How UConn Beats ND

[Bajan Best]

Everybody seems focused on how UConn will be able to stop ND
But I'm interested in the reverse, how will ND be able to stop UConn this year,
With Z gone and out of Pheesa's playground, will they double Pheesa and give up the outside three or will they play her straight up and see if she is on her game?

As of the last game, every Starter other than Pheesa has been shooting the three ball decent enough to require a defender to stay honest. We don't have to overpower their bigs this year to score, and I believe we have the skill set and quickness to get a few of their starters in foul trouble as well. Whichever team is capable of getting the other in foul trouble will win this game...

 

[Bigboote]

I think UCONN's best bet is to play a collapsing zone and make the perimeter players beat you from deep. Their only standout 3pt shooter is Marina Mabrey...Arike is good but is best mid range or taking the ball to the rim, same with Young. Turn them into jump shooters, and you get long rebounds which negates Notre Dame's size advantage inside, plus you avoid foul trouble. Defensively, have Mabrey's defender hound her the full length of the court...last year she was rattled when that happened.

ND has 3 starters that can hit the 3 (Young, Mabrey, and Arike). The key is to make every 3 a contested 3. Even then, ND guards are solid beyond the 3-point line. In no way are they the caliber of KLS, but they are very capable.

UConn has mixed up its defenses more recently. I wonder if that might be related to these two posts? Keep 'em off their toes by sometimes packing it in and sometimes guarding the three closely?

Three-point defense has been UConn's weakest spot in the last couple of years. The games that have been close have been so due to the opponent making threes when UConn has sagged.

This will be a fun game to watch. It will be a blast seeing Collier match up with Turner. An offensive player with an exceptional toolbox vs. an elite defender with very good footwork and timing. Shepard will be a real test for Walker; we'll see if Megan has developed UConn-type defense.

 

[Bama fan]

Two really good teams and two really good coaches. I think the officials will play a very big role in this one. Fouls and free throws hurt us last year , and may do so again. Hope the stripes do not ruin the game. Go Huskies!

 

[NEforceUConn]

Will be tough, good luck, I have no love for ND and would love an upset!

Have not seen someone posting UConn pulling an upset in a long time.

 

[oldude]

The Irish are the defending national champions. They have more size, experience and depth than UConn, and they will be playing at home in front of a packed house. ND should be a solid favorite.

These are the type of games when “LEGENDS” are made. Fortunately, the Huskies just happen to have one of those. I look for Christyn to go off for 35 pts with UConn pulling off a huge upset, 76-74.

 

[bbballfan23]

I’m more so looking to see what kind of “killers” we have in this group. I don’t look at ND as superior talent wise but they may have players that are just a little bit nastier. If Lou & Pheesa play angry, like they have something to prove (which they do). We win this game. Can’t win without those two going to another level mentally. (Hopefully the time both spent with Kobe this summer pays off).

 

[hoopsfan22]

Have not seen someone posting UConn pulling an upset in a long time.

Then again, when was the last time UConn was an underdog in a position to pull off an upset? It's been almost four years. The last time I can think of was maybe the 2015 South Carolina game played in a blizzard, but despite their #1 ranking, almost no one expected South Carolina to win that game, and they didn't have a chance after the first six or seven minutes as UConn outscored the Gamecocks 36-19 to start the game.

 

[Tonyc]

Remember one thing. We lost in the FF at the buzzer and we scored more points from the floor and lost because the fouls were basically called in favor of ND. If the fouls are called close to equally UConn will win and you can take that to the bank. One other point. I would like to see our double W's (Williams and Walker) start the scoring early. It will give them confidence as well as give UConn confidence.

 

[Reypl21]

Remember one thing. We lost in the FF at the buzzer and we scored more points from the floor and lost because the fouls were basically called in favor of ND. If the fouls are called close to equally UConn will win and you can take that to the bank. One other point. I would like to see our double W's (Williams and Walker) start the scoring early. It will give them confidence as well as give UConn confidence.

You should also remember UConn chose to shoot perimeter shots before Z came in, and ND chose to drive. Hard to get to the foul line that way. Also, a lot of free throws came during the end of regulation and overtime when UConn had to foul them to stop the clock.

 

[donalddoowop]

For those of you who pick UConn to win, remember this. Last season with Gabby, Kia, and Z, and ND playing without Turner, UConn struggled to win and had it not been for Z's and Walker's offense, would have lost. In the FF, ND again without Turner and UConn with Kia, Gabby, and Z, UConn was beaten. Kia and Gabby did not play as well as they had played in previous games. Z kept them in the game in spite of what some said were defensive mistakes and Walker did not play at all. Collier played very well. This season, without Kia, Gabby, and Z, and ND with Turner and playing at home, it will be very hard for UConn to win. Now Williams and Walker are playing in place of Kia and Gabby. There will be a lot of pressure on them to produce. KLS is better, Collier and Dangerfield are better but there is no one on the bench to match Z's contributions and it may be too much to expect Nelson, Irwin, and Coombs to do so. In spite of what some may say about excuses, after watching last season's FF game and ND against Iowa, it would be naive to think that officiating won't favor ND. Great teams sometimes overcome partial officiating but UConn is not yet a great team. I hope UConn wins but I believe ND should be favored.

 

[ABCDFE]

I think UCONN's best bet is to play a collapsing zone and make the perimeter players beat you from deep. Their only standout 3pt shooter is Marina Mabrey...Arike is good but is best mid range or taking the ball to the rim, same with Young. Turn them into jump shooters, and you get long rebounds which negates Notre Dame's size advantage inside, plus you avoid foul trouble. Defensively, have Mabrey's defender hound her the full length of the court...last year she was rattled when that happened.

Offensively I'd look to exploit Mabrey off the dribble if they play any man to man, whether it be Williams or Dangerfield who she covers. If they play zone (which they likely will), players need to hit shots from deep and pound the glass.

I agree we cannot engage in man to man because we don’t have the athletes to do it. In the past we could be we had great defensive players and a backkine help with stewie, stokes etc. I think we need to mix up our defensive schemes in order to make them adjust. I also think if possible pick up the players in back court and don’t let them have as much time to set up their plays. That can do several things such as potential for turnovers and make them rush so that becomes more one on one from them.

For us we also need to attack as much as possible. This can help collapse their defense for kickout threes and also potential for ND defenders to get into foul trouble. Also can wear them down as game goes on.

 

[Bajan Best]

I believe I heard Geno say he wants to see how this group handles guarding players they cannot guard, should be interesting to see if they can step up to the plate.

 

[uconnfan68]

If we play man to man, we're gonna spend the night watching ND at the free throw line.

Playing at ND that’s already a given.

 

[Bajan Best]

For those of you who pick UConn to win, remember this. Last season with Gabby, Kia, and Z, and ND playing without Turner, UConn struggled to win and had it not been for Z's and Walker's offense, would have lost. In the FF, ND again without Turner and UConn with Kia, Gabby, and Z, UConn was beaten. Kia and Gabby did not play as well as they had played in previous games. Z kept them in the game in spite of what some said were defensive mistakes and Walker did not play at all. Collier played very well. This season, without Kia, Gabby, and Z, and ND with Turner and playing at home, it will be very hard for UConn to win. Now Williams and Walker are playing in place of Kia and Gabby. There will be a lot of pressure on them to produce. KLS is better, Collier and Dangerfield are better but there is no one on the bench to match Z's contributions and it may be too much to expect Nelson, Irwin, and Coombs to do so. In spite of what some may say about excuses, after watching last season's FF game and ND against Iowa, it would be naive to think that officiating won't favor ND. Great teams sometimes overcome partial officiating but UConn is not yet a great team. I hope UConn wins but I believe ND should be favored.

 

[lebronfan23]

The College WBB world will officially meet CW tomorrow. I think she will have a huge game. Lead us to a win

 

[lebronfan23]

I hope Geno uses his timeouts. Last two time when we played ND and they made their run we didn’t use a time outs to stop them. Also, hope that UConn knows Jackie Young is the real deal and ND true Savior.

 

[Gus Mahler]

and I believe we have the skill set and quickness to get a few of their starters in foul trouble as well. Whichever team is capable of getting the other in foul trouble will win this game...

I agree. This is the key.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Then again, when was the last time UConn was an underdog in a position to pull off an upset? It's been almost four years. The last time I can think of was maybe the 2015 South Carolina game played in a blizzard, but despite their #1 ranking, almost no one expected South Carolina to win that game, and they didn't have a chance after the first six or seven minutes as UConn outscored the Gamecocks 36-19 to start the game.

That's a great game to watch for inspiration. One of the more satisfying games I've ever seen.

 

[DEpup]

UConn has mixed up its defenses more recently. I wonder if that might be related to these two posts? Keep 'em off their toes by sometimes packing it in and sometimes guarding the three closely?

Three-point defense has been UConn's weakest spot in the last couple of years. The games that have been close have been so due to the opponent making threes when UConn has sagged.

This will be a fun game to watch. It will be a blast seeing Collier match up with Turner. An offensive player with an exceptional toolbox vs. an elite defender with very good footwork and timing. Shepard will be a real test for Walker; we'll see if Megan has developed UConn-type defense.

I'm anticipating that Lou will spend a lot of time on Shepherd with Walker being assigned to Young.

 

[DEpup]

For those of you who pick UConn to win, remember this. Last season with Gabby, Kia, and Z, and ND playing without Turner, UConn struggled to win and had it not been for Z's and Walker's offense, would have lost. In the FF, ND again without Turner and UConn with Kia, Gabby, and Z, UConn was beaten. Kia and Gabby did not play as well as they had played in previous games. Z kept them in the game in spite of what some said were defensive mistakes and Walker did not play at all. Collier played very well. This season, without Kia, Gabby, and Z, and ND with Turner and playing at home, it will be very hard for UConn to win. Now Williams and Walker are playing in place of Kia and Gabby. There will be a lot of pressure on them to produce. KLS is better, Collier and Dangerfield are better but there is no one on the bench to match Z's contributions and it may be too much to expect Nelson, Irwin, and Coombs to do so. In spite of what some may say about excuses, after watching last season's FF game and ND against Iowa, it would be naive to think that officiating won't favor ND. Great teams sometimes overcome partial officiating but UConn is not yet a great team. I hope UConn wins but I believe ND should be favored.

I think your also missing a variable, health. Lou and Danger are in much better health this time around. That counts too and should be facrored into the equation.

 

[donalddoowop]

I think your also missing a variable, health. Lou and Danger are in much better health this time around. That counts too and should be facrored into the equation.

I stated that KLS and Dangerfield were better this season and that included their health issues.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Then again, when was the last time UConn was an underdog in a position to pull off an upset? It's been almost four years. The last time I can think of was maybe the 2015 South Carolina game played in a blizzard, but despite their #1 ranking, almost no one expected South Carolina to win that game, and they didn't have a chance after the first six or seven minutes as UConn outscored the Gamecocks 36-19 to start the game.

What about the game with Baylor when Crystal was a freshman. Pretty sure we were the underdogs for that game.

 

[WNBA 09]

I hope Geno uses his timeouts. Last two time when we played ND and they made their run we didn’t use a time outs to stop them. Also, hope that UConn knows Jackie Young is the real deal and ND true Savior.

I think jackie Young is ND's Gabby Williams. Better offensively but brings all the things and does all the things Gabby did for UCONN last yr.

 

[dcfan]

Blaming the refs in anticipation of a UConn loss is beneath UConn's fans.