Starting Lineup Redux

[Steelerone]

While most of the posts focus on offense, nice to see some comments on defense and rebounding. Other than ONO, don't see any consistent rebounding and interior defense until the frosh step up. Griffin can sky and play great defense on a guard or small forward but is still thin and gets overpowered by the stronger bigs. I like this year's team but there are several risks.

Hopefully the incoming Freshmen will have a couple of skywalkers. One of them who we have not heard too much about is Mir McLean. Also, Edwards is supposedly a beast under the boards. This is going to be one of the most interesting seasons in many moons with the mix, match and mystery.

 

[BBallF]

If you look at Geno's tendencies. 1. He prefers to start experience over freshman & 2. He is pretty loyal about starting returning starters. (The three we return already have existing chemistry.) I go by position first and three are easy to pick.

SG- Christyn Williams- I don't think you can undervalue that she has the most experience in a UCONN Uniform out of any player on the team. Only player with significant NCAAT experience.

W- Ana Makurat-UCONN teams tend to have a taller player, with good handles, the ability to pass, and excellent three point shooting at this spot. Ana fits the mold of the player Geno recruits for this position. (Strother, KML, KLS).

Center- ONO is the only experience here, a returning starter, and a reliable safety net. Lock to start.

Next, its about looking at who is left for the open positions.

PG- Westbrook, Bueckers, or Muhl. Going back to Geno's tendencies, he would start Westbrook over Bueckers since she has more D1 basketball experience with proven success. Even Maya, KML, & DT didn't start until injuries opened the door, and they were top options on the team. That is why I would expect Westbrook to start.

PF- This is the hardest for me. Griffin or Edwards. If Griffin's offensive game hasn't expanded, Edwards could simply be more talented than her. In the past, Geno has shown he will start a freshman if they are more talented than a returning non-starter. (Example: KLS over Gabby Williams). Somehow, I think Edwards beats Griffin and takes the last spot. Its hard to use this rationale here but bench Bueckers above. I think the difference is that at PG, Westbrook has proven success, where Griffin at the 4 is less proven. A lot hinges on her offensive development.

Final - Westbrook, Williams, Makurat, Edwards, ONO

Bueckers is going to end up playing starter minutes & Griffin will be a major defensive spark plug off the bench.

We have a lot of players who can mix and match in the lineup, so I would expect a year where the starters are consistent, but the combination of 5 players that proves most effective changes often.

I don't agree on the 4 position. Aubrey got tremendous experience last year playing against the best teams in the country and is a naturally gifted defender, rebounder and floor player. The KLS over Gabby analogy doesn't apply here because that team got a knock down 3 point shooter on the wing with her ( Kia did not have the same shot that she had as a senior) to keep the defense honest and there was none better. Also, she was 6'3" and could get her shot off when needed. Gabby could not fill that role. I don't see that same overriding need or lack of capability here. You have an experienced player, well beyond one average freshman year in playing time, with an end of the year pressure defense that will probably start this season that suits Aubrey more than anyone else on the team. Edwards will spell her and maybe even move to the 5 at times, but the "New Griff" is going to have a summer of working out with her brothers and the best training there is under her father's auspices. I think she starts.

 

[Alydar]

Griffin is the type of receiver that qb's dream about, fast, tall, elevation and soft hands. Bueckers is going to set a new record for TD passes in wcbb.

 

[oldhusky]

Griffin is the type of receiver that qb's dream about, fast, tall, elevation and soft hands. Bueckers is going to set a new record for TD passes in wcbb.

In terms of a get up and go fast-breaking unit, the one I think would be most exciting would be Nika, Paige and Anna, on the perimeter with Aubrey and Aaliyah filling the lanes. Three truly great ballhandler's and passers, any one of which could lead the break, two good spot up 3 pt trailer possibilities (Paige and Anna, maybe not Nika) and two bigs that can slash to the hoop and probably outrun most other teams bigs.

 

[Alydar]

Edwards has a fine future ahead but I see Griffin ahead of her. Remember, Griffin was just as prolific a scorer in high school as Edwards. And it's wrong to just see her as a "Gabby" type and just assume she will never be a major scoring threat. Early last season Geno said he gave her a green light to take 3's so she must have some outside ability.
Edwards will be best in transition as Griffin was last season. They make a nice set of long and athletic front court players.

 

[DEpup]

I don't agree on the 4 position. Aubrey got tremendous experience last year playing against the best teams in the country and is a naturally gifted defender, rebounder and floor player. The KLS over Gabby analogy doesn't apply here because that team got a knock down 3 point shooter on the wing with her ( Kia did not have the same shot that she had as a senior) to keep the defense honest and there was none better. Also, she was 6'3" and could get her shot off when needed. Gabby could not fill that role. I don't see that same overriding need or lack of capability here. You have an experienced player, well beyond one average freshman year in playing time, with an end of the year pressure defense that will probably start this season that suits Aubrey more than anyone else on the team. Edwards will spell her and maybe even move to the 5 at times, but the "New Griff" is going to have a summer of working out with her brothers and the best training there is under her father's auspices. I think she starts.

So agree. I think Edwards between coming in for Liv and Aubrey will get plenty of minutes and they will probably all three avaerage about the same.

 

[DEpup]

Edwards has a fine future ahead but I see Griffin ahead of her. Remember, Griffin was just as prolific a scorer in high school as Edwards. And it's wrong to just see her as a "Gabby" type and just assume she will never be a major scoring threat. Early last season Geno said he gave her a green light to take 3's so she must have some outside ability.
Edwards will be best in transition as Griffin was last season. They make a nice set of long and athletic front court players.

I think the Aubrey we saw in the Seton Hall game is going to break out of that shell for good this year.

 

[lebronfan23]

Liv
Williams
Westbrook
Ana or Griffin
Paige

 

[lebronfan23]

Paige is going to be the Zion Williamson of women basketball coverage and Dawn is going to hate.

 

[tkaes]

I've been reading these "who starts" threads for a couple of months. As I do, I keep wondering how Geno would react if he were forced to read them as well. I think he would just laugh and shake his head because we, especially me, are just fans and not coaches. If I were 53 instead of 73 I would still be the last person on the earth ever to be selected to coach a college team let alone the UCONN Women's team. I have never coached a basketball team at any level. Yet I have an opinion too..

As Yogi once said, "You can see a lot by just observing". Here's some things that I've observed Geno do and/or listened to him say over the years:

• He hasn't played with an announced Center maybe since Stef graduated.
• He never (or seldom) uses terms like PF, SG, SF, W, and PG.
• He never (or seldom) uses identifiers such as 1. 2. 3. 4. or 5.
• He expects his players to move constantly and pass, and pass and move, and find the open man.
• He expects his players to play tenacious defense and to rebound at both ends.
• He expects his team to play his way (imagine that).

The players he TRUSTS the most to do it his way are going to start and get the most minutes. I don't believe he will select his starters based on our notions of positions, but rather which 5 execute his vision of basketball the best (read trust).

If it were me, I'd start Liv, Anna, Aubrey, Evina, and Paige. Notice the glaring absence of Williams. IMO, she hasn't consistently played like the HS NPOY, she sometimes plays with an absence of energy, she misses too many layups, and she is too selfish. Far too often she has driven a long distance and instead of feeding a far more open teammate, she has taken the ball all the way to under the backboard and then slammed one off the bottom. Fast breaks should be virtually automatic and too often her selfishness has turned the ball over. Having said all that I'm resigned to the fact that Geno will start her.

Bottom line: who knows?

 

[Carnac]

I've been reading these "who starts" threads for a couple of months. As I do, I keep wondering how Geno would react if he were forced to read them as well. I think he would just laugh and shake his head because we, especially me, are just fans and not coaches. If I were 53 instead of 73 I would still be the last person on the earth ever to be selected to coach a college team let alone the UCONN Women's team. I have never coached a basketball team at any level. Yet I have an opinion too..

As Yogi once said, "You can see a lot by just observing". Here's some things that I've observed Geno do and/or listened to him say over the years:

• He hasn't played with an announced Center maybe since Stef graduated.
• He never (or seldom) uses terms like PF, SG, SF, W, and PG.
• He never (or seldom) uses identifiers such as 1. 2. 3. 4. or 5.
• He expects his players to move constantly and pass, and pass and move, and find the open man.
• He expects his players to play tenacious defense and to rebound at both ends.
• He expects his team to play his way (imagine that).

The players he TRUSTS the most to do it his way are going to start and get the most minutes. I don't believe he will select his starters based on our notions of positions, but rather which 5 execute his vision of basketball the best (read trust).

If it were me, I'd start Liv, Anna, Aubrey, Evina, and Paige. Notice the glaring absence of Williams. IMO, she hasn't consistently played like the HS NPOY, she sometimes plays with an absence of energy, she misses too many layups, and she is too selfish. Far too often she has driven a long distance and instead of feeding a far more open teammate, she has taken the ball all the way to under the backboard and then slammed one off the bottom. Fast breaks should be virtually automatic and too often her selfishness has turned the ball over. Having said all that I'm resigned to the fact that Geno will start her.

Bottom line: who knows?

There's a lot of truth in your narrative.

 

[hoophuskee]

Ideally would love Griff or Edwards to start and be productive both defensively and offensively. VS the elite teams I think the idea will be "to hold the fort" in the frontcourt and win the game in the backcourt/also from the wing. If Griff and Edwards can produce pretty well at both ends UCONN is as good as anyone.

If Griff/Edwards can't or struggle at one end etc then it means either UCONN needs a dominant perimeter guard or SF, or they need to catch the elite team on an off-night while playing over their heads. Got to have a great player if Griff and Edwards aren't that good. The other teams have scholarship players too. If they aren't effective -- then it means we got to look at small-ball.

 

[hoophuskee]

• He hasn't played with an announced Center maybe since Stef graduated.
• He never (or seldom) uses terms like PF, SG, SF, W, and PG.
• He never (or seldom) uses identifiers such as 1. 2. 3. 4. or 5.
• He expects his players to move constantly and pass, and pass and move, and find the open man.
• He expects his players to play tenacious defense and to rebound at both ends.
• He expects his team to play his way (imagine that).

Bottom line: who knows?

I don''t see the relevance of your 1st 3 bullets other than he'll play players "out of position." For example if you don't think Danger was the pg (the 1 position) and Liv was the center (the 5 position) then I don't understand how you watch the game. As far as Geno reading this-- why would he? Unlike all of us - he doesn't have to speculate on what he likes or doesn't like. We're trying to guess what he likes.

In addition, it's easy to communicate with other posters talking positions. Geno's communication with coaches and players is face-to-face. So for example he didn't need to say last year to Meg Walker "You're the pf/4. defending the other teams 2nd best inside player close to your height." Instead, he tells her who she is to defend and that's that.

As for CWill I think if she can shoot the basketball she'll be terrific. She has to be able to shoot.

But I agree a lot with your last 3 bullets and especially the bold.

 

[BBallF]

I have been assuming since the end of last season that the defense this coming year will be the same as it was at the end of last season. I think it is fair to make that assumption since it transformed the team and also due to the fact that we will have one thing this year we haven't had since 2016- depth. To that end, I had not seen a lot of footage on Mir and I wanted to see if she would thrive in a full court/ half court pressure defense. The answer is ABSOLUTELY. In fact, she reminds me a lot of Aubrey on defense. Very athletic, great anticipation, causes havoc, and has good speed with long strides in the open court. On offense she has her own attributes. She has a good handle and a 3. She also has a baby jumper which Griff either didn't have or didn't use last year and should use in conjunction with a ball or head fake underneath. I now see Mir as part of the pressing rotation, perhaps spelling CW or in any of the several combinations and permutations that are possible next year. Just another reason to be excited.

 

[Steelerone]

Griffin is the type of receiver that qb's dream about, fast, tall, elevation and soft hands. Bueckers is going to set a new record for TD passes in wcbb.

Nice projection of an image Alydar.

 

[tkaes]

I don''t see the relevance of your 1st 3 bullets other than he'll play players "out of position." For example if you don't think Danger was the pg (the 1 position) and Liv was the center (the 5 position) then I don't understand how you watch the game. As far as Geno reading this-- why would he? Unlike all of us - he doesn't have to speculate on what he likes or doesn't like. We're trying to guess what he likes.

In addition, it's easy to communicate with other posters talking positions. Geno's communication with coaches and players is face-to-face. So for example he didn't need to say last year to Meg Walker "You're the pf/4. defending the other teams 2nd best inside player close to your height." Instead, he tells her who she is to defend and that's that.

As for CWill I think if she can shoot the basketball she'll be terrific. She has to be able to shoot.

But I agree a lot with your last 3 bullets and especially the bold.

hoophuskee, a fair point about the first 3 bullets. It sounded good to me as I was typing but it was late in the evening for me and I realize I could have made my point more clearly. That point is simply that we as fans have been focusing on labels. I don't think Geno does. We have been focusing on who has the requisite size to play PF whereas Geno is going to play the best player he can at that position (of those who have not already been determined at other positions). I still remember 5'-11" G Gabby saying in an interview, "Coach says I'm a Post so I guess I'm a Post".

Of course, Geno wouldn't be reading these threads. That's why I wrote, "If".

I think your Meg example emphasizes my point. He didn't say, "Meg, your the PF". To defend the opponent's 2nd best inside player he's going to assign the best defender he can regardless of whether she's 5'-11" or 6'-4". I think Aubrey fits that bill. She's a tenacious defender and while she doesn't quite have Gabby's "ups" for example, she plays well above other women of the same height.

Your CW comment is exactly what I meant when I wrote that she has been inconsistent/ In my mind she needs to play much better than she has through her 1st 2 years.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

hoophuskee, a fair point about the first 3 bullets. It sounded good to me as I was typing but it was late in the evening for me and I realize I could have made my point more clearly. That point is simply that we as fans have been focusing on labels. I don't think Geno does. We have been focusing on who has the requisite size to play PF whereas Geno is going to play the best player he can at that position (of those who have not already been determined at other positions). I still remember 5'-11" G Gabby saying in an interview, "Coach says I'm a Post so I guess I'm a Post".

Of course, Geno wouldn't be reading these threads. That's why I wrote, "If".

I think your Meg example emphasizes my point. He didn't say, "Meg, your the PF". To defend the opponent's 2nd best inside player he's going to assign the best defender he can regardless of whether she's 5'-11" or 6'-4". I think Aubrey fits that bill. She's a tenacious defender and while she doesn't quite have Gabby's "ups" for example, she plays well above other women of the same height.

Your CW comment is exactly what I meant when I wrote that she has been inconsistent/ In my mind she needs to play much better than she has through her 1st 2 years.

If CWill plays like she did in the 3-on-3 tournament to earn GOLD in the summer of 2019, with ONO, Ionescu, and Hebard, she will be terrific. No worries!! Just need the outstanding consistency.

 

[DEpup]

I have been assuming since the end of last season that the defense this coming year will be the same as it was at the end of last season. I think it is fair to make that assumption since it transformed the team and also due to the fact that we will have one thing this year we haven't had since 2016- depth. To that end, I had not seen a lot of footage on Mir and I wanted to see if she would thrive in a full court/ half court pressure defense. The answer is ABSOLUTELY. In fact, she reminds me a lot of Aubrey on defense. Very athletic, great anticipation, causes havoc, and has good speed with long strides in the open court. On offense she has her own attributes. She has a good handle and a 3. She also has a baby jumper which Griff either didn't have or didn't use last year and should use in conjunction with a ball or head fake underneath. I now see Mir as part of the pressing rotation, perhaps spelling CW or in any of the several combinations and permutations that are possible next year. Just another reason to be excited.

I think Mir offers a Willnet Crockett type option. Undersized but versatile with strength.

 

[DEpup]

hoophuskee, a fair point about the first 3 bullets. It sounded good to me as I was typing but it was late in the evening for me and I realize I could have made my point more clearly. That point is simply that we as fans have been focusing on labels. I don't think Geno does. We have been focusing on who has the requisite size to play PF whereas Geno is going to play the best player he can at that position (of those who have not already been determined at other positions). I still remember 5'-11" G Gabby saying in an interview, "Coach says I'm a Post so I guess I'm a Post".

Of course, Geno wouldn't be reading these threads. That's why I wrote, "If".

I think your Meg example emphasizes my point. He didn't say, "Meg, your the PF". To defend the opponent's 2nd best inside player he's going to assign the best defender he can regardless of whether she's 5'-11" or 6'-4". I think Aubrey fits that bill. She's a tenacious defender and while she doesn't quite have Gabby's "ups" for example, she plays well above other women of the same height.

Your CW comment is exactly what I meant when I wrote that she has been inconsistent/ In my mind she needs to play much better than she has through her 1st 2 years.

Completely agree. Gabby jumps higher but Aubrey is a few inches taller so with some CD magic, I think she can learn how to defend taller front court players.

 

[Alydar]

I remebered that when asked what

Nice projection of an image Alydar.

I remembered an interview during which she was asked what her sport would be if basketball didn't exist she quickly said football. I was funny because Fudd was there and said football too, "but touch" for her. With the accuracy of her passes I'm sure Bueckers saw herself as qb. Fran Tarkington II.

 

[Steelerone]

Gabby, I believe, was a world class athlete in terms of her ability to jump. That allowed her to out rebound players several inches taller. That does not in any way lessen Aubrey's ability. An athlete like Gabby comes along once in a lifetime for most coaches. Aubrey is more in the Swin Cash mode, better than average speed, leaping ability, and will improve greatly between her freshman and senior year.

 

[Steelerone]

I've been reading these "who starts" threads for a couple of months. As I do, I keep wondering how Geno would react if he were forced to read them as well. I think he would just laugh and shake his head because we, especially me, are just fans and not coaches. If I were 53 instead of 73 I would still be the last person on the earth ever to be selected to coach a college team let alone the UCONN Women's team. I have never coached a basketball team at any level. Yet I have an opinion too..

As Yogi once said, "You can see a lot by just observing". Here's some things that I've observed Geno do and/or listened to him say over the years:

• He hasn't played with an announced Center maybe since Stef graduated.
• He never (or seldom) uses terms like PF, SG, SF, W, and PG.
• He never (or seldom) uses identifiers such as 1. 2. 3. 4. or 5.
• He expects his players to move constantly and pass, and pass and move, and find the open man.
• He expects his players to play tenacious defense and to rebound at both ends.
• He expects his team to play his way (imagine that).

The players he TRUSTS the most to do it his way are going to start and get the most minutes. I don't believe he will select his starters based on our notions of positions, but rather which 5 execute his vision of basketball the best (read trust).

If it were me, I'd start Liv, Anna, Aubrey, Evina, and Paige. Notice the glaring absence of Williams. IMO, she hasn't consistently played like the HS NPOY, she sometimes plays with an absence of energy, she misses too many layups, and she is too selfish. Far too often she has driven a long distance and instead of feeding a far more open teammate, she has taken the ball all the way to under the backboard and then slammed one off the bottom. Fast breaks should be virtually automatic and too often her selfishness has turned the ball over. Having said all that I'm resigned to the fact that Geno will start her.

Bottom line: who knows?

I agree to a certain extent. I'm hoping that there is going to be marked progress between her sophomore and Junior year. If not she could very well spend the remained of her career coming off the bench. I'm not sure why but I feel that two freshmen, Paige and Mir and going to be major contributors this year. They both appear to be Geno's type of players, great with the ball but also great getting it to the open player. Can't wait for this season to begin.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Gabby, I believe, was a world class athlete in terms of her ability to jump. That allowed her to out rebound players several inches taller. That does not in any way lessen Aubrey's ability. An athlete like Gabby comes along once in a lifetime for most coaches. Aubrey is more in the Swin Cash mode, better than average speed, leaping ability, and will improve greatly between her freshman and senior year.

She was the third member of the U.S. Olympic team (NOT Junior Olympics) for high jump when she was 16 or 17 years old. She gave up track & FIELD to concentrate on UCONN basketball.

 

[EricLA]

Edwards has a fine future ahead but I see Griffin ahead of her. Remember, Griffin was just as prolific a scorer in high school as Edwards. And it's wrong to just see her as a "Gabby" type and just assume she will never be a major scoring threat. Early last season Geno said he gave her a green light to take 3's so she must have some outside ability. Edwards will be best in transition as Griffin was last season. They make a nice set of long and athletic front court players.

I don't know how good Aubrey's mid-range or outside shot is. Most fans felt it was close to non-existent.

I don't recall Geno every sayinig she had the green light to shoot 3's (but not saying he didn't, just that I don't recall). I do recall him referencing he (we assumed he was talking about Aubrey) when he referred to one player saying something like "we told her to go out on the floor and do what she's good at - defend, rebound, and run the floor."

It may well be that she has a decent mid range shot, but as a freshman, with all that was thrown at them, it was overwhelming so Geno told her not to worry about shooting jumpers in the flow of the offense, but rather to focus on rebounds. I HOPE she has a decent mid-range game and plays a lot and scores in bunches. She was the most dynamic player on the floor last season IMHO. Explosive, exciting, active, disruptive, and so fun to watch.

 

[BBallF]

I think the Aubrey we saw in the Seton Hall game is going to break out of that shell for good this year.

I was at that game, on her father's college's home court. I was beyond impressed. I remember seeing her father play there as well many moons ago. In a lot of ways, their games are similar, with an emphasis on defense and a solid floor game. I completely agree with you that she will be coming back to Storrs as a new player. I think it will include a much improved offensive game and a stronger body. If she performs consistently this year at the same level as in the Seton Hall game, as you predict, or even close to it, it would be a mistake to place on any limits on the impact it will have on our team. As Geno has said, she has natural gifts few other players have.