This year's team vs. previous UConn Final Four teams

[alexrgct]

No, I am not booking the girls on a flight to Denver right now. They will need to earn that by beating four teams in a row in the NCAA tourney, two of whom will be pretty dangerous.

However, at this juncture in the season, UConn looks like a team that will be a #1 seed and thus a favorite to make the Final Four. And that got me to thinking about previous UConn teams that have made it that far:

1991- Kerry Bascom's senior season
1995- NPOY Rebecca Lobo, plus two future NPOYs
1996- NPOY Jen Rizzotti, 1997's future NPOY Kara Wolters, and sophomore Nykesha Sales
2000- Shea Ralph's fourth year in the program and Svet's third.
2001- Snakebitten team, but featured in the NCAAs a starting lineup that would go 39-0 the following season.
2002- NPOY Sue Bird, first team AA Swin Cash, two other top six WNBA draft picks that spring, plus super soph DT
2003- NPOY DT
2004- NPOY DT
2008- First team AA Maya Moore, Renee Montgomery (who was a first team AA on a 10-player roster)
2009- NPOY Maya Moore, first team AA Tina Charles, Renee again
2010- Co-NPOYs Maya and Tina
2011- NPOY Maya


In short, of the 12 previous Final Four trips, every single one was led by at least one Huskies of Honor member playing at or very close to the level that got them on the wall.

The 2011-12 Huskies don't have that kind of player. Bria may well make the State Farm/WBCA AA team, but definitely in the "second five" grouping (my distinction, not theirs). I think KML will get to that level, but not as a freshman. This is just a different kind of team.

And yet, these kids are out there dominating most of their opponents. Even in losing efforts, they've been locked in and ready to play at a very high level. You're still seeing max effort and tremendous, coordinated team play.

As I said in another thread, IF Geno gets this particular team to the Final Four, it will have been his greatest coaching job. There has been no precipitous dropoff between last season and this one like there was in 2005 vis a vis 2004. This team is playing better on the court than they should be on paper. And you have to love the kids for doing so, but Geno is doing a heck of a job too.

It's fair to question some of the decisions Geno makes. But remember how many correct decisions in terms of team development and strategy Geno has made for this team to be in a position for him to be questioned on that handful of decisions. It's incredible.

Enjoy it, because it doesn't last forever, even if better times seem to be ahead the next couple of seasons. I'm very much enjoying this one.

 

[Sonny44]

Definitely agree.
Even most of our own BYers predicted 3-6 losses and no Final Four.
So by that definition we have already over achieved. And yet after both our losses these same fans were criticizing players, coaches, etc. mostly because we had the leads and "blew them".
Go figure.

 

[VAUConnFan]

No, I am not booking the girls on a flight to Denver right now. They will need to earn that by beating four teams in a row in the NCAA tourney, two of whom will be pretty dangerous.

However, at this juncture in the season, UConn looks like a team that will be a #1 seed and thus a favorite to make the Final Four. And that got me to thinking about previous UConn teams that have made it that far:

1991- Kerry Bascom's senior season
1995- NPOY Rebecca Lobo, plus two future NPOYs
1996- NPOY Jen Rizzotti, 1997's future NPOY Kara Wolters, and sophomore Nykesha Sales
2000- Shea Ralph's fourth year in the program and Svet's third.
2001- Snakebitten team, but featured in the NCAAs a starting lineup that would go 39-0 the following season.
2002- NPOY Sue Bird, first team AA Swin Cash, two other top six WNBA draft picks that spring, plus super soph DT
2003- NPOY DT
2004- NPOY DT
2008- First team AA Maya Moore, Renee Montgomery (who was a first team AA on a 10-player roster)
2009- NPOY Maya Moore, first team AA Tina Charles, Renee again
2010- Co-NPOYs Maya and Tina
2011- NPOY Maya


In short, of the 12 previous Final Four trips, every single one was led by at least one Huskies of Honor member playing at or very close to the level that got them on the wall.

The 2011-12 Huskies don't have that kind of player. Bria may well make the State Farm/WBCA AA team, but definitely in the "second five" grouping (my distinction, not theirs). I think KML will get to that level, but not as a freshman. This is just a different kind of team.

And yet, these kids are out there dominating most of their opponents. Even in losing efforts, they've been locked in and ready to play at a very high level. You're still seeing max effort and tremendous, coordinated team play.

As I said in another thread, IF Geno gets this particular team to the Final Four, it will have been his greatest coaching job. There has been no precipitous dropoff between last season and this one like there was in 2005 vis a vis 2004. This team is playing better on the court than they should be on paper. And you have to love the kids for doing so, but Geno is doing a heck of a job too.

It's fair to question some of the decisions Geno makes. But remember how many correct decisions in terms of team development and strategy Geno has made for this team to be in a position for him to be questioned on that handful of decisions. It's incredible.

Enjoy it, because it doesn't last forever, even if better times seem to be ahead the next couple of seasons. I'm very much enjoying this one.

It would have been fair to list Tina Charles among the stars of the 2008 FF team.

 

[HuskyNan]

The 2011-12 Huskies don't have that kind of player. Bria may well make the State Farm/WBCA AA team, but definitely in the "second five" grouping (my distinction, not theirs).

Just for discussion's sake, what players do you put ahead of Bria? Sims and/or Diggins?

 

[alexrgct]

Just for discussion's sake, what players do you put ahead of Bria? Sims and/or Diggins?

Both. If Bria is the difference in two UConn victories over ND in Hartford, I will reconsider that position. Since the media love Skylar, they won't, however.

 

[meyers7]

Definitely agree.
Even most of our own BYers predicted 3-6 losses and no Final Four.
So by that definition we have already over achieved.
Go figure.

Yea, how do you figure they've already overachieved? They still have to play a team twice (most likely) that has already beat us plus possibly a team that has beat everyone including us. That's a possible 2-3 losses not counting any missteps-trap games, injuries. And we haven't made it to the FF yet.

I'd wait until the season is over to determine if they have overachieved or not.

 

[meyers7]

Both. If Bria is the difference in two UConn victories over ND in Hartford, I will reconsider that position. Since the media love Skylar, they won't, however.

Not even sure they go by positions specifically do they? You have Griner, Ogwumike, Delladonne, Sims, Diggins, maybe a couple other upperclassmen?? for Hartley to compete against this year for that 1st team.

 

[Sonny44]

Yea, how do you figure they've already overachieved? They still have to play a team twice (most likely) that has already beat us plus possibly a team that has beat everyone including us. That's a possible 2-3 losses not counting any missteps-trap games, injuries. And we haven't made it to the FF yet.

I'd wait until the season is over to determine if they have overachieved or not.

Because both teams had home field advantage over us. On our court or a neutral court we may well have won both and been undefeated now.

 

[meyers7]

Because both teams had home field advantage over us. On our court or a neutral court we may well have won both and been undefeated now.

But we didn't and aren't, so how can we have overachieved? By playing a team close? Are we into moral victories now?

 

[jsloanjr]

Lets look at all the teams come March 1st.......

 

[meyers7]

Lets look at all the teams come March 1st.......

Or April 1st even.