Baylor is BIG

[TitleTown]

Coming into the season we all knew that Baylor had a stable of talented bigs but on Monday night they out-rebounded UCLA 52-25 including 20 offensive boards. Really going to need Butler to show up big for that game or it could get ugly.

 

[Charliebball]

6'7"
6'4"
6'4"
6'3"
6'2"
6'2"

 

[Tonyc]

With all the height Baylor has they can only play one tall post player and maybe one or two others at a time. That leaves them with a couple less ball handlers and could mean more turnovers. No doubt Baylor will try and get the ball under neath that where their strength is against a smaller Uconn team. Butler has to play minutes I agree however we need to play as a team and not commit so many turnovers. We can not come out timid and our first game jitters are over with. Thursday will be a very very very tuff game and I like out chances. I win would be huge.

 

[bags27]

Not to worry: our guys have 2 full days to go on a growth spurt!

 

[Vowelguy]

I'm guessing the preferred option is going to be to play very fast, and hope to beat their bigs up the court. Not sure our guards are there yet to execute that though.

 

[easttexastrash]

Kalani Brown has taken her game to a new level this season. Mompremier has been starting but it will be interesting to see if that trend continues. Brown played all but about a minute of the second half last night and was a beast on the boards, pulling down 19. And she had 25 points on 12-15 shooting, 6 assists and 5 blocks. Can she do that against UCONN? Very unlikely. But she is definitely someone that Geno has to have a good plan for because it is going to take more than one player to contain her.

 

[CocoHusky]

6'7"
6'4"
6'4"
6'3"
6'2"
6'2"

With all the height Baylor has they can only play one tall post player and maybe one or two others at a time. That leaves them with a couple less ball handlers and could mean more turnovers. No doubt Baylor will try and get the ball under neath that where their strength is against a smaller Uconn team. Butler has to play minutes I agree however we need to play as a team and not commit so many turnovers. We can not come out timid and our first game jitters are over with. Thursday will be a very very very tuff game and I like out chances. I win would be huge.

Baylor starting five:
6'4" Mompremier
5'11" Davis
5'9" Jones
6'2" Prince
5'11" Wallace

UCONN Starting 5 :
6'3" KLS
6'1" Collier
6'0" Nurse
5'11" Williams
5'8" Chong

Perfectly manageable. Baylor 6'7" coming off the bench will be matched by UCONN 6'5".

 

[SCGamecock]

6'7"
6'4"
6'4"
6'3"
6'2"
6'2"

Gives me chills...

 

[SCGamecock]

I'm pretty pumped for this game.. we'll get to see a stout defensive team against a team that can consistently rotate Sequoias into the paint. Who's usually the first person in off the bench for Baylor.. Brown or Cox?

 

[CocoHusky]

Kalani Brown has taken her game to a new level this season.

Couple story line of the new season so far
Sophmore leaps by: Asia Durr, Kalani Brown, Napheesa Collier....
Transfer Impact: Lexie Brown, Imani Wright, Kaela Davis, Alisha Gray, I. Small......

 

[CocoHusky]

. Who's usually the first person in off the bench for Baylor.. Brown or Cox?

I'm not sure why but Cox only got 4 minutes in the UCLA game and 15 minutes in the game before that. Brown has been brilliant coming off the bench.

 

[Dillon77]

Baylor starting five:
6'4" Mompremier
5'11" Davis
5'9" Jones
6'2" Prince
5'11" Wallace

UCONN Starting 5 :
6'3" KLS
6'1" Collier
6'0" Nurse
5'11" Williams
5'8" Chong

Perfectly manageable. Baylor 6'7" coming off the bench will be matched by UCONN 6'5".

From Baylor Press Release on Baylor-UCLA Game (link below, as well):

- After watching sophomore post Kalani Brown record a monster double-double with a career-high 25 points and 19 rebounds, Kim Mulkey shrugged and said that's exactly what she expects. "Quite frankly, I've got a lot of post players I can choose from," said Mulkey....

- Alexis Prince, (guard - 6'2")who finished a rebound shy of a double-double with 15 points and nine boards, opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer as part of an 18-2 run that staked Baylor to an 81-63 lead midway through the period.

It's the italics I noticed. While she can only play so many of these at once, she can throw a lot of them. In addition to the 6'7" Brown that (I assume) you were referring to above, she also has the 6'4" Cox, the 2016 recruiting "it" girl. She barely played against UCLA, but you never know when she'l hit the floor (if not this time, then next).

What's interesting with Baylor is who plays a lot of minutes -- besides Nina Davis, Kristy Wallace didn't leave the floor last night and also had a lot of minutes against Houston Baptist in the opener. Perhaps Kim is not as deep at those positions. What I call "the poise" positions.

Maybe that's where Gabby, Kia, KLS can do their damage. Napheesa and Natalie are going to have an interesting go of it.
Look forward to seeing it (after I watch the Irish take on the Phoenix of Green Bay).

Kalani Brown leads No. 2 WBB in 84-70 Win over No. 9 UCLA

 

[Dillon77]

I'm not sure why but Cox only got 4 minutes in the UCLA game and 15 minutes in the game before that. Brown has been brilliant coming off the bench.

Hah! See my italics quote in the next post on Baylor from Kim. She's in "post-heaven" right now.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Coming into the season we all knew that Baylor had a stable of talented bigs but on Monday night they out-rebounded UCLA 52-25 including 20 offensive boards. Really going to need Butler to show up big for that game or it could get ugly.

Butler alone won't do it. if Collier and Gabby and Lou can play oversize maybe a W is possible. Also consider uconn is home and the home crowd works good for Uconn. Geno has been very effective with Bigs --but with a huge stable of Bigs--Big difference.
If katie Lou, Gabby, Chong, Collier can hit consistently from the 3--that could negate size--a bit--b

 

[veryolddog]

Just a thought, but if Gabby and KLS have their game on along with the other starters, we might see a different game than played against FSU.

 

[bballnut90]

If Brown keeps up her level of play she is legitimately a major candidate for player of the year. Holy smokes she was great. She gets great position inside, has great hands and finishes high, blocks shots and her passing out of the double team was exceptional. UCLA has a quality center in Monique Billings and Brown dominated the matchup. 25 points, 19 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 blocks in under 30 minutes of play against a top 10 team. Good lord.

Matching up with Connecticut, her and Jones will be the players UCONN need to zero in on. Deny Brown good positioning inside or it's over. Keep a body on Jones at all time so she doesn't penetrate and get good looks. Stop those 2 and match Baylor on the boards and UCONN can win. Shoot well from the outside and stop those 2--then UCONN has a great shot to win.

 

[TitleTown]

What's interesting with Baylor is who plays a lot of minutes -- besides Nina Davis, Kristy Wallace didn't leave the floor last night and also had a lot of minutes against Houston Baptist in the opener. Perhaps Kim is not as deep at those positions. What I call "the poise" positions.


Kalani Brown leads No. 2 WBB in 84-70 Win over No. 9 UCLA

I agree. Men's and women's college basketball has always and will always be played from the outside in. The bigs are only as good as the guards that can get them the ball. That is why come tournament time the teams with good guard play are more successful.

 

[easttexastrash]

Baylor starting five:
6'4" Mompremier
5'11" Davis
5'9" Jones
6'2" Prince
5'11" Wallace

UCONN Starting 5 :
6'3" KLS
6'1" Collier
6'0" Nurse
5'11" Williams
5'8" Chong

Perfectly manageable. Baylor 6'7" coming off the bench will be matched by UCONN 6'5".

The problem is that UCONN's tallest player plays on the perimeter and will not be matching up with Baylor's size. If Geno tries to put KLS on the Baylor bigs she will foul out of the game. And if you think that Collier is going to be able to stop the Baylor bigs I think you are fooling yourself.

I suspect that Prince will match up with KLS on the perimeter as she has almost equal size and may have more length. She is a super defender and I suspect will have an impact on KLS.

 

[easttexastrash]

From Baylor Press Release on Baylor-UCLA Game (link below, as well):

- After watching sophomore post Kalani Brown record a monster double-double with a career-high 25 points and 19 rebounds, Kim Mulkey shrugged and said that's exactly what she expects. "Quite frankly, I've got a lot of post players I can choose from," said Mulkey....

- Alexis Prince, (guard - 6'2")who finished a rebound shy of a double-double with 15 points and nine boards, opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer as part of an 18-2 run that staked Baylor to an 81-63 lead midway through the period.

It's the italics I noticed. While she can only play so many of these at once, she can throw a lot of them. In addition to the 6'7" Brown that (I assume) you were referring to above, she also has the 6'4" Cox, the 2016 recruiting "it" girl. She barely played against UCLA, but you never know when she'l hit the floor (if not this time, then next).

What's interesting with Baylor is who plays a lot of minutes -- besides Nina Davis, Kristy Wallace didn't leave the floor last night and also had a lot of minutes against Houston Baptist in the opener. Perhaps Kim is not as deep at those positions. What I call "the poise" positions.

Maybe that's where Gabby, Kia, KLS can do their damage. Napheesa and Natalie are going to have an interesting go of it.
Look forward to seeing it (after I watch the Irish take on the Phoenix of Green Bay).

Kalani Brown leads No. 2 WBB in 84-70 Win over No. 9 UCLA

Kim REALLY tightens her rotation in big games. The group she had on the floor in the second half took it to UCLA, outscoring them by 21 points and hold UCLA to a very low shooting percentage. Kim tinkered a little in the first half with different combinations but when she found one that worked she rode it for the rest of the game.

I am hoping that Cave is back Thursday night as she is a post player that Kim has a lot of trust in. She has been out of the first two games due to the passing of her grandfather and I am not sure when she is expected to rejoin the team.

Last night Cox got a good feel of what big-time WCBB is all about. I think the speed of the game surprised her and Kim didn't leave her on the floor long enough for her to adjust. Hopefully she will get a little more playing time Thursday, which I suspect she will. Her size at the high post will be an asset against a relatively short UCONN lineup.

 

[bizarro aj]

The bigger they are the harder they fall. You will see a much better game from uconn thursday. Baylor will not be playing a cupcake at home. Uconn will win this one a lot easier then last nights game.

 

[HopJim]

Baylor starting five:
6'4" Mompremier
5'11" Davis
5'9" Jones
6'2" Prince
5'11" Wallace

UCONN Starting 5 :
6'3" KLS
6'1" Collier
6'0" Nurse
5'11" Williams
5'8" Chong

Perfectly manageable. Baylor 6'7" coming off the bench will be matched by UCONN 6'5".

All due respect, did you watch the volleyball match the Baylor bigs performed under the basket? Baylor didn't play particularly well, but their 4's and 5 were at times unstoppable underneath. UCLA played as I expect UConn eventually will-fast, good shooters, etc. but eventually couldn't keep ball from going inside. Love KLS, but she doesn't rebound like 6'3". Baylor plays to their height. Collier plays bigger than her listed height as does Williams but thin bench will hurt. Looking forward to watching game.

 

[CocoHusky]

The problem is that UCONN's tallest player plays on the perimeter and will not be matching up with Baylor's size. If Geno tries to put KLS on the Baylor bigs she will foul out of the game. And if you think that Collier is going to be able to stop the Baylor bigs I think you are fooling yourself.

I suspect that Prince will match up with KLS on the perimeter as she has almost equal size and may have more length. She is a super defender and I suspect will have an impact on KLS.

I see these matchup let me know what you think.
Chong on Wallace
Nurse on Jones
Gabby on Davis
KLS on Prince
Collier on Momprenier
Subs: Butler on Brown

 

[easttexastrash]

The bigger they are the harder they fall. You will see a much better game from uconn thursday. Baylor will not be playing a cupcake at home. Uconn will win this one a lot easier then last nights game.

The number 9 team in the nation is a cupcake? UCLA is a very good team. What would have happened in the FSU game had Romero been playing? I suspect that the outcome may have been a bit different.

But, home court makes a major difference. It is hard to go on the road and beat a top 5 team.

 

[Longtime fan]

Kalani Brown has taken her game to a new level this season. Mompremier has been starting but it will be interesting to see if that trend continues. Brown played all but about a minute of the second half last night and was a beast on the boards, pulling down 19. And she had 25 points on 12-15 shooting, 6 assists and 5 blocks. Can she do that against UCONN? Very unlikely. But she is definitely someone that Geno has to have a good plan for because it is going to take more than one player to contain her.

Baylor is so deep that they overcame a transfer to FSU of a guard who just scored 25 against UCONN.

 

[easttexastrash]

Baylor is so deep that they overcame a transfer to FSU of a guard who just scored 25 against UCONN.

I really hated to see Wright go, but her shooting in the UCONN game was much like what we saw at Baylor. For her to get her points she has to take a LOT of shots. She took 22 shots against UCONN to get those 25 points.