Analysis and Comments - UConn vs Jackson State - Round of 64

[Rowdy831]

This game will not be close for more than a couple minutes. UConn knows they have to come out and send a message and they will absolutely do just that. JSU has some height but the quality of the talent is worlds apart and UConn will have the home crowd helping them to get focused.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

If we come out cold and slow Jackson will get an energy boost and anything can happen. If we score the first 9 points it is over. We are very capable of both.

 

[Bone Dog]

If we come out cold and slow Jackson will get an energy boost and anything can happen. If we score the first 9 points it is over. We are very capable of both.

I think it's just a question of where the team's energy is. Last season, they limped through the BE tournament with Azzi and Lou not at 100% and they ran out of steam in the Sweet Sixteen. This season, they stormed through the BE tournament and looked like world beaters. Let's hope that's the team that shows up Saturday.

 

[Charliebball]

This game will not be close for more than a couple minutes. UConn knows they have to come out and send a message and they will absolutely do just that. JSU has some height but the quality of the talent is worlds apart and UConn will have the home crowd helping them to get focused.

Jackson State is one of the top rebounding teams in the country which is one of UConn's weaknesses............keep Jackson State off the boards and UConn wins easily, if they don't it could be a bit of a struggle

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Jackson State is one of the top rebounding teams in the country which is one of UConn's weaknesses............keep Jackson State off the boards and UConn wins easily, if they don't it could be a bit of a struggle

I suspect that the rebound opportunities are very high in their games, if you catch my drift.

 

[CTBballfan243]

If I’m JSU, I send out my enforcer lineup first to batter and bruise up the Huskies. Then I send out my skill lineup once the Huskies are softened up a bit. That’s the only way JSU have a chance of winning.

 

[Cuango]

Uconn's defense rules!
No problem with Jackson St.

Let’s not get too confident! The basketball gods might not like that!

 

[Cuango]

While I’m confident we will take care of business, I must confess to some concern as I keep hearing how this team is”not your usual creampuff” in the first round. Hopefully, Geno will have our girls breathing fire and they will put this team away early before they start thinking they can win!

 

[JellyBean]

I was listening to one of the many up and coming YouTube podcasts last night. This one particular guest talked about Jackson State's depth and how Jackson State could use that depth to press UConn. To be honest, I am not worried about Jackson State's pressure defense. Once we break the "press", the players just have to finish and play through the contact because I am sure the game will be physical.

 

[Bone Dog]

I hate hearing that a game will be "physical." These days, that's just code for lots of slapping, grabbing, clawing and scratching. If "physical" merely meant going strong for rebounds and loose balls, I'd be content. That's how UConn has always played. But it's all the other stuff that irks me.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Jackson State is one of the top rebounding teams in the country which is one of UConn's weaknesses............keep Jackson State off the boards and UConn wins easily, if they don't it could be a bit of a struggle

Jackson State gets 55.8% of the available rebounds, UConn gets 54.6% of the available rebounds. They are a slightly better rebounding team than us against weaker competition.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Jackson State's leading scorer puts down 11.7 in 26 minutes of play. Their leader in assists 3.7 and 3 TOs. They have a girl shooting 62% but she plays 16.4 minutes for 8.6 points. Something tells me they substitute quite heavily in an effort to wear down opponents. Worst loss of the season Texas 97-52 second Kansas St. 79-37.

 

[Charliebball]

Jackson State gets 55.8% of the available rebounds, UConn gets 54.6% of the available rebounds. They are a slightly better rebounding team than us against weaker competition.

Their competition is far worse but I won't sell them short until I see them play........better to be safe than sorry.....

 

[cferraro04]

I addressed why I thought Jackson State is so successful in rebounding in my opening statement in the comment section of the analysis Here is what I said there:

"They get an astounding 43.4 rebounds per game...probably there are a lot of rebounds to be had as it is a function of teams including Jackson State shooting the ball poorly from the field."

After thinking about it I bring up hoopsnloops32 said in their post. "Jackson State gets 55.8% of the available rebounds, UConn gets 54.6% of the available rebounds. They are a slightly better rebounding team than us against weaker competition."

To say they are a slightly better rebounding team than us against weaker competition. I feel the need to clarify or add to this statement. They are not a better rebounding, per se. They get 55.8 percent of the available rebounds while UConn gets 54.6 percent...while this delta appears to be small as it measures only the percent of available rebounds but not really the number of available rebounds, it is deceptive because the shooting of Jackson State as well as their opponents in the SWAC conference relative to UConn's is poor (UCONN - 1050 - 2101 for 50%; JACKSON STATE - 780 - 1945 for 40%) This means that Jackson State has 214 more misses than UConn...which translates into more opportunities to rebound.

On the other hand, the argument can be made that even though Jackson State averages more rebounds per game than UConn does, the rebounding edge is a lot closer than the statistics show. This is because of the comparative weakness of the SWAC conference. Jackson State's rebounding advantage per game over its opponents is 2.5 rebounds per game. Jackson State grabs 43.4 rebounds per game while their opponents average 34.3 rebounds per game for a differential of 9.1. UConn averages 38.8 rebounds compared to their opponents who average 32.2 for a differential of 6.6. A deeper dive into the statistics and what they mean it becomes quite clear that if UConn were playing in the SWAC chances are they would be able to get more rebounds than they are getting in the Big East Conference.
The same can be said regarding Jackson State; If Jackson State was playing in the Big East Conference chances are they would be averaging less rebounds per game than they are in the SWAC.

 

[ballhawk]

Their starting center is Angel Jackson. I saw her play at Silesian HS in Richmond, Ca. She was all-state and a McDonald's AA. I fear that Jackson State is much better than the typical 14th seed.

 

[Bald Husky]

I can't believe it, but I am nervous about todays game. If they perform like I know they can, I will get over that, but until the game is over, I am nervous.

 

[Bone Dog]

if UConn were playing in the SWAC chances are they would be able to get more rebounds than they are getting in the Big East Conference.
The same can be said regarding Jackson State; If Jackson State was playing in the Big East Conference chances are they would be averaging less rebounds per game than they are in the SWAC

I think I agree with the first half of this hypothetical. If UConn played in the SWAC they’d get more rebounds. As for the second half, I doubt it. Yes, the SWAC is a weak conference with several undersized teams. But the BE isn’t much different in that regard.

JSU is a big team, and they take advantage of their size advantage in conference games. But they also box out and have good rebounding fundamentals. In this respect, they seem a bit like Providence. What they lack is offensive skills and their bigs are not very quick.

If we play with good energy and tenacity on defense, we should be able to turn them over a lot and score bunches in transition. Even our usual small ball lineup should be able to throttle their offense. But we could play Aaliyah and Ice together and negate much of their size advantage if that seems necessary. But either way, I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up with more rebounds.

Also, on paper their depth looks like a problem for UConn. JSU’s rotation goes 10 deep or more, which means they’re not likely to get tired. On the other hand, they don’t bring quicker players off the bench so the advantage may be an illusion in a tournament setting. And to compound the problem, if they shorten their rotation for this game, they may not have the stamina for it. UConn’s core players are used to playing 30+ minutes, theirs aren’t. The primary advantage their depth provides is they don’t fear foul trouble and we do.

 

[cferraro04]

I think I agree with the first half of this hypothetical. If UConn played in the SWAC they’d get more rebounds. As for the second half, I doubt it. Yes, the SWAC is a weak conference with several undersized teams. But the BE isn’t much different in that regard.

JSU is a big team, and they take advantage of their size advantage in conference games. But they also box out and have good rebounding fundamentals. In this respect, they seem a bit like Providence. What they lack is offensive skills and their bigs are not very quick.

If we play with good energy and tenacity on defense, we should be able to turn them over a lot and score bunches in transition. Even our usual small ball lineup should be able to throttle their offense. But we could play Aaliyah and Ice together and negate much of their size advantage if that seems necessary. But either way, I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up with more rebounds.

Also, on paper their depth looks like a problem for UConn. JSU’s rotation goes 10 deep or more, which means they’re not likely to get tired. On the other hand, they don’t bring quicker players off the bench so the advantage may be an illusion in a tournament setting. And to compound the problem, if they shorten their rotation for this game, they may not have the stamina for it. UConn’s core players are used to playing 30+ minutes, theirs aren’t. The primary advantage their depth provides is they don’t fear foul trouble and we do.

after the fact...you were spot on in much of your analysis...I still hold that if UConn played in the SWAC they would get more rebounds and if Jackson State played in the BE they would not average 43 rebounds. UConn 45 rebounds; Jackson State 36 rebounds.