Thoughts about tonight's UConn - Green Bay game

[rvwsleep]

Quite a divergence of predicted results between Massey and Sagarin for tonight's game.
Massey has GB ranked # 25 and predicts a 30.5 pt. win by UConn. (As per the matchup rating)
Sagarin has GB ranked #13 before Saturday's game and predicts a 10 pt. UConn win. (using the "rating" figures)
Green Bay's only loss this year was in overtime against Vanderbilt. Yes, the same Vandy that Uconn just beat by 39. If the Huskies play like they did last night, the MOV will be a lot closer to 30 than to 10.

 

[mrmojack]

I think the loss to Stanford may prove to be the turning point to this season.
I see much more focus and togetherness on this team now. Geno is using
these three games in Florida to set the tone for our visit to the Golden Dome
next Monday. That game will tell us exactly where this team is at this point
in the season.

The new Freshman are getting more comfortable with the system and their
teammates now. Kia Nurse is really playing well and providing some toughness
to this team. Gabby looks better every game and her athletic ability is
something else. They will only get better as the season goes on.

One thing that is evident now is that there is much more parity in WBB
now. I think we will continue to see some big upsets as we progress
through league play. The NCAA tournament should be really exciting.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I hope the Stanford game was a turning point.

Green Bay is typically one of the best coached and most disciplined teams around. We could overwhelm them with our athleticism, but I think it's a good test for us. ND will be well coached with better athletes.

 

[vtcwbuff]

If nothing else tonight's game will be a test of UConn's ability to defend the 3 pt shot. GB is a decent 3 point shooting team and UConn is currently ranked about a hundred spots below dismal (290th).

I've always found the accuracy of Sagarin's predictions suspect early in the season. They improve as the sample size increases.

 

[chrissaran]

UConn will beat Green Bay by thirty, if not more. I don't see Breanna getting into foul trouble two games in a row. The fact that she did, and the team did incredibly well without her, should bee a boost to their confidence. UConn 84-54.

 

[JellyBean]

I just hope that we keep making progress in terms of developing and defining player roles, improving our defensive and offensive game plan.

 

[ballhawk]

The new Uconn (Kia and Morgan starting) looks vastly improved. The offense really flows and all 5 starters have to be guarded. The conventional wisdom now seems to be wcbb has parity. It doesn't. Notre Dame and Uconn are still vastly better. An easy victory today for the Huskies.

 

[cferraro04]

Green Bay (Arizona)...starts three guards and two forwards: Mehryn Kraker (F) - 6'0" - R So; Mariah Monke (F) - 6'2" - R So; /Tesha Buck (G) - 5'11" - So; Kaili Lukan (G) - 5'10" - Jr.; Megan Lukan (G) - 5'7" - R Sr

 

[watanabe]

If the Nurse Tuck combo is still hitting on all cylinders, We are on our way.

 

[RadyLady]

The new Uconn (Kia and Morgan starting) looks vastly improved. The offense really flows and all 5 starters have to be guarded. The conventional wisdom now seems to be wcbb has parity. It doesn't. Notre Dame and Uconn are still vastly better. An easy victory today for the Huskies.

not so easy early on, but I'll take it. Green Bay beat the stuffing out of some of our players.

 

[Huskies990411]

Agree that it wasn't easy early on; tough, very physical play by GB despite giving up size. I think this was a good game for UConn to play for that reason. To take punches and have multiple players contribute is going to be crucial, especially given that many teams they play will be as physical with Stewart as was seen tonight. I loved the technical on Geno, basically silencing the crowd with his yelling. He was protecting the best player in the country, as he should, and his team responded positively to that.

I do think that Stokes needs to get more than 13 minutes, not just tonight after having a solid game against Vanderbilt, but in every game this season. I don't care how much she produces on offense; they will need her against every worthy opponent they play with size. Notre Dame and South Carolina come to mind immediately looking at the schedule, but she will also be key, at least defensively, to their chances at a three-peat.

 

[EricLA]

Agree that it wasn't easy early on; tough, very physical play by GB despite giving up size. I think this was a good game for UConn to play for that reason. To take punches and have multiple players contribute is going to be crucial, especially given that many teams they play will be as physical with Stewart as was seen tonight. I loved the technical on Geno, basically silencing the crowd with his yelling. He was protecting the best player in the country, as he should, and his team responded positively to that.

I do think that Stokes needs to get more than 13 minutes, not just tonight after having a solid game against Vanderbilt, but in every game this season. I don't care how much she produces on offense; they will need her against every worthy opponent they play with size. Notre Dame and South Carolina come to mind immediately looking at the schedule, but she will also be key, at least defensively, to their chances at a three-peat.

I tend to agree, but the problem with Morgan is that unless she's grown, she's really only 6'1". That leaves Stewie playing the 5 and you saw how she was manhandled in the post. So who do you replace to put Kiah in the lineup?

If you replace Morgan, you replace someone who can do a bit of everything and all of it really well. Breanna - possibly the best player in the nation. KML - also possibly the best player in the nation. Kia Nurse? She was the best player on the team this past weekend. She's the 3rd leading scorer on the team and playing really really well.

Realistically you have to have Kiah come in for Morgan. But I really do agree with everything you said.

 

[pvdoggy]

Agree that it wasn't easy early on; tough, very physical play by GB despite giving up size. I think this was a good game for UConn to play for that reason. To take punches and have multiple players contribute is going to be crucial, especially given that many teams they play will be as physical with Stewart as was seen tonight. I loved the technical on Geno, basically silencing the crowd with his yelling. He was protecting the best player in the country, as he should, and his team responded positively to that.

I do think that Stokes needs to get more than 13 minutes, not just tonight after having a solid game against Vanderbilt, but in every game this season. I don't care how much she produces on offense; they will need her against every worthy opponent they play with size. Notre Dame and South Carolina come to mind immediately looking at the schedule, but she will also be key, at least defensively, to their chances at a three-peat.

Seems to me like Stokes has regressed back to the role she was comfortable with last year, i.e. playing defense and block shots. Even the 13 min she played tonight, most of it is when the game is so far out of reach already and even then Kiah never tried to force the issue on offense. I just don't think she has the instinct for it, even compare to Gabby for example.

 

[bramos]

Seems to me like Stokes has regressed back to the role she was comfortable with last year, i.e. playing defense and block shots. Even the 13 min she played tonight, most of it is when the game is so far out of reach already and even then Kiah never tried to force the issue on offense. I just don't think she has the instinct for it, even compare to Gabby for example.

IMO Stokes has not regressed. Some are more comfortable coming off the bench.Performing in short bursts and highly successful. Think of it as Mariano Rivera. Greatest closer ever. He shut the opponents down. When the Huskies need a stop, Kiah is the perfect weapon. I think we should just encourage her and be grateful that Geno has his stopper/closer.

 

[johnnyc]

IMO Stokes has not regressed. Some are more comfortable coming off the bench.Performing in short bursts and highly successful. Think of it as Mariano Rivera. Greatest closer ever. He shut the opponents down. When the Huskies need a stop, Kiah is the perfect weapon. I think we should just encourage her and be grateful that Geno has his stopper/closer.

I liked how Kiah went all playground in getting Stewie's back. She was clearly stoked.

 

[OldAlum]

I laughed out loud when the GB player started a drive and then slammed on the brakes and brought it out when she saw Kiah standing there ready for another block!
Also loved KML's "Block it Kiah!"

 

[Tonyc]

IMO the only thing the Stanford game showed us is we needed to change the lineup. In last nites game Kia Morgan and a healthy KML made the all tournament team with Kia MVP. If we had that lineup against Stanford we would've won by a lot. Listening to Deb Antonelli last nite and her saying she had UConn ranked ahead of ND in the polls because of Kia Morgan and KML. I agree. We are a different team with Kia and Morgan starting. With Kia and Morgan UConn has good chemistry. There is no hesitation. Kia looked really good this weekend as did Morgan and they will get better as the season progresses. The big question for ND will be who can come out and defend Stewart when Turner and Reimer play underneath? I think UConn will surprise a lot of fans at ND and it wont be easy but UConn will win this game. UConns new lineup shows a lot of scoring balance too which will force opposing defenses to have to guard UConn one on one. I posted a few days ago a thread talking about how big this weekend was for UConn to show us where they were. Well they passed with flying colors. Judging from this weekend and not by the scores but by the way UConn played the game this is a very difficult team to defend and score on.

 

[Tonyc]

Ive been reading the threads and a lot of posts talking about Stewie. Well Stewie was double teamed. That left somebody open and maybe that's why Kia Mojeff and Tuck scored so many points. Stewie was playing out of position a lot of the time this weekend too. When Stokes was in that allowed Stewie to go outside leaving Stokes in the middle. Its a lot tuffer to defend Stewie away from the basket and with Stokes in it makes it tuffer for opponents to go inside and rebound.

 

[xHunt3r]

Seems to me like Stokes has regressed back to the role she was comfortable with last year, i.e. playing defense and block shots. Even the 13 min she played tonight, most of it is when the game is so far out of reach already and even then Kiah never tried to force the issue on offense. I just don't think she has the instinct for it, even compare to Gabby for example.

It is the only thing she can do that doesn't get her benched... so I think she just focuses on blocking shots and rebounded. She may never take another jumper all year, cause if she misses Geno will bench her...

 

[Tonyc]

It is the only thing she can do that doesn't get her benched... so I think she just focuses on blocking shots and rebounded. She may never take another jumper all year, cause if she misses Geno will bench her...

I have to ask what makes you say that?

 

[Geno-ista]

I tend to agree, but the problem with Morgan is that unless she's grown, she's really only 6'1". That leaves Stewie playing the 5 and you saw how she was manhandled in the post. So who do you replace to put Kiah in the lineup?

If you replace Morgan, you replace someone who can do a bit of everything and all of it really well. Breanna - possibly the best player in the nation. KML - also possibly the best player in the nation. Kia Nurse? She was the best player on the team this past weekend. She's the 3rd leading scorer on the team and playing really really well.

Realistically you have to have Kiah come in for Morgan. But I really do agree with everything you said.

They are problems but good problems. The point is, the starting line up has now been decided, and that is a good thing! Stokes will be spelling Tuck and Stewie & KML and Chong The guards. Gabby next off gives us nice flexibility as well. Kiah is giving us good low post offensive presence and gives Stewie a break on defense for sure. But things run and happen on offense with Nurse and Tuck.

 

[Geno-ista]

IMO the only thing the Stanford game showed us is we needed to change the lineup. In last nites game Kia Morgan and a healthy KML made the all tournament team with Kia MVP. If we had that lineup against Stanford we would've won by a lot. Listening to Deb Antonelli last nite and her saying she had UConn ranked ahead of ND in the polls because of Kia Morgan and KML. I agree. We are a different team with Kia and Morgan starting. With Kia and Morgan UConn has good chemistry. There is no hesitation. Kia looked really good this weekend as did Morgan and they will get better as the season progresses. The big question for ND will be who can come out and defend Stewart when Turner and Reimer play underneath? I think UConn will surprise a lot of fans at ND and it wont be easy but UConn will win this game. UConns new lineup shows a lot of scoring balance too which will force opposing defenses to have to guard UConn one on one. I posted a few days ago a thread talking about how big this weekend was for UConn to show us where they were. Well they passed with flying colors. Judging from this weekend and not by the scores but by the way UConn played the game this is a very difficult team to defend and score on.

I concur w/ Tony. We look like a different team. I too think they will beat N Dame in a close contest. I also think we are not the same team that played Stanford. I also think we are seeing parity , and a lot more talent in the women's game, and some coaching catch up. We will struggle more with the top 10's of the world I believe. I think So Carolina is definitely a veteran team w all the pieces to be great. Texas ALS looks like a team to be reckoned with.