UConn National Champs

[FanFromMaine]

If Crystal Dangerfield can remain healthy this year, UConn wins it all.

 

[MikeBlue]

I think it hinges more on Olivia and Christyn's acclamation, but that's a hard point to argue. We need everyone this year to be healthy and consistent. Go Huskies!

 

[Alydar]

Going back to last May, the question for this season was who would replace the two seniors. Both Williams and Walker are coming into the season playing at close to the most optimistic predictions. Short bench? Gee, now there's a novelty.

 

[Longtime fan]

If Crystal Dangerfield can remain healthy this year, UConn wins it all.

Hope you are right. But "ifs"are pretty important in your wish. We would also be a better team if Molly Bent scores 25 per game and has no turnovers. Or if Mikayla turns out to be as consistent and dependable as Sue Bird. Just teasing.

 

[Bama fan]

Hope you are right. But "ifs"are pretty important in your wish. We would also be a better team if Molly Bent scores 25 per game and has no turnovers. Or if Mikayla turns out to be as consistent and dependable as Sue Bird. Just teasing.

Those ifs are big IFS. But may as well dream big!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think there are several paths for UConn to win the National Championship. The most obvious is for Christyn and Liv to be very good starting early on. Another path is for someone to have an absolute monster season. I think that could be Lou or Pheesa, but Crystal is certainly a possibility.

 

[VAMike23]

I still think it hinges on Liv. For us to win it all, barring key injuries to other top teams, she would have to have to really develop a lot by March. She’s our wild card. It’s possible ! That’s already assuming strong seasons from our core group.

 

[BostonCanuck]

The thread to this point covers most of the keys. I would add one thing that was pretty much lacking the past two years, and that is big games from of our seniors at the final four.

 

[Centerstream]

Yes, 11 times! I saw it on the court when I watched the replay of last week's exhibition game victory at Gampel.

 

[FanFromMaine]

In 9 of the 11 championships, UConn has had the best point guard in the tournament, the exceptions being Tina’s senior year and Breanna’s first year.

Great guard play is especially important in the tournament as they control the ball. Regardless of Sabrina and others, Crystal has the skills to be the best point. She showed in it in her senior year in high school with the national team and again last year in the first Notre Dame game.

 

[VA Huskie]

I think Coombs and ONO are the keys, particularly at tourney time. I believe our starting 5 will be great! It’ll come down to 2 contributors off the bench and KLS and Nephessa driving us home. My hope is that they step up at the end and say... not this time!!!

 

[uconn34]

Coombs will play

 

[TitleTown]

The lack of size scares me against teams like Notre Dame. MSU, and Baylor, but come March anything can happen and I would never count UConn out.

 

[Ex Nutmegger]

I am going to make the BYers who worship the mojo gods unhappy and say I believe the UConn women are definitely the best team in the country right now and will get even better and win the NC in April. It’s not much of a stretch since I’m only agreeing with Massey which ranked UConn a strong #1 and Baylor #2. (The team in sickly green uniforms from somewhere in Indiana was ranked barely above the also-rans at #3).

In a comparison from last year, in the two games with the sickly greens UConn outscored them by seven points, 169 to 162. Yes we lost the important game by two points. But in that game we had four players running their hearts out with bad legs. Yes, I know, the other team had hurt players also. But their injured players had been sitting on a very long bench for most of the season, many in street clothes, while our injured players were needed due to a very short bench.

People are worried about a short bench again this year due to the leaving of our sixth player. I think that may be a blessing in disguise. Our sixth player was a bit like a “fifth wheel” in that she didn’t mesh with the rest of the team well. Still, people are really worried that we are having to put a freshman in our starting lineup right away.

[wait for it.........wait for it...........”we’re dooooooooooomed!!!!!!!]

Well I dont think we’re doomed at all. Our freshman started against Vangard. She played 27 minutes and had 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers and zero personal fouls.

Even with their “vastly superior” “highly seasoned” bench, the sickly greens also elected to start a freshman. She averaged exactly 27 minutes played in their first two games. She averaged 6.5 points per game as well as 3 rebounds, 3.5 assists(she’s their point guard - our point guard had 8 assists in 27 minutes), 3.5 turnovers and 2 personal fouls.

I’ll take our freshman over theirs any day!

So, barring injuries(Boneyard mojo folks do your thing!) and the possibility of foul trouble against the bigs of Baylor, sit back and enjoy a great ride!

 

[oldude]

Short bench? Gee, now there's a novelty.

There’s nothing like a touch of sarcasm to brighten up the naysayers here on the BY.

 

[Fightin Choke]

I am going to make the BYers who worship the mojo gods unhappy and say I believe the UConn women are definitely the best team in the country right now and will get even better and win the NC in April. It’s not much of a stretch since I’m only agreeing with Massey which ranked UConn a strong #1 and Baylor #2. (The team in sickly green uniforms from somewhere in Indiana was ranked barely above the also-rans at #3).

In a comparison from last year, in the two games with the sickly greens UConn outscored them by seven points, 169 to 162. Yes we lost the important game by two points. But in that game we had four players running their hearts out with bad legs. Yes, I know, the other team had hurt players also. But their injured players had been sitting on a very long bench for most of the season, many in street clothes, while our injured players were needed due to a very short bench.

People are worried about a short bench again this year due to the leaving of our sixth player. I think that may be a blessing in disguise. Our sixth player was a bit like a “fifth wheel” in that she didn’t mesh with the rest of the team well. Still, people are really worried that we are having to put a freshman in our starting lineup right away.

[wait for it....wait for it......”we’re dooooooooooomed!!!!!!!]

Well I dont think we’re doomed at all. Our freshman started against Vangard. She played 27 minutes and had 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers and zero personal fouls.

Even with their “vastly superior” “highly seasoned” bench, the sickly greens also elected to start a freshman. She averaged exactly 27 minutes played in their first two games. She averaged 6.5 points per game as well as 3 rebounds, 3.5 assists(she’s their point guard - our point guard had 8 assists in 27 minutes), 3.5 turnovers and 2 personal fouls.

I’ll take our freshman over theirs any day!

So, barring injuries(Boneyard mojo folks do your thing!) and the possibility of foul trouble against the bigs of Baylor, sit back and enjoy a great ride!

UConn should be an excellent team this year. I don't think anyone will be shocked if the Huskies win it all in April. But just a few points. First, the Massey rating you use to support your prediction is just a computer rating based on scores, and because UConn has played no games that count this season, it's presently based on last season's accomplishments, not what Massey thinks of this year's UConn team. Massey himself does no evaluation of personnel. Secondly, even if you use those rankings, Notre Dame is tied with Baylor, not "ranked barely above the also-rans at #3".

Second, Notre Dame started a freshman (Nixon) in their opening game because their starting PG, senior Marina Mabrey, was held out due to injury. Nixon is not projected to be the starter and Marina is a game-by-game decision. As far as I can tell, only one UConn fan has stated that Notre Dame has a "vastly superior, highly seasoned" bench compared to UConn's. I haven't read Notre Dame fans bragging about their bench, which is primarily underclassmen. Notre Dame starts 4 seniors and 1 junior, but this year's bench for Notre Dame is 1 sophomore (Patterson), 5 freshman (Vaughn is a redshirt freshman) and 2 walkons.

Third, your freshman class is definitely much higher rated than Notre Dame's freshman class. The only thing the Irish have going for them is numbers. But Vaughn may be better than ONO this season, as posts have difficulty adjusting to the college game, and Vaughn played 8 games last season and spent the past year with the team.

 

[ucbart]

The lack of size scares me against teams like Notre Dame. MSU, and Baylor, but come March anything can happen and I would never count UConn out.

The lack of size scares me too, but not against ND. While Shepard and Turner are very good...and taller than our starters, they aren't gigantic or power posts like Baylor's twin towers or McCowan. I'm way more concerned about defending ND's guards.

 

[TitleTown]

The lack of size scares me too, but not against ND. While Shepard and Turner are very good...and taller than our starters, they aren't gigantic or power posts like Baylor's twin towers or McCowan. I'm way more concerned about defending ND's guards.

It will be very interesting to see how Coach Auriemma game plans against these bigger teams. I think he is going to try and run the bigger teams out of the gym. He has stressed a need to be able to score a lot in transition in recent interviews and I think that is a clue as to how they are going to attack teams.

 

[itsasport]

box out, box out, box out, box out, and, what else?... box out.

 

[tomcat]

I haven't seen anyone but TheOSU and UConn, so I don't see how I can know anything, but like everyone here, I have an opinion. This UConn team is as far from perfection as any Geno has led in maybe 20 years. The Big 3 are very good (if they stay out of foul trouble -- Crystal's 4 fouls today gives me pause -- and out of medical trouble as well. I was very skeptical of reports that Megan would be much improved this year and I was wrong. She looked very good. Williams also has real game. While she will make freshman mistakes, she is a real talent.

Beyond this, There is no rebounding to speak of. ONO is built like a willow, and UConn needs an oak. She's also more uncertain than Molly Bent on the three-point line with an open shot, and that's pretty damn uncertain. Camara is an oak but moves like one, too. Kyla gives us her hard work every game, but she is not ready to step in on the first team. Coombs has improved and will be a help, but how much remains to be seen.,

So there's a lack of rebounding, a defense that will be developing as the season goes on, and a paper thin talent pool, at least for now. If this is the best team in the country, Notre Dame must be a lot worse that I had heard. On the other hand, UConn fans will have the pleasure of watching a team develop in significant ways, something I am convinced will happen. The question is whether they will develop enough by the end of the season. Meanwhile, I would not be surprised to see two losses and maybe another team they are supposed to beat tops them as well.