POLL: how good will UConn be in 2014-15 versus 2013-14?

[alexrgct]

This is a mid-offseason shot you can call: how much better (or not) will UConn be in the upcoming season as related to the team that recently finished a 40-0 record and a national championship? UConn was unbeaten, unchallenged, and on top of the world. So can the Huskies top that?

Obviously, we lose Stef, Bria, and Banks, so those are the minuses. The big plus is the arrival of a very, very talented freshman crop. And then we have the potential pluses:

• Stewie won three NPOY awards in 2013-14, but this season, might she clean up like Maya Moore or Brittney Griner?
• Morgan Tuck will be ready to go to open the season. Will she stay that way for the season's balance, and if so, just how good will she be?
• KML is set to be the player she was in the tourney last season. Will that get her to First Team AA form?
• MoJeff- she took a big step forward as a sophomore, establishing herself as an elite player at her position. How much better can she be in 2014-15?
• Kiah- she really stepped up and had a fine postseason. She's the presumptive starting center. Will she be consistently effective, or possibly even a star like Stef Dolson was?
• Chong, Lawlor, and Pulido- can any of these kids make a substantial contribution this season?

Of course, once you consider those pluses, you might want to evaluate whether those pluses add up to something on par with, or possibly greater than, what last season's team accomplished just four months ago...

Thoughts?

 

[Sonny44]

We will not be as good a team. Bunch of new tallent can't replace two senior AA stars.
Sure, our current players will improve, but so will everybody else's.
The good news is that we don't have to play last year's team! Still probably good enough for another NC.
Undefeated, possibly, but not so sure.

 

[Bayareahusky]

I suspect we will be better.... I only say this because we have a lot of talent at guard..... and young ones we have to break in there...... I think it is easier to have this scenario and have them push each other, yet still know that nobody has to carry the whole load..... moJeff has the situation in hand..... and everyone else is competing to be her complement.....

 

[VAMike23]

Much will depend on Kiah's growth and maturation as a starting post player with extended minutes every game. If she can stay on the floor without getting into foul trouble and give us the kind of defense and rebounding she's known for, we could very well run the table again.

As usual, against 90% of our competition, this won't matter very much because we can beat these teams without a key player or two. Most of the interest revolves around the few competitive games we do have on the schedule and then of course the NCAA tournament in the spring, chasing another NC. In those games, forcing Stewie to play inside is a stopgap measure because she is at her best alongside a true post, so she can move in/out and play with freedom. (This is not to say that UCONN's centers play only in the low post. As we saw with Stef, nothing could be further from the truth.) Still, an interior of Stewie and Morgan, with KML as a strong rebounder as well, is nothing to sneeze at. I just would feel much more comfortable if Kiah is patrolling the lane. Less chance for other teams to pull a big upset.

 

[PalPa]

We will miss Stef at the high post she could do it all from there, shoot with accuracy, pass to any spot, break to low post for buckets, or set screens for 3 ptrs. I believe the loss of Stef necessitates a big change in style of play. With some of the tougher games coming early on there isn't much time to adapt, so I feel we are vulnerable early on. If we get to the conference schedule undefeated we should stay that way for the remainder of the season. The NC should be ours, undefeated or not.

 

[meyers7]

I don't think they will be as good, but I don't think they will have to be to win it all. And there was quite a gap between them and everyone else last year for teams to make up.

 

[Alydar]

If Tuck can play 25 mins/game UConn will be measurably better. IMO a healthy Tuck is a better player than either Dolson or Hartley. If she is limited to 10-15 mins a game they will be the same or slightly worse, but still the best team in the country.

 

[geneticrex]

It is a difficult proposition to replace 2 AA seniors.

The obvious being said, I'd say that a healthy Tuck and Williams, combined with what looks to be a talented freshman class, along with the typical maturation of the returning players, should make for a team that should ring up No.10, barring unforeseen injury/illness.

Can they be better than last year??? If everything falls into place, it is a possibility.

 

[Zorro]

They will be good enough.

 

[slimmer56]

I suspect we will be at about the same caliber. Perhaps not QUITE as good. Having said that, we may be a little better the 2nd half of the season. Depending on Morgan Tuck and the Freshies. If Morgan can play up to her full potential, and the Freshies figure into the rotation who knows, we may even be better by the end of the season. That is a great question, and will be fun to see how it all turns out !

 

[UCONNfan1]

I said better. Here's why...

The kids coming back are all a year older.

1. Stewie and Moriah juniors now and upper classmen. True leaders.
2. KML back at 100% and finally fully healthy again. She's one of the best players in the nation when healthy and she was never really 100% last year in my opinion (even when she was all the way back, her fitness regressed).
3. Stokes is NOT better than Dolson especially mid range to deep range, or as a facilitator on offense... But she's measurably better on defense, more athletic, and a better rebounder.
4. I agree with the folks who said the entire freshman class is filled with legit top 15 players, and possibly top 10. Will they be starters? Of course not (well, maybe Edwards or Nurse if Chong has not substantially improved) but all will contribute.
5. Tuck is a wild card. Even if she's "only" 75% of her maximum, she's a solid addition that we didn't have last year.

Add to this that every major competitor to UCONN's empire lost substantial pieces with the exceptions of UNC, Baylor and South Carolina. I feel all 3 teams were at least 30-35 points worse than UCONN last year so maybe they could keep it to a 20 point loss this year.

1. Notre Dame lost McBride and Achonwa
2. Louisville lost Schimmel, Slaughter, Taylor (all starters)
3. Stanford lost Ogwumike
4. Kentucky lost Stallworth, Evans and Walker (3 starters)
5. Maryland lost Thomas, Devaughn, Rutan
6. Duke lost Peters, Liston, and Jackson (not sure if they lost their 4th starter K'alia Johnson)
7. Tennessee lost Meighan Simmons - addition by subtraction? She was the only one who came to play scoring 31 in Tennessee's loss to Maryland in the elite 8.

I don't think that this years' UCONN team would necessarily "beat" last years team (meaning last years is a tiny bit "better"), but I think the biggest challenge to UCONN from last year (ND) lost at least as much as UCONN did, and even tho they add Turner, the rest of what they bring in is nowhere near as good as what UCONN brings in...

 

[chrissaran]

By the end of the year they'll be almost as good as last year, but not quite. You cannot replace Stef and Bria's leadership. Four year senior starters who always played with everything they had. That being said the almost as good can be achieved if: Kiah is 80% of Stef, Morgan stays healthy and the frosh reach their potential. We know that Bre and Moriah will only get better, which is kind of scary. However, there are a lot of unknowns. What will help is that they have much more depth at guard: Moriah, Saniya, Kia, Courtney, Gabby and Sadie. If the bigs get in foul trouble, they may have to press to keep pressure on some of the better teams they'll be playing, such as South Carolina, Notre Dame and UCLA.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Can't be better than last year. The best this team could do is 39-0 while last year's team went 40-0.

 

[Wally East]

Can't be better than last year. The best this team could do is 39-0 while last year's team went 40-0.

So, Baylor's 40-0 team is better than any of UConn's teams except for last year's?

 

[HoopsFan21]

So, Baylor's 40-0 team is better than any of UConn's teams except for last year's?

I thought we were talking about best season and not the best team? Until last year, Baylor's 40-0 was touted as the top dog of seasons if you follow that sort of thing, though I wouldn't consider that the best team ever.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

If UCONN remains injury/illness free by mid-season we will be better than last year! Yes we lost Stef & Bria but we get back Tuck, KML for the whole season (which keeps her conditioning better), Kiah's offense will improve but she's not as good as Stef but she won't need to be her defense will be awesome, MoJeff is on track to be the best PG in UCONN history, Saniya will be more consistent, and the 4 freshmen will add quality athletic versatile players rotating through 3 positions, our defense will be more quicker, athletic, pressing more!
All the opponents except SoCar lost more than UCONN lost. NoCar lost DD and Baylor lost Sims, plus the losses listed above, we were 25+ points better last season, we can be 30 t0 35+ better this season! Addition by subtraction........our opponents will be worse, even without our 2 seniors we'll be better!

 

[tomcat]

I don't see UConn as being better until and unless the health issues are resolved positively and even then, it won't happen until the end of the season. So a loss or two is possible, though not probable, before the tournament. And as for other teams, I wouldn't hazard a guess (except to say that SC will be very good), but only note that you usually can count on some player on some team coming out of nowhere to make a statement. I'm only hoping it does not happen against UConn.

 

[Suebird10fan]

3 out of 5 best players in the country plus best defensive center. At full sretngth we'll be a bit better. Even at full strength though no guarantees of 39-0. ND will be tough again and we have to play them on the road. I expect an 8 to 10 pt win but it will be competitive.

 

[msf22b]

We speak about a loss or two but to whom?

It is a fine theoretical concept until (with assistance from UConn fan) you attempt to handicap which team could actually pull off that unlikely event.

Asia (who knows as much as anyone) comprehends the significant riches that UConn recruited at her position and wants no part of competing against a potential truckload of all-stars.

UConn will be different: quicker, stronger, and more athletic and by mid-season, amazing
And the following season1;

oy vey.

 

[meyers7]

I said better. Here's why...

I don't think that this years' UCONN team would necessarily "beat" last years team (meaning last years is a tiny bit "better"),

Then that means this years team is not better.

Add to this that every major competitor to UCONN's empire lost substantial pieces with the exceptions of UNC, Baylor and South Carolina. I feel all 3 teams were at least 30-35 points worse than UCONN last year so maybe they could keep it to a 20 point loss this year.

1. Notre Dame lost McBride and Achonwa
2. Louisville lost Schimmel, Slaughter, Taylor (all starters)
3. Stanford lost Ogwumike
4. Kentucky lost Stallworth, Evans and Walker (3 starters)
5. Maryland lost Thomas, Devaughn, Rutan
6. Duke lost Peters, Liston, and Jackson (not sure if they lost their 4th starter K'alia Johnson)
7. Tennessee lost Meighan Simmons - addition by subtraction? She was the only one who came to play scoring 31 in Tennessee's loss to Maryland in the elite 8.

This does not make our team better. Just makes it so we don't have to be as good as last year to win it all.

You basically said what I did, but you voted incorrectly to your explanation.

 

[meyers7]

We speak about a loss or two but to whom?

It is a fine theoretical concept until (with assistance from UConn fan) you attempt to handicap which team could actually pull off that unlikely event.

St. John's and Nova were theoretical concepts too, until they actually did it. But I agree, I don't "see" anybody in particular beating us. But considering "the field" vs UCONN, an injury or two, a bad shooting night, an opponent's hot shooting night, anything can happen.

 

[Wally East]

I thought we were talking about best season and not the best team? Until last year, Baylor's 40-0 was touted as the top dog of seasons if you follow that sort of thing, though I wouldn't consider that the best team ever.

The question at hand is will this coming season's team be better, as good as, or not as good as last year's team Thus:
"How much better or worse will UConn be in 2014-15 versus 2013-14?"

 

[msf22b]

St. John's and Nova were theoretical concepts too, until they actually did it. But I agree, I don't "see" anybody in particular beating us. But considering "the field" vs UCONN, an injury or two, a bad shooting night, an opponent's hot shooting night, anything can happen.

I don't recall the 'Nova game, but with regard St. John's, I noted at the time that our team wasn't playing particularly well and that St. John's might very well give them a game. The loss was not totally unexpected. Of course at the time, I was accused of negativity.

But the potential of this year's group is extraordinary and I see little chance of the drama of that time 3 or 4 years ago.

 

[Sonny44]

I don't recall the 'Nova game, but with regard St. John's, I noted at the time that our team wasn't playing particularly well and that St. John's might very well give them a game. The loss was not totally unexpected. Of course at the time, I was accused of negativity.

But the potential of this year's group is extraordinary and I see little chance of the drama of that time 3 or 4 years ago.

Same here, I only remember the St. John's game. That's the only game we lost that we overwhelmingly should have won. That's why I like our gals so much - consistancy. They don't lose games that they should win, i.e. to obviously inferior teams.
But the closer we get to parity statistics say that an unpredictable loss will ocurr even though we can't think of a team that will beat us. Sooner or later an accident will happen. Even when you're 25 points better than the team you're playing the odds may be say 1/100 or even 1/500. However, when you're only 15 points better the chances for the accident to ocurr increase. It's called Gaussian distribution. Even a 50 to 1 horse wins a race once in a while.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

2003 Big East Finals at The RAC at Rutgers, 'Nova 52 / UCONN 48, Trish Juhline of 'Nova the MOP! UCONN was undefeated then won 6 in a row at NCAA's to win title #2 for DT!
One of the great lines, at the end of season dinner with season tix holders, Chris Dailey was told by a fan "UCONN had a pretty good season" she replied "we won the National Championship!" The fan said but "you ruined the season by losing the Big East Title to Villanova finishing 37-1!"