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Message: [QUOTE="MilfordHusky, post: 2679767, member: 366"] I think there are 3 givens for starters next year--Lou, Pheesa, and Crystal. For the other 2 slots, picking ANYONE requires a leap of faith. Some folks seem confident about certain players, including Megan, Christyn, Olivia, Batouly, Kyla, Mikayla, and maybe Molly or Lexie. When I look at the returning players, I think Megan is by far the closest. She had a fairly typical UConn freshman season. In the games when Lou was out, Megan played some of her best basketball, including at UCLA and at Temple. She also did a solid job in the regular season against Notre Dame. She is clearly the most talented of the remaining returners. She's very athletic and has skills. I had been thinking that Megan would start and Christyn would be the best option as the 5th starter, because she really has game. But that would be a small lineup. Then I thought about what Geno did last year. He said there were concerns either way, but the easiest thing to do was keep 4 players in the same positions as the prior year and replace the one departed player. Thus, Crystal took Saniya's starting slot. If Geno follows the same approach as last year, he replaces Kia with either Megan or Christyn. Then, he replaces Gabby with his best option, whom I view as Olivia. We know that Geno likes to bring in a sixth player who can change the complexion of the game. Christyn seems to fit that very well. Plus, Megan has more experience, so she draws the nod to start. Some think Meg can't play the SG position, but I think she can. I know Olivia is thin, but her legs look pretty strong, she competes and runs the floor, and she has wide-ranging skills. Geno started Tina and a freshman and then Stefanie as a freshman. I think he'll start Liv. I like what she showed in the All-American games. I may change my mind over the next 6 months, but I'm thinking Lou, Pheesa, Crystal, Megan, and Olivia, with the dynamic Christyn Williams as the first player off the bench. I hope that Kyla or Batouly and Mikayla make very large leaps, but I see a drop-off after our first 6. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach