It will be hard to keep this team from scoring 100 points

[cferraro04]

Breanna Stewart - 25 minutes; 19 points
Moriah Jefferson - 26 minutes; 14 points
Morgan Tuck - 23 minutes; 14 points
Kia Nurse - 25 minutes; 12 points
Saniya Chong - 17 minutes; 7 points
Gabby Williams - 15 minutes; 10 points
Katie Lou Samuelson - 15 minutes; 8 points
Napheesa Collier - 15 minutes; 7 points
Natalie Butler - 12 minutes; 6 points
Courtney Ekmark - 12 minutes; 3 points
De'Janae Boykins - 10 minutes; 4 points
Brianna Pulido - 2 1/2 minutes; .3 points
Tierney Lawlor - 2 1/2 minutes; .5 points


totals: 200 minutes; 104.8 points... I just don't know how there is enough basketballs to go around with this team. We all know from experience that no team is going to average 100 points. But unless Geno deliberately puts the brakes on, plays the reserves a lot of minutes I just don't see how this high octane group of competitors doesn't score 100 points.

 

[calpedaler]

What's really going to be hard is scoring that .8

 

[pppggg]

Only 12 minutes for Natalie Buttler? As most likley the starting post player, 12 minutes a game, even againts the pushovers, is low and
it's more like 20 plus minutes a game againts the good teams.

Howerver I agree it will be hard not to score 100+ points a game for most of the schedule.

 

[Bgillon]

Only 12 minutes for Natalie Buttler? As most likley the starting post player, 12 minutes a game, even againts the pushovers, is low and
it's more like 20 plus minutes a game againts the good teams.

Howerver I agree it will be hard not to score 100+ points a game for most of the schedule.

Ditto on Butler's minutes. For some reason, a few BYers have trouble believing Butler will play significant minutes versus freshmen who have not played a single minute of college ball nor have adjusted to Geno's methods and demands, especially for defensive play. If their opinion is correct though, given Butler was the Big East FPOY, this team has the chance to be better than even the wild eyed optimists on this board have claimed!

 

[FairView]

I say they will score 100+ points nine times or fewer. I say that without looking at the schedule or considering how they will do against any particular team. We've had threads predicting scoring like this in the past. The reality is, it just doesn't happen. There are several factors that contribute to it not happening. Perhaps the coaches use the time to work on things other than scoring. Maybe that UConn well-oiled-machine teamwork isn't as evident late in the game. Geno may have the team use up the clock in blowouts to avoid humiliating the opponent. Perhaps the potential on paper doesn't translate to the games. There are lots of reasons. As I said, we've had predictions like this in the past. It just doesn't happen. Okay, maybe 11 or 12 games.

 

[Bonpland]

I've watched many games where we have gone out and scored 50+ points in the first half and then finshed in the eighties or low nineties. I know we have broken a hundred on occasion but I don't think that Geno is much on running up the score.

And while I share your optimism for the coming season I think that there aren't enough minutes for the second six to achieve your projected averages. Your individual estimates are not unrealistic, but if KLS and Collier together average 15 points a game there won't be time enough for Chong and and the others to meet your projections.

Also, there is no way, barring injury, that Chong averages more minutes than either Butler or Williams. Chong will get her chance early in the season but Butler and Williams will stay important to the team right through the post season.

 

[jsloanjr]

Looking forward to their success this season and their points will come from 8 to 10 players every game.......The "A" team and the "B" team

Well rested for the post season. Practice will be fun!!

 

[HoopsFan21]

Ditto on Butler's minutes. For some reason, a few BYers have trouble believing Butler will play significant minutes versus freshmen who have not played a single minute of college ball nor have adjusted to Geno's methods and demands, especially for defensive play. If their opinion is correct though, given Butler was the Big East FPOY, this team has the chance to be better than even the wild eyed optimists on this board have claimed!

I agree. Butler's got two years of college ball under her belt - this last one where she played zero games being the toughest of the two considering her competition in practice. The freshmen have a long way to go, and our most heralded recruit missed most of summer training, so I'm going to keep my expectations low for them. They'll get their time, but Geno will ease them in slowly.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I see a major emphasis this year being growing the players who will have to step up as two great AAs depart at the end of the year. I know many project Kia Nurse as PG in 2016, but as she demonstrated this summer her natural position is 2 guard. We may end up with a freshman PG in 2016 or perhaps Kia will have to play PG. Also feel Natalie must average well above 20 if she has the potential Geno sees in her and it is to be developed. 100 point games - a meaningless metric - but I'll say 10.

 

[Boreifs]

I see a major emphasis this year being growing the players who will have to step up as two great AAs depart at the end of the year. I know many project Kia Nurse as PG in 2016, but as she demonstrated this summer her natural position is 2 guard. We may end up with a freshman PG in 2016 or perhaps Kia will have to play PG. Also feel Natalie must average well above 20 if she has the potential Geno sees in her and it is to be developed. 100 point games - a meaningless metric - but I'll say 10.

Except that Geno doesn't really teach a system where there is a pure point guard. When there is a high and low post, both guards become guards, not a point and a wing. I don't think I have ever seen him run a 1-2-2 set.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Except that Geno doesn't really teach a system where there is a pure point guard. When there is a high and low post, both guards become guards, not a point and a wing. I don't think I have ever seen him run a 1-2-2 set.

I don't know what you mean about "pure point guard". Every Geno team has a primary ball handling, bring it up guard on the floor and in the position designation - yes his p[oint guards are also guards, but we will need a very good PG to succeed Moriah, and right now I don't see who that will be. I think Molly Bent has a greater shot at that than Saniya right now (okay, that's a bit of a reach maybe, but I'd like to heat things up a bit ).

 

[Fightin Choke]

I've watched many games where we have gone out and scored 50+ points in the first half and then finshed in the eighties or low nineties. I know we have broken a hundred on occasion but I don't think that Geno is much on running up the score.

And while I share your optimism for the coming season I think that there aren't enough minutes for the second six to achieve your projected averages. Your individual estimates are not unrealistic, but if KLS and Collier together average 15 points a game there won't be time enough for Chong and and the others to meet your projections.

Also, there is no way, barring injury, that Chong averages more minutes than either Butler or Williams. Chong will get her chance early in the season but Butler and Williams will stay important to the team right through the post season.

I agree with Bonpland. The past 3 years have been very successful seasons, all ending with a NC, but UConn never came close to 10 games where they scored over 100 points in a season:

2012-13: 5 games
2013-14: 3 games
2014-15: 4 games

Geno pulls his foot off the gas so as to not humiliate the opponent (by calling off the running game, running the shot clock down in the half court, etc.), so those point totals are rare, despite the talent disparity between the teams. If I were Vegas posting a over/under, I would say 5 games. I would not venture higher.

 

[msf22b]

Saniya could be a very good point...if she lives up to her potential

 

[Fightin Choke]

I see a major emphasis this year being growing the players who will have to step up as two great AAs depart at the end of the year. I know many project Kia Nurse as PG in 2016, but as she demonstrated this summer her natural position is 2 guard. We may end up with a freshman PG in 2016 or perhaps Kia will have to play PG. Also feel Natalie must average well above 20 if she has the potential Geno sees in her and it is to be developed. 100 point games - a meaningless metric - but I'll say 10.

It is not unreasonable to expect Nurse to take over the primary ball-handling responsibilities, despite the fact that she projects as a 2 and not a 1. Consider Moriah's freshman year. She did not start and Bria Hartley (far more a 2 than a 1) was the primary ball-handler. The whole team will help with the passing once the ball is in the front court.

 

[Tonyc]

Saniya will blossom this season into a great point guard and follow in MoJeffs footsteps next season. Saniya reminds me of what Kiah Stokes went through. Saniya will play a lot of minutes with Mojeff on the bench. JMO

 

[ChicagoGG]

I don't see Mo Jeff playing less than 25 per game. Not in her senior season with WNBA scouts in the seats. Will he leave her out there in a total blowout? No. But she will get plenty of time.

 

[chrissaran]

If Kia stays at the 2, more than likely Crystal Dangerfield will be playing the point. Natalie plays at least 20-25. There are 8 players listed who would be getting more playing time. Not going to happen.

 

[MJL243]

Saniya will blossom this season into a great point guard and follow in MoJeffs footsteps next season. Saniya reminds me of what Kiah Stokes went through. Saniya will play a lot of minutes with Mojeff on the bench. JMO

So you're saying that Saniya will blossom in her fifth year, when she's playing for Bill Laimbeer? Seriously though, Geno has said that players don't often have a big improvement as a junior, that you know what they will be as a sophomore.

 

[HoopsFan21]

So you're saying that Saniya will blossom in her fifth year, when she's playing for Bill Laimbeer? Seriously though, Geno has said that players don't often have a big improvement as a junior, that you know what they will be as a sophomore.

Kiah was bitten by the injury bug in her first two years as well, which probably slowed her development some. As far as Saniya goes, sometimes you are who you are, and she's not going to be Mo no matter how many times we wish it so. We're lucky to have Kia for the next 3 years.

 

[Huskies Rule]

Saniya could be a very good point...if she lives up to her potential

Sadly, I'm afraid that time has come and gone. In two years, Saniya has shown just a few all-too-brief glimpses of the kind of play Geno is looking for. Mostly she has shown herself to be tentative, unsure of herself, and far too inconsistent to run the team effectively from the point. Still, I expect her to do a solid job coming off the bench to spell the number one guard tandem in all of WCBB. She is stuck behind the rock (Moriah) and the hard place (Kia).

 

[geordi]

It won't be that hard keeping this team under 100 points. Geno can do it single handed.

 

[MJL243]

Sadly, I'm afraid that time has come and gone. In two years, Saniya has shown a few all-too-brief glimpses of the kind of play Geno is looking for. Mostly she has shown herself to be tentative, unsure of herself, and far too inconsistent to run the team effectively from the point. Still, I expect her to do a solid job coming off the bench to spell the number one guard tandem in all of WCBB. She is stuck behind the rock (Moriah) and the hard place (Kia).

I wish you hadn't used this turn of phrase. I cringe when I think about the final of the PanAm games.

 

[Huskies Rule]

I wish you hadn't used this turn of phrase. I cringe when I think about the final of the PanAm games.

Sorry, but that was EXACTLY my thinking. When you go up against Kia, you're gonna need a Nurse. As her big bad NHL brother said, roughly paraphrasing his story: They were playing basketball together and he gave her a hard shoulder. She responded immediately with an even harder elbow. At which point he shrugged and realized getting physical with her was a no-win proposition.

 

[EricLA]

Great comments to Charlie's thoughtful OP... My $.02 FWIW...

I'd be surprised if UCONN scored 100+ in more than 6 games and here's why. I think Bonpland pointed out that we've scored 50+ in the first half, and ended up only scoring in the low to mid 80's for the game. Why? Because while we continue to play lock down defense, Geno stops with the fast breaks and quick shots. He will ask the team to slow down the game a bit and work on the half court offense. This will give a chance for the team to not only work on things they need to improve on, but also give the reserves to work within a structured offense.

More often than not, if the game is a blowout, Geno brings in the reserves (I could see Pulido, Lawler, Ekmark, Boykin and Samuelson/Collier getting in the last 6 minutes of a blowout). Or maybe he leave in Chong to help run the point. Either way, that team will be scoring challenged against decent defenses of even average WCBB teams.

How many times have we seen UCONN outscore a team 50-20 in the first half only to see it end up 35-30 in the 2nd half? I'm sure there are a bunch of other reasons for this but I just don't see a plethora of games where we drop over 100 on other teams...

 

[Sonny44]

It won't be that hard keeping this team under 100 points. Geno can do it single handed.

Agree, Geno doesn't like us to run up the score except against coaches he doesn't like.