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Message: [QUOTE="Tonyc, post: 4756454, member: 73"] We're all wondering what to expect this season from our team. With the first day of practice done we should be hearing soon what the coaching staff feels about each player. I would think that our stars will play less minutes then in the past. The injuries we've experienced over the past couple of years has made us aware that many players were overworked before they got to UConn and they need to rest their bodies. To many players have not had the rest they needed before getting to UConn. So where does that bring us. Well over the next couple of weeks we will see who is ready to play significant minutes. We will see who is ready to go full throttle and who needs time to get up to speed. There have been many posters questioning those coming back from injury and if they are ready to play. Healthy, this team is almost unbeatable. We have alot of keys to this team to make that happen. Some posters have thought Amari will be a huge asset if healthy and will fill the void of having a big in the middle to contest some of the bigs (over 6'4) that we will face. I do too. I feel with an effective Amari at 6'6 gives us a player who can draw opposing bigs out to guard her as she is a threat from outside 15 ft. She will also be a threat down low. Amari along with ICE will give UConn the help down low that they lost with the graduation of Dorka and the injury to Jana. Amari can be a huge factor if shes healthy and can be effective. IMO she needs to be developed as she is only a junior. Not perfect just be effective. Remember last season she played injured too. We have players who we need to develop not only for this season but next season and beyond too. They are the future. We dont know if Paige will stay another season or two. Im sure the coaching staff has some indication and we do not and will not know that for sometime yet. Paige can carry us this season much like she did before her injury and along with Azzi Aaliyah and Caroline (if she is ready to go). I expect the coaching staff to be cautious this season with minutes played as to not have reinjured players. The question marks will remain question marks as the season moves forward. We have a very tuff first couple of months of the season. We must remain rested and healthy even if that means our stars playing less minutes to insure they remain healthy. Preseason polls has LSU number 1. Hey with Reese and Morrow they have a really good inside game and rebounding. However IMO those 2 do not provide a good outside game based on last season. UCLA now has Betts. Some are concerned about her height. Remember this she didnt see alot of minutes at Stanford last season and there was a reason for that and it was more then just having Brink in the middle. At 6'7 she imo couldve seen more minutes and why she didnt. That reason we dont know anything about. Bottom line there are a bunch or really good players on many of the top teams but their aint no Paige Azzi Aaliyah... and a healthy Caroline. They are the difference and they will make the difference. We have seen in the past that you dont win a NC without great guard play and UConn has that. UConn has a group of players who will be vying for 1st team AAs. No other team has that. Healthy UConn will go all the way. Healthy UConn could very well go undefeated. The main thing is the main thing and staying healthy is the main thing this season. [/QUOTE]

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