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snlMINAJ
Joined: 21 Jan 2010
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 Posted: 07/25/23 5:18 am ::: |
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| another year, another player lost before the season even starts.
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snlMINAJ
Joined: 21 Jan 2010
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SPD
Joined: 29 Oct 2021
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Location: California
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| Posted: 07/25/23 5:18 pm ::: |
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| <sad> ACL's and Achilles <sad>
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
Posts: 8228
Location: Heisenberg
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| Posted: 07/26/23 12:25 pm ::: |
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El Alfy to Miss 2023-24 Season with Injury
Unbelievably sad and tragic, not only for the young player but yet again for the Joe Btfsplk UConn program.
The 6-4 El Alfy was tearing it up as a scorer and rebounder in the FIBA U19 World Cup, and she looked to me as if she might have the low post, high post, driving and outside shooting skills to be a college AA. |
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summertime blues
Joined: 16 Apr 2013
Posts: 7848
Location: Shenandoah Valley
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| Posted: 07/26/23 12:27 pm ::: |
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| Every year it's somebody. Sorry about that. Y'all can't catch a break, can you?
_________________
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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linkster
Joined: 27 Jul 2012
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| Posted: 08/01/23 3:40 pm ::: |
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| El Alfy looked dominant against 17 year old Euros. Fans who didn't give her much shot at game minutes a month ago went gaga in the EuroU18's and some had her starting. While it's tragic for her, the injury won't have much effect on UConn this season.
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linkster
Joined: 27 Jul 2012
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| Posted: 08/01/23 4:07 pm ::: |
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UConn players coming off injury/surgery
Bueckers - ACL
Fudd - knee related
Brady - knee surgery
Deberry - back surgery (herniated disc)
Patterson - knee surgery
Both Deberry and Patterson played (and mostly sat) last season with their injuries and we didn't hear about them until this off-season when they both had surgeries. If their lack of production was related to their injuries then there is realistic hope that both can perform at a higher level this season. If both recover like Griffin, they would make the front line both deep and talented. Last year no one expected much from Griffin, who had back surgery in Jan of 22 and yet she was a major contributor.
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NYSports56
Joined: 03 Jul 2018
Posts: 1126
Location: New Jersey, USA
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
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| Posted: 08/17/23 2:44 pm ::: |
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Full game video archived here (turn off your ad blocker):
https://uconnhuskies.com/watch/on-demand?Archive=7111&type=Archive
Geno started Fudd, Muhl, Edwards, Griffin, Ducharme. I suspect that's his actual current thinking. Bueckers, Patterson and DeBerry didn't play because they are still recovering from surgery. When they are game ready, Bueckers will start. Who of this game's starters will she replace? I'd guess Ducharme because she is so injury prone and because Griffin is better on defense and the boards.
All the players looked capable and none stood out as garbage-time-only. Of the three frosh, Q, the lowest ranked in HS, was very active and certainly wasn't afraid to shoot. Her percentage wasn't good, but all her shots were close—no cringe-worthy forces or clunkers. |
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
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| Posted: 08/18/23 5:47 pm ::: |
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In the second game of their European tour, UConn beat a Slovenian team, 98-68. Edwards had 24/9, freshman KK Arnold had 17/6/6, and Fudd had 19 pts.
After starting, Ducharme played only seven minutes in the first game, leaving after being hit in the head with the ball. She either didn't play in this game or played less than a minute according to the BOX SCORE.
Here's a video of the game (turn off ad blockers):
https://uconnhuskies.com/watch/on-demand?Archive=7114&type=Archive
On edit: The box score is wrong. According to UConn, neither Ducharme nor Bueckers played. |
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
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| Posted: 08/21/23 6:45 pm ::: |
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UConn won the third of its four European tour games today, 78-21, against an Italian team. The game was ended by mutual consent after three quarters. The high scorer for UConn was freshman Q Samuels.
It's being reported that Ducharme started, but was again removed from the game after being hit in the head.
UConn Box Score |
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GlennMacGrady
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GlennMacGrady
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mercfan3
Joined: 23 Nov 2004
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| Posted: 08/22/23 9:08 pm ::: |
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| Ducharme got hit in the head again? Wtf? I’ve never seen anything like this.
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“Anyone point out that a Donald Trump anagram is ‘Lord Dampnut’”- Colin Mochrie
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linkster
Joined: 27 Jul 2012
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| Posted: 08/23/23 4:08 pm ::: |
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| Despite taking a hit in the first game Ducharme started a few day later in Italy, where she again sat after taking a hit. The fact that the staff started her in Italy tells me that the hits aren't producing concussion symptoms, which is a positive. A healthy Ducharme would be a huge boost to UConn's depth due to her versatility.
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
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| Posted: 08/24/23 4:37 pm ::: |
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UConn won the fourth and final game against a Hungarian team, 85-66, in a game that was competitive in the first half. Fudd led in points with 24, but she shot a LOT (31 of UConn's 83 shots), missed a LOT (9-31, 6-22), and had only one assist. Ducharme didn't play again. DeBerry did for a few minutes in the 2nd and 4th quarters.
Here is the video (with lots of Tim Fudd hoot-hooting from the stands, and Anna Makurat sitting above him):
https://uconnhuskies.com/watch/on-demand?Archive=8117&type=Archive
Having watched all four Euro games, what do I think?
- Not sure the starters will be significantly better than last season unless Bueckers can return to superstardom. Juhasz is a big loss in spatial mass and rebounding. Cool Hand Lou is a big loss in 3pt shooting and driving. Edwards and Muhl look about the same, Griffin better, and Fudd seems to be injury free.
- Bench should be better than last season. Arnold is really good and should get a lot of guard time. Brady is better at forward than Patterson, but isn't as big or as low post mobile as I had hoped. (El Alfy, injured for the season, seemed bigger and more skilled in the FIBA games I've seen her in.) Samuels is aggressive in shooting, but needs a better and more consistent touch. Shade isn't fast or quick, but seems to be a competent Swiss army knife type with good BB IQ.
- E8, and maybe more. |
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
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| Posted: 08/25/23 5:52 pm ::: |
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Azzi Fudd stats for the four Euro exhibition games.
FG: 34-77 = .44
3P: 22-52 = .42
FT: 1-1 = .100
RB: 16 = 4/g
AS: 6 = 1.5/g
TO: 7 = 1.75/g
Fudd's aggregate shooting was very good even with that ruck-a-chucky fourth game. I was more concerned with the easy layups she blew during the tour than the missed 3pters in the fourth game.
The weaknesses I saw in her game during the tour are the same as I've seen since she entered UConn: drawing too few fouls, so as to get to the FTL where she is deadly, and passing for too few assists. |
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linkster
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
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| Posted: 09/09/23 7:20 pm ::: |
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UConn 2023-24 team photo:
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
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| Posted: 11/09/23 4:30 pm ::: |
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Having watched three summer scrimmages, an exhibition game, and a first game rout of Dayton, here is what I see in UConn.
The team is deeper than the last two seasons but more imbalanced. The team has 10 available players right now who can play in prime time. However, the team is heavily skewed toward guards and wings and is uncomfortably lean in low post bigs. AA candidate 6-3 Aaliyah Edwards looks terrific, but is the only reliable big that UConn has right now. 6-3 redshirt freshman Ice Brady didn't contribute much against Dayton, 6-2 Ayanna Patterson is still recovering from some sort of knee problem, and 6-5 Amari DeBerry continues to be a 2+ year end-of-bencher.
The team is significantly less injured than last season, but still has some problems. Bueckers is playing with a splinted-bandaged-capped left thumb that has been injured for several weeks now. It looks to me as if it is somewhat affecting her ability to ball handle and to cradle the ball on shots.
Ayanna Patterson says she has been troubled by "jumper's knee" (patellar tendonitis), which doesn't require surgery per Johns Hopkins, yet it's been reported that Patterson had some sort of knee surgery after last season. So, the exact nature of Patterson's knee problem(s) is ambiguous, it's unknown when she'll return and how effective she can be when she does.
This all reveals the obvious strategy to beat UConn: Stop Aaliyah Edwards, preferably by putting her on the bench with fouls. This will render UConn very inexperienced at the center position.
Aside from the front line depth issue, UConn will be able to field more scorers than the last two seasons at the guard, wing and small forward spots, and be able to press and fast break a lot more often.
UConn looks like a top 4 team to me, but we will find out a lot more in the next two games against North Carolina State and Maryland. |
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robertoclementeforever
Joined: 18 Dec 2020
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| Posted: 11/09/23 11:32 pm ::: |
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| I believe that Ice Brady will develop into a legitimate front court contributor this season. Moreover, I've been so impressed with the hubris demonstrated by the freshman class. KK Arnold and Qadance Samuels in particular are ballers. What Geno has in his arsenal is an army of elite scorers. If he can get them to defend, I believe he can run the table with this Team, post play notwithstanding.
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Lux et Veritas
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singinerd54
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
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Location: Missouri
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| Posted: 11/10/23 10:44 am ::: |
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| I always appreciate your insights, Glenn. As a fellow UConn fan who pays less attention than you, it's nice to hear your thoughts and observations, both here and in game threads. Please keep sharing!
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NYSports56
Joined: 03 Jul 2018
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| Posted: 11/10/23 11:00 am ::: |
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| GlennMacGrady wrote: |
Having watched three summer scrimmages, an exhibition game, and a first game rout of Dayton, here is what I see in UConn.
The team is deeper than the last two seasons but more imbalanced. The team has 10 available players right now who can play in prime time. However, the team is heavily skewed toward guards and wings and is uncomfortably lean in low post bigs. AA candidate 6-3 Aaliyah Edwards looks terrific, but is the only reliable big that UConn has right now. 6-3 redshirt freshman Ice Brady didn't contribute much against Dayton, 6-2 Ayanna Patterson is still recovering from some sort of knee problem, and 6-5 Amari DeBerry continues to be a 2+ year end-of-bencher.
The team is significantly less injured than last season, but still has some problems. Bueckers is playing with a splinted-bandaged-capped left thumb that has been injured for several weeks now. It looks to me as if it is somewhat affecting her ability to ball handle and to cradle the ball on shots.
Ayanna Patterson says she has been troubled by "jumper's knee" (patellar tendonitis), which doesn't require surgery per Johns Hopkins, yet it's been reported that Patterson had some sort of knee surgery after last season. So, the exact nature of Patterson's knee problem(s) is ambiguous, it's unknown when she'll return and how effective she can be when she does.
This all reveals the obvious strategy to beat UConn: Stop Aaliyah Edwards, preferably by putting her on the bench with fouls. This will render UConn very inexperienced at the center position.
Aside from the front line depth issue, UConn will be able to field more scorers than the last two seasons at the guard, wing and small forward spots, and be able to press and fast break a lot more often.
UConn looks like a top 4 team to me, but we will find out a lot more in the next two games against North Carolina State and Maryland. |
Excellent analysis, Glenn. I was thinking the same thing about the optimal strategy against UConn being focusing on getting Aaliyah in foul trouble. Hopefully one of the question marks of Brady, Patterson, and Deberry will come up with a positive answer.
I love this team! I am so excited the season is upon us again.
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linkster
Joined: 27 Jul 2012
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| Posted: 11/11/23 1:09 am ::: |
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Geno says he wants to play Brady & Edwards together but right now, with only those two at the post Geno is platooning them with 4 guards. Luckily two of the guards, Ducharme and Griffin, can help out inside. Patterson is working out and may soon be available. Her skill level isn't close to Edwards and is less than Brady but her natural athleticism makes up for a lot of that.
I am of the opinion that Geno should be starting Bueckers Fudd Edwards, Brady and either Griffin or Ducharme. Three outstanding outside shooters and size.
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pilight
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