5 questions for UConn
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma used an old adage — “It’s unlucky to be lucky for too long” — when reflecting on the remarkable success his program has enjoyed over the last few decades. To recap: 11 national championships and 19 trips to the Final Four, including 11 in a row.
“At some point you’re going to be like everybody else,” he said. “And for the longest time, we have not been like anybody else.”
The Huskies, it turns out, are susceptible to the same heartache as every other team in the country. The way the last two seasons have ended — with miraculous buzzer- beating shots at the Final Four — is proof. Call it bad luck or call it fate, but lately, life hasn’t gone the Huskies’ way. Will that change in 2018- 19?
Here are five questions surrounding Auriemma’s team this season:
1. What’s in store for Katie Lou? As Katie Lou Samuelson goes, so go the Huskies. It only makes sense that this season will largely depend on the play — and health — of the twotime All- American. Samuelson, 6- foot- 3 guard, is a lights- out shooter who can score with ease. As a junior, she scored a team- high 17.4 points per game and led the country in 3- point shooting ( 47.5 percent).
While she underwent surgery in April to repair her left ankle — forcing her to sit out most of the offseason — Samuelson is said to be back to 100 percent. Samuelson said last week that she’s felt no limitations in practice and is in a “good spot.”
That’s certainly good news for the Huskies, who must replace the production lost when Kia Nurse, Azura Stevens and Gabby Williams departed.
2. Will height matter? Stevens ( 6- 6) left for the WNBA when no one expected her to. A few of the forwards who did return have yet to prove they’re capable of being anything more than role players. That combination of factors has left UConn noticeably thin in the frontcourt.
Their tallest player — 6- 4 freshman Olivia NelsonOdoda — has yet to play in an actual college game. Their second- tallest player — Samuelson — is known for her shooting, not her post- up game. And neither Rebecca Lobo nor Tina Charles nor Stefanie Dolson will be showing up in uniform anytime soon, meaning the Huskies will need to make the most of what they have.
Fortunately for UConn, there are fewer traditional bigs around — not just in Storrs, but in programs throughout the country. Smaller lineups are in vogue. Thus, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Auriemma go to a lineup featuring 6- 1 Napheesa Collier at center.
3. Will the newcomers be quick to produce? Auriemma scored a recruiting coup by landing Christyn Williams and NelsonOdoda, widely considered to be two of the top five players in the Class of 2018. Both are expected to develop into steady producers. The question is, how soon?
Expectations for freshmen need to be tempered. Players rarely make it through their first season of college without some type of adversity. Breanna Stewart struggled at one point. So, too, did Samuelson.
With depth a concern for the Huskies, they could use both Williams, a 5- 11 guard out of Little Rock, Ark., and Nelson- Ododa, an athletic forward from Winder, Ga., to hit the ground running, starting with the Nov. 11 season opener against Ohio State. However, the odds are that patience will be required at times.
4. Can Camara step up? Batouly Camara, a former Kentucky transfer, offered minimal production in her first season of eligibility at UConn. She played only 4.8 minutes per game, averaging 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds, while dealing with a knee injury.
The Huskies could certainly use Camara’s height ( 6- 2) on the floor. Now, they just need her to show that she can be part of the equation. Samuelson said Camara’s aggressiveness and ability to rebound have been noticeable in practice.
“When she comes in and knows she needs to get someone open, she does the best job,” Samu- elson said. “She probably sets the hardest screens I’ve ever seen.”
5. Can the Fighting Irish be stopped? Imagine a world where everything breaks right for the Huskies. Samuelson shows no ill- effects from surgery and has a huge senior season, with Collier and Crystal Dangerfield joining her as All- Americans. Sophomore Megan Walker shows why she was a consensus No. 1 overall recruit. The freshmen contribute early and often. The bench develops into a strength.
And yet … Notre Dame wins its second straight national championship.
The Fighting Irish were tabbed the unanimous preseason No. 1 for a reason. Their roster is overflowing with talent. Four players — not including All- American forward Brianna Turner, who’s returning from a knee injury — averaged more than 14 points per game last season.
For four months, the Huskies might resemble the best team in the country. All that will matter, though, is what happens in March.