McLean’s Departure Hints at a Trend
The Story: The women’s basketball team, which is already struggling to have enough healthy players available to win a game, lost another yesterday when sophomore forward Mir McLean chose to transfer.
WAR OF ATTRITION: McLean left Storrs after she grabbed two rebounds and took one shot in eight minutes over three games this season. She played in 24 games as a freshman and averaged 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.
• The Huskies are already without Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Aubrey Griffin and Nika Muhl because of injuries. Fudd and Muhl could return as soon as Sunday’s game against No. 6 Louisville at Mohegan Sun, but Bueckers, as we’ve covered extensively, will not be back until the middle of next month at the earliest.
• We appreciated McLean last season given her ability to play much larger than she is. The 5-foot-11 forward was tenacious on the boards and was unafraid to mix it up against larger players, and that made her fun to watch.
• McLean played sparingly even with the four players injured, and that likely hastened her decision to leave. Even though she didn’t play the same position as the others, if Geno Auriemma wouldn’t look her way in a time of need (the Huskies could certainly use a rebounder), what were the chances she’d play with everyone healthy?
WHY’S EVERYONE LEAVING? The answer is simple: It always comes back to playing time. Given that players can signify their intent to leave with the transfer portal, don’t need to sit out a year anymore after a first transfer and have gained an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic, it’s easier than ever for them to find satisfaction.
• McLean follows Saylor Poffenbarger, who also wasn’t playing and will suit up at Arkansas, and Anna Makurat, who left during the offseason because she could play professionally in Poland and not ride the bench in the United States.
• For Geno, it’s a double-edged sword. He doesn’t trust but a handful of players to contribute, signifying that the others are his B team. But they’re also quality players (McLean was the No. 25 player in her high school class) who can thrive at nearly any other school and their presences, at the very least, will be missed in practice.
• We’re not far from the point when players will commit to UConn, find out they’re not part of the rotation a month into the season and choose to transfer, are we?
TUMBLING IN THE RANKINGS: The Huskies’ loss to Georgia Tech, and the absence of Bueckers, dropped them to No. 7 in the Associated Press poll, their lowest ranking since Jan. 22, 2007, when they were also seventh. Georgia Tech, which was unranked, is now No. 18.
Morning Reads
• Jim Mora not only landed a pair of commitments in St. Thomas More offensive lineman Ben Murawski and wide receiver/defensive back Kylish Hicks, who is from Maryland. He secured his first transfer in Old Dominion wide receiver Nigel Fitzgerald, who has three years of eligibility remaining. (Hearst Connecticut Media)
• The men’s basketball team fell from No. 15 in the AP poll to No. 20 after its loss to West Virginia last week. (ESPN)
• One NBA agent said that Kemba Walker‘s situation has been a “catastrophe” for the Knicks. We’d argue it’s been one for Walker, too. (New York Post)
