Auriemma eyes dominant frontcourt in UConn’s quest for 12th title

[Kaizen]

Frankly, even a quality addition isn't going to come close to nullifying SC's rebounding edge. I think Geno needs to come up with a particular strategy to defeat them. Trapping their guards might be a start.

You do realize South Carolina has lost to Missouri (69-70, 47 to 32 rebs) and Kentucky (62-64, 44 to 32 rebs) respectively.

South Carolina is a super #1 team but not unbeatably. Any schools with a good day and coaching plan, (and also some good luck) can beat South Carolina even with less rebounds.

 

[oldhusky]

I think Amari is very important because of her height and shot blocking ability. She may be more of a 4 offensively, but we need her to be a 5 defensively to go with Dorka, so we have two quality 6-5 players. SC has Boston and Cardosa, Stanford has Betts joining Brink etc. We will probably have a quantity of good 6-2 to 6-3 players that are more natural 4's, but Amari is currently the only option taller than that to compete with the teams that can throw more than one talented 6-5 player at you.

Against most competition using Aaliyah or maybe Ice at the 5 when Dorka wasn't in would be fine, but against the top competition one big C is not enough. It probably comes down to Amari or using an undersized PF at C to back up Dorka.

At PF we have far more options than AE. Griffin might come back strong, and or Patterson or Brady might be ready to excel right away. The best from that trio is likely to be pretty good. But for true C size along with Dorka it falls on Amari more exclusively. I think unless some new names emerge, the portal is more likely to produce a third C option, than the principle backup to Dorka.

 

[Zonepress]

Imho while UConn has some very good “big”
Players none of them have the ability to post
In the low block ..Dorka is a very skilled player
But like most European players is most comfortable facing the basket with good 3
Point range. With another big player who could post up would be very effective
AE is a good rebounder can defend multiple positions and seemed to be getting better at
Shooting the foul line jump shot..a very good player . at this point
Does not have the “natural ability” to establish
Post position,feel the defender and use the body
And foot work to either finish or find the open
Man when there is help defense .these skills
Are very hard to teach and imho are somewhat
natural skills..I believe improved shooting from the foul line and putting the ball on the floor to finish at the rim are areas she could make the most improvement
AD certainly can shoot the ball and in limited
Minutes appears to have a Good “feel” for the game Seems she may have the skills to be a post player but no certainty Her “upside” is very high

Which brings me to why GA seems to be
Very high on I Brady
Have watched multiple video and she
Absolutely knows how to post up great footwork
Knows how to use her body to create angles and space and has a soft touch and being left handed helps additionally very comfortable putting the ball on the floor and range to 15
Feet
She has all the skills that other UConn big
Players do not have and seems physically ready for the college game
Like most freshman players defense will a challenge
While South Carolina will be the favorite and Stanford very formidable. a healthy uconn
Team with improvement from
AD and significant contributions from the freshman could allow the best backcourt
In the country to be the difference
I’m optimistic!!

 

[oldude]

I’m surprised so many people think she has this amazing skill set. From what little we saw her I don’t know how that evaluation is just. I find it hard to go buy high school videos where she dominates lesser players. I agree that she has promise but again so little playing time somewhat leaves me doubtful. The fact that she’s willing to stay this summer and work on her game is a big plus and I can only hope vast improvement on her part not only for the team but for her as an individual. But if I were the coaches I would not plan on that account on that I would go out and get an experienced Big. having a quality for big rotation with two quality freshmen would clearly give any other team problems. It’s gonna be a long summer of waiting.

I would disagree with you on Amari’s skill set. She is fairly unique in her shooting touch/range and her ability to pass the ball. But setting that aside, just which “experienced, quality Big”, who could actually make a difference, would you try to bring in at UConn? I don’t see anyone in the portal right now that will deliver UConn a championship next season.

 

[JJTB]

I hope 1 of the 3 develops into a consistent 15/10 player that would allow more offensive flexibility. Of course better lay up success would help.

 

[oldude]

Imho while UConn has some very good “big”
Players none of them have the ability to post
In the low block ..Dorka is a very skilled player
But like most European players is most comfortable facing the basket with good 3
Point range. With another big player who could post up would be very effective
AE is a good rebounder can defend multiple positions and seemed to be getting better at
Shooting the foul line jump shot..a very good player . at this point
Does not have the “natural ability” to establish
Post position,feel the defender and use the body
And foot work to either finish or find the open
Man when there is help defense .these skills
Are very hard to teach and imho are somewhat
natural skills..I believe improved shooting from the foul line and putting the ball on the floor to finish at the rim are areas she could make the most improvement
AD certainly can shoot the ball and in limited
Minutes appears to have a Good “feel” for the game Seems she may have the skills to be a post player but no certainty Her “upside” is very high

Which brings me to why GA seems to be
Very high on I Brady
Have watched multiple video and she
Absolutely knows how to post up great footwork
Knows how to use her body to create angles and space and has a soft touch and being left handed helps additionally very comfortable putting the ball on the floor and range to 15
Feet
She has all the skills that other UConn big
Players do not have and seems physically ready for the college game
Like most freshman players defense will a challenge
While South Carolina will be the favorite and Stanford very formidable. a healthy uconn
Team with improvement from
AD and significant contributions from the freshman could allow the best backcourt
In the country to be the difference
I’m optimistic!!

You make an interesting point. UConn’s best low post players were not centers. They were forwards. Specifically, Tuck & Pheesa were 1st team AA’s with incredible low-post scoring ability. Geno probably sees that potential in Ice.

 

[Geesworld]

Not so sure why it Sounds like UCONN faithful is in panic Mode. We just reached final four and the finals. There is no need to panic, trying to keep up with one program. If anything we have to find the next Post player that is going to compliment Deberry and the next couple of classes coming in. Won't have Dorka after next season.

I've said it a few times. Post Players isn't something you use sparingly. If Geno wanted a post presence, I'm certain that is what the offense would look like. It's time to commit to having a post influence. Especially with the gifted shooters we have on this team.

 

[hoophuskee]

Uconn needs to score against South Carolina from the outside...........ultimately UConn needs to find a way to get Fudd, Bueckers and Ducharme more open shots......that's their advantage and the only way they win against SC.......hopefully the front court players can compete enough to keep the SC forwards honest..........this is where I'm hoping Brady's ability to shoot from midrange will come into play.........

I think the opposite. They need some scoring on the inside to open up the outside. That's why I've been more "pro-Patterson" while you are more "pro-Brady" I suppose.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

You do realize South Carolina has lost to Missouri (69-70, 47 to 32 rebs) and Kentucky (62-64, 44 to 32 rebs) respectively.

South Carolina is a super #1 team but not unbeatably. Any schools with a good day and coaching plan, (and also some good luck) can beat South Carolina even with less rebounds.

I do realize that. I also realize they averaged a +18 on the boards for the season. And they were +13, +17, and +25 the last three times they've faced the Huskies.

 

[hoophuskee]

Injuries are not an intangible they are a reality of the game. When both teams were at full strength early in the season SC was still the dominat team. SC also beat Stanford earlier this season. There is a significant gap between SC and UCONN. I really don't care about the other teams. Lamenting the injuries UCONN had in this game or on the season does nothing to close the gap. A new/different strategy + improved (new?) players is now a necessity- at least that's what I got out of reading this article.

when was UCONN at full strength? They were hurt too often to ever be at full strength. Even at the end of the season, Paige wasn't at full strength until arguably the end. And at the end Dorka got hurt.

 

[hoophuskee]

Not so sure why it Sounds like UCONN faithful is in panic Mode.

It's time to commit to having a post influence.

I'm not sure I understand the 1st sentence vs the 2nd?

 

[Kaizen]

I do realize that. I also realize they averaged a +18 on the boards for the season. And they were +13, +17, and +25 the last three times they've faced the Huskies.

I am only talking about rebounds and I do not mention UConn in my post.

And then, this season UConn only played 2 times with South Carolina, where do you come to three times. Don't add last year's game in here otherwise I can tell you the last 10 years' games.

 

[CocoHusky]

when was UCONN at full strength? They were hurt too often to ever be at full strength. Even at the end of the season, Paige wasn't at full strength until arguably the end. And at the end Dorka got hurt.

Technically never. It was announced after this game that Azzi was suffering from stress in feet and Aubrey had not been ruled out as of yet. Caroline was a healthy scratch for this game. My main point still stands it is fairly shortsighted to focus on the injuries because the gap between the teams is significantly above what the injuries would account for and the injuries are not predictable. It is really a quick excuse as was put forth last year when UCONN lost to Arizona-Nika was not fully healthy. This year people are pointing to Dorka being missing, Azzi being ill and Evina being nick up during the game. While I believe those fully healthy players certain would have worked in UCONN favor it is not something we should be counting on as the answer to closing this gap. I'll keep it a buck! Dorka did not exactly distinguish herself against the Indiana front line. She showed some early flashes against NCst before being injured. I'm just not sure why there would be hope for Dorka to distinguish herself against the SC front line.

Women's Basketball vs South Carolina on 11/22/2021 - Box Score - University of Connecticut Athletics

The official box score of Women's Basketball vs South Carolina on 11/22/2021

uconnhuskies.com

 

[CocoHusky]

Not so sure why it Sounds like UCONN faithful is in panic Mode. We just reached final four and the finals. There is no need to panic, trying to keep up with one program. If anything we have to find the next Post player that is going to compliment Deberry and the next couple of classes coming in. Won't have Dorka after next season.

I've said it a few times. Post Players isn't something you use sparingly. If Geno wanted a post presence, I'm certain that is what the offense would look like. It's time to commit to having a post influence. Especially with the gifted shooters we have on this team.

Doesn't seem like you read the article if you are questioning what Geno want out of the post.

From the article:
"I’ve never gone to the national championship game and not had one or two big guys who could dominate the game at either end, offensively or defensively."

Geno

Geno want's a post presence he just doesn't have it.

 

[Geesworld]

I'm not sure I understand the 1st sentence vs the 2nd?

First sentence is saying don't panic for need of post players just to try and keep up with SC.
The second is time to start using all of your tools and not as a token usage rate.

 

[hoophuskee]

I am only talking about rebounds and I do not mention UConn in my post.

And then, this season UConn only played 2 times with South Carolina, where do you come to three times. Don't add last year's game in here otherwise I can tell you the last 10 years' games.

I agree with you. There also needs to be some fair context.

UCONN got wiped out in there earlier game this year with SC with no Griffin (before season started you would have expected a core rebounder on UCONN's team would have been available to play) and an unhealthy Dorka. I mean-- there was "a reason" why they got Dorka. It was to combat getting wiped out. If she is hurt or unable to play it puts the team at a disadvantage.

Then it title game excluding Griffin, there was no Dorka and a hurt Liv. And to a lesser extent a hurt Evina but much lesser extent.

One just can't gloss over these things as if they didn't matter then just spout out stats without any context.

 

[TeamFirst!]

SC will have a new point guard and that may be the weakness for them. Henderson was very good at controlling the pace and the team. She was a senior and did the job that Harris did before her. We have to disrupt the new point guard. It could be Cooke or maybe Amihere would played it when Henderson was out early in the year.

It probably is Raven Johnson who was a top recruit last year and who was getting a lot of PT for a Freshman before she got hurt.

 

[CocoHusky]

I am only talking about rebounds and I do not mention UConn in my post.

And then, this season UConn only played 2 times with South Carolina, where do you come to three times. Don't add last year's game in here otherwise I can tell you the last 10 years' games.

You can go back 10 years if you want but fact are facts. UCONN NEVER lost the rebounding margin to South Carolina until Aaliyah Boston step foot on SC campus. Since then it has been decisively in SC's favor. That is he point of @Sluconn Husky post. UCONN can't be dealing with those kinds of rebounding deficits and expect to ever beat SC.

 

[hoophuskee]

Doesn't seem like you read the article if you are questioning what Geno want out of the post.

From the article:
"I’ve never gone to the national championship game and not had one or two big guys who could dominate the game at either end, offensively or defensively."

Geno

Geno want's a post presence he just doesn't have it.

He forgot about the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 teams.

 

[hoophuskee]

First sentence is saying don't panic for need of post players just to try and keep up with SC.
The second is time to start using all of your tools and not as a token usage rate.

Okay.

But what if he doesn't have it? Who was the player he could have dumped the ball inside to vs SC?

 

[Kaizen]

You can go back 10 years if you want but fact are facts. UCONN NEVER lost the rebounding margin to South Carolina until Aaliyah Boston step foot on SC campus. Since then it has been decisively in SC's favor. That is he point of @Sluconn Husky post. UCONN can't be dealing with those kinds of rebounding deficits and expect to ever beat SC.

UConn has played South Carolina only 2 times this season so can you tell me where is the 3rd game Sluconn mentioned?

 

[Stymie]

This is an interesting article. It appears that Geno is weighing whether or not to play the hand he has next season as far as frontcourt players are concerned or to dip into the transfer portal for another Big.

Much of UConn’s ability to make it back to the FF next year, and perhaps overcome the enormous challenge posed by SC & Boston, comes down to the development of Amari DeBerry, a 6’5” post. Amari needs to improve her conditioning and agressiveness but she definitely has the skill set to become a dominant post player.

I am heartened to know that Amari plans to stay on campus over the summer to work with Andrea Hudy, as well as the coaches. She is most certainly the X-factor going into next season.

Devil’s advocate here.
How do you know Amari ‘definitely’ has the skill set to become a dominant post player.
All one really has to go on, by and large, is tape of her beating up on inferior sized/skilled HS competition.
We don’t see practice.
Have seen absolutely nothing in her playing time at UCONN besides a couple of rebounds and a number of 3 point heaves.
Not down on her-Christ, she’s an athletic 6’5”- but please, show me SOMETHING.
Haven’t seen anything as a precursor to “ dominant”.

 

[hoophuskee]

UConn has played South Carolina only 2 times this season so can you tell me where is the 3rd game Sluconn mentioned?

He's referring to the game that UCONN beat South Carolina.

 

[Kaizen]

Then it title game excluding Griffin, there was no Dorka and a hurt Liv. And to a lesser extent a hurt Evina but much lesser extent.

One just can't gloss over these things as if they didn't matter then just spout out stats without any context.

And Azzi was also sick in this title game. So UConn has , may be, 5 players not in their normal conditions. ..

 

[CocoHusky]

UConn has played South Carolina only 2 times this season so can you tell me where is the 3rd game Sluconn mentioned?

@Sluconn Husky never said the teams played three times this season what he wrote was "The last three times they've faced the Huskies".

I do realize that. I also realize they averaged a +18 on the boards for the season. And they were +13, +17, and +25 the last three times they've faced the Huskies.