Starting Five...Next year

[Martin]

They will be Liv, Meg, flex, flex, and flex.

 

[Mike_In_Storrs]

There is no way Paige is not starting from day one. So that means someone is sitting. The starting guards will be Paige and Evina.

Yeah Paige is that good.

 

[hoophuskee]

Liv at the 5
Meg at the 4
Anna at the 3
CW at the 2
Westbrook at PG
This will probably be the starting lineup at the beginning of the year. It doesn't mean it will be at the end of the year. Aubrey will be the 6th man to bring energy and come in and shut down anyone who is scoring on us and for Geno to throw some zone traps at teams. Paige will get at least 15 to 20 minutes a game. We hope Edwards or Gabriel can give us some help against the bigger teams. We have been short on size the past couple of years. My assumptions are based on good health for everyone. I think the rotation will be kept to around 8 and others will get blowout time next year. The following year will have two new openings with Meg and Westbrook gone.

There is no way no no way that Paige is only going to get 15 minutes per game. She was considered in some reports better than any of the seniors that are now playing as freshman in college. Even 20 minutes is too few. She'll get over 20 minutes and I don't mean "21". I don't know about starting because Geno could also want to do the old Celtics thing of having a super player come off the bench. Not important.

And if there is any questions regarding Evina's knee or if she isn't a natural pg-- Paige is going to get very big minutes (I know nothing of Nika. I can't tell much from the videos. She seems Jen Rizotti'ish in her manner/movement which I'm not suggesting anything more than that.). Further, because of Evina's knee- there is no reason to push her especially early. We will have a bench.

 

[diggerfoot]

I love Paige already but come on! We’re already heralding her as a starter and she hasn’t even finished HS. We’ve all watched tape and I believe the hype but we all know it is very difficult for frosh to come in and immediately start. Are we ever going to have the REAL convo that UConn probably doesn’t win the national championship Stewie’s first year if Griner & Baylor hadn’t been upset?? (LUCKY US) We finally had gotten the Notre Dame monkey off our backs!

Geno has made it clear the only freshman ready since Day 1 has been Maya & sorry but she was and will be the only one. Maya didn’t even start. Paige wouldn’t even start on that 07-08 team, we were THAT good (injuries aside) and she’s no Maya Moore.

Starters :
Westbrook
Williams
Walker
Griffin
Liv

I think Aubrey will have earned that starting spot. That spot will most likely be interchangeable but here’s to hoping we maintain good health as we haven’t been this deep in a long time & have been able to avoid major rotation player injuries since the 07-08 season.

Hmmm. So much to address with your post I'll quote its entirety. It IS difficult to start as a freshmen, but Rizzotti did it as a point guard, Rita Williams did it (sort of) as a point guard, Bird did it as a point guard, Montgomery did it as a point guard and Hartley did it as a point guard. Do you see a pattern there? On the other hand our most recent point guards, Jefferson and Dangerfield did not start. Jefferson was understandable, both because the experienced Hartley was ahead of her and she had to learn to slow down. Dangerfield not starting as a freshman was a notable departure of what Auriemma did with point guards of the past, but a sample size of one does not conclusively support your emphatic position. Bueckers does not only have the skills but the leadership of a Rizzotti, Bird or Taurasi. It should leave one with some humble uncertainty as to who will start next year.

Yes, let us have a conversation about Stewart putting the team on her back against Notre Dame. We lost three close ones to ND during the season; we lost one close one to Baylor. But we were a different team in the tournament with Stewart gelling and did not simply win against Notre Dame, but beat them handily. If Stewart had the same type of game against Baylor that we did against Notre Dame then, absolutely, yes we would win by all the evidence that we have from that tournament, Baylor was not peaking at the time. We can assume you are a Moore fan, Moore had the greatest four years of any UConn player, but if you do not think Stewart had the single most spectacular game of any freshman, indeed, the single most spectacular tournament as a freshman, then you need to remove your blinders.

Yes, Auriemma says that Moore was the only freshman ready since day one. Auriemma sometimes engages in hyperbole to make a point, such as the time he made fun of Moore for never knowing where to be on offense, yet she still would end up with the ball and score. The fact is Rizzotti was absolutely ready as a freshman. She started, played more minutes and average more points than in the season that landed her on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

I happen to think there were other freshmen also ready, like Sales, but since they did not start from day one (but neither did Moore) I will leave them out of the conversation.

 

[bluedevil]

I can't imagine Anna starting next season and I can't imagine CW not starting....my 3 cents

 

[Tonyc]

Next season is months away. The freshman need to be developed and learn UConns system. Questions need to be answered by every player vowing for a starting position. Turnovers, scoring, defense and knowing how to execute within the system. We cant come to any conclusions until we see where we're at next season.

We will need a point guard to replace CD. Who will it be? Anna Westbrook Paige Nika or somebody else? We dont know. Alot of fans would love to see Paige come in and play like she does in high school but we dont know if she will as a freshman. We dont know how long it will take for Paige and Nika to adjust to UConn ball.
We have alot of talent coming in but are they college/UConn ready to step in? Maybe not but we wont know til they get here. Will Westbrook be ready to play significant minutes and is she rusty? Will Anna be more confident and shoot consistently as we have seen at times. Will Griff develop a shot and will she shoot better from the line? Will CW score like we've seen at times?

Bottom line is we have the talent however we have to wait and see what happens in October. One thing is for sure as our underclassman develop we are going to be very tuff to beat.

 

[CocoHusky]

Next season is months away. The freshman need to be developed and learn UConns system. Questions need to be answered by every player vowing for a starting position. Turnovers, scoring, defense and knowing how to execute within the system. We cant come to any conclusions until we see where we're at next season.

We will need a point guard to replace CD. Who will it be? Anna Westbrook Paige Nika or somebody else? We dont know. Alot of fans would love to see Paige come in and play like she does in high school but we dont know if she will as a freshman. We dont know how long it will take for Paige and Nika to adjust to UConn ball.
We have alot of talent coming in but are they college/UConn ready to step in? Maybe not but we wont know til they get here. Will Westbrook be ready to play significant minutes and is she rusty? Will Anna be more confident and shoot consistently as we have seen at times. Will Griff develop a shot and will she shoot better from the line? Will CW score like we've seen at times?

Bottom line is we have the talent however we have to wait and see what happens in October. One thing is for sure as our underclassman develop we are going to be very tuff to beat.

Next season will also very likely have new transfer rules in place which allow for immediate eligibility & could potentially drastically alter the composition of the roster.

 

[and one]

Next season will also very likely have new transfer rules in place which allow for immediate eligibility & could potentially drastically alter the composition of the roster.

It is hard enough to get minutes for the talent we have going into next year without getting a transfer or two. A ready to contribute big would be of help though.

 

[HuskylnSC]

For discussion purposes I'm defining a starter as a player getting at least 30 minutes a game.

During the last championship run, the starters averaged around 25 minutes a game. I look for more of the same as the freshmen integrate into the rotation.

By January, I expect Aaliyah Edwards to be starting at the 4, Meg in the traditional 3 wing.

Westbrook should begin the year at point with, I expect, Paige taking over. CW will start the year at the off guard and if Paige is at the point Evina will play some at the 2 as well.

Minutes for Anna will be in the 2/3 rotation and Aubrey, and hopefully Mir, will eat into the 3/4 spots. Nika's minutes will affect the 1/2 minutes.

Piath may be used to spell Liv on occasion (but i will not be surprised if she has moments where she becomes a rebound monster and just destroys some poor team).

It's gonna be so bad!

 

[BBallF]

Anna, CW, Meg, Liv.....and either Paige or Aubrey. If it's Aubrey, CW plays the two and if it's Paige CW plays the 3 and Meg is back to the 4. I think you will see a lot of permutations even during the season.

 

[hoophuskee]

Anna, CW, Meg, Liv.....and either Paige or Aubrey. If it's Aubrey, CW plays the two and if it's Paige CW plays the 3 and Meg is back to the 4. I think you will see a lot of permutations even during the season.

Who is your pg if you are starting Aubrey? AM?????????

 

[Dokey]

I can't imagine Anna starting next season and I can't imagine CW not starting....my 3 cents

I think you reversed the names.

 

[JordyG]

In my mind this kid starts next year. Now PB may be more natural at the PG position and will start ultimately, but anyone that thinks she starts from day one I think is deluding themselves. Evina is good enough to start at PG on opening night and could see some time at the 3. Now later in the season, January or February things could change for PB, but from the jump Geno is going to get on her for her defense, her conditioning, her strength, and her lack of knowledge of the offense, things for which Evina will have a head start on her. Also later in the season I would love to see Edwards earning significant minutes at the 4. That's my peso's worth.

 

[JordyG]

Liv at the 5
Meg at the 4
Anna at the 3
CW at the 2
Westbrook at PG
This will probably be the starting lineup at the beginning of the year. It doesn't mean it will be at the end of the year. Aubrey will be the 6th man to bring energy and come in and shut down anyone who is scoring on us and for Geno to throw some zone traps at teams. Paige will get at least 15 to 20 minutes a game. We hope Edwards or Gabriel can give us some help against the bigger teams. We have been short on size the past couple of years. My assumptions are based on good health for everyone. I think the rotation will be kept to around 8 and others will get blowout time next year. The following year will have two new openings with Meg and Westbrook gone.

Pretty much the way I see it.

 

[BBallF]

Who is your pg if you are starting Aubrey? AM?????????

Anna.

 

[JordyG]

Next season will also very likely have new transfer rules in place which allow for immediate eligibility & could potentially drastically alter the composition of the roster.

I've also said, and still believe, that the transfer portal is the most important post and preseason player in the country. The new rules will just magnify its importance. You've spoken of a graduate transfer making a difference next year. I think it will be a junior transfer that will be starting at the 4 for UConn next year. I'm hoping that transfer is Charli Collier.

 

[hoophuskee]

Anna.

Noooo way. If that happens I'll be one of the more negative posters on here. Very, very, very, very negative.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Makurat's going to be an excellent player, but she's not a PG in any way despite her passing abilities.

 

[Jingo]

Makurat's going to be an excellent player, but she's not a PG in any way despite her passing abilities.

If you define a PG as a facilitator [esp at her height] then Ania is a true PG ... if you have a more rigid definition, then mebbe not ..

 

[Sluconn Husky]

If you define a PG as a facilitator [esp at her height] then Ania is a true PG ... if you have a more rigid definition, then mebbe not ..

You have to have a handle. Vlade Divac was an excellent facilitator but he was still a center.

 

[Jingo]

You have to have a handle. Vlade Divac was an excellent facilitator but he was still a center.

The only Husky that has a better handle than Ania is graduating.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

The only Husky that has a better handle than Ania is graduating.

I'd suggest Williams handles the ball better but she's not a PG either.

 

[Jingo]

I'd suggest Williams handles the ball better but she's not a PG either.

Mebbe Paige, Evina or Nika will step right in...

 

[Dokey]

i have stated in other posts that my starting five for next year will be Liv, Aubrey, Mir, Aaliyah & Paige with an emphasis on defense, rebounding, hustle and attitude, i.e. Celtics basketball with Liv playing the role of Bill Russell. Lots of scoring in transition via steals and traps. The game plan is to hold the opponent to 40 points while the Huskies score 60, eh?
This lineup renders the opponents 3-point shooting to moot as Aubrey, Mir et al extend our half-court defense out to the arc [and beyond] while Liv protects against layups ... exciting!

Seriously?