"UCONN belongs in a tougher conference"

[CL82]

The one thing that being in the B1G did for Rutgers was improve recruiting

....and brand and not just for athletics. If you walk onto the Rutgers campus these days you can see big 10 banners flying. It’s weird to emphasize conference and filiation instead of school, but it kind of works. RU just seems a little more “big time.”

 

[Charliebball]

But it's not what I said. This isn't what I first posted to you. I was not disagreeing with your 1st post that I replied to you on.

What I said was the other teams would come in 2nd place (not that UCONN would go undefeated). That's why I reacted as I did about the two games which you used the word "barely" to describe the wins. I was replying- implying -through the bold - highlighting the words beat/beaten.- That if the other teams are going to come in 2nd place - then who cares about "barely?" They lose- they come in 2nd. The other teams are going to have to endure playing for 2nd many, many years (and I'm not speaking of say "10 years consecutive etc" - I'm not going to get into that other than the vast, vast majority of the seasons UCONN is coming in 1st). That's what the SEC would have to endure.

I also acknowledged a rare year SC can take the conference. They beat us last year. And we lost this year to a SEC team. I'm not going to think that UCONN will go undefeated for 5-10 years if UCONN has been beaten the last two. Not that I would think that anyway.

I don't think UConn would lose many but they could easily lose one or two games in conference per year...........they certainly would be pushed a lot harder by these teams as compared to Butler, Creighton, Georgetown......... etc.........

 

[hoophuskee]

I don't think UConn would lose many but they could easily lose one or two games in conference per year...........they certainly would be pushed a lot harder by these teams as compared to Butler, Creighton, Georgetown......... etc.........

Agree to an extent-- I think.

TWO per year? No chance over half the time-- unless SC can supplant them or the number 1 recruits UCONN gets frequently leave early.

Some years twice-- sure. So yeah once to twice. But some years they would go undefeated. SO more often 0-2. They did in old Big East and have handled ND three times in a season as well.

And while you mention Butler, Creighton, Georgetown - I'll mention again UCONN has dominated the number 1 team in the SEC the last 5-10 years. As a result, instead of SC going undefeated or 1 loss -now it's going to be mostly 2+ losses per year. Unless "the Raven Johnson's can outplay the Azzi Fudd"s"- UCONN holds the card of landing the number 1 recruit much more often.

And to further that-- because UCONN is not in the BE anymore in this make-believe SEC- they won't get as stuck without a bench because Geno will be forced to play his bench more in big games. That's a part why they leave. They don't feel 100% part of the team because they don't contribute as much when it matters. Stokes mentioned how much more she felt a part of the team when she played in big games.

With that said-- right now UCONN's strength is that they play in the Big East. Some that knock the conference are wrong if they think it doesn't help. One thing - among others - it helps UCONN is that they can go full tilt- their superstars rested in the big OOC games. And basketball is a game of superstars. If you have more superstars - you're probably going to win. The superstar(s) elevate others more.




.

 

[EricLA]

May I ask, which conference is That ?

Which conference is what? I don't understand your question...

 

[Charliebball]

Agree to an extent-- I think.

TWO per year? No chance over half the time-- unless SC can supplant them or the number 1 recruits UCONN gets frequently leave early.

Some years twice-- sure. So yeah once to twice. But some years they would go undefeated. SO more often 0-2. They did in old Big East and have handled ND three times in a season as well.

And while you mention Butler, Creighton, Georgetown - I'll mention again UCONN has dominated the number 1 team in the SEC the last 5-10 years. As a result, instead of SC going undefeated or 1 loss -now it's going to be mostly 2+ losses per year. Unless "the Raven Johnson's can outplay the Azzi Fudd"s"- UCONN holds the card of landing the number 1 recruit much more often.

And to further that-- because UCONN is not in the BE anymore in this make-believe SEC- they won't get as stuck without a bench because Geno will be forced to play his bench more in big games. That's a part why they leave. They don't feel 100% part of the team because they don't contribute as much when it matters. Stokes mentioned how much more she felt a part of the team when she played in big games.

With that said-- right now UCONN's strength is that they play in the Big East. Some that knock the conference are wrong if they think it doesn't help. One thing - among others - it helps UCONN is that they can go full tilt- their superstars rested in the big OOC games. And basketball is a game of superstars. If you have more superstars - you're probably going to win. The superstar(s) elevate others more.




.

South Carolina is going to be stacked next year too so it's not going to be an easy game even with Ms Fudd...............I think UConn is scheduled against them next year right?.............the interesting thing is Geno barely rests his starters until the second half of the fourth quarter whether their winning by 10 or 40 points.............never made sense to me but that's always been the way it goes............perhaps next season he'll have to find more time for the bench......

 

[hoophuskee]

South Carolina is going to be stacked next year too so it's not going to be an easy game even with Ms Fudd...............I think UConn is scheduled against them next year right?.............the interesting thing is Geno barely rests his starters until the second half of the fourth quarter whether their winning by 10 or 40 points.............never made sense to me but that's always been the way it goes............perhaps next season he'll have to find more time for the bench......

Yes --- but UCONN is going to be stacked at the same time. If Fudd is better than Raven and further lives up to her billing (unless the two games are more representative of what Fudd is and Raven is better? I doubt but we'll see . . . ) it would mean UCONN would have the two best players on the court. When you have the 2 best players on the floor that are SUPER you have an enormous advantage. The superior players make it easier for the others. Boston is terrific but there is a strong possibility that both Paige and Fudd are better, right? I mean I've seen a lot of your prior posts on other threads -pretty hyped with Azzi too. And she was considered better than Paige. IF Azzi is super- similar to Paige - what good is it for a team to have 2 guards- 3 guards - 5 guards??? Pace can always be slowed if you have enough quality guards. So what's the chance of "wearing them down?"

As far as Geno resting his starters- you and I are at opposite sides here - I think we are but maybe I am misunderstanding you slightly. It absolutely has made sense to me on many levels why Geno keeps his top 5-7 players in. For example in baseball they speak of stress pitching wears more than pitch count to a certain level. Likewise the extra minutes in a blowout are a lot different. than vs a SC. Those extra minutes aren't wearing the top-tier UOCNN teams. Maybe last year's it did a little. So to worry about being worn out is irrelevant.

And for anyone prior to our discussion that has made comments made about the necessity of a big of bench; If UCONN were to try to achieve that philosophy for many years then for example- you aren't getting the elite "Paige Bueckers" types if you are going to take her out after you build a 25+ pt lead. The reason why I brought up the bench to you on my prior post is that Geno if in SEC - he wouldn't have been caught ever with "Kyla Irwin/Molly Bent." He would've recruited better than "Anna/Aubrey" too THOUGH BOTH are fine recruits but not top tier recruits. So he gets one or both then another recruit that is "10" for example. And these players have played. Thus, there was opportunity for playing time. For the number 1 program you will get a player better than a "20 ranked player" in which you are competing with "Kyla Irwin." That's what I meant by "being caught" previously.

And what we've seen over the past 10 years Geno has used short benches and some of those teams have been extremely dominant. So why are you saying you don't understand why he plays his top players when the lead is up by 40 when you've seen the super results along with the continued amazing recruiting despite being in a weaker conference? Why should we fight something that's been working for so long? We're tried of winning? Over the long haul the super player of DT, Maya, Stewie and hopefully Paige/Azzi will beat the superior opposing team's bench. So give your other top 5 players the necessary time even if you are up by 40. They go to the bench when the elite coach is satisfied.

 

[darkstar1]

the poor shooting games that UConn had in conference in the past few years (Tulane, Central Florida etc.) would more likely be losses if they were playing against competitive teams like Louisville, South Carolina, Notre Dame (well not this year) NC State, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky etc........

Too much speculation. My point was that UConn is a final 4 level team every year. I think that would hold true no matter what conference they were in. They may not go undefeated, but that would certainly add up to a few more losses for the teams you noted, if in the same conference. I noted the B1G specifically and if UCONN was in that conference this year, we’d be hearing gripes about how weak the conference is, just like the BE or AAC.