Where would our bench be ranked?

[oldhusky]

I think that they would be top 20, but with a caveat and a few other observations. That assumes they would have had the majority of the practice time and would have as a result achieved much more consistency and better defensive rotations. I think if hypothetically the players Uconn put out there in the 4th quarter were the usual starters, and the same Seton Hall players were not starters but instead were their third unit, Uconn would have beaten them like a drum, because they had far more talent.

The Uconn second unit could win the Big East, but as I believe Bone Dog pointed out, there are a few teams with benches that are very good and IMO could be ranked. The gap between the top teams in women's basketball and say #25 is huge vs. the men's teams or most other team sports. Sometimes the very top teams are favored by 15 or 20 points a game against other teams ranked in the 15-25 range.

That is largely because their bench players could beat 95% of the division 1 teams. I think the only way you can consistently get potential stars for the bench is if you are a high profile team with major coverage, NIL potential, and a true championship contender. The talent is very concentrated in the very best teams to the extent that even ranked teams in the 15-25 range are a major step down from those at the top.

 

[CL82]

I voted "top 50", but the thing that does not take into account is that if that group were the starters Geno would restructure what we do to take advantage of their strengths and hide their weaknesses. They might be better than we'd think.

 

[Bigboote]

I voted top-50. That assumes two things: First, UConn didn't suddenly lose the five current starters last week. IOW, the starters in the OP have been playing all or most of the season together. Second, Geno is still the coach. They'd look quite different if he'd been coaching them since last summer to be carrying most of the load.

 

[EricSD]

Interesting. About what I thought given the comments on the board, altho I think I'm surprised that so many people thought the team would be outside the top 25 given some of the "enthusiastic" comments whenever the performance of the bench gets mentioned.

30 people thought in the top 20. 51 voted outside the top 25. It's just a hypothetical so an exercise in "what if", but interesting for sure.

 

[whiffnutmeg]

I think the evidence has been in front of us that when these players sub in for nearly a quarter in blowout games, they get routinely outperformed by teams not in the top 50. I chose the last option.

That’s not an indictment of these players, just the reality of where they are based on the evidence we have vs. theoretical potential.

 

[Stagnant]

If the players on the bench were too good. They would probably want to leave and be somewhere that would give them a chance to play.

 

[Cuango]

If the players on the bench were too good. They would probably want to leave and be somewhere that would give them a chance to play.

Again, it would all depend on whether they were all healthy and whether they were the primary focus of Geno’s coaching from the summer, through preseason, to now. If so, likely top 20 but certainly top 30! Blanca is already the third best player on this whole (as is) team, Jana (imo) is about to finally live up to her potential, Kayleigh is certainly a solid pg, Allie is a solid off guard (with potential to be a very good one) and Caroline (heaithy) is a solid wing! Add Yanna (front-court sub) and Kelis (backcourt sub) with Gandy for foul trouble and, “Bob’s your Uncle”! Now, if you were to include a healthy Ice & Morgan, now we’re talking top 15 and a second weekend run in the tournament!

 

[hoophuskee]

If the players on the bench were too good. They would probably want to leave and be somewhere that would give them a chance to play.

Not true at all.
Blanca will start next year more than likely.
Edwards came from the bench and was an eventual all-american.
As was Collier and Gabby Williams and Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson.
And even some pretty good player named Diana Taurasi.

 

[Stagnant]

I am not talking about Blanca, K9, and Allie. They are all clearly in the rotation. I am talking about the 11-15 players on the roster. Even Geno has talked about what happens when those players are too good.

 

[Cuango]

Jana, Ice, Morgan, a healthy Caroline and Yanna would all be likely starters on all but a few elite teams. Some of those, Morgan, Caroline, and perhaps Jana and Ice, would be stars on most teams. (Stars of a lower magnitude perhaps, but still stars!) All five of those players (to a greater or lesser extent) have been dealt a poor hand and have had to overcome (in varying degrees) things that most players rarely have to deal with and have handled it with great class.

To be fair of course, they’ve also been fortunate, in that they are student-athletes at an institution that takes great care of them with world class medical treatment. I just pray that all will finally get fully healthy and have an opportunity to show what they can really do! By the way, I also believe that both Kelis and Gandy will eventually make their mark as well. They are in a different category and merely need time imo.

 

[darkstar1]

I think we are a noticeably worse defensive team if your swap KK, Shade, and Serah for Blanca, K9, and Allie. Mainly because of Allie. She has improved, but she is not the same level of defender as the others. We might have to play differently. Less pressing.

I won’t disagree, as I see your point. But it does appear to me the team has looked better when Blanca and K9 enter the game. Casting no shade on the starters. I just enjoy seeing the lift from the first substitution.

 

[my2cents]

I usually don't like to get into extremely subjective discussions, but I couldn't help myself.
Every UConn scholarship player is a very high national recruit. Much higher than a typical Top 25 ranked team.
Those who judge our substitution players miss two key points. The limited minutes to shine and the fact they mostly defer to the starters they are playing with. That all changes when they become the starters.
The last point they are missing, with Geno giving them all the coaching , they would all develop into much better players.
They would be ranked.
.

 

[Bone Dog]

Geno coaches for a program, not a single season. Players tend to stay for that. Compare to Ole Miss, where Coach Yo brings in a bunch of transfers every season — 7+ I think for this season. Maybe the days where freshmen were willing to think long term and bide their time until they earned playing time are gone everywhere else. But there not gone in Storrs. Want evidence: just look at Allie. Could have gone anywhere in the Big10 or Big 12, but is willing to work her way into Geno’s rotation. And for the converse, I look at the walking wounded on the bench and see players stuck there rehabbing for a year or more — this is a visual indicator of the loyalty of the program to the kids. I suspect every kid on the bench feels it.

 

[Pharos]

This is an interesting discussion.
We also could consider that the "bench" is practicing their tails off day in and day out against the best starting 5 in the country.
Not to imply that they'd run the big east but they definitely wouldn't be intimidated.

"On my shoulders" is an intangeable with great implication. The team that knows they are "it" for the whole season thinks differently... about everything.

 

[Bigboote]

"On my shoulders" is an intangeable with great implication. The team that knows they are "it" for the whole season thinks differently... about everything.

I knew a guy who said (riffing on Isaac Newton) “If I see less far than others it’s because giants stand on my shoulders.”

 

[Glenn]

I've said this before, but I'll repeat myself. I believe the non-starters would be a very good team, not a great team (otherwise they would be starters 🙂 ). A couple of things work against them. 1) I'm sure they don't practice to be a team unto themselves. They practice to be subs for specific starters. 2) It's clear that when they are in for the starters in the 4th quarter UConn has taken the foot off of the gas. They don't press, jump into passing lanes, play with a sense of urgency, etc. Some of this can be by design, not a reflection of the talent on the floor.

I will say this, there have been teams in the past where the non-starters have continued to run up the score in the 4th quarter. I have yet to see these non-starters do that.

We have won most 4th quarters, which suggests the nonstarters have run up the score this year. Perhaps with one starter playing a portion on the court

 

[DefenseBB]

Bench team would get smoked by most teams in the Big East let alone ones in the top 50, so I'm voting for the last option.

Strongly disagree as the “bench team” is still a group of highly rated players moreso than ANY OTHER BE team, that with practice time would operate as a cohesive unit. Outside of the top 25 but still an NCAA Tournament team. Which for qualification, only Villanova would qualify for the NCAAT.
I have run the SH or Villanova HG rankings for this years rosters but I am not aware of any Top 100 Players on their rosters. Talent still trumps coaching and if Geno is coaching this group (I would put Kelis in that starting 5 over Caroline) I absolutely feel they beat most if not all of the other BE teams.