The AAC impact

[60'sfan]

Clearly Uconn does not have the talent it had when they were part of the Big East. When they joined the AAC, we knew that recruiting would be harder but figured the program's widely known appeal and Geno would be able to over come that. But as I look at this season: tough games against St. Johns, Oklahoma and California plus the loss to Baylor and next season promising to be even tougher with the graduation of Naphesa and Katy Lou, I am beginning to wonder if the glory days are gone.
We already know that the talent level for the men is at 30 year low. I am hopeful that Hurley will be able to improve on that but is the AAC the problem?

 

[Plebe]

Oh boy. Here we go again with the avalanche of apocalyptic posters coming out of the woodwork.

 

[CocoHusky]

We already know that the talent level for the men is at 30 year low. I am hopeful that Hurley will be able to improve on that but is the AAC the problem?

Don't think the AAC is "the" problem but more and more I'm beginning to think that it is a contributing factor along with many others. I personally changed my mind when Haley Jones stated that part of the reason she chose Stanford (over UCONN) is because she gets to play in one of the best conferences (Pac 12) in WCBB and would be challenged night in and night.

 

[mbr33ct]

...and I'm sure part of it has to do that perhaps the rest of the WCBB are finally getting it! That "gap" is finally getting closer.

 

[Plebe]

Good lord people. Missing out on recruits is not a new thing for UConn. It also happened in the halcyon days of the venerable Big East. How quickly we forget. Do we need a reminder of all the great players that Geno went after but didn't get?

 

[UConnCat]

Yep, lose a regular season game for the first time since 2014 and this is what you get. Next year’s non-conference schedule is brutal. Three challenging non-conference games are usually scheduled after January so it’s not just AAC games for the final 2 months of the season. Walker, ONO and CW committed knowing UConn is in the AAC.

The conference schedule was not the reason H Jones didn’t choose UConn.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Clearly Uconn does not have the talent it had when they were part of the Big East. When they joined the AAC, we knew that recruiting would be harder but figured the program's widely known appeal and Geno would be able to over come that. But as I look at this season: tough games against St. Johns, Oklahoma and California plus the loss to Baylor and next season promising to be even tougher with the graduation of Naphesa and Katy Lou, I am beginning to wonder if the glory days are gone.
We already know that the talent level for the men is at 30 year low. I am hopeful that Hurley will be able to improve on that but is the AAC the problem?

The pinnacle was the Stewie years. Did people really think that would go on in perpetuity?

 

[Jaybird65]

Fact....women's college basketball is the best it's ever been. More & more top flight collegiate options for talented women players.....I think that's great for wbb....

 

[mbr33ct]

Fact....women's college basketball is the best it's ever been. More & more top flight collegiate options for talented women players.....I think that's great for wbb....

UConn was not bad for WCBB after all.

 

[Jaybird65]

UConn was not bad for WCBB after all.

Set the bar for how many years? It's nice to see that other schools have accepted the challenge & stepped up. I'm a Husky through & through & love the stress free wins but great games are great too. I sometimes think back to the 2017 Final 4 semi's - maybe the greatest single night for women's collegiate basketball.

 

[BackBay]

It can happen quickly to any program. Look at Tennessee. They were winning titles a few years ago & then suddenly dropped out of title contention almost overnight, due to some poor recruiting. This happened when Pat was still coaching, so you cant blame a new coach/system.

 

[BackBay]

Personally, I think the AAC has hurt most of UConn teams in terms of recruitment - men's basketball, football, and yes, the women's team. It was a disastrous decision for the school.

 

[triaddukefan]

Personally, I think the AAC has hurt most of UConn teams in terms of recruitment - men's basketball, football, and yes, the women's team. It was a disastrous decision for the school.

Its not like UConn had a choice in the matter.

 

[Jaybird65]

Conference re-alignment had a significant impact; it was/is football driven. Conference payouts per school in P5 conferences & UConn payout from AAC for FY17:

Power 5 conference per-school distributions for FY17:
--SEC: $42.M to $39.9M
--Big Ten: $37.2M to $37M
--Big 12: Roughly $34.3M per school except Baylor
--Pac-12: $30.9M per school
--ACC: $30.7M to $25.3M except Notre Dame



UConn from AAC in FY17: 8.088M

 

[UConnCat]

Next year’s non-conference schedule includes games against Baylor, Cal, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia , South Carolina and likely Depaul. If that slate of games is not good enough for recruits then I don’t know what to say.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Good lord people. Missing out on recruits is not a new thing for UConn. It also happened in the halcyon days of the venerable Big East. How quickly we forget. Do we need a reminder of all the great players that Geno went after but didn't get?

Yes it did happen in the BE days. Pre Maya a few years was LEAN but you could see the players on the team would be filling some spots next year with some REAL recruits coming in if only the Valley sisters. So far only one is coming next year and 3 ready to play from this team-as of NOW.
You know what?? I didn't miss a game and liked the lean years cuz I could actually get a seat at the games. Fair weather fans--don't care about weather only multiple wins no losses. So it opens up seats. I liked the way they played--I don't live vicariously, nor do I have skin in this team, Geno's teams win or lose are unique in the speed and passing precision that alone is worth the price of admission if you can get in..
No we don't need to be reminded of those Geno didn't get, they are never waszzzes.
But on those years he didn't get the exact player he wanted--he got some.