Uconn Women’s 2021-2022 Season (Post Paige injury)

[mmeade258]

I have a take here.. and I have to get it out with the folks that love Uconn women just as much as I do.

Granted Paige BUCKETS is the Nucleus of the Uconn women’s basketball team, but God forbid Paige is out for a long time.

I think Uconn is sooooooooo LOADED.. that we might not have that much Drop off.

Follow me. PAIGE is a stud, but what if Azzi comes back and is the 2021-2022 Paige?

Caroline made small errors in her previous games before the Notre dame Game.. but she had 14 points in like 11 minutes.

Every time she shot the ball is was like ALL net! Once she gets out her head Caroline Ducharme is going to be DANGEROUS!

Granted Christyn is Hot and Cold but she still is Christyn Williams.. let’s not forget..

If we can get Christyn for 10-12 points agame
Evina for 8-12 points a game
And Nika for 5 Points and like 5 Assists a game
We won’t run as fluid as Paige but we still have a lot of hope for the 2021-2022 season.

Last point. The entire offense runs off and thru Paige which is an amazing thing, but IF she has to sit down it’s TIME everyone else steps up! And maybe ALL the players can SHOW coach “hey we are good too” we are going to fight harder since our sister went down!

Then Paige comes back in February March
And BOOM…
2022 champions

Best story ever!

 

[jchusky]

don't think it's a good idea to start drinking early

 

[Longtime fan]

I have a take here.. and I have to get it out with the folks that love Uconn women just as much as I do.

Granted Paige BUCKETS is the Nucleus of the Uconn women’s basketball team, but God forbid Paige is out for a long time.

I think Uconn is sooooooooo LOADED.. that we might not have that much Drop off.

Follow me. PAIGE is a stud, but what if Azzi comes back and is the 2021-2022 Paige?

Caroline made small errors in her previous games before the Notre dame Game.. but she had 14 points in like 11 minutes.

Every time she shot the ball is was like ALL net! Once she gets out her head Caroline Ducharme is going to be DANGEROUS!

Granted Christyn is Hot and Cold but she still is Christyn Williams.. let’s not forget..

If we can get Christyn for 10-12 points agame
Evina for 8-12 points a game
And Nika for 5 Points and like 5 Assists a game
We won’t run as fluid as Paige but we still have a lot of hope for the 2021-2022 season.

Last point. The entire offense runs off and thru Paige which is an amazing thing, but IF she has to sit down it’s TIME everyone else steps up! And maybe ALL the players can SHOW coach “hey we are good too” we are going to fight harder since our sister went down!

Then Paige comes back in February March
And BOOM…
2022 champions

Best story ever!

We will be lucky is Paige doesn't require season ending surgery. So, the team must carry on . Azzi will ( likely ) not play until mid-January. And she will need several games to get up to BB spreed. Caroline did look like the light went on. On Nika Muhl has to get there too. Aubrey is concerning. Foot heals and back screams. She sits longer. Mir is a mystery. And Deberry is next season.

 

[pvdoggy]

If we can get Christyn for 10-12 points agame
Evina for 8-12 points a game
And Nika for 5 Points and like 5 Assists a game

CW is scoring 15 ppg and you are OK with bringing her down to 10-12 ppg in your scenario?
Evina is already within your range, 9.5 ppg.

So who is going to fill the void of 21+ ppg left by Paige if she can't play in your scenario?

 

[Dokey]

CW is scoring 15 ppg and you are OK with bringing her down to 10-12 ppg in your scenario?
Evina is already within your range, 9.5 ppg.

So who is going to fill the void of 21+ ppg left by Paige if she can't play in your scenario?

The only possibility is Carolina. Hopefully, Geno has learned a lesson here.

 

[ccwarrior]

While it might be easy to refute your arguments, everyone has to love the optimism

 

[Longtime fan]

I have a take here.. and I have to get it out with the folks that love Uconn women just as much as I do.

Granted Paige BUCKETS is the Nucleus of the Uconn women’s basketball team, but God forbid Paige is out for a long time.

I think Uconn is sooooooooo LOADED.. that we might not have that much Drop off.

Follow me. PAIGE is a stud, but what if Azzi comes back and is the 2021-2022 Paige?

Caroline made small errors in her previous games before the Notre dame Game.. but she had 14 points in like 11 minutes.

Every time she shot the ball is was like ALL net! Once she gets out her head Caroline Ducharme is going to be DANGEROUS!

Granted Christyn is Hot and Cold but she still is Christyn Williams.. let’s not forget..

If we can get Christyn for 10-12 points agame
Evina for 8-12 points a game
And Nika for 5 Points and like 5 Assists a game
We won’t run as fluid as Paige but we still have a lot of hope for the 2021-2022 season.

Last point. The entire offense runs off and thru Paige which is an amazing thing, but IF she has to sit down it’s TIME everyone else steps up! And maybe ALL the players can SHOW coach “hey we are good too” we are going to fight harder since our sister went down!

Then Paige comes back in February March
And BOOM…
2022 champions

Best story ever!

Interesting and intelligent take on things. In my view, we have to realize this is now a different team entirely. Paige is the heart and soul of the team, on offense and on defense. With her not playing, everything changes. The team is immediately amended from " one super star and 4-7 supporting players, to all supporting players and no superstar. " You may all expect ( realistically) that Azzi will come a superstar. But for the next 4 weeks she will be watching from the bench. So we have what we have. And we are not going to have a clutch scorer, and we are not going to have a clutch defender or rebounder. We are going to need a team of balance and support.

I think Muhl will start in Paige's spot and Caroline will be first off the bench. She may ( as coach says ) "force him to start her.' if her defense thrives, she shows great grasp of the UCONN game, and continues to score. But, for a while, she comes off the bench. She relieves, Muhl, Williams, and Westbrook. Each of whom, by the way, has to now step up. Not take over and try to replace Paige by themselves....just be as good (and smart ) as they are able to be. The three BIGs will rotate as we have seen. Olivia seems to be the force, but with good support in Edwards and Dorka ( if UCONN is to win big games....these two must hit their outside shots ). And the team must be disciplined and smarter ( make foul shots and minimize unforced errors ). Maybe Mir will get an opportunity to show the world she has game ( does she?). I think Piath will reap some useful garbage time ( I hope ), giving some rest to the BIG three. De Berry remains an unseen and unheard from ( or of ) mystery. Based on evidence ( i.e.total lack of information ) to date, we won't see her contribute to this Paige-less environment. Aubrey will help as a specialist if she can get healthy. A recurring back problem is not a good sign for a " jumper" and speed person. We can only hope.

I think the team can benefit and learn from this Page-less environment. Players must get better and play better or the team won't win any big games. If this happens, and Paige is able to return, UCONN will be stronger and deeper. It is all we've got.

 

[Dokey]

It is all Caroline. Sink or swim.

 

[Florida Fan]

While it might be easy to refute your arguments, everyone has to love the optimism

We have to wait to see. But the Bigs' outside shooting requires hours of individual practice, because right now all their attemps are prayers. The guards will have to look for their shots now. But the new mind-set has to be, suck it up, and get it done. Turn the paige.

 

[tomcat]

There are just too many ifs involved.
1. IF CW can get back to the form she showed at the start of the season. This I think could realistically happen.
2. If Evina can do the same -- hit the 3s and stop the fouling (where did THAT come from?)
3. If Nika can keep up the defensive intensity and continue to hit a few 3s.
4. If Caroline's last game was a breakout and she keeps up the slashing. That was impressive.
5. If Dorka can do something, anything, better than she's shown. Defensive, Offensive, something.,
5. If, as several have said, they all can cut down on turnovers. That's the one I think they will have trouble with, because they just are not used to playing without Paige.

 

[Cecil9]

"If the poor soul guarding Bueckers flaps at her, Bueckers will tell her exactly what she’s going to do—jab step, dribble, step-back three—and then she’ll do it in her face: “'It’s a killer, mentally, to tell somebody what you’re going to do, and they know you’re going to do it, and you still do it anyway.”'

Paige Bueckers, a College Athlete Who’s Cashing In

The basketball star has signed two of the most high-profile “name, image, and likeness” deals since college athletes were free to pursue them starting in July.

www.bloomberg.com

Paige's quote sounds like vintage Larry Bird---

 

[CocoHusky]

CW is scoring 15 ppg and you are OK with bringing her down to 10-12 ppg in your scenario?
Evina is already within your range, 9.5 ppg.

So who is going to fill the void of 21+ ppg left by Paige if she can't play in your scenario?

Caroline should be good for all that and some more.

 

[TCC Kid]

It is all Caroline. Sink or swim.

YOU may be right! The alternatives is: As a Frosh she may negatively feel the impact of carrying the load and lose the game she had. We saw ONE game of great scoring, rebounding, defending. That was ONE game. We'll see. I cheer loudly each time Caroline appears, so I cheer her. I hope you are right.

 

[TeamFirst!]

The answer to the question is to a large degree who takes the shots Paige was going to take right? Probably who is going to get the bulk of her PT. No one on this team is going to be able to replace Paige and no combination of players on this team are going to replace Paige. As I said in an earlier post "we just became Notre Dame" in other words we just became a team outside of the top 20 but I think Caroline has the ability to bring us back into the top 5 conversation until Paige gets back. If she does have the ability to score 12-15 points a game and the others step up a little, by having more shot opportunities on their own, maybe we can still be a decent team until Azzi can contribute as well, if she can contribute as expected. I think both can certainly help but I still put Caroline right there with Azzi in potential if not even higher. We will see but in some ways this helps the team potentially. We needed to develop Caroline and Azzi in order to have a significant chance to win it all against South Carolina. Outside shooting will be the key to beating South Carolina. We are going to need Azzi and Caroline before this is through.