Reynolds to Tenn

[doggydaddy]

Interesting... all that I have read says that she is open to leaving the west coast, and might prefer to leave California. We shall see.

97% of the time I am right. Who cares about the other 4%.

 

[triaddukefan]

^^^ I think that most of the talk of her staying on the West Coast has been just that, talk and speculation. I actually saw where she said she wanted to come east. I think that is reflected in her finalists, too: Duke, Texas A&M, and Tennessee pulling against her home state UCLA. If she wanted to stay home though, I think she would have had some other West Coast options this late in the game. I'm not saying UCLA can't woo her to stay, but my money has her coming east, and I actually think she will land at Duke. It would give them a super class and address their main weakness IMO, post depth. It would also put them at 15 players however. It's hard to keep that many happy.

Yes, 15 players is alot for 2013-14... probably more than Duke has ever had on scholarship... but with 5 seniors.... the number would only be at 11 for 2014-15 (already have one 2014 verbal).

 

[tnvolfan65]

FWIW, I also don't think Tennessee has matched Uconn on paper yet. Davis would have given us that, but I don't think Reynolds does. No offense to her by any means, and I am definitely happy we landed her.

At this time the matchups would look like this:

PG: Massengale and Carter vs Jefferson and Chong
SG: Simmons, Reynolds, and Phillips vs Hartley and Banks
SF: Burdick and Tucker vs Lewis
PF: Graves and Jones vs Stewart and Tuck
C: Russell, Harrison, and Moore vs Dolson and Stokes

Roster wise, we definitely have the depth advantage, but in a single game, I don't think Tennessee would go more than 9-10 deep, so it's kind of negated. It could become a factor if this game happens in March or April though. A small roster will see more minutes all season long. It's good for development, but also leads to more fatigue and a chance at more injuries (knock on wood.)

Obviously on this board, there may be some disagreement, but I think Tennessee has an advantage at the point guard spot. Jefferson has a ton of potential, but I'm not sure she is a sure thing yet. Will she be ready in her sophomore year to fully take the reins of this team? Her athleticism is undeniable, but her ability to run a team remains to be seen. Chong along with Henderson were two of the more intriguing prospects in this class. Her scoring numbers are off the chart, but how will that translate to the next level? Will she be able to play the point at Uconn or is she better suited at the two?

Meanwhile, Massengale's biggest strength is her ability to run a team. Practice reports and interviews have noted that she has already taken control of this team and her shot is much improved. She has also, seemingly, overcome a nagging case of homesickness. I actually worried about her leaving some last year, but she has addressed it in some interviews recently and has said that she feels completely at home now at Tennessee. Her defense is still an area of concern for me, but I expect her to be one of the top lead guards in the country over the next couple of years. Carter, meanwhile, is going to give us a great second option off the bench. Like Jefferson, she is extremely athletic. She has the highest score ever on the Sparq test and has a vertical jump higher than Parker and Glory already. (Second on the test is Jordan Reynolds, third is Armentie Price, and fourth is Bri Turner.) I think she is going to thrive in our up-tempo system and is going to be a defensive specialist. She was all over the place on Thursday and has been praised for always giving that kind of effort. I know the girl can shoot, but she rarely looked to score in our exhibition. If she can find that balance between her defense, looking for her own shot, and getting others involved: she'll be even more special.

Simmons versus Hartley is a good matchup. I'm not going to argue that Simmons is a better player, but do I think she could match Hartley point for point in a game? Absolutely. Hartley, however, has a better overall game and is more efficient. Reynolds, like Carter, gives us another athletic guard coming off the bench. Of course Banks is also a speedster with a two year advantage. I haven't seen Phillips play at all, so I can't really comment on her impact. Reports say she can be a defensive stopper on the perimeter, but I don't know to what extent. Either way, I would give Uconn a solid advantage here. If this becomes Simmons, Sciafe, and Reynolds vs Hartley and Banks though, it becomes a little bit closer.

I would also give the edge to Tennessee at the 3 looking just at this little depth chart comparison. I look for Burdick's numbers to rise across the board this season. She played behind Stricklen and Johnson last season while fighting another senior, Manning, for those minutes. If you've watched her play though, you can't deny she is a special player. Her biggest question mark is whether she is a 3 or a 4. I think with Graves and Russell on hand, while also losing Davis, that we will primarily see her at the 3 after this season. Her shot is money on the baseline out to the 3 point line, and she has incredible passing ability for her size...or any size for that matter. And no one is going to out work her. Her body went through a major transformation this summer. We'll see if that translates to the basketball court. With that said, I think KML is a much more natural 3. Her shot is well documented, yet she's also able to score on the block. Tucker is another big guard, whose biggest strength is her ability to score the ball. Her addition makes this a simple 2 > 1 for me. I understand if someone disagrees, but it's close either way.

Stewart is the best prospect IMO in the four classes since Griner and gives Uconn a huge advantage over any team at the four. Tuck makes it an even deadlier 1-2 punch. I think she is going to be a very efficient player over the next 4 years. Graves gives UT a much needed banger down low, and I definitely wouldn't expect her to shy away from this matchup, but I just don't think there are going to be many ways to slow Stewart. Also, FWIW, of every player on the floor for Tennessee in our exhibition, I was most impressed with Jasmine Jones. Reports had said she was athletic, but it never came across in the videos I saw. It did in that game, and she is definitely a hooper. I think she missed only 1 shot from the floor on Thursday, and her defense looked solid. She's another tweener forward, but I think she is a sleeper in this freshman class.

The most interesting matchup would be at this 5 spot. You've got the solid verteran post in Dolson versus the No. 1 2013 in the country. I'm still not entirely sure what to expect with Russell though. I think the comparisons to Parker are a bit unfair. No 6'5 player has Parker's athleticism and ballhandling skills. I've always thought Lisa Leslie might be more of an apt comparison. Most of Russell's evaluations have praised her ability to score on the block combined with her obvious size advantage on top of the ability to shoot and handle the ball (I've always taken this last part with regard to her position). Most recently though, Brandon Clay said he thinks she is more of a four because she likes to hit the trail 3, and attack/shoot from the high post. I do expect her to come in and start at the center spot, but whether that means she just guards other centers and plays more at the high post while Graves does the banging down low on offense, remains to be seen. I think Stokes and Izzy are a wash and Moore is more of a project at this point, so this matchup would come down to how good Russell actually is. Can she be the superstar we need her to be?

Again, overall, I give Uconn the edge on paper, but I think there are some great matchups there.

Depth charts and matchups are fun for me to think out, and this thread seemed like an appropriate outlet. Feel free to demolish it now! (I'm talking to you doggydaddy lol.)

 

[tnvolfan65]

Yes, 15 players is alot for 2013-14... probably more than Duke has ever had on scholarship... but with 5 seniors.... the number would only be at 11 for 2014-15 (already have one 2014 verbal).

True...Duke is already in the mix for a lot of top 2014 talent though: Turner, Canada, Wilson, Green, Stephens, Belton. It'd be hard for Coach P to halt the recruiting momentum y'all have going on right now though after only 1 or 2 more recruits.

Obviously though, this isn't a bad position to be in at all.

 

[doggydaddy]

Feel free to demolish it now! (I'm talking to you doggydaddy lol.)

LOL....I read the entire post thinking of my opposing view and what I would write...hahahaha!

Good one!

 

[triaddukefan]

True...Duke is already in the mix for a lot of top 2014 talent though: Turner, Canada, Wilson, Green, Stephens, Belton. It'd be hard for Coach P to halt the recruiting momentum y'all have going on right now though after only 1 or 2 more recruits.

Obviously though, this isn't a bad position to be in at all.

I aint complaining one bit. Its kinda funny is Coach P out recruiting Coach K over the past few years.... if only She could win the big one like he has.

 

[meyers7]

As good as UConn will be this year, it'll be better next year.

Ding ding ding.

 

[speedoo]

LOL....I read the entire post thinking of my opposing view and what I would write...hahahaha!

Good one!

It was an entertaining read. Reminiscent of the fantasies we used to be able to see on The Summit.

 

[SWHuskyFan]

FWIW, I also don't think Tennessee has matched Uconn on paper yet. Davis would have given us that, but I don't think Reynolds does. No offense to her by any means, and I am definitely happy we landed her.

At this time the matchups would look like this:

PG: Massengale and Carter vs Jefferson and Chong
SG: Simmons, Reynolds, and Phillips vs Hartley and Banks
SF: Burdick and Tucker vs Lewis
PF: Graves and Jones vs Stewart and Tuck
C: Russell, Harrison, and Moore vs Dolson and Stokes

Roster wise, we definitely have the depth advantage, but in a single game, I don't think Tennessee would go more than 9-10 deep, so it's kind of negated. It could become a factor if this game happens in March or April though. A small roster will see more minutes all season long. It's good for development, but also leads to more fatigue and a chance at more injuries (knock on wood.)

Obviously on this board, there may be some disagreement, but I think Tennessee has an advantage at the point guard spot. Jefferson has a ton of potential, but I'm not sure she is a sure thing yet. Will she be ready in her sophomore year to fully take the reins of this team? Her athleticism is undeniable, but her ability to run a team remains to be seen. Chong along with Henderson were two of the more intriguing prospects in this class. Her scoring numbers are off the chart, but how will that translate to the next level? Will she be able to play the point at Uconn or is she better suited at the two?

Meanwhile, Massengale's biggest strength is her ability to run a team. Practice reports and interviews have noted that she has already taken control of this team and her shot is much improved. She has also, seemingly, overcome a nagging case of homesickness. I actually worried about her leaving some last year, but she has addressed it in some interviews recently and has said that she feels completely at home now at Tennessee. Her defense is still an area of concern for me, but I expect her to be one of the top lead guards in the country over the next couple of years. Carter, meanwhile, is going to give us a great second option off the bench. Like Jefferson, she is extremely athletic. She has the highest score ever on the Sparq test and has a vertical jump higher than Parker and Glory already. (Second on the test is Jordan Reynolds, third is Armentie Price, and fourth is Bri Turner.) I think she is going to thrive in our up-tempo system and is going to be a defensive specialist. She was all over the place on Thursday and has been praised for always giving that kind of effort. I know the girl can shoot, but she rarely looked to score in our exhibition. If she can find that balance between her defense, looking for her own shot, and getting others involved: she'll be even more special.

Simmons versus Hartley is a good matchup. I'm not going to argue that Simmons is a better player, but do I think she could match Hartley point for point in a game? Absolutely. Hartley, however, has a better overall game and is more efficient. Reynolds, like Carter, gives us another athletic guard coming off the bench. Of course Banks is also a speedster with a two year advantage. I haven't seen Phillips play at all, so I can't really comment on her impact. Reports say she can be a defensive stopper on the perimeter, but I don't know to what extent. Either way, I would give Uconn a solid advantage here. If this becomes Simmons, Sciafe, and Reynolds vs Hartley and Banks though, it becomes a little bit closer.

I would also give the edge to Tennessee at the 3 looking just at this little depth chart comparison. I look for Burdick's numbers to rise across the board this season. She played behind Stricklen and Johnson last season while fighting another senior, Manning, for those minutes. If you've watched her play though, you can't deny she is a special player. Her biggest question mark is whether she is a 3 or a 4. I think with Graves and Russell on hand, while also losing Davis, that we will primarily see her at the 3 after this season. Her shot is money on the baseline out to the 3 point line, and she has incredible passing ability for her size...or any size for that matter. And no one is going to out work her. Her body went through a major transformation this summer. We'll see if that translates to the basketball court. With that said, I think KML is a much more natural 3. Her shot is well documented, yet she's also able to score on the block. Tucker is another big guard, whose biggest strength is her ability to score the ball. Her addition makes this a simple 2 > 1 for me. I understand if someone disagrees, but it's close either way.

Stewart is the best prospect IMO in the four classes since Griner and gives Uconn a huge advantage over any team at the four. Tuck makes it an even deadlier 1-2 punch. I think she is going to be a very efficient player over the next 4 years. Graves gives UT a much needed banger down low, and I definitely wouldn't expect her to shy away from this matchup, but I just don't think there are going to be many ways to slow Stewart. Also, FWIW, of every player on the floor for Tennessee in our exhibition, I was most impressed with Jasmine Jones. Reports had said she was athletic, but it never came across in the videos I saw. It did in that game, and she is definitely a hooper. I think she missed only 1 shot from the floor on Thursday, and her defense looked solid. She's another tweener forward, but I think she is a sleeper in this freshman class.

The most interesting matchup would be at this 5 spot. You've got the solid verteran post in Dolson versus the No. 1 2013 in the country. I'm still not entirely sure what to expect with Russell though. I think the comparisons to Parker are a bit unfair. No 6'5 player has Parker's athleticism and ballhandling skills. I've always thought Lisa Leslie might be more of an apt comparison. Most of Russell's evaluations have praised her ability to score on the block combined with her obvious size advantage on top of the ability to shoot and handle the ball (I've always taken this last part with regard to her position). Most recently though, Brandon Clay said he thinks she is more of a four because she likes to hit the trail 3, and attack/shoot from the high post. I do expect her to come in and start at the center spot, but whether that means she just guards other centers and plays more at the high post while Graves does the banging down low on offense, remains to be seen. I think Stokes and Izzy are a wash and Moore is more of a project at this point, so this matchup would come down to how good Russell actually is. Can she be the superstar we need her to be?

Again, overall, I give Uconn the edge on paper, but I think there are some great matchups there.

Depth charts and matchups are fun for me to think out, and this thread seemed like an appropriate outlet. Feel free to demolish it now! (I'm talking to you doggydaddy lol.)

I disagree with a lot of your comparisons but there's not much use in that for me anyway. Even if the players are close in general skill level, Uconn would bury Tenn with execution. Unlike Tenn, Uconn is able to play great defense and great offense. The mantra of great defense and rebounding is great, but when you can't turn them into points it doesn't really end well.

It'll be interesting to see if Holly is able to improve UT's offensive woes that have plagued them since Candace Parker left Knoxville. I for one would like to see UT back in contention. I do believe WCBB is more fun when UT is at least a contender. I would settle for a pretender at this point.

 

[doggydaddy]

FWIW, I also don't think Tennessee has matched Uconn on paper yet. Davis would have given us that, but I don't think Reynolds does. No offense to her by any means, and I am definitely happy we landed her.

At this time the matchups would look like this:

PG: Massengale and Carter vs Jefferson and Chong
SG: Simmons, Reynolds, and Phillips vs Hartley and Banks
SF: Burdick and Tucker vs Lewis
PF: Graves and Jones vs Stewart and Tuck
C: Russell, Harrison, and Moore vs Dolson and Stokes

Roster wise, we definitely have the depth advantage, but in a single game, I don't think Tennessee would go more than 9-10 deep, so it's kind of negated. It could become a factor if this game happens in March or April though. A small roster will see more minutes all season long. It's good for development, but also leads to more fatigue and a chance at more injuries (knock on wood.)

Obviously on this board, there may be some disagreement, but I think Tennessee has an advantage at the point guard spot. Jefferson has a ton of potential, but I'm not sure she is a sure thing yet. Will she be ready in her sophomore year to fully take the reins of this team? Her athleticism is undeniable, but her ability to run a team remains to be seen. Chong along with Henderson were two of the more intriguing prospects in this class. Her scoring numbers are off the chart, but how will that translate to the next level? Will she be able to play the point at Uconn or is she better suited at the two?

Meanwhile, Massengale's biggest strength is her ability to run a team. Practice reports and interviews have noted that she has already taken control of this team and her shot is much improved. She has also, seemingly, overcome a nagging case of homesickness. I actually worried about her leaving some last year, but she has addressed it in some interviews recently and has said that she feels completely at home now at Tennessee. Her defense is still an area of concern for me, but I expect her to be one of the top lead guards in the country over the next couple of years. Carter, meanwhile, is going to give us a great second option off the bench. Like Jefferson, she is extremely athletic. She has the highest score ever on the Sparq test and has a vertical jump higher than Parker and Glory already. (Second on the test is Jordan Reynolds, third is Armentie Price, and fourth is Bri Turner.) I think she is going to thrive in our up-tempo system and is going to be a defensive specialist. She was all over the place on Thursday and has been praised for always giving that kind of effort. I know the girl can shoot, but she rarely looked to score in our exhibition. If she can find that balance between her defense, looking for her own shot, and getting others involved: she'll be even more special.

Simmons versus Hartley is a good matchup. I'm not going to argue that Simmons is a better player, but do I think she could match Hartley point for point in a game? Absolutely. Hartley, however, has a better overall game and is more efficient. Reynolds, like Carter, gives us another athletic guard coming off the bench. Of course Banks is also a speedster with a two year advantage. I haven't seen Phillips play at all, so I can't really comment on her impact. Reports say she can be a defensive stopper on the perimeter, but I don't know to what extent. Either way, I would give Uconn a solid advantage here. If this becomes Simmons, Sciafe, and Reynolds vs Hartley and Banks though, it becomes a little bit closer.

I would also give the edge to Tennessee at the 3 looking just at this little depth chart comparison. I look for Burdick's numbers to rise across the board this season. She played behind Stricklen and Johnson last season while fighting another senior, Manning, for those minutes. If you've watched her play though, you can't deny she is a special player. Her biggest question mark is whether she is a 3 or a 4. I think with Graves and Russell on hand, while also losing Davis, that we will primarily see her at the 3 after this season. Her shot is money on the baseline out to the 3 point line, and she has incredible passing ability for her size...or any size for that matter. And no one is going to out work her. Her body went through a major transformation this summer. We'll see if that translates to the basketball court. With that said, I think KML is a much more natural 3. Her shot is well documented, yet she's also able to score on the block. Tucker is another big guard, whose biggest strength is her ability to score the ball. Her addition makes this a simple 2 > 1 for me. I understand if someone disagrees, but it's close either way.

Stewart is the best prospect IMO in the four classes since Griner and gives Uconn a huge advantage over any team at the four. Tuck makes it an even deadlier 1-2 punch. I think she is going to be a very efficient player over the next 4 years. Graves gives UT a much needed banger down low, and I definitely wouldn't expect her to shy away from this matchup, but I just don't think there are going to be many ways to slow Stewart. Also, FWIW, of every player on the floor for Tennessee in our exhibition, I was most impressed with Jasmine Jones. Reports had said she was athletic, but it never came across in the videos I saw. It did in that game, and she is definitely a hooper. I think she missed only 1 shot from the floor on Thursday, and her defense looked solid. She's another tweener forward, but I think she is a sleeper in this freshman class.

The most interesting matchup would be at this 5 spot. You've got the solid verteran post in Dolson versus the No. 1 2013 in the country. I'm still not entirely sure what to expect with Russell though. I think the comparisons to Parker are a bit unfair. No 6'5 player has Parker's athleticism and ballhandling skills. I've always thought Lisa Leslie might be more of an apt comparison. Most of Russell's evaluations have praised her ability to score on the block combined with her obvious size advantage on top of the ability to shoot and handle the ball (I've always taken this last part with regard to her position). Most recently though, Brandon Clay said he thinks she is more of a four because she likes to hit the trail 3, and attack/shoot from the high post. I do expect her to come in and start at the center spot, but whether that means she just guards other centers and plays more at the high post while Graves does the banging down low on offense, remains to be seen. I think Stokes and Izzy are a wash and Moore is more of a project at this point, so this matchup would come down to how good Russell actually is. Can she be the superstar we need her to be?

Again, overall, I give Uconn the edge on paper, but I think there are some great matchups there.

Depth charts and matchups are fun for me to think out, and this thread seemed like an appropriate outlet. Feel free to demolish it now! (I'm talking to you doggydaddy lol.)

Interesting analysis. I love how you think that having two players not as good as one player gives the team with more players the advantage. And with the versitility of the UConn players, you really can't say that a particular player only plays a particular position.

The entire premise is better looked at prior to NEXT year, not this year. Then we will know who improved and who didn't. But if you want to base on what we know now, not based on what you think they will do.

But for fun, I'll play.

More than likely, these would be the starting teams.

UConn - Dolson, Stewart, Lewis, Hartley, Jefferson.
Tenn - Harrison/Russell, Graves, Burdick, Simmons, Massingale.

I just have a feeling it will be Harrison if she starts all this year. In this scenario, UConn comes out ahead in all the matchups except maybe the Jefferson/Massingale matchup.

Dolson over Harrison. It's not even close. Harrison would foul out in 20 minutes.
Stewart over Graves. We know who did what on the USA team. Not even close and Graves is really good.
Lewis over Burdick. Lewis has shown that she can be a star at this level. Burdick has potential.
Hartley over Simmons. This was close their freshman year. Not so much after that.
Massingale over Jefferson. But it's really close.

Bench

UConn - Banks, Tuck, Chong, Stokes.
Tennessee - Jones, Russell, Tucker, Reynolds, Carter, Moore.

This is tough to call. I think that Tuck is the best player on either bench. I'll call it even. Ahh...screw that. Blue glasses say advantage UConn.

Do you really want to talk about the coaches? Didn't think so.

UConn would win by 20+.

Thanks for playing.

 

[Alydar]

FWIW, I also don't think Tennessee has matched Uconn on paper yet. Davis would have given us that, but I don't think Reynolds does. No offense to her by any means, and I am definitely happy we landed her.

At this time the matchups would look like this:

PG: Massengale and Carter vs Jefferson and Chong
SG: Simmons, Reynolds, and Phillips vs Hartley and Banks
SF: Burdick and Tucker vs Lewis
PF: Graves and Jones vs Stewart and Tuck
C: Russell, Harrison, and Moore vs Dolson and Stokes

Roster wise, we definitely have the depth advantage, but in a single game, I don't think Tennessee would go more than 9-10 deep, so it's kind of negated. It could become a factor if this game happens in March or April though. A small roster will see more minutes all season long. It's good for development, but also leads to more fatigue and a chance at more injuries (knock on wood.)

Obviously on this board, there may be some disagreement, but I think Tennessee has an advantage at the point guard spot. Jefferson has a ton of potential, but I'm not sure she is a sure thing yet. Will she be ready in her sophomore year to fully take the reins of this team? Her athleticism is undeniable, but her ability to run a team remains to be seen. Chong along with Henderson were two of the more intriguing prospects in this class. Her scoring numbers are off the chart, but how will that translate to the next level? Will she be able to play the point at Uconn or is she better suited at the two?

Meanwhile, Massengale's biggest strength is her ability to run a team. Practice reports and interviews have noted that she has already taken control of this team and her shot is much improved. She has also, seemingly, overcome a nagging case of homesickness. I actually worried about her leaving some last year, but she has addressed it in some interviews recently and has said that she feels completely at home now at Tennessee. Her defense is still an area of concern for me, but I expect her to be one of the top lead guards in the country over the next couple of years. Carter, meanwhile, is going to give us a great second option off the bench. Like Jefferson, she is extremely athletic. She has the highest score ever on the Sparq test and has a vertical jump higher than Parker and Glory already. (Second on the test is Jordan Reynolds, third is Armentie Price, and fourth is Bri Turner.) I think she is going to thrive in our up-tempo system and is going to be a defensive specialist. She was all over the place on Thursday and has been praised for always giving that kind of effort. I know the girl can shoot, but she rarely looked to score in our exhibition. If she can find that balance between her defense, looking for her own shot, and getting others involved: she'll be even more special.

Simmons versus Hartley is a good matchup. I'm not going to argue that Simmons is a better player, but do I think she could match Hartley point for point in a game? Absolutely. Hartley, however, has a better overall game and is more efficient. Reynolds, like Carter, gives us another athletic guard coming off the bench. Of course Banks is also a speedster with a two year advantage. I haven't seen Phillips play at all, so I can't really comment on her impact. Reports say she can be a defensive stopper on the perimeter, but I don't know to what extent. Either way, I would give Uconn a solid advantage here. If this becomes Simmons, Sciafe, and Reynolds vs Hartley and Banks though, it becomes a little bit closer.

I would also give the edge to Tennessee at the 3 looking just at this little depth chart comparison. I look for Burdick's numbers to rise across the board this season. She played behind Stricklen and Johnson last season while fighting another senior, Manning, for those minutes. If you've watched her play though, you can't deny she is a special player. Her biggest question mark is whether she is a 3 or a 4. I think with Graves and Russell on hand, while also losing Davis, that we will primarily see her at the 3 after this season. Her shot is money on the baseline out to the 3 point line, and she has incredible passing ability for her size...or any size for that matter. And no one is going to out work her. Her body went through a major transformation this summer. We'll see if that translates to the basketball court. With that said, I think KML is a much more natural 3. Her shot is well documented, yet she's also able to score on the block. Tucker is another big guard, whose biggest strength is her ability to score the ball. Her addition makes this a simple 2 > 1 for me. I understand if someone disagrees, but it's close either way.

Stewart is the best prospect IMO in the four classes since Griner and gives Uconn a huge advantage over any team at the four. Tuck makes it an even deadlier 1-2 punch. I think she is going to be a very efficient player over the next 4 years. Graves gives UT a much needed banger down low, and I definitely wouldn't expect her to shy away from this matchup, but I just don't think there are going to be many ways to slow Stewart. Also, FWIW, of every player on the floor for Tennessee in our exhibition, I was most impressed with Jasmine Jones. Reports had said she was athletic, but it never came across in the videos I saw. It did in that game, and she is definitely a hooper. I think she missed only 1 shot from the floor on Thursday, and her defense looked solid. She's another tweener forward, but I think she is a sleeper in this freshman class.

The most interesting matchup would be at this 5 spot. You've got the solid verteran post in Dolson versus the No. 1 2013 in the country. I'm still not entirely sure what to expect with Russell though. I think the comparisons to Parker are a bit unfair. No 6'5 player has Parker's athleticism and ballhandling skills. I've always thought Lisa Leslie might be more of an apt comparison. Most of Russell's evaluations have praised her ability to score on the block combined with her obvious size advantage on top of the ability to shoot and handle the ball (I've always taken this last part with regard to her position). Most recently though, Brandon Clay said he thinks she is more of a four because she likes to hit the trail 3, and attack/shoot from the high post. I do expect her to come in and start at the center spot, but whether that means she just guards other centers and plays more at the high post while Graves does the banging down low on offense, remains to be seen. I think Stokes and Izzy are a wash and Moore is more of a project at this point, so this matchup would come down to how good Russell actually is. Can she be the superstar we need her to be?

Again, overall, I give Uconn the edge on paper, but I think there are some great matchups there.

Depth charts and matchups are fun for me to think out, and this thread seemed like an appropriate outlet. Feel free to demolish it now! (I'm talking to you doggydaddy lol.)

I started to reply with a player by player analysis but instead I'll question your basic premise that basketball is a game of 5 individuals against 5 individuals. UConn plays much more of a team game than Tenn., on both ends of the court. UConn is always at or near the top in assists as a percentage of FG's. And despite what some say about UConn players not being good one on one defenders the team is usually at or near the top in defensive fg%. Somebody is playing defense out there. So what I'm trying to say is that a "tale of the tape" type of comparison totally ignores the synergy of the players and in that regard UConn has it way over the LV's. Tenn has a lot of talent. IMO they rely on that talent. I watched the C-N game, expecting something new. I saw the same offense as the last umpteen years and the same defensive ball pressure, trapping and overplaying of passing lanes as I saw in 1995. Good luck.

PS - Tuck and Stewart are interchangable at the 3 & 4. Lewis is adept at either the 2 or 3. hartley can play 1 or 2. Banks is a 1 or 2.

 

[doggydaddy]

I started to reply with a player by player analysis but instead I'll question your basic premise that basketball is a game of 5 individuals against 5 individuals. UConn plays much more of a team game than Tenn., on both ends of the court. UConn is always at or near the top in assists as a percentage of FG's. And despite what some say about UConn players not being good one on one defenders the team is usually at or near the top in defensive fg%. Somebody is playing defense out there. So what I'm trying to say is that a "tale of the tape" type of comparison totally ignores the synergy of the players and in that regard UConn has it way over the LV's. Tenn has a lot of talent. IMO they rely on that talent. I watched the C-N game, expecting something new. I saw the same offense as the last umpteen years and the same defensive ball pressure, trapping and overplaying of passing lanes as I saw in 1995. Good luck.

PS - Tuck and Stewart are interchangable at the 3 & 4. Lewis is adept at either the 2 or 3. hartley can play 1 or 2. Banks is a 1 or 2.

Excellent reply, Alydar.

Stokes can play the 4 or 5.

I'm looking forward to seeing Tennessee and UConn against better opponents.

 

[Bestiarius]

tnvolfan -
A question mark bigger than anything involving the TN players is coaching. In my opinion, this is the area in which Uconn has a big advantage. Frankly, it seems as though Holly is in over her head. I know, she’s closing in on 30 years of coaching experience, but it seems more like she has one year of experience 30 times.
For instance, in listening to Holly’s post game Carson-Newman presser, http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/110112aah.html I was astounded at how feeble her comments were. Get a lot of people playing time was her main goal? Biggest concern is “are we going to play hard”, as though she has nothing to do with that? The comments seemed more appropriate if the presser was covering the first practice of the year, not the first exhibition game. Remembering the effort it took the Uconn coaching staff to make Tina Charles what she turned out to be. I’m wondering if TN’s underachievement during the last 4 years might have been caused by Holly’s increasing involvement. It should be an interesting year that will answer all questions.

 

[OneTrickPony]

And as yet a completely unproven new head coach at the level of competition we are talking about. Personally, I do not think that Holly will be that effective.

Let's flip it around...I think Holly has the talent to be very successful...we'll see what she can do with it. If she competes for titles...as Justavisitor opines...then hats off to her...

 

[OneTrickPony]

Interesting analysis. I love how you think that having two players not as good as one player gives the team with more players the advantage. And with the versitility of the UConn players, you really can't say that a particular player only plays a particular position.

This is the most glaring weakness in this analysis...UCONN's rotation at the 3 can go four deep with players that on average are better than any UT player at that position (this is truly a no-contest position in WCBB now and for some time in the future)...at the 4, there are another four players that can rotate that again are on average better than Graves is today (this should be a no-contest position by next year if it isn't this year)...at the five, at least two players on UCONN have routinely outplayed Russell, and my guess is we can go three players deep there without too much drop-off. At the two...Bria Hartley is easily the class of either team and has less than a hand full of peers nationwide, and we now have the depth of rotation to play UCONN defense for 40 minutes. At the point, we are very solid this year and by next year, I think we are starting to look best-in-class again.

I don't see any team staying close after the half with the exception of a Baylor that has the size and depth in the paint to match up...

 

[UConnCat]

More than a little ironic that a Tenn fan comes to this board and presents a detailed analysis of the various match-ups as if the teams are actually scheduled to play each other. And to make it a little more untethered from reality, the analysis is based on next year's rosters.

I hope the NCAA selection committee gives us reason to do such an analysis...beginning this year.

 

[easttexastrash]

Reading this comparison for next year makes me wonder where you think UCONN will end up with the number of players on the roster. From what I am seeing on this year's roster there are 11 players and three are seniors. Am I correct that the addition of Chong next year that UCONN will have a 9 player roster? If so, any chance that Geno brings on a walk-on or two?

 

[doggydaddy]

Reading this comparison for next year makes me wonder where you think UCONN will end up with the number of players on the roster. From what I am seeing on this year's roster there are 11 players and three are seniors. Am I correct that the addition of Chong next year that UCONN will have a 9 player roster? If so, any chance that Geno brings on a walk-on or two?

Yep, a 9 player roster. Still hopeful on snagging McCall away from Stanford. Can't lose em all..lol.

Maybe Geno will have an April surprise or two at the spring signing period.

 

[easttexastrash]

Yep, a 9 player roster. Still hopeful on snagging McCall away from Stanford. Can't lose em all..lol.

Maybe Geno will have an April surprise or two at the spring signing period.

If a team has to go with only 9 players, could anyone pick a better 9?

 

[ochoopsfan]

By the way, a respected poster on the UCLA forum stated that K Cooper visited ASU last weekend(Oct 27/28) on an "official" visit. So if that is where she winds up I didnt want it to surprise anyone. Just going to ASU on a visit makes it sound she wasnt "completley" sold on any of the other schools or how she fit into the team(s). It could also mean that she wants to leave California but still allow her family to follow her, either by car, short plane ride, or the new Pac 12 network.

 

[Vowelguy]

Am I correct that the addition of Chong next year that UCONN will have a 9 player roster? If so, any chance that Geno brings on a walk-on or two?

Yes, 9 for next year, and yes he has discussed adding walk-ons or nabbing a less-heralded player.

 

[easttexastrash]

Yes, 9 for next year, and yes he has discussed adding walk-ons or nabbing a less-heralded player.

Some lower-ranked player could hit the jackpot if that is the case. Some hard worker who is happy to get a free education and learn from Geno. I bet a lot of players would sign up for that.

 

[wallman]

Or Cooper wanted to enjoy and use all of her visits!

 

[Icebear]

Let's flip it around...I think Holly has the talent to be very successful...we'll see what she can do with it. If she competes for titles...as Justavisitor opines...then hats off to her...

Absolutely, but I do not expect that to be the case based on the talent she has had the last two seasons and who TN lost to in the NCAAs.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Absolutely, but I do not expect that to be the case based on the talent she has had the last two seasons and who TN lost to in the NCAAs.

I agree...needs to be demonstrated on the court...