...We Dont Know

[Tonyc]

There are alot of posts talking about who will start and combinations of who will play. As of right now we have 9 healthy players and 6 coming back from injury. Of those 9 players 3 are freshman leaving us 6 with experience at the college level. As much as we would like to see Griff, Azzi and Caroline at 100% doing what we know they can do we dont know when they will be ready and how effective they will be. We're hoping Jana will fill the void of a big in the middle but we dont know if her health will allow her to go full speed. How bout Yanna and her rebounding and shot blocking ability when will she be ready? How long will it take for them to come back? We Dont Know. I would think based on what we've read that Azzi and Jana should be the first returnees and will see significant minutes but we dont know. So what do we know.

We have 9 healthy players of which 6 have college experience. The core of those players played suffocating defense which got us to the FF. We have more fire power this season and more experience. On paper we have the ability to completely overwhelm most opponents...If heathy. So for now I am looking at those 9 healthy players to play and those coming back from injury to see minutes based on their health. The ultimate of course would be to have everyone at 100% and playing like we've seen them play. We just dont know if that will be and how long it will take for those coming back from injuries to get up to speed and be ready.

From what we've heard Azzi and Jana should be ready for significant minutes and at some point see starter minutes. Thats really good news. Jana with the abilities she has could make us really tuff. Having a healthy Azzi, finally, to play with Paige and now Chen will give us unbelievable outside shooting. Defenses would have to focus on them opening up the floor. Having a healthy Caroline knowing what she has done in the past would be icing on the cake. This is all great but we still dont know.

I dont think it matters if Chen and Strong start or not. Having them or two others coming off the bench is an asset. Coming off the bench really doesnt matter because both should see alot of minutes.

We're loaded and with depth and we know it. The only question, is when will we be healthy and how soon can our returning players play Effective minutes. Another question is how long will it take for our freshman to make the college adjustment.

Effective minutes meaning playing with confidence with no concerns about their injuries affecting their play. These are questions we dont have an answer to yet. We expect some players returning from injuries to play in November but not all of them. We're hoping we will have everybody back and healthy. We still dont know. Aubrey and Yanna imo are wait and see because of what we've read. Coming back and being able to play is one thing. Being effective and being able to play in big games and make an impact is another.

With all that said we look at last season and see what Geno accomplished with an injured riddled team, with not alot of inexperience. IMO a magnificent job. Now this season with so much promise I can only imagine what he could accomplish if we are healthy. We could be scary good again and all will depend on who is healthy and how effective they will be.

The bottom line right now is we dont know.

 

[Majic Hands]

There are alot of posts talking about who will start and combinations of who will play. As of right now we have 9 healthy players and 6 coming back from injury. Of those 9 players 3 are freshman leaving us 6 with experience at the college level. As much as we would like to see Griff, Azzi and Caroline at 100% doing what we know they can do we dont know when they will be ready and how effective they will be. We're hoping Jana will fill the void of a big in the middle but we dont know if her health will allow her to go full speed. How bout Yanna and her rebounding and shot blocking ability when will she be ready? How long will it take for them to come back? We Dont Know. I would think based on what we've read that Azzi and Jana should be the first returnees and will see significant minutes but we dont know. So what do we know.

We have 9 healthy players of which 6 have college experience. The core of those players played suffocating defense which got us to the FF. We have more fire power this season and more experience. On paper we have the ability to completely overwhelm most opponents...If heathy. So for now I am looking at those 9 healthy players to play and those coming back from injury to see minutes based on their health. The ultimate of course would be to have everyone at 100% and playing like we've seen them play. We just dont know if that will be and how long it will take for those coming back from injuries to get up to speed and be ready.

From what we've heard Azzi and Jana should be ready for significant minutes and at some point see starter minutes. Thats really good news. Jana with the abilities she has could make us really tuff. Having a healthy Azzi, finally, to play with Paige and now Chen will give us unbelievable outside shooting. Defenses would have to focus on them opening up the floor. Having a healthy Caroline knowing what she has done in the past would be icing on the cake. This is all great but we still dont know.

I dont think it matters if Chen and Strong start or not. Having them or two others coming off the bench is an asset. Coming off the bench really doesnt matter because both should see alot of minutes.

We're loaded and with depth and we know it. The only question, is when will we be healthy and how soon can our returning players play Effective minutes. Another question is how long will it take for our freshman to make the college adjustment.

Effective minutes meaning playing with confidence with no concerns about their injuries affecting their play. These are questions we dont have an answer to yet. We expect some players returning from injuries to play in November but not all of them. We're hoping we will have everybody back and healthy. We still dont know. Aubrey and Yanna imo are wait and see because of what we've read. Coming back and being able to play is one thing. Being effective and being able to play in big games and make an impact is another.

With all that said we look at last season and see what Geno accomplished with an injured riddled team, with not alot of inexperience. IMO a magnificent job. Now this season with so much promise I can only imagine what he could accomplish if we are healthy. We could be scary good again and all will depend on who is healthy and how effective they will be.

The bottom line right now is we dont know.

I hadn’t heard that Azzi was expected to be cleared for playing by the first game this fall.

I was under the impression that she should be one of the first back after Jana.

I understood Jana’a comment that she was practicing at 80-90% was simply the process coming back. I thought she was saying that she could go 100% but was resisting the urge just to give her body “time” to get stronger.

 

[bantamlaker]

I hope Tonyc won’t mind if I attempt to summarize his post:

 

[Bigboote]

Trying to find info about patellar tendinitis surgery, I came across this: Brandon Inge of the Tigers had surgery on both patellar tendons in November 2009 and started the first game of the season less than six months later.

Just an FYI, not meant to say when Ayanna will be available.

 

[Blond D.]

what worries me is in all the practice and "other" activities, I havent seen Caroline.

 

[ERWUC65]

what worries me is in all the practice and "other" activities, I havent seen Caroline.

Since she is still listed on the roster, one would have to assume she is rehabbing privately, working up to 'game ready' condition. Unlike all the other injuries, her's is one that would require undergoing actual playing time and physical contact. Not sure why there is a blackout on all this.

 

[Bone Dog]

Knowing and believing are two different things. I’m pretty sure we never know much, even after the season starts. Injury information is not usually made public, nor should it be without the players’ permission. And they play hurt to one degree or another frequently. To require knowledge on a fan forum is too high a bar.

Belief, on the other hand, is readily available, and informed opinion is what we deal in here at BY Enterprises. I believe Jana will start on day one. And I believe Azzi will start before the end of December. But that’s as far as my crystal ball goes.

Why do I cling to these two beliefs? Because of the hints and glimpses we’ve all seen. Could my crystal ball be mistaken? Absolutely. It may have some dust or perhaps a smudge or two on it. But I refuse to be held hostage to the smudges. I will go forth and speculate on the 11 players I think will be ready to go this November/December. And 7 of those have D1 experience.

We know this group of 7 can play suffocating defense because @Tonyc said so. Well, actually we know 5 of them can, and the other 2 have yet to show us. But I am very hopeful even about them. And that style of defense was enough to get them to the final four. This is why I’m hopeful we’ll get at least that far again this season.

 

[oldhusky]

It is true that we don't know who will be available, or who will start even if we knew who was physically able. The number of permutations and combinations is huge until we find out more about player's availability.

On the other hand, unless I am missing something, Aubrey is the only player I am pretty sure will not be available on opening night. Azzi might be doubtful but still possible. Caroline's issues don't seem to have any known reliable recovery time, could be real soon or never. and with Ayanna we have so little information to base anything on. Since she waited and waited for things to get better on their own, part of me wants to think maybe her surgery wasn't that serious, and Bigboote's comparison is encouraging, but with so little information I am also worried she may have a chronic condition that seriously affects her career.

So we wait. I am going to include Jana as ready to go at the start until proven otherwise, and Aubrey being ready later in the season. That means 9-13 ready for the first game depending on Azzi, Caroline, and Ayanna. Any sightings of them participating in drills or workouts this summer will be welcome indeed.

 

[hoophuskee]

Knowing and believing are two different things. I’m pretty sure we never know much, even after the season starts. Injury information is not usually made public, nor should it be without the players’ permission. And they play hurt to one degree or another frequently. To require knowledge on a fan forum is too high a bar.

Belief, on the other hand, is readily available, and informed opinion is what we deal in here at BY Enterprises. I believe Jana will start on day one. And I believe Azzi will start before the end of December. But that’s as far as my crystal ball goes.

Why do I cling to these two beliefs? Because of the hints and glimpses we’ve all seen. Could my crystal ball be mistaken? Absolutely. It may have some dust or perhaps a smudge or two on it. But I refuse to be held hostage to the smudges. I will go forth and speculate on the 11 players I think will be ready to go this November/December. And 7 of those have D1 experience.

We know this group of 7 can play suffocating defense because @Tonyc said so. Well, actually we know 5 of them can, and the other 2 have yet to show us. But I am very hopeful even about them. And that style of defense was enough to get them to the final four. This is why I’m hopeful we’ll get at least that far again this season.

Loved your pov. Difference I have is Ice over Jana in the beginning. On top of it, kind of scary having two frehmen start at 4/5. I think Sarah is a lock at PF vs their 1st quality opponent. So my wild guess is Jana off the bench.

 

[Alydar]

Loved your pov. Difference I have is Ice over Jana in the beginning. On top of it, kind of scary having two frehmen start at 4/5. I think Sarah is a lock at PF vs their 1st quality opponent. So my wild guess is Jana off the bench.

Strong will give Geno the option of playing 2 guards. She not only can defend inside but is a great passer and can play on the perimeter offensively with a high level 3pt shot.
I think Strong's versatility coupled with size/strength/3 level scoring will make it hard to sit her. I expect seeing a YT video next Jan of Geno this summer asking someone how she doesn't start.

 

[hoophuskee]

Strong will give Geno the option of playing 2 guards. She not only can defend inside but is a great passer and can play on the perimeter offensively with a high level 3pt shot.
I think Strong's versatility coupled with size/strength/3 level scoring will make it hard to sit her. I expect seeing a YT video next Jan of Geno this summer asking someone how she doesn't start.

My only different pov is that Strong will be playing PF in which she has the option of taking 3's, along with, imo Strong will be UCONN's top inside scorer. Ice doesn't score that well from Inside yet. I beleive Sarah is a natural in the paint too. And I'm still uncertain if Jana is a bulldog scorer in the paint but imo Sarah can be. This doesn't mean she is only playing in the paint though.

And I believe having Sarah at PF minimizes the upfront depth issue because I don't know what to expect of Ayanna for 1 thing. Thus, until Aubrey comes back, their only other bigs are Ice and Jana. Secondly, if Sarah is elite at 3pt shooting it would also mean having her, Paige and Azzi - three elite 3pt shooters- it would be best to have a guard that is terrific passing them the ball rather than having another big.

So not only does passing and better ball control be a plus with KK and Kaitlyn, but they are also added penetrators that can dish and or finish , with a what should be wide open lane (which would play into their stregths). In addition, UCONN will play faster with KK or Kaitlyn which is another plus.

 

[Bone Dog]

Loved your pov. Difference I have is Ice over Jana in the beginning. On top of it, kind of scary having two frehmen start at 4/5. I think Sarah is a lock at PF vs their 1st quality opponent. So my wild guess is Jana off the bench.

I hear you. I tend to think of the season as evolving precisely because of how young so many of the players are. But you're right to think Jana may not be a good starter early in the season because of her likely propensity to foul trouble in addition to the inevitable defensive learning curve. My main thought is that if Geno wants Jana to be ready in March, he'll get her as many minutes as possible from the start. But that could be managed bringing her off the bench initially, as you suggest. Sarah could be in a similar position initially -- foul troubles and learning the defense. And both of them are likely to need to improve their stamina during the season.

When I think about November-December, I expect to see Paige Ash KK Ice as the primary starters along with one other player. Those 4 represent the experienced core of the team that remains from the group that got them to the final four. But who should that other player be? Among the healthy, there aren't a lot of choices. It's pretty much either Jana or Sarah, unless Ayanna is ready. Of course, if Azzi is ready, with her experience she could start and Ice could play the 5. Geno is sure to run 4-out lineups like that often enough this season. But if he doesn't want to start a 4-out lineup, then it's Jana Sarah or Ayanna, and I suspect he'll lean toward Jana. I guess we could think of Sarah playing next to Ice as a sort of 4-out lineup given how good her perimeter shooting is.

What I mainly get from all of this is a better sense of how versatile this roster really is. I mean we haven't even touched on how he might use Morgan or Allie or Q and we've already described some potentially very formidable lineups.

 

[Inthepaint]

There are alot of posts talking about who will start and combinations of who will play. As of right now we have 9 healthy players and 6 coming back from injury. Of those 9 players 3 are freshman leaving us 6 with experience at the college level. As much as we would like to see Griff, Azzi and Caroline at 100% doing what we know they can do we dont know when they will be ready and how effective they will be. We're hoping Jana will fill the void of a big in the middle but we dont know if her health will allow her to go full speed. How bout Yanna and her rebounding and shot blocking ability when will she be ready? How long will it take for them to come back? We Dont Know. I would think based on what we've read that Azzi and Jana should be the first returnees and will see significant minutes but we dont know. So what do we know.

We have 9 healthy players of which 6 have college experience. The core of those players played suffocating defense which got us to the FF. We have more fire power this season and more experience. On paper we have the ability to completely overwhelm most opponents...If heathy. So for now I am looking at those 9 healthy players to play and those coming back from injury to see minutes based on their health. The ultimate of course would be to have everyone at 100% and playing like we've seen them play. We just dont know if that will be and how long it will take for those coming back from injuries to get up to speed and be ready.

From what we've heard Azzi and Jana should be ready for significant minutes and at some point see starter minutes. Thats really good news. Jana with the abilities she has could make us really tuff. Having a healthy Azzi, finally, to play with Paige and now Chen will give us unbelievable outside shooting. Defenses would have to focus on them opening up the floor. Having a healthy Caroline knowing what she has done in the past would be icing on the cake. This is all great but we still dont know.

I dont think it matters if Chen and Strong start or not. Having them or two others coming off the bench is an asset. Coming off the bench really doesnt matter because both should see alot of minutes.

We're loaded and with depth and we know it. The only question, is when will we be healthy and how soon can our returning players play Effective minutes. Another question is how long will it take for our freshman to make the college adjustment.

Effective minutes meaning playing with confidence with no concerns about their injuries affecting their play. These are questions we dont have an answer to yet. We expect some players returning from injuries to play in November but not all of them. We're hoping we will have everybody back and healthy. We still dont know. Aubrey and Yanna imo are wait and see because of what we've read. Coming back and being able to play is one thing. Being effective and being able to play in big games and make an impact is another.

With all that said we look at last season and see what Geno accomplished with an injured riddled team, with not alot of inexperience. IMO a magnificent job. Now this season with so much promise I can only imagine what he could accomplish if we are healthy. We could be scary good again and all will depend on who is healthy and how effective they will be.

The bottom line right now is we dont know.

You’re spot on, as usual.
I’ll just add one qualifier
In addition to the health issues, let’s not underestimate the Geno factor.What GA sees in September & October wiil
determine what we see in November.
No doubt we will see interesting minute distribution and some unexpected combinations,especially in the early OOC games.
With all the new faces and the availability of returning firepower some monkeying around will surely take place.
The philosophy may be” let’s come at them in waves”
Lots of subbing by 2’s & 3’s to keep all the legs fresh, until those with early minute limits are ready to go at full throttle
With the pool of talent they will be facing there will be lots of head scratching on the opposing bench
Then GA will be more inclined to work the 7 or 8 he feels comfortable with.
UCONN basketball is a painstakingly choreographed operation.

 

[my2cents]

A lot words to say.
We don't know.

 

[Alydar]

My only different pov is that Strong will be playing PF in which she has the option of taking 3's, along with, imo Strong will be UCONN's top inside scorer. Ice doesn't score that well from Inside yet. I beleive Sarah is a natural in the paint too. And I'm still uncertain if Jana is a bulldog scorer in the paint but imo Sarah can be. This doesn't mean she is only playing in the paint though.

And I believe having Sarah at PF minimizes the upfront depth issue because I don't know what to expect of Ayanna for 1 thing. Thus, until Aubrey comes back, their only other bigs are Ice and Jana. Secondly, if Sarah is elite at 3pt shooting it would also mean having her, Paige and Azzi - three elite 3pt shooters- it would be best to have a guard that is terrific passing them the ball rather than having another big.

So not only does passing and better ball control be a plus with KK and Kaitlyn, but they are also added penetrators that can dish and or finish , with a what should be wide open lane (which would play into their stregths). In addition, UCONN will play faster with KK or Kaitlyn which is another plus.

Why? All 3 of them are outstanding passers and 3 level scorers. Let them pass to each other. Whoever has the ball will draw defenders, giving the other two an easier time finding an open space.
I don't see Geno playing a lot of 2 guard but it's a nice thing to have it in your pocket when playing teams like SCar.

 

[hoophuskee]

Why? All 3 of them are outstanding passers and 3 level scorers. Let them pass to each other. Whoever has the ball will draw defenders, giving the other two an easier time finding an open space.
I don't see Geno playing a lot of 2 guard but it's a nice thing to have it in your pocket when playing teams like SCar.

As an overalll strategy, why have the elite eficient 3 scorers pass the ball to less efficient scorers rather than have the best passers pass the ball to the more efficient scorers that can better maximize thier efficiency? The better passers dont need to run the offense but give the team the better chance that they will make the better pass than the other 4th or 5th option players.

 

[Cuango]

My only different pov is that Strong will be playing PF in which she has the option of taking 3's, along with, imo Strong will be UCONN's top inside scorer. Ice doesn't score that well from Inside yet. I beleive Sarah is a natural in the paint too. And I'm still uncertain if Jana is a bulldog scorer in the paint but imo Sarah can be. This doesn't mean she is only playing in the paint though.

And I believe having Sarah at PF minimizes the upfront depth issue because I don't know what to expect of Ayanna for 1 thing. Thus, until Aubrey comes back, their only other bigs are Ice and Jana. Secondly, if Sarah is elite at 3pt shooting it would also mean having her, Paige and Azzi - three elite 3pt shooters- it would be best to have a guard that is terrific passing them the ball rather than having another big.

So not only does passing and better ball control be a plus with KK and Kaitlyn, but they are also added penetrators that can dish and or finish , with a what should be wide open lane (which would play into their stregths). In addition, UCONN will play faster with KK or Kaitlyn which is another plus.

Let’s face it. If fully healthy, the starting five possibilities for this team are practically limitless! I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a roster with more legitimately viable lineup possibilities! You know, July went by surprisingly quickly. I hope Aug-Oct hurries by as well, cause I can hardly wait to see these girls in action! I do wish we could hear something about Caroline but I’m hoping “No news, is good news” on that front! Another thing I was thinking the other day is that Sarah’s commitment, besides giving us what I am absolutely convinced is a generational player along the same lines as Paige, Stewie, Maya, etc, is likely to light a fire under both Allie & Morgan to put in extra effort in order to live up to Sarah’s (hopefully) high standards! The anticipation for this team is beyond anything I’ve experienced in all my years as a UConn fan!! I cannot wait until November!

 

[Alydar]

As an overalll strategy, why have the elite eficient 3 scorers pass the ball to less efficient scorers rather than have the best passers pass the ball to the more efficient scorers that can better maximize thier efficiency? The better passers dont need to run the offense but give the team the better chance that they will make the better pass than the other 4th or 5th option players.

A guard who isn't a scoring threat will be sloughed off of when she is on offense, and the 3 shooters will be covered by 4 defenders. Besides, the best passer is Bueckers.
UConn has more than 3 outstanding 3pt shooters (on paper). If you have Bueckers Fudd and Strong on the floor why not bring in Ziebell instead of a passing guard and let Bueckers be the passer? She will draw defenders and give the others a lot of great looks. That's always been the advantage of having Bueckers run the offense but there was always a shortage of perimeter scorers due to injuries.

 

[hoophuskee]

A guard who isn't a scoring threat will be sloughed off of when she is on offense, and the 3 shooters will be covered by 4 defenders. Besides, the best passer is Bueckers.
UConn has more than 3 outstanding 3pt shooters (on paper). If you have Bueckers Fudd and Strong on the floor why not bring in Ziebell instead of a passing guard and let Bueckers be the passer? She will draw defenders and give the others a lot of great looks. That's always been the advantage of having Bueckers run the offense but there was always a shortage of perimeter scorers due to injuries.

Who said KK or Chen wouldn’t be a scoring threat? Why does it have to be either/or? Why can't KK and Chen be the 4th or 5th option scoring, and also be a good passer? As far as Ziebell, what makes you think her 1st year she is going to be a lockdown shooter? We have had some top recruits struggle their frosh year - yet now we are going to assume AZ is going to be lights out? On a fastbreak would I prefer Paige passing the ball to AZ for a 3 or have KK passing the ball to Paige for a 3? KK and Chen are not incompetent.

As for another frosh, I believe Strong will be terrific because she can do both score outside and in. As a frosh, imo AZ can do only do one thing on offense. If she winds up hitting 40% from 3 okay but I'm doubtful her offense combined with her defense would be better overall than the offense/defense that KK/Chen will be able to employ. With AZ "she must hit 3's" or that's it. As a frosh her value will be 3 or bust. While, that’s not the case with Strong. Even with Defense Sarah provides an elite need - rebounding. What elite need does AZ apply on Defense? K and Chen are expected to be quick defenders. Now if you are talking Caroline if healthy and she is in her groove then for sure I’m on board with Paige, Azzi, Caroline. Very skeptical with Allie vs KK and Chen though. Can't rule it out. But I'm doubtful.

The advantage of having Bueckers play Point-Forward is that she has had the option to shoot and score just as if she was only the pg. And as we have seen UCONN has played her perfectly as the point-forward. As the most efficient scorer on the team then it's wrong to feature her as a pg only by passing the ball to lesser efficient players. The best look is not Paige passing to other players as an overall strategy. Overall, the best look is Paige taking the shot.

 

[Alydar]

Who said KK or Chen wouldn’t be a scoring threat? Why does it have to be either/or? Why can't KK and Chen be the 4th or 5th option scoring, and also be a good passer? As far as Ziebell, what makes you think her 1st year she is going to be a lockdown shooter? We have had some top recruits struggle their frosh year - yet now we are going to assume AZ is going to be lights out? On a fastbreak would I prefer Paige passing the ball to AZ for a 3 or have KK passing the ball to Paige for a 3? KK and Chen are not incompetent.

As for another frosh, I believe Strong will be terrific because she can do both score outside and in. As a frosh, imo AZ can do only do one thing on offense. If she winds up hitting 40% from 3 okay but I'm doubtful her offense combined with her defense would be better overall than the offense/defense that KK/Chen will be able to employ. With AZ "she must hit 3's" or that's it. As a frosh her value will be 3 or bust. While, that’s not the case with Strong. Even with Defense Sarah provides an elite need - rebounding. What elite need does AZ apply on Defense? K and Chen are expected to be quick defenders. Now if you are talking Caroline if healthy and she is in her groove then for sure I’m on board with Paige, Azzi, Caroline. Very skeptical with Allie vs KK and Chen though. Can't rule it out. But I'm doubtful.

The advantage of having Bueckers play Point-Forward is that she has had the option to shoot and score just as if she was only the pg. And as we have seen UCONN has played her perfectly as the point-forward. As the most efficient scorer on the team then it's wrong to feature her as a pg only by passing the ball to lesser efficient players. The best look is not Paige passing to other players as an overall strategy. Overall, the best look is Paige taking the shot.

Is it the best shot when Bueckers is double-teamed and Fudd is wide open?

Are KK and Chen better passers than Bueckers? Do they understand all the nuances of Geno's schemes as well?

My point is that Geno can put 5 outstanding 3pt shooters on the floor this year and at least 4 of them will also be outstanding passers. There is no need for a "designated passer".

And I don't dismiss KK or Chen from eligibility. It's going to come down to who performs in September and October, just like every season. It's going to be a tough job for the coaches but one I think they welcome a lot more than figuring out how to win with 7 players.

 

[hoophuskee]

Is it the best shot when Bueckers is double-teamed and Fudd is wide open?

Are KK and Chen better passers than Bueckers? Do they understand all the nuances of Geno's schemes as well?

My point is that Geno can put 5 outstanding 3pt shooters on the floor this year and at least 4 of them will also be outstanding passers. There is no need for a "designated passer".

And I don't dismiss KK or Chen from eligibility. It's going to come down to who performs in September and October, just like every season. It's going to be a tough job for the coaches but one I think they welcome a lot more than figuring out how to win with 7 players.

If Paige hasn't been the pg for much of her career but has been the point-forward, then what is different if she is being doubled now vs then? She could make a pass just as easy as a point-forward as she can as a pg. The question shouldn’t be if KK or Chen are better passers than Paige; but are they better passers than AZ, AS and even the Bigs such as ice. - And the answer is yes they are.

My point is that I don't believe that we should lump any of the pgs or wings other than Azzi, and maybe a healthy Caroline, (I don't consider Sarah a Wing. She's a PF imo.). in the same breath as the 3 mentioned as 3pt shooters as though the others are in the same tier. There is a clear line between them vs Paige/Azzi. So, there is no reason for Geno to play like he needs 5 3pt shooters if his team is overall better just having 4 or 3 etc.

It seems like you have dismissed KK and Chen from eligibility because you keep mentioning 3pt shooters and keep asking if they are better passers than Paige. The chances they are elite 3pt shooters this year is slim. They might become pretty good but not elite. Nor are they a better passer than Paige. But why can't you have better passers to help Paige become even better? Think of the team ball movement. If she has better teammates this year then why wouldn’t she be open more and doubled less?

And I don’t expect UCONN to play with just 7 players. I expect like it has always been- play your super players then use the rest in a pecking order. This year up to 9 unless larger leads unfold. I can't say in one breath that Paige and Azzi could be incredible as A/A's among the best in wcbb while also ignoring what I saw last year with the three frosh from other teams as a/a caliber while I view Sarah as a beast with a belief she could be near last year’s tier- frosh vs frosh. So, why shouldn’t she get upper tier minutes if she is that good? And with all the hype from Jana, - then why would we not want to play our best, and her, for as long as reasonable if she is that good?

 

[Charliebball]

My total guess for the starting five for game one would be Paige, KK, Shade, Ice and Strong with Jana and Chen as the first subs.......yes Strong is that good........

 

[Bone Dog]

When I think about Sarah, her shot might fail her and she might be overwhelmed (as most freshmen are) by the speed of the D1 game, and it may take a while for her to master Geno's defensive schemes, but one thing I think we can count on is her one-v-one on ball defense. This is one thing that really stands out for me about her, and it only depends on her. She just has a way of getting her hands on the ball. It's like she doesn't pay any attention to all the fakes and sleights-of-hand great ball handlers use. She just focuses on the ball and then grabs it. This is why I expect Geno will use her in high hedges and half court traps, and probably to defend inbounds passes.

I actually expect all the other aspects of her game will also work fine -- her shooting, her passing, her rebounding -- in pretty short order. But I am totally confident in her ability to get her hands on the ball. Some kids just have a nose for the ball and she's one of them.

 

[Cuango]

Who said KK or Chen wouldn’t be a scoring threat? Why does it have to be either/or? Why can't KK and Chen be the 4th or 5th option scoring, and also be a good passer? As far as Ziebell, what makes you think her 1st year she is going to be a lockdown shooter? We have had some top recruits struggle their frosh year - yet now we are going to assume AZ is going to be lights out? On a fastbreak would I prefer Paige passing the ball to AZ for a 3 or have KK passing the ball to Paige for a 3? KK and Chen are not incompetent.

As for another frosh, I believe Strong will be terrific because she can do both score outside and in. As a frosh, imo AZ can do only do one thing on offense. If she winds up hitting 40% from 3 okay but I'm doubtful her offense combined with her defense would be better overall than the offense/defense that KK/Chen will be able to employ. With AZ "she must hit 3's" or that's it. As a frosh her value will be 3 or bust. While, that’s not the case with Strong. Even with Defense Sarah provides an elite need - rebounding. What elite need does AZ apply on Defense? K and Chen are expected to be quick defenders. Now if you are talking Caroline if healthy and she is in her groove then for sure I’m on board with Paige, Azzi, Caroline. Very skeptical with Allie vs KK and Chen though. Can't rule it out. But I'm doubtful.

The advantage of having Bueckers play Point-Forward is that she has had the option to shoot and score just as if she was only the pg. And as we have seen UCONN has played her perfectly as the point-forward. As the most efficient scorer on the team then it's wrong to feature her as a pg only by passing the ball to lesser efficient players. The best look is not Paige passing to other players as an overall strategy. Overall, the best look is Paige taking the shot.

I think you are understating Allie’s skill set by quite a lot. I realize you qualified it with “as a freshman” but from what I’ve seen and read about her, she has a midrange shot and is not afraid to drive to the basket as well! I was very impressed with her ability to finish at the basket even while under heavy duress from her defender! Her coach praised her as having improved her defense to the point where she routinely guarded the opponent’s best player. Now, I agree that she will likely be tentative and unsure at first, but she is clearly more than just a three point specialist!

 

[Bone Dog]

I think you are understating Allie’s skill set by quite a lot. I realize you qualified it with “as a freshman” but from what I’ve seen and read about her, she has a midrange shot and is not afraid to drive to the basket as well! I was very impressed with her ability to finish at the basket even while under heavy duress from her defender! Her coach praised her as having improved her defense to the point where she routinely guarded the opponent’s best player. Now, I agree that she will likely be tentative and unsure at first, but she is clearly more than just a three point specialist!

I agree. I've watched videos of several of her HS games and Allie has the full range of offensive skills. She is a big guard or a wing at 6'0" and though she's not "first step" quick, she knows how to get a defender on her hip and take them to the basket. I'd compare her to Caroline as a shooter and a finisher at the rim, though she's not as tall. And her release on the perimeter shot is reminiscent of Caroline too. She is also a bit like Ash in this sense that she's used to being the go-to player on her HS team. She knows how to carry a team.

On defense, I wouldn't put her on Hannah Hidalgo, but I think she's capable and long. She's a coach's kid which tells me she's coachable and will pick up Geno's system quickly.