Will Morgan be AA this year?

[Baroloboy]

Let me first say I am a huge fan of Morgan. She is a hard working, tremendously talented player and rarely do you see a college player who is so good at so many aspects of the game. She is also a great young woman.
While AA ballots are often cast based on a players reputation, skill level, and performance in past years if one were to look at Morgan's performance this season alone she might not get the required votes because she had a tough second half of the season. Since the beginning of this year we played 18 games and Morgan missed five of them. In the other 13 games she averaged 9.6 ppg, shot 42% from the field, averaged 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. She had 2 blocked shots in those 13 games. Not bad but not great. Since I am one of those who don't believe stats tell the whole story here is my subjective take. IMO Morgan played at AA level in only 3 of those games ( SC. the first USF game and the first Tulsa game), She played well in 1 or 2 others but not at AA level and the rest she only played ok.
On the other side of the ledger: great players play big in big games and Morgan's performance v. SC was spectacular at both ends of the court. In addition her defense is consistently very good, other teams must collapse on her to stop her opening up her team mates and her leadership skills don't show up in the stat sheet.
Of course tourney time is just beginning but if voting were to take place today I would be worried. Anyone see it differently?

 

[HoopsFan21]

Let me first say I am a huge fan of Morgan. She is a hard working, tremendously talented player and rarely do you see a college player who is so good at so many aspects of the game. She is also a great young woman.
While AA ballots are often cast based on a players reputation, skill level, and performance in past years if one were to look at Morgan's performance this season alone she might not get the required votes because she had a tough second half of the season. Since the beginning of this year we played 18 games and Morgan missed five of them. In the other 13 games she averaged 9.6 ppg, shot 42% from the field, averaged 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. She had 2 blocked shots in those 13 games. Not bad but not great. Since I am one of those who don't believe stats tell the whole story here is my subjective take. IMO Morgan played at AA level in only 3 of those games ( SC. the first USF game and the first Tulsa game), She played well in 1 or 2 others but not at AA level and the rest she only played ok.
On the other side of the ledger: great players play big in big games and Morgan's performance v. SC was spectacular at both ends of the court. In addition her defense is consistently very good, other teams must collapse on her to stop her opening up her team mates and her leadership skills don't show up in the stat sheet.
Of course tourney time is just beginning but if voting were to take place today I would be worried. Anyone see it differently?

The voting happens between now and the start of the NCAA tourney.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

She should be!

 

[pvdoggy]

I don't think Morgan will be on the 5 players AP AA team. She may get on the 10 players WCBA AA team.

 

[UcMiami]

It is a very good question - is she one of the best ten players in the country - I certainly think so, but has she played as well and put up the statistics she did last year ... probably not and there is a lot of talent out there that has played very well and put up big numbers that catch the eye.
I think she will get a nice chunk of notes from people who think she is. I think she will also probably get some votes from people who think she should have been last year and couldn't vote for her. Whether the total of those two is enough I think will be touch and go - I hope she does get it, but I don't think she is a lock.
Breanna and Moriah are locks
Mitchell
Davis
Wilson
Turner
are all probably locks which only leaves four more places for some pretty amazing players
Mitchell2
Williams
Banham
Tuck
K-Walker
just off the top of my head and I have left out the whole west coast and a bunch of others.
The voting happens next week so this weekend may be very important for the contenders.

 

[MilfordHusky]

In terms of leadership and performance, she deserves to be. She was especially good in tough games, I agree that, since she sat out, her numbers have dropped. Rachel Banham, on the other hand, had a phenomenal second half. I think Morgan may make (at least) one of the 10-player teams.

 

[PalPa]

i thought she was a lock in the first half of the season, then the knee problem happened. I think she lost it because of the inconsistency in recent games. I wonder if the knee is still acting up and she is trying to play in some pain.

 

[EricLA]

I would say it's possible she might make it on a 2nd team. But I would think voters would find 1o players they would put ahead of her. Just being objective. If Stewie, Moriah, Kelsey Mitchell, DAvis, Wilson, and Turner are all locks, I think voters would put Plum, Banham, Courtney williams, and possibly Ariel Powers, Walker Kimbrough, might all be ahead of Tuck. Her injuries prevented her from playing more minutes and her scoring numbers are below everyone elses. Of course I think she's deserving, and she's gotten enough "publicity" that voters might be swayed. we will see...

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

IMHO Breanna Stewart is best SF (CT)
Moriah Jefferson is best PG (CT)
Morgan Tuck is best PF (CT)
Courtney Williams is best SG (SoFl)
Brianna Turner is best C (ND)

Add the 5 above for best 10: (possible fill-ins below: Plum WSU, Mitchell SoCar, C. Williams TXam, Mitchell theOSU, C. Walker TXam)

A. Powers MSU SF
R. Banham MINN SG
N. Davis Baylor SF
Walker-Kimbrough MD PG/SG
A. Wilson SoCar SF

 

[Jimbo]

I too am rooting for Tuck to make the 10-member WBCA first team, so I'm hoping those voters see things a little differently than the Naismith Trophy voters do. The 10 Naismith semifinalists were announced yesterday, and Morgan was not among them.

The list: Banham, Davis, Jefferson, K. Mitchell, T. Mitchell, Plum, Stewart, Turner, Walker-Kimbrough, and Wilson.

 

[Kibitzer]

It would be tough enough to be #3 of 10 (assuming Stewie and Mo are locks) but an unfortunate drop-off in the second half of the season -- while a few others surged -- will likely be too much to overcome.

I hope I'm wrong but it is what it is.

 

[JavaMan]

Morgan did previously state that getting onto the "wall" was an important goal for her. I'm wondering if she does not get the All-American nod this year, if she will use it as THE determining factor regarding moving on or staying for another year, so that she would have another chance.

The WNBA draft is scheduled for April 14. As I understand it, she must inform the league 10 days prior to the draft OR 24 hours after her last game (which hopefully will be April 5) of her intention to be included. So, she must decide no later than April 6 if she will go pro or stay.

BTW, the W's mock draft currently has Morgan going 5th to L.A. (joining Jas). Here's a look at their entire slate. (click it to link to the website)

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[dtbtbtb]

While I believe that Tuck is one of the top 10 players in the country (and probably as high as the third best player in the country after her 2 teammates), I doubt she'll make the AA 10 player list due to the drop in her performance in the second half of the season. Hopefully voters will remember her amazing SC game and vote for her.

 

[OldAlum]

It will be tough for her. Personally, I would vote for her and her impact this season over T. Mitchell.

 

[MilfordHusky]

It will be tough for her. Personally, I would vote for her and her impact this season over T. Mitchell.

I agree on both points. Tiffany Mitchell hit some big shots last season and early this season, but I think she's about the #15 player this year. I'd put her behind Banham, K. Mitchell, Plum, Walker-Kimbrough, and C. Williams.

 

[UcMiami]

Morgan did previously state that getting onto the "wall" was an important goal for her. I'm wondering if she does not get the All-American nod this year, if she will use it as THE determining factor regarding moving on or staying for another year, so that she would have another chance.

The WNBA draft is scheduled for April 14. As I understand it, she must inform the league 10 days prior to the draft OR 24 hours after her last game (which hopefully will be April 5) of her intention to be included. So, she must decide no later than April 6 if she will go pro or stay.

BTW, the W's mock draft currently has Morgan going 5th to L.A. (joining Jas). Here's a look at their entire slate. (click it to link to the website)

View attachment 12270 ​

Wow - if C. Williams (USF version) lasts to #17 someone is getting a steal or this class has a heck of a lot more talent than I thought!

 

[DaddyChoc]

They OWE Morgan

 

[Huskies Rule]

It definitely sucks, but Morgan will not make AA this year. Because of a balky surgical knee, playing on a team with two unanimous first-teamers, and the selection committee's reliance on mostly offensive statistical productivity, she has little chance. To reduce the stress on her knee and because UConn puts its opponents away so early in games, Morgan's minutes are limited, and as a result, her numbers are, too.

For several reasons Morgan logs far less playing time than most all other AA contenders, so she could never compile the kind of gaudy scoring numbers others will. She could, if that is what was needed from her-but it isn't.

Morgan is a completely unselfish player, the ultimate team-first player, who makes every teammate better. And most importantly, makes her team better and makes UConn the winner that it is. Morgan's greatest contributions are the intangibles she brings as a dynamic leader, providing the heart, toughness and glue great winning teams must have. Although Morgan is an excellent scorer, rebounder and passer, her greatest strengths are really not even quantifiable.

As much as UConn fans want Morgan to get the AA recognition she deserves, sadly it won't happen.

But Morgan Tuck will always be an All-American in my book. No matter what the 'experts' say.

 

[cbraarj]

Morgan is the 3rd best player in the country.She is better than every big on the Naismith list except her teammate.Mitchell of SC does not deserve to be an AA this year.Turner of ND is not better than Morgan.She cant even shoot that well from 12-15 feet.How did Wilson play against Uconn.Wait she hurt her leg and so did Morgan and who had the better game both times they played,Morgan Tuck!If they dont pick her 1st team then the NCAA field better watch out.The silent Assasin will prove them all wrong!

 

[bpear1600]

Honorable Mention would be my guess.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Now that people have picked up the "Big 3" phrase, I think Morgan will be given more consideration. I think she may make one of the 10-player teams. I'd be stunned if she's not among the top 15 in the AP lists, though she would have to be top 5 on that list to get her name on the wall. I think it could be close. She played very well today.

 

[UcMiami]

She helped her cause yesterday, and if she can have a couple of more games this weekend like that, they will be the freshest memory in the voters minds when they start filling out ballots.

And just a note - people complain about voters just looking at stats and occasionally stats do sort of scream out at you, but I am impressed with the general quality of voting that goes on for individual honors. Moriah is likely to be the Lieberman winner again and yet again none of her stats will be at the top of any columns - there will be a number of guards with more assists per game or points per game or steals per game or rebounds as there were when Sue won three, but the voters have looked past the individual statistics to the whole package. In any list of individual honors, there will be one or two that people will disagree with, and can come up with their reasons why someone else should be included - just like we have arguments about best Uconn center or PG or GOAT at Uconn. It doesn't make the selections wrong, just debatable.

 

[Geno-ista]

Morgan AA- near knew she had a drinking problem? Not Gd news!