Where Would Next Year's Second Five Rank Nationally?

[Fairfield Fan]

If that second team were a separate team, where do you think they'd rank nationally?

Post- Azura Stevens
Forward- Megan Walker
Forward- Batouly Camara
Guard- Andra Espinoza-Hunter
Guard- Mikayla Coombs

I might go so far as to say: #2 in the nation (#1 being UConn's first team). And I'm assuming that this year's team will be next year's starting team.

Have I got that right?

 

[StephStorrs]

Aside from moving someone into the starting lineup to replace Saniya when she graduates, I can't see a lineup change unless, God forbid, there's an injury.

How lucky are we as fans of UConn that we can even joke about a 2nd UConn team because we have all this talent?

 

[pvdoggy]

Not even in the top 10. People keep forgetting how freshmen play, ...., like freshmen.

 

[triaddukefan]

#1

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Not even in the top 10. People keep forgetting how freshmen play, ...., like freshmen.

But there would be two great players with three years' experience, albeit not always playing. And one NPOY in Walker. So she would not be the average freshman. And we had Kia Nurse as a freshman starter. That went well!!

 

[CocoHusky]

I don't see anyway that Azura' is on ANYBODY's second team next year.

 

[CocoHusky]

But there would be two great players with three years' experience, albeit not always playing. And one NPOY in Walker. So she would not be the average freshman. And we had Kia Nurse as a freshman starter. That went well!!

My grandmother could have a championship ring if she were on the same team with Stewie, Mo, and Tuck.

 

[hoopsdiva]

I don't see anyway that Azura' is on ANYBODY's second team next year.

So does Azura move into Saniya's starting spot? Does Kia then become the point guard? If not, then which of our current starters comes off the bench?

 

[CocoHusky]

So does Azura move into Saniya's starting spot? Does Kia then become the point guard? If not, then which of our current starters comes off the bench?

Good questions and nice problems to have IMO. Not sure how it is going to play out, the success of this years team is going to make it hard to change things drastically next year. Kia & Gabby will be seniors and Azura's will have an option to go to WNBA. I don't see any of those three not starting. Dangerfield appears on track to assume starting PG position, then there is Megatron! If KLS as #1 can break into a UCONN starting line with Stewie, Morgan, Moriah then MW should be able to break in also.
My best guess starters are:
F/C Stevens
F Williams
F Collier
G KLS
G Nurse

 

[MilfordHusky]

I chatted with Eric about next year's starters recently. I firmly believe that no one loses a starting slot. That means Kia, Gabby, Napheesa, Lou, and one other will start. Will it be Crystal in a small lineup? Or will it be Azura in a tall lineup? I think there is too much talent and experience for Meg to crack the starting lineup, but Diana, Maya, and Stewie didn't until injuries or their second year. Nevertheless, Meg will be an impact player. Azura will be for sure as well.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Good questions and nice problems to have IMO. Not sure how it is going to play out, the success of this years team is going to make it hard to change things drastically next year. Kia & Gabby will be seniors and Azura's will have an option to go to WNBA. I don't see any of those three not starting. Dangerfield appears on track to assume starting PG position, then there is Megatron! If KLS as #1 can break into a UCONN starting line with Stewie, Morgan, Moriah then MW should be able to break in also.
My best guess starters are:
F/C Stevens
F Williams
F Collier
G KLS
G Nurse

If this team continues to motor forward, I can't see any of the returning four being taken out of the starting line-up. Crystal has to come in for Saniya to start. So seems to me that it's a matter of everyone else coming off the bench. Understand that Stevens is a great talent. But she transferred over, and unless this starting line-up falters over the next twenty games, plus NCAA's, how could any coach take any of them out of the starting line-up?

North Carolina under Dean Smith at one time had what he called his "Tall Blue Team," which was an entirely new five-man team that would come in together. They were amazing, and only once saw a lead narrow. So, theoretically, Coach Geno could bring in that second team en masse: Stevens, Camara, Walker, Espinoza-Hunter, and Coombs. But that's not his style.

Anyway, just curious if our second string would be ranked above everyone else's first string.

 

[pvdoggy]

But there would be two great players with three years' experience, albeit not always playing. And one NPOY in Walker. So she would not be the average freshman. And we had Kia Nurse as a freshman starter. That went well!!

What has Camara done to be considered a great player ?

 

[CocoHusky]

I chatted with Eric about next year's starters recently. I firmly believe that no one loses a starting slot. That means Kia, Gabby, Napheesa, Lou, and one other will start. Will it be Crystal in a small lineup? Or will it be Azura in a tall lineup? I think there is too much talent and experience for Meg to crack the starting lineup, but Diana, Maya, and Stewie didn't until injuries or their second year. Nevertheless, Meg will be an impact player. Azura will be for sure as well.

I agree,mostly. Stewie was in the starting lineup in her first NCAA game, it was against Charleston and she scored 21 points.
The UCONN team this year has been dynamic, one area that can be improved is finding a better offensive facilitator and Geno has already lamented the lack of size/height. That offensive facilitator role has fallen largely to Gabby lately because Gabby does a better job than the other guard candidates Saniya, Kia & Crystal or even KLS. I mention this because MW is a tremendous facilitator and Azura' is 6'6".

 

[veryolddog]

What a good problem to have. Geno will figure this out. It is totally a win win situation for him and the team. He will really have the opportunity to rest players and run his opponents into the ground. And, tactically, he can break up offenses of either tall and slow opponents or quick and short ones. He's loaded with options that he does not have this year and he won't have to worry about foul trouble.

 

[Zorro]

All of you guys seem to be forgetting Butler.

 

[CocoHusky]

All of you guys seem to be forgetting Butler.

I'm not forgetting her, Nat has been a solid contributor this year and will be again next year. But quite candidly, if Natalie was going to be in consideration for a starting post position next year she needed to be in the starting line up this year.

 

[CocoHusky]

Crystal has to come in for
Saniya to start.

Why?

Understand that Stevens is a great talent. But she transferred over, and unless this starting line-up falters over the next twenty games, plus NCAA's, how could any coach take any of them out of the starting line-up?

What is significance of Azura's being a transfer? Azura' is the most talented player on the UCONN roster, Geno starts his most talented players. A coach might take any player out of the starting lineup because a) Coach has a more talented player to put in or b) the inserted player improves the overall efficiency of the team. During the 2012-13 Season Bria Hartley (already an AA) was taken out of the lineup after she convinced the staff that that was best for the team.

 

[SCGamecock]

It would be crazy to have Azura' come off the bench next year.. unless ya'll already have a stretch-PF/C that's better.

 

[bags27]

As a team, preseason I would rank them at about 14th... on the men's preseason poll, that is....

 

[SCGamecock]

What has Camara done to be considered a great player ?

Had a career night versus Alaina Coates and A'ja Wilson. That's literally it.

She is a good player though, she will give you toughness and rebounding down low. She's also a pretty decent jump shooter from the foul line in.

 

[SCGamecock]

Geno gets paid the big bucks to figure this stuff out.. but I would go

1. Dangerfield
2. Nurse
3. Samuelson
4. Collier or Gabby...(they are both SO good, I really don't think you lose either way. Gabby makes up for her lack of height in about a thousand different ways).
5. Stevens

UConn's post rotation is going to be nasty next year and it will be especially good at the PF position with Collier, Williams and Camara. Lots of youth, but elite talent on the wings as well with Samuelson, Nurse, Dangerfield being anchors at the guard spots.

UConn is just way too stacked next year.

 

[CocoHusky]

Had a career night versus Alaina Coates and A'ja Wilson. That's literally it.

She is a good player though, she will give you toughness and rebounding down low. She's also a pretty decent jump shooter from the foul line in.

@UcMiami and I have had this disagreement before about how much Camara will contribute at UCONN. I project role player and UC projects better. I hope I'm wrong but Camara did not make the 8 person SEC all-Freshmen team in her time at Kentucky. She will contribute because she has a good enough body to contribute in the post and UCONN has very few of those right now.

 

[SCGamecock]

@UcMiami and I have had this disagreement before about how much Camara will contribute at UCONN. I project role player and UC projects better. I hope I'm wrong but Camara did not make the 8 person SEC all-Freshmen team in her time at Kentucky. She will contribute because she has a good enough body to contribute in the post and UCONN has very few of those right now.

I lean in agreement with you.. but Camara has a good skill set and a raw one. Geno has a tendency to make good players very good or great even.. I think Camara could be very good. I think Stevens could be great.

 

[Vowelguy]

Geno would have a coronary before he got through a season with a team of 3 frosh and 2 transfers.

 

[Vowelguy]

Next years starting lineup will be same as this year with CD in for Chong.