Recruiting Needs for 2013

[doggydaddy]

Stricklen this year vs last year
2010-11 2011-12
MPG - 33.0 vs 29.8
FG Pct - 44.1 vs 48.9
3Pt Pct - 34.9 vs 38.5
PPG - 15.5 vs 12.8
RPG - 6.4 vs 7.3
APG - 1.9 vs 2.0
A/TO - .8 vs 1.2

She is not only NOT playing at a higher level, but except for points and minutes played, her stats are DOWN from last year. You could say she is performing at a lower level to be accurate.

It would be even worse if you took the 40 minute per game average.

2010-11 2011-12
MPG - 40.0 vs 40.0
PPG - 18.7 vs 17.2
RPG - 7.7 vs 9.7
APG - 2.3 vs 2.7

I had the years reversed. Oooops.

 

[Icebear]

I had the years reversed. Oooops.

Thought so. It's not the first time you or I have been bass....

 

[easttexastrash]

I think that one thing that the Baylor team will never have experienced is a UConn team with DEPTH and that's exactly what they'll have next year. Another thing they'll have is a player some feel might be the most talented big girl to ever start college, Breanna Stewart. Griner basically was a wonderfully gifted and co-ordinated 6' 8" athlete who has developed skills over the course of her college career. Breanna Stewart has those skills GOING IN and will only improve on them in her college career excluding some serious injuries. Who knows but that she might be growing as we speak but even if her growth is over, her development isn't. How many international teams has Breanna been on where she is the youngest player and still shown herself to be the most talented person there???? We're also bringing in the highest rated point guard that Hoopgurlz has ever rated. Maybe we should be pretty good next year????? To have those skilled freshmen coming onto a team with the talent that this years team has and I can guarantee you that Baylor has NEVER experienced that level of depth and talent!!!!!

And I assume that Stewart has encountered anything like Griner.? I have not seen Stewart play so I cannot speak to her skills. But if she can come in her senior year and compete on the same level as Griner, then let's cancel the season and award the trophy to UCONN now. She is going to kill Griner.

The position that Stewart plays is the position that will be hardest for an incoming player to play effectively against Baylor. She will probably have some impact in the paint but I highly doubt that she is going to come into college and take it to Griner. Griner will be the best post player to have ever played women's basketball.

 

[Icebear]

And I assume that Stewart has encountered anything like Griner.? I have not seen Stewart play so I cannot speak to her skills. But if she can come in her senior year and compete on the same level as Griner, then let's cancel the season and award the trophy to UCONN now. She is going to kill Griner.

Thank you. We gladly accept.

 

[jdubct]

And I assume that Stewart has encountered anything like Griner.? I have not seen Stewart play so I cannot speak to her skills. But if she can come in her senior year and compete on the same level as Griner, then let's cancel the season and award the trophy to UCONN now. She is going to kill Griner.

The position that Stewart plays is the position that will be hardest for an incoming player to play effectively against Baylor. She will probably have some impact in the paint but I highly doubt that she is going to come into college and take it to Griner. Griner will be the best post player to have ever played women's basketball.

I agree that Griner may become the best post player ever. Stewart will probably play a power forward/wing position and probably play alongside a center. She'll probably not be matched up against Griner though her 7'1" wingspan makes such a matchup intriguing.

 

[alexrgct]

And I assume that Stewart has encountered anything like Griner.? I have not seen Stewart play so I cannot speak to her skills. But if she can come in her senior year and compete on the same level as Griner, then let's cancel the season and award the trophy to UCONN now. She is going to kill Griner.

The position that Stewart plays is the position that will be hardest for an incoming player to play effectively against Baylor. She will probably have some impact in the paint but I highly doubt that she is going to come into college and take it to Griner. Griner will be the best post player to have ever played women's basketball.

Stewart's not really a post player in the classic sense of the word. Geno has described her as an evolutionary Rebecca Lobo insomuch as she can do a lot of things on the court that you wouldn't expect of someone her height, but she's an ultra-elite athlete in a way Lobo wasn't. He's also compared her to Kevin Garnett. So you're looking at more of a versatile power forward than a post player.

I don't think she's going to compete head-to-head with Griner. What I'd expect is that she will play help D in the paint and free up Kelly to be more of a rover defensively. It's also possible that Geno will employ a super-big lineup in which Breanna spins down to the SF position and plays alongside Stef and Heather/Kiah. Throw in a backourt of 6'0" KML and Bria, and you create a ton of mismatches. No mismatch by itself would be of the magnitude Griner creates, but in aggregate would be tough to contend with.

I expect next season is going to be a year where we see a bunch of different lineups against different types of opponents. Time will tell what the "Baylor lineup" looks like, but it will be interesting...and very different from what we saw 12/18/11. And obviously, I'm hoping for a different result. I won't take offense if you're not

 

[doggydaddy]

And I assume that Stewart has encountered anything like Griner.? I have not seen Stewart play so I cannot speak to her skills. But if she can come in her senior year and compete on the same level as Griner, then let's cancel the season and award the trophy to UCONN now. She is going to kill Griner.

The position that Stewart plays is the position that will be hardest for an incoming player to play effectively against Baylor. She will probably have some impact in the paint but I highly doubt that she is going to come into college and take it to Griner. Griner will be the best post player to have ever played women's basketball.

I don't agree with anyone that says that Stewart will be matched up with Griner. For one thing, she will in all likelyhood come off the bench.

Uconn starters will probably be Doty, Hartley, Dolson, Faris and Lewis. I certainly hope that after playing Griner 2 or even 3 times (in the championship game this year?) Dolson will figure out how to compete with her better.

Stewart will be coming off the bench and in all likelyhood, it won't for Dolson but to go in at the 4 and create mismatch problems for Baylor. And I'd wager a guess that she will find a way to block few shots from the weakside. Maybe even one of Griners. Wouldn't that be a kick!

 

[RoyDodger]

We have had those years, Roy, where UConn went scrambling for plan #2 or 3.

Icebear, your comment made me look back at UConn's recruiting (or at least the freshman classes) since I started following the team in 2003-2004. And, I was surprised to see that the 2003-2004 team had no freshmen. Here's a list of UConn freshmen since that year (not counting EDD or Samarie Walker).

2003-2004-None
2004-2005-Ketia Swanier, Charde Houston, and Mel Thomas
2005-2006-Tahirah Williams, Renee Montgomery, Kalana Greene, and Cassie Kerns
2006-2007-Jacquie Fernandes, Meghan Gardler, Tina Charles, Kaili McLaren
2007-2008-Maya Moore and Lorin Dixon
2008-2009-Heather Buck, Caroline Doty, and Tiffany Hayes
2009-2010-Kelly Faris
2010-2011-Stefanie Dolson, Michala Johnson, Bria Hartley, and Lauren Engeln
2011-2012-Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Kiah Stokes, and Brianna Banks
2012-2013-Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, and Morgan Tuck

So, of the nine years through this season, a single season had no recruits*, and another had only a single recruit. But it's also clear from this list that since 2004-2005, Geno has managed to recruit at least one outstanding team star per year.

*I mean recruits who actually came to UConn and played as freshmen.

 

[doggydaddy]

2008-2009-Heather Buck, Caroline Doty
2009-2010-Kelly Faris
2010-2011-Stefanie Dolson, Michala Johnson, Bria Hartley, and Lauren Engeln
2011-2012-Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Kiah Stokes, and Brianna Banks
2012-2013-Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, and Morgan Tuck

I don't know. I just like seeing this in writing. The 2012-2013 roster.

 

[Bestiarius]

Unless Griner is independently wealthy, I think there is a good chance that she will jump to the WNBA if Baylor wins the NC this year. If Baylor does not win the NC this year, I think Griner will still jump to the WNBA.

If Baylor wins the NC this year, what incentive does Griner have to stick around? What more is there to accomplish that is worth giving up the big bucks?

If they don't win it all this year, the chance of winning it all next year will be even less because of Uconn's improvement. Will she want to risk the very real chance of being eliminated again thereby suffering the heartbreak of no NCs? Let's face it, no matter how good a team is, winning a NC is very difficult. There's always the possibility of some team getting lucky and hitting everything they throw up. We at Uconn think it is easy to go undefeated for a consecutive year or two. Other teams probably don't think so. With the risks of playing another year in college, can anyone blame her if she jumps? The only way I see her remaining at Baylor is if the Olympic team doesn't get the gold.

 

[speedoo]

I had the years reversed. Oooops.

Doesn't matter, you made your point. The numbers don't support the assertion that she is playing at a much higher level.

 

[doggydaddy]

Doesn't matter, you made your point. The numbers don't support the assertion that she is playing at a much higher level.

Losing Cain, Brewer, Bjorklund from last years team, the downward progression of Stricklen and Simmons, the late return of an out of condition Williams, all big factors on this years edition of the Lady Vols. Even the addition of Massingale and the return to close to 100% of Baugh can't improve the team enough to even match last years results.

 

[meyers7]

2003-2004-None

*I mean recruits who actually came to UConn and played as freshmen.

Wasn't that the year we had Sherwood, Wright and Robinson?

I think Sherwood played that year, then transfered.

 

[easttexastrash]

Unless Griner is independently wealthy, I think there is a good chance that she will jump to the WNBA if Baylor wins the NC this year. If Baylor does not win the NC this year, I think Griner will still jump to the WNBA.

If Baylor wins the NC this year, what incentive does Griner have to stick around? What more is there to accomplish that is worth giving up the big bucks?

If they don't win it all this year, the chance of winning it all next year will be even less because of Uconn's improvement. Will she want to risk the very real chance of being eliminated again thereby suffering the heartbreak of no NCs? Let's face it, no matter how good a team is, winning a NC is very difficult. There's always the possibility of some team getting lucky and hitting everything they throw up. We at Uconn think it is easy to go undefeated for a consecutive year or two. Other teams probably don't think so. With the risks of playing another year in college, can anyone blame her if she jumps? The only way I see her remaining at Baylor is if the Olympic team doesn't get the gold.

Griner has stated that she hasn't even given turning pro any thought. Griner is very much under the influence of her father, and the chances of her turning pro are very minimal.

Why would winning an Olympic gold medal influence her decision to skip a year of college? I am not saying that it won't, I just don't understand the reasoning. This seems like an extreme amount of speculation, especially the part about Griner not wanting to risk the "heartbreak" of coming back for her senior season because she virtually has no chance at an NC is laughable.

 

[easttexastrash]

I agree that Griner may become the best post player ever. Stewart will probably play a power forward/wing position and probably play alongside a center. She'll probably not be matched up against Griner though her 7'1" wingspan makes such a matchup intriguing.

With that wingspan, how can Geno not have her guard Griner? That would be like putting Griner on the opposing 4 player.

This should be a great game next year. I am looking forward to seeing Stewart play.

 

[EricLA]

to be fair, Roy, in 2003-2004, both Sherwood and Robinson lasted the year. Wright transferred to SJU right away and Liz and Kiana transferred after we won the NC that year. and also to be fair...

Bestiarious said "If they don't win it all this year, the chance of winning it all next year will be even less because of Uconn's improvement." and he's exactly right. i don't care who is coming back or who Baylor lands. top 20 Fields and 2 other top 50 kids along with Washington and Chandler coming back are nowhere close to Stewart, Tuck, and Jefferson.

you can argue all you want, and i get you are a Baylor fan, but i doubt you'd find even any non-UCONN fans except them maybe who would agree with you. and it's no slight. most of us feel that the 2 best teams next year will be UCONN and Baylor anyway, with a big drop off to #3...

 

[doggydaddy]

With that wingspan, how can Geno not have her guard Griner? That would be like putting Griner on the opposing 4 player.

This should be a great game next year. I am looking forward to seeing Stewart play.

Don't get too excited. I think her wingspan is only 6'10".

 

[alexrgct]

With that wingspan, how can Geno not have her guard Griner? That would be like putting Griner on the opposing 4 player.

This should be a great game next year. I am looking forward to seeing Stewart play.

Need someone stronger in the lower body as the primary defender, methinks. I think Bre's wingspan will be most valuable in a help capacity against a senior of BG's caliber.

The question of a WCBB player leaving early to go pro is an interesting one. Nothing stopping them from doing so, but most lack the financial incentive to make it an attractive option. Additionally, because the top players play year-round, they can't take classes during the offseason and finish up; there is no offseason, really.

CFB players who receive a high draft grade and elect to go back to school anyway can purchase insurance against career-ending injury. I wonder if Griner could even do that. Can anyone calculate with any accuracy what her earning potential acutally is? All academic in ny case- I agree she'll be back at Baylor next year.

 

[speedoo]

Losing Cain, Brewer, Bjorklund from last years team, the downward progression of Stricklen and Simmons, the late return of an out of condition Williams, all big factors on this years addition of the Lady Vols. Even the addition of Massingale and the return to close to 100% of Baugh can't improve the team enough to even match last years results.

Plus they lost Avant, who, IMO showed as much promise in a couple of games last year as Massengale has shown this year. So I consider that a wash.

 

[EricLA]

Plus they lost Avant, who, IMO showed as much promise in a couple of games last year as Massengale has shown this year. So I consider that a wash.

was Avant injured last year? cuz she played in only 19 games and averaged under 3 PPG in about 8 minutes per game. not exactly anything to write home about. i never saw her play so i can't speak to any promise, or lack therof, in her game, but i don't recall tennessee fans being particularly bent about her leaving, except for how it may have reflected negatively on the program in general and Pat specifically....

 

[RoyDodger]

to be fair, Roy, in 2003-2004, both Sherwood and Robinson lasted the year. Wright transferred to SJU right away and Liz and Kiana transferred after we won the NC that year. and also to be fair...

Bestiarious said "If they don't win it all this year, the chance of winning it all next year will be even less because of Uconn's improvement." and he's exactly right. i don't care who is coming back or who Baylor lands. top 20 Fields and 2 other top 50 kids along with Washington and Chandler coming back are nowhere close to Stewart, Tuck, and Jefferson.

you can argue all you want, and i get you are a Baylor fan, but i doubt you'd find even any non-UCONN fans except them maybe who would agree with you. and it's no slight. most of us feel that the 2 best teams next year will be UCONN and Baylor anyway, with a big drop off to #3...

Since 2003-2204 is the year my wife and I started watching the Huskies and we weren't quite up on all the details at that time, I was going by the 2003-2004 roster on the UConn Huskies official website. Kiana Robinson and Liz Sherwood are not listed. However, I do see from the Team Preview for that year that Robinson and Sherwood were listed as "newcomers" and that the team stats for that year shows that they certainly did play.

 

[Icebear]

Don't get too excited. I think her wingspan is only 6'10".

DD, I believe 6'10" is an old number most of the past year a number of 7' or more has been mentioned relatively consistently.

 

[jdubct]

DD, I believe 6'10" is an old number most of the past year a number of 7' or more has been mentioned relatively consistently.

Mentioned by Geno on the CPTV Geno show. Whatever the exact wingspan, it's amazing.

 

[Icebear]

Mentioned by Geno on the CPTV Geno show. Whatever the exact wingspan, it's amazing.

Indeed.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

In addition to the 7 ft wingspan, Stewarts size 22 foot will be an obstacle for intended bounce passes to postup targets.