Roster of 12?

[Huskee11]

So a smaller roster. In years past Geno was comfortable with a top rotation of 7 or 8 players that he said were reliable. Could it be that he felt he was not able to coach 15 players properly and it took away from a completely prepared team?

I was at an open practice in late November. The rotation players got plenty of reps.

Ice and Morgan were out. Gandy was on the floor on the male practice player team. Caroline, Ayanna and Kelis got very few reps in the scrimmage situations. The nine rotation payers got all the work they needed, at least on that occasion.

The ninth player was Jana, and she was a starter the season before.

Even in blowouts he rarely went beyond nine until the fourth quarter. One can argue over whether the starters should have averaged a few more minutes per game but Geno's priority was to keep them rested.

 

[Woof]

We are going to seriously regret not getting anyone in the portal.

 

[oldude]

We are going to seriously regret not getting anyone in the portal.

Why? Who exactly should we have gotten and whose minutes were they going to negatively impact? Will UConn’s regret be that they don’t win a national championship or are you now expecting a losing season?

 

[Woof]

Why? Who exactly should we have gotten and whose minutes were they going to negatively impact? Will UConn’s regret be that they don’t win a national championship or are you now expecting a losing season?

Of course not. Is that the only way you think we could have a regrettable season? We have to have a losing record? Anything else and we call it what? A success?

This team is thin. Yes, we have some great players. Sarah, KK, Blanca. And we have some really good, possibly future stars. Kayleigh, Allie, Olivia. And we even have some solid bench players. Jana, Ashlyn and, hopefully, Morgan. I have zero expectations for Kelis, Gandy and the Popovich kid. Maybe the latter will surprise me.

But if you don't see holes in there, I don't know what to tell you. And if you don't see how vulnerable we are to injuries, I REALLY don't know what to tell you. But the bottom line is this, there are not 5 players on that list that can beat the top 5 of either USC or SC. And SC's second 5 would crush our second 5. Hell, their end of the bench 5 would give our second 5 a good game. If Vukosa turns into freshman Tina Charles and either Kayleigh or Allie can hit the three in a physical game, MAYBE we can compete with SC and USC. Better hope those 6 stay healthy.

 

[ERWUC65]

Why? Who exactly should we have gotten and whose minutes were they going to negatively impact? Will UConn’s regret be that they don’t win a national championship or are you now expecting a losing season?

My personal preferences would have been Skylar Forbes, Marquette, SF - 15.5 ppg, 4.9 rpb, 1 year eligibility left and Lara Somfai, Stanford, PF - 10.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3 years eligibility left. I liked Forbes as a 6'3" PF and Somfai, as a 6'3" SG. Not worried about any negative impact as we lack size and strength and have a clear need for both rebounding and shooting. UConn will never have a losing season as long as they have the Big East to feast on.

 

[oldude]

My personal preferences would have been Skylar Forbes, Marquette, SF - 15.5 ppg, 4.9 rpb, 1 year eligibility left and Lara Somfai, Stanford, PF - 10.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3 years eligibility left. I liked Forbes as a 6'3" PF and Somfai, as a 6'3" SG. Not worried about any negative impact as we lack size and strength and have a clear need for both rebounding and shooting. UConn will never have a losing season as long as they have the Big East to feast on.

Forbes essentially plays the same position as Sarah & Blanca, and if Morgan is back healthy next year, she also plays that position. Hence my question, “Whose minutes were they going to negatively effect?”

Somfai is a forward/center who would have been interesting, except she was never really available. Somfai was out of the country back in Hungary, entered the portal on the first day it was open and immediately announced she was transferring to TCU. The deal was cut beforehand. No visits. No shopping around.

The only other player who would have been interesting for the Huskies imo, would have been Jordan Lee, a big, athletic guard/wing. Unfortunately, she’s heading to SC.

Woof’s original post suggested that UConn would seriously regret not getting anyone from the portal. I absolutely disagree. Next season UConn will have a very talented roster, lead by the consensus NPOY. The team should make it back to another FF. The Huskies may or may not win another championship. If not winning a national championship is cause for serious regret, someone’s value system is seriously broken.

 

[Bone Dog]

Woof’s original post suggested that UConn would seriously regret not getting anyone from the portal. I absolutely disagree.

As we used to say in Boston, “The bird is the word.” In this case, “12 is the good word.”

 

[Skeets]

Well, it's not the lack of talent. The problem with 12 is it's cutting it close if bad things happen. Remember just a couple of years ago UConn had 3 straight years of bad things. So bad we had to pluck a kid (a good kid) out of the Azores who was destined for a JuCo in Florida. Even this past year we had a lot of kids sitting on the bench, but luckily, we started with 15. Another player (best available) not to fill a need necessarily, but as insurance, would be nice.

 

[oldude]

Of course not. Is that the only way you think we could have a regrettable season? We have to have a losing record? Anything else and we call it what? A success?

This team is thin. Yes, we have some great players. Sarah, KK, Blanca. And we have some really good, possibly future stars. Kayleigh, Allie, Olivia. And we even have some solid bench players. Jana, Ashlyn and, hopefully, Morgan. I have zero expectations for Kelis, Gandy and the Popovich kid. Maybe the latter will surprise me.

But if you don't see holes in there, I don't know what to tell you. And if you don't see how vulnerable we are to injuries, I REALLY don't know what to tell you. But the bottom line is this, there are not 5 players on that list that can beat the top 5 of either USC or SC. And SC's second 5 would crush our second 5. Hell, their end of the bench 5 would give our second 5 a good game. If Vukosa turns into freshman Tina Charles and either Kayleigh or Allie can hit the three in a physical game, MAYBE we can compete with SC and USC. Better hope those 6 stay healthy.

Doom and gloomers like you seem to pop out of the woodwork every year, and yet UConn under Geno and his staff have made it to 17 of the last 18 final fours and 25 overall. They have reached that goal despite devastating injuries to star players and they have beaten more talented teams along the way.

You mention 2 teams that might beat UConn next season: USC and SC. They might and they might not. I’m OK with that. If you are not that’s your problem.

 

[oldude]

Well, it's not the lack of talent. The problem with 12 is it's cutting it close if bad things happen. Remember just a couple of years ago UConn had 3 straight years of bad things. So bad we had to pluck a kid (a good kid) out of the Azores who was destined for a JuCo in Florida. Even this past year we had a lot of kids sitting on the bench, but luckily, we started with 15. Another player (best available) not to fill a need necessarily, but as insurance, would be nice.

And yet, in 2 of those 3 years UConn made it back to the FF. If UConn has 12 healthy players at the start of the season, with as much talent as this team will have, they’ll be just fine.

 

[ec33]

Well, it's not the lack of talent. The problem with 12 is it's cutting it close if bad things happen. Remember just a couple of years ago UConn had 3 straight years of bad things. So bad we had to pluck a kid (a good kid) out of the Azores who was destined for a JuCo in Florida. Even this past year we had a lot of kids sitting on the bench, but luckily, we started with 15. Another player (best available) not to fill a need necessarily, but as insurance, would be nice.

How many players do you think UConn had daily last season? Morgan and Ice sat the season out. Carol was only able to participate on "good" days.

So 12. How many players on the roster now?

 

[oldude]

How many players do you think UConn had daily last season? Morgan and Ice sat the season out. Carol was only able to participate on "good" days.

So 12. How many players on the roster now?

You can also add Gandy who after playing some “mop up” minutes in 1 game was basically redshirted for the season. So 11 this past season.

 

[Hoop DuJour]

You can also add Gandy who after playing some “mop up” minutes in 1 game was basically redshirted for the season. So 11 this past season.

Exactly! Plus having too many players I think can hinder the development of players...would loved to have seen Kelis play more meaningful minutes, not just during mop-up time but as loaded as our team was, she sat.