Amari is a good athlete. Put her on a team that doesn’t require her to read and react as much and isn’t competing with some of the best players in America for playing time and there’s not a doubt in my mind that she would do very well. But, to her credit, she wants to compete with and against the best. Give her a little time.
I agree, and a first cousin to that assertion; scouting reports are fine and certainly can be very useful but an absolute truth in sports are teams and players are only as good or bad as they are the day you play them. Sports are filled with players and teams coming out of nowhere to play beyond what anyone expected. The beauty of sport!!
Yup. Just about to say. This game is going to a great test for our BIGs in the post. Going for rebounds on both ends of the floor. The physical play. This is going to be a great test for Aaliyah, Dorka, & Ayanna. All about desire & heart when battling for them rebounds. Who Wants It More?
We ALL know we won’t ever be full strength this season.
Bald Huskie, this has been said every day in every sport at every level, amateur and professional. No one outside of UConn Nation shed a tear for the players, Geno, or the program last year or this. Our opponents, while they don't wish injury on anyone, had to be just a tad bit enlightened over the fact that they wouldn't have to face a Paige-led UConn team this year. I heartily endorse your suggestion. don't look or think about what you don't have, look and be thankful for what you do have, and make it work. Find a way to win!!!!
Agree 100% That would be like us beating South Carolina for the NC with Boston unable to play due to injury.
Some guy on their forum says they will crush us. MMM, I think I heard that before on Volnation right before our game with them last year. LOL, we will see.Bald Husky, this has been said every day in every sport at every level, amateur and professional. No one outside of UConn Nation shed a tear for the players, Geno, or the program last year or this. Our opponents, while they don't wish injury on anyone, had to be just a tad bit enlightened over the fact that they wouldn't have to face a Paige-led UConn team this year. I heartily endorse your suggestion. don't look or think about what you don't have, look and be thankful for what you do have, and make it work. Find a way to win!!!!
We can and will win a lot of games this year without Paige and Ice. How many, I don't know. But I do know we will be EXTREMELY formidable every night!! Will we go undefeated this year, I doubt it. I doubt any team will run the table this year.
All we need is for any two of our starters to be hot on any given night. Two hot players can carry a team for one night. All of them are not going to be hot at the same time. All of them are not going to be cold at the same time. The point guard's job will always be to realize who has the hot hand that night and get them the ball before they cool off. If Azzi, Lou, or Caroline is hot, I'd have no problem with them taking 20 shots. Geno is already on record saying he does not care who puts the ball in the basket, as long as somebody does. He's also on record saying he wants his shooters to shoot.
The more I read about Texas' woes, the more I think UConn will win tomorrow by double digits.
I’m afraid you lost me there! Sure, I don’t want anyone to be/get hurt but I’m not worried (in the least) about the health of the other team in the championship game. I doubt seriously SC devalues their championship from last season because they were essentially playing (comparatively) the “Little Sisters of the Poor” due to our injury issues. Nor do I! If you survive the gauntlet to reach the final game, that’s all the trials/opposition you need to validate your championship.
Meanwhile-Louisville/Belmont game 1 point spread with about 4 left.
Interesting day given that it looked like another cupcake schedule:
That's the same way I see it Tony.
If I'm wrong, I'll eat my crow willingly. One starter had double figures = 10 pts. I'd like to think we're better defensively that Louisiana. It would not surprise me if both Azzi and Lou broke 20 points tomorrow. That would put a lot of pressure on Texas. In their only game of the year against Louisiana, they shot 1-11 from 3. [Box score] 
That's not going to get it done. 
Diamond Johnson, eh?
In Texas' previous game their three-point stat was: 6 for 25, so adding that to 1 for 11 = 7 for 36. That isThat's the same way I see it Tony.
WHEN, not if we win tomorrow night, the first round is on me. I'll see everyone over at Oldude's post-game thread. Should be a lot to talk about and share after the game. I wonder which one of our players will be chosen as the BADDASS for the game?
I think Azzi and Lou are the pregame favorites. Who knows, it could be Aaliyah, Aubrey, Ayanna, Nika or even Dorka. They should make BADDASS game sweatshirts (like they do for tournaments) and give one to each game designee. They can wear in public until the next game. After that, it goes in their drawer/closet. Only one BADDASS shirt worn in public at a time.
If a player is not expected to play an entire season, I doubt they could be considered to be part of a " full strength scenario". Paige being the perfect example for this season. Last season she was expected to return for the play offs so that was different. I believe it is in that context that the " being at full strength " becomes an issue. In respect to this season,
You'd think. People are already setting up the story line that if UConn wins it doesn't mean much because Texas isn't at full strength, it's early in the season, etc.
Ikr. Games in November don’t mean nearly as much no matter what. These are first glimpses of teams that haven’t gelled yet. Playing them again later will be vastly different regardless of personnel issues. We lost to SC early last season because we hadn’t figured ourselves out yet — everyone except Paige, that is. What that game mainly showed is that SC had put itself together earlier than everyone else, which spoke volumes about their talent and coaching. But it didn’t mean we couldn’t have beaten them in a second meeting if things had progressed normally.
