People have said UCONN will be better next year but I disagree. Dangerfield makes clutch basket after clutch basket. Who will be their starting PG next year?
You make a good point: most Gamecock fans were ecstatic of course over the very talented class that came in for this year, but no one knew how good those players would be. Boston and Cooke are turning out to be very good, and Beal still has some issues offensively, but she's such a strong player overall offensively and defensively - rebounding, steals, blocked shots, defending opposing top offensive players NOT posts, etc. - that she still brings a ton to the table every game.
As it turned out, those freshman players are making a much more immediate impact for the Gamecocks. A'ja Wilson was able to help lead the team to its first ever Final Four her freshman season, and they were a made field goal at the game-ending buzzer shy of taking it all the way to the championship game, but Wilson had Mitchell, Welch, Ibiam, and Coates to lean on. Harris and Herbert-Harrigan were always more supporting role players offensively - Harris led the SEC in steals and assists per game as a sophomore, so she showed her value early on, but she was never a major offensive player - but this season they have stepped up into true leaders in that regard. Herbert-Harrigan is also a very talented shot-blocker and rebounder, although the latter stat she sometimes steps away from asserting herself more there.
But as to Connecticut: they have Dangerfield, Walker, Williams, and Nelson-Ododa as their top scorers this season - all averaging in double-digits. They have played 5 top-25 ranked opponents this season, all Q1 rated RPI opponents. They are 2-3 against them.
Against all other opponents, Walker averaged 20.6 ppg, Williams averaged 16.4 ppg, Dangerfield averaged 14.7 ppg, and Nelson-Ododa averaged 11.6 pts.
Against those top-25 opponents, Dangerfield averaged 19.8 ppg, Walker averaged 13.4 ppg, Williams averaged 10.0 ppg, and Nelson-Ododa averaged 9.4 ppg.
Dangerfield stepped up, and Walker and Williams seems to have padded their stats against the weak and feeble of the Huskies' schedule. Dangerfield is graduating, and taking that "rise to the challenge" leadership with her. Those great talented incoming freshmen of the CT. class will have to rely on Walker and WIlliams - and I suppose Westbrook - to provide that upperclassman guidance for 2020-21. It doesn't look all that promising. Even Lobo, Taurasi, and Stewart had to develop into their great careers....