect Aubrey to play big this season.

One point about ND and Muffit. I agree MM played her starting 5 way to many minutes. The result was alot of transfers over the final 2-3 seasons. Last season was not very good because the talent that was sitting got tired of sitting and transferred.

 

[eebmg]

Irregardless of the score or opponent, Geno cares what his team looks like on the court. The product has to look good and that is why the fan base is so global (not just wins) If a player (no matter the talent) does not absorb the offensive / defensive team principles he is teaching, the player will sit. He does not believe in auditioning (or learning) in games. Learn it and Prove it in practice, earn trust and then you play.

 

[oldhusky]

The next couple of years UConn has alot of top 10 players who will get playtime. How many minutes we dont know. I will say it again...they didnt come here to sit on the bench. Geno will find playtime for them as they develop. UConn is really loaded with top talent with more coming in next season and the following season we already have a commitment from ICE and shes not coming here to sit either.

This season UConn needs to develop team chemistry as well as cohesiveness and most importantly confidence individually and as a team. This takes time. There will be hiccups early on as we work out the kinks and as the season progresses it will get better. With that said we have a bunch of big games early on and we dont know who will step up in crucial situations like Meg and Crystal did last season. ONO cant not get in foul trouble. which would change the game. We have alot of talent and great potential but lack experience playing as a team this year. We dont know who will bail us out like Meg and Crystal did. I think early on we will depend alot Evina Anna and CW. I also expect Aubrey to play big this season.

One point about ND and Muffit. I agree MM played her starting 5 way to many minutes. The result was alot of transfers over the final 2-3 seasons. Last season was not very good because the talent that was sitting got tired of sitting and transferred.

MM milked her starters to the max, had multiple transfers, and went in one season from championship spotlight to a losing record of 13-18, an un-ranked team, and a coach that quit. I agree with Hoophuskie that you "can" win with a short bench, but also think you can win with a rotation that includes at least 10 on a regular basis, particularly if all those players are better than most teams starters.

Maybe the more relevant question is what Geno is trying for here. He is building a very deep roster, with third stringers that could beat most teams starters, but also third stringers who if they can't break into the top 10, will probably collectively be limited to Pulido/Lawlor significance and minutes. If he is ok with up to a third of the roster transferring, no problem, but it is very tough on those players.

Just for arguments sake, suppose we assume the rotation in meaning-full games this year is the anticipated 8, and two more from the 2021 class are added to it for next year, say Azzi and Amari. That would put us at 10 which is already more than Geno's comfort zone in the past.

That leaves Carolyn, Saylor, Mir, Piath and Autumn as "practice players" with game roles more like Pulido and Lawlor. In Autumn's case I suspect she could accept that kind of a role when she agreed to be a walk-on in the first place, even though she is probably way better than the typical walk-on. In Piath's case unless she emerges in a big way this year, I don't see a path to her being used in big games after next year because of Amari and Ice coming on board the next couple of years.

I would really hate to lose anyone from Carolyn, Saylor or Mir, and would prefer that Geno found a way to at least on a limited basis even use 11-12 on a regular basis to try to prevent their loss to transfer.

 

[hoophuskee]

In 18-19 Baylor won with a short bench. Look at their last two games in NCAA Tourney that were close. They went with 5 or 6 players.

And look in 16-17 Final Four -- South Carolina went with 7 vs Stanford - 4 of their 5 starters had 32 minutes or more- with Wilson at 37. Vs Miss State they had 3 starters play 34-37 minutes and there other 2 starters play 29-30.

I'm not saying during reg season play starters over 30 in blowouts-- but nobody suggested that. But in big games you go with your superstars - if you have them. This belief press press press with 9-10 players is the rarity. And until we see this team or next year's team on the court- we don't know.

But the bottomline is that in big games we've seen UCONN do it- play their big stars 30+ minutes, we've seen ND do it, we've seen Baylor do it, and we've seen SC do it. These are premiere programs- and champions. The romanticism of press press press vs nearly anyone while is exciting - and of course possible (I'm not saying this year or next can't be)-- it's very rare for the women's game if you are a top 5 team.

You aren't going to wear down enough other top 5 elite program 20 year old kids. They are extremely fit too. What's wrong with beating a team with your offensive execution utilizing your own superstars?

And while some want to keep player 8-12-- well UCONN hasn't been playing 8-12 much in big games and neither has past champions as cited above. SO while we hate to lose them-- its worse to lose the potential superstar (i.e the number 1 recruit) which we have gotten mostly. If you don't play them enough - they will go to another school. And as cited before-- NINE of the 11 titles we were with DT, Maya and Stewie. You want a bet that they played over 30 minutes in many, many of the big games? They are more valuable than the 8th -10th player.

 

[Cuango]

MM milked her starters to the max, had multiple transfers, and went in one season from championship spotlight to a losing record of 13-18, an un-ranked team, and a coach that quit. I agree with Hoophuskie that you "can" win with a short bench, but also think you can win with a rotation that includes at least 10 on a regular basis, particularly if all those players are better than most teams starters.

Maybe the more relevant question is what Geno is trying for here. He is building a very deep roster, with third stringers that could beat most teams starters, but also third stringers who if they can't break into the top 10, will probably collectively be limited to Pulido/Lawlor significance and minutes. If he is ok with up to a third of the roster transferring, no problem, but it is very tough on those players.

Just for arguments sake, suppose we assume the rotation in meaning-full games this year is the anticipated 8, and two more from the 2021 class are added to it for next year, say Azzi and Amari. That would put us at 10 which is already more than Geno's comfort zone in the past.

That leaves Carolyn, Saylor, Mir, Piath and Autumn as "practice players" with game roles more like Pulido and Lawlor. In Autumn's case I suspect she could accept that kind of a role when she agreed to be a walk-on in the first place, even though she is probably way better than the typical walk-on. In Piath's case unless she emerges in a big way this year, I don't see a path to her being used in big games after next year because of Amari and Ice coming on board the next couple of years.

I would really hate to lose anyone from Carolyn, Saylor or Mir, and would prefer that Geno found a way to at least on a limited basis even use 11-12 on a regular basis to try to prevent their loss to transfer.

I don’t think Caroline will be sitting on any bench, not even here. She is simply too good! Her play will force Geno to find a way to fit her in. She imo is going to be a star!

 

[oldude]

Historically UConn has shortened their bench as the Huskies move through the bracket in the Big Dance, the same as most teams do. At the start of the season I anticipate that 8 players will see PT during the regular rotation: Evina, Christyn, Liv, Anna, Aubrey, Paige, Aaliyah & Nika. That is a bigger rotation than we’ve generally seen in the past 10 years or so.

If Mir or Piath can work their way into the rotation this year, all the better. With the possibility of everyone back next season, plus the addition of 4 outstanding recruits, that’s when PT will get really interesting.

 

[Tonyc]

MM milked her starters to the max, had multiple transfers, and went in one season from championship spotlight to a losing record of 13-18, an un-ranked team, and a coach that quit. I agree with Hoophuskie that you "can" win with a short bench, but also think you can win with a rotation that includes at least 10 on a regular basis, particularly if all those players are better than most teams starters.

Maybe the more relevant question is what Geno is trying for here. He is building a very deep roster, with third stringers that could beat most teams starters, but also third stringers who if they can't break into the top 10, will probably collectively be limited to Pulido/Lawlor significance and minutes. If he is ok with up to a third of the roster transferring, no problem, but it is very tough on those players.

Just for arguments sake, suppose we assume the rotation in meaning-full games this year is the anticipated 8, and two more from the 2021 class are added to it for next year, say Azzi and Amari. That would put us at 10 which is already more than Geno's comfort zone in the past.

That leaves Carolyn, Saylor, Mir, Piath and Autumn as "practice players" with game roles more like Pulido and Lawlor. In Autumn's case I suspect she could accept that kind of a role when she agreed to be a walk-on in the first place, even though she is probably way better than the typical walk-on. In Piath's case unless she emerges in a big way this year, I don't see a path to her being used in big games after next year because of Amari and Ice coming on board the next couple of years.

I would really hate to lose anyone from Carolyn, Saylor or Mir, and would prefer that Geno found a way to at least on a limited basis even use 11-12 on a regular basis to try to prevent their loss to transfer.

I dont think a short bench is in order for the next couple of seasons. I have to wonder if kids will go pro in the near future and thus the reason for loading the roster.

 

[oldhusky]

I dont think a short bench is in order for the next couple of seasons. I have to wonder if kids will go pro in the near future and thus the reason for loading the roster.

Evina may be likely this year, alleviating the crunch somewhat, and I believe Anna is old enough she could forgo her senior year if she wanted to, but I think it is more likely the unanticipated holes to fill in the future will be transfers not early draftees.