Connecticut Huskies
Overall Rank: #1
Conference Rank: #1 American
Connecticut Team Page
There may not be much drama in women’s basketball this year. Connecticut went 40-0 last year and won each game in the NCAA Tournament by at least 15 points. They are expected to win their tenth title this year. It may be even a surprise, and would certainly be an upset, if this team lost a single game all year long. Coach Geno Auriemma has obviously built a great program in Storrs and there are not many teams with the talent and depth to compete with the Huskies, even for a single game.
2013-14 Record: 40-0, 18-0
2013-14 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Geno Auriemma
Coach Record: 879-133 at Connecticut, 879-133 overall
Strengths:
Returning Breanna Stewart, the reigning Player of the Year, is a good place to start when talking about the strengths of this team. The 6-4 forward averaged a team high 19.4 points and added 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.8 blocks and 1.6 steals. She can do damage both inside and out and there is not a defense in the nation that has had much luck slowing her down. Moriah Jefferson and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis are also back after starting last season. Jefferson is a superb point guard who has done a great job getting all of the scorers involved. Jefferson can score and did average 10.0 points per game, but she really does not need to do much scoring. As long as she takes care of the ball, gets her teammates involved and plays solid defense, Jefferson is doing her job. Mosqueda-Lewis missed a dozen games due to injuries last year, but she was a dominating force during the NCAA Tournament. On the year the 5-11 forward averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds. Stewart, Jefferson and Mosqueda-Lewis are the big names, but Morgan Tuck, Saniya Chong and Kiah Stokes are back after picking up quality minutes last season. Tuck has suffered through injuries the last two years, but is a nice talent if she can stay healthy. Stokes should step into a full-time starting spot as a senior. The 6-3 center is great on the glass and defensively, but will be asked to score more this season.
Weaknesses:
If Stokes can replace Stefanie Dolson and players like Tuck can help replace Bria Hartley, this team will be unstoppable. Perhaps the toughest thing for Coach Auriemma to do this year is find minutes for his talented group of newcomers. On any other team Gabby Williams, Sadie Edwards, Courtney Ekmark and Kia Nurse would be looking for starting jobs. But there is a need for a shooting guard and perimeter depth. All four of the freshmen will get a long look at filling in some major minutes. They will have to compete with Chong, who may be better utilized as a shooter off of the bench.
Final Projection:
The Huskies do play Stanford, Notre Dame, UCLA and Duke so there are a few games where Connecticut will be tested. But after the Duke game on December 29th, this team should cruise through the American Athletic Conference and not be seriously tested again until March, late March. However, the Huskies do play South Carolina will provide a test in the middle of AAC play on February 9th. But there is just too much talent and too much experience at Connecticut for this group not to be favored to win it all.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA Tournament
Projected Starting Five:
Moriah Jefferson, Junior, Guard, 10.0 points per game
Gabby Williams, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Senior, Forward, 13.4 points per game
Breanna Stewart, Junior, Forward, 19.4 points per game
Kiah Stokes, Senior, Center, 4.5 points per game
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 82.1 (10th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 47.8 (1, 1)
Field-Goal Percentage: 50.3 (2, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 31.0 (1, 1)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.4 (44, 1)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 36.6 (17, 1)
Free-Throw Percentage: 75.0 (25, 1)
Rebound Margin: 9.4 (11, 1)
Assists Per Game: 21.3 (1, 1)
Turnovers Per Game: 11.8 (2, 1)
Madness 2015 WNBA Draft Rankings:
#2 Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis
#28 Kiah Stokes
Madness 2014 Women’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
#12 Gabby Williams
#23 Sadie Edwards
#31 Courtney Ekmark
#35 Kia Nurse
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