Poll: Who will step up on offense?

[HuskyNan]

Got my own thoughts but would like to know everyone else’s. I’m assuming Olivia continues her fine play and Azzi and Aubrey remain sidelined.

 

[eebmg]

I think Evina will up her scoring and playmaking the most in our current situation. CW is getting the points already but if she starts hitting the 3pt shot, should be able to find 20ppg.

 

[PvP]

Got my own thoughts but would like to know everyone else’s. I’m assuming Olivia continues her fine play.

How could you have neglected to add Azzi to your list? Out of sight, out of mind?

 

[pk1234]

I think Caroline (and Azzi when health) both are capable of averaging double figures with significant (20-25+ MPG) playing time.

 

[EricLA]

How could you have neglected to add Azzi to your list? Out of sight, out of mind?

Because Azzi is injured and not playing as well...

 

[oldude]

IMO, stepping up does not necessarily mean scoring more. In Paige’s absence, more than anything else, UConn needs leadership. The best person to fill that role is “Mom” or “Grandma” for the freshmen. UConn needs Evina to lead.

 

[genzhusk]

@HuskyNan no Nika?

 

[CTBballfan243]

Based on the sample size we’ve seen from this team (freshmen excluded), I’m not overly confident that anyone will step up. We shall see. The games will be interesting. We will learn a lot. The defense will need to be stellar for UConn to have a chance to win. Let’s roll in the ball out onto the court and see what happens.

 

[Bald Husky]

Although we loved her performance vs ND, we cannot depend on Caroline to play as she did in that quarter. Up to that point she did nothing except turn the ball over, foul, and put up bricks. Maybe a light went off in her head, and now she will be the player that Geno has raved about in practice. I was so impressed with her performance, but lets not put pressure on her to play like Paige as I think some people expect to happen. She is still a freshman and the pressure is on the seniors, with Caroline hopefully adding scoring and rebounding to supplement our offence.

 

[Charliebball]

ONO???......she needs to average 18 pts per game...........and she's fully capable of doing it.....

 

[HuskyNan]

@HuskyNan no Nika?

I had her listed, don’t know what happened. I will add her, thanks

 

[HuskyNan]

IMO, stepping up does not necessarily mean scoring more. In Paige’s absence, more than anything else, UConn needs leadership. The best person to fill that role is “Mom” or “Grandma” for the freshmen. UConn needs Evina to lead.

Stepping up can mean different things to different people which is why I specified Offense for this poll

 

[HuskyNan]

ONO???......she needs to average 18 pts per game...........and she's fully capable of doing it.....

Didn’t you read my OP? I assume Olivia continues her fine play. @LCConnFan

 

[Charliebball]

Didn’t you read my OP? I assume Olivia continues her fine play. @LCConnFan

my bad............I think Ms. DeBerry has some points to contribute given the chance to participate...........how about moving Dorka outside with ONO and DeBerry up front.........I'd love to see it under the right circumstances.......

 

[Centerstream]

Got my own thoughts but would like to know everyone else’s. I’m assuming Olivia continues her fine play and Azzi and Aubrey remain sidelined.

Is this the original post or an edited version? I see where people have replied but everything after "fine play" is not part of the post. It's kinda confusing.

 

[TeamFirst!]

We can't count on Caroline yet but we can't count on anyone not named Paige either. The bottom line is we live and die with Caroline over the next 2 months. i think she will produce well if given the mintes. Like most players, some games she will be cold and others she will be hot. We just became a Notre Dame type team for the next 2 months. I love CW but she's a drive first player and when up against a zone, as we will start seeing even more, her game suffers. It's not like she stops trying. She's just more of a get to the basket player. I don't see anyone else who can create their own shot. I'd probably set screens for Caroline and Evina in the half court offense. Do more conventional pick and roll playmaking. We do a lot of picks but do we roll all that well currently? I don't think so. Our team wasn't configured for it but Caroline might be a different option in that regard.

 

[Stymie]

Nothing would make me happier than to see Olivia put this team on her back and carry them.
And she has the physical ability.
Does she have the fortitude?

 

[Majic Hands]

I'm thinking:
Nika
Aaliyah
Caroline

 

[Tank]

Got my own thoughts but would like to know everyone else’s. I’m assuming Olivia continues her fine play and Azzi and Aubrey remain sidelined.

Edwards should see a big boost in opportunities down low and Williams will be shooting much more now. Both are capable of doing a lot more in PB absence. Caroline picked a good time to break out, she will see significant time on the wing and will see a bump in stats as well. If Westbrook plays a bunch of PG I would expect her to do well but maybe not shoot as much.

 

[PvP]

Because Azzi is injured and not playing as well...

So you don't expect Azzi to return at any time in the next 6 - 8 weeks, I gather.

 

[EricLA]

So you don't expect Azzi to return at any time in the next 6 - 8 weeks, I gather.

Nobody knows for sure, but she's not back now, so hence the reason she's probably not on the poll. Once she comes back, we can revisit it, no?

 

[MSGRET]

Stepping up can mean different things to different people which is why I specified Offense for this poll

I had Nika, but after see your statement I changed it to Caroline. Nika I think will be the PG and will facilitate the running of the offense and play hard nosed defense. Caroline showed what she could do in 11 minutes of play and has the best chance of stepping up with more play.

 

[Bigpetunia]

As heartbroken as we all are about Paige's injury, I believe that it is a development that, paradoxically, will inure to the benefit of the team come March. Paige's contributions, relative to everyone else's, are so lopsided that the other players and Geno have grown way too reliant upon them. Her talent is so outsized that no single player will come close to assuming the role she has played. But the implication of the poll, that someone, or some group, will step up, is likely to be true, and extremely important to the team's mentality going forward. The most likely candidates are the three seniors, but others, given this opportunity and motivation, will likely contribute more than they might have done otherwise. Because of this development, I expect the team to drop a few games along the way that they likely would have otherwise won, but the team that takes the floor in March will, in my opinion ion, be muck stronger!

 

[JoePgh]

The poll should have permitted multiple responses, since it is nearly impossible to expect that any one player will replace (or nearly replace) Paige's points and assists.

I think the load will be shared among the other four starters, with a secondary contribution from Caroline. I am astonished to see that a plurality of the BY thinks that Caroline (based on one good game) is going to be Paige The Second.