UConn Women basketball Early 2023-2024 Starting Five Prediction

[hoopsfan22]

Didn't they play together before? I'm sure the coaching staff will make it work.

 

[Bone Dog]

Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Husky fans everywhere who would like to see her succeed. And how can hope not happen? That's just too strange for me. Hope can always happen. I'm hoping for a donut right now. Whether I get it or not, the hope still happened.

Or perhaps you meant you don't share my hope that Amari succeeds. That sounds strange to me. Don't we all hope for that?

 

[Geesworld]

So much will be thrown at the 3 young ones.
This group of ICE, Jana and Ayanna and throw Amari into that mix, will really have to show Geno something to be trusted to play alongside Aaliyah next season. Playing time will be difficult as Geno loves his perimeter players.
Nika and KK up-tempo style of play will be huge as Nika won't have to play so many minutes and we will have healthy options at PG. Few games lost last year was due to limited Ball handling. KK also a better shooting option than Nika.

Starting
PG Nika the Point God has to start
SG Azzi
SG Paige if healthy
W/P Aubrey
P Aaliyah

Rotation
Caroline 15-20 min
ICE 10-15 min
Ayanna 10-15 min
KK 12-15 min could be higher in rotation pending Paige and Azzi health
Jana 8-12 min
Ashlynn Shade 6-10 min

 

[Happydad745]

Paige/Azzi/Nika/Aaliyah.....almost every game. The fifth starter will be determined by the opponent. Most likely it would be Aubrey or Ayanna, until we see everyone playing to see what, if anything, needs to be changed.

 

[Carnac]

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.

I agree. The only thing that will limit Caroline’s minutes next season is her health.

 

[JellyBean]

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

I frigging love this lineup, especially if we press. Go into 1-2-2 halfcourt or a 2-2-1 fullcourt press and then we can use our bench more, hopefully. Plus, this allows us to be the aggressor. We can be in attack mode from the jump.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Some of this seems like past years' discussions. Assuming everyone is healthy, I like Kaizen's unit: Paige, Azzi, Nika, Aubrey, and Liya. If that unit is too small, replace Aubs with Ice.

I also agree with Meyers: The sure starters are Paige, Azzi, Liya, and, yes, Nika. The 5th starter is Aubrey, Carol, Ice, or possibly Jana.

One of the best PGs in recent years was Sabrina Ionescu. However, she was not actually the PG on the Oregon team. Paige will play the Sabrina role and Nika will play the PG role.

 

[tower1]

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

I will have to disagree with you we need some size and beef !!

 

[Carnac]

Easy, because I don't. I can't see that far away. I'm "near" sighted. December is 7 months away. You know as well as I do that a player's stock can rise or fall once official practice begins in mid-October. We're still in April. I don't remember anyone predicting right after Lou Lopez-Senechal was announced as joining our team from the portal that she would be a starter in game one. I do remember many of us wondering if her skillset would translate to this level and if she could learn the system fast enough to help us at all.

Geno is going to start 5 players that he feels give his team the best chance to win. We can all make projections based on last year's performances. i.e., the best prediction of future behavior is past behavior. Right now we can't predict anything for any of the freshmen for obvious reasons. Nor can anyone of us say with any certainty who will be the starting 5 in that first game in DECEMBER. Not November, December. We'd like to think that our starting 5 will be solid and all of them endure the ravages of a 5 month season.

Anytime you make a prediction, assumptions (especially this far out) are ALWAYS tied to or associated with that prediction, health being one of them. Someone's stock is going to rise through the roof during practice this year. Who will it be? A freshman, a reserve player, a starter from last year?

We don't know, and it isn't fair to throw shade or assume anything about any of the freshmen at this point. We'll just have to wait and see. It's fun and interesting to read all the different takes on next season's starting lineup though. One poster sees the glass as half full, and another sees it as half empty.

A Genoism: "I don't decide who starts (plays), the players do." He also said that he tells his players every year: "Give me a reason to play you, or a reason to keep you on the bench." Geno and his staff already have a pretty good idea of who can do what, but of course, they want to see what each individual player looks like after their summer weight training and workouts. Four years ago, I all but guaranteed that Alyiah Boston was coming to UConn. I had to walk that back and learned a very valuable lesson while doing so. I don't do that anymore. I hate the taste of crow and humble pie.

 

[Kaizen]

I will have to disagree with you we need some size and beef !!

Options:
Ayanna Patterson, 6-2
Amari DeBerry, 6-5
Ice Brady, 6-3
Jana El Alfy. 6-4
Qadence Samuels, 6-2

 

[Bigboote]

I frigging love this lineup, especially if we press. Go into 1-2-2 halfcourt or a 2-2-1 fullcourt press and then we can use our bench more, hopefully. Plus, this allows us to be the aggressor. We can be in attack mode from the jump.

Yes! Her sophomore year, Nika was on the player bringing the ball up almost every possession. If UConn has the depth we all hope for, then she'll be able to do that, and UConn will be apply anything between soft pressure and close full-court pressure much of the time. Paige and Aubrey are both exceptional defenders in the open court. Aubrey with her speed and jumping ability, Paige with her uncanny ability to anticipate passes.

 

[SVCBeercats]

starting five:

Nika
Paige
Azzi
Aaliyah
Ice

Rotation: Caroline, Aubrey, Jana

 

[Alydar]

LMAO, are we going to have another debate about Nika? She is the point guard, Paige is the SG, Azzi is the small forward. Aubrey and Aaliyah are the forwards. We need people on the floor that can score, and we need a player on the floor that can get them the ball in the best position possible. @Kaizen has the right line-up, the fight will be who will be the players off the bench, and how many. THAT is going to be the question, who will step up for the bench minutes on this team. No brainer on the starters, but after that, the competition will be fierce. Love that!

Bueckers is a pg
Fudd is a shooting guard

They may be the best at the position in the entire country.

Why are you moving them? I'll tell you why. You want Muhl to start at pg.

UConn is a better team with Bueckers at pg. She was moved as a freshman and Muhl started because Muhl was a better pg than Westbrook was a scoring guard. There is no need for Bueckers to shift to scoring guard. Fudd is a better shooter than Bueckers. And Ducharme at the wing is also an outstanding shooter and scorer.

Here's a lineup where players play where they are best.


pg - Bueckers
sg - Fudd
sf - Griffin
pf - Edwards
post Brady

This is my starting team. It assumes health.

 

[Bone Dog]

Paige can play pg, and she may be better than anyone in D1 at it. But we still may be better with Nika at pg, at least for part of the game. And Paige is also an excellent sg, maybe the best in D1. It's not like we lose anything by playing her off the ball. What we gain is Nika's fire. The team is more focused on transition scoring with Nika on the floor, and team defense may be more energetic too. The way I see it, we can have two different team personalities opponents will have to deal with, one with Nika Azzi Paige in the backcourt and the other with Paige Azzi Caroline. I think this is a powerful resource.

I also want to see Ayanna as part of the transition defense unit. Aaliyah and Ayanna running the floor directed by Nika could be a truly intimidating experience for opponents. Aubrey and Q can rotate in and out of what I'll call Team Mayhem too. The transition game is the heart of UConn and we should have the personnel to revive it.

This means the Paige Azzi Caroline/Aubrey backcourt might include Aaliyah and Amari/Ice/Jana in the front court.

And the Nika Azzi Paige backcourt could feature Aaliyah Ayanna/Aubrey and Q in the front court.

 

[Dogstar]

Bueckers is a pg
Fudd is a shooting guard

They may be the best at the position in the entire country.

Why are you moving them? I'll tell you why. You want Muhl to start at pg.

UConn is a better team with Bueckers at pg. She was moved as a freshman and Muhl started because Muhl was a better pg than Westbrook was a scoring guard. There is no need for Bueckers to shift to scoring guard. Fudd is a better shooter than Bueckers. And Ducharme at the wing is also an outstanding shooter and scorer.

Here's a lineup where players play where they are best.



pg - Bueckers
sg - Fudd
sf - Griffin
pf - Edwards
post Brady

This is my starting team. It assumes health.

Every off season some posters always want to delegate Nika to the bench, I guess 7pts 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 time BE defensive player of the year, and from Genos own words the pacesetter and steadying force of the team, ain't good enough, and while I agree with some of ur points it's hard to believe tht you actually, and I love her energy, put Aubrey in the starting lineup over her. Seems some keep trying to demote her but the coach keeps proving them wrong...SMH Everyone Eats but someone has to set the table and Nika's one of the best in the country at it....imo

 

[Cuango]

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.

I certainly agree with that last statement!

 

[darrell]

Paige can play pg, and she may be better than anyone in D1 at it. But we still may be better with Nika at pg, at least for part of the game. And Paige is also an excellent sg, maybe the best in D1. It's not like we lose anything by playing her off the ball. What we gain is Nika's fire. The team is more focused on transition scoring with Nika on the floor, and team defense may be more energetic too. The way I see it, we can have two different team personalities opponents will have to deal with, one with Nika Azzi Paige in the backcourt and the other with Paige Azzi Caroline. I think this is a powerful resource.

I also want to see Ayanna as part of the transition defense unit. Aaliyah and Ayanna running the floor directed by Nika could be a truly intimidating experience for opponents. Aubrey and Q can rotate in and out of what I'll call Team Mayhem too. The transition game is the heart of UConn and we should have the personnel to revive it.

This means the Paige Azzi Caroline/Aubrey backcourt might include Aaliyah and Amari/Ice/Jana in the front court.

And the Nika Azzi Paige backcourt could feature Aaliyah Ayanna/Aubrey and Q in the front court.

Nika, as great a season as she had, was a turnover machine. That coupled with her reluctance to shoot/score makes Paige the obvious option at starting PG.

Aubrey is great, but she needs to work on her shooting. The great thing about Dorka starting next to Aaliyah was her ability to space the floor. Jana and Ice both have that ability, which is why I‘d go with either of them to let Aaliyah work in the post.

 

[HopJim]

As I have commented before, I am more interested in who starts at the end of the year, particularly in the NCAA's, that I am the first game of the year. Too many issues Day 1 - players coming back from injuries, frosh getting their first minutes, etc. to give this much thought. With so little news, worthy of discussion but hopefully we have better topics soon.

 

[Skeets]

Inês proved to be a serviceable PG last year. Unfortunately that's not good enough to break into the regular rotation. Inês will remain in the position she was brought in for, that is, an insurance policy.

We gonna go through the whole Nika thing again? Is this place ground hog day? The question isn't who is the best PG. The question is where is Paige's best position PG or SG? It could very well be a toss up. If so then wouldn't it make sense to play her at SG and the assist leader, 2 time BE DPOY at PG?

 

[Bald Husky]

Inês proved to be a serviceable PG last year. Unfortunately that's not good enough to break into the regular rotation. Inês will remain in the position she was brought in for, that is, an insurance policy.

We gonna go through the whole Nika thing again? Is this place ground hog day? The question isn't who is the best PG. The question is where is Paige's best position PG or SG? It could very well be a toss up. If so then wouldn't it make sense to play her at SG and the assist leader, 2 time BE DPOY at PG?

Paige does not push the ball up the court, Nika does, and who better to receive Nika's baseball passes than our best finisher, Paige Bueckers.

 

[freshler40]

Inês proved to be a serviceable PG last year. Unfortunately that's not good enough to break into the regular rotation. Inês will remain in the position she was brought in for, that is, an insurance policy.

We gonna go through the whole Nika thing again? Is this place ground hog day? The question isn't who is the best PG. The question is where is Paige's best position PG or SG? It could very well be a toss up. If so then wouldn't it make sense to play her at SG and the assist leader, 2 time BE DPOY at PG?

With several of our guards being the positionless type, the labels are moot. The on-court happenings are what matter and smart players find the holes in the defense led by coaches who know the talent. Paige grew inherent coaching ability while sitting out this past season. It will be exciting to see what she brings with this new diamond of knowledge. The stew our team now has includes a taste for all seasons and defenses.

 

[Childhood]

Nika, as great a season as she had, was a turnover machine. That coupled with her reluctance to shoot/score makes Paige the obvious option at starting PG.

Aubrey is great, but she needs to work on her shooting. The great thing about Dorka starting next to Aaliyah was her ability to space the floor. Jana and Ice both have that ability, which is why I‘d go with either of them to let Aaliyah work in the post.

Griffin is athletic and she has great speed in the court. There was very good chemistry between CW and Paige. I missed their full court passes and finishes. I think Griffin plus Paige is a good combination as well.

 

[Bone Dog]

Nika, as great a season as she had, was a turnover machine.

This doesn’t strike me as a fair assessment of what Nika did last year. Her Assist/TO ratio was 2.24 on 284 assists. Out of context this doesn’t appear to be the best in the land. But it is arguably the best of any pg not at a mid-major school who also had over 200 assists. Only Rori Harmon comes close with an A/TO ratio of 2.3 on 228 assists. Even Caitlin’s A/TO ratio was 2.07 on 327 assists. This amount to 30 more turnovers than Nika had. I’d add that Nika did what she did with patchwork lineups and a team often so short handed as not to be able to run full practices for weeks on end.

It used to be possible to fault Nika’s offense. But I think she answered those critics this season, driving and finishing at the rim in the half court offense. She was no longer limited to transition layups and wide open mortar-shot 3s. These were often statement baskets, scoring when the team really needed her to break the ice or end a drought, shots she wouldn’t have taken the previous two years. Does she have another level she can take it to? I think so. The midrange jump shot is the next thing she needs to add to her game, and she’ll have the advantage of playing and practicing next to two tremendous midrange shooters.