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Which injuries have impacted UConn the most over the last three seasons?
- Thread starter RSHERMVIKES
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1. Paige last year (22/23). What can be worse than losing the returning player of the year for the entire season? You could argue this is the most devastating injury any team has suffered.
2. Azzi last year (22/23). With Paige out and Azzi healthy, unlike her freshmen year Azzi was playing like an All American the first 6 games until she got injured. I remember her PER after those games was over 30. She wound up in the lower 20's, so if you do the math her PER after the first injury thru season end was close to 15 which is about average. So All American before, closer to an average player after the injury.
3. Paige two years ago, (21-22). Like Azzi, Paige had a great start to the season after 6 games (PER of 36 vs. 32 her freshmen season). After her comeback from injury her PER for the season declined to 30, so post injury it was probably in the low 20's. Still a very good player but not superstar Paige.
4. Aubrey two years ago (21-22). In her first two years Aubrey was truly a superstar off the bench, mostly at the 4 but some on the wing. Losing her for an entire season is obviously devastating.
5. Caroline (22-23 and some of 21/22). We all remember how Caroline stepped up after being thrown into the lineup her first year. For a stretch she might have been our best player, then the concussion issue came up. She was not the same player the rest of the season, but still finished with a PER around 22 which is very impressive for a first year player and suggested we could just pencil her in as a star at the 3 for the next three years. Then she had hip surgery during the summer and ongoing concussion issues the whole season. Her PER for the year was around 12, a completely different player from the year before.
5. Azzi her freshmen season (21-22). Azzi missed time this season too, but more importantly she wasn't 100% the whole year because of her foot. She put up good numbers, but not star numbers, and was largely reduced to a spot up three point shooter. The next year when healthy at the beginning of the season she was driving to the hoop, and taking plenty of pull up jumpers showing her full range of scoring when healthy before injuries hit her again.
6. Dorka (both seasons). I debated who was next here between Dorka, and then Ice and Jana missing full seasons. I picked Dorka because of the timing of her first year injury, and because in both years she was part of a short three big rotation, where missing one of the three makes a very big difference. Dorka only missed 4 games her first year, but the timing couldn't have been worse with her gruesome wrist injury in the Elite 8 against NC State. We then had to go against Stanford and South Carolina with only two available bigs that were part of the regular rotation against teams with the best bigs in the country. Her senior year she missed 8 games which were also costly because our big rotation was only 3 that year too, and the third Ayanna, was not quite meeting expectations.
7. Jana (23/24). Obviously missing a whole season is huge from an expected rotation player if not starter. I am putting her ahead of Ice here mostly because her potential role was expected to be more important this year than Ice's was last year. This year we needed Jana or Ice to be a starter and the other to be the 5 backup.
8. Ice (22/23). Another whole season missed. Only have her behind Jana because this year both were badly needed, whereas last year we had two great returning starters up front with Dorka and Aaliyah.
Overall an almost incomprehensible string of devastating injuries. I think we tend to focus mostly on just games missed, but it is far more than that. At least three players, Paige, Azzi and Caroline have played a significant number of their games at way less than 100%. In addition I think you can say that Paige and Azzi have only been healthy for 6 games over the last two years, and they have not played one game together yet when both were healthy at the same time.
Getting to see Paige like the first 6 games of 21/22 and Azzi like the first 6 games of 22/23 together is something that in their third year on campus together we are still waiting to see. Now I have to go see the article and what was said there!
2. Azzi last year (22/23). With Paige out and Azzi healthy, unlike her freshmen year Azzi was playing like an All American the first 6 games until she got injured. I remember her PER after those games was over 30. She wound up in the lower 20's, so if you do the math her PER after the first injury thru season end was close to 15 which is about average. So All American before, closer to an average player after the injury.
3. Paige two years ago, (21-22). Like Azzi, Paige had a great start to the season after 6 games (PER of 36 vs. 32 her freshmen season). After her comeback from injury her PER for the season declined to 30, so post injury it was probably in the low 20's. Still a very good player but not superstar Paige.
4. Aubrey two years ago (21-22). In her first two years Aubrey was truly a superstar off the bench, mostly at the 4 but some on the wing. Losing her for an entire season is obviously devastating.
5. Caroline (22-23 and some of 21/22). We all remember how Caroline stepped up after being thrown into the lineup her first year. For a stretch she might have been our best player, then the concussion issue came up. She was not the same player the rest of the season, but still finished with a PER around 22 which is very impressive for a first year player and suggested we could just pencil her in as a star at the 3 for the next three years. Then she had hip surgery during the summer and ongoing concussion issues the whole season. Her PER for the year was around 12, a completely different player from the year before.
5. Azzi her freshmen season (21-22). Azzi missed time this season too, but more importantly she wasn't 100% the whole year because of her foot. She put up good numbers, but not star numbers, and was largely reduced to a spot up three point shooter. The next year when healthy at the beginning of the season she was driving to the hoop, and taking plenty of pull up jumpers showing her full range of scoring when healthy before injuries hit her again.
6. Dorka (both seasons). I debated who was next here between Dorka, and then Ice and Jana missing full seasons. I picked Dorka because of the timing of her first year injury, and because in both years she was part of a short three big rotation, where missing one of the three makes a very big difference. Dorka only missed 4 games her first year, but the timing couldn't have been worse with her gruesome wrist injury in the Elite 8 against NC State. We then had to go against Stanford and South Carolina with only two available bigs that were part of the regular rotation against teams with the best bigs in the country. Her senior year she missed 8 games which were also costly because our big rotation was only 3 that year too, and the third Ayanna, was not quite meeting expectations.
7. Jana (23/24). Obviously missing a whole season is huge from an expected rotation player if not starter. I am putting her ahead of Ice here mostly because her potential role was expected to be more important this year than Ice's was last year. This year we needed Jana or Ice to be a starter and the other to be the 5 backup.
8. Ice (22/23). Another whole season missed. Only have her behind Jana because this year both were badly needed, whereas last year we had two great returning starters up front with Dorka and Aaliyah.
Overall an almost incomprehensible string of devastating injuries. I think we tend to focus mostly on just games missed, but it is far more than that. At least three players, Paige, Azzi and Caroline have played a significant number of their games at way less than 100%. In addition I think you can say that Paige and Azzi have only been healthy for 6 games over the last two years, and they have not played one game together yet when both were healthy at the same time.
Getting to see Paige like the first 6 games of 21/22 and Azzi like the first 6 games of 22/23 together is something that in their third year on campus together we are still waiting to see. Now I have to go see the article and what was said there!
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Paige
Azzi
Aubrey
Azzi
Aubrey
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It’s so easy to forget how huge Aubrey’s contribution can be. We saw some of it last year, but mainly on a patchwork team. I want to see her this year, not as a forced-into-action starter, but as the devastating lightning bolt of awesomeness off the bench that she can be. 20 minutes of Aubrey off the bench is probably more effective than 40 minutes. Teams will quake to see her at the scorer’s table.
How weird (and disorienting) would it be for Geno to start Nika Azzi and Aubrey in the backcourt and press opponents hard for 5 minutes, and only then bring in Paige and Caroline and dominate in the half court offense? I mean, the second team is really the first team, but that opening press/transition team might just break the spirit of a lot of teams. Imagine teams breathing a sigh of relief to see Paige and Caroline subbing in for Nika and Aubrey. Irony.
How weird (and disorienting) would it be for Geno to start Nika Azzi and Aubrey in the backcourt and press opponents hard for 5 minutes, and only then bring in Paige and Caroline and dominate in the half court offense? I mean, the second team is really the first team, but that opening press/transition team might just break the spirit of a lot of teams. Imagine teams breathing a sigh of relief to see Paige and Caroline subbing in for Nika and Aubrey. Irony.
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Must be a trick question, right??
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I agree. We often look at injuries from the other side, as a blight on a player’s career. But Paige’s injuries are much more a blight on the UConn dynasty. Imagine if Diana or Maya or Stewie had missed two seasons of top level play. Would we even think of a UConn dynasty? I just hope we have healthy Paige for two full seasons so she can have the impact she deserves to have on the dynasty.
Yeah, I remember 20-21 Paige was pretty banged up at the end of the season and shortly after had surgery. AZ was the more experienced team but for some reason that 1 still kinda stings. I also think that Azzi actually wanted to play at UConn that season similar to Olivia Miles at ND and TVO at Oregon State but there was some issue with her high school. Idk if she would've gotten minutes but that's always a what if to me too. Would've probably made her "freshman year" a bit smoother.
But I kinda agree with @Geew1992 . They are kinda hard to separate. All have been pretty rough.
But I kinda agree with @Geew1992 . They are kinda hard to separate. All have been pretty rough.
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This is the correct answer. If I were to name one player, it would easily be Bueckers.
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Most of last season we played with 70+ points sitting on the bench unable to play!
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HuskyNan
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HIPAATime for the annual HIPPA discussion now.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
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There's a very simple answer to the question and you don't have to be Colombo to figure it out the answer is simply
all of the above !!!
all of the above !!!
I really think UCONN needs to two investigations. First they need to review their Strength and Conditioning Program and compare it to other programs that are NOT seeing this many injuries. It is very unusual to have this many non contact injuries that are this severe. The second is their Diet and how that compares to other programs.
Many schools go years and years without one injury and here you have UCONN dealing with several in the recent past. Have any of you heard or seen so many Ligament and Tendon issues in young athletes?
I was in the mountains enjoying my summer so I missed a lot of your comments on this issue. I don't really think it will impact the team like last year or the one before because they have such depth. I agree a freak accident can happen but I no longer think this is a freak thing.
Many schools go years and years without one injury and here you have UCONN dealing with several in the recent past. Have any of you heard or seen so many Ligament and Tendon issues in young athletes?
I was in the mountains enjoying my summer so I missed a lot of your comments on this issue. I don't really think it will impact the team like last year or the one before because they have such depth. I agree a freak accident can happen but I no longer think this is a freak thing.
HuskyNan
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Jana is the second tendon/ligament injury, not one of a multitude
Jana - torn Achilles tendon
Paige - anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
Ice - dislocated kneecap
Caroline - concussion
Azzi - hyperextended knee (person crashed into her), knocked knees with Georgetown player, previously existing (pre-UConn) foot injury and ACL from 2019
Dorka - broken wrist & thumb
AAliyah - broken nose (Nika), crashed into chair
Amari - hamstring pull, snow
Aubrey - back injury
Ayanna - concussion
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Inês? Is this an old injury?
HuskyNan
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Nope, too much coffee. I fixed my post
MilfordHusky
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Poor Geno has been snakebitten by injuries to key players and last second shots since the Chong turnover in OT! He should have 15 Titles if not for this rotten luck.