Question about next years team

[stwainfan]

Will Stewart be the center next year?

 

[sarals24]

We will have Tuck and Stokes that can both play the 4-5.

 

[Wbbfan1]

A more interesting question is where are Stef and Bria's points going to come from. Morgan if completely healthy will contribute points, but is she the starter or is Kiah. I suspect Kiah will start due to her defensive abilities and will she average double digits in scoring. I'm not sure. BTW I don't see a starting lineup of Kiah, Morgan, Stewie, KML & Moriah unless its absolutely necessary. Morgan or Kiah will have to come off the bench due to lack of size off the bench without one of these two players filling that roll.

IMHO the freshmen by committee will have to pick up Bria's points and that seems doable. Will Saniya start due to her experience this year, or will one of the freshmen have the moxie and abilities to start over her? Just a gut feeling, it will be one of the freshmen and I suspect it will be Courtney.

However, that's next year, need to be concerned about the next possible 6 games.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

I hope A'ja comes to help with the height

 

[sawxfan23]

A more interesting question is where are Stef and Bria's points going to come from. Morgan if completely healthy will contribute points, but is she the starter or is Kiah. I suspect Kiah will start due to her defensive abilities and will she average double digits in scoring. I'm not sure. BTW I don't see a starting lineup of Kiah, Morgan, Stewie, KML & Moriah unless its absolutely necessary. Morgan or Kiah will have to come off the bench due to lack of size off the bench without one of these two players filling that roll.

IMHO the freshmen by committee will have to pick up Bria's points and that seems doable. Will Saniya start due to her experience this year, or will one of the freshmen have the moxie and abilities to start over her? Just a gut feeling, it will be one of the freshmen and I suspect it will be Courtney.

However, that's next year, need to be concerned about the next possible 6 games.

At the beginning of the year I see a staring line up of MoJeff, Banks, KML, Stewie, and Stokes. After the freshman have time to get settled and adjust to the college game I think Kia Nurse will eventually start over Banks.

 

[DavidinNaples]

Will Stewart be the center next year?

No, we have Kiah Stokes to play center.
In 622 minutes this year she has 237 rebounds, 81 blocked shots and 154 points.
She shoots 60% from the field and 80% from the free throw line.
Along w/ Tuck and Stewie, she will give UConn a great front line.

 

[ndmb]

A more interesting question is where are Stef and Bria's points going to come from. Morgan if completely healthy will contribute points, but is she the starter or is Kiah. I suspect Kiah will start due to her defensive abilities and will she average double digits in scoring. I'm not sure. BTW I don't see a starting lineup of Kiah, Morgan, Stewie, KML & Moriah unless its absolutely necessary. Morgan or Kiah will have to come off the bench due to lack of size off the bench without one of these two players filling that roll.

IMHO the freshmen by committee will have to pick up Bria's points and that seems doable. Will Saniya start due to her experience this year, or will one of the freshmen have the moxie and abilities to start over her? Just a gut feeling, it will be one of the freshmen and I suspect it will be Courtney.

However, that's next year, need to be concerned about the next possible 6 games.

I think the answer is those 28.8 points will go to 3-4 places. If Morgan is healthy, and averaging 8 points a game, that's a pretty big chunk. Kaleena could easily average 5-7 more points per game and play every game, both of which would have major impacts. The rest would be distributed amongst the freshman, increased scoring loads from current players (I agree that Kiah has the best opportunity to take on a large chunk; Breanna might up her offensive production next year, but I would be pleasantly surprised if it was more than a few points), and potentially lost to a less efficient offense.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kiah will start and will be one of the top rebounders and shot blockers in the nation.

If A'ja comes, she'll pick up a lot of the slack.

I honestly think that Kia Nurse, playing in Canada, is UTR. She comes from an athletic family, is a lockdown defender, and starts at PG for her national team as a teenager. Some other Canadian named Steve Nash turned out to be a good player.

Gabby Williams, if healthy, will be on the short list of the most athletic players we've ever had. Think Nykesha Sales.

 

[UcMiami]

I think Geno follows Kim's lead next year and has Stewart average about 25 shots a game which should be good for about 40 point/game. the other eight points needed to replace Stef/Bria come from any combination of other players.
Truthfully - I think Kiah starts and adds 6+ points/gm to her production. KML with a healthy year adds 4-6 points, Morgan 8 pts. Moriah 4 points. Stewart 2-4 points. And a mixture of freshman, Chong and Banks take up the rest of the slack. With a plethora of wings/guards I expect a lot more pressure and full court trapping.
And my hope is that Moriah starts her own Uconn only summer basketball camp with three-a-day shooting clinics for Banks Chong and the Freshman - sure worked for her this last year.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Putting A'ja Wilson to the side for now (and even if she commits, I think she will come off the bench...definitely at the beginning of the year).

The key for next year's team is the individual player improvement. Two things you saw with Stef Dolson were her improved conditioning and the expansion of her game. As to the latter, she was able to be the recipient in pick-and-pop situations because of her ability to be dead on from 15-17 feet. That was something I really noticed in her junior year (the improved conditioning was throughout her time at UConn, but it was most startling this past year when I saw her in street clothes). Morgan will be coming back from injury, so she needs to work herself into basketball shape. Kiah is pretty strong and seems to have good conditioning, but will need even beter conditioning, as she will be called upon to play expanded minutes.

If Kiah expands her shooting range to become the deadeye shooter from the foul line/the elbow/mid-range into which Dolson developed, that will make a world of difference for UConn. First, it gives UConn scoring from every position on the floor. Second, drawing her out of the lane frees Stewart up to drive to the basket or to be the recipient of backdoor cuts, not to mention working the high/low game with Stokes. It makes UConn that much harder to defend.

 

[Icebear]

Cam, you may not have seen it but Kiah is very good on the 15-17 footer jumper. It parallels her foul shooting ability.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Cam, you may not have seen it but Kiah is very good on the 15-17 footer jumper. It parallels her foul shooting ability.

Agreed. I like Cam's point about Kiah's conditioning. Her minutes next year will roughly double. She needs to get accustomed to that.

 

[connboy77]

I think Kia Nurse starts from day one and scores enough points to partially make up for the departure of Bria Hartley. Hopefully over the Summer Kiah Stokes works on her offense since she will in all probability start at center.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Cam, you may not have seen it but Kiah is very good on the 15-17 footer jumper. It parallels her foul shooting ability.

I have not seen her display it that often, so you are correct about that. But I think there is a difference between having the ability to hit that shot and turning it into a weapon the way Dolson did. That, to me, would be the next step in the development of Stokes as a player.

 

[Icebear]

I have not seen her display it that often, so you are correct about that. But I think there is a difference between having the ability to hit that shot and turning it into a weapon the way Dolson did. That, to me, would be the next step in the development of Stokes as a player.

I understand and think it is less of a leap than many realize but I believed in Stef''s ability to be a 3 point threat than the skeptics.

 

[semper]

If A'ja comes, it's a whole other ball game. If she doesn't...lots of changes will happen...including mixing and matching guards and wings. If Morgan Tuck could REALLY come back, she would be sensational. I'm really hoping for that development.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Morgan Tuck, if healthy, will be great. As a healthy 14-15 year-old, she was even better than Stewie and MoJeff.

 

[Zeeman007]

My theory on frosh contributing - or heaven forbid starting - is called the Ajou Ajou Deng theory. Regardless of their hype or accolades, expect nothing from the freshmen. Rely on your returning veterans

Then if a frosh is a PLAYER it's a pleasant surprise ​

 

[reno tony]

No

 

[semper]

How tall is Tuck, any way? Seriously, not one of the nutty estimations as in the 5 7 Hartley.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think Morgan is listed at 6'2" but is actually slightly under 6'1". But she plays much bigger. Like Asjha Jones, she can defend much bigger players. In fact, over Stewie's career, Morgan defended her better than anyone. Morgan also has crafty moves that allow her to get shots off among the trees.

 

[HGN]

I do not see Morgan and Stokes starting together unless Wilson comes aboard. We need some height off the bench. Stokes can play lockdown defense in the middle and Morgan can score double digits every night if starting. And if Stokes can give us 10pts and 8 rebounds a night we will be fine....our problem will be height off the bench.

 

[pinotbear]

I do not see Morgan and Stokes starting together unless Wilson comes aboard. We need some height off the bench. Stokes can play lockdown defense in the middle and Morgan can score double digits every night if starting. And if Stokes can give us 10pts and 8 rebounds a night we will be fine....our problem will be height off the bench.

I think this is a bit overstated, as a concern. Right now, with Stef, Stewie, and KML, we go roughly 6'5", 6'4", and 6'0". Bria is a mythical height, let's assume 5'9". Swap in Kiah and Morgan, shift KML to the "2", and we are actually slightly taller, overall. Bring in BB or Saniya as a sub, and, they're basically Bria's height, so, we're within a few inches of this year's line-up with either player. IIRC, a couple of the incoming frosh are closer to KML's height, so, no significant loss in stature if they rotate in.

It may take some time and creativity on the coaching staff's part, but, we'll still have some size. And, this is a coaching staff that has won with a big front line (current, '95 team) and with little over 6'2" (early 2000s', and, the BT era, as well).

Now, you want to express some concern about losing the skills and experience of Stef n' Bria, I'd be right there with ya. I think it'll happen, but, I expect that will be tougher than replacing mere height.