Who will be the Alpha Dog next season?

[SVCBeercats]

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Who will be the Alpha Dog next season? Is there a player who can become the Alpha Dog for UCONN? I recently read an article where Tina Charles was talking about Maya Moore as a freshman. Tina said they were well into practice and was dogging it a bit when Moore, a freshman, started yelling at her "Come on, try harder, push yourself" or words to that effect. Charles said she thought "Hey she's a freshman, She can't talk to me like that." But then realized Maya was correct. She was just trying like Geno to get the best out Tina. Remember when Kelly Faris took hold of KML and pushed he to lose weigh and exercise and get into condition. Didn't last after Faris graduated but it worked while Faris was there. Is this group too much about touchy-feely participation trophies? No one wants to be disliked for pushing others? I don't think Stewie was vocal as freshman but she always had the look of a predator and a demeanor that said you all better be thinking victory. After their loss to Stanford Geno was asked what he said to the team. He said Stewie beat him to it leaving no doubt about how she felt about losing and how her teammates better play from that point on. Who on next season's team will pick up the gauntlet and lead?

 

[CocoHusky]

KLS is the only possibility based on her game and personality.

 

[hoopsdiva]

I'd put Danger as a close second, as a point guard, she's already running the show on court, it's a small step from there to leading the way in practice. A much smaller step than the one she took from freshman to sophomore year.

 

[Dillon77]

I'd put Danger as a close second, as a point guard, she's already running the show on court, it's a small step from there to leading the way in practice. A much smaller step than the one she took from freshman to sophomore year.

Putting your handle -- "hoopsdiva" -- in the same vicinity as "Alpha Dog" just brings a smile to one's face.

Good comment, too!

 

[SVCBeercats]

KLS is the only possibility based on her game and personality.

Lou is too laid back CA type. "D" was CA but not laid back. Phee? Too nice and quiet. Maybe Irwin, if she had the talent to back up the talk. However, I have seen a fiery "bench player" get into starters faces with great success basically saying if I had your talent I'd be ten times the teammate and player that you are. Of course in this male locker room having a B. A. Baracus attitude and rep helped. Walker ... noooo. Dangerfield is my choice for the upper classmen. She could take over the team and push teammates the way she pushed herself last summer. Perhaps a little child shall lead them in the person of Christyn Williams. You scoff?! Sabrina Ionescu was that little child last year for Oregon.

 

[JustinesGuy]

LOU needs to be dominate for us next year. Dominate with the three, and imposing her will on the opponent.

We return a very good team. Danger, lou, pheese are premium talent and CW will be great. There’s a lot of good here!!

 

[CocoHusky]

Too laid back CA type. "D" was CA but not laid back. Phee? Too nice and quiet. Maybe Irwin, if she had the talent to back up the talk. However, I have seen a fiery "bench player" get into starters faces with great success basically saying if I had your talent I'd be ten times the teammate and player that you are. Of course in this male locker room having a B. A. Baracus attitude and rep helped. Walker ... noooo. Dangerfield is my choice for the upper classmen. She could take over the team and push teammates the way she pushed herself last summer. Perhaps a little child shall lead them in the person of Christyn Williams. You scoff?! Sabrina Ionescu was that little child last year for Oregon.

KLS has dropped that "CA laid back label" a long time ago. Think of all the teams that have routinely tried to play rough with her and think KLS responses. There were also always other leadership options on the UCONN roster. KLS has run out of time, she a senior who does not want to graduate with 1 Championship and she is talented enough to do something about it.

 

[SVCBeercats]

KLS has dropped that "CA laid back lablel" a long time ago. Think of all the teams that have routinely tried to play rough with her and think of KLS responses. There were also always other leadership options on the UCONN roster. KLS has run out of time, she a senior who does not want to graduate with 1 Championship and she is talented enough to do something about it.

Where was her Alpha Dog attitude in the last three minutes of the ND game? Talent does not imply leadership.

 

[DEpup]

It should be KLS but I bet it will turn out to be CW.

 

[Kaizen]

It should be KLS but I bet it will turn out to be CW.

I will like to see CW to be an Alpha Dog too....

 

[JustinesGuy]

It should be KLS but I bet it will turn out to be CW.

If that’s true then we will be a force. Most freshman go thru a learning curve at best or a tsunami at worst. If CW is going to have a stewie like freshman campaign we are right back in the final four( no injuries assumed ).

 

[CocoHusky]

Where was her Alpha Dog attitude in the last three minutes of the ND game? Talent does not imply leadership.

You funny! If you had listened to Geno's post game presser you would know that the plan was to get KLS the ball but ND did a good job defensively to disrupt that. Give ND credit instead of looking for someone to blame.

 

[JustinesGuy]

You funny! If you had listened to Geno's post game presser you would know that the plan was to get KLS the ball but ND did a good defensively to disrupt that. Give ND credit instead of looking for someone to blame.

True! We tried to force it to KLS to a fault. ND played great defense and I guess we had was no other option since we turned the ball over.

 

[SVCBeercats]

You funny! If you had listened to Geno's post game presser you would know that the plan was to get KLS the ball but ND did a good defensively to disrupt that. Give ND credit instead of looking for someone to blame.

What is he going to say? Lou just didn't want it enough to fight through ND's defense? He didn't know how to set the offense to get her the ball? She isn't talented enough to be the Big Dog in crunch time? He has to try and get her to the Alpha Dog level next season, so she wants and can be the Big Dog in crunch time. Moore, Stewart, and "D" were Alpha Dogs who would not be denies the ball in crunch time. UCONN's hope for Alpha Dog is Dangerfield and Williams. CD has the short odds and CW has the long odds. You are a funny true blue fan.

 

[hugefan]

You act like other coaches are stupid. McGraw may be a whiner but she is not stupid, they knew which of our players were not hitting and wanted them to touch the ball.

 

[bbballfan23]

Lou is too laid back CA type. "D" was CA but not laid back. Phee? Too nice and quiet. Maybe Irwin, if she had the talent to back up the talk. However, I have seen a fiery "bench player" get into starters faces with great success basically saying if I had your talent I'd be ten times the teammate and player that you are. Of course in this male locker room having a B. A. Baracus attitude and rep helped. Walker ... noooo. Dangerfield is my choice for the upper classmen. She could take over the team and push teammates the way she pushed herself last summer. Perhaps a little child shall lead them in the person of Christyn Williams. You scoff?! Sabrina Ionescu was that little child last year for Oregon.

All-Americans won’t follow the leadership of Kyla Irwin nor will they follow a freshman or underclassman. It’s in the hands of Lou & Pheesa. Possibly, Crystal Dangerfield but they’ve been 2 time AA’s & the only ones left on the team who’ve won a championship.

 

[oldude]

Any team that depends on only one player to lead their team is not a complete team, and is vulnerable. Oregon was one such team. During the Elite 8 game, Ionescu attempted to take over the game in the 2nd half, and ND forced her into one bad decision after another.

At the same time, throughout their run to the championship, ND was lead by 4 different players: Shepard, Mabrey, Young & big shot maker Ogunbowle.

With UConn, it was much the same throughout the season with at least 6 players stepping up at various times to take over a game. The more leaders the Huskies have next year, the more successful they will be.

At a minimum I expect Lou, Pheesa, Crystal & Megan to fill that role - yes, that’s right, I expect Megan to be a leader next season, and find the criticism of her play by fellow BY’ers to be deeply disappointing and unwarranted.

Beyond the 4 mentioned, it would be great if other players like CW also step up, but if there’s one thing UConn fans should all be wary of after our outsized expectations for Crystal & Megan during the last 2 seasons, it’s that freshmen take time to adjust to the demands of playing basketball at UConn.

 

[warbler1055]

Truth is in the last couple minutes of the MSST and ND games, UConn needed a player who wanted the ball, the spotlight, the pressure and who came through for the team. This has not happened in the past but possibly we will have a player who will appear this year. Very possibly one will be of the current players or even an incoming freshman. We did have those players in the past at UConn for both the men and women BB teams.

 

[Aluminny69]

You act like other coaches are stupid. McGraw may be a whiner but she is not stupid, they knew which of our players were not hitting and wanted them to touch the ball.

Was there anyone in the building that thought Ogunbawale wasn't taking the last shot?

 

[bbballfan23]

Truth is in the last couple minutes of the MSST and ND games, UConn needed a player who wanted the ball, the spotlight, the pressure and who came through for the team. This has not happened in the past but possibly we will have a player who will appear this year. Very possibly one will be of the current players or even an incoming freshman. We did have those players in the past at UConn for both the men and women BB teams.

It wasn’t about players not wanting the ball. Crystal & Pheesa hit HUGE shots down the stretch. Gabby had the chance to win it but simply missed. It came down to not getting stops.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Where was her Alpha Dog attitude in the last three minutes of the ND game? Talent does not imply leadership.

Perhaps she was looking to the Seniors to Alpha??

 

[bbballfan23]

Perhaps she was looking to the Seniors to Alpha??

I think this is was a major issue all year that wasn’t talked about. Kia & Gabby as fun & productive as they were, were not leaders. I can’t even remember how many games I saw where Gabby had terrible body language.

 

[oldude]

I think this is was a major issue all year that wasn’t talked about. Kia & Gabby as fun & productive as they were, were not leaders. I can’t even remember how many games I saw where Gabby had terrible body language.

Are you kidding me?

Gabby played half the season with debilitating migraines, and most of the season with a painful hip flexor. Under the circumstances, it's no wonder that her face occasionally betrayed her pain and discomfort.

In my opinion, it's an absolute miracle that Gabby was able to play at all, while once again earning 1st team AA honors.

 

[CocoHusky]

I think this is was a major issue all year that wasn’t talked about. Kia & Gabby as fun & productive as they were, were not leaders. I can’t even remember how many games I saw where Gabby had terrible body language.

Sometimes people see what they want to see and still others make things up. Bad body language from Gabby or anyone else is not a UCONN WCBB thing that is tolerated. Gabby got 1 technical this year for cursing about an absolutely horrible call. Kia and Gabby were outstanding leaders for this team.
Sometimes people see what they want to see and still others.....
I realize I might be too late with this: Try not to be like the former, try harder not to be among the latter.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Perhaps she was looking to the Seniors to Alpha??

Alpo?