Has Aubrey Griffin been around with the team?
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MSGRET
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She was at a game a couple of weeks ago, I can't remember which one. Most of the time she was to the side of the bench.
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UConn women's basketball's Aubrey Griffin is officially out for the season after undergoing successful back surgery on Monday, the school announced Wednesday night. After the Huskies' win over Creighton, head coach Geno Auriemma revealed Griffin had suffered a disk injury in her back .Jan 13, 2022
www.theuconnblog.com
Aubrey Griffin officially out for the season after undergoing successful back surgery
The junior had not yet played this season due to numerous ailments.
www.theuconnblog.com
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The seton hall game
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While running errands this morning I got to thinking about the story lines of next year's team: Paige and Azzi together, Caroline Ducharme's progress, Dorka's return or not, will AE be dominant, will Paith or DeBerry be ready to move into the rotation, what will our new freshman bring to the table among others. And almost forgotten was what will Aubrey's role be. She has been among the missing for so long it is easy to forget how much she can bring to the team. If she comes back at 100%, particularly if she improves her jumpshot, she will be really be an asset.
It must be hard to be sidelined so long and it would be great to see her come back and be the player we all have hoped she'd be.
It must be hard to be sidelined so long and it would be great to see her come back and be the player we all have hoped she'd be.
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She could be a great backup to Azzi and Caroline at the two and three, particularly when the team puts on a full or half court press. Without her, that is a gaping hole in next year’s team.
LOL... Aubrey might be in intensive care after her teammates tackled her when she walked into the UCONN locker room. Not the best cure after back surgery 
. This team has flaws , but we can't question their affection for each other!
. This team has flaws , but we can't question their affection for each other!
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...Thinking of you, Aubrey! ...Sending healing thoughts your way.
On the defensive end she could be a 2/3 backup stopper. On the offensive end it could be a challenge. Despite her size and quickness I think Aubrey is most effective as an undersized 4. Going into this season I thought she would be the backup 4 behind Aaliyah. Because of her injury Dorka has had to play more at the 4 than is optimal for her.
Next year we probably have the most bodies at the 4, with Aaliyah, Aubrey, Dorka, Ice and Ayanna all capable of playing there. As you mention we do not currently have a good 2/3 backup to Azzi and Caroline, so that makes the prospect of Aubrey there interesting, but I think a more natural guard who shoots threes might be the best fit most of the time, perhaps like Abbey Myers in the transfer portal.
For a pressing lineup for a limited run I would love to see a guard line up of Nika at the 1, Aubrey at the 2, and Ayanna at the 3. The offense though might consist of throw it up there and get the offensive rebound. But one offensive option (presumably portal) and one defensive option like Aubrey behind Azzi and Caroline would be nice.
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Getting a guard to come through the transfer portal to compete with Paige, Azzi, Caroline and Nika for playing time is not going to be easy. Given the logjam at the four, AG seems like a much more viable option. She was a guard in high school and absolutely dominated every game she played.
I don't see a transfer or Aubrey being a serious threat to playing time from Paige, Azzi or Caroline. They are projected starters and will likely get big minutes. Nika is a point guard who pretty much has the backup PG minutes spoken for, plus maybe some where she plays alongside Paige where Paige shifts to SG. As currently constructed the biggest need IMO is a 2/3 backup, preferably with guard skills and an outside shot.
If healthy I have no doubt Aubrey could be a great defensive and rebounding wing. She could also score on offensive rebounds, slashing to the basket etc., and she is good at that, but not very good fitting into the offense hanging around the perimeter. I think she is best as a 4, an unfortunately with a back injury there is significant uncertainty about her future. She is also not a new prospect, she had two years to show how she could fit on the perimeter, so it seems to me relying on her as the sole answer to the 2/3 backup without a plan B there is pretty risky for a team that otherwise seems well covered at other positions. If Aubrey beats out a transfer for that role, great even better.
I expect to see Aubrey adding at least a mid-range shot, if not a 3 to her game by the time we see her back on the court next season.
Given her athleticism & pedigree, Aubrey rightly has pro aspirations. But she will not make the WNBA as a severely undersized 4. Therefore, Aubrey will have to transition to a wing role, which requires spacing/shooting. This will also open her her already effective drives. And UConn's 2022-23 roster balance requires Aubrey to make this change as well, given relative positional depth.
Aubrey could also benefit from tightening her handle but her outstanding defense & positional rebounding should offset this shortcoming, provided she can shoot adequately enough to space the floor in half court sets.
Given her athleticism & pedigree, Aubrey rightly has pro aspirations. But she will not make the WNBA as a severely undersized 4. Therefore, Aubrey will have to transition to a wing role, which requires spacing/shooting. This will also open her her already effective drives. And UConn's 2022-23 roster balance requires Aubrey to make this change as well, given relative positional depth.
Aubrey could also benefit from tightening her handle but her outstanding defense & positional rebounding should offset this shortcoming, provided she can shoot adequately enough to space the floor in half court sets.
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Aubrey surprised the team at the St. John's game. I think she is taking her classes remotely due to the surgery.
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Curious what Aubrey's status is regarding future eligibility. She got an extra Covid year last year; is this year a redshirt year? Doubt she would want to play 5-6 years but wondering in terms of the mix with future recruiting classes.
Huskee11
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I agree that UConn should be looking in the portal for a 2/3 with one year of eligibility left. Getting someone will be tricky because it will clearly be a backup role (assuming UConn can stay healthy). If Aubrey is healthy, she may be the best option. If Geno can convince someone else with ball handling and shooting skills to come for a year and accept a reserve role, so much the better.
We forget how valuable Aubrey can be. She was the best player on the court when UConn beat Tennessee in early 2020. Earlier that season, there was the Oklahoma game at Mohegan Sun when she scored 14 points in 14 minutes and I remember thinking that she was simply playing at a faster speed than anyone else.
UConn can be (and has been) a great pressing team with her on the court.
She excels when the game is being played in the open court.
I can live with her not being a great outside shooter. There will likely be at least two players on the floor when she is out there that should be taking those shots anyhow. She can hit the boards and create some offense there.
The bigger concern I have in the half court set up is that the offense would bog down with her on the court. She seemed confused about where to go and as a result often stayed put. Trying to think it through. My hope would be that in addition to making a full or close to full recovery, that during her time away she devotes some mental energy towards how the offense in the half court is supposed to work.
We forget how valuable Aubrey can be. She was the best player on the court when UConn beat Tennessee in early 2020. Earlier that season, there was the Oklahoma game at Mohegan Sun when she scored 14 points in 14 minutes and I remember thinking that she was simply playing at a faster speed than anyone else.
UConn can be (and has been) a great pressing team with her on the court.
She excels when the game is being played in the open court.
I can live with her not being a great outside shooter. There will likely be at least two players on the floor when she is out there that should be taking those shots anyhow. She can hit the boards and create some offense there.
The bigger concern I have in the half court set up is that the offense would bog down with her on the court. She seemed confused about where to go and as a result often stayed put. Trying to think it through. My hope would be that in addition to making a full or close to full recovery, that during her time away she devotes some mental energy towards how the offense in the half court is supposed to work.
Centerstream
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The setback was due to Aubrey riding from home to CT, I believe that is what Geno said on the radio show.
CocoHusky
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Aubrey will definitely qualify for a redshirt year for this 2021-22 season. She will have 3 full years of eligibility beginning in the '22-'23 season when she will be an academic Senior and WNBA eligible in spring of 2023. I have no idea if Aubrey will stick around beyond spring of 2023 but I suppose that will largely depend on how she recovers form the back surgery.
I think you are right on track with likely roles next year and possible players at each position. With those players I think a relative team weakness and perhaps the only significant one would be perimeter shooting from backups at the 2 & 3. With no additions Nika probably gets the backup 2 minutes and Aubrey or perhaps a little of Ayanna at the 3.
They both provide very good defense of course, and Aubrey rebounding and Nika passing bring those traits as well, but a dangerous three point threat is missing from both backups. We still could wind up with a 2/3 backup from the portal to fill that role. If that happens the minutes for Nika and Aubrey might be reduced when a perimeter threat was more needed, but we still would have what they bring available if those traits were more important in some games. Add that piece and minus injuries we would have just about every scenario covered, with quite a bit of flexability.
They both provide very good defense of course, and Aubrey rebounding and Nika passing bring those traits as well, but a dangerous three point threat is missing from both backups. We still could wind up with a 2/3 backup from the portal to fill that role. If that happens the minutes for Nika and Aubrey might be reduced when a perimeter threat was more needed, but we still would have what they bring available if those traits were more important in some games. Add that piece and minus injuries we would have just about every scenario covered, with quite a bit of flexability.