Recruiting: 2013 and such!

[Alydar]

How many games in the last 5 years has UConn needed a big shot at the end? two or 3 maybe? I can think of Baylor 2 years ago and St Johns last year. I think Stewart is the type of player who wants the ball and the shot at the end. Hartley is another. Stewart's value next year will be the matchup nightmare she presents because of her inside/outside game. She will end up as the dominant player simply because of the things she can do. Teams will be forced to game plan for her and that will make Dolson even more effective. But this isn't the NBA where many games come down to the last minute.

 

[triaddukefan]

How many games in the last 5 years has UConn needed a big shot at the end? two or 3 maybe? I can think of Baylor 2 years ago and St Johns last year. I think Stewart is the type of player who wants the ball and the shot at the end. Hartley is another. Stewart's value next year will be the matchup nightmare she presents because of her inside/outside game. She will end up as the dominant player simply because of the things she can do. Teams will be forced to game plan for her and that will make Dolson even more effective. But this isn't the NBA where many games come down to the last minute.

Precisely...... how many big shots do you need when you are blowing most teams out by 30 ???

 

[VAUConnFan]

If they have a freshman as their #1 option, they are going to be hurting.

Was not Maya UConn's #1 option as a freshman?

 

[UcMiami]

I think by the end of their respective freshman seasons both Maya and Diana had become the go to players though they certainly didn't start the years in that fashion.
I also think Uconn's offense is such that a go to player is not necessarily the one to take the shot, but needs the offense to go through them on a critical offensive set.

 

[jdubct]

Was not Maya UConn's #1 option as a freshman?

She was primarily a 3 point shooter her freshman year.. Charles and Montgomery were the primary options with lots of shots left for Maya.

 

[meyers7]

Was not Maya UConn's #1 option as a freshman?

No don't think so. As jdubct said, Charles and Montgomery (or probably Montgomery and Charles, in that order) where options ahead of Maya.

 

[easttexastrash]

Precisely...... how many big shots do you need when you are blowing most teams out by 30 ???

In the spirit of Sophia Petrillo: Picture it...Denver, 2012...UCONN vs Notre Dame....

A five loss season obviously indicates that there are times that a go-to player that you know can get you a bucket is required. You can't really dismiss that with a roll of the eyes, even though it may make you feel smug and aloof.

 

[easttexastrash]

How many games in the last 5 years has UConn needed a big shot at the end? two or 3 maybe? I can think of Baylor 2 years ago and St Johns last year. I think Stewart is the type of player who wants the ball and the shot at the end. Hartley is another. Stewart's value next year will be the matchup nightmare she presents because of her inside/outside game. She will end up as the dominant player simply because of the things she can do. Teams will be forced to game plan for her and that will make Dolson even more effective. But this isn't the NBA where many games come down to the last minute.

How can you say 2 or 3 when UCONN lost 5 games last year? And in my opinion, had Maya taken over sooner in the NCAA tourney the year before UCONN would not have lost to ND. I felt that she allowed her teammates to do their part longer than she should have before she decided to take over the game.

When I say "at the end of the game" I don't mean the last 5 seconds...I mean the last 5 minutes and OT, if it occurs. Teams need a player who takes over when the game is tight.

 

[Icebear]

Was not Maya UConn's #1 option as a freshman?

No, it was Rene.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Next season's All-American team is largely set: Griner, DelleDonne, and Diggins seem to be locks. Sims and Chiney are both likely, but not certain.

Disagree on Diggins. She has to adjust to not having some very talented teammates around her who allowed her to be a scorer and distributor. She will need to be a true playmaker more this year, especially for her teammates. While I think she will have a very good year, I think you might see her on the Second Team, rather than the First.

 

[easttexastrash]

Disagree on Diggins. She has to adjust to not having some very talented teammates around her who allowed her to be a scorer and distributor. She will need to be a true playmaker more this year, especially for her teammates. While I think she will have a very good year, I think you might see her on the Second Team, rather than the First.

She's too pretty not to be on the first team.

I think the five best players will be BG, EDD, Stewart, Sims and Diggins. I doubt that is what the first team will look like, but I think those may be the top 5.

 

[wire chief]

I think by the end of their respective freshman seasons both Maya and Diana had become the go to players though they certainly didn't start the years in that fashion.
I also think Uconn's offense is such that a go to player is not necessarily the one to take the shot, but needs the offense to go through them on a critical offensive set.

Whoa, even in Diana's soph season, she was surrounded by 4 1st round draft picks (to come).

 

[triaddukefan]

She's too pretty not to be on the first team.

I think the five best players will be BG, EDD, Stewart, Sims and Diggins. I doubt that is what the first team will look like, but I think those may be the top 5.

If those are the 5 best..... I assume Williams, Gray, Thomas, Chiney O, and maybe Hill are the second 5 ??

 

[easttexastrash]

If those are the 5 best..... I assume Williams, Gray, Thomas, Chiney O, and maybe Hill are the second 5 ??

Sounds about right.

 

[UcMiami]

Whoa, even in Diana's soph season, she was surrounded by 4 1st round draft picks (to come).

Yes - but there is a reason why 0 for 14 sunk the team in her freshman year. By the tournament with the injuries to the seniors, Diana was the one who was first option. And by her second year, in the final, the play call was a clearout for DT to go one on one.
And I disagree - Maya's freshman year (again, after the injuries) she was definitely the go to player - Tina was still not playing consistent ball (and wouldn't for another half season) and while Rene might take clutch shots in games, the set offense was being run for Maya to catch and 1) shoot, 2) feed Tina if covered, or 3) feed back to Rene. Check the tape.

 

[alexrgct]

This upcoming UConn team is going to have a go-to player or two. Who that player/those players are will depend on how the season progresses. That pecking order of who steps up on the extremely rare occasion when things aren't going well is the one real outstanding question for 2012-13.

Last year, UConn didn't really lose five games because of a lack of a go-to player so much as they played five games against teams that were a bit better (and lost four of those games, with a fluky loss to St John's thrown in there for good measure). Next season, the core of Stef, Bria, and KML will all be improved, with Kelly being a rock as well and Caroline giving everything she has left to give. Throw in likely improvement Kiah, possible improvement by Brianna, and a much ballyhooed recruiting class, and UConn is appreciably better than any team other than Baylor. I really don't see how UConn loses any games against other opponents, but hopefully a tight moment or two thrown in there, maybe against Stanford, Duke, A&M, ND, or Baylor in Hartford, will allow UConn's identity to be firmly established heading into the business end of the season.

 

[easttexastrash]

This upcoming UConn team is going to have a go-to player or two. Who that player/those players are will depend on how the season progresses. That pecking order of who steps up on the extremely rare occasion when things aren't going well is the one real outstanding question for 2012-13.

Last year, UConn didn't really lose five games because of a lack of a go-to player so much as they played five games against teams that were a bit better (and lost four of those games, with a fluky loss to St John's thrown in there for good measure). Next season, the core of Stef, Bria, and KML will all be improved, with Kelly being a rock as well and Caroline giving everything she has left to give. Throw in likely improvement Kiah, possible improvement by Brianna, and a much ballyhooed recruiting class, and UConn is appreciably better than any team other than Baylor. I really don't see how UConn loses any games against other opponents, but hopefully a tight moment or two thrown in there, maybe against Stanford, Duke, A&M, ND, or Baylor in Hartford, will allow UConn's identity to be firmly established heading into the business end of the season.

Alex, you nailed it with the terms of "pecking order" and "identity." That was my who point. Every team needs a pecking order and does benefit by having someone step to the forefront and establish herself as the player that the rest of the team looks to for the big shots.

 

[doggydaddy]

Alex, you nailed it with the terms of "pecking order" and "identity." That was my who point. Every team needs a pecking order and does benefit by having someone step to the forefront and establish herself as the player that the rest of the team looks to for the big shots.

And the Uconn pecking order should be Hartley and then Lewis. But by the end of the year? I suppose Stewart could be that player. But I'm not as sure are you are.

 

[easttexastrash]

And the Uconn pecking order should be Hartley and then Lewis. But by the end of the year? I suppose Stewart could be that player. But I'm not as sure are you are.

If she is UCONN has hit the jackpot, which I suppose everyone knows that they have already. I just can't see Stewart being a "role player." She just seems too good to be that, even as a freshman.

 

[speedoo]

Disagree on Diggins. She has to adjust to not having some very talented teammates around her who allowed her to be a scorer and distributor. She will need to be a true playmaker more this year, especially for her teammates. While I think she will have a very good year, I think you might see her on the Second Team, rather than the First.

Could not agree more, Cam. Diggins will have to score much more and will have to be much more creative assist-wise than she has been so far in her career if ND is going to have a good season.. Point guards, even very good ones, struggle if they are forced into a primary scoring role.

She is not an AA lock at all IMO.

 

[easttexastrash]

Diggins is a senior and that seems to increase the chances, especially if a player was an AA as a junior. I think she's a lock unless she really struggles, which I don't think she will against most teams.

 

[VAUConnFan]

No, it was Rene.

She was primarily a 3 point shooter her freshman year.. Charles and Montgomery were the primary options with lots of shots left for Maya.

No don't think so. As jdubct said, Charles and Montgomery (or probably Montgomery and Charles, in that order) where options ahead of Maya.

Maya Moore, in her freshman year, was the leading score at 17.8 points per game and led the team in field goal attempts with 506 shots; Which was 142 more than Tina Charles and 38 more than Renee Montgomery. Of Maya's 506 field goal attempts, 174 were three pointers(34%). It is possible that Renee was the first option when the season started. In the Rutgers game that UConn lost at the RAC, late in the game with about 30 seconds left, UConn was down three and called a timeout. Out of that timeout, there was a turnover at the top of the key on a play obviously set up for Renee. Later that month against LSU down in Baton Rouge, UConn found themselves down 57-55 after a furious run by LSU. Out of the UConn timeout, the ball, this time, went to Maya. Among Coach Auriemma's post game comments was something to the effect that it appears that they have found their go to player.

It is hard to believe that your All American is not the primary option. As early as the aformentioned LSU game, a number of pundits, among them Carolyn Peck, had Maya Moore among the top three players in the country. Coach Auriemma both in this linked article and on his show was touting Maya Moore for Big East Player of the Year.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/columns/story?columnist=voepel_mechelle&id=3264868

 

[John Fryer]

IMO, if Stef doesn't improve her rebounding skills she will be pushed hard for PT by Kiah.

I continue to feel that Morgan and Moriah will be important contributors to our success next season.

It surprises me that so many BYs expect that Breanna will have a central and major role in UConn having a successful season.

Yet, she, like Morgan/Moriah, hasn't experienced a single official practice at UConn.

More realistically, IMO, we should hope that she is able to approach or equal KML's freshman year.

Peace,

John Fryer

 

[connboy77]

Diggins is a senior and that seems to increase the chances, especially if a player was an AA as a junior. I think she's a lock unless she really struggles, which I don't think she will against most teams.

I have to agree, I don't see Skylar Diggins not being first team all-american as a senior.

 

[Icebear]

IMO, if Stef doesn't improve her rebounding skills she will be pushed hard for PT by Kiah.

Stef's rebounding is not a problem. She averaged 6 in 23 minutes per game. She, also, taps out and directs numerous rebounds to players in better locations on the floor. Can she improve, of course. Will others make significant contributions, absolutely. Stef's rebounding, however, is not a problem.

We averaged 42 rebounds per game while having a tremendous shooting %. Rebounding was not a team problem either as we had a 10+ rebound per game advantage.