"This could be one hell of a team" - Geno

[Sluconn Husky]

Read the transcript or watch it on video:


Auriemma said he's ready for his 33rd season and to work with a roster of new and returning players.

"This year, it's a completely different look about us and practice even," he said. "We've only practiced four days, but you can sense that it's different already. We have two seniors and two juniors in the starting line up. They've won a lot of games, they've accomplished a lot already."

....

There's only one way to improve on last season. That's to get to the NCAA championship game and win it.

"We've got some business to attend to this year," Auriemma said. "This could be one of the better teams we've had if things fall into place the way I think they can, yeah this could be one hell of a team."


UConn women's basketball using last season as motivation

 

[Shades]

We have two seniors and two juniors in the starting line up.

Only two juniors? Aren't Collier, Stevens, and KLS all juniors... eligibility-wise anyway?

 

[Biff]

Only two juniors? Aren't Collier, Stevens, and KLS all juniors... eligibility-wise anyway?

Well he did say in the starting lineup!

 

[huskeynut]

Yup - 2 seniors (Kia and Gabby)and 2 juniors (Pheesa and Lou) = 4. Did not mention the 5th starter.

Stevens is a red-shirt junior.

 

[huskyd]

Uh, oh. "This could be a great team." When was the last time your heard Geno say that? And before they've even teed up the ball for game 1. If I were the rest of WCBB, I'd get my big girl panties armored.
As for SC per this thread, it's amazing how quickly the Gamecockies are being compared to UConn. I'm happy for Dawn and Aja; they're good people. BUT, for goodness sake, understand that you backed into the NC (as the Huskies did when Louisville beat Baylor a few years ago), that you have never beaten UConn, and aren't going to beat them in the near future. It's good to use the Huskies as a template for greatness, but it's not time to use "SC" in the same breath.

 

[JordyG]

Uh, oh. "This could be a great team." When was the last time your heard Geno say that? And before they've even teed up the ball for game 1. If I were the rest of WCBB, I'd get my big girl panties armored.
As for SC per this thread, it's amazing how quickly the Gamecockies are being compared to UConn. I'm happy for Dawn and Aja; they're good people. BUT, for goodness sake, understand that you backed into the NC (as the Huskies did when Louisville beat Baylor a few years ago), that you have never beaten UConn, and aren't going to beat them in the near future. It's good to use the Huskies as a template for greatness, but it's not time to use "SC" in the same breath.

A qualified like here. Neither UConn or SC backed into anything. As a team you can only play the teams presented before you. In my opinion if you didn't make the final that was because you weren't good enough at the time to do so. Each of those teams EARNED the right to be champion. If and buts are for nits and nuts.
But yeah, Dawn has a way to go before her program can be compared to UConn's. Just ask Kim and Gary how difficult it is to first build, then maintain a winning culture. Her lack of quality recruits next year hurts, and if it were to comtinue into the next the program would hit a serious slide. But that's the norm for WCBB, and few programs are immune. Except UConn, of course.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Read the transcript or watch it on video:


Auriemma said he's ready for his 33rd season and to work with a roster of new and returning players.

"This year, it's a completely different look about us and practice even," he said. "We've only practiced four days, but you can sense that it's different already. We have two seniors and two juniors in the starting line up. They've won a lot of games, they've accomplished a lot already."

....

There's only one way to improve on last season. That's to get to the NCAA championship game and win it.

"We've got some business to attend to this year," Auriemma said. "This could be one of the better teams we've had if things fall into place the way I think they can, yeah this could be one hell of a team."


UConn women's basketball using last season as motivation

Geno learned many years ago to hedge his bets --i.e. announcing another championship and then not getting it. This was to preface my comment:\This could be one hell of a team???? What was it last year? This for every other team in the country IS one hell of a team. Heresy--I don't need another NC to know this team will be great or that they were great last year. I will be gluttonous and accept the 12 th NC, but like my accumulation of pounds ; I don't really need it.

 

[BroadwayVa]

A qualified like here. Neither UConn or SC backed into anything. As a team you can only play the teams presented before you. In my opinion if you didn't make the final that was because you weren't good enough at the time to do so. Each of those teams EARNED the right to be champion. If and buts are for nits and nuts.
But yeah, Dawn has a way to go before her program can be compared to UConn's. Just ask Kim and Gary how difficult it is to first build, then maintain a winning culture. Her lack of quality recruits next year hurts, and if it were to comtinue into the next the program would hit a serious slide. But that's the norm for WCBB, and few programs are immune. Except UConn, of course.

Geno often has said to go all the way takes preparation, talent and lots of luck. The right combination of opponents and how they fall out near the end. SC could have (maybe should have) gotten Uconn last April, they didn't. You are correct JordyG--3 of the best teams in the country were there--and a fourth that had the right combination of desire, talent, and game plan--they all belonged.
Uconn has been devoid of sufficient talent to go beyond the Elite 8 in years past---the 11 NC's cloud our memories. The lack of real size last year, was masked most of the season by 5 or 6 talented kids who were over worked and over tasked ---no doubt in my mind those 5 had more heart than many many teams.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Another new piece out today, this time focusing on Crystal Dangerfield:


So good that coach Geno Auriemma was asked if she would start if the Stanford game were tomorrow. "That's a good question," Auriemma said. "What we're going to have to do is see what kind of look do we want to have on the floor. Depending on who we start, it changes a lot of things. Everyone we put in affects someone.


"But Crystal's been really good. We talk all the time about how she's able to do things that she couldn't do last year in terms of getting through things, fighting through things. Her whole demeanor is better. Everything is better. She is the one who's made the most significant changes from last year."

...

"You don't want to keep (what happened last season) in the front of your head, but you don't want to ever forget it," Dangerfield said. "Freshman year was tough and I don't want that to happen again. So it's about making the little changes that turn into big changes on and off the court that will help me be better my sophomore year.

"Our end of the year conversation after last season really was me just being able to get outside myself and come into this year with a different mindset than I had. I had to understand what actually playing hard is by figuring out what Coach's definition of playing hard is."

She has taken Auriemma's words to heart and her teammates have noticed.

"I love the confidence she has," Collier said.

"Crystal's done a great job," Kia Nurse added. "She has a better understanding of the offense and a better understanding of the reads. She's been making the right ones. It's been really fun to play with her. She's high energy and that's great for us to have."


Strong offseason could be starting point for Crystal Dangerfield

 

[JordyG]

Another new piece out today, this time focusing on Crystal Dangerfield:


So good that coach Geno Auriemma was asked if she would start if the Stanford game were tomorrow. "That's a good question," Auriemma said. "What we're going to have to do is see what kind of look do we want to have on the floor. Depending on who we start, it changes a lot of things. Everyone we put in affects someone.


"But Crystal's been really good. We talk all the time about how she's able to do things that she couldn't do last year in terms of getting through things, fighting through things. Her whole demeanor is better. Everything is better. She is the one who's made the most significant changes from last year."

...

"You don't want to keep (what happened last season) in the front of your head, but you don't want to ever forget it," Dangerfield said. "Freshman year was tough and I don't want that to happen again. So it's about making the little changes that turn into big changes on and off the court that will help me be better my sophomore year.

"Our end of the year conversation after last season really was me just being able to get outside myself and come into this year with a different mindset than I had. I had to understand what actually playing hard is by figuring out what Coach's definition of playing hard is."

She has taken Auriemma's words to heart and her teammates have noticed.

"I love the confidence she has," Collier said.

"Crystal's done a great job," Kia Nurse added. "She has a better understanding of the offense and a better understanding of the reads. She's been making the right ones. It's been really fun to play with her. She's high energy and that's great for us to have."


Strong offseason could be starting point for Crystal Dangerfield

News from practices are manna from heaven.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Geno made that statement only after reading Tony C's post from this weekend.


Uconn Undefeated again and another NC

 

[eebmg]

It is great to hear so many positive comments on Crystal's maturation and improvement. Apparently, she really has truly immersed herself in the UConn culture of hard work and leadership.

 

[EricLA]

Another new piece out today, this time focusing on Crystal Dangerfield:


So good that coach Geno Auriemma was asked if she would start if the Stanford game were tomorrow. "That's a good question," Auriemma said. "What we're going to have to do is see what kind of look do we want to have on the floor. Depending on who we start, it changes a lot of things. Everyone we put in affects someone.


"But Crystal's been really good. We talk all the time about how she's able to do things that she couldn't do last year in terms of getting through things, fighting through things. Her whole demeanor is better. Everything is better. She is the one who's made the most significant changes from last year."

...

"You don't want to keep (what happened last season) in the front of your head, but you don't want to ever forget it," Dangerfield said. "Freshman year was tough and I don't want that to happen again. So it's about making the little changes that turn into big changes on and off the court that will help me be better my sophomore year.

"Our end of the year conversation after last season really was me just being able to get outside myself and come into this year with a different mindset than I had. I had to understand what actually playing hard is by figuring out what Coach's definition of playing hard is."

She has taken Auriemma's words to heart and her teammates have noticed.

"I love the confidence she has," Collier said.

"Crystal's done a great job," Kia Nurse added. "She has a better understanding of the offense and a better understanding of the reads. She's been making the right ones. It's been really fun to play with her. She's high energy and that's great for us to have."


Strong offseason could be starting point for Crystal Dangerfield

LOVE LOVE LOVE Reading this stuff about Crystal. Regardless of who starts, a Crystal Dangerfield who is even in the same zip code as Moriah as a sophomore will be something phenomenal to see. Ken (Milford) has correctly mentioned a few times Crystal's size in relation to Moriah's - shorter, and a shorter reach as well (arm length). This allowed Moriah to be every so slightly more effective defensively, especially in poking balls away, and being able to mask being beaten on defense by being able to reach the offensive player if she couldn't do it with her feet, but still...

I hope Crystal plays close to Moriah's sophomore level, and that Azura gives Geno everything he hoped for. Let him make the "tough" call as to who starts!

 

[Replicant]

Uh, oh. "This could be a great team." When was the last time your heard Geno say that? And before they've even teed up the ball for game 1. If I were the rest of WCBB, I'd get my big girl panties armored.

Rubber knickers!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Uh, oh. "This could be a great team." When was the last time your heard Geno say that? And before they've even teed up the ball for game 1. If I were the rest of WCBB, I'd get my big girl panties armored.

I believe he said something similar at the beginning of the 2016 season.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The validity of Einstein's Theory of Relativity is demonstrated by the length of this off season. I'm over all the predictions. Put the sneakers on the floor and the ball in the air. But, yeah, the noise about Crystal Dangerfield is encouraging for sure.

 

[meyers7]

We have two seniors and two juniors in the starting line up. They've won a lot of games, they've accomplished a lot already."

Hmmmm, so Williams and Nurse with KLS/Stevens or KLS/Collier? Very Bizarre.

 

[bags27]

Hmmmm, so Williams and Nurse with KLS/Stevens or KLS/Collier? Very Bizarre.

Maybe, but I think Geno is being pretty cagey here:
Auriemma was asked if [Crystal] would start if the Stanford game were tomorrow. "That's a good question," Auriemma said. "What we're going to have to do is see what kind of look do we want to have on the floor. Depending on who we start, it changes a lot of things. Everyone we put in affects someone.

He's really not tipping his hand, is he? That's probably because he really doesn't know (and amazingly, that's what he's actually saying! ).

2 yrs ago, the season began with Lou as the 5th starter, then it was Pheesa, then it was Gabby, and then it was back to Lou. So,
1. He has to test Crystal and Z in game situations, not just to determine how well they play, but what it does to team dynamics (Pheesa lost her start, not because she wasn't playing well, but because she made it hard for Stewie to operate in the paint)

and 2. He says that different opponents may merit different looks, and those looks have consequences to the whole team. the team is smaller, but faster with Crystal, bigger but slower with Z. And these 2 parts are NOT interchangeable. If Z is in, we have to assume that Kia is point and Lou moves to 2 guard. If Crystal is in, Kia is 2 and Lou is 3. And in both instances, it affects Pheesa's and Gabby's play because their responsibility, room in the paint, etc. change.

My prediction is that Geno has seen this play before, where he has maybe too much talent, and he is now much older and wiser and has had several months to think about not much else, so we are going to see a rotation/substitution pattern that we can't predict. Maybe the joy of this year, assuming it ends well, is that we'll see that an old(er) dog has, indeed, learned new tricks.

 

[xHunt3r]

"This could be one of the better teams we've had if things fall into place the way I think they can, yeah this could be one hell of a team."

I thought we are in the part of the year were everything is terrible and no one does any correctly... or is that not until the season starts?

 

[VAMike23]

I believe he said something similar at the beginning of the 2016 season.

Yep - he will only say it if (A) he believes it and (B) he has a lineup stocked with juniors and seniors who have been through the wars. He knows it won't go to their heads or make them nervous.

I'm betting that the Core 4 will collectively do a lot more 'coaching' of their own on the floor this year and that Geno will coach the squad differently as well. Last year was about keeping them focused, pushing them hard to do things they had not done, and instilling belief. Essentially, the Core 4 as a unit grew up last year. This year I think he will use a somewhat lighter hand by comparison.

(Having said that, the one thing he never abides is players--especially great ones--settling for less than they are capable of. So to that extent he will always keep harping. Certainly he was in Maya's ear a number of times even during her senior year... I just think he won't need to do it as much.)

 

[CocoHusky]

Maybe, but I think Geno is being pretty cagey here:
Auriemma was asked if [Crystal] would start if the Stanford game were tomorrow. "That's a good question," Auriemma said. "What we're going to have to do is see what kind of look do we want to have on the floor. Depending on who we start, it changes a lot of things. Everyone we put in affects someone.

He's really not tipping his hand, is he? That's probably because he really doesn't know (and amazingly, that's what he's actually saying! ).

2 yrs ago, the season began with Lou as the 5th starter, then it was Pheesa, then it was Gabby, and then it was back to Lou. So,
1. He has to test Crystal and Z in game situations, not just to determine how well they play, but what it does to team dynamics (Pheesa lost her start, not because she wasn't playing well, but because she made it hard for Stewie to operate in the paint)

and 2. He says that different opponents may merit different looks, and those looks have consequences to the whole team. the team is smaller, but faster with Crystal, bigger but slower with Z. And these 2 parts are NOT interchangeable. If Z is in, we have to assume that Kia is point and Lou moves to 2 guard. If Crystal is in, Kia is 2 and Lou is 3. And in both instances, it affects Pheesa's and Gabby's play because their responsibility, room in the paint, etc. change.

My prediction is that Geno has seen this play before, where he has maybe too much talent, and he is now much older and wiser and has had several months to think about not much else, so we are going to see a rotation/substitution pattern that we can't predict. Maybe the joy of this year, assuming it ends well, is that we'll see that an old(er) dog has, indeed, learned new tricks.

All good @bags27 except that season began with Gabby as the 5th starter @tOSU not KLS. Gabby remained in the starting lineup until the FSU (game #8) when she was replaced by Napheesa Collier. Napheesa remained in the starting lineup until Temple (game 16) when she was replaced by KLS-1st start. If you factor in the injuries Moriah missed a stretch (replaced by Saniya) and Morgan missed a stretch (replaced by Gabby) UCONN used many different starting lineups that season. I agree that Geno may not be tipping his hand here but I think the more important point is that multiple players have an opportunity to earn starting spots=great thing for UCONN.

 

[JordyG]

The validity of Einstein's Theory of Relativity is demonstrated by the length of this off season. I'm over all the predictions. Put the sneakers on the floor and the ball in the air. But, yeah, the noise about Crystal Dangerfield is encouraging for sure.

I think one of Issac Newton's laws were proved by the longevity of some of these OT's.

 

[JordyG]

"This could be one of the better teams we've had if things fall into place the way I think they can, yeah this could be one hell of a team."

I thought we are in the part of the year were everything is terrible and no one does any correctly... or is that not until the season starts?

Even a volcano tempers and mellows as it ages. But never ignore the fact that a master psychologist is at work here.

 

[Golden Husky]

Maybe, but I think Geno is being pretty cagey here:
Auriemma was asked if [Crystal] would start if the Stanford game were tomorrow. "That's a good question," Auriemma said. "What we're going to have to do is see what kind of look do we want to have on the floor. Depending on who we start, it changes a lot of things. Everyone we put in affects someone.

He's really not tipping his hand, is he? That's probably because he really doesn't know (and amazingly, that's what he's actually saying! ).

2 yrs ago, the season began with Lou as the 5th starter, then it was Pheesa, then it was Gabby, and then it was back to Lou. So,
1. He has to test Crystal and Z in game situations, not just to determine how well they play, but what it does to team dynamics (Pheesa lost her start, not because she wasn't playing well, but because she made it hard for Stewie to operate in the paint)

and 2. He says that different opponents may merit different looks, and those looks have consequences to the whole team. the team is smaller, but faster with Crystal, bigger but slower with Z. And these 2 parts are NOT interchangeable. If Z is in, we have to assume that Kia is point and Lou moves to 2 guard. If Crystal is in, Kia is 2 and Lou is 3. And in both instances, it affects Pheesa's and Gabby's play because their responsibility, room in the paint, etc. change.

My prediction is that Geno has seen this play before, where he has maybe too much talent, and he is now much older and wiser and has had several months to think about not much else, so we are going to see a rotation/substitution pattern that we can't predict. Maybe the joy of this year, assuming it ends well, is that we'll see that an old(er) dog has, indeed, learned new tricks.

The fact that Geno is contemplating whether a 5-5 point guard or a 6-6 post/wing completes his starting lineup shouts of a depth and versatility that no team in women's college basketball can match. Bags succinctly outlines the options and their consequences and the likelihood that opponents will be forced to adjust to both styles of attack. I have every confidence that UConn's bite will be even worse than its top dog's bark.