We're goin all the way

[Tonyc]

Since Jan 1 UConn has lost one game against a good Tenn team who has faluted now coming down the stretch. At the time of that game UConn was still recovering and only has that one loss since Jan 1. UConn is on a roll burying opponents. We are not the same team who lost to Tenn and Tenn now is not the same team that we lost too. It was not a good loss for UConn however Tenn at that time was ranked so they had to be doing something right to get that ranking. Now look at everybody else ranked in the top 8. I dont believe if healthy UConn will lose another game this season. We dont foul, dont make alot of TOs we have suffocating defense and 7 scorers 3 of which are go to players. We have it all with one exception. A dominate Big in the middle. We are working on that. The only problem down the road could be a team with a dominate big and those could be UCLA 6'7 Betts TCU 6'7 Prince Texas 6'5 Jones. These teams dont have UConns scoring power or UConns defense. If any team we play has a key player get into foul trouble they are crippled. UConn has depth to handle that. Folks I thought last season was an amazin season to go as far as we did with what we had. This season we are much better and we will win it all barring injuries.

 

[meyers7]

Since Jan 1 UConn has lost one game against a good Tenn team who has faluted now coming down the stretch. At the time of that game UConn was still recovering and only has that one loss since Jan 1. UConn is on a roll burying opponents. We are not the same team who lost to Tenn and Tenn now is not the same team that we lost too. It was not a good loss for UConn however Tenn at that time was ranked so they had to be doing something right to get that ranking. Now look at everybody else ranked in the top 8. I dont believe if healthy UConn will lose another game this season. We dont foul, dont make alot of TOs we have suffocating defense and 7 scorers 3 of which are go to players. We have it all with one exception. A dominate Big in the middle. We are working on that. The only problem down the road could be a team with a dominate big and those could be UCLA 6'7 Betts TCU 6'7 Prince Texas 6'5 Jones. These teams dont have UConns scoring power or UConns defense. If any team we play has a key player get into foul trouble they are crippled. UConn has depth to handle that. Folks I thought last season was an amazin season to go as far as we did with what we had. This season we are much better and we will win it all barring injuries.

Don't jinx us like that.

 

[meyers7]

Don't jinx us like that.

And there it is. Griffin is out.

 

[CL82]

Don't jinx us like that.

Tony has a mojo dispensation for optimism. He sees the best of us and has posted about it through 11 championships.

(Aubrey isn't out, she's available but resting her knee. We will see her in the NCAA tournament.)

 

[Bone Dog]

We have it all with one exception. A dominate Big in the middle. We are working on that.

It's too late to work on it now. We have to work around it, and I think Geno and Paige can find a path through the maze of opposing bigs. But no cavalry is coming over the hill or through the portal at this point in the season. Whatever Paige is able to achieve this season, it will happen with the roster available to her right now.

Next season is a different story. Geno will be working very hard on it starting next fall. And he'll have the players to build something special. He'll lose one of the greatest Huskies of all time, but the next GOAT has already arrived, and she'll lead a very talented cast for the next few campaigns. Jana Ice Ayanna and Gandy are not any one of them a dominant Big, at least not yet, but together they may add up to one by next spring. Imagine how great Sarah can be with a rotation of Bigs to back her up.

 

[CL82]

It's too late to work on it now

Disagree, in fact, we're seeing it happening in real time with Jana's minutes and Ice's come back.

This team is really interesting right now. We can dominate in the paint against smaller teams, bang with bigger teams, or shift to a small ball team with Sara at center which seems to supercharge our offense. The ability to completely change our look and the way other teams have to defend us is a very potent postseason weapon.

 

[Bone Dog]

Disagree, in fact, we're seeing it happening in real time with Jana's minutes and Ice's come back.

This team is really interesting right now. We can dominate in the paint against smaller teams, bang with bigger teams, or shift to a small ball team with Sara at center which seems to supercharge our offense. The ability to completely change our look and the way other teams have to defend us is a very potent postseason weapon.

I like your thinking. But I'd suggest that the bigs are roughly where they were before Ice went down. This is what Geno has already worked on. Jana is indeed still improving, but not at the pace needed for her to become a dominant big in the next few weeks. Neither is Ice. My point is they may not need to. Paige and Geno may have enough talent and versatility on the roster as is. This is why I really agree with your analysis of the team's ability to go big or small. That is a potent weapon indeed. Paige will know how to use this.

 

[fomalhaut]

No other team has three weapons even close to as dangerous as Bueckers, Fudd, and Strong. Nor depth as good as El Alfy, Brady, Shade, Chen, Arnold, and Griffin.

 

[CL82]

I like your thinking. But I'd suggest that the bigs are roughly where they were before Ice went down. This is what Geno has already worked on. Jana is indeed still improving, but not at the pace needed for her to become a dominant big in the next few weeks. Neither is Ice. My point is they may not need to. Paige and Geno may have enough talent and versatility on the roster as is. This is why I really agree with your analysis of the team's ability to go big or small. That is a potent weapon indeed. Paige will know how to use this.

I see improvement in both Jana and Ice. They aren't dominant centers that we will build our offense around, but they're both very nice pieces that many teams would love to have.

To my eye Ice looks better, stronger, and more confident. I was not expecting that. Jana is improving incrementally, but she still looks like the first year player that she is, missing layups and put backs under the basket. I suspect she will make a big jump next year provided that she stays healthy. So, yeah, we can agree that neither one is a dominant piece on this team, but both are terrific complementary pieces.

I don't like to talk about it, because… Mojo, but I really like the way this team is shaping up. We aren't perfect, but we are a very dangerous team and pretty much everyone is going to groan when they see us in their bracket.

(We are still doomed though!)

 

[CL82]

No other team has three weapons even close to as dangerous as Bueckers, Fudd, and Strong. Nor depth as good as El Alfy, Brady, Shade, Chen, Arnold, and Griffin.

Shade, KK, and Griffin off the bench are a really, really potent weapons. Every one of them has the ability to change the game. I would argue that each of them is "starter level" talent. Depth, indeed.

 

[msf22b]

Tony

I was skeptical
But after watching a sampling of the other "so-called" top teams...
I'ver decided we have a "punchers chance."
Maybe better

 

[meyers7]

Tony has a mojo dispensation for optimism. He sees the best of us and has posted about it through 11 championships.

(Aubrey isn't out, she's available but resting her knee. We will see her in the NCAA tournament.)

If she's not playing, she's out. (she wasn't "resting her knee" prior to the BE tourney. There is obviously a problem with it.)

And Tony has cursed us before with his unbridled optimism (remember195-0?). I understand it's Tony being Tony. But in the world of mojo, it does hurt us.

 

[CL82]

If she's not playing, she's out. (she wasn't "resting her knee" prior to the BE tourney. There is obviously a problem with it.)

And Tony has cursed us before with his unbridled optimism (remember195-0?). I understand it's Tony being Tony. But in the world of mojo, it does hurt us.

I don't think it does. And if you're going to count every time, we didn't win a championship against Tony, then to be logically consistent. You have to give him credit for everyone we won.

 

[meyers7]

I don't think it does. And if you're going to count every time, we didn't win a championship against Tony, then to be logically consistent. You have to give him credit for everyone we won.

His (anyone's) unbridled optimism doesn't help us win. Do you not understand the world of mojo?

 

[GoUconn7961]

Don't mess w/the MOJO please. I understand enthusiasm, but posts like this make me very nervous. They have a tendency to backfire. To appease the MOJO Gods - as has been done on the men's side w/good results - WE ARE DOOMED.

MOJO Gods - I hope that worked.

 

[Bone Dog]

Don't mess w/the MOJO please. I understand enthusiasm, but posts like this make me very nervous. They have a tendency to backfire. To appease the MOJO Gods - as has been done on the men's side w/good results - WE ARE DOOMED.

MOJO Gods - I hope that worked.

Mojo is definitely a thing. The proof is the effect the many prayers against injury had over the past few years. The only problem is the Mojo Gods are cruel… or at least paradoxical. They don’t listen to prayers and they don’t like worshippers.

What do you want from us, O Mojo Gods?

 

[GoUconn7961]

Mojo is definitely a thing. The proof is the effect the many prayers against injury had over the past few years. The only problem is the Mojo Gods are cruel… or at least paradoxical. They don’t listen to prayers and they don’t like worshippers.

What do you want from us, O Mojo Gods?

Pizza and beer?

 

[Dugway]

I am trying to think of games that we played this season, against a competitor with a significant post presence player(s).

• Iowa State / Audi Crooks who went 9 of 14 against us.
• So. Cal. / Irifen who grabbed 11 rebounds and shot 8 for 19 against us.

Notre Dame did play Kate Koval, but as a sophomore, she really was not a 'presence' to deal with the way that their guards are. Maybe, Ariel Jenkins at Georgetown? I am just struggling to think of whom else have we played with a good post presence.