The 2017-2018 UCONN Bench will be a top 10 Team

[oldude]

Ive live my life Dreaming Big. Shoot for the moon and if you miss you end up with the stars.

Not to be a buzzkill, but the stars are a whole lot farther away than the moon, so if you shoot for the moon and miss you probably end up floating around in space...

 

[meyers7]

Not to be a buzzkill, but the stars are a whole lot farther away than the moon, so if you shoot for the moon and miss you probably end up floating around in space...

Beat me to it.

 

[iamcbs]

Even Kara Lawson predicted that UConn could possibly win 200 games in a row. Do you want to direct you criticism at her too?

She also qualified that statement with the phrase "if they run the table this season." People tend to forget about that part of her statement!

 

[oldude]

She also qualified that statement with the phrase "if they run the table this season." People tend to forget about that part of her statement!

Kara also said, "People will think I'm crazy for saying this." MS St deserves a great deal of credit, But if UConn makes 1 more foul shot in regulation they're in the finals against a coach and team that's never beaten the Huskies. Kara wasn't off by much.

 

[EricLA]

WAY too early to predict how good the freshmen will be, but show me the starting 5 of teams in the 10-20 range and I'd stack up Stevens (or Danger), Camara, Walker, Coombs and Gordon/Espinosa-Hunter against any of them. Obviously we are talking about 3 freshmen on that team so there is a lack of experience and cohesiveness, but from a talent perspective, that group could play with most other starting 5's in the 10-20 range. And that team would be far better in March than in November.

 

[triaddukefan]

A storm of unbelievable power is about to rain down on college woman's basketball. The next two years will be the greatest display of pure college basketball supremacy that the world has ever seen. The bench alone will be a power few will be able to compete against.

Likely top 10. UCONN, South Carolina, Texas, Notre Dame, UCONNs Bench, Baylor, UCLA, Miss State, Stanford, Ohio State. Does that sound about right?

WAY too early to predict how good the freshmen will be, but show me the starting 5 of teams in the 10-20 range and I'd stack up Stevens (or Danger), Camara, Walker, Coombs and Gordon/Espinosa-Hunter against any of them. Obviously we are talking about 3 freshmen on that team so there is a lack of experience and cohesiveness, but from a talent perspective, that group could play with most other starting 5's in the 10-20 range. And that team would be far better in March than in November.

The likely teams in the 10-20 range.... Oregon, Duke, Louisville, Florida State, West Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, South Florida, Tulane, Arizona State.

 

[Tonyc]

If you watch the last 2 minutes and 6 seconds and see the foul called on Gabby that wasnt even close and UConn had the rebound with less then 2 minutes left. When this occurred Miss St went to the line and Gabby was in foul trouble. If no call was made UConn had the ball with less then 2 minutes and might have scored and or run down the clock creating a great opportunity for a win. Saniyas drive down the lane with 12 seconds was Geno's call and the defender who jumped infront of her was the refs call for a block. That didnt happen and Miss St got the ball. Hey its the SEC and ever since the 37 page violation well.................

 

[chrissaran]

Who has to hype the national semi final game when you have a team on a 111 game winning streak? No hype was needed. Kara's opinion was not hype; it was what she thought was possible if they won their last two games. One hundred thirteen wins plus 78-0 over the next two years brings the total to 191 wins. From there nine wins would have been very doable. Remember, nobody thought last year's team would come even close to what they did, not even Geno. Yes, their schedule is challenging; it always is. However, how much better will they be this year? Much better with Gabby, Katie Lou, Napheesa, Kia and Crystal having that much more experience and accomplishing much more than anyone thought they would, including Geno. Add Azure, Batouly, Megan, Andra, Mikayla and Lexi to Kyla and Molly, and UConn will be overwhelming.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

This new piece on Geno seems well-timed.


The potential is there for Auriemma to have one of his deepest teams in years.

"That remains to be seen," he said. "The four starters we have coming back who played a lot of minutes plus Crystal, you have a good idea of what's out there. That's a known and everyone else is an unknown. You don't know how everyone else will fit in.

"Katie Lou was saying the other day how it will be nice to get a breather during the game every once in a while and not worry what it will look like out there. But little does she know ... It's not going to look as great as she thinks it will look."

....

"About 90 percent of the teams we play in our non-conference schedule probably have a chance to go to the Final Four," Auriemma said. "That's a good thing. The more we do that the better it makes us, the better for our fans, the better for everyone. I don't know if it could get any stronger. It would be virtually impossible for us to have a better non-conference schedule than we have coming up. That's the way it is going to be from here on in."


https://www.sny.tv/UConn/news/auriemma-in-the-swing-of-things-this-summer/237883624

 

[TitleTown]

Saniyas drive down the lane with 12 seconds was Geno's call and the defender who jumped infront of her was the refs call for a block.

There is ZERO chance that Auriemma told Chong to drive to the lane and leave time left on the clock. I am 100%, absolutely, positively sure that he told them to take the final shot at the buzzer and either win the game or go to another OT.

 

[Rixxx]

TitleTown, you have posted what seems to be the consensus on that play. You must realize, though, that senior Saniya had the ball and saw a lane to the hole as big as the state of Delaware. I'm sorry, the lane was as wide as a Hummer. She was going to make a play and try to win the game. If the shot goes in, Schaeffer and company have 12 seconds to execute one of many options, a couple of which would be winning shots.
The team had an incredible season. I am looking forward to the next season.

 

[EricLA]

Likely top 10. UConn, South Carolina, Texas, Notre Dame, UCONNs Bench, Baylor, UCLA, Miss State, Stanford, Ohio State. Does that sound about right?



The likely teams in the 10-20 range.... Oregon, Duke, Louisville, Florida State, West Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, South Florida, Tulane, Arizona State.

Bingo. And how great was Oregon last year starting 3 freshmen? Pretty much what I thought... They were terrific. Which is why I think a team that has starters of Danger/Stevens, Camara, and then the #1 freshman in the nation, another legit top 15 player, and another legit top 25 player would be a top 20 team... But I get that some/many will disagree!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Yes, she should have known better---you must believe it is her job to hype the game.

Saying that the Huskies could win 200 in a row might depress viewership.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think the statement in the OP is too optimistic--for November. It may not be for March.

I guess I should be consistent is saying that Crystal starts. If so, the second unit includes Azura, Batouly, Megan, Mikayla, and Andi/Lexi. Few teams will have players as good as Azura, Meg, and Mikayla.

 

[triaddukefan]

Bingo. And how great was Oregon last year starting 3 freshmen? Pretty much what I thought... They were terrific. Which is why I think a team that has starters of Danger/Stevens, Camara, and then the #1 freshman in the nation, another legit top 15 player, and another legit top 25 player would be a top 20 team... But I get that some/many will disagree!

I dont think Oregon was terrific, but others will disagree.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I dont think Oregon was terrific, but others will disagree.

They did have a nice run at the end of the year. Ask Brenda what she thought about them.

 

[triaddukefan]

meh

 

[oldude]

They did have a nice run at the end of the year. Ask Brenda what she thought about them.

The Ducks had some nice wins, particularly in the 2nd half of the season and in the tournament, but they also had some bad losses, something that happens with a young, talented team.

I was at the Bridgeport regional and the Ducks looked terrific against the Turtles and completely overmatched against the Huskies (not the 1st team to get hammered the 1st time they faced UConn).

It will be interesting to see if Oregon takes the next step this coming season and challenges for the Pac12 title.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Yeah, Oregon had a nice run in the Tourney, but was only 8-10 in conference play, finished in 6th place. A bit short of a terrific when looking at the entirety of the season.

 

[chrissaran]

Oregon had a terrific finish to their season, despite the loss to UConn. Azura starts not Crystal. Crystal will get her minutes.

 

[MilfordHusky]

This is part of the reason why I think Crystal starts, despite Z's much-needed size and versatility:

"That remains to be seen," he said. "The four starters we have coming back who played a lot of minutes plus Crystal, you have a good idea of what's out there. That's a known and everyone else is an unknown. You don't know how everyone else will fit in."

 

[reno tony]

I don't believe the bench will be a top ten team, but, I do believe some of the best WCBB might be played during UCONN practices late in the season. If Geno splits the team fairly and then let's them run..... I would love to see that scrimmage.

 

[tomcat]

Kara also said, "People will think I'm crazy for saying this." MS St deserves a great deal of credit, But if UConn makes 1 more foul shot in regulation they're in the finals against a coach and team that's never beaten the Huskies. Kara wasn't off by much.

Does anyone doubt that if UConn had squeaked it out against MsState they would have killed SC? The Reason: They would have been so upset about the way they played against MsState -- even winning -- that they would have come out with massive chips on their shoulders,

 

[oldude]

Does anyone doubt that if UConn had squeaked it out against MsState they would have killed SC? The Reason: They would have been so upset about the way they played against MsState -- even winning -- that they would have come out with massive chips on their shoulders,

Don't know about killing SC because SC was playing their best bball of the season in the tournament, but I do believe the Huskies would have prevailed.

 

[tomcat]

Don't know about killing SC because SC was playing their best bball of the season in the tournament, but I do believe the Huskies would have prevailed.

Hmmm. I really did not think SC played a particularly good game, especially since MsState duid not challenge them in any meaningful way at all (and it did not look to me as though MsState was rendered impotent by SC except, perhaps in the interior game, which was not how MsState was going to win anyway, if they were going to win). Anyway, just my observation.