Unbelievable depth

[Bills Fan]

Reading the story on today's game in the Hartford Cour. points out just how deep and scary (or as Azzi would say-nasty) this UCONN team is. For those of you who read this paper's pre-game stories you know that they have a section listing the expected starters and 6th "man." For the Georgetown game that list doesn't include Liya, Dorka or Caroline. Just think about that for a minute ! Maybe Tony C has been right all along ---NC 12 !

 

[Scud49]

You're right - great depth, but we gotta do it the old fashioned way - we gotta earn it:

 

[Zinethar]

Reading the story on today's game in the Hartford Cour. points out just how deep and scary (or as Azzi would say-nasty) this UCONN team is. For those of you who read this paper's pre-game stories you know that they have a section listing the expected starters and 6th "man." For the Georgetown game that list doesn't include Liya, Dorka or Caroline. Just think about that for a minute ! Maybe Tony C has been right all along ---NC 12 !

So true but you forgot even one more huge "reserve" - Evina!

 

[MooseJaw]

Reading the story on today's game in the Hartford Cour. points out just how deep and scary (or as Azzi would say-nasty) this UCONN team is. For those of you who read this paper's pre-game stories you know that they have a section listing the expected starters and 6th "man." For the Georgetown game that list doesn't include Liya, Dorka or Caroline. Just think about that for a minute ! Maybe Tony C has been right all along ---NC 12 !

It's great to have depth, if and when you need or use it. The real question is will our depth be needed or used. We all know coaches' propensity to utilize a very short bench especially come tourney time. I look forward to see how he gives out minutes and to whom. Another thing to follow, does he stick with the same plan in the National tourney as he does in the BE tourney. My guess is that the bench gets shorter as the team moves on.

 

[Bills Fan]

So true but you forgot even one more huge "reserve" - Evina!

Did not forget her. She is included in the 6 players listed as potential starters in the article

 

[RedStickHusky]

It's great to have depth, if and when you need or use it. The real question is will our depth be needed or used. We all know coaches' propensity to utilize a very short bench especially come tourney time. I look forward to see how he gives out minutes and to whom. Another thing to follow, does he stick with the same plan in the National tourney as he does in the BE tourney. My guess is that the bench gets shorter as the team moves on.

That has been Geno's approach more often than not but of late he's been talking a lot about weaponizing depth and pace, so maybe... Plus, I don't think there is anybody in the 9-player rotation that he wants to bury.

 

[Centerstream]

I would expect Geno to do what he did against St. John’s, the first substitution will be 4 players in and 4 players out.
Do we know the starting lineup yet??? Where's the Twitter followers???

 

[EricLA]

It's great to have depth, if and when you need or use it. The real question is will our depth be needed or used. We all know coaches' propensity to utilize a very short bench especially come tourney time. I look forward to see how he gives out minutes and to whom. Another thing to follow, does he stick with the same plan in the National tourney as he does in the BE tourney. My guess is that the bench gets shorter as the team moves on.

I tend to agree BUT...

The BET will be a good chance to try things out. On senior night, we saw the lineup of 4 seniors + Paige was not an effective lineup. It's great to have depth - he can tell the players not to pace themselves, and sub liberally, but he needs to put good groups on the floor who are effective.

In the past, when he's had lots of high quality depth, he has used it. But we have not had depth all season. The team has not had much time to practice with everyone (save Aubrey) healthy and available - so it will be a challenge and interesting to see what lineups work, and which ones don't.

Paige has only been back for 2 games and had limited PT in both. March is not the time you want to experiment, but UCONN has no choice this year.

 

[Bills Fan]

It's great to have depth, if and when you need or use it. The real question is will our depth be needed or used. We all know coaches' propensity to utilize a very short bench especially come tourney time. I look forward to see how he gives out minutes and to whom. Another thing to follow, does he stick with the same plan in the National tourney as he does in the BE tourney. My guess is that the bench gets shorter as the team moves on.

You might be right to some degree, but do you really see Geno making significant reductions in the minutes of AE, DJ or Caroline Ducharme? Maybe minimal, but the most likely reduction in PT is for the BE Conf. DPOY and that loss of minutes is no fault of Nika, but rather due to the 2021 NPOY getting more time. I know there are two sides to the "How many players does Geno use" in the NCAA tourney, but I can't remember having the quality of players as his 7th, 8th and 9th players as this year. Just think about who those potential 7-9th players are and what they add to the team. Pick who you want for that group---DJ, AE, EW, Caroline Ducharme, NM---they will all play a major role in this team's NCAA success.

 

[MooseJaw]

You might be right to some degree, but do you really see Geno making significant reductions in the minutes of AE, DJ or Caroline Ducharme? Maybe minimal, but the most likely reduction in PT is for the BE Conf. DPOY and that loss of minutes is no fault of Nika, but rather due to the 2021 NPOY getting more time. I know there are two sides to the "How many players does Geno use" in the NCAA tourney, but I can't remember having the quality of players as his 7th, 8th and 9th players as this year. Just think about who those potential 7-9th players are and what they add to the team. Pick who you want for that group---DJ, AE, EW, Caroline Ducharme, NM---they will all play a major role in this team's NCAA success.

I think we all knows Geno will stay with the players that are executing the game plan the best. Those players with a hot hand. If CD comes in and lights it up, she will get more minutes, same goes for any player on the team. If a player can't find the right rhythm minutes will be cut. In essence the way the players contribute means everything, combined with the way the game plays out will dictate how deep coach delves into the bench.

 

[and one]

Outside of Amari and Piath, there aren't any players who can be considered purely bench players. That is players who are clearly less valuable in a game than the top 6 or 7 and get a max of ten minutes. There is no way Geno will settle into a 6 or 7 woman rotation. The deep talent on the roster will preclude that.

 

[Boreifs]

You might be right to some degree, but do you really see Geno making significant reductions in the minutes of AE, DJ or Caroline Ducharme? Maybe minimal, but the most likely reduction in PT is for the BE Conf. DPOY and that loss of minutes is no fault of Nika, but rather due to the 2021 NPOY getting more time. I know there are two sides to the "How many players does Geno use" in the NCAA tourney, but I can't remember having the quality of players as his 7th, 8th and 9th players as this year. Just think about who those potential 7-9th players are and what they add to the team. Pick who you want for that group---DJ, AE, EW, Caroline Ducharme, NM---they will all play a major role in this team's NCAA success.

Stewie’s Freshman year there were nine future WNBA players on the roster.

 

[Aluminny69]

Can you name a signature win? Tennessee? They were on a downward slide. UConn wins have been impressive, but against relatively weak competition. I'll reserve judgement until they play a stronger team. What did Allan Greenspan call it? "Irrational exhuberance."

 

[Next 12]

If I had to guess a motivating reason for the team to outdo themselves.I would think that winning a NC for the seniors who have not won one, would be A BIG ONE. The cohesiveness of the team for each other is a big factor. UCONN has a record of graduating NC players over the years and I feel it is a factor in their play. Any thoughts?

 

[Forego]

You might be right to some degree, but do you really see Geno making significant reductions in the minutes of AE, DJ or Caroline Ducharme? Maybe minimal, but the most likely reduction in PT is for the BE Conf. DPOY and that loss of minutes is no fault of Nika, but rather due to the 2021 NPOY getting more time. I know there are two sides to the "How many players does Geno use" in the NCAA tourney, but I can't remember having the quality of players as his 7th, 8th and 9th players as this year. Just think about who those potential 7-9th players are and what they add to the team. Pick who you want for that group---DJ, AE, EW, Caroline Ducharme, NM---they will all play a major role in this team's NCAA success.

Others might be able to recall another year where 7-9 were high quality players, I believe that you have to go back to the 1999-2000 season where 7-9 were Stacey Hansmeyer, Paige Sauer and Kelly Schumacher. Paige and Kelly were selected by WNBA teams in the draft. I can’t remember if Stacey was.

 

[tchalla1]

Can you name a signature win? Tennessee? They were on a downward slide. UConn wins have been impressive, but against relatively weak competition. I'll reserve judgement until they play a stronger team. What did Allan Greenspan call it? "Irrational exhuberance."

So if you're going to advance the claim that UConn has few signature wins fine, but don't then discount the win by saying TN was on a downward slide at the time. Conversely, I could take the opposite approach and say TN is the No. 2 seed in supposedly the best conference in WBB and is playing in their semis. I could also discount the UConn losses by saying we had a depleted squad and since the injured players have returned we have handled our business--look at all the upsets that have occurred with Louisville, LSU, and Michigan, etc.

it's not irrational exuberance when you've had to wait until nearly March Madness to see a team fully realize its potential and overcome so much adversity.

The great thing about this is that we will soon be playing the higher echelon of teams and your ill-reasoned theory can be put to test...

 

[Forego]

Others might be able to recall another year where 7-9 were high quality players, I believe that you have to go back to the 1999-2000 season where 7-9 were Stacey Hansmeyer, Paige Sauer and Kelly Schumacher. Paige and Kelly were selected by WNBA teams in the draft. I can’t remember if Stacey was.

Oh, by the way, 1-6 were also drafted by WNBA teams after their respective senior years, although Shea never got to play.

 

[Aluminny69]

So if you're going to advance the claim that UConn has few signature wins fine, but don't then discount the win by saying TN was on a downward slide at the time. Conversely, I could take the opposite approach and say TN is the No. 2 seed in supposedly the best conference in WBB and is playing in their semis. I could also discount the UConn losses by saying we had a depleted squad and since the injured players have returned we have handled our business--look at all the upsets that have occurred with Louisville, LSU, and Michigan, etc.

it's not irrational exuberance when you've had to wait until nearly March Madness to see a team fully realize its potential and overcome so much adversity.

The great thing about this is that we will soon be playing the higher echelon of teams and your ill-reasoned theory can be put to test...

I hope you're right.

 

[billnaples]

It's great to have depth, if and when you need or use it. The real question is will our depth be needed or used. We all know coaches' propensity to utilize a very short bench especially come tourney time. I look forward to see how he gives out minutes and to whom. Another thing to follow, does he stick with the same plan in the National tourney as he does in the BE tourney. My guess is that the bench gets shorter as the team moves on.

I think I understand the perspective of your guess about a shorter bench. So it begs the question who gets "shorted out" and when will that occur? My guess is as long as any/all players are contributing positive results, scoring. rebounds, assists, defensive stops, will continue to rotate. Who gets more minutes may depend on who is or getting hot and who needs defending. Game by game, needs will determine, not old habits of short benches. THese players have both talent and they have played under pressure and that was what got you dropped out in the "old days"

 

[tchalla1]

I hope you're right.

Certainly, anything can happen from this point on, but I feel the complete team that UConn puts on the floor can compete with anyone--Anyone.

 

[JellyBean]

It's great to have depth, if and when you need or use it. The real question is will our depth be needed or used. We all know coaches' propensity to utilize a very short bench especially come tourney time. I look forward to see how he gives out minutes and to whom. Another thing to follow, does he stick with the same plan in the National tourney as he does in the BE tourney. My guess is that the bench gets shorter as the team moves on.

That was my biggest concern, the use of the depth, at one point. But I think that after that situation after that Notre Dame game, that I will not name because I do not want to jinx anything, and the play of the players over the course of the season, Coach G sees what has developed and how he has to go deep with the bench.

 

[Veteran]

Can you name a signature win? Tennessee? They were on a downward slide. UConn wins have been impressive, but against relatively weak competition. I'll reserve judgement until they play a stronger team. What did Allan Greenspan call it? "Irrational exhuberance."

The team went to the final four last year without graduating a single senior. Which means this year's team is essentially the same one that was good enough to go to the final four last season. We lost a few peripheral players and replaced them with the #5 and the #1 rated players coming out of high school. And the case could be made that the #1 player is the sort of truly generational talent that only come along every few years. And right now, UConn has two generational type talents at the same time.

So, it seems to me that's legitimate cause for "rational exhuberance" about our 2022 prospects.

 

[RedStickHusky]

I think I understand the perspective of your guess about a shorter bench. So it begs the question who gets "shorted out" and when will that occur? My guess is as long as any/all players are contributing positive results, scoring. rebounds, assists, defensive stops, will continue to rotate. Who gets more minutes may depend on who is or getting hot and who needs defending. Game by game, needs will determine, not old habits of short benches. THese players have both talent and they have played under pressure and that was what got you dropped out in the "old days"

In the post game today, Geno talked about trying to be fair with minutes... I don't think I've heard him say that in the last 30 years or so.

 

[Plebe]

So if you're going to advance the claim that UConn has few signature wins fine, but don't then discount the win by saying TN was on a downward slide at the time. Conversely, I could take the opposite approach and say TN is the No. 2 seed in supposedly the best conference in WBB and is playing in their semis.

I like the spirit of your post, but Tennessee is the 3 seed in the SECT. They could've been the 2 seed but they couldn't even beat LSU at home with LSU missing its best player.

 

[Bigboote]

I think I understand the perspective of your guess about a shorter bench. So it begs the question who gets "shorted out" and when will that occur? My guess is as long as any/all players are contributing positive results, scoring. rebounds, assists, defensive stops, will continue to rotate. Who gets more minutes may depend on who is or getting hot and who needs defending. Game by game, needs will determine, not old habits of short benches. THese players have both talent and they have played under pressure and that was what got you dropped out in the "old days"

I absolutely agree. Moreover, why wouldn't a coach want depth? There may be situations when they want to play four guards or situations when they want to play three frontcourt players plus Ducharme. South Carolina plays a lot of players, and they mix up styles and lineups a lot.