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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Heisenberg
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Posted: 04/05/21 6:46 pm ::: UConn 2021-22 Thread |
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Here is the four-year roster grid as of today:
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Heisenberg
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Posted: 04/05/21 7:28 pm ::: |
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Here is the recent AmFam three-point contest, in which 2021 UConn recruits Azzi Fudd and Caroline Ducharme reached the finals against each other. The winner then takes on the boys winner and beats him. Fudd shoots in a boot because of a stress fracture in her foot. (The first minute is from the boys dunk contest.)
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WPwaqbcb4bg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> |
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Tally24
Joined: 14 Feb 2012 Posts: 2709 Location: Baton Rouge
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Posted: 04/05/21 8:57 pm ::: |
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I hope we can get to a big line-up with two posts. Not so much because I think having two posts is a must, but so we don't have Evina defending a 6-2 back to the basket player. If ONO is going to be a starter, she needs a teammate who can and is willing to go down low and bang.
I am hoping for a lineup of
Bueckers
Williams
Westbrook
Edwards
ONO
Williams and Westbrook are more than capable of taking over at the point, imitating the offense and letting Paige play off the ball. |
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ucbart
Joined: 21 Nov 2004 Posts: 2825 Location: New York
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Posted: 04/06/21 7:36 am ::: |
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Tally24 wrote: |
I hope we can get to a big line-up with two posts. Not so much because I think having two posts is a must, but so we don't have Evina defending a 6-2 back to the basket player. If ONO is going to be a starter, she needs a teammate who can and is willing to go down low and bang.
I am hoping for a lineup of
Bueckers
Williams
Westbrook
Edwards
ONO
Williams and Westbrook are more than capable of taking over at the point, imitating the offense and letting Paige play off the ball. |
I fluctuate between Alliyah and Nika as the 5th starter and here is why:
**Nika starting saves 3-4 minutes at the beginning of each half where Alliyah can't pick up a foul, which she is very prone to do.
**Nika and her intensity, especially on defense, can set the tome for a game.
**Bringing someone like Alliyah off the bench can be a complete game changer.
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przemoe
Joined: 08 Jan 2007 Posts: 466 Location: Gdynia, Poland
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Posted: 04/06/21 11:36 am ::: |
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Anna is going out, she's entering transfer portal.
Please remind me what are the rules - this means one year break, do she comes back for senior year? What if no other school wants the trade? Does UConn have still authority to block the "trade"? |
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undersized_post
Joined: 01 Mar 2021 Posts: 2864
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 32341
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Posted: 04/06/21 11:51 am ::: |
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seems like it's a good decision for her if she wants to see any floor time.
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Heisenberg
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Posted: 04/06/21 12:27 pm ::: |
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The departure of Makurat can be interpreted as a win-win decision for both her and UConn.
It is certainly a win for Makurat if her goal is to be a starter and valued producer on a good team, which I'm sure her competitive spirit drives her to be. She was a starter on UConn for the last half of her freshman year, and was UConn's second best assister very close behind Dangerfield, who got a lot more minutes. Makurat was also UConn's third most effective 3pt shooter her freshman year.
Makurat started the first six games of this season's Final Four team before suffering a leg injury.
The primary criticism of Makurat was that she too often passed up shots in favor of a useless pass.
Overall, Anna Makurat has a lot of shooting and passing potential to offer to many, many good U.S. schools. Here is a famous pass she made as a freshman:
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yVhldHhGiF0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The "win" for UConn in the transfer is that it will lessen the player logjam at wing/guard next season and allow Geno to give more minutes to develop other promising players. It also frees up a scholarship for two years that could be offered to some elite player who comes out of the woodwork to enroll at UConn, an unlikely but possible event. |
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undersized_post
Joined: 01 Mar 2021 Posts: 2864
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Posted: 04/06/21 12:53 pm ::: |
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Wow! I had never seen that sweet pass. Do you all think her goal is to start somewhere these next two years and get enough attention to have a solid pro career in Europe?
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Heisenberg
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Posted: 04/06/21 1:31 pm ::: |
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undersized_post wrote: |
Wow! I had never seen that sweet pass. Do you all think her goal is to start somewhere these next two years and get enough attention to have a solid pro career in Europe? |
Makurat was a pro for two years in Poland before UConn. From her bio:
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Played the last two seasons for Arka Gdynia in the Basket Liga Kobiet, Poland's top women's basketball league ... was the youngest player on her team ... averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 2018-19, helping lead Arka Gdynia to a third-place finish ... represented Poland in the 2017 U-20 Women's European Championship, where she averaged 9.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. |
She came to the U.S. presumably to advance her skills under U.S. coaching while getting a university degree. |
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ucbart
Joined: 21 Nov 2004 Posts: 2825 Location: New York
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Posted: 04/06/21 1:39 pm ::: |
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myrtle wrote: |
seems like it's a good decision for her if she wants to see any floor time. |
Yup-I think Makurat has P5 talent, but not top-10 speed. I think she could really help a top-25 team who would be an 7-11 seed in the NCAA tournament. She is very big, a great passer, and can shoot(although streaky). IMO, she would be great to run an offense through at the high post.
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Heisenberg
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Posted: 04/08/21 9:26 am ::: |
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Roster grid update after Makurat transfer:
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Heisenberg
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Posted: 04/08/21 8:48 pm ::: |
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Here's a very good technical analysis of Paige Bueckers' shooting and passing skills:
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GEtkNBrY32M" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> |
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przemoe
Joined: 08 Jan 2007 Posts: 466 Location: Gdynia, Poland
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Posted: 04/12/21 12:54 pm ::: |
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Ok so it's a bigger transfer for Anna - back to Europe and playing pro (again). For now exact destination is unknown. |
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ucbart
Joined: 21 Nov 2004 Posts: 2825 Location: New York
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Posted: 04/12/21 1:08 pm ::: |
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przemoe wrote: |
Ok so it's a bigger transfer for Anna - back to Europe and playing pro (again). For now exact destination is unknown. |
Wow- a lot of news out of UCONN today. We are going to be tough in the post next year with the addition of Dorka Juhasz. This UCONN team has a lot of weapons and more importantly, we've gained players who address needs-post presence and shooting.
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Heisenberg
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Posted: 04/12/21 1:37 pm ::: |
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Don't know that I've ever seen Dorka Juhasz play or, if I have, I don't recall anything about her talent or skills. For anyone familiar with her game, what will she additively offer the already deep UConn lineup and at what other player's or players' subtractive expense?
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Heisenberg
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Posted: 04/12/21 2:13 pm ::: |
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Geno quoted today in local paper re post players next season:
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“I think Aaliyah made incredible progress from day one,” Auriemma said. “She’s really physical, she plays hard every possession, she competes for everything, she did a great job finishing around the basket, she offensive rebounded, which was crucial for us, and she defended. I could see her next year getting the bulk of the touches among all of the post players. I have incredibly high expectations for Aaliyah, and for where she's going in the future. And Liv is going to be a senior. If Liv stays the same, then it’s obviously going to be a difficult senior year for Liv. If Liv adds some things to her game and makes the adjustments she needs to make, she's going to be a big factor and we're going to be fine.” |
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Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 63877
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Posted: 04/12/21 2:23 pm ::: |
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If Dorka Juhasz doesn’t get decent minutes, it could hurt her stock in an already stacked 2022 draft. Could be another Azurá Stevens effect. Was it better to the best player at Duke or a bench player at UConn? I’m sure Stevens wasn’t expecting to come off the bench. Not sure what Juhasz is expecting. Did Geno say something to lure her over?
_________________ Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned
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undersized_post
Joined: 01 Mar 2021 Posts: 2864
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Posted: 04/12/21 3:15 pm ::: |
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GlennMacGrady wrote: |
Don't know that I've ever seen Dorka Juhasz play or, if I have, I don't recall anything about her talent or skills. For anyone familiar with her game, what will she additively offer the already deep UConn lineup and at what other player's or players' subtractive expense? |
Juhasz is an incredible rebounder and scored a lot of put backs in the Big Ten. But it's her size and ability to stretch the floor that make her an asset for literally any team. Reminds me of a somewhat less athletic version of Satou Sabally. She can play the 3 though 5. She has a size advantage over almost all collegiate 4's but will always be quicker and have a better outside game than the other team's 5's. This versatility makes her very difficult to guard.
In her sophomore season she was one of the best players in the B1G. This past season she actually had COVID and missed a number of games, and with all of Ohio St's internal issues this year, I don't think Juhasz was truly at her best this season. For example, her low 3-pt% was way down, but with the shooters coming in for UConn next year, I don't think they will need Juhasz's perimeter shooting at all. I can definitely see her stealing minutes from ONO, or of course coming in when Edwards is in foul trouble.
I believe Juhasz would have made Iowa a Final Four team. We almost never take transfers, but that doesn't mean I wasn't dreaming lol
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Heisenberg
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Posted: 04/12/21 3:53 pm ::: |
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Shades wrote: |
If Dorka Juhasz doesn’t get decent minutes, it could hurt her stock in an already stacked 2022 draft. Could be another Azurá Stevens effect. Was it better to the best player at Duke or a bench player at UConn? I’m sure Stevens wasn’t expecting to come off the bench. Not sure what Juhasz is expecting. Did Geno say something to lure her over? |
I wonder why she didn't enter the draft this year if she's graduating. Was she projected in mocks?
There is no doubt Juhasz will be coming off the UConn bench; it's only a matter of how far down the bench she'll be. Based on the minimal minutes ever gotten by big player transfers to UConn other than Azura Stevens -- e.g., Christine Rigby, Rashidat Sadiq, Natalie Butler, Evelyn Adebayo, Batouly Camara -- I suspect Juhasz will be pretty deep on the bench.
Juhasz' shooting percentages this season were 48%, 20% (12-59), 43% -- quite mediocre.
As a soph, she was 48%, 40% (40-101), 53% -- impressive on 3FGs.
As a frosh, she was 46%, 25% (18-71), 63% -- okay.
She's averaged about 10 RPG for her career -- very good.
Based on just now watching replays of her 2019 and 2020 games against UConn, I wasn't particularly impressed. ONO is better and more athletic.
My guess it that Geno took Juhasz as no-cost and available backup insurance. I can't believe he promised her anything other than competitive opportunity. However, I don't think the 6-4 incoming HS All-American Amari DeBerry will feel too good about a graduate transfer now clogging her anticipated spot -- to say nothing of Aubrey Griffin and Mir McLean, who had been the forward spot subs this season.
This transfer could go three ways: an occasional big help as a post backup, a little-impact low bencher, or a spoiler of team chemistry because of inevitable resentments. |
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 32341
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Posted: 04/12/21 4:55 pm ::: |
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Shades wrote: |
If Dorka Juhasz doesn’t get decent minutes, it could hurt her stock in an already stacked 2022 draft. Could be another Azurá Stevens effect. Was it better to the best player at Duke or a bench player at UConn? I’m sure Stevens wasn’t expecting to come off the bench. Not sure what Juhasz is expecting. Did Geno say something to lure her over? |
Yep. I thought the same re Stevens. Just looked at her stats. The rebounds look good, but the shooting % are pretty ugly, especially from the FT line. I could see her being glued to the bench...but it does possibly give them some depth which has been sorely lacking.
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 32341
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Posted: 04/12/21 5:07 pm ::: |
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GlennMacGrady wrote: |
My guess it that Geno took Juhasz as no-cost and available backup insurance. I can't believe he promised her anything other than competitive opportunity. However, I don't think the 6-4 incoming HS All-American Amari DeBerry will feel too good about a graduate transfer now clogging her anticipated spot -- to say nothing of Aubrey Griffin and Mir McLean, who had been the forward spot subs this season.
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Griffin and McLean strike me as energizer bunnies, but it's almost frantic and out of control. I think y'all can do better. Who that better is is unclear of course. jmo. And McLean was just a Freshman, so maybe will improve with time. Griffin is someone who is very athletic and looks great one minute, then makes horrible decisions the next.
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RavenDog
Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 6886 Location: Home
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Posted: 04/12/21 5:19 pm ::: |
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Too much emphasis is placed on starters. It's how can you present a team in its best effect. How do you maximize efforts against the other team. Most teams are comprised differently and play differently. Just shoving out there your best five players every game and substituting the same backup players takes away sophistication and good coaching. Need to present the best attack. Mix and match.
I disagree that Juhasz will be a dud. IMO, if UConn had her for the whole year and the playoffs, they'd now be National Champions. No need to go over ONO, you should know her shortcomings by now. Juhasz should see lots of minutes if ONO doesn't improve. ONO has a long way to go but I hope she wants to put in the work to do it. It may be too much to expect from her at this late date.
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summertime blues
Joined: 16 Apr 2013 Posts: 7863 Location: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted: 04/12/21 6:49 pm ::: |
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Geno has been known in recent times for not having a bench. Maybe that's finally hitting home.
_________________ Don't take life so serious. It ain't nohows permanent.
It takes 3 years to build a team and 7 to build a program.--Conventional Wisdom
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NoDakSt
Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 4929
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Posted: 04/12/21 8:41 pm ::: |
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summertime blues wrote: |
Geno has been known in recent times for not having a bench. Maybe that's finally hitting home. |
It’s interesting because in a recent zoom session called Undefeated (Undefeateds is a four part zoom series in which Geno hosts key members of each of his undefeated teams to reminisce and catch up what everyone’s doing now) Geno commented on how Well the 1995 team worked together and that when they took the floor they did some amazing things that they never did in practice. Which prompted Rebecca Lobo to come in it’s funny that you say that because back then when we got a decent lead you would Start subbing us out. Now you just don’t worry about that anymore no matter what the lead is. Geno just sort of shrugs like well things are different now.
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