UConn-Penn State Game Preview
by doggydaddy
#1 UConn (3-0) @ #13/15 Penn State (2-0)
Sunday, 12:00 p.m. University Park, PA
TV – Big Ten Network
Overview
UConn and Penn State have met 11 times with UConn winning 8 of them. UConn has won the last 4 including a 15 point win last year at Gampel.
In that game Penn state was able keep the game close and was within three 4 minutes into the second half, 32-29. UConn methodically pulled away to a 21 point lead before coasting in with the final 15 point margin. This game was in the middle of the tough time for Stewart. She was 1-3 from the field playing only 20 minutes. KML was the star of this game with 25 points even with her 6 turnovers. This was not a very good game for UConn with only 11 assists and 20 TO’s. Give credit to the PSU defense for most of that. Maggie Lucas led Penn State with 15 points hitting 3-6 3 pointers before fouling out late in the game. Nickson and Greene helped PSU win the rebounding battle with 15 between them. As bad as Uconn was with the ball, Penn State was worse with 26 TO’s. When your point guard, Bentley, has 4 TO’s, you are in trouble. Overall, a pretty ugly game.
UConn’s last game was an impressive win in Maryland in front of a national TV audience and 15,000 fans. Short handed with KML and Tuck out, UConn played some great defense and Stewart carried the offense with 26 points. In spite of the short roster and foul trouble, UConn held Maryland to 17 second half points and 12 in the last 18 minutes. Talk about turning the screws.
Penn State is 2-0, with wins over an over matched St. Francis (pa.) 117-77 and Fordham 78-61. Led by the AA senior guard Maggie Lucas and talented senior forward Ariel Edwards, PSU has been able to play 10 players double digit minutes.
UConn Starting Lineup
G Bria Hartley SR 5’9” 12 ppg, 4 rpg, 5 apg, 2 TO
G Moriah Jefferson SO 5’7” 11.3 ppg, 3.7 apg, 2 TO’s
F/C Breana Stewart SO 6’4” 16.3 ppg, 5 rpg, 2.3 bpg
C/F Kia Stokes JR 6’3” 4.7 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3.3 bpg
C Stefanie Dolson SR 6’5” 11.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.7 bpg
UConn Bench
G Briana Banks JR 5’9” 4 ppg
G Sanyia Chong FR 5’9” 4.7 points, 1.7 apg, 1 TO’s
Out for the game
F Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis JR 6′ 10.5 ppg
F Morgan Tuck SO 6’2” 8.5 ppg
Penn State Starting Lineup
F/C Candice Agee SO 6’6” 7.5 ppg, 5 rpg
F Tori Waldner JR 6’5” 2.5 ppg, 3 rpg
F Ariel Edwards SR 6’3” 20 ppg, 3.5 rpg
G Dara Taylor RSR 5’8” 13 ppg, 4 apg
G Maggie Lucas SR 5’10” 28 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3 apg
Penn State Bench
F Kaliyah Mitchell FR 6′ 7.5 ppg, 6 rpg
F Taliah East SR 6’3” 7 ppg, 5 apg
G Keke Sevillian FR 5’7” 5.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg
F/G Peyton Whitted FR 6’3” 3.5 ppg, 3 rpg
F Alex Harris FR 6’3” 3 ppg, 8 rpg
Game Analysis
UConn showed a lot of heart under difficult circumstances against Maryland. On the road, short handed and in foul trouble, they just dominated Maryland more than the score even showed. And this doesn’t bode well for Penn State. Certainly, UConn gained a lot of confidence with their performance. After a tough game against Stanford, Jefferson was great against Maryland.
My Penn State analysis is sadly based on game write ups and my own box score reviews. Not the easiest way to do this. Penn State hasn’t been tested as of yet so rotation and minutes in a game like this can be thrown out the window. Penn State did lose 3 starters from last years team in Nickson, Greene and their PG Bentley. And while Bentley had a tough game against UConn last year, she will be missed in a tough game like this.
Penn State started a 3 guard lineup but it appears they are going big this year with Agee 6’6”, Waldner 6’5” and Edwards 6’3”. That would make Taylor the point guard. It will be much tougher for her as the lead guard without Bentley to take the pressure off. PSU has 3 freshman forwards coming off the bench and the only guard to back up Lucas and Taylor is Sevillian.
Because of the short bench, Hartley played 40 minutes, Jefferson 35 and Stewart 34 against Maryland. With only 1 day between games and an early start at that, fatigue could factor in, but UConn is one of the best condition teams in the country.
Penn State losses a lot of experience up front with Greene and Nickson graduating. 17 ppg and 15 rpg between them. They are replaced by a talented but young front line that would appear to be no match for Stewart, Dolson and Stokes. I was very impressed by the defense of both Hartley and Banks on the 6’2” Thomas, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see UConn go with 3 guards and force the pace of the game.
The wild card is of course Lucas. She can keep her team in the game with her 3 point shooting and all around offensive game. Either Harley or Jefferson will have to play excellent defense to limit her scoring. UConn’s switching defense will have a lot to say about that.
Final prediction
Geno said that he wasn’t sure how the players would come into this season after winning the year before. Some teams handle it better than others. UConn certainly learned a lot about themselves with the injuries to Tuck and KML. Geno wanted to see how they reacted to adversity. Now he knows. Against another ranked opponent on the road, UConn looks ready to take on this challenge. They have a distinct advantage in talent in the post and will take advantage of that. PSU has only a 3 player guard rotation and UConn should wear them out with their defensive pressure.
I don’t see PSU saying in this game very long. Uconn by 20+.
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