Defense against Jewel Loyd

[pvdoggy]

I thought UConn always set the defense to take out the opponent #1 scoring threat.
So what happened today that allow JL to score 31 pts ? Also all those folks who in the
preseason said that MJ is better than JL, have you changed your mind ? Personally I don't
think MJ has played very well this year, a bit out of control.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I think Loyd is the better offensive player, but Mo is better on the defensive side. ND needs Loyd to be the offense where Mo is not expected to score 20-30 points every night.

 

[ndmb]

Loyd is an absolutely fantastic player. It took ten minutes for UConn to settle in defensively, by which time Loyd was 5-6 for 15. After that, she went 5-21. I'm a huge Moriah fan, but anyone who said she is better than Loyd is wrong.

 

[JoePgh]

Taking out the opponent's top scorer is not always the UConn defensive strategy, as was discussed in a previous thread on this forum. That may have been the strategy for the last 10 minutes of the first half, and if it was, it was successful. In the second half, with a lead to protect, they probably decided that they would make Loyd earn her points, but not distort their defense to focus on her.

And Loyd did earn her points. She got over 10 points in the second half, but every one of them was well earned on difficult shots. She showed that she is an amazing offensive talent. But her supporting cast (especially without Turner) is not at the same level as UConn's.

 

[Zorro]

10/31 is not bad under the circumstances, but it is definitely not sensational.

 

[HoopsFan21]

10/31 is not bad under the circumstances, but it is definitely not sensational.

I would have liked to see her be more of a focus early on when she couldn't miss, but if they Irish are going to let one player take 30+ shots, that's not a good sign for them.

 

[bballnut90]

I thought UConn always set the defense to take out the opponent #1 scoring threat.
So what happened today that allow JL to score 31 pts ? Also all those folks who in the
preseason said that MJ is better than JL, have you changed your mind ? Personally I don't
think MJ has played very well this year, a bit out of control.

Jefferson is a very good player but Loyd is hands down one of the top 2 players in the nation and showed it today. How did she score 31? She had to take 27 shots. That's not a good statistic. I thought UCONN did a fantastic job guarding Jewell. When Notre Dame came out hot, Loyd scored a good chunk of her points. As another poster mentioned, Loyd shot just 5-21 after her hot start. UCONN, specifically Jefferson, wore her out and made her work her tail off to even touch the ball, and once she finally received the pass, it was generally one on one basketball rather than in system looks.

 

[Zorro]

oops. 10/27 =37%. ND as a team shot 22/70, 31.4%. (Stokes may have had a hand in that. or two hands.)

 

[Wbbfan1]

Loyd is a great offensive player. Loyd scored most of her points when UConn was playing their usual react defense. She's much quicker then UConn's guards. Once Geno decided to face guard Loyd and prevent her from getting easy touches, then they were able to shut her down for long stretches of the game. I'm not sure there's a player in WBB that can shut her down completely. She'll get her 20+ points a games against any team.

Not sure if it was Geno's game plan. Gave up 31 to Loyd and rest of ND's team only scored 27. He'll take that any day. Have to think unless Turner was overwhelmed because its her first huge game, she scores double digit points. Would have made it easier for Loyd to score in second half if ND had another scoring threat.

 

[CTyankee]

I think Tonyc had it right... Put our guards on Loyd; she will get her points, but they will be tough. Let the others have at it as we have four other shooters beside BS and they don't.

 

[EricLA]

All good points. If not for Loyd, ND would have lost by 30+. She was fantastic and is a terrific player. I thought UCONN looked sharp today for the most part. Excellent mid season test for both teams...

 

[msf22b]

I missed the beginning of the game when Loyd went on her run.
For most of the second half she was forced into difficult shots by the collective UConn D which usually counted on
two or three ND players who could be virtually unguarded.
I loved when Morgan picked her up (from time to time).
In the last ten minutes with the game virtually decided, she scored on her patterned ally-oop and a few other mostly contested shots.
The problem for ND was with Turner out and Marbrey defended and subsequently bageled.
ND wasn't very dangerous.
Like Diggins two years ago and KMac last season, she could't win the game by herself.
Interesting how ineffective Mo was; I thought she had overcome her early season funk

With Turner back and UConn firing on all cylinders
The final score is the same or likely worse

 

[RadyLady]

I thought UConn always set the defense to take out the opponent #1 scoring threat.
So what happened today that allow JL to score 31 pts ? Also all those folks who in the
preseason said that MJ is better than JL, have you changed your mind ? Personally I don't
think MJ has played very well this year, a bit out of control.

This is a great thread with a lot of great points. Worth a read, and will explain Lloyd's points in this game.

As for Moriah, well folks get into a slump. She has not had a great season thus far. Things will get better.

 

[UcMiami]

Big difference between transition offense and half court offense - at least half of her shots in the first half were in transition and wide open. When Uconn went on their run a lot of that was their making shots and being able to defend half court as ND took the ball out of the basket. When they missed they were getting back defensively in a way that were not doing early on.
Loyd actually reminded me a bit of Sims last year - the offensive star of a team challenged to find other scores to support her. Obviously Turner was missed though how much help she would have provided I don't know.

 

[RadyLady]

Big difference between transition offense and half court offense - at least half of her shots in the first half were in transition and wide open. When Uconn went on their run a lot of that was their making shots and being able to defend half court as ND took the ball out of the basket. When they missed they were getting back defensively in a way that were not doing early on.
Loyd actually reminded me a bit of Sims last year - the offensive star of a team challenged to find other scores to support her. Obviously Turner was missed though how much help she would have provided I don't know.

Even in the presser McGraw was skeptical if Turner's presence would have made a difference. This is why you schedule tough games early on - they show where improvement needs to be made. UConn has their eyes opened at Stanford, now ND. It's all good

 

[MilfordHusky]

Loyd is a fabulous offensive player, much better than DeShields, in my view.

She got 31 points because she took 27 shots. The key is to keep the ball out of her hands as much as possible and keep her off-balance when she does have it. Make her take difficult shots and not get into a rhythm. And try not to foul her. She shoots 90% at the line. Someone needs to look up the ND career scoring record. It's in clear jeopardy.

Does anyone wonder why Geno really wanted Jewell to be a Husky?

 

[geneticrex]

Loyd was officially 10 for 27 and unofficially 10 for 28, but since Stokes was hosed on a clean rejection, Loyd got a couple extra from the foul line. If one player is going to take almost half her teams shots and shoot in the mid 30% range, UCONN will bury that team every time.

I think Geno will take holding the nation's No.1 scoring machine in the 50s, on their home floor.

 

[Bestiarius]

There are a lot of ways to look at it. One way is Jefferson 76, Loyd 58