UConn Recruiting

[oldude]

"Figure out?" Probably couldn't have used a more "unfair" comment.

What SC "did fiigure out" was that

1-- to start the year Aubrey Griffin was out.
2-- Dorka gets hurt duirng NCAA Touurney.
3-- Liv is hurt elading into NCAA title game.

When 3 of four of your top 4 post players are hurt or unable to play, it's an unfair comment to say "UCONN couldn't figure them out."

Add in that Azzi was sick & Evina was injured during the first half, and UConn was a shell of the team that SC could have faced.

 

[wingsfan055]

UConn always had great balance of Bigs and Scoring Guards/Forwards on their Title teams. Right now this team is not balanced. Against a good team, if we lose AE, we are basically sunk unless we shoot 80% from the perimeter. It doesnt mean it can't be done, its just makes it a lot harder.

 

[tchalla1]

"Figure out?" Probably couldn't have used a more "unfair" comment.

What SC "did fiigure out" was that

1-- to start the year Aubrey Griffin was out.
2-- Dorka gets hurt duirng NCAA Touurney.
3-- Liv is hurt elading into NCAA title game.

When 3 of four of your top 4 post players are hurt or unable to play, it's an unfair comment to say "UCONN couldn't figure them out."

Your statement is fair, but I was quoting another post and he/she used that term, "we couldn't figure them out", so these weren't my words. It's worth noting that SC easily beat us earlier in the year, so although the above situations that you mention were critical, they may or may not have affected the outcome of this game...

 

[oldude]

Your statement is fair, but I was quoting another post and he/she used that term, "we couldn't figure them out", so these weren't my words. It's worth noting that SC easily beat us earlier in the year, so although the above situations that you mention were critical, they may or may not have affected the outcome of this game...

I beg to differ. UConn hung with SC for 3 qtrs earlier in the year, and yes, the 4th qtr got away from the Huskies. SC was a great team. But we will never really know if a “healthy” UConn team could have pulled off the upset in the national championship game.

 

[tchalla1]

Add in that Azzi was sick & Evina was injured during the first half, and UConn was a shell of the team that SC could have faced.

True, but SC beat us by 16 earlier in the year, with a full complement of players.... Certainly, having Azzi and Evina at full go would have helped our chances though, but the outcome might have been the same...

 

[oldude]

True, but SC beat us by 16 earlier in the year, with a full complement of players.... Certainly, having Azzi and Evina at full go would have helped our chances though, but the outcome might have been the same...

See my previous post.

 

[tchalla1]

I don’t think size was the issue in that game personally

We got killed on the boards and their offensive rebounds fueled a rather mediocre shooting performance on their part. I thought size had a lot to do with it... What was Geno screaming about in his 1Q timeouts? Rebounds and interior defense...

 

[tchalla1]

See my previous post.

Lol--might have simultaneous with mine...

 

[HuskyNan]

What’s the longest a thread on the board has gone before straying off topic? Just curious for opinions

now you know why I insisted on this thread outside of the recruiting (only) thread

 

[hoopsnloops32]

We got killed on the boards and their offensive rebounds fueled a rather mediocre shooting performance on their part. I thought size had a lot to do with it... What was Geno screaming about in his 1Q timeouts? Rebounds and interior defense...

Toughness is not the same thing as size imo

 

[LuvBball]

 

[MooseJaw]

View attachment 92930

Maybe a surprise, holding a UCONN offer who knows. Even if it's us 2 years until she is even a freshman. This could be a very good weekend for us, a big win Sunday and maybe a commitment or two.

 

[Bone Dog]

Sienna looks like a great addition. Last I checked, she’s listed at 6’3” which means she isn’t the solution to the height problem others are so keen on.

 

[Rings R Us]

View attachment 92930

I wouldn't hold my breath. She's never visited us for an official or non official visit right? Probably stays out west.

 

[LuvBball]

I wouldn't hold my breath. She's never visited us for an official or non official visit right? Probably stays out west.

I'm holding my breath. Lol. Went to see her sister play a couple years ago but she stole the show. I've been a fan ever since

 

[stamfordhusky]

I'm waiting to see how the new restricted area will affect offensive foul calls & attacking the basket.
The attackers aren't going to be as protected against making turnovers by the much smaller restricted area.
That could make tall players with long arms who don't move their feet much or have quick feet like Amari more valuable as rim protectors.
At least against teams that have smaller guards that attack the basket with somewhat reckless abandon.
The taller players may need to pull up, step back or manuever to make their shots more difficult.
I'm not sure how the new restricted area will work out, but it could make a difference if players & coaches can figure out how to use it to their advanatage & how it will offensive affect fouls being called.
The defender will be more protected & empowered by this new smaller restricted area rule, they'll being given more protected territory on the floor, & the attackers are losing protected floor space.
The more space that a defender can occupy in the key closer to the basket while staying planted there the better.
And that could also mean that simply being taller is now better, better than it was before the rule change.
Now teams just need to learn how to adapt to the new rule.
Amari could become more useful there.

I'm sure this will affect offensive players attacking the basket. But the beneficiaries on defense are more likely to be guards and forwards more than centers. The "rim protectors" , as secondary defenders under the old rule already were allowed to station themselves inside the arc as long as they attempted to block the shot and didn't just stand there flatfooted to try to draw a charge. If they were right in the middle of the arc, they could still legally block a shot off of a drive by an offensive player. And if they jumped straight up, with arms straight up, they could still draw a charge - something I saw happen a number of times.

 

[SportsFan92]

Most likely she will follow her sister at UCLA!! I would be shocked if she came to UConn. With no visits at all to the campus is unheard of when your considering a college. No point in even continuing this conversation. It’s not happening!!

 

[GenoWept]

I'm holding my breath. Lol. Went to see her sister play a couple years ago but she stole the show. I've been a fan ever since

My guess is she’ll commit to UCLA to play with her sister.

 

[darrell]

My guess is she’ll commit to UCLA to play with her sister.

Agreed. Seems really early for a ‘25 with more than 10 schools as finalists. I haven’t heard about any visits, so UCLA seems obvious. However, they’ve been stacking up players of her size and skill, so committing somewhere else also seems like a possibility.

Eager to see what she decides, she’ll be a force for years to come.

 

[hoophuskee]

Your statement is fair, but I was quoting another post and he/she used that term, "we couldn't figure them out", so these weren't my words. It's worth noting that SC easily beat us earlier in the year, so although the above situations that you mention were critical, they may or may not have affected the outcome of this game...

Okay. Thank you- point taken. But we agree injuires were a major impact to UCONN in the Finals, correct? SC definitely deserved title. but we recognize UCONN's injuires didn't make the game a fair fight, right?

But back in November we also have to remember that Aubrey was "out.", She did play 22 minutes the year before in which UCONN won.
That we can see Dorka play with one hand heavily bandaged, and we can see that Azzi went on injured list immediately after the game. It's reasonable to assume she was hurt before/during the game imo.

SO in the November game, UCONN lost one of their defensive post players in Aubrey thus the team had to learn to play without her. Their newcomer (Dorka) other low post player wasn't entirely healthy, and UCONN's best 3point shooter that year in Azzi was hurt.

 

[hoophuskee]

UConn always had great balance of Bigs and Scoring Guards/Forwards on their Title teams. Right now this team is not balanced. Against a good team, if we lose AE, we are basically sunk unless we shoot 80% from the perimeter. It doesnt mean it can't be done, its just makes it a lot harder.

What if UCONN doesn't lose AE?

 

[darrell]

My guess is she’ll commit to UCLA to play with her sister.

I assumed so as well, but UCLA has gotten quite a few players with her same size and skill set (and will be there sooner).

If not UCLA, I see USC or Notre Dame as very possible landing spots. Of course, coming to UConn wouldn’t hurt.

 

[visitingcock]

I assumed so as well, but UCLA has gotten quite a few players with her same size and skill set (and will be there sooner).

If not UCLA, I see USC or Notre Dame as very possible landing spots. Of course, coming to UConn wouldn’t hurt.

USC would create an interesting cross town sibling rivalry. But I expect UCLA

 

[Forego]

Most likely she will follow her sister at UCLA!! I would be shocked if she came to UConn. With no visits at all to the campus is unheard of when your considering a college. No point in even continuing this conversation. It’s not happening!!

Talk about an over-the-top speculation. Who would ever forsake a sister and relocate from the west coast to the northeast? By the way, can we call her Sienna Loooooou after she commits to UConn?

 

[oldhusky]

What if UCONN doesn't lose AE?

Then if development of Ice and Jana go as hoped and maybe expected, we would have a good three big rotation with little room for injuries because we don't know yet about players beyond that. Maybe Strong comes and you have an excellent 4, and or Ayanna recovers from injury and shows much more than the freshmen year, or there is a late foreign recruit, but it could be just a 3 big rotation and Ice and Jana are not sure things at this point either, although I expect both to be very good.

I presume Aaliyah was expecting to be gone, but you can certainly come up with reasons why she might decide to stay too. Maybe unfinished business on a national championship or achieving All American status and getting on the wall. Maybe Geno who otherwise wouldn't have, tells Aaliyah we need you if Sara doesn't come etc.

Still many variables here. How good will Ice, Jana and Ayanna be? Will we get Strong? Is there a possible foreign big we could still get, what about the portal next year?, do we win a national championship? Will Paige come back? Does Aaliyah achieve All American status this year? I could see the possibility of Aaliyah coming back being affected by many of those things that have not yet been determined, but while I don't think it is likely, her return is certainly a possibility, particularly if she is badly needed and there still is unfinished business.