Elissa Cunane scored 18 pts and UConn still won the game. Reduce the fouls, turnovers, make some more FTs and the super guards play a great game and I like our chance. We will need them to defeat Stanford.
And that is an understatement!
idk if you watch Stanford games, but they have a 6th year sr in Anna Wilson who is a lockdown defender.
You are right. I have seen a player break his wrist on his shooting hand. He then took a few days off, and played 8 more games to finish the season.
Wilson plays about 24-25 mpg as Tara has been going with a bigger lineup. But even if Wilson is a lockdown guard, which UConn guard is she gonna matchup with? Likely not Paige, who will run her through screens all night long and shoot over her.
Fudd and I think Stanford would accept that as a draw.
Have you seen the 3-point shooters on Stanford? That is one team where a zone defense would be disastrous.
I don’t understand being so hard on Amari. In the limited time she’s gotten she has shown a good jump shot and to be a good passer. Also she is 6’5” and has 5 fouls to use.
Looking at the stats from the NCS game, UConn "gave up" on 3s and turned to 10's -- stop and pop shots around the foul line and short distances on the baseline, and the shooting percentage went way up. With four guards and a lot of careful movement those kinds of shots will be available against Stanford.
Transfer portal!!!! ?????
Because many on this board see the team's ongoing weakness as a lack of a big post player that can take up space, move opponents, and muscle in tough shots at the rim. Amari is more like ONO in that she's a high post player that wants to take 15-20 footers rather than bang down low, so despite her height, she is not going to be the solution to that problem.
It appears Caroline will be used much more in Dorka's absence. Hopefully being glued to the bench for the tournament thus far will not have affected her game adversely. Stanford is long so Caroline may not have her usual height advantage near the basket. This will be interesting.
Good post, I highlighted this part to add that our bigs need to have as top priority not blocking shots but rather to continue to play good position with hands up, then block out to grab the rebound. If a block is available, sure as they help, but too often a foul is called. And please don't foul way far out from the basket! When Liv got her first foul against NCSt miles from the basket, then the inevitable second foul confined her to the bench for the remainder of the half. Stay near the basket on defense! Same with Aaliyah, who really is a pretty good defender- goal is to end the half with only one foul. This way you stay in the game; can't help the team from the bench.
I agree. UCONN has needed a dominant big for the last 6 years. Hopefully Amari will be given a chance to display her great footwork as Geno, himself, described. But dominant would be a huge leap from being glued to the bench all season. Why would a dominant high school post recruit expect to be developed at UCONN? Because of the development of Stewie and Steph? Pheesa? What is dominant? Perhaps only Stewie can be accurately described as a dominant post. Dominant is a big order. Did Stanford get the next dominant post in Betts?
Geno had all season to develop a contingency ... Amari DuBerry. Now he has to hope Caroline is the answer.
Stanford does have three players shooting 40% from the three point line.
From what I have read Dorka suffered a compound fracture. Even with a very strong brace any pressure will be quite painful. And don't even think of localized pain killers. Even with a brace there could be a displacement of the fracture. The risk of permanent damage is too great. Once again:
If Edwards and Nelson-Ododa are both off the floor at the same time, especially with this matchup, it would appear DeBerry at 6'5" is the only reasonable option. As it relates, the chorus from John Fogerty's "Centerfield" comes to mind.
Before the North Carolina State game, I posted a comment that predicted if UConn was going to win, they would have to TAKE IT. NCS was not going to give it to them or beat themselves. They went down, but it took two overtime periods. They scratched and clawed the entire game. Like Michael Meyers, they kept coming back.
