The biggest non-conference games this season

[Carnac]

The Huskies once again have a loaded non-conference slate.​

As the years go on, some things remain the same. The sun goes down, it comes back up, news breaks while Dan Connolly is on vacation, and the UConn women release a non-conference schedule that is as strong as ever.

The Huskies’ 2022-23 non-conference slate went live Wednesday afternoon, featuring an impressive mix of quality competition, fierce rivalries, and the reunion of some old friends climbing up the coaching ranks. With so many interesting and exciting games on the schedule, I’ve already circled these on my calendar:

The biggest non-conference games this season

The Huskies once again have a loaded non-conference slate.

uconnwbbweekly.substack.com

 

[Next 12]

If we live up to our potential,I believe we can win all 10! On paper we have a dream team. Now we must deliver. SC will be the hardest,but by the time the game takes place we will have jelled into a well condition wrecking ball. I have always believed in UCONN's place in history as being the best there is.GO HUSKIES!!!

 

[Bone Dog]

I disagree with Madigan about the Maryland game. It'll be a good one, of course. But I suspect the ND game will be better. They're bringing back more of the starters from last season, and they will have excellent guard play in Miles, Mabrey, and Citron. Their weakness is at the post -- though so is Maryland's.

 

[jdote33]

Do you think if the SC and UConn meet up this year as basically a 1 v 2 matchup, it will start to feel like more of a rivalry. That would be 4 matchups in a row basically, three seasons in a row.
If it were to happen I'd imagine it would be because PB and Boston are in the player of the year conversation. I think the Beal vs PB on the court matchup is always great. I also think Zia Cooke v Azzi is very interesting.
But I think because there so much respect between Geno and Dawn (Philly roots and team USA) I'm not sure if the two teams will really be rivals like UConn vs ND or UConn vs Tenn.
Dawn Staley said after the win in the Bahamas that it was SC time now. Then she gave Geno his first loss in a National Championship game. But still, it doesn't feel like she's a nemesis for lack of a better term, of UConn nation.

 

[Bone Dog]

Dawn is a better friend, but still an excellent rival.

If Beal and Cooke matchup against Paige and Azzi, who will cover Caroline and Lou? I suspect that will be the key to the game in February. And though Beal can definitely run with Paige, I don’t think Cooke can stay with either Paige or Azzi. On the other end, I don’t think anyone besides Boston presents an insoluble problem for the defense.

 

[Reypl21]

Dawn is a better friend, but still an excellent rival.

If Beal and Cooke matchup against Paige and Azzi, who will cover Caroline and Lou? I suspect that will be the key to the game in February. And though Beal can definitely run with Paige, I don’t think Cooke can stay with either Paige or Azzi. On the other end, I don’t think anyone besides Boston presents an insoluble problem for the defense.

I think Azzi is the one that needs to prove she can play in the big games.

 

[Bone Dog]

I think Azzi is the one that needs to prove she can play in the big games.

That’s fair, in part. Azzi did struggle in the the 4th quarter of the Stanford game last season with inbounds plays. On the other hand, she calmly killed them with free throws down the stretch. It’s telling that Geno wanted a freshman on the free throw line when the game was on the line.

She also roasted Indiana and NC St with her offense. Those were big games, too. Earlier in the season against Tennessee, which seemed like it would be a significant hurdle because of injuries, she torched them in the second half. These games show her to be a remarkable clutch performer.

So, yes, she has room to grow in her big game performance. But I think she’s demonstrated a remarkable cool under the pressure of big games.

 

[LoboDays]

Barring injuries on either team, SC and UCONN should meet as #1 & #2. We were soundly beaten inside and that was with Liv on the team. I don’t see that changing unless our Two freshmen can help neutralize that advantage. Since they didn’t go after a big from the Portal, I think Geno has plans to get them plenty of playing time from the getgo.

 

[Bone Dog]

… Since they didn’t go after a big from the Portal, I think Geno has plans to get them plenty of playing time from the getgo.

Totally agree. I think the first two games, against Kutztown and Northeastern, will be very telling. I expect Ice and Ayanna to get significant playing time in them. And if Amari doesn’t play at least 10-12 mins, that’s a bad sign for her. We may be able to win even the biggest games without her help. But if she’s made the transition to regular rotation player, that can only be good for us, and her.

 

[MSGRET]

Barring injuries on either team, SC and UCONN should meet as #1 & #2. We were soundly beaten inside and that was with Liv on the team. I don’t see that changing unless our Two freshmen can help neutralize that advantage. Since they didn’t go after a big from the Portal, I think Geno has plans to get them plenty of playing time from the getgo.

If you are talking about the NC game then it is understandable that UConn was soundly beaten inside. Liv was sick and not 100%, while Dorka was out with a broken wrist. That left UConn with only Aaliyah and Amari to go up against their bigs.

 

[MSGRET]

The Huskies once again have a loaded non-conference slate.​

As the years go on, some things remain the same. The sun goes down, it comes back up, news breaks while Dan Connolly is on vacation, and the UConn women release a non-conference schedule that is as strong as ever.

The Huskies’ 2022-23 non-conference slate went live Wednesday afternoon, featuring an impressive mix of quality competition, fierce rivalries, and the reunion of some old friends climbing up the coaching ranks. With so many interesting and exciting games on the schedule, I’ve already circled these on my calendar:

The biggest non-conference games this season

The Huskies once again have a loaded non-conference slate.

uconnwbbweekly.substack.com

Now I can give everyone a heads up on when the next official Prognosticators Prediction thread will be posted, Monday, November 7th. Quick question should I post an unofficial one for the exhibition game so everyone gets a practice game in?

 

[eebmg]

Miles / Bueckers will be the best matchup of the season.. Still love how PB drew the Off Foul on Miles.

 

[Skeets]

Now I can give everyone a heads up on when the next official Prognosticators Prediction thread will be posted, Monday, November 7th. Quick question should I post an unofficial one for the exhibition game so everyone gets a practice game in?

Yeah, what the heck. The predictions are fun, and we need to have fun. The MOV will be all over the place. I predict a standard deviation of 12 for the MOV.

 

[oldhusky]

That’s fair, in part. Azzi did struggle in the the 4th quarter of the Stanford game last season with inbounds plays. On the other hand, she calmly killed them with free throws down the stretch. It’s telling that Geno wanted a freshman on the free throw line when the game was on the line.

She also roasted Indiana and NC St with her offense. Those were big games, too. Earlier in the season against Tennessee, which seemed like it would be a significant hurdle because of injuries, she torched them in the second half. These games show her to be a remarkable clutch performer.

So, yes, she has room to grow in her big game performance. But I think she’s demonstrated a remarkable cool under the pressure of big games.

I think Azzi lived up to expectations as a shooter last year, but did not fully exploit what I think she is capable of as a scorer. For example her number of 2pt field goal attempts per minute was actually below average when compared to the entire data base of division 1 players.
Her rate of attempts and efficiency of course on 3's was excellent, but she is much more than a spot up 3 point shooter.

In some ways I think she was just being cautious and conservative as a freshmen, but I see a decent ability to take it all the way to the basket, and an extremely good looking pull up jumper off the dribble. In high school she could probably get that sweet looking mid-range jumper off with ease, but perhaps at this level she is far more concerned with getting separation from her defender.

She doesn't have the length, or as much deception or shake and bake as Paige for example, but it appears she can stop on a dime, rise quickly and smoothly and has a quick release. I think she can get that shot against most defenders, and with better health, more experience and confidence, and more urging from Geno that will be much more of a go to weapon this year.

 

[Carnac]

Now I can give everyone a heads up on when the next official Prognosticators Prediction thread will be posted, Monday, November 7th. Quick question should I post an unofficial one for the exhibition game so everyone gets a practice game in?

Yes you should. Some of us need all the help we can get. Kinda like getting a “running” start.

 

[Bone Dog]

I think Azzi lived up to expectations as a shooter last year, but did not fully exploit what I think she is capable of as a scorer. ...

I think that’s right. We have more to look forward to from Azzi. By contrast, during the worst stretch of the injury debacle, Caroline showed she could step outside of a specific role and do whatever it took to get a win. If all three are healthy, I expect to see that from Caroline Azzi and Paige this year.

 

[Carnac]

Do you think if the SC and UConn meet up this year as basically a 1 v 2 matchup, it will start to feel like more of a rivalry. That would be 4 matchups in a row basically, three seasons in a row.
If it were to happen I'd imagine it would be because PB and Boston are in the player of the year conversation. I think the Beal vs PB on the court matchup is always great. I also think Zia Cooke v Azzi is very interesting.
But I think because there so much respect between Geno and Dawn (Philly roots and team USA) I'm not sure if the two teams will really be rivals like UConn vs ND or UConn vs Tenn.
Dawn Staley said after the win in the Bahamas that it was SC time now. Then she gave Geno his first loss in a National Championship game. But still, it doesn't feel like she's a nemesis for lack of a better term, of UConn nation.

I’m always anxious for the beginning of a new season. This coming season being no exception. The highlights of every season are the preseason games against the top ranked teams we play on a continuous basis. The success or failure in these games is what UConn is judged by before Conference play begins.

It will be the same this year. When conference play begins after the holiday break, Geno will know exactly what he has and who he has. The last 4 years, some core UConn players had developed a pattern of not showing up for the BIG games against top ranked opponents, especially South Carolina.

Dawn’s players never had a problem getting up for us and playing well from the tip. Why couldn't we? Remember 3 years ago when the Gamecocks held UConn to 2 points in the 1st quarter? That game was over after the first 10 minutes. UConn had dug themselves a hole they couldn't get out of. The box score of that game tells the story.

I’m hoping all of our current players will show up (and show up BIG) for every game. No disappearing acts. I agree with the poster that said how many minutes Amari gets in the exhibition game (Kutztown) and the first regular season game against Northeastern will be an indication of her status at that point. Those should be the 2 easiest games in November and December.

As usual, UConn will be the biggest game on all of our opponent’s schedule and will give us their best play. UConn is certainly improved this season with the addition of our new players, the return of a healthy Aubrey Griffin, Caroline Ducharme, Dorka Juhasz, Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. The potential (and expectations) of this team is high.

Every player has got to show up for every game and play up to their potential. Every player should be able to pick up the slack when one of their teammates is having an “off” night. I fully expect the usual top ranked teams to still be alive in the postseason tournament after the first 3 rounds. It gets real tough after that. All of the weak and unranked teams are gone.

UConn fought their way through a gauntlet to the championship game last year, knocking off two number 1 seeds along the way. Will they do it again this year? Teams don’t fear UConn anymore like they use to. The Huskies won't sneak up on anyone. How far do we go? Is this the year we get number 12?

 

[Bone Dog]

The last 4 years, some core UConn players had developed a pattern of not showing up for the BIG games against top ranked opponents, especially South Carolina.

You've hit the nail on the head. This is my nightmare. I think we'll get our first real indicator of whether we've broken out of this pattern in the NC St game on Nov. 20th.

 

[MSGRET]

So it's official, there will be an exhibition Prognosticators Prediction for the heck of it, so @Carnac and @Skeets can try their prognosticating before the regular season begins. The Exhibition Prognosticators Prediction sheet will be posted on 11-4-22.

 

[Alydar]

I think Azzi lived up to expectations as a shooter last year, but did not fully exploit what I think she is capable of as a scorer. For example her number of 2pt field goal attempts per minute was actually below average when compared to the entire data base of division 1 players.
Her rate of attempts and efficiency of course on 3's was excellent, but she is much more than a spot up 3 point shooter.

In some ways I think she was just being cautious and conservative as a freshmen, but I see a decent ability to take it all the way to the basket, and an extremely good looking pull up jumper off the dribble. In high school she could probably get that sweet looking mid-range jumper off with ease, but perhaps at this level she is far more concerned with getting separation from her defender.

She doesn't have the length, or as much deception or shake and bake as Paige for example, but it appears she can stop on a dime, rise quickly and smoothly and has a quick release. I think she can get that shot against most defenders, and with better health, more experience and confidence, and more urging from Geno that will be much more of a go to weapon this year.

I doubt Bueckers would guard Miles other than on a switch. And if Miles guards Bueckers for 30 min will her offense suffer?

 

[JoePgh]

I doubt Bueckers would guard Miles other than on a switch. And if Miles guards Bueckers for 30 min will her offense suffer?

So who do you think would guard Miles? Azzi??? If you say "Nika", then you are saying that Geno would sit either Paige or Azzi to have Nika in the game just to defend Miles. Nika will get normal backup minutes in the ND game as in any game (maybe 15-20 minutes), but while Paige and Azzi are the UConn backcourt pair (which will be most of the time), then one of them will have to guard Miles, and I think that will be Paige.

If Miles is proving that she can leave either of them in the dust, then I think Geno will let Aubrey have a shot at guarding her.

 

[Bone Dog]

I agree with @Alydar that they'd play their usual switching D or some zone. No need to assign Paige or Azzi to Miles. But I also agree that a healthy Aubrey would also spend some time on her. If the freshmen work out as I hope, I think there will be plenty of times when we'll be able to switch one through five. Citron seems to pose a similar threat to Miles, which also suggests a switching D. I'm pretty sure a healthy Aubrey could shut Citron down, too.

 

[jdote33]

Im excited about the Maryland game. Another relatively early road test against a good team. It should be somewhat of a homecoming for Azzi as well. I think Maryland will be better than expected. I am a fan of coach Freese though I know she irks a lot of people. But they've been a top 20 program for like the past 15 years. I like their team this upcoming season as well. I think in 2021 they were one of the funnest teams to watch but then injuries and lineup changes made the chemistry not quite fit in 2022. They still had a decent season. This upcoming year, though they lost Reese and Owusu, I actually think they brought in really good pieces. Granted they brought in a lot of 2s and 3s which was a position of strength in the first place but I believe in their talent.

Diamond Miller and Abby Meyer both would potentially get drafted next year if they came out. Like if healthy Diamond Miller is going to think she's the best player on the court. I think Lavender Briggs and Brinae Alexander are super talented with good size. And I think everyone they brought in really wants to win on a big level. I just think health and making sure people get minutes are their biggest hurdle. Don't get me wrong I think UConn should win without a doubt, but I think they are one of our tougher road games.