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Message: [QUOTE="Carnac, post: 2872094, member: 5798"] While I share and appreciate your optimism, until I see at least 3-4 games against top ranked competition, I'll reserve my assessment of this year's team. I hope your take is true and correct. Right now, there are too many unknowns about THIS team. [LIST=1] [*]We only know for sure 3/5 of the starting line up. We don't know who the two new starters will be. [*]We don't know who the 6th man will be, and how well she can/will mesh and play together with the starters to form a formidable defensive unit. The 6th man (whoever she is) will get lots of playing time this year. [*]We don't know the strength of the bench yet, or how deep Geno can go yet. How many returning reserves will be ready to play "meaningful minutes" this year? [/LIST] Can/will the two new starters play defense at the required level and intensity WITHOUT FOULING enough to keep teams in check? It's one thing to play defense, it's another to do it without fouling, and stay in the game, or get get 2 fouls in the first half, and have Geno's trust that he leaves you on the floor the remainder of the half. Their two best defensive players graduated in May. To my knowledge, there is no one on the bench that came close to playing defense at the level and conviction they did. Their replacements may not be up for the task, at least not right away. During the recent "glory years" (the Breanna Stewart era), UConn's defense was superior.[B] It was rare for a team to break 60 points on UConn. [/B]This was done 7 times during her freshman year, 4 times / sophomore year, 7 times / junior year, and only 5 times her senior year. All of those numbers include post-season play. 23 times in 4 years. This is in 150 + games on her watch. That's dominance! That's imposing YOUR will on your opponent, and making it stick. Those days are gone. Can UConn return to those glory days?, we'll see. Last year, 11 teams broke 60 points on UConn. If UConn is to return to prominence, it must begin on the defensive end of the court. They MUST be able to make/get stops. Their defense will generate and fuel their offense. Remember when KML missed 12 games her junior year with an elbow injury? Breanna Banks and Gabby Williams replaced her in the starting line up until she returned. Stewie said later that when KML went out, the chemistry in the starting unit was gone, and it didn't return until she did. That's not a slight on Banks or Williams, just fact. They were use to playing with KML, and knew what she could do, and could depend on her to uphold/fulfill her assignments. The starters on any team play as a unit. They know and depend that the other players will do what they are supposed to do, and be where they are suppose to be on both ends of the court. That's chemistry. All five players must be in sync for it to flow smoothly and work as designed. One player out of position will weaken or collapse a play or plan. It's always been my opinion that all of the questions about any basketball team in the preseason will be answered by the Christmas break. This year, that's 11 games, not counting the two exhibition games against Vanguard and Southern Connecticut State. When the team breaks for the holidays, we'll know exactly what kind of team we have, and who can be depended on, as the most challenging portion of the schedule will have been played. [/QUOTE]

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