Prepare For (More) Domination
The Story: The UConn women had a hell of a run this season, and even though their loss to Arizona in the Final Four was a bit maddening, there’s no doubt that such disappointment won’t be felt round these parts for many years.
THE KIDS RUN THE WORLD: Consider that the Huskies went 28-2 with two sophomores, six freshmen and a high schooler (we’ll never not love that joke). If that makes you pause, adding three freshmen for the fall means they’ll be in the same situation next year with 10 underclassmen. In many ways, that’s not ideal, but lurking variable alert: Those three freshmen will be among the top 15 players in the class, including No. 1-ranked Azzi Fudd. Don’t forget that Saylor Poffenbarger was a top-30 recruit, too, before she enrolled early and found herself a spot on the bench. The Huskies may have been young, but they’re going to get better.
IS A TRANSFER POSSIBLE? Maybe, but Anna Makurat decided to leave earlier this week because she had no defined role. Who would the Huskies pick up? They’re all set in the backcourt with Bueckers and Nika Muhl running the offense, Fudd and Evina Westbrook playing off the ball and Christyn Williams and Aubrey Griffin on the wing. Their frontcourt of Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aaliyah Edwards is formidable, but their depth is unproven between Piath Gabriel and the incoming Amari DeBerry. It seems unlikely the Huskies would go the transfer route with so many roles defined and so many young players needing to develop. If Geno Auriemma did want to add someone, we could see that player being a senior or graduate student in the frontcourt, someone like Ohio State’s Dorka Juhasz, or someone who is just happy to be here like Evelyn Adebayo was two seasons ago.
A CHALLENGE LOOMS: We’re bullish on the Huskies if only because of the pair of Bueckers and Fudd is going to drive opponents crazy. Who could stand in their way? South Carolina still has Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke and Brea Beal, who will be juniors, and is adding the top recruiting class with the No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 14 players. Defending champion Stanford is only really losing Kiana Williams, Baylor’s depth was in its youth and Maryland will probably be pretty good assuming Brenda Frese doesn’t run off all her players for once. But they’re not the Huskies, and so we expect to spend much of the week a year from now basking in the glory of that national championship.
Morning Reads
BIG EAST UNDERWAY: The baseball team will play its first Big East game of the season this afternoon when it hosts Georgetown in the opener of a four-game set at Elliot Ballpark. (UConnHuskies.com)
TIME TO SHINE: It’s a big weekend for the women’s lacrosse team, which hosts No. 22 Denver with first place in the Big East on the line. (UConnHuskies.com)
STATING HIS CASE: It’s been a good start to the season for the Red Sox’s Matt Barnes, who struck out all three batters he faced yesterday in the ninth inning of a 7-3 win over the Orioles and is trying to lock down the closer role. (MassLive.com)
