It's that time again. The "Who starts?" debate.

[Kibitzer]

There is not an editorial writer alive who doesn't have a pet issue to dust off about every six months and reiterate on his/her op-ed page or similar forum.

Similarly, Boneyard posters are perpetually afflicted by an irresistible compulsion to help Geno coach (but invariably following up their unappreciated and unwelcome advice with what I call the Poster's Disclaimer: "Just sayin.'"

Elsewhere, the Boneyard consensus seems to be that the UConn starting lineup will be Moriah (1), Bria (2), Kaleena (3), and Stef (5), and then Stewie, presumably the 4.

Which would logically establish Morgan as first off the bench ("sixth 'man'").

But wait just a minute!

The concept of having a really really good player to come off the bench and energize the team was created by Red Auerbach andthe first player to fulfill this role was Frank Ramsey. John Havlicek was the legendary -- some say immortal -- "sixth man." (How good was he in this role? Eight NC rings and 26,395 points good.) But I digress.

Aside from skill and stamina, what distinguished Hondo was that he could play two positions at an all-star level (btw, 13 NBA All-Star appearances).

For just a moment, let's think like Red as we consider our "sixth man" and rule out anyone on the UConn roster who is limited to one position. May I suggest that would realistically omit Stef (5), Moriah (1) and Morgan (4) from this equation. Still under consideration are Bria (1, 2), Kaleena (2, 3) and Stewie (take any number(s) you want).

Surely you know where I am going with this. Start Morgan (4), bring Stewie in at first time out to create the mother of all match-up problems and wreak havoc. Replace any starter with a cold hand, two fouls or a hangnail.

I nominate Stewie for "UConn Sixth Man." Another Havlicek.

 

[alexrgct]

 

[Phil]

Well, my plan was to quip that Geno is more of a Wooden man than Auerbach man, but Wooden did say "The importance of that so-called sixth man can not be overestimated", so Wooden might be tempted to pick a sixth man who might otherwise be a starter.

You make a great case for Stewie, as she can play multiple positions.

However, my first choice is Morgan, who is going to challenge for a starting position, or at least a lot of minutes. I her as able to sub for either Stewie or Steph, so I see those two as starting, and Tuck replacing whichever one first needs a blow, or needs some time to talk tot he coaches about tweaks to the game.

 

[pinotbear]

I don't know who starts...but, I know who's on first!

 

[Phil]

We might also see Saniya coming in early for either Bria or Moriah, although I think that sequence will be post-Thanksgiving.

 

[wallman]

Great find Pinot!

 

[JS]

Original as ever, I too commend Kib's imaginative proposal.

Hu will join me in supporting this wily tactic?

 

[johnnyc]

Potential 20 to 25 points a game on the bench? Whatta kibitzer.

If we are going to use the Celtics I liken Stewart more to Bird. No bench for Bird.

 

[Paul1969]

I think Brianna Turner is a better 3 point shooter than Moriah and should start if healthy and back to form.

 

[doggydaddy]

Tuck can play the 3 or 4.

 

[xHunt3r]

The starting line will change by the end of the season. I think Geno may start the season out:
1 Bria
2 Brianna
3 KML
4 Breanna
5 Stef

Moriah or Morgan... will be the first off the bench.

All 9 will get plenty of play time. It will be interesting to see what the starting line up is by the end of the season.

 

[sarals24]

I think Brianna Turner is a better 3 point shooter than Moriah and should start if healthy and back to form.

Brianna Turner is a Husky now? News to me!

 

[sarals24]

The starting line will change by the end of the season of course. I think Geno may start the season out:
1 Bria
2 Brianna
3 KML
4 Breanna
5 Stef

Moriah or Morgan... will be the first off the bench.

All 9 will get plenty of play time. It will be interesting to see what the starting line up is by the end of the season.

I don't think Banks will start, at least not right away. She might be fully rehabbed, but she wasn't a starter last year and will need to get a few games under her belt (IMO) on her new knee.

That said, I am super excited to have her back!!

 

[Kibitzer]

Potential 20 to 25 points a game on the bench? Whatta kibitzer.

I apparently did not provide sufficient clarity in my explanation of the genius of Red Auerbach, so I will try again.

The player that Red selected to come off the bench for most of his long (16 seasons) and successful (8 NC, 26K+ points, 13 All-Star appearances, and selection as one of NBA 50 Greatest) logged a helluva lot of minutes. Whoever is first off the UConn bench will surely log 30+ minutes in competitive games, just like the starters.

I don't pretend to be as smart as Red (nobody was) but he explained his thinking often enough that a little rubbed off on me.

As for Bird, for all his greatness, he was neither as durable nor as versatile as Havlicek.

 

[xHunt3r]

All dependent on Brianna's health of course...

Bria and Moriah are the point guards on the team. While we could start both, it would be better with one of them coming off the bench(more flexibility in subbing). Moriah can come in for either guard since Bria is capability of playing 2. I think a Bria + Moriah back court will get lots of minutes this season, and it will wreck havoc with the defesive pressure they will bring, but I won't start the game with it(of course I'm just a fan, what do I know!). The only other guard to start if Brianna doesn't is Saniya and I don't see that happening starting out the season.

 

[johnnyc]

I apparently did not provide sufficient clarity in my explanation of the genius of Red Auerbach, so I will try again.

The player that Red selected to come off the bench for most of his long (16 seasons) and successful (8 NC, 26K+ points, 13 All-Star appearances, and selection as one of NBA 50 Greatest) logged a helluva lot of minutes. Whoever is first off the UConn bench will surely log 30+ minutes in competitive games, just like the starters.

I don't pretend to be as smart as Red (nobody was) but he explained his thinking often enough that a little rubbed off on me.

As for Bird, for all his greatness, he was neither as durable nor as versatile as Havlicek.

Oh and I don't pretend to be as smart as you. I just don't agree that's all. I want my scoring machine starting from the get go. And I will take Bird over Havlicek all day. That's not a knock on him. Bird made a pretty impressive steal in the playoffs too ya know.

Come on....you didn't start the thread to have everyone agreeing with you did ya?

 

[baggerbob]

KML will get a chance to spend more time at her natural position, which is 2 guard, she is the best shooter on the team. Bria-1, KML-2, Breanna-3, Morgan-4, Stef-5, Moriah 1st guard off the bench.

 

[pinotbear]

Tuck can play the 3 or 4.

Or, she can come in for KML, and Stewie slides to the three .. for that matter, Morgan can come in for BH, and KML can slide to the two... or, Morgan can come in for MoJeff, and Stewie goes 3, KML goes 2, and BH goes point.

The point, of course, is that line-up changes aren't always "one-for-one", but, rather, a domino effect. I remember watching an early January game in Storrs some years back, and Wilnett came in, and ..Ketia Swanier?.. left the floor: basically, one of the largest players on the roster came in for the smallest, and nobody missed a beat. I remember marveling - and chuckling - about how seamless it was.. and how much pressure it must put on an opponent to deal with a team that can make such substitutions, changing almost all the match-ups on the floor.

With few exceptions, UConn develops a pretty flexible group.

 

[DavidinNaples]

Geno has lots of options.... Regular = MoJeff, Hartley, KML, Stewie and Stef. Big = Hartley, KML, Stokes, Stewie and Stef. Fast = MoJeff, Hartley, Banks, KML and Stewie. No Seniors = MoJeff, Banks, KML, Tuck and Stewie. Really Big = KML, Stewie, Tuck, Stokes and Stef. Really Fast = MoJeff, Banks, Chong, KML and Stewie. You get the point.......

 

[doggydaddy]

Geno has lots of options.... Regular = MoJeff, Hartley, KML, Stewie and Stef. Big = Hartley, KML, Stokes, Stewie and Stef. Fast = MoJeff, Hartley, Banks, KML and Stewie. No Seniors = MoJeff, Banks, KML, Tuck and Stewie. Really Big = KML, Stewie, Tuck, Stokes and Stef. Really Fast = MoJeff, Banks, Chong, KML and Stewie. You get the point.......

Love it. In watching the final four games over and over, I was amazed how often Geno played KML at the 2 with Dolson, Stewart and Tuck and Hartley at the point. And how effective they were.

I don't believe we have seen a healthy Dolson and a confident Stewart in the game at the same time.

 

[Vowelguy]

My starting 5: Bria - MoJeff - KML - TBS - Dolson

I'm not a big believer in the theory that the starting lineup will change. Adjustments to the starting lineup are not done often by Geno, and with the exception of last year, I can't recall a time when they actually worked.

If this team is as strong as we think it will be, I don't see a reason that the starters would change.

 

[johnnyc]

You get the point.......

Yeah..... KML and Stewart are gonna be tired before the halfway point of the season.

 

[AllHusky529]

I agree with MoJeff...Bria...KML...TBS...Stef, the exceptions being the MD and STAN type games. I think Morgan will be needed heavily to spell KML, TBS & Stef. That's my guess.

 

[Bestiarius]

My pedestrian experience with organized ball, leads me to think the 6th man offers a great psychological advantage. In my experience, when the other team subbed in, it was always a relief - it's going to get easier. To have someone like Stewart coming in as the 6th, and thus upgrading the talent level, it can be depressing to the opposition.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

. . . I'm not a big believer in the theory that the starting lineup will change. Adjustments to the starting lineup are not done often by Geno, and with the exception of last year, I can't recall a time when they actually worked.
. . .

One reason Geno hasn't tinkered a whole lot with the starting lineup in the past is that he has rarely had
the depth of talent that he has on this team. Apart from Stef and Bria who, as seniors, will likely start every
game, I tend to agree with David that he may vary the starters depending on the situation.

So many of our conference opponents will be uncompetitive so that Geno may start people in those games
on a message/reward basis depending on who had a good week of practice and who might have been
dogging it a bit.

The fact is that, apart from a handful of games, it won't matter a whole bunch who is starting as far as
winning the game is concerned (of course it may matter to the kids themselves - which is why the
carrot/stick approach might be usefully employed from time to time).