Team on the court I would like to see

[CocoHusky]

If you're going to play the 3, I think you have to be able to shoot the 3.

I think you may be more familiar with the 3 position as played recently by Maya ,KML and maybe even Kevin Durant -Not that this is a bad model traditionally your best shooter should be the SG-2 as the position name implies and your secondary ball handler. The SF-3 should be more of slasher. Collier is a better slasher than KLS therefore better equipped to play the 3 while KLS is a better ball handler and shooter better equipped to be a SG IMOs.

 

[CL82]

The 5th starter I would guess is Butler. You can't teach height. Plus Geno has made some comments in the past year about the style of offense being easier (to teach? execute?) when they had someone like Dolson in the middle. I suspect Butler becomes a Dolson-lite in a similar style of offense this year. Tuck will slide over to K's old spot and while she won't provide the same 3 point shooting prowess, the defense at that position should improve over last year.

I wonder if Butler will be as effective a passer as Dolson. Dolson was a "point center" (yeah, I'm laughing as I write this) but her ability to read and react was impressive. I'm not sure that Butler will be able to reproduce that, at least this year. I see Butler as a more traditional center.

 

[rugbymate]

Probably right. Next year Tuck is going to have to play the 4 spot vacated by Stewie, so the 3 will have to be KLS. I think KLS could ultimately be a more versatile KML - similar in ability to play anywhere on the floor like Stewie due to shooting ability and height.

Not sure that is right....Gabby may be the 3...she can rebound and get to the hoop whereas KLS seems to have , according to Geno, a shot on par or better than KML.Seems to me you want that skill on the perimeter to stretch the defense. Alternatively, Collier could be the 3( who can also get to the hoops).

 

[meyers7]

Dolson lite. Really. You watch. Natalie will be a better all-around player than Stefanie when her career is done at UConn. She's already a better rebounder and shot blocker.

Really? In what world do you live? Dolson was a 2 time AA, #14 all time scorer, #4 all time rebounder, #5 all time shot blocker. I hope Butler is good, but I'd be very surprised if she was anywhere close to Dolson. If she ends up with a Schumacher/JMoore kind of career, I'd be very happy.

 

[FollowerCT]

Perhaps this has already been posted ... on Natalie Butler ... by Rich Elliot on 1 October ... great insight into Natalie ...

http://litchfieldcountysports.com/s...he-uconn-women-by-rich-elliott-/#.Vh6zMnpVhBe

 

[huskyd]

Seems that Geno plays the women who practice the best. But, in the end (beginning?), he tries to find the best all-around team to put on the floor--a team he trusts. There seems to be some unwritten law that freshmen don't get to start; they have to "pay their dues." But I believe that Lou will start in Kaleena's perimeter slot. Someone has to account for KML's points, and the best equipped player to do that is KLS. This means that Butler comes off the bench. First off will be Chong to spell a guard. Collier, Boykin, and Williams will sub in for Stewart and Tuck. Substituting is also situational, but, given the expectation that UConn will dominate most of its opponents, Geno can have fun mixing and matching. His regulars will be in in crunch time. It will be really, really interesting to see just how good these guys will be. Can't wait.

 

[msf22b]

Nurse played great last year on a NC team, HER freshman year, and then was MVP in an international tournament where she scored 33 points against much older players and you would like to replace her with a freshman who hasn't played one minute of D1 ball? I'm sure that will help our Huskies!

To be more precise, Kia scored 33 points against UConn's best.

 

[msf22b]

Nurse played great last year on a NC team, HER freshman year, and then was MVP in an international tournament where she scored 33 points against much older players and you would like to replace her with a freshman who hasn't played one minute of D1 ball? I'm sure that will help our Huskies!

To be more precise, Kia scored 33 points against UConn's best.

 

[Bgillon]

To be more precise, Kia scored 33 points against UConn's best.

Thank you for the precision. I was trying to temper my astonishment at the statement of playing two freshmen in place of Nurse and Butler. One was MVP of an international women's tournament and the other was Big East Freshman of the Year. I am excited to see all our four new players in the best roles that Geno thinks they can excel.

 

[CocoHusky]

There seems to be some unwritten law that freshmen don't get to start; they have to "pay their dues."

All logical and a possible scenarios & rotations , however you seem to be stuck here: freshmen don't get to start; they have to "pay their dues. There is no unwritten rule and Freshmen do not have to "pay dues". Kia started as a Freshmen last year. This is UCONN which means the roster is usually full of HS AA. To start at UCONN usually means you have to beat out other AA players. UCONN also runs a fairly complicated read and react offensive scheme and the defensive schemes are even more complex. All of this takes time to learn which is what puts Natalie & Gabby & Chong & Courtney ahead of the incoming freshmen.

 

[PalPa]

Thank you for the precision. I was trying to temper my astonishment at the statement of playing two freshmen in place of Nurse and Butler. One was MVP of an international women's tournament and the other was Big East Freshman of the Year. I am excited to see all our four new players in the best roles that Geno thinks they can excel.

You still don't understand my OP, I never said the the two freshman should start the game. Sometime during the game when substitutions are made I would like to see the mix of players I mentioned on the floor together. Are you suggesting the starting five should all play 40 minutes?

 

[UConnCat]

This is the team I want to see. First practice held today.

 

[msf22b]

Reaction to the photo (aside from loving it)

1.Was profoundly concerned that Natalie was wearing a civi jacket...then realized that she had the uniform shorts on...was probably
nothing

2. Look at Collier's size (with headband) compared to say, Natalie. Got to be 6'2" maybe even a half more....big girl.
This undersized crap is just that.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Reaction to the photo (aside from loving it)

1.Was profoundly concerned that Natalie was wearing a civi jacket...then realized that she had the uniform shorts on...was probably
nothing

2. Look at Collier's size (with headband) compared to say, Natalie. Got to be 6'2" maybe even a half more....big girl.
This undersized crap is just that.

Collier's No. 24 straight across from Geno. I don't know who it is in the headband. Gabby?

 

[cordarone]

Reaction to the photo (aside from loving it)

1.Was profoundly concerned that Natalie was wearing a civi jacket...then realized that she had the uniform shorts on...was probably
nothing

2. Look at Collier's size (with headband) compared to say, Natalie. Got to be 6'2" maybe even a half more....big girl.
This undersized crap is just that.

Huh?
1. Woman with white long-sleeve top is Stewart. No other player visible is wearing a jacket. (ETA: ayuh, that's probably KLS behind Lawlor)

2. Woman with white headband is Tuck. Rumor has it she's 6'2". Collier is #24, no headband visible.

 

[johnnyc]

Collier's No. 24 straight across from Geno. I don't know who it is in the headband. Gabby?

Morgan Tuck I think.

 

[johnnyc]

Butler is hidden behind Lawlor and Ekmark.

I think that is KLS.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Morgan Tuck I think.

Could be. I thought Tuck at first, by elimination, but I've never seen her in a headband. That means pretty much nothing, of course. If that's Tuck, it would support the notion mentioned by someone somewhere that she's leaner.

 

[Monte]

I"m guessing that the OP wasn't referring to the starting lineup, but actually seeing them all on the court together. But like you said - starters will be Moriah, Kiah, Morgan and Stewie. The 5th spot is still up for grabs and there have been numerous threads on it this summer.

My bet for the 5th starter would be (in order of likelihood IMHO) - Butler, Williams, Collier, Samuelson. IF Gabby has improved her ball handling and mid range shooting, I could see her as the 2nd choice. If not, she would slide down IMHO behind the 2 freshmen. She needs to have noticeably better guard skills to be really considered for the starting lineup.

Even if Chong has improved by miles, I don't see her as a starter - she's really the only guard on the bench in my example who can play the 1.
For the record, I hope she has improved by miles and plays "like a starter".

Anyway, I sort of digressed a bit. I think we will see the OP's lineup on the court at times earlier than midseason - I bet Geno tries mixing up lineups to see how effective the team can be with different players out there.

 

[Monte]

Sometime in late December, after the Freshmen get some experience, I wold like to see Collier and KLS on the court with the three seniors. That should be an awesome display of speed, firepower, and defense.

I would like to see Chong get more playing time. If you remember, because of injuries to others, she had a great start in her freshman year. when the others came back she was pushed aside, and I think she lost a lot of self confidence. She can do it all on offense....hope she has improved her defense.

 

[donalddoowop]

Could be. I thought Tuck at first, by elimination, but I've never seen her in a headband. That means pretty much nothing, of course. If that's Tuck, it would support the notion mentioned by someone somewhere that she's leaner.

And meaner. This season she steps out of the shadow of Stewart and Jefferson and creates her own. She'll probably make first team AA.

 

[msf22b]

Sorry about that...or as the great sage put it:

 

[UcMiami]

Perhaps this has already been posted ... on Natalie Butler ... by Rich Elliot on 1 October ... great insight into Natalie ...

http://litchfieldcountysports.com/s...he-uconn-women-by-rich-elliott-/#.Vh6zMnpVhBe

Great find! Don't think this had been posted before, I certainly hadn't seen it.
She sounds ready to roll!

 

[billnaples]

Another 30 days or so of speculation , prognostication, guesswork, and the general dissipation of hot air before they toss up the first ball that counts. And then we'll get to see what the actual performances are presented for us to assess and rank and try to decide for Geno who should get ot lose minutes. All I can say s "what a country!"

 

[hoophuskee]

Don't underestimate Boykin's talent. She may play as much or more than any of those two. But that would mean she is even more talented than I think she is. I believe she is a much stronger rebounder and inside force than Samuelson.

I doubt it. There was a poster on here a year ago- "Godfather"-- I think that was his name. He mentioned Boykin a lot -- but haven't heard from him in a long time.

With that said - my guess is Boykin is a 4/5? My guess is KLS is a 2/3/4 so I don't think much of Boykin's direct competition will be from KLS. Instead KLS plays the sf (or SG) then Stewie/Tuck/Butler and Gabby and even Collier play the 4 with the 1st 3 mentioned can also play the 5, that's her more direct competition.

I think Boykin is behind in that she lost a year. IMO it's tough coming in when you haven't played for a year and you have MANY top tier players that start rated ahead of you. I think you are undervaluing missing a year and overvaluing that talent can turn that over. Can't believe she is a lot better talented than the others just mentioned. You miss a year- that is A LOT.