UConn's 23-24 Non-Con Schedule

[Fossil]

You disregarded altogether the season of injuries UConn had. Yes, UConn may have been whole by tournament time but where they 100% healthy and for how long has this "whole" team played together?

You are correct that I did not specifically state about the injuries. I thought I implied that with the high energy games that can cause injuries such as Azzi’s knee, Carolines head, Dorka’s thumb, Aubrey’s back, Nika’s ankle and I do agree that they may have been there As a whole team, but we’re clearly not all 100% The injuries were clearly a major factor this season and with a lighter schedule Yukon May avoid some injuries next year. Hopefully.

 

[YKCornelius]

I disagree with the schedule of out of conference teams listed above in addition to inconference schedule of Big East Teams especially if they are going to be spaced as they were this year. That is too much pressure for the personnel to endure and leaves no room for injuries and unforcasted events that will not allow the opitimum team to be on the floor.

These recruits should not be looked at as the miracles to place UConn above other programs. In most cases these miracle recruits sit on the bench and languish away contributing very little. What happened to Ayanna Patterson and Amari Debarry? What a waste when these young women would be starters or backups in other programs. And, yet when they try to contribute, the results are less than satisfactory.

Couple of interesting factoids, Paige and Azzi have been missing in action for the last two years and when Azzi has been available, everyone thinks that every basket is going to go in and that is not the case. She is not a Caitlan Clark or a Maddy Siecrest who can do this in almost every game. And, who is to say that these two women can ever play effectively again and not have other injuries to their legs that will eliminate them for another year. Paige is becoming he greatest basketball player that never played. And, Carolyn may be theoretically finished. Did not anyone see her holding her head during the game with Ohio State while on the floor trying to play.

I would prefer an easier schedule that allows the team to come together and allow them to learn to play basketball the way Geno wants them to play. Beating these kids to ground with that schedule listed above does not necessarily prepare them for adversity as it breaks the team down.

I know that there those that have voiced approval of the schedule above and I think that there are some that who would like to see a more modest schedul. The kind of schedule above is for a team like of the Breanna Stewart years. Not now. They are not even close.

Veryolddog, you seem to mix a lot of frustration/exasperation in your post - unrealistic expectations towards recruits, languishing development of bench players, and potential physical limitations of current players going forward. A lot to unpack there. Exactly how do those issues correlate to a tough OOC schedule?

Are you insinuating - which I believe you are given your second sentence - that if some of the tough OOC games this year were replaced with patsies, then perhaps the injuries wouldn't have occurred, or recovery would have been sooner, or that practices with a limited roster would have been less restricted?

On the other hand, perhaps I am misunderstanding you. Rather than replace tough opponents with patsies, perhaps you are simply advocating for a smaller size schedule overall - say 28 games vice 31, and not for switching to weaker opponents. If so, although I would still advocate for the maximum number of games, I wouldn't be strongly opposed to a smaller schedule, provided that whatever OOC opponents were scheduled were also expected to be the most difficult.

Either way, I would contend that the toughness of this year's opponents did not contribute to the team wearing down this year. By mid-season UConn struggled with unranked conference opponents as well as with tougher opponents. As Geno noted throughout February, the home-then-away scheduling, an extremely limited bench, and (most importantly?) the decisions to severely restrict/limit practices, were the primary causal factors affecting the Huskies' performance on the court in the latter half of the season.

 

[connboy77]

If UCONN stays healthy next year it doesn't matter who they play because no one is going to beat them !

 

[SVCBeercats]

Wow! That’ll get the troops ready! Let’s hope the BE steps up as well.

Let's hope everyone stays healthy! With this schedule they will all be needed.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[hoopsdiva]

So we have homecoming games (or the closest equivalent) for Paige and Nika. What about Aaliyah?

 

[Charliebball]

I am concerned with the physical toll those games will take on us.

I love that UConn always plays a tough nonconference schedule but the spacing between games was torturous last season..........I hope the games can be spaced out better going forward..........

 

[From France]

The 2023 season, Huskies played with somewhat a 6 players rotation, due to injuries and a roster not full of its scholarship possibilities
Next year will be strange, since I have never seen such a number of players on the roster
If all stay healthy, we (Huskies) have a very good chance to return where the team belongs

 

[Blakeon18]

Is our non-conference schedule now complete with the addition of Ball State?

We do have that early season tournament...2 games or 3?
Do we know the other participants in that one....do we know our
first game opponent?

 

[Zarathustra]

What Geno does with the out of conference scheduling at UConn is totally amazing. I know that these games are needed not only for strength of schedule purposes but for women's basketball in general. However, playing the same schools over and over even though it might excite some fans it doesn't for all. For me it would be great to see the tournament currently played at the Mohegan Sun Arena at the start of the season be turned into a Northeast School Tournament. Have revolving schools take part such as: UConn, Boston College, Penn State, Syracuse, Rutgers, Temple, and maybe UMass. But UConn plays yearly and conference schools don't face each other. Would this draw fans? I don't know. For the UConn game it would of course. Penn State at one time was an awesome program. I would like to see Rutgers on our schedule once again as well as Syracuse. Just my thought....

There is the issue of Strength of Schedule, No?

 

[BBallF]

I love that UConn always plays a tough nonconference schedule but the spacing between games was torturous last season..........I hope the games can be spaced out better going forward..........

Absolutely. The ND and MD games away were disasters. Both were on national TV in the afternoon after a night home game. Go to bed, wake up, travel, play the next day. LSU wasn't doing any of that stuff.

 

[Centerstream]

Absolutely. The ND and MD games away were disasters. Both were on national TV in the afternoon after a night home game. Go to bed, wake up, travel, play the next day. LSU wasn't doing any of that stuff.

I'm laughing at this, not your entire post...

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

The Ball State fee is about the going rate, based on what we heard pre-pandemic. At the time, Sherri was still at OK and was supposedly a top payer, and the figure was just a bit more than that. Given a bit of inflation . . .

 

[BBallF]

Is our non-conference schedule now complete with the addition of Ball State?

We do have that early season tournament...2 games or 3?
Do we know the other participants in that one....do we know our
first game opponent?

I just really hope we play Iowa at some point. The TV ratings with a healthy Paige will be off the charts.

 

[Carnac]

Do you think Tara would want to schedule us. Seems she's over playing any series with GA and the squad.

No.

 

[Carnac]

37 miles from St. John's Univ to Ossining (Aubrey's hometown). Perhaps Geno thinks THAT'S close enough to qualify as a "homecoming" game?!? I don't believe there are any other D1 colleges closer to Ossining than SJU. UConn can work something for Aaliyah as they did for Kia Nurse.

 

[hoopsdiva]

Aubrey is from Ossining NY. She gets a homecoming game every time we play St John's.

 

[OldSchooler]

So we have homecoming games (or the closest equivalent) for Paige and Nika. What about Aaliyah?

I'm still holding out for a game at Yukon University, in Whitehorse YT (assuming they have a women's basketball program). UConn Huskies visit the "land of the huskies." Jonathan would love that one.

 

[Bald Husky]

Dates are all messed up, have to wait until the official schedule. This thread has us playing ND and @ Texas on Dec. 3, and North Carolina on either Dec 9 or 10th, as well as Dec 17th. No Tennessee huh, no big loss, although I would like to see Paige to get a crack at them again.