Doggydaddy's Den: DoggyDaddy's Dailies 4/13/16

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I have put off talking about the 2016-17 season until the 2015-16 season is over. I posted my initial starting lineup a few days ago and yesterday I posted my top five teams.

Inspired by a thread on a UConn message board, today I'm going begin to post a look at next year's players (excluding the freshman) and what they need to work on in the off season. I'll start with the players from least minutes to most minutes in 2015-16.

Let's start with the remaining former walk-on, Tierney Lawlor. With three freshman coming in, you can bet that even though she doesn't get minutes, the senior will help the new kids adjust to the craziness that is Genoworld. Keep working hard and setting an example.

2015-16 Stats

30 Games - MPG 3.0, FG% .429, 3PT% .400, PPG .3, RPG 0.1, APG 0.2, 2 steals, 0 blocks

Next is Courtney Ekmark. I have read several predictions that she will be transferring to get more playing time. I hope not. As a junior, she can also add leadership and example. I thought she improved in many ways last year but minutes were hard to come by and she was only used after the games were in the last quarter and safely put away. She shot a solid 36.1% on threes and had a slightly above 1.0 assist/to ratio. She definitely can contribute a solid 15 minutes next season. She will have to continue to improve her conditioning and work on keeping her man in front of her on defense. That will mean being quicker laterally. If she does that she will see minutes when they count.

2015-16 Stats

33 Games - MPG 8.9, FG% .446, 3PT% .361, PPG 2.0, RPG 1.1, APG .7, 12 steals, 1 block

Natalie Butler came into this season with some great expectations from many UConn fans. Some (including myself) thought she might be starting. Boy, did I miss out on that one! Butler never really got started, some due to injury, some to rust that she couldn't shake off. Add to that a lack of confidence and you have a very inconsistent player. Coming into the 2016-17 season she needs to do a few things. First, get her confidence back. She was a double-double machine at Georgetown. She played 36 minutes a game in Division I. She proved she can play at this level. Do it again. Second, work on keeping the ball up after a rebound and holding on to it. Overall strengthening exercises are in order. She needs to get strong enough so when she gets her hands on the ball, it's hers. Like Ekmark, continue to improve your conditioning. At 6'5", she should be a handful if she can stay on the court and garner 20+ minutes every game.

2015-16 Stats

26 Games - MPG 12.4, FG% .559, 3PT% .000, PPG 5.6, RPG 4.0, APG .8, 13 steals, 21 blocks

Chong, Collier and Williams tomorrow!!

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It's always fun to peruse the message boards for interesting opinions from opposing fans. You can always count on the Notre Dame board to supply fodder for my blog.

Here is a good one from a poster that is always looking for ways to diminish UConn -

"Next year UConn's senior class will consist of Chong, who hasn't lived up to her curious selection as Parade POY (she was ranked very low by every other rating service) and 6'5" Butler, who was a transfer from Georgetown who averaged 5.6 ppg. Nurse and Williams could step up, but then you're relying on juniors for senior leadership. Possible, but not as well set up as other teams are. And replacing a class of three players who were all in the top 6 as recruits is a class with one #3 recruit and two unranked recruits. That's right, 2/3 of UConn's incoming class are unranked."

Curious selection? She averaged 30 points and 10 assists and played just very well against top competition in a tournament out west her senior season. The Parade award is for who had the best year in HS. Not who will be the best freshman in college. She was a fine choice.

No, she hasn't played as well as UConn fans would like, but she has also struggled with IT Band problems.

And Butler is not a senior in years played. She is a RS Junior. 5.6 ppg? In only 12 mpg. As I have said many times, she will have plenty of double-double games with enough minutes.

There is a problem relying in juniors for leadership? Since when? Juniors are called UPPER classmen for a reason.

By the way, Irwin is ranked 44 by BlueStar. So, two of the three are ranked.

If he is trying to say that UConn will not be as good as last year....well....duh!!

I'm sure that fans of other teams are rejoicing in the graduation of Stewart, Tuck and Jefferson. I can't wait to see UConn upset Notre Dame next year.

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UCONN LINKS

Why can’t other women’s basketball teams keep up with UConn? WEEI
Breanna Stewart Is A Woman Of Her Word Bonham Journal
A behind the scenes look at UConn's fourth straight NCAA championship Kerith Burke
UConn trio among WNBA Draft invitees Jim Fuller

WCBB LINKS