[81alum]

I'm not worried about our guards, at all. 5 out of 15 is a lot. Camp and Green are the REAL deal. Once healthy, we will be very good. I worry how replace Nneka's pts and boards.

I hope very much you are right.  But we have 7 guards on scholarship this year and you can see what a few injuries and a few unmet expectations can do.  If we had a similar number of injuries and unmet expectations next year, with only 5 guards it could be a disaster.

I worry how replace Nneka's pts and boards.

A reasonable worry, but I think we might manage, just like we managed when Candice graduated.  Chiney has dramatically improved this year--I think she is about a year ahead of where Nneka was at the same age.  Coming in are Alyson Beebe and Tess Picknell.  Alyson is a very athletic, five star, 6-3 forward who was rated similarly to Nneka in high school until she tore her ACL and had to miss her senior year.  If she is able to return to form she could be another Nneka--but of course a frosh Nneka and not a senior Nneka.  Tess Picknell is 6-5 and thus far has been more of a defensive presence and shot blocker in high school.  She seems more like a Sarah Boothe from what I can gather.  But remember Tara's dictum that the greatest improvement of players usually comes between their frosh and sophomore years.  Taylor and/or Bonnie and/or Erica could be dramatically improved next year.  And Joslyn will probably have an outstanding year once she becomes a regular and playing at her natural position--which I would guess she will--especially at the beginning of the year when Alyson is very green.

So, a steadily improving Chiney, a much improved player at wing, modest but steadily growing contributions from an elite frosh forward, a healthy redshirted Sarah Boothe, and growing contributions from Joslyn will have to "replace" Nneka.  That is about the most optimistic way of looking at it, anyway.

[81alum]

I'm not worried about our guards, at all. 5 out of 15 is a lot. Camp and Green are the REAL deal. Once healthy, we will be very good. I worry how replace Nneka's pts and boards.

I hope very much you are right.  But we have 7 guards on scholarship this year and you can see what a few injuries and a few unmet expectations can do.  If we had a similar number of injuries and unmet expectations next year, with only 5 guards it could be a disaster.

I worry how replace Nneka's pts and boards.

A reasonable worry, but I think we might manage, just like we managed when Candice graduated.  Chiney has dramatically improved this year--I think she is about a year ahead of where Nneka was at the same age.  Coming in are Alyson Beebe and Tess Picknell.  Alyson is a very athletic, five star, 6-3 forward who was rated similarly to Nneka in high school until she tore her ACL and had to miss her senior year.  If she is able to return to form she could be another Nneka--but of course a frosh Nneka and not a senior Nneka.  Tess Picknell is 6-5 and thus far has been more of a defensive presence and shot blocker in high school.  She seems more like a Sarah Boothe from what I can gather.  But remember Tara's dictum that the greatest improvement of players usually comes between their frosh and sophomore years.  Taylor and/or Bonnie and/or Erica could be dramatically improved next year.  And Joslyn will probably have an outstanding year once she becomes a regular and playing at her natural position--which I would guess she will--especially at the beginning of the year when Alyson is very green.

So, a steadily improving Chiney, a much improved player at wing, modest but steadily growing contributions from an elite frosh forward, a healthy redshirted Sarah Boothe, and growing contributions from Joslyn will have to "replace" Nneka.  That is about the most optimistic way of looking at it, anyway.