USC Gamecocks 2024-25 Season: Part Two

[oldude]

Like some on the UConn board, you are underestimating the loss of Paige. She draws a ton of attention from the defense and which inevitably helped Sarah’s game and also Azzis. Paige with her intangibles and leadership also gave the team a less pressure in pressure moments. It will be hard to replace. Yes having Sarah and Azzi is a great combo, but what made it work so well this year was the options the three together created. I’m not sure we will be close to that next year.

Geno will figure things out, as he always does. The one season UConn played entirely without Paige, with a bunch of players injured, the team still managed to get back to the Sweet 16. While it’s true they lost to tOSU, the team UConn fields next season will be far more talented.

The other thing I would argue is that UConn established an identity this year as the best defensive team in the nation. Even without Paige, Kaitlyn and Aubrey, I don’t see that changing next season.

Without Paige, the Huskies may not be able to beat UCLA & SC by 34pts & 23pts respectively. But I’m happy to settle for 10pt wins against both teams.

 

[Zonepress]

Like some on the UConn board, you are underestimating the loss of Paige. She draws a ton of attention from the defense and which inevitably helped Sarah’s game and also Azzis. Paige with her intangibles and leadership also gave the team a less pressure in pressure moments. It will be hard to replace. Yes having Sarah and Azzi is a great combo, but what made it work so well this year was the options the three together created. I’m not sure we will be close to that next year.

you’re right it’s almost laughable to think that
The loss of Paige would not severely diminish
Uconn!!

 

[oldude]

you’re right it’s almost laughable to think that
The loss of Paige would not severely diminish
Uconn!!

Paige will certainly be missed. But “severely diminish?” I don’t think so.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Portal doesn’t close until a couple more weeks

My bad, thanx.

 

[SCGamecock]

Any news on whether Kylee Kitts is going to SC? And how does that change our roster. I believe she would be a redshirt freshman?

Putting this thread back on topic:

No news, but a lot of speculation based on how well Chloe is doing at SC and how much her parents love Dawn. We’ll see.

If SC lands Okot, in addition to Latson and possibly another Kitts, without losing anybody, that puts us at 14.. pretty stacked roster.

Watkins
Dauda
C. Kitts
K. Kitts (?)
Okot (?)
Edwards
Tac

R. Johnson
Latson
Fulwiley
T. Johnson
McDaniel
Makeer
McDowell

Personally, I think K. Kitts goes to Notre Dame or TCU. No evidence, just a gut thing. Lol

 

[JstVisiting]

Like some on the UConn board, you are underestimating the loss of Paige. She draws a ton of attention from the defense and which inevitably helped Sarah’s game and also Azzis. Paige with her intangibles and leadership also gave the team a less pressure in pressure moments. It will be hard to replace. Yes having Sarah and Azzi is a great combo, but what made it work so well this year was the options the three together created. I’m not sure we will be close to that next year.

For some UConn fans, Bueckers is simultaneously their best and most historically important player since Stewart, and an easily replaced cog in a machine that will not miss a beat. Fascinating.

 

[oldude]

For some UConn fans, Bueckers is simultaneously their best and most historically important player since Stewart, and an easily replaced cog in a machine that will not miss a beat. Fascinating.

It’s like this. UConn is losing the best player (Paige) in WBB imo. At the same time, next season UConn will be lead by the best player (Sarah) in WBB imo, and she will be surrounded by a really talented group of teammates.

Now a quick trip down memory lane. Coming off 4 straight national championships in 2016, after losing three 1st team AA’s to the W, many UConn fans lamented what was expected to be a big drop off in performance by a young, relatively inexperienced team without a lot of size. All that young, inexperienced team did was go 36-1, losing by 2 pts in OT during the national semifinal game.

So long as Geno is the coach, UConn WBB will always be in the picture for a national championship.

 

[bballnut90]

For some UConn fans, Bueckers is simultaneously their best and most historically important player since Stewart, and an easily replaced cog in a machine that will not miss a beat. Fascinating.

To be fair, after Stewart (and #2 draft pick Jefferson and #3 draft pick Morgan Tuck) all left after 2016, UCONN nearly went undefeated the following year.

 

[visitingcock]

Is this a Gamecock thread anymore?

Maybe we need to close it and open a “Gamecocks 2025 OffSeason” thread?

 

[JstVisiting]

To be fair, after Stewart (and #2 draft pick Jefferson and #3 draft pick Morgan Tuck) all left after 2016, UCONN nearly went undefeated the following year.

And I would not be surprised if UConn nearly makes the championship game again.

 

[SCGamecock]

Is this a Gamecock thread anymore?

Maybe we need to close it and open a “Gamecocks 2025 OffSeason” thread?

I politely tried to suggest getting back on topic. But I’m also fine closing this thread.

 

[oldude]

I politely tried to suggest getting back on topic. But I’m also fine closing this thread.

This is the Boneyard. Thread drift is what we do here…..

 

[jdote33]

Do Joyce Edwards and Chloe kitts compliment each other. How do you feel about starting them together next season? Which player was better this season

 

[SCspur]

Landing Okot should be first priority to get back to the championship. 6’6” with incredible upside and athleticism. She averaged 11&10 going up against NCAA competition for the first time. Also getting Watkins back healthy should shore up the drives teams have been getting in her absence. This year is the first year since the 2018-2019 season that we’ve been just terrible on rim protection. Losing both of your rim protectors is tough for anyone to come back from. Watkins’ presence in the paint would’ve deterred a lot of drives and scoring down low. I think that area improves a ton next year with more size down low and should help the defense overall.

 

[triaddukefan]

One good thing for Latson transferring to South .... She won't have to change her wardrobe much... Going from the Garnet of Florida State to the Burgundy of the fighting chickens.

From what I’m hearing 6’6” Center transfer Madina Okot will commit to SC. Announcement likely tomorrow.

Come on man. Y'all need to stop. (I admit that I know nothing of the young lady, just getting myself prepared to be upset)

 

[WBBTakeover]

Like some on the UConn board, you are underestimating the loss of Paige. She draws a ton of attention from the defense and which inevitably helped Sarah’s game and also Azzis. Paige with her intangibles and leadership also gave the team a less pressure in pressure moments. It will be hard to replace. Yes having Sarah and Azzi is a great combo, but what made it work so well this year was the options the three together created. I’m not sure we will be close to that next year.

I agree. Paige can't be replaced in a player-to-player replacement scenario--simple as that. I believe that having that trio clicking late made it nearly impossible to guard UConn. They were too potent offensively for the other contenders to overcome. However, I do think that Geno will find a way to get consistent production out of one or two others to cover for the production that will be lost by Paige's departure. Will that be enough? Maybe, but I do agree that the potency of that trio will not be replicated next season. This was a special run.

It's similar to what we (well, me) found out regarding the replacement of Kamilla. You can replace the production (and we did, for the most part), but replacing the actual player proves to be much tougher. UConn will be back in the Final Four next season. However, losing one of the members of that "Warriors death lineup" is going to be nearly impossible to replace in a single offseason.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Come on man. Y'all need to stop. (I admit that I know nothing of the young lady, just getting myself prepared to be upset)

Just know that she's an elite rebounder and a terrific lay-up maker. A little foul prone, but nothing that can't be fixed by top-notch coaching.

 

[triaddukefan]

If we get Latson and Okot without losing anyone else, I might reassess my 2026 rankings.


Duke (he’s going to be insufferable)

 

[JstVisiting]

lol taking strays in South Carolina portal recruiting.

Tbf, I think you would consider that a compliment.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Landing Okot should be first priority to get back to the championship. 6’6” with incredible upside and athleticism. She averaged 11&10 going up against NCAA competition for the first time. Also getting Watkins back healthy should shore up the drives teams have been getting in her absence. This year is the first year since the 2018-2019 season that we’ve been just terrible on rim protection. Losing both of your rim protectors is tough for anyone to come back from. Watkins’ presence in the paint would’ve deterred a lot of drives and scoring down low. I think that area improves a ton next year with more size down low and should help the defense overall.

I'm a little concerned about a possible drop in perimeter defense but two rim protectors would help alleviate this.

 

[JDuro]

Maddy makes it official.

 

[JDuro]

I’m concerned about three point shooting an area which they regressed this season. Latson being about 35% is good but I would like a 40% shooter on this roster like TPP in ‘24.

 

[GamecockFam]

I’m concerned about three point shooting an area which they regressed this season. Latson being about 35% is good but I would like a 40% shooter on this roster like TPP in ‘24.

Tessa has an off season. I bet she turns it around this year.

 

[Coburn]

Tessa shot 43% from three this season (same as freshman season) and shot 47% overall from field (up from 43% as a freshman). With a slight rise in average minutes per game, she upped her scoring average to 8 pts per from 6 her first yr.

She was up & down like several players on the team this past season. Kinda flatlined. The offensive game is there & I expect her to take a step up next yr. As a junior, i would not be shocked to see her to average closer to 10 or 12 a game - similar to Paopao’s production her first season with the team .

 

[GoChips20]

Am I the only one who thinks Latson may come off the bench? I don’t think she’d have transferred to South Carolina expecting to score 25 a game again. She knows she’ll be taking on a different role in exchange for increased national exposure, better development for the pros, and a strong chance at a national title. I’d be surprised if Dawn didn’t inform her of the possibility of coming off the bench.

No one else in the country will have a player like her as a sixth woman but given Fulwiley and Tessa have waited their turn it’s what I think is actually most likely to happen.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Am I the only one who thinks Latson may come off the bench? I don’t think she’d have transferred to South Carolina expecting to score 25 a game again. She knows she’ll be taking on a different role in exchange for increased national exposure, better development for the pros, and a strong chance at a national title. I’d be surprised if Dawn didn’t inform her of the possibility of coming off the bench.

No one else in the country will have a player like her as a sixth woman but given Fulwiley and Tessa have waited their turn it’s what I think is actually most likely to happen.

I don't think she will come off bench, but I guess it's possible.

Dawn's incumbency rules seem limited to returning starters who have her trust.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Gianna Kneepkins will visit SCar, Texas, Oklahoma, and UCLA per Skim.

Well that would be pretty crazy at SCar and awfully impactful at any of the 4.

 

[GamecockFam]

Tessa shot 43% from three this season (same as freshman season) and shot 47% overall from field (up from 43% as a freshman). With a slight rise in average minutes per game, she upped her scoring average to 8 pts per from 6 her first yr.

She was up & down like several players on the team this past season. Kinda flatlined. The offensive game is there & I expect her to take a step up next yr. As a junior, i would not be shocked to see her to average closer to 10 or 12 a game - similar to Paopao’s production her first season with the team .

Geeze. I guess she struggled a little bit towards the end and that shadowed my perception of her season. Those are better stats than I assumed.

 

[Alydar]

For some UConn fans, Bueckers is simultaneously their best and most historically important player since Stewart, and an easily replaced cog in a machine that will not miss a beat. Fascinating.

Not a cog. Paige was the operator of a machine and needed a few months to tune it to perfection. She wasn't Clark, taking the team on her back game after game. All season she got blasted for not being aggressive enough but what she knew was that stars don't win titles, teams win titles. So she created opportunities for her team and they gained the confidence that was on display on Monday. Much of what Bueckers taught her team will remain behind in her team mates.
It also doesn't hurt that Strong is going to be there along with Fudd.

 

[triaddukefan]

lol taking strays in South Carolina portal recruiting.

Tbf, I think you would consider that a compliment.

I might expect a few women of the Triad to refer to me as insufferable, not here on a basketball message board

Maddy makes it official.

Seems odd that a bench player would make a post like that. Was there genuine concern that she might bail?