UConn has an advantage

[HuskyNan]

The talent pool of players coming out of high school has been deep in recent years and a lot of those players are going to schools that aren’t traditional powers. This is great for the game. With so many good players on so many different teams, there are more upsets and fewer easy wins. The difference could come down to coaching and there is UConn’s advantage, in Geno. I’ll put Dawn up there with him. Any thoughts on this?

 

[Bone Dog]

I’d put Terri Moren and Lisa Bluder on that list too. Maybe Nikki Collen and Carla, of course. These are teachers, not just trainers.

 

[Lurker]

Agree completely with your insights, Nan!! Great for the game - creates lots of excitement and increases the interest! The fewer blowouts, the better! Likely to increase the emphasis on coaching and improve that, overall, as well, but we'll hold an advantage for sure, along with some astute peers like Dawn and Carla.

 

[southofnorth]

I forget which game (games?) it was when Geno basically said they were outplayed and UConn only won because of their superior talent (heavily paraphrased). Talent is definitely important, but without a coach that can develop and put all those talented players together in a cohesive team, there’s no chance of winning championships. Talent can only get you so far; coaching is necessary to win big.

TL;DR: Strongly agree with your message.

 

[boontonbomber]

Every season more and more good coaches are appearing. Important that UConn win a championship again sometime soon.

 

[Rowdy831]

I would put Geno in a class by himself. I would put Dawn in the great recruiter category that isn't at the top level of game strategy similar to Mulkey. Both great but give you ways to beat them when they have the better talent, Geno doesn't do that. I would have to add Jeff Walz to the great coaches on strategy but not as fantastic on recruiting. Tara V has to be on the list but I really don't like watching her teams play so for me that is a minus.

Any coaches at secondary schools that are good need to move up and beat teams on the list above. You see a lot of teams that look great by record then get destroyed when they play one of the better teams in the tournament. I think there is a huge difference between winning at Wyoming and winning at UConn or South Carolina.

 

[MooseJaw]

Let's not forget Vic, he routinely does more with less and does it with class.

 

[sun]

The talent pool of players coming out of high school has been deep in recent years and a lot of those players are going to schools that aren’t traditional powers. This is great for the game. With so many good players on so many different teams, there are more upsets and fewer easy wins. The difference could come down to coaching and there is UConn’s advantage, in Geno. I’ll put Dawn up there with him. Any thoughts on this?

Without a doubt, Dawn has established a winning program & a winning formula at SCar.
Her teams are disciplined, athletic & committed, the kids are humble & respectful & focused.
She should be admired for being able to keep SCar at the top.
A school can't ask a coach to do any more than what she's been able to accomplish.
Her success with Boston allowed her to continue a winning culture & it can't be disputed that SCar is a national powerhouse.
She's a lot like Geno in that she has proved to be an extremely competent adversary.

 

[msf22b]

I can recall...it was a only 10 or 15 years ago, that Geno castigated the lack of decent coaches in the woman's game

So many figured it out...He doesn't say that anymore...

 

[Jim R]

Every season more and more good coaches are appearing. Important that UConn win a championship again sometime soon.

Important point…winning takes care of lots of issues…including attracting recruits…hard to substitute for the certainty, or near certainty, that you’ll be one of the Final Four teams standing…what recruit wouldn’t want to be there? Would echo Rowdy’s thoughts on coaches. Lastly, love the possibilities with Arianna, but, Strong’s physicality, not to mention her court smarts, would certainly go a long way in filling Edwards shoes.

 

[BBallF]

The talent pool of players coming out of high school has been deep in recent years and a lot of those players are going to schools that aren’t traditional powers. This is great for the game. With so many good players on so many different teams, there are more upsets and fewer easy wins. The difference could come down to coaching and there is UConn’s advantage, in Geno. I’ll put Dawn up there with him. Any thoughts on this?

There are so many talented players now going to different schools. Case in point, Juju Watkins goes to USC, not a traditional top 5 or even 10 power, and lights it up for 32 in her first game. I hope it comes down to coaching which will mean to me that we are not at disadvantage due to injuries or fatigue. We finally have real depth, with a variety of offensive weapons and unique defensive players like Aubrey and Nika. If our players are healthy and rested I like our chances.

 

[tchalla1]

The talent pool of players coming out of high school has been deep in recent years and a lot of those players are going to schools that aren’t traditional powers. This is great for the game. With so many good players on so many different teams, there are more upsets and fewer easy wins. The difference could come down to coaching and there is UConn’s advantage, in Geno. I’ll put Dawn up there with him. Any thoughts on this?

What you say about the appreciable talent of the WBB game today is so important for everyone to remember when they are comparing teams today with UConn NC teams in the past. It used to be four, maybe five teams got all the talent, but today it's not the case.

Today, we have Juju Watkins, the No. 1 recruit in the country going to USC, not at all a basketball power since Cheryl Miller back in the 80s. UConn itself is a big reason why--they've helped to create the depth and wide array of talent that now exists because women's basketball has grown in popularity so much in the last few decades.
So, to hear BYers make comparisons to the program's past accomplishments and/or have expectations of today's teams to go undefeated, or win successive championships are very unrealistic. I agree though--having Geno is very much an advantage for UConn, but today's overall talent pool is just too substantial. To do what UConn has managed to do of recent is dominance in itself...

 

[JellyBean]

The talent pool of players coming out of high school has been deep in recent years and a lot of those players are going to schools that aren’t traditional powers. This is great for the game. With so many good players on so many different teams, there are more upsets and fewer easy wins. The difference could come down to coaching and there is UConn’s advantage, in Geno. I’ll put Dawn up there with him. Any thoughts on this?

100% in agreement with what you said. First off, I agree with you on the talent level that is coming out of high school and how these players are going to non-traditional programs so that they are creating their own legacy and spreading the competitive around the nation and that is great for the growth of the game. Secondly, it is going to come down to coaching and how those coaches & their coaching staff develop that talent so that the team looks like one unit on the court. We are blessed to have Coach Auriemma. Coach Staley is in that group. Along with Coach VanDerveer & Coach Mulkey.