Adamec: MoJeff dishing and swishing at record pace

[pap49cba]

The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team has had three of its players win the Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation’s top point guard since the honor was established in 2000. But Sue Bird (2000-02), Diana Taurasi (2003-04), and Renee Montgomery (2009) weren’t able to do what Moriah Jefferson is on pace to do this season.

LINK

 

[EricLA]

The thing I find amazing about that is the most important statistic for a PG is their A-TO ratio. And while she's on track to smash the record of 3 UCONN NLK winners, she's not even on the list at this point. That's crazy to me...

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think Moriah has had a breakout year. She's way better than outsiders expected based on last year, and she's playing with 4 players, 3 of whom have been All-Americans already and 1 of whom is talked about as possibly the best player ever. The 7th grader gets lost in the crowd of great players, but she's become one in her own right.

 

[watanabe]

All with a size six shoe.

 

[rocky rococo]

The thing I find amazing about that is the most important statistic for a PG is their A-TO ratio. And while she's on track to smash the record of 3 UCONN NLK winners, she's not even on the list at this point. That's crazy to me...

That's the inherent failing of any establishment, however otherwise efficient, it takes time for the system to absorb change, new people and information. MoJets wasn't assumed to be at this level this year. I think there were plenty of people even right here at The Boneyard who knew she had this in her, but didn't expect to see it already. That's the most exciting thing, if her game has come so far so fast, what's her top end? That's going to make it a fun ride the next couple of years. I'm sticking with the Greatest Point Guard Ever Hypothesis.

 

[msf22b]

There's still a bunch of games to go.
Mo is still up there with a shot for the Lieberman.

I had a dream….(last night)
That the four regular starters went off like crazy in the next couple of games; Mo included.

 

[BooRadley]

My mastery of the torpid arts prevents me from researching where our Mighty Mo stands stat-wise in relation to OS and the other top guards. So, I am left to do what all truly slothful folks do, and that is to rely on the kindness and curiosity of others to do my work for me. I'll ask as politely as my condescending soul & well groomed arrogance will allow:: Would one of you boring little eye-shade numbers crunchy types dig up the guard comparisons that have been made so many times in the last several weeks, as I'm curious as to the strength of argument Mo has in her AA selection favor??? Please discount the issue of limits on the selection of players from one team.

Your Ol' "yawn, peel me some grapes" Pal Boo

 

[UcMiami]

Boo - feeling lazy at the moment but I will give you a fairly generic run-down on Lieberman and AA status as I see it ...
The area of the game where Moriah trails significantly the other front running guards - at 10.x/gm she probably isn't in the top 100 for guard scoring in the country. Not surprising when you play on a team with all 5 starters scoring in double figures and that includes Stewart and Kaleena and Bria and Dolson. But it does stand out as an issue in AA voting. The competition includes the nations leading scorer (Sims) and players like Orrange and Loyd who represent their team's #1 or #2 scoring option. Even her teammate Bria is the #2 or #3 scoring option where Moriah is the #5. For the Lieberman award this is not as significant an issue.
On assists she is up there with the best though not leading the nation. This is obviously what you expect from a Lieberman candidate.
On A/TO she is again up there with the best though not leading the nation. Again strong Lieberman stat.
Defense - hard to quantify but of contenders I think she should be considered one of the best defenders - Sims has a very good reputation in that regard, but I think given her scoring load this year she has slacked off defensively. Moriah's steals number is certainly up near the top of contenders.

One area that may get overlooked but I think is very important is efficiency - She is shooting .586 from the field - the statistical leader for guards is at .572 (Cooper from Rutgers) which I presume means Moriah hasn't taken enough shots to be included (a little surprising as she is in double figures scoring.) So she is more efficient in scoring her points than any other guard in contention for post season awards. And that is something that should be a prime consideration for the Lieberman award - A great point guard has a high number of assists and a high A/TO ratio, should be a threat to score when open or when there is an opening, should be highly efficient in her scoring, and should play sound to stellar defense. Sounds like Moriah to me.