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Message: [QUOTE="JoePgh, post: 4800436, member: 1131"] As [USER=10475]@and one[/USER] says above, "Geno has to decide sooner than later how he wants to structure the team. Any plans he had before Azzi went down and [Caroline] showed her injury problems continue are out the window." That is unfortunately true. The specific implication is that without those players, both of whom were projected to be starters, at least one "first-year player" (a term meant to include Ice as well as the freshmen) will have to be in the starting lineup. Moreover, the first three players off the bench will all be first-year players. The overall effect is that the team's fortunes will be far more dependent on the performance of the first-year players than Geno and the other coaches ever expected at the beginning of the season. So far, Geno has experimented with KK and Ashlynn as the 5th starter along with the experienced corps of Aaliyah, Aubrey, Nika, and Paige. I hope he will soon give Ice a chance to fill that role, because I think a second big is really needed in the starting lineup against top-level teams. Moreover, I think Ice has shown promise in her pay thus far, although certainly her shooting still leaves a lot to be desired. I'm assuming that this is nervous jitters, and I remember that major offensive players such as KLS and Anna Makurat (remember "0-for-America"?) have suffered from that in the early games of their first year in Storrs. Apart from scoring, I don't think Ice's play can be seriously faulted, and she certainly provides an intimidating presence in the paint and on the boards that the team sorely needs. This will work better when Ayanna returns and can be the first big off the bench. I hope that happens soon. By the way, although the team is now 4-2, its two losses are to NC State and UCLA, and I don't believe either of those teams has lost yet, despite playing some pretty good competition. UConn does not have any "bad losses" on its resume, and if that continues, it will have a successful season. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach