The Bench of UCONN
- Thread starter xoxxox
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Let's suppose the starters are Paige, E, CW, Liv, and Liyah. That technically means that Azzi, Nika, Dorka, , Aubrey, and let's say Caroline are the next 5 on the bench. Identify at least 10 teams that would most likely be better than that 5 plus the other 4 that I didn't name. So I'm thinking the bench would be a top 10 team.
1. sc 2. stanford 3. nc st 4. louisville 5. maryland 6. oregon 7. Baylor 8. Indiana 9. Iowa 10. Oregon should I keep going?
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I think top ten is a bit of a stretch. However, I do think that if Geno had the second five + reserves (as described by the op) for his primary team, they would surely be top 20, perhaps even top 15! That is pretty impressive and is going to be a big problem for our opponents. November can’t get here soon enough as far as I’m concerned.
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Thanks, but I'll pass. I'm going to spend my fantasy time today at the BY doing something realistically constructive by hanging out in the "Songs About Roads, Bridges and Highways" thread and improving my music knowledge.
triaddukefan
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Top 10 in the Big East
CocoHusky
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Seems like we get one of these disrespectful threads every year. Let me put it to perspective how disrespectful it is.
There are already two teams ranked ahed of UCONN in Stanford and South Carolina. Now let's pivot to ranked teams that are on the UCONN's schedule this year and what this madness is saying is that UCONN could beat these teams by just using its bench: Louisville, Georgia Tech, Oregon, Arkansas, UCLA, Notre Dame & TN . This is never going to happen!
Teams not on UCONN schedule that need to be considered are Baylor, NC State, Maryland, Iowa , Indiana, Kentucky, Texas & A&M. UCONN bench by itself is not good enough to beat any of the teams in the top 1/2 of ANY of the P5 conferences.
Yes, please do. It looks like all you did was recite the pre-season top 10 which doesn't mean they would be higher ranked than the UCONN bench. 6 or 7 from your list are either certainly locks or most likely locks to be ranked higher in the top 10 than UCONN's bench. I'm not convinced that Indiana or Iowa for example would beat UCONN's bench. Just my opinion of course.
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Nor Baylor.
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SVCBeercats
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How many times over the last 25 year's has this question been shown to be wrong? Answer: Every time!
Carnac
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Allow me to share this observation about our bench....................It's talented and deep. Even if we get Kiki Rice along with Brady and Patterson, unless we get another graduate senior next year, THAT bench won't be as deep or experienced as THIS one. We're losing 3 seniors with 4 years of experience. As talented as the incoming freshmen may be, they won't have any college experience. The only thing they'll take with them into the post-season is the experience they'll get from the just concluded season. There is no substitute for experience. It will be their first year of tournament play. That may be enough, we'll see.
So, that being said, I say this.................If not now (this season), when? I agree with something Geno said in a recent presser. He said that Dorka is very talented, long, and experienced. She may be the player (missing link) that gets us over the "hump", and helps us win the championship.
Two things we know for certain about Dorka Juhász. 1. She came from a P5 conference where the competition is perceived to be a little better, so nothing see's going to see or experience will be too big for her. 2. She was one of the top players in the BIG 10 Conference the last two years. She won't disappear in the BIG games, if anything, she show up BIG, especially in the closing minutes if we need a bucket or a stop.
Here is a recent excerpt from SB Nation about Dorka: (something we already know, but it bears repeating)
"With the addition of Juhász heading into the 2021-22 season, the Huskies will have something their roster has been lacking for the past few seasons: Depth in the frontcourt.
Juhász averaged a double-double at Ohio State in her junior season and earned All-Big Ten First Team honors twice. She excels the most is on the glass, averaging 11.1 rebounds per game in 2020-21, up from just over nine in her first two seasons with the Buckeyes.
Her strength on the glass is evident on both ends of the floors. Last season she rebounded nearly 14 percent of Ohio State’s missed shots while on the floor and 22 percent of opponents’, both of which ranked in the top four percent of the nation."
Again I ask........if not now, when?
So, that being said, I say this.................If not now (this season), when? I agree with something Geno said in a recent presser. He said that Dorka is very talented, long, and experienced. She may be the player (missing link) that gets us over the "hump", and helps us win the championship.
Two things we know for certain about Dorka Juhász. 1. She came from a P5 conference where the competition is perceived to be a little better, so nothing see's going to see or experience will be too big for her. 2. She was one of the top players in the BIG 10 Conference the last two years. She won't disappear in the BIG games, if anything, she show up BIG, especially in the closing minutes if we need a bucket or a stop.
Here is a recent excerpt from SB Nation about Dorka: (something we already know, but it bears repeating)
"With the addition of Juhász heading into the 2021-22 season, the Huskies will have something their roster has been lacking for the past few seasons: Depth in the frontcourt.
Juhász averaged a double-double at Ohio State in her junior season and earned All-Big Ten First Team honors twice. She excels the most is on the glass, averaging 11.1 rebounds per game in 2020-21, up from just over nine in her first two seasons with the Buckeyes.
Her strength on the glass is evident on both ends of the floors. Last season she rebounded nearly 14 percent of Ohio State’s missed shots while on the floor and 22 percent of opponents’, both of which ranked in the top four percent of the nation."
Again I ask........if not now, when?
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Disrespectful? You mean of course in your opinion, which doesn't make it so. Of course, just because I posted what I did doesn't make it so either. Just stating an opinion. Listen, you've been here longer than I and have an incredible number of posts over that time. You seem to be revered by a host of posters on this board. Is that because you hold yourself out as an expert or is it the sheer volume of your opinions?
I mean no offense, but everyone of your posts I read seems to scream, "I'm the expert on everything, so just listen to me.".
I know I'm going to get blasted for this post because I dared to be negative about the estimable CocoHusky. I hope that those that do will take notice of the fact that you were the one who attacked me by calling my reply to the "NO" post disrespectful.
MSGRET
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So UConn is not a Top 10 team even with the starting 5? While I think that the bench without the starting 5 would be better than Indiana, Iowa, or Oregon.
Huskee11
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We don`t know who will comprise "the bench" at this point although we are confident that whoever they are, they will add value. I don`t look at the bench as a separate unit, though, as in how would these five players do in a five on five game against some other team.
The value the bench will provide will be seen in other ways affecting team play overall, and in the individual contributions they each make coming off the bench and complementing the starters (and other reserves on the floor).
They will impact the style of play. For example, I expect that the team will press a lot more. Foul trouble is less of an issue.
They will make the starters better through competition at practice.
They will reduce the number of minutes the starters have to play.
If someone is having an off night, Geno can pull her out of the game sooner.
Players will be less likely to drift and let the game come to them. They will be aggressive from the opening tip.
When we see the "bench" play together, the outcome of the game - victory UConn - will have long been determined. In the big games, the key will be how the individuals coming off the bench mesh with the starters still on the floor, and how they each add energy, productivity and value.
The value the bench will provide will be seen in other ways affecting team play overall, and in the individual contributions they each make coming off the bench and complementing the starters (and other reserves on the floor).
They will impact the style of play. For example, I expect that the team will press a lot more. Foul trouble is less of an issue.
They will make the starters better through competition at practice.
They will reduce the number of minutes the starters have to play.
If someone is having an off night, Geno can pull her out of the game sooner.
Players will be less likely to drift and let the game come to them. They will be aggressive from the opening tip.
When we see the "bench" play together, the outcome of the game - victory UConn - will have long been determined. In the big games, the key will be how the individuals coming off the bench mesh with the starters still on the floor, and how they each add energy, productivity and value.
.-.
I already said Oregon and Indiana are sleeper final 4's.
CocoHusky
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Your post (this entire thread really) is disrespectful of the other teams in WCBB. Everyone of my post is IMO so that would be kind of redundant. This is a BB forum I know a little about basketball. If you really think I'm "revered" or "estimable" on the BY then clearly you have me confused with someone else. I never post expecting anyone to agree with me because half the time I don't agree with myself. I have been here a while and as I said this (UCONN bench could be ranked top 5 or 10 or 20) comes up every year.
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I'm relatively new here, and I've never thought of you as "revered" or "estimable". That said, I do consider you knowledgeable, informed, and experienced and I respect what you have to say and happen to agree with you on this.
CocoHusky
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Agree wholeheartedly, except with the premise that she comes from a P-5 conference where the competition is a little better.Allow me to share this observation about our bench....................It's talented and deep. Even if we get Kiki Rice along with Brady and Patterson, unless we get another graduate senior next year, THAT bench won't be as deep or experienced as THIS one. We're losing 3 seniors with 4 years of experience. As talented as the incoming freshmen may be, they won't have any college experience. The only thing they'll take with them into the post-season is the experience they'll get from the just concluded season. There is no substitute for experience. It will be their first year of tournament play. That may be enough, we'll see.
So, that being said, I say this.................If not now (this season), when? I agree with something Geno said in a recent presser. He said that Dorka is very talented, long, and experienced. She may be the player (missing link) that gets us over the "hump", and helps us win the championship.
Two things we know for certain about Dorka Juhász. 1. She came from a P5 conference where the competition is perceived to be a little better, so nothing see's going to see or experience will be too big for her. 2. She was one of the top players in the BIG 10 Conference the last two years. She won't disappear in the BIG games, if anything, she show up BIG, especially in the closing minutes if we need a bucket or a stop.
Here is a recent excerpt from SB Nation about Dorka: (something we already know, but it bears repeating)
"With the addition of Juhász heading into the 2021-22 season, the Huskies will have something their roster has been lacking for the past few seasons: Depth in the frontcourt.
Juhász averaged a double-double at Ohio State in her junior season and earned All-Big Ten First Team honors twice. She excels the most is on the glass, averaging 11.1 rebounds per game in 2020-21, up from just over nine in her first two seasons with the Buckeyes.
Her strength on the glass is evident on both ends of the floors. Last season she rebounded nearly 14 percent of Ohio State’s missed shots while on the floor and 22 percent of opponents’, both of which ranked in the top four percent of the nation."
Again I ask........if not now, when?
A little better?
Liv was forced to hone her skills for 2 years against the AAC—let’s face it, a crap conference.
Now in the Big East, a step up , but nowhere near, top to bottom quality of a P-5 (yet?)
(Hope springs eternal on that one)
Only hands on, hard learning tool she has been exposed to day to day, was Azure for a year and a half (+-).
Time for her to shine.
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I have to agree if you are talking about them as the bench (nonstarters). However, if Geno had only those players; Azzi, Dorka, Nika, Caroline Aubrey, Mir, Amari, Saylor, and Piath and a full preseason and season practice with them, then I I would think they would be competitive with all but SC, Stanford, Maryland,, Louisville, Oregon, and perhaps NC State. Not saying we’d win every game, but we certainly would be competitive. I’m not sure why that’s disrespectful as that team would almost surely be comprised of players that are higher ranked than virtually every team they would play (eliminating those top ten teams). That team would have a #1, #5, #15, three top 30s, and two of the top European prospects as well as Piath who has great potential according to Geno.
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CocoHusky
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Most of your assessment is based on potential and this team would include 4 Freshman Azzi, Caroline, Amari, and Saylor.
There are several returning college players that have already realized much of their potential. Returning to college basketball on teams that you have not previously mentioned are AP AAs or honorable mention Rhyne Howard, Kentucky, NaLyssa Smith, Baylor, Naz Hillmon, Michigan, Caitlin Clark, Iowa, Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana Ashley Joens Iowa Sate, & Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech. These are terrific players leading quality teams with some very good coaches.
This season ND and Duke rosters are both noteworthy if you want to do an analysis based on HS rankings/potential. The ND roster would include 3 Players (Miles, Brunelle & Dotson) that were top 10 in respective classes + an additional 5 Players that were ranked in the top 25 (Gilbert, Citron, Marshall, Peoples, & Wesbeld). Duke's current roster includes 6 players that were rank in top 20 in their respective HS classes. Maybe disrespect was too strong a word but there are some terrific teams and players in WCBB. I realize that this is a UCONN fan board but it is kind of important to have a broader perspective if one is going to make such a sweeping generalization about UCONN bench compared to the rest of WCBB. @EricLA had a post recently listing several players in college basket that Azzi Fudd is not going to be better than as a freshman. You can quibble with his list the list if you want but I happen to agree with most of it. If Azzi Fudd is not going to better than those players I don't see a UCONN bench team that lead by Azzi can be better than all but 10 teams this season even with Geno coaching them.
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No. Not even close.
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