Our Current Starting 5 Are...

[HuskyNan]

Ah, a rare response. I suppose my post wasn't either too ludicrous to respond to, or too bonehead as to not require one. Which is what a discussion board is for.

No loss is good. But in reviewing the last game now 3 times, this team, which includes Geno, is IMO at the very precipice of having the physical wheels fall off. They're all, coaches included, mentally and physically tired. I would rather see a regular season loss to a bad team than have this team pushed further to the brink. Now I for one believe that soon after the SCar game Azzi may return, and as the recent article on CD mentioned, we may soon see her back on the court. But I ask every one on this board to re-watch that game and tell me this team doesn't look drained. As one wise coworker of mine once said, when you get tired you get sloppy, and when you get sloppy very bad things happen.

And as for fairness, well, we know what Steven A. Smith has said. I don't think any of them (nor I) would welcome a loss. But I don't think any of these kids want to see any further physical or mental breakdowns. Believe it or not, regular season before conference play is becoming less and less important, and IMO a loss at this point wouldn't hurt this team so badly as another injury.

Sure let’s bomb the power ranking and be a 2 seed in South Carolina’s regional by losing to a Quad 2 team

 

[JordyG]

Sure let’s bomb the power ranking and be a 2 seed in South Carolina’s regional by losing to a Quad 2 team

Is that assured? An absolute certainty? Now correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't UConn a number 2 seed in Stanford's bracket last year? Nowhere in my statement do I say UConn should tank the game and try not to win. Yet how in the long run is playing the players I've mentioned 20 minutes tonight so egregious? From what I've seen every one of these starters is nursing injuries that are, right now, debilitating. If Geno had 12-15 players on his bench I believe there isn't a single starter that wouldn't be sitting tonight, or for that matter against Villanova, at least for extended periods. This isn't merely about fatigue but IMO every one of these guys is playing at 80% or less.

Not that I'm the only one, because I'm sure we all are, but in viewing the replay, I'm really concerned about these players and the coaches. Again, I defy everyone on this board to watch that last game and then say with conviction that UConn should play their starters over 30 minutes tonight, over 30 minutes against SCar, and then over 30 minutes against Marquette until some relief in CD and Azzi get back. How does that benefit anyone?

What I've also found interesting is because of the injuries Geno has had to limit practices and the amount of time he's had to work certain things. As a result this is the first time in my memory that there have been a few occasions on the court when the team has looked under prepared. This is also something that I don't see improving before people get healthy.