Should UCONN use a Kim schedule?

[SVCBeercats]

How about using an easy first half schedule like Kim's?
If the first half of the season's schedule has "easy wins," then UCONN can build a strong and confident bench by letting them play more early in the season. Practice is great but there is nothing like playing games to learn. If the coach is confident they will win the game, then coach may be less inclined to yank players for a mistake. Players learn nothing playing in fear of making a mistake. With a strong bench, injuries may not hurt the team as much. The starters should average less than 30 minutes per game. Excluding their freshman years Stewie averaged 29.3 minutes per game, "D" 31.8, and Maya 30.7. Give the starters fresher legs for any given game and for the NCAA tournament. Even the best there ever was, benefited from fresh legs. The bench would actually contribute to close games later in the season.

UCONN won 11 NCAA championships. UCONN did not win a NCAA championship in 27 years. 29%? You can do better!

 

[Palatine]

How about recuiting a tall strong dominate rebounder? A Kara Walters type.

 

[Blakeon18]

No...imo. There are enough easy games within the conference to accomplish the goals
you mention.

 

[BRS24]

I'd prefer he keep the competitive early season/OOC games competitive. First, it gives the team exposure in different parts of the country from a recruiting standpoint, 2nd, some of these games serve as homecoming for seniors, and 3rd, if roughly half of our BE games are not that competitive, keeping strong OOC games prep them for the NCAAT. And yes, LSU seems to be doing well, in spite of the early easy games, however their SEC season is always a battle.

 

[Henry]

They did well in this year's OOC schedule so why look to make it easier?

 

[Bone Dog]

They did well in this year's OOC schedule so why look to make it easier?

To overtake Tara in the wins column

 

[Zarathustra]

A tough OOC schedule is part of the recruiting tool.. IMO.

 

[tigers4ever]

How about using an easy first half schedule like Kim's?
If the first half of the season's schedule has "easy wins," then UCONN can build a strong and confident bench by letting them play more early in the season. Practice is great but there is nothing like playing games to learn. If the coach is confident they will win the game, then coach may be less inclined to yank players for a mistake. Players learn nothing playing in fear of making a mistake. With a strong bench, injuries may not hurt the team as much. The starters should average less than 30 minutes per game. Excluding their freshman years Stewie averaged 29.3 minutes per game, "D" 31.8, and Maya 30.7. Give the starters fresher legs for any given game and for the NCAA tournament. Even the best there ever was, benefited from fresh legs. The bench would actually contribute to close games later in the season.

UCONN won 11 NCAA championships. UCONN did not win a NCAA championship in 27 years. 29%? You can do better!

I like those LSU colored purple emojis but I would not schedule as weak as LSU did every year. However given the portal and roster fluidity, they may be years when a weaker OOC is needed. That was the case for LSU this year given the 9 new players on the team. But Kim didn't use that weak schedule to develop her bench as you suggest it would be used for. She used that weak schedule to develop team chemistry on the floor and figure out player rotations. After that, Kim was confident that the SEC would provide the strong competition LSU would need to get tournament tough. It worked. LSU is in the Elite 8 so obviously that weak OOC didn't hurt them too badly. But if LSU hadn't finished second in SEC play or had lost one of those easy early games, they would have been crucified in the rankings and tournament seeding so it's a dangerous scheduling plan bec you have no margin for error.

 

[Bone Dog]

It worked. LSU is in the Elite 8 so obviously that weak OOC didn't hurt them too badly. But if LSU hadn't finished second in SEC play or had lost one of those easy early games, they would have been crucified in the rankings and tournament seeding so it's a dangerous scheduling plan bec you have no margin for error.

I agree. Fans can grumble about Kim's easy schedule in the same way they gripe about early season rankings. The only thing that really matters is if they're a good team in March. And LSU is clearly a good team. I don't like them because I don't care for teams that taunt weaker teams, and maybe that can be laid at Kim's doorstep. But it hasn't made them a less talented team so far.

 

[JonathanXIV]

How about using an easy first half schedule like Kim's?
If the first half of the season's schedule has "easy wins," then UCONN can build a strong and confident bench by letting them play more early in the season. Practice is great but there is nothing like playing games to learn. If the coach is confident they will win the game, then coach may be less inclined to yank players for a mistake. Players learn nothing playing in fear of making a mistake. With a strong bench, injuries may not hurt the team as much. The starters should average less than 30 minutes per game. Excluding their freshman years Stewie averaged 29.3 minutes per game, "D" 31.8, and Maya 30.7. Give the starters fresher legs for any given game and for the NCAA tournament. Even the best there ever was, benefited from fresh legs. The bench would actually contribute to close games later in the season.

UCONN won 11 NCAA championships. UCONN did not win a NCAA championship in 27 years. 29%? You can do better!

No. No. A thousand times no.

 

[JonathanXIV]

I agree. Fans can grumble about Kim's easy schedule in the same way they gripe about early season rankings. The only thing that really matters is if they're a good team in March. And LSU is clearly a good team. I don't like them because I don't care for teams that taunt weaker teams, and maybe that can be laid at Kim's doorstep. But it hasn't made them a less talented team so far.

We were a good team in March (despite all the injuries). We just played a bad game in March. It happens. Even to UConn.

 

[scotty0330]

The easy wins don’t do anything for anyone. Not the players, coaches, bench or fans. Why anyone would suggest such boggles my mind. Dominating an inferior opponent is not going to make bench more ready to play in March when teams punch back.

 

[Charliebball]

No reason to weaken the schedule as playing against really good competition is necessary for the current players to stay sharp and to attract talent.........that said, I'm not sure that scheduling a bunch of really tough non-conference games within a week or ten days at the peak of the season is the best course of action if it can be helped.......

 

[SVCBeercats]

We were a good team in March (despite all the injuries). We just played a bad game in March. It happens. Even to UConn.

Was the bench being developed? No.

 

[huskeynut]

No No No No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dumbing down is not the answer. Good competition sharpens a team's skill level.

 

[BostonCanuck]

It does kin of suck though that the committee seems to prioritize strength of schedule only in years where UConn's is weaker. Then in a year like this one when we have the most quality wins, suddenly they totally deemphasize it.

 

[#1florida]

Was the bench being developed? No.

Uconn had 3 players come off the bench against OSU, Griffin, and Ducharme, and Patterson. two of them have had plenty of playing time. In this game, they scored 2 points between them, and 5 turn overs. Ohio State had 2 players come off the bench, they scored 7 points. Do you really think the bench lost this game.

 

[Orc]

Yes to more cupcakes. Seems they get injured too much playing tough teams. More cupcakes so that the starters can rest

 

[temery]

No. Take on all comers.

 

[Dezoworld]

How about recuiting a tall strong dominate rebounder? A Kara Walters type.

Like 3 or 4 of them

 

[Huskie02]

How about recuiting a tall strong dominate rebounder? A Kara Walters type.

How about a Stephanie Dolson or Tina Charles, or a Kia Stokes? I’d take a clone of any of them.

 

[darrell]

No.

The Big East already lacks enough in terms of competitiveness compared to other conferences. UConn’s OOC schedule is what separates them from everyone else, taking on the best the P-5 conferences have to offer.

 

[Aluminny69]

I think CD proved you can play your bench and still win.

One problem is that UConn plays most of their tough games up front, while other teams play difficult conference tournaments to end the season.

 

[Magic32]

Keep scheduling the tough games. Simply need to stay healthy, the men are making this run because everyone stayed healthy with very little time missed.