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Summer Session coming up

Sluconn Husky said:
I don't know if she's speculating, but Maggie Vanoni's new article says Chen and Strong are likely to be starters.
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Yes, eventually. Maybe not in November. More importantly, they could well be starters in March.
 
Sluconn Husky said:
I don't know if she's speculating, but Maggie Vanoni's new article says Chen and Strong are likely to be starters.
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Yeah idk. I doubt Geno's picking starting lineups in June but I can see them both starting. They do essentially play the same positions that the seniors that left did. Honestly I'm not sure you can go wrong with a starting lineup with a combination of their top ten players if healthy. Maybe bringing Paige off the bench would be the one way. Other than that if you told me KC, AzziF, PB, SS, and Jana started I'd be content. If you told me KK AS PB Ice and AP would start id be equally as content.
 
Geno spoke about how Chen’s transition has been seamless (paraphrasing) due to her having played four years under Berube. Princeton definitely looked like a UConn-lite from the games I’ve seen, so her potentially starting doesn’t come as a surprise to me at all.
 
Sluconn Husky said:
She seems to be saying starters in general, not down the line.
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Yes. So I thought too. I was humbly disagreeing with her. But I suspect one or the other of Kaitlyn and KK will always be on the floor, not often both at once, and rarely neither of them.

This is the money quote from Geno that Maggie seems to be relying on:

“You go, ‘Well, we lost Nika. So, do we just kind of roll with what we have? Or do we try to find another guard to play that position? That can add something that we don't have?’” Auriemma said. “(Chen) she's a little different than KK (Arnold). She’s a little different than Ash (Shade) and a little different than Paige (Bueckers). She's different. She just adds a little bit of spice and a little bit of difference to what we're doing. … They’re going to have to guard this kid.”​

This doesn't explicitly include a starting speculation as I read it. But it's clear that Geno wants her to have important minutes. And that he thinks of her both in terms of making up for what they've lost with Nika and adding something else as a scorer. He liked that she can control a game, which was also one of Nike's virtues. Last season, Nika typically played alongside KK, but that may have been largely because of the rash of injuries. Under ideal circumstances, there will be too many other options next season to make that desirable, which is why I think KK and Kaitlyn will platoon at the pg.

If I had to guess -- and I'm wrong somewhat more often than I'm right -- I suspect KK will start in November merely because she has more direct experience with Geno's system. But she'll eventually give way to Kaitlyn, who has run a team with a very similar system quite well and has a good bit more maturity and sang froid.

It is also telling that when Geno ticks off the guard options, it's Kaitlyn, KK, Ash and Paige. He stops the list there. I read this as him thinking about who will be available right away. Azzi, Allie and Morgan are still a little further away, for various reasons.
 
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I fully expect Chen to start but both Chen and KK will get significant minutes. They will be on the floor together frequently.

An opponent's best perimeter defender may be able to keep one of them in front of her, but its second best defender will rarely be able to keep the other one in front.

Did I say that right? :confused:
 
Wasn’t sure where to post this, but it’s too funny to not share.

IMG_2949.jpeg
 
Sluconn Husky said:
I don't know if she's speculating, but Maggie Vanoni's new article says Chen and Strong are likely to be starters.
Expand ...

I think Geno values Kaitlyn's impact as much as he did Lou's only year with us. Maturity, drive and experience. KK and Aubrey off the bench (when Aubrey's fully healthy) will be be demoralizing for teams. I think Maggie said that for a reason, she's been around awhile now. She wouldn't speculate like that. But who knows these days!
 
darrell said:
Geno spoke about how Chen’s transition has been seamless (paraphrasing) due to her having played four years under Berube. Princeton definitely looked like a UConn-lite from the games I’ve seen, so her potentially starting doesn’t come as a surprise to me at all.
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With the new rule, does Chen get another year??
 
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ConnMotors said:
My new favorite player
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I imagine that MC's parents are experiencing somewhat mixed feelings/ Sorry to see Morgan 3000 miles away and therefore unable to attend all of her games in person and just have her at home. On the other hand they have to be so proud of what she has accomplished to be able to earn a high,y valued scholarship at the #1 WCB program in the country and the best one to prepare their daughter to move on to the next level after college.
 
darrell said:
I believe this is her last year.

She played 3 years at Princeton (her Freshman season was the one that was cancelled). This is technically her Graduate (and fifth) year, but fourth year playing.
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The ncaa passed something that if you missed/did t play the 2020 season you get another year
 
Rings R Us said:
I think Geno values Kaitlyn's impact as much as he did Lou's only year with us. Maturity, drive and experience. KK and Aubrey off the bench (when Aubrey's fully healthy) will be be demoralizing for teams. I think Maggie said that for a reason, she's been around awhile now. She wouldn't speculate like that. But who knows these days!
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She didn't say when though. Fudd will be worked into the rotation and given her being 100% she will eventually start but games 1-3? Could be Chen. She will need to be special to start so I hope she starts.
Strong just exudes confidence and efficient skill on the court. The step up won't slow her down IMO. UConn has 4.5 players with the size/strength to play inside for long minutes. I'd guess that 2 of them will be on the court most of the time in big games and I'd say it's 60-40 that Strong starts game 1 and 80-20 that she starts at some point. I think.
 
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Geew1992 said:
The ncaa passed something that if you missed/did t play the 2020 season you get another year
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The court awarded another year of eligibility for players who (1) could not play the 2020 season and (2) were ruled ineligible by virtue of the enforcement of the old rule requiring a player to sit out a year when transferring. The second part does not apply to Kaitlyn or other Ivy athletes.
 
Geew1992 said:
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When I saw Jana and Patterson together I was a little surprised how much thicker and stronger Jana was. Jana is a big strong woman. My next realization was that I thought Patterson was much thinner than remembered. Is Jan that big/powerful or did Patterson slim down alot?
 
PhillyCoach said:
When I saw Jana and Patterson together I was a little surprised how much thicker and stronger Jana was. Jana is a big strong woman. My next realization was that I thought Patterson was much thinner than remembered. Is Jan that big/powerful or did Patterson slim down alot?
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No, you are not imagining things. Do a Google Search for 'Ayanna Patterson UConn' and look at images of her from two seasons ago in comparison to the photos of this season.

There is a basketball card that can be purchased, '2022-23 Bowman University Pink Ayanna Patterson Connecticut Huskies #4'. Google search that one; she looks like the second coming of Karl Malone! The photographer must have been like, "Flex 'em Up, let's see the pythons for this Pic!" She makes Aaliyah Edwards' muscular tone look skinny.

​

 
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