In Reply to: Smith v. Bueckers should be interesting posted by Punahou on March 29, 2025 at 22:27:01
most definitely need it anyway. Kiki is a superb player but she's not a Bueckers or a Betts, She will certainly help but in matching them up, you would look at Watkins matching Bueckers then at Kiki matching Fudd and so on. Without Watkins, the matchup balances move down a step.
I'd take UConn anyway - the difference imo is team cohesiveness and flow. SC with Watkins definitely would have a puncher's chance to win that one but I would still expect a UConn win. Now? Anything else would be a shock.
BTW, looking at our team for next year, we lose Dugalic who is the other player outside Jaquez who does some of everything for us, We are bringing in several including Sienna Betts who is 6'4" but there are a bunch of 6'4" women around today's game who are excellent also. Lauren Betts is a unicorn, a oner (as are Watkins and Bueckers in other ways).
What imo we need is another very strong defender at guard who is taller than Jones and Aarnisalo but has the quickness still to guard the perimeter. And we need to me more cohesive as a team, fewer holes on defense, better spread on offense.