Geno: Lady Vols are 'any other school now'

#126
#126
Amb3096 said:
All you've done is give the names of UConn's players. I mean, we can look them up on the roster ourselves 🤷‍♂️

Your freshmen are freshmen...just like Tennessee's. Walker, Dangerfield, Williams and Yoko are good players, but not considered the best at their respective positions (maybe not even top 3). The Murray St. transfer is undersized and you're screwed if Yoko gets in foul trouble or gets injured.

I'd say UConn has as many, if not more, question marks as Tennessee going into next season, except Tennessee has more big bodies.
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Except that Griffin, Adebayo, Makurat and Westbrook are not on the roster.
 
#127
#127
Coach Jumper said:
I said: "I am intrigued to see what she expects out of these level-players. . . "

Not Geno's level of layers
Her own level of players
KJH has a level of athleticism and skill in her new team that she may not have coached yet.

That is the essence of basketball...It is a very easy game play but an impossibly hard one to be great at

As a skills coach I know that the I teach every player pretty much the same things
It is my expectations of their performance and their level of proficiency that are the variables.

I teach a beginner athlete to do it until they can do it right
I teach an advanced athlete to do it until they can't do it wrong
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But you added "...So should Geno be if he isn't, he is losing his touch"

That comment is what I don't understand.
 
#128
#128
brassie said:
Except that Griffin, Adebayo, Makurat and Westbrook are not on the roster.
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Jesus, you don't think we know who Evina Westbrook is 🙄?

Adebayo played for Murray State. Say, remember how good Natalie Butler's stats were her freshman year? And she wasn't a 6'1 center.

And your freshmen? I'll wait until they play a game before I annoint them The Chosen. And I would be willing to bet good money that neither will be as good as Williams and Walker were this past season...which was good but not great.

Got anything else?
 
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#129
#129
Amb3096 said:
Jesus, you don't think we know who Evina Westbrook is 🙄?

Adebayo played for Murray State. Say, remember how good Natalie Butler's stats were her freshman year? And she wasn't a 6'1 center.

And your freshmen? I'll wait until they play a game before I annoint them The Chosen. And I would be willing to bet good money that neither will be as good as Williams and Walker were this past season...which was good but not great.

Got anything else?
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Yup - Really looking forward to the game and the results. When it gets close, hit me up and we'll make a little wager on the outcome OK?
 
#131
#131
brassie said:
Yup - Really looking forward to the game and the results. When it gets close, hit me up and we'll make a little wager on the outcome OK?
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I didn't say say Tennessee would win (although I think this is by no means a definite UConn win). But you're on the outside looking in at the teams that WILL be favored to make it to the FF.
 
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#132
#132
Amb3096 said:
I didn't say say Tennessee would win (although I think this is by no means a definite UConn win). But you're on the outside looking in at the teams that WILL be favored to make it to the FF.
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Which teams will be favored over UConn to make the final four?
 
#135
#135
NewDog said:
Are you using the polls when you say favored?
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I haven't even looked at the polls, but CoryDallasLV's list is mostly the same as what I had. I think Oregon, Texas A&M, Stanford, Baylor and Maryland will be the 5 best teams in the country. With the exception of Stanford, each of these teams will have the best player on the court (Ionescu, Carter, Cox, and Charles) with strong supporting casts. Stanford will have a deep team with size and versatility at each position. Then you have a team like SC that has huge upside, and to a lesser extent Mississippi State.

None of the UConn players in waiting will become another Collier or Samuelson, and they have zero size outside of Yoko. They will be outmatched in the frontcourt in nearly every game against the top 10 teams, and will live or die by the 3...and they have less proven 3-pt gunners to chase down. Even if Westbrook gets immediate eligibility, I still see other teams as being better. Adding her still doesn't make them as good a team as they were this year, and they were vulnerable to size even with Collier on the court.
 
#137
#137
Amb3096 said:
I haven't even looked at the polls, but CoryDallasLV's list is mostly the same as what I had. I think Oregon, Texas A&M, Stanford, Baylor and Maryland will be the 5 best teams in the country. With the exception of Stanford, each of these teams will have the best player on the court (Ionescu, Carter, Cox, and Charles) with strong supporting casts. Stanford will have a deep team with size and versatility at each position. Then you have a team like SC that has huge upside, and to a lesser extent Mississippi State.

None of the UConn players in waiting will become another Collier or Samuelson, and they have zero size outside of Yoko. They will be outmatched in the frontcourt in nearly every game against the top 10 teams, and will live or die by the 3...and they have less proven 3-pt gunners to chase down. Even if Westbrook gets immediate eligibility, I still see other teams as being better. Adding her still doesn't make them as good a team as they were this year, and they were vulnerable to size even with Collier on the court.
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I'm assuming that Westbrook will be eligible. I think there is a good chance for that. The NCAA seems to be more lenient on the criteria.

I will certainly give you Oregon based on Ionesco coming back. She is hands down the best player in WCBB.

A&M? Their front court does not outmatch UConn's. And while Chennedy is a great talent, she shoots them out of as many games as she helps them win. They have one recruit coming in, ranked in he 80's. They certainly are not more talented than UConn.

Stanford should be a very good team next year. Adding Jones, Pretchel and Belibi will help but as you said, you can't count on freshmen. They lose their best player and I wasn't impressed with their play in several games. UConn will be better.

Defending champ Baylor has AA Lauren Cox coming back and a good supporting cast in Landrum and Richards. But losing Brown takes away that dominant inside presence and they will miss their point guard and finals MVP. They don't have dominanting height without Brown. I wouldn't be surprised if UConn beats them when they play in Connecticut.

Maryland brings everyone back from a very good team. Charles is a terrific player. They should be a top 5 team. I don't see a big size advantage here over UConn and they are not more talented either.

UConn, with Westbrook, has as good a starting five as anyone except maybe Oregon. I know you can't use HS rankings to predict how teams will do, but UConn will start 2016 No. 3, 2017 No. 1 and No. 2, 2018 No. 1 and No. 5. No other team can match that.

And none of this includes having the best coach.
 
#139
#139
NewDog said:
Fair enough. I think that if Westbrook is allowed to play, UConn will be top 5, maybe top 3.
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It's scary...
I sure would have liked to spend a summer teaching that girl.
If Geno can get out of her the potential I saw,,,,gulp

She had too much freedom with CHW

You have to beat a nag
and
control the timing and movements of a thoroughbred

We have another one like that in this group in Jaz
unlimited potential but in bad need of skill/confidence
A summer with coach J would do the trick
 
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#140
#140
brassie said:
Dangerfield, Walker and Williams are all elite players. I believe Dangerfield is one of the best PGs in D1. Williams and Walker were both #1 ranked players. They played behind two seniors last year and I expect them to step up this year. Soph #5 ranked Nelson-Odada improved last year but still has a way to go. However, I believe that the UConn staff is as good as any when it comes to developing post players. After those 4 it gets a bit fuzzy. If Westbrook gets a waiver she will start and if she starts you will see her play to her potential. The only ranked recruit coming in is Aubrey Griffin currently ranked 21 on ESPN. Supposedly Auriemma is very high on her. He also has Evelyn Adebayo a transfer from Murray State. She averaged 18/11 last year. Polish guard Anna Makurat has also committed. I don't know anything about her but if Auriemma would go all the way to Poland to recruit her she must have something going.
I expect that UConn will be a final 4 team again this year. Possibly a NC contender if Westbrook plays.
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Oregon had all but counted Makurat as theirs and she was strongly leaning in their direction IF she came to the uSA. The alternative was go pro on the pro team she had played with for 2 years as a travel expenses only amateur. Makurat has said that after contact by UConn last December she was theirs. I have looked at some of her highlite videos and her athleticism is middling, but she's a very good player by all appearances.

This is a year or more old now:



We may wanna look at her 14 year old sister, said to have the greatest potential of the 3 sisters. The oldest starts 2 remaining years of NCAA elig. at Utah (I think its Utah).
 
#141
#141
#142
#142
NewDog said:
UConn, with Westbrook, has as good a starting five as anyone except maybe Oregon. I know you can't use HS rankings to predict how teams will do, but UConn will start 2016 No. 3, 2017 No. 1 and No. 2, 2018 No. 1 and No. 5. No other team can match that.
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What has Olivia done for UConn against any decent team outside of the AAC cupcakes? Oh right...NOTHING. I'm sure she has potential, but until she proves that she can play against top 20 teams, she's a center who's career high against top 20 teams is 5ppg, and she probably averaged under 3 ppg/2 rpg against said teams. And you think she's going to anchor UConn against Cox and Smith from Baylor? Don't think so.

Contrast that with Oregon, who is a better team...hands down. They have proven players at all 5 players, including a returning first team AA and consensus preseason POY pick.

And while TAMU doesn't have the lofty rankings for their players, but a.) they return everyone from a very good team that had ND on the ropes and b.) they get Wilson back from injury, who was their second leading scorer until she got hurt. And for all her flaws, Carter is STILL better than anyone on UConn's team. She's a 2nd team AA, while Christyn Williams was...AAC All-Freshman Team :cool:.

UConn's returning big 3 of Dangerfield, Walker and Williams will need to show huge improvement while other teams stagnate if they are going to be a top 4 team.
 
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#143
#143
Volfan2012 said:
UConn will find that losing Collier and Samuelson is gonna be huge. They will be challenged to rebound with the best teams. Makurat was really terrible in 2017 Fiba

Anna MAKURAT at the FIBA U20 Women's European Championship Division A 2017 - FIBA.basketball

Maybe she just had a bad tourney or has improved since then she would have to improve a lot to be the three point shooter they need.
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Interesting. She didn't shoot well from 3 point range at all. Though she was only 17 playing in the U20 bracket.
 
#144
#144
If Tennessee had a two guard that could really stroke the three I would say we could play with anybody next season that one position looks weak. We have Zaay Green but she would have to make tremendous improvement in the off season to give us what we need at the two. Her 38 from the field and 21 from the three is not impressive. I will say no reason why our rebounding can't reach another level we should not see so many offensive rebounding baskets by opponents as we have in the last few seasons. We should also be better basket defenders if were not will be surprised.
 
#145
#145
NewDog said:
I'm assuming that Westbrook will be eligible. I think there is a good chance for that. The NCAA seems to be more lenient on the criteria.

I will certainly give you Oregon based on Ionesco coming back. She is hands down the best player in WCBB.

A&M? Their front court does not outmatch UConn's. And while Chennedy is a great talent, she shoots them out of as many games as she helps them win. They have one recruit coming in, ranked in he 80's. They certainly are not more talented than UConn.

Stanford should be a very good team next year. Adding Jones, Pretchel and Belibi will help but as you said, you can't count on freshmen. They lose their best player and I wasn't impressed with their play in several games. UConn will be better.

Defending champ Baylor has AA Lauren Cox coming back and a good supporting cast in Landrum and Richards. But losing Brown takes away that dominant inside presence and they will miss their point guard and finals MVP. They don't have dominanting height without Brown. I wouldn't be surprised if UConn beats them when they play in Connecticut.

Maryland brings everyone back from a very good team. Charles is a terrific player. They should be a top 5 team. I don't see a big size advantage here over UConn and they are not more talented either.

UConn, with Westbrook, has as good a starting five as anyone except maybe Oregon. I know you can't use HS rankings to predict how teams will do, but UConn will start 2016 No. 3, 2017 No. 1 and No. 2, 2018 No. 1 and No. 5. No other team can match that.

And none of this includes having the best coach.
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thing.jpg
 
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#146
#146
Amb3096 said:
What has Olivia done for UConn against any decent team outside of the AAC cupcakes? Oh right...NOTHING. I'm sure she has potential, but until she proves that she can play against top 20 teams, she's a center who's career high against top 20 teams is 5ppg, and she probably averaged under 3 ppg/2 rpg against said teams. And you think she's going to anchor UConn against Cox and Smith from Baylor? Don't think so.

Contrast that with Oregon, who is a better team...hands down. They have proven players at all 5 players, including a returning first team AA and consensus preseason POY pick.

And while TAMU doesn't have the lofty rankings for their players, but a.) they return everyone from a very good team that had ND on the ropes and b.) they get Wilson back from injury, who was their second leading scorer until she got hurt. And for all her flaws, Carter is STILL better than anyone on UConn's team. She's a 2nd team AA, while Christyn Williams was...AAC All-Freshman Team :cool:.

UConn's returning big 3 of Dangerfield, Walker and Williams will need to show huge improvement while other teams stagnate if they are going to be a top 4 team.
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I know this will shock you, but I agree about Nelson-Ododa. She has a lot to prove. I saw plenty of potential and while Geno did was he always does and shrinks the rotation in the NCAA tournament ONO has talent. A lot of talent. Smith? She had a few very good games, but she had plenty of weak games agains weak opponents as well. Cox is just really really good. ONO will have problems guarding her.

I already said Oregon was better. I only said that UConn's starting five with Westbrook is a really talented team, with maybe only Oregon more talented. That is pretty subjective but it's how I see it.

I'm a Gary Blair fan. But I have lost a little respect for him with how he lets Carter shoot the team out of games. Yes, she was 2nd team AA. No discounting her talent. But she had to take 20 shots a game to average her 20+ points. She only shot 40% from the field. And she has a full year on Williams. BTW, I can't believe you dissed Williams like that. She had a terrific freshman season. A&M lost 8 games with this roster last year. I don't think they will be top 5.

Geno usually gets the most out of his players, so I expect the big three to improve. Not sure if it will be HUGE, but they will be better. As will ONO. And when Westbrook is cleared to play, Geno will turn her into a better player than Carter next season. Mark that down.

Not that he is the bottom line, but Charlie Creme had them at No. 7 in his "way to early" top 25. And that was before UConn added the Polish guard, the Grad student transfer and Westbrook. I'm guessing he will have them top 5 in his next rankings.
 
#148
#148
Coach Jumper said:
If Geno is thinking that the players well underachieve under KJ's coaching like they did in The Hollies he may not be thinking this out properly
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I highly doubt Geno has given much thought at all as to whether the TN players will underachieve or overachieve. In fact I doubt he's given much thought to the TN players at all. He's got plenty enough to worry about with his own team.
 
#149
#149
meyers7 said:
I highly doubt Geno has given much thought at all as to whether the TN players will underachieve or overachieve. In fact I doubt he's given much thought to the TN players at all. He's got plenty enough to worry about with his own team.
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Good...I hope you're right
 
#150
#150
sisaq said:
Why didn't he say it when Holly was there? He was supporting Holly because he wanted us to keep losing.
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He didn't say it when Holly was there because Holly was no longer the coach when he got asked this question.

It's unreal how this thing is being taken out of context and blown out of proportion. All he's saying is that it's not the rivalry that it once was. No one can deny that. The journalist and outlet are just trying to spin for clicks and apparently it's working.
 
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