See, We Are In Good Company

[RockyMTblue2]

"Even Hall of Fame head coach Geno Auriemma isn’t quite sure who the fifth starter will be. Following a practice on Thursday he threw out the names of sophomore Gabby Williams as well as freshmen Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson."

http://www.nhregister.com/sports/20...-role-undefined-heading-into-preseason-opener

So everyone is a winner on this sweep stake.

 

[meyers7]

"Even Hall of Fame head coach Geno Auriemma isn’t quite sure who the fifth starter will be. Following a practice on Thursday he threw out the names of sophomore Gabby Williams as well as freshmen Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson."

http://www.nhregister.com/sports/20...-role-undefined-heading-into-preseason-opener

So everyone is a winner on this sweep stake.

We'll find out tonight.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

We'll find out tonight.

Lemme guess, you and the spouse are going to see it live. Lucky ducklings.

 

[reno tony]

I don't think it would be a difficult decision if Butler wasn't hurt.

 

[meyers7]

Lemme guess, you and the spouse are going to see it live. Lucky ducklings.

Matter of fact....

 

[cferraro04]

Think this is a good place to revive a post I made back in September... In this post I suggested that the 4 starters would be the obvious: Stewart, Jefferson, Tuck and Nurse then I projected a log-jam for the fifth spot...with Chong edging out the competition by just a couple of minutes with Gabby, KLS, Napheesa Collier all vying for that fifth spot. Since Saniya is injured I will go with Gabby getting the start. By the time Saniya is back into game form I suspect that both KLS and Collier will be stiff competition for the fifth spot. Boy, it is nice to be Geno this year and to have this sort of problem to have to deal with....no wonder he said he is going to try sit back and enjoy this group of players this year.

Post made September 4th - under the title "It will be hard to keep this team under 100 points"

Breanna Stewart - 25 minutes; 19 points
Moriah Jefferson - 26 minutes; 14 points
Morgan Tuck - 23 minutes; 14 points
Kia Nurse - 25 minutes; 12 points
Saniya Chong - 17 minutes; 7 points
Gabby Williams - 15 minutes; 10 points
Katie Lou Samuelson - 15 minutes; 8 points
Napheesa Collier - 15 minutes; 7 points
Natalie Butler - 12 minutes; 6 points
Courtney Ekmark - 12 minutes; 3 points
De'Janae Boykins - 10 minutes; 4 points
Brianna Pulido - 2 1/2 minutes; .3 points
Tierney Lawlor - 2 1/2 minutes; .5 points


totals: 200 minutes; 104.8 points... I just don't know how there is enough basketballs to go around with this team. We all know from experience that no team is going to average 100 points. But unless Geno deliberately puts the brakes on, plays the reserves a lot of minutes I just don't see how this high octane group of competitors doesn't score 100 points.

 

[Zorro]

IMHO, you are very seriously under-rating Butler. Having her muscle under the bucket will free up Stewie and Morgan to do the things they do best, at both ends of the court. I will be very surprised if by tourney time she is not starting and getting 20 minutes a game at the very least. And averaging a double-double.

 

[cferraro04]

Maybe so...Zorro...but, for the time being she will not even be playing until after Christmas...so, getting into game shape and getting twenty minutes may end up taking all the way until tourney time. If you are right it just gives us another big around the basket just when we need her the most.

 

[JoePgh]

We'll find out tonight.

I don't think so. There is no particular reason to think that the player who starts the first exhibition game will be the player who starts the first regular season game.

The purpose of the exhibition schedule is to give all the possible candidates an audition under game conditions (sort of).

I doubt whether a decision will be made until after the second exhibition game.

 

[CocoHusky]

IMHO, you are very seriously under-rating Butler. Having her muscle under the bucket will free up Stewie and Morgan to do the things they do best, at both ends of the court. I will be very surprised if by tourney time she is not starting and getting 20 minutes a game at the very least. And averaging a double-double.

I agree with the part about Butler being under rated but I don't see a scenario where she works her way into the starting line up by tournament time. When she returns UCONN will be into the conference schedule with only 1 opportunity to make an impact against a meaning full team South Carolina. The 5th starter will have many more meaningful games in the early part of the season FSU, OSU, ND, Nebraska, MD & LSU. I think Geno finds something that he likes, is working pretty good & will stick with by the time Butler comes back.

 

[alexrgct]

Uconn is not "good company". UConn is elite company in and of itself. Indeed, specially in a season like this...

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I agree with the part about Butler being under rated but I don't see a scenario where she works her way into the starting line up by tournament time. When she returns UCONN will be into the conference schedule with only 1 opportunity to make an impact against a meaning full team South Carolina. The 5th starter will have many more meaningful games in the early part of the season FSU, OSU, ND, Nebraska, MD & LSU. I think Geno finds something that he likes, is working pretty good & will stick with by the time Butler comes back.

I believe Geno has pretty much said he very much wants that 6'5" back to the bucket rebounding machine and will work hard to bring her as far as he can during the regular season. Can UConn make opponents' heads spin this year with the available options? Absolutely. Can Stewie and Tuck still make SC's twin towers look slow, yes, and even with the 5th year 3rd tower perhaps more (speed burner she's not). I do not thing Geno will ever say, well things have gone well enough, so I'll reduced my options and not bring Natalie into the conversation.

 

[CL82]

IMHO, you are very seriously under-rating Butler. Having her muscle under the bucket will free up Stewie and Morgan to do the things they do best, at both ends of the court. I will be very surprised if by tourney time she is not starting and getting 20 minutes a game at the very least. And averaging a double-double.

But for the injury, I think that you'd be correct. I'm not so sure if we have an established line up with good on the floor chemistry. Agree generally though.

 

[Zorro]

Any team that has Stewie, MoJet, Morgan and Kia is going to have good chemistry. Who would dare set foot on the boards with them and NOT do exactly what is required of her to the absolute best of her ability. Besides, chemistry has never been a problem at UConn; the coaches see to that.