Duke vs UConn an Important Game for Both Teams

[Huskies Rule]

Considering Geno's perennial lukewarm praise and "if-only" assessments of Kiah Stokes' playing career, I was surprised at his comment today: " Kiah's going to have a big challenge tonight and I'm sure she'll rise to the occasion just like she always does. Kiah always seems to rise to the occasion when we need her." If this was legit and not spoken tongue-in-cheek, I have to love the confidence Geno expressed in Kiah and, more importantly, knowing Kiah's delicate psyche I have to believe she is going to continue to elevate her game and just get better and better, having finally gained the trust of her so often critical coach. I think Kiah is gonna soar !

 

[BigBird]

They went to a zone against both Nebraska and South Carolina and it was extremely effective. UConn's outside shooting is questionable. Nurse has been better than advertised but Stewart and Chong have both struggled and Tuck is 4-21. Jefferson, of course, was really cold from the outside before yesterday.

So I think UConn will see plenty of zone, especially if they have success early against man-to-man.

Humbug! Don't confuse me with facts, nor dazzle me with logic. What do you take me for?

 

[mrmojack]

Considering Geno's perennial lukewarm praise and "if-only" assessments of Kiah Stokes' playing career, I was surprised at his comment today: " Kiah's going to have a big challenge tonight and I'm sure she'll rise to the occasion just like she always does. Kiah always seems to rise to the occasion when we need her." If this was legit and not spoken tongue-in-cheek, I have to love the confidence Geno expressed in Kiah and, more importantly, knowing Kiah's delicate psyche I have to believe she is going to continue to elevate her game and just get better and better, having finally gained the trust of her so often critical coach. I think Kiah is gonna soar !

I think Geno was just trying push her button.

 

[cabbie191]

That may have been a touch too much mojo.
Massey has them a 20.5 pt favorite. I can't wait to see who scores the half point.

I was thinking at first that if Stokes, Nurse, Tuck and Stewart simultaneously tipped in a rebound, they'd have to award each player one-half point. But dang, I did the full math and realized that it would still add to the normal two points. Anyone with an "in" to ask Massey how you get a half-point in basketball?

 

[mrmojack]

Huskies are an 18.5 point favorite tonight.

 

[BigBird]

Just noticed that Toledo @ Duke is on ESPN 2 immediately before the Duke @ UConn. No offense intended to Toledo, but my guess is that the start of the UConn game will be unhindered by the preceding game going into overtime, etc.

 

[BigBird]

Huskies are an 18.5 point favorite tonight.

Sweet!

 

[pap49cba]

I see a tight game early with UConn gradually pulling away to win by 15-20.

 

[Geno-ista]

True story.... my doctor wanted to schedule an appointment for Dec 30.... wanted me to come in early.... at 8-9am. She wanted me to fast 12 hours before the appointment. ( Anyone who knows me knows how hard it would be to go 12 hours without food) I looked at the calender.... and said..... how about 11am. The way I figure.... the game tonight will end around 11pm..... and if this game is like the past Duke-UCONN games..... I wont have an appetite for at least a half a day anyway.

When we play a big team, or when the other team starts scoring inside, or controlling the boards, you won't be putting Gabby in before Kiah. Kiah changes all those things in our favor immediately.

Gabby was in really early- not sure she best Kiah in? Kiah saved a few press breaks really nicely!

 

[Geno-ista]

No doubt the Huskies have gotten better since Stanford with a corrected lineup, but they've also only played one legit team in Notre Dame. In that game UConn controlled the boards against a Turner-less Irish. This is a much different beast tonight.

They looked like a different beast!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

The fact that UCONN has beaten ACC foes 27 straight times and Duke 9 straight shows their dominance over what's reported to be one of the top conferences in the nation!
The game went as predicted, what ended as a 31 point win should have been 40+! UCONN had 16 turnovers, 12 at least was unforced errors where UCONN threw the ball away or to Duke! That's why the 1/2 score was only UCONN 33/DUKE26! UCONN's defense smothered Duke and took the ball away at ease! It seemed that UCONN missed more than 7 freethrows, they've shot 64% and 66% from the FT line the last 2 games! Which could be a problem down the road!
Rebecca Greenwell 6'1" had 4 points all on 4-4 from the FT line hounded mostly by MoJeff all 5'6" of her making RG a no factor!
The Duke player that opened my eyes was Azura Stevens that young lady is going to be quite a handful by the time she graduates!
Now to our favorite topic, Elizabeth Williams, congrats on her best game of the 4 vs UCONN with 15 points and 8 RB's! But again she did nothing to give Duke a chance to win the game! 15 meaningless points that ended in a 31 point defeat for the Blue Devils, but she had help! The saving grace for EW was except for the inspirational Miss Stevens no other Dukie stepped up to give the Blue Devils a chance to win the game! As in the SoCar game Duke finds a way to throw the game away! Taking a 7 point 1/2 deficit and giving up 50 points in the 2nd 1/2! Coach P coaches well enough to be just a little above average! I think she is wearing out her welcome in Duke country!
A truly great player takes her team on her shoulders and makes a difference, MoJeff was such a player tonight! 18 points (mostly in the 2nd 1/2/5 steals/4 assists/2 turnovers/2 RB's ! MoJeff has 42 points in the last 2 games! Another player that led her team was M. Tuck with 13 points and 7 RB's/3 assists! Kiah Stokes didn't go crazy but still changed the tempo/outlook of the game when she came in! 4 points/6 RB's/ 4 BLK's! Giving a powerful presence in the middle that changed Duke's inside game!
They are 2 teams going in different directions. Duke is rapidly becoming Stanford East!
I called for 84-48 and it finished 83-52! I was compared to Mr. Positive, our own TonyC because of the prediction, I am truly humbled to be mentioned in the same sentence as TonyC! Go Huskies, keep kicking butts and taking names!