Perspective
In terms of raw production, this is not a major deal. It is never a good thing when you lose a piece to a puzzle, no matter how small, but I'll get to that. In terms of stats, Brewer was ninth, in terms of minutes, tenth, in terms of points per game, and tenth in terms of rebounds per game. For comparison, Heather Buck and Lauren Englen are ninth and tenth for those categories. Or to compare to an LV player, Brewer, a post player, pulled down as many rebounds per game as perimeter guard Bjorkland.
I agree it is a slightly bigger deal when you consider the position. Let's remember though, that Brewer is listed as a forward, not a center (as an interesting aside, she is still listed on the roster.) As Kib might like to say, let's not get too focused on 4 versus 5, let's just call her a post. It is true that with the loss of Cain, and the concern about Baugh's medical history (she may be in the best condition ever, but it is understandable that some will worry), plus the usual cautiousness about counting on untested frosh, the post situation at Tennessee has transitioned from an embarrassment of riches to legitimate concern. That said, if Baugh is healthy, if Johnson plays to her abilities, if Burdick's transition to the college game is smooth and Harrison delivers almost anything, added to some post work from Manning and Stricklen, the front court of Tennessee will be one of the best in the country (as someone aptly pointed out, one with a smaller margin of error).
The announcement is a deal, maybe even a big deal, but more so for nonstat reasons. All good programs have players leaving, UConn is not immune. Any situation can be a variety of issues, and in most cases, we don't know the whole story. But when the count mounts, something is going on. We don't know, and the announcement didn't really explain. That combination leads to speculation. Who initiated the decision, Brewer or Summitt? Some don't like speculation but (as long as we steer clear of harmful speculation, which the mods will remove), it is untenable to expect someone to be a fan of a sport, then refuse to even speculate about what is going on in a situation such as this. That said, there are some things we can eliminate. This isn't a decision to open up a roster spot for a transfer. Not only are they not at the limit, the timing is wrong. Any new recruit or transfer could not possibly get a minute of playing time until next season, a year after Brewer graduates. Whatever is going on, it isn't that.