UConn Women basketball Early 2023-2024 Starting Five Prediction

[RSHERMVIKES]

IMHO Geno will definitely have Nika in the starting lineup!
Geno is extremely loyal!

 

[Cuango]

Yes, I have Nika as the main 5 because Nika is the best ball handling player in this team and we need her. (Paige can be but we will see)

But Caroline has the experience and height advantage. So I think she will be first out the bench then comes Ayanna (6'2") or Jana El Alfy (6.4"). JMHO

Sorry, Paige is the best ball handler, furthermore, there is nothing on a basketball court except defense that Nika does better than Paige! No disrespect intended toward Nika, just fact. Now I freely admit Nika may start as Geno will obviously make that call. I just think Paige is better choice to start and Nika a better choice for “shock and awe” off the bench. For what it’s worth, I feel the same about Aubrey! Those two are capable of completely changing the flow of any game, which is what you want in really good bench players.
What really matters I that we have so much talent on this team that we all may be wrong about who starts!

 

[MSGRET]

Geno has stated many times that the team is not the same with Paige at the PG vs Nika. He has also said that the teams defense is not as intense with Nika out. The starting 5 at the beginning of the season will be Nika, Paige, Azzi, Aaliyah and either Aubrey or Caroline.

 

[NYCHUSKIES]

My 2024 line up

• Charles
• Stewart
• Moore
• Taurasi
• Bird

This is probably the greatest line up in women's basketball history.. With the exception of Breanna, if these players would of played together at their prime, respectively, there isn't another team in the history of women's basketball that would beat them. To put it in perspective, if you assemble a counter team of Sheryl Swoops, Tina Thompson, Lisa leslie, Dawn Staley, and Cynthia Cooper, they still wouldn't beat this uconn line up. That speaks volume about the Uconn basketball program and how effectively they develop their players. Just my humble opinion.

 

[Bald Husky]

UConns best game is the transition game, always has and always will. Watching the old games, Paige does not push the ball in most instances, usually performing her shuttle step jog up the floor. Nothing wrong with that, because her best game is the half court game. Nika provides the push in the offence, and besides, what is wrong with having two great passing guards on the floor at the same time. Paige's scoring is what we need this year, and the ability to run around without the ball can only help her chances of getting her best looks. Enter Nika, who last year showed she could get the ball to the right people at the right time. With Nika at the point, Paige and Azzi can use their energy to get open and let her get them the ball in those open spots.

 

[Skeets]

Sorry, Paige is the best ball handler, furthermore, there is nothing on a basketball court except defense that Nika does better than Paige! No disrespect intended toward Nika, just fact. Now I freely admit Nika may start as Geno will obviously make that call. I just think Paige is better choice to start and Nika a better choice for “shock and awe” off the bench. For what it’s worth, I feel the same about Aubrey! Those two are capable of completely changing the flow of any game, which is what you want in really good bench players.
What really matters I that we have so much talent on this team that we all may be wrong about who starts!

Nope, wrong. Since every possible combination will be covered between now and the first game, we all can't be wrong.

I can guarantee that the starting 5 will be the 5 that earned it in practice.

 

[jabstep]

Paige, Azzi, Edwards then Hmmmm. Brady because she can play the elbow with her outside shooting and her ability to bang inside with Aaliyah playing the foul line elbow area.
I know I know Nika has the record for assists but we proved we can be pressed by quicker teams. A big weakness was shown and other coaches we try to do the same. Only a few could be effective because of the personnel needed to press us. So i think Aubrey who can act as our defensive stopper for my fifth starter. Nika and Caroline first off the bench.

 

[oldhusky]

UConns best game is the transition game, always has and always will. Watching the old games, Paige does not push the ball in most instances, usually performing her shuttle step jog up the floor. Nothing wrong with that, because her best game is the half court game. Nika provides the push in the offence, and besides, what is wrong with having two great passing guards on the floor at the same time. Paige's scoring is what we need this year, and the ability to run around without the ball can only help her chances of getting her best looks. Enter Nika, who last year showed she could get the ball to the right people at the right time. With Nika at the point, Paige and Azzi can use their energy to get open and let her get them the ball in those open spots.

This is spot on. Going further the issue is not who is the best point guard overall, that is Paige no doubt, so what. The issue is using Nika and Paige together vs. Paige with a wing like Caroline or Aubrey. Nika pushes the pace, Paige does not. Nika is largely a one position player, Paige can be exceptional at 1-3, so when in the game together, Nika at the point is a way better pairing than Paige as the PG and Nika trying to be a wing.

Nika being the point when playing with Paige was not the initial combination, but Geno learned over time it was the best way to utilize their talents when they were both in the game. If you want the team to fast break and press more, Nika at the point is pretty much a no brainer.

I do thing Nika will be the first small to come out, probably for Caroline, and then Paige will move back to the point until Nika is ready to return and then Paige gets a blow, so Paige will get pretty much all of Nika's bench minutes at the point. By the way many seem to assume if Nika, Azzi and Paige are the starting smalls that Paige is the SG and Azzi the SF, but I have no idea why? Azzi's best position is clearly the 2, and Paige is by far the most versatile and quite capable of handling the 3. Paige is by far the better rebounder and it isn't even close, she is the same listed height (but I think she is taller) and longer so similarly to who plays what between Nika and Paige, Paige's versatility means you can use her at the 3 and use Azzi more where she is best.

Nika and Azzi play almost exclusively at their natural position, Caroline and Aubrey are the main subs for all three, but when they come in they play mostly at the 3 their best position, and if Nika is sitting Paige moves to the point, and if Azzi sits, Paige moves to SG. Using 5 players for 3 positions, 4 out of the 5 are used at their best position, and Paige's ability to be great at all three makes it possible.

 

[#12in21]

I agree w/ Kaizen for the starting five of the first game w/ the possible exception of Aubrey. If Ice or Jana show they are ready I believe one of them will get the nod at the five and Aaliyah will stay at the 4. Minutes will obviously adjust for individual players, but I did a summary of production for the OP's starting five and Caroline 1st sub, based on all except Paige's 22-23 stats (Paige's 20-21 stats are included, her best season). For Nika. Aaliyah, Aubrey 22-23 was their best season for all of their primary stats, Caroline, Azzi and Paige had better performances in certain stats other seasons as noted with an *. (see pdf attached)

The summary shows total minutes of 186.9 for those six, scoring 77.8/game with 30.5 rebs/game and 20.6 assists/game. 13.1 minutes remain unassigned. With probable minute adjustments among those shown the reserve minutes beyond Carolines would probably be closer to 20 minutes/game. With no true center included in the six shown we can assume rebounds would increase with some minutes going to other bigs . I believe that both assists and points per game would also be greater than this projection, based on the combination of varied talent Geno can have on the floor together both as starters and coming in off the bench. If healthy, we haven't seen this much potential in a number of years.

 

[#12in21]

Paige, Azzi, Edwards then Hmmmm. Brady because she can play the elbow with her outside shooting and her ability to bang inside with Aaliyah playing the foul line elbow area.
I know I know Nika has the record for assists but we proved we can be pressed by quicker teams. A big weakness was shown and other coaches we try to do the same. Only a few could be effective because of the personnel needed to press us. So i think Aubrey who can act as our defensive stopper for my fifth starter. Nika and Caroline first off the bench.

Disagree with your concern related to other teams pressing us as it relates to Nika. In tOSU game this season, if Nika and Paige were both on the floor and Aaliyah wasn't sitting with foul trouble that press would have not been an issue, in fact it would allowed us to get easy transition buckets and tOSU would have quickly abandoned it. Nika at Point alongside Paige and Azzi with Aaliyah at the four and ? as the fifth starter will be our best and most dangerous starting lineup, IMO. If one of our other bigs shows they can play at the level of those four we will be an incredibly hard team to beat.

 

[Bone Dog]

I agree w/ Kaizen for the starting five of the first game w/ the possible exception of Aubrey. If Ice or Jana show they are ready I believe one of them will get the nod at the five and Aaliyah will stay at the 4. Minutes will obviously adjust for individual players, but I did a summary of production for the OP's starting five and Caroline 1st sub, based on all except Paige's 22-23 stats (Paige's 20-21 stats are included, her best season). For Nika. Aaliyah, Aubrey 22-23 was their best season for all of their primary stats, Caroline, Azzi and Paige had better performances in certain stats other seasons as noted with an *. (see pdf attached)

The summary shows total minutes of 186.9 for those six, scoring 77.8/game with 30.5 rebs/game and 20.6 assists/game. 13.1 minutes remain unassigned. With probable minute adjustments among those shown the reserve minutes beyond Carolines would probably be closer to 20 minutes/game. With no true center included in the six shown we can assume rebounds would increase with some minutes going to other bigs . I believe that both assists and points per game would also be greater than this projection, based on the combination of varied talent Geno can have on the floor together both as starters and coming in off the bench. If healthy, we haven't seen this much potential in a number of years.

Nice work, @12in21. I don’t expect to see Aubrey play 30 mins next season. The wear n tear on her showed eventually this season. I think we’ll see 20 mins/g. In fact, I hope no one averages 30/g except maybe Aaliyah, and definitely not Nika. Wouldn’t it be great to see Aubrey not having to wear a back brace on the bench, or Nika not wearing all that ankle armor? And Caroline not wearing an ice pack on her head?

I also wonder what sort of team speed we’ll have. KK has that quick first step, but I don’t know if anyone else has that. Aubrey and Aaliyah run the court well, and I suspect Q will too — that’s a different kind of speed, long strides like a gazelle. Azzi can be quick and fast, though maybe not as quick as KK. But with her midrange game she doesn’t have to be since defenders typically have to overplay her, especially when they put a tall guard on her. Paige is similar this way, not as quick maybe but you can’t sag off her and then she blows by defenders. Caroline doesn’t blow by defenders, but she knows how to get someone on her hip and then use her height and length to get to the rim.

Nika Azzi and Aubrey combined for some good press work early in the season. I hope they don’t get worn down by March, since it would be good to see that again then. This is a place where Inês KK Ashlynn and Q could find some game minutes midseason. I’m afraid our core may not have “young legs” anymore, except maybe Aaliyah.

 

[Carnac]

This is fascinating!!

 

[Bigboote]

IMHO Geno will definitely have Nika in the starting lineup!
Geno is extremely loyal!

It's not that he's loyal, it's that Geno, whom I think most on this board would acknowledge is a really smart basketball guy, has repeatedly said what he thinks Nika brings to the team. Why would he leave the player who he says "believes she can do anything and makes everyone around her believe it too" on the bench? Why would he leave the player who lights a fire under the team on the bench?

She won't play 35 minutes a game, it'll probably be more like 25. Nika or Paige will probably be on the floor all the game except for mopup time. That's probably 15-20 minutes with two point guards on the floor, 20-25 with one. What's wrong with that? Worked fine with D and Sue, worked fine with Cazorla and Ionescu.

 

[billnaples]

Where to begin? I can say with currently a 14 player roster and barring any injury or other events we don't discuss, I don't think any roster in my memory over the last 30 plus years has any where close to the talent level presented by this group. Understood that the frosh are untested but the promise is there. No slight intended but Bettencourt is arguably the only member of the squad that no one has commented about and is not likely to jump into any conversation about possible starting personnel. So I think I will defer to the very talented talent evaluator and his Associate. And again barring any other factors we'll eventually get a picture as practice and exhibition games happen. I will say it is a lot of fun to read all of the forecasts of lineups and reasons why, See who comes close to reality say 12/1!

 

[meyers7]

I've been saying for awhile, The Kid, Fudd, Edwards and Muhl start. That's done and dusted. (as long as they are healthy) The question is who's the 5th? I'm thinking between Griffin, CFD and Ice.

I'd like to see Ice, because that would mean she showed really, really well in preseason. But I think Geno will chose between Griffin and CFD. I think he will go with Griffin unless CFD is 100% healthy and just makes it impossible for him not to start her.

 

[Carnac]

This is probably the greatest line up in women's basketball history.. With the exception of Breanna, if these players would of played together at their prime, respectively, there isn't another team in the history of women's basketball that would beat them. To put it in perspective, if you assemble a counter team of Sheryl Swoops, Tina Thompson, Lisa leslie, Dawn Staley, and Cynthia Cooper, they still wouldn't beat this uconn line up. That speaks volume about the Uconn basketball program and how effectively they develop their players. Just my humble opinion.

Whoaaaa. You're talking about 5 Hall of Famers here. ALL 5 would tear your heart out and shove it back in through another orifice. These 5 in their prime together would be extremely tough to beat five on five. I'd bet money if they were on a USA Olympic Team together IN THEIR PRIME, they would completely blow away the competition.

Crap happens. Even though we were short-handed at times last season, I still believe there was NO WAY we should have lost to Notre Dame, Maryland, Marquette, St. Johns or Ohio State. At no time last season did I ever think we would beat South Carolina......and we didn't.

While I respect your opinion that this 2023-2024 team should be one of the best teams Geno has ever had here, I can't go THAT far to say they could beat these five GREAT players in their prime. THAT my friend I think is a bridge too far.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Year 2023-2024 can be one of the best women basketball team in UConn history.
My guess of the starting five:
-Paige Bueckers
-Azzi Fudd
-Aaliyah Edwards
-Nika Mühl
-Aubrey Griffin

First out bench: Caroline Ducharme

This is my guess as well. When possible Geno would rather have his experienced players out there, and this line up is basically all 4th and 5th year players except for Azzi.

 

[Carnac]

Nope, wrong. Since every possible combination will be covered between now and the first game, we all can't be wrong.

I can guarantee that the starting 5 will be the 5 that earned it in practice.

That's right!!

 

[Bald Husky]

I mentioned before who I thought was going to start, but the battle will be for bench minutes. Caroline will be #1 off the bench IF she is healthy. Concussion, stiff neck, we can only hope that those problems will go away this summer. That is a big if, but if she is healthy, she may compete to be a starter, at least get starters minutes. Ice and Jana have been mentioned as possible post contributors, and I whole hardily agree, but nobody is mentioning Ashlyn Shade. She could surprise some people and could legitimately be a good backup at the 3 or 4. This kid is tough, we know she is in great shape, and her game in my opinion mirrors Carolines game. We never know about freshmen no matter how good their reps are from high school, but I believe this girl will be here to play. Last summer we were playing the minutes game like we are now until the numbers began to dwindle. If the Gods are with us (LOL I just finished watching Vikings for the third time), we will have all these players, all 14 of them, ready to play UConn basketball, and won't that be a grand sight.

 

[oldhusky]

Where’s the love for Inês? What happens if her sophomore jump is higher than the other player's improvement?

Another one bites the dust...

I'm afraid short of injuries like in the last two years, it is hard to find playing time for her even if she improves a great deal. She is probably the 4th best PG option behind Paige, Nika and KK, and KK may not get much time herself. As for the other two small positions two other players who may not be used much at least in their first year, Ashlynn and Q would probably also project to be ahead of her.

 

[boscolino]

pb, azzi, aubrey, aaliyah, ice.

 

[tkaes]

Where’s the love for Inês? What happens if her sophomore jump is higher than the other player's improvement?

Another one bites the dust...

Whose minutes would you reduce so Ines can play more? Paige? Certainly not. Azzi? No. Nika? I don't care how much Ines may improve, she's not going to surpass those 3.