Starting 5 predictions for 2020

[RoadWarrior]

Helpful but not necessary. Very helpful. But UConn has won titles with a centers under 6'2". And they lost one with a 6'5" post sitting on the bench because she didn't have the talent for a NC game.
Give me 2 equally talented players I'll take the tall one, but players are rarely equal and at any given position I'd rather have the more skilled player than the tallest.

Barbara Turner (6') or Natalie Butler6'5"?

I for one want both tall and skilled. I keep seeing these references to teams from the early 2000's. While I believe that highly skilled guards will always be a hallmark of great UCONN teams, I think that the game has changed dramatically just since the last UCONN National Championship. The teams that we have difficulty with are the teams with taller athletic players. The analogy I would use is Lamar Jackson and the NFL. Teams have adapted to the Ravens run-oriented offense. It's now time to diversify the offense again and add more and bigger playmakers. I think that Geno has recognized this for some time but recruiting challenges have precluded fielding teams with multiple athletic bigs. I am a big Liv fan but in my opinion one was/is not enough. Starting with Edwards this year and DeBerry, Brady and hopefully others in the near future, the team will be comprised of both multiple skilled backcourt and frontcourt players.

 

[HopJim]

I for one want both tall and skilled. I keep seeing these references to teams from the early 2000's. While I believe that highly skilled guards will always be a hallmark of great UCONN teams, I think that the game has changed dramatically just since the last UCONN National Championship. The teams that we have difficulty with are the teams with taller athletic players. The analogy I would use is Lamar Jackson and the NFL. Teams have adapted to the Ravens run-oriented offense. It's now time to diversify the offense again and add more and bigger playmakers. I think that Geno has recognized this for some time but recruiting challenges have precluded fielding teams with multiple athletic bigs. I am a big Liv fan but in my opinion one was/is not enough. Starting with Edwards this year and DeBerry, Brady and hopefully others in the near future, the team will be comprised of both multiple skilled backcourt and frontcourt players.

Totally agree with comments. ONO a potential All American but not very physical and tends to get in foul trouble when she is. Surrounding her with 3-4 guards can work but not ideal. Predict by end of year, Edwards will be getting significant playing time.

 

[Alydar]

I don't think Geno ever had a guard-oriented philosophy. I remember players like Walters and Lobo and there was someone who had 9 blocked shots against Tenn in the 2000 NCAA tournament.
In recent years he went after Turner, Cox, Collier, Wilson, Cardosa to name a few. Geno recruited them. They chose to go elsewhere.

 

[DEpup]

I don't think Geno ever had a guard-oriented philosophy. I remember players like Walters and Lobo and there was someone who had 9 blocked shots against Tenn in the 2000 NCAA tournament.
In recent years he went after Turner, Cox, Collier, Wilson, Cardosa to name a few. Geno recruited them. They chose to go elsewhere.

I have to say that is why I am happy seeing Piath recruited. Your list shows that maybe they have only been swinging for the home run when it comes to bigs and not finding the diamond in the rough....

 

[Alydar]

With the new transfer rule and the trend toward "3 & done" elite players I think Geno is going to a larger roster. 8 or 9 recruits over 2 seasons is a lot for Geno.

 

[Carnac]

Wow! One of weakest drafts I can remember. Would love to see Evina stay but withdrawing some of my previously posted comments and say this may be a good year for her to declare pro.

As many posters here have said, Evina would have to have a 1st Team All-American type season to leave after this year. She won't be hurt by spending another year here. Another year to hone and refine her skills and understanding of the game will only make her more attractive to coaches and GM's at the next level.

 

[Carnac]

I totally agree that the starting lineup with Carnac the "Wizzard of Storrs" will be based on Health. And who can knock down three's will certainly play as well. Things can change over the summer and fall but we all have seen Anna after her
O for America early woes turn into a 3 ball terror. I have seen so many videos of Paige knocking down 3 balls as early as 8th grade and who hasn't seen the Bueckers vs Fudd shooting contests. Rebounding against Baylor type teams will be interesting. We will adjust to them or will they adjust to us. We also have GENO THE GREAT

Thank you sir for the shout out. UConn has a lot of players that can shoot the basketball. Anna is a pistol. No more butterflies for that young lady. She's a sophomore now, knows the system and what she's doing. She's going to be a nightmare all season for UConn opponents.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Tennesse routinely out-rebounded UConn when the two teams met in the Final Four in 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004. In fact, if you look at the box scores of UConn's Final Four wins in those match-ups, Tennessee grabbed 15, 20, 20 and 17 offensive rebounds, respectively. Do I often wish UConn were a better rebounding team? Sure, but the program has had a lot of success while losing rebounding battles.

Points are more important than rebounds.

 

[eebmg]

I would have said Evina would have started but after listening to Geno today, I am not sure Evina is ready physically and the fact he said she is not really a great shooter but more a scorer was enlightening. And he is very very pleased with Paige in every way it seems to me so I am switching over to team Paige.

 

[Plebe]

By late January, starters will be:
Bueckers
Westbrook
Williams
Edwards
Nelson-Ododa

Bench players, in order of minutes:
Makurat
Griffin
Muhl
McLean
Gabriel
Chassion

 

[Kaizen]

By late January, starters will be:
Bueckers
Westbrook
Williams
Edwards
Nelson-Ododa

Bench players, in order of minutes:
Makurat
Griffin
Muhl
McLean
Gabriel
Chassion

Agree and I think it will be a 7 players rotation. Anna and Aubrey will get good minutes.

 

[hoophuskee]

I for one want both tall and skilled. I keep seeing these references to teams from the early 2000's. While I believe that highly skilled guards will always be a hallmark of great UCONN teams, I think that the game has changed dramatically just since the last UCONN National Championship. The teams that we have difficulty with are the teams with taller athletic players. The analogy I would use is Lamar Jackson and the NFL. Teams have adapted to the Ravens run-oriented offense. It's now time to diversify the offense again and add more and bigger playmakers. I think that Geno has recognized this for some time but recruiting challenges have precluded fielding teams with multiple athletic bigs. I am a big Liv fan but in my opinion one was/is not enough. Starting with Edwards this year and DeBerry, Brady and hopefully others in the near future, the team will be comprised of both multiple skilled backcourt and frontcourt players.

The game has not changed. If the game has changed dramatically then why is Stewart still so dominant? I bring up Stewart because on here during her soph year we heard from many saying how they would move her to SF (and let's go big!) because she is going to get beat up so much.

Just 4 years ago we went undefeated with a small lineup and got beat by a buzzer beater. How can the game "drastically change" when that particular team was not thought to be as strong as at least 3 of 4 of the Stewart teams and at least two if not 3 or maybe 4 of the Maya teams? And we got beat by a buzzer beater. In addition - why is it that South Carolina played better going small? If size meant so much how come the following year they were no better with Stevens? It was the exact same result.

And during Stevens year - when UCONN lost to Notre Dame in 17-18- UCONN won the battle of the boards. SO why is it that it is so "game changing" when we lose games on the glass but when we win on them and still lose it doesn't matter? Incidentally, in that Notre Dame FF game, it was ND's SG and SGF scored a combined 59 points. How is that showing anyone "that the game changed?"

In terms of adapting??? Are you suggesting that Geno- who has been to how many FF's in the past many, many years "isn't adapting?"

**************I mean "adapting" --> it also means adapt to the personnel you have. Are you suggesting that he should now play only one way-- the way you prefer the game to be played - and if he doesn't play "Baylor Basketball" that means he was/or is not "adapting?"

He had Collier then the terrible storm hit. He had Stevens but she left after 1 year. He thought he was getting a rugged physical Camara only that each year we held hope but it never came to fruition. And from everything I read here we thought we were the lead for Boston. And it appears Edwards is supposedly "tough." SO what I see is Geno trying but he has missed or injuries affected them.

Maybe some years the player's UCONN has just aren't better - and it has nothing to do with "the game changing?"

 

[hoophuskee]

I would have said Evina would have started but after listening to Geno today, I am not sure Evina is ready physically and the fact he said she is not really a great shooter but more a scorer was enlightening. And he is very very pleased with Paige in every way it seems to me so I am switching over to team Paige.

Whoa- that is disheartening regarding Evina.

And I was hoping her shot was good.

 

[UConnCat]

Whoa- that is disheartening regarding Evina.

And I was hoping her shot was good.

There was nothing disheartening about what Geno said. He said really positive things about Evina: her aggressiveness, she's a physical player who plays with a bit of an edge. He said she creates for herself and for her teammates. Nothing wrong with being a scorer as opposed to a shooter. Scorers draw more fouls and create shots for others. Geno cautioned that it may take a little time for Evina to get back to game speed since she hasn't played in 2 years but nothing I heard suggested she won't start and/or play a lot of important minutes.

 

[hoophuskee]

There was nothing disheartening about what Geno said. He said really positive things about Evina: her aggressiveness, she's a physical player who plays with a bit of an edge. He said she creates for herself and for her teammates. Nothing wrong with being a scorer as opposed to a shooter. Scorers draw more fouls and create shots for others. Geno cautioned that it may take a little time for Evina to get back to game speed since she hasn't played in 2 years but nothing I heard suggested she won't start and/or play a lot of important minutes.

So the below in bold is more of "game speed/in game shape" only? Thus eventual no lingering knee problems to limit minutes? The bold above is very good news then.


I am not sure Evina is ready physically

By the way cat-- if she is not a shooter- - in the college game- what do you think of her as "also" a slashing SF?

 

[Shorty Dee]

Christyn
Evina
Anna
Olivia
Paige
*Aubrey 6th man

 

[Sam.the.Man]

Hmmm, the way I see it Anna is/will be the best player on this team so it's hard to imagine her not being in the starting lineup. With her I expect the following: Williams, Nelson-Ododa, Westbrook (unless not physically unable), and Bueckers. It also won't surprise me if Griffin replaces any of these except Anna.

 

[Jingo]

Hmmm, the way I see it Anna is/will be the best player on this team so it's hard to imagine her not being in the starting lineup. With her I expect the following: Williams, Nelson-Ododa, Westbrook (unless not physically unable), and Bueckers. It also won't surprise me if Griffin replaces any of these except Anna.

Anna is a good one, you're right .. but IMHO I see Liv as the best player on the Huskies .. and Aaliyah as the most indispensable

 

[The CDR-Ret]

I think it depends on the sophomore jump of Griffin. If she doesn't have that big improvement, I think Paige starts, otherwise Paige gets significant minutes and may be a starter by season's end. If Griffin can perform like Gabby did, it would be hard to keep that athletic of a player from starting.

I think Griffin's sophomore jump will lead to slam dunks on fast breaks....

 

[Carnac]

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[Carnac]

I would have said Evina would have started but after listening to Geno today, I am not sure Evina is ready physically and the fact he said she is not really a great shooter but more a scorer was enlightening. And he is very very pleased with Paige in every way it seems to me so I am switching over to team Paige.

Me too. All summer, my starting 5 included Evina. During the last two weeks of hearing players and Geno extol about Paige and her virtues, then hearing Evina say that some days are better than others, and she is not 100% yet.

Like you, I'm switching over to team Paige. I think she starts, and Evina comes off the bench. None of our players should ever be "gassed" during a game. There are plenty of very capable reserves on the bench this year. The deeper into the season they go, the more capable they'll become.

 

[Sam.the.Man]

Anna is a good one, you're right .. but IMHO I see Liv as the best player on the Huskies .. and Aaliyah as the most indispensable

Correct me if I am wrong, but Aaliyah has yet to play a single minute for the Huskies. Seems doubtful she could be considered 'most indispensable' at this point. Liv has so far proven to be incapable of scoring against and/or guarding a Big of equal or greater talent without having to leave the game in foul trouble. That fact would generally rank her far from 'best' in my book. Regardless, I am looking forward to watching them all grow this season.

 

[hoophuskee]

Correct me if I am wrong, but Aaliyah has yet to play a single minute for the Huskies. Seems doubtful she could be considered 'most indispensable' at this point. Liv has so far proven to be incapable of scoring against and/or guarding a Big of equal or greater talent without having to leave the game in foul trouble. That fact would generally rank her far from 'best' in my book. Regardless, I am looking forward to watching them all grow this season.

Liv has shown progression from Frosh year through Soph year. And last year UCONN got blitzed by the top 3- - Vs Baylor, then Oregon then SC. You do expect improvement, right?

So per below stats Liv seemed consistent around 9 rebounds vs the Big 3. Her point production after game 1 wasn't bad. Game 2 it was pretty good on a prorated basis. And while in games 1 and 2 she had 3 fouls in just 23 minutes which prorated would mean she'd have fouled out at around in 30 minutes, but in game 3 vs S.C. she lasted 39 minutes. Thus she showed improvement.

Now with possibly better guard play and one more year experience and her team maybe better able to control tempo - why wouldn't you expect further improvement?

Game 1 Baylor: Minutes 23 Fouls 3. Points 0 Rebounds 6.

Game 2 Oregon: Minutes 23 Fouls 3. Points 8 Rebounds 6.

Game 3 S.C.: Minutes 39 Fouls 5. Points 10 Rebounds 9.

As far as Edwards-- I'm not arguing about "most indispensable" - but if she can play tough inside - - maybe for example she could backup Liv at center- that would mean for example in Game 3 vs S.C., Liv doesn't foul out. And maybe if Edwards really is 6'3 she could also guard centers for a short spell while playing with Liv giving less chance that Liv gets into foul trouble while Edwards becomes more indispensable. The point is-- maybe some think Edwards potential defense and rebounding will help Liv become better because of the idea teams will look to exploit UCONN in the paint.

 

[Sam.the.Man]

@hoophuskee - Maybes don't count for much, neither do hopes and prayers. In fact, they are strictly an unknown resulting from pure speculation.