The Big 4

[ndmb]

It seems pretty unlikely that Hartley, KML, Dolson, and Stewart will all be first team AAs. I can't think of another time four players from one team have made it (Sue, Swin, Asjha, DT?), and there's certainly a lot of good competition from a lot of other kids for only 10 spots. But here's my challenge for anyone who says that they're not all AA caliber.

If three of them disappeared and only one were on the team, that player would almost certainly be a first team All American with what was left over of the UConn team.

With Kelly Faris as the fifth person in the end of game lineup, this is gonna be a damn fun year.

 

[Icebear]

In many ways Kelly contributes more than any of those 4.

 

[PacoSwede]

In many ways Kelly contributes more than any of those 4.

And she also is AA caliber in my book, even though she'd never get such recognition.

And on the bench, some that may be considered at AA level down the line.

It is kinda ridiculous.

 

[Phil]

Not to belittle the physical challenges of playing the game, but their biggest challenges will be mental. How do you go to practice and work on the little things, the things that will make you just a little bit better, but are a lot of hard work, when you've just demolished a decent team? Of course, that's one of the reasons Geno has been so successful, his ability to put the focus on improving the game, not just beating the opponent.

 

[msf22b]

Phil for me, this is the great challenge.
As wonderful and skilled as they are, they are capable of playing sooo much better.
And its all about passing as Kelly said the other day and working the intricacies of half-court sets based on the remarkable, talent, size and athleticism of this group.
What a great responsibility for the staff.
I'm confident they'll come through.

 

[semper]

They have each other to play and to observe, so that must help to a degree. Practice with this many high-caliber players gives any one of them a chance to get exposed in a second....it would be like having chamber music sessions with TWO resident quartets.

 

[EricLA]

Some of the AA teams at the end of the year have 15 players on them. I certainly think it's likely that Kelly will be on a third team. I'd love to see her on the Huskies wall of honor. She certainly deserves it. If UCONN dominates this year and goes undefeated (presumably beating Baylor twice), I could see all 5 (Hartley, Stewart, Dolson, KML and Faris) on AA teams at the end of the season.

No offense to players like Luper and some of the others who got recognition, but Faris is better than most all of them. I hope people who vote actually pay attention to the games.

 

[alexrgct]

This UConn team is one whose identity will be forged first on the defensive side of the ball. This has been true of many UConn teams past, but it's absolutely true this season. UConn will be a swarming, pressing, aggressive team.

That being said, you need to score points to win. Elite opponents will score on you no matter how good your defense is. And even a less-than-elite opponent may make a higher percentage of tough shots that you've forced them into than they should. In these cases, you have to be able to score. It is scary for everyone else that UConn has KML, Bria, Stef, and Breanna, as all four of them are capable of carrying a team offensively for spurts. They also have offensive games that complement one another. That's going to make it really, really hard to gameplan against UConn.

To top it off, it is very possible Morgan joins the other four as a consistent offensive threat by season's end. She's a bit inconsistent and unsure of herself right now, but despite that, she's shown she has the talent and maturity to her offensive skillset already to be someone who can put up double figures consistently.

And yes, Kelly is better than she's ever been, Doty is looking far more spry than last season, Banks is adding a ton of value, Kiah is a rebounding and shot blocking machine, and Moriah, though clearly with a steeper learning curve than the other two freshmen (as expected), is a major pain in the ass on defense.

Early in the season, I kind of feel like UConn isn't quite getting the attention it deserves. Baylor was the defending national champion, and then Stanford beat them, so those are the stories. I think come the first week of December, UConn is going to open up some eyes when people see what they do to Maryland and Penn State.

 

[alexrgct]

Some of the AA teams at the end of the year have 15 players on them. I certainly think it's likely that Kelly will be on a third team. I'd love to see her on the Huskies wall of honor. She certainly deserves it. If UCONN dominates this year and goes undefeated (presumably beating Baylor twice), I could see all 5 (Hartley, Stewart, Dolson, KML and Faris) on AA teams at the end of the season.

No offense to players like Luper and some of the others who got recognition, but Faris is better than most all of them. I hope people who vote actually pay attention to the games.

Unfortunately, unless Kelly makes at least the 10-member State Farm AA team, she won't be on the wall. She definitely should be the BE DPOY, and she ought to take at least a few votes from Griner in terms of national DPOY honors (though Griner is going to win that going away).

 

[EricLA]

Early in the season, I kind of feel like UConn isn't quite getting the attention it deserves. Baylor was the defending national champion, and then Stanford beat them, so those are the stories. I think come the first week of December, UConn is going to open up some eyes when people see what they do to Maryland and Penn State.

By the time they play Maryland and Penn State, they will have faced 4 top 15 teams, and 2 top 10 teams. I will be curious to see how UCONN's margin of victory stacks up against other top teams (Baylor, Duke and Stanford) who play the same opponents. Yes I realize it's not an apples to apples comparison, but it will be at least as interesting to see that in relation to UCONN's demolition of other top 25 teams...

And let's not forget UCONN's annihilation of aTm resulted without Bria Hartley...

 

[UcMiami]

This is an area where having Kelly on the team is so valuable - her intensity at all times - practice and blow out games included is a shining example to the rest of the team. It is why all of her coaches have loved having her on their teams.

 

[Tonyc]

UConn will get its recognition next month when they play Maryland on ESPN then Penn St SNY then Stanford on ESPNU then ND (Jan 5) on CBS. The way UConn is going you can only think that some of these games will be devastating blowouts. Its almost hard for me to comprehend and I dream pretty big. I can only imagine what UConn will do as they continue to get better. Breanna plays by instincts and shes got the talent and athleticism to go along with it. She by herself destroys opponets, but she is greater because of the team mates that surround her and allow her to do what she does. After watching yesterdays game it is becoming more apparent to me that there will be alot of teams next season who will refuse to play UConn. At this point Baylor is the only team that I think can give UConn a game, and I dont think Baylor can come within double digets. From what Im seeing and knowing that this group is made up of alot of underclassman, and knowing they will only get better, its crazy to think how good this team is. If they continue to improve and stay healthly this will be the greatest team in the history of WCBB and the records they set will last for a very long time.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Not to belittle the physical challenges of playing the game, but their biggest challenges will be mental. How do you go to practice and work on the little things, the things that will make you just a little bit better, but are a lot of hard work, when you've just demolished a decent team? Of course, that's one of the reasons Geno has been so successful, his ability to put the focus on improving the game, not just beating the opponent.

It's called "eyes on the prize!"

 

[msf22b]

I'm with Tony all the way on this.
Well put.

 

[ndmb]

In many ways Kelly contributes more than any of those 4.

I would agree with that and actually take it a step further. I think that given the current circumstances, Kelly is the most valuable of the five. On a team with four other people who can score easily one on one, the relative value of the things that Faris is good at is a lot higher. On the other hand, if I were drafting for a WNBA team, I'd probably take Faris last of the five.

 

[Shenandoah]

Not to belittle the physical challenges of playing the game, but their biggest challenges will be mental. How do you go to practice and work on the little things, the things that will make you just a little bit better, but are a lot of hard work, when you've just demolished a decent team? Of course, that's one of the reasons Geno has been so successful, his ability to put the focus on improving the game, not just beating the opponent.

Geno's halftime interview addressed that very issue. UConn was up, BIG, but yet, he stated that he wasn't happy with the offensive rebounding. THAT is why UConn has been successful over the years; never being satisfied and always striving for perfection...

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I would like to think Morgan Tuck could be in that conversation by senior year.

I think Morgan brings something to this team we have not had a while. I versatile PF. I keep watching her and she is so smart with the basketball and her handle is smooth as well. I really like her.

Watching these freshman journey through 4 years at UCONN is going to be something special.

 

[easttexastrash]

I think that Stewart will be first team AA by the end of the year. Anyone who knows women's basketball can see the obvious talent and the ease with which she plays the game. And she has the instant credibility by playing at UCONN. And Geno is going to make well deserved comments about her that will give the voters a good reason to play close attention to her play. I was glad to see the coaches recognize Hartley last year and I think they will recognize Stewart this year.

 

[Moose]

It's a favourite board topic to talk about how under-rated Kelly is. I'd even go as far to say that she is over-appreciated-under-rated.

Let me change the question a bit: where would you rate Kelly Faris in terms of all time great UCONN players?

I'd put her somewhere near Ann Strother, which I think is a very high spot. But, above that I'd have all of the four: KML, Bria, Breanna and Stef, by the time their careers are done.

What Kelly does, though, is amazing: few players play defence that well (Tamika Catchings comes to mind). Kelly *really* deserves BE DPOY (and national first team all-defensive). It would be a travesty if she graduates without ever having won a defensive award!

 

[chrissaran]

All the players are important to UConn's success. However, there will be times when the Huskies are going to have to put points on the board, and you'd better believe that they'll need the other four, now six, with Bria back and including Morgan Tuck.