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Message: [QUOTE="cferraro04, post: 4823369, member: 267"] [B][COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=6]COMMENTS[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] UConn is coming off a pretty good game where the passing was crisper, the pace was faster, they got out in transition and scored, and three-point shooting was pretty good. In short, what was there not to like? Of course, this kind of game begs the question...can UConn sustain that level of play from game to game? The short answer is yes, I think so. It should be noted, that Geno and his coaching staff did a hell of a job in the week they had off following the North Carolina game. And, I guess the question could be asked what is it with Paige Bueckers throwing block parties every game...two back-to-back four-block games make you wonder when Paige became such a blocking machine. And some of the blocks, I might add are beauties. If UConn scores 75 points and they should then UConn will win. Butler is not a high-scoring team averaging 67 points per game however, they have been able to hold their opponents to 57 points per game. I am not sure Butler's defense will be able to keep UConn from scoring 75 or more points. On the other hand, UConn's defense has been tearing it up holding their opponents to 65 points per game. Butler shoots the three-ball a little better than UConn making 8.6 threes to UConn's 6.5. UConn gets about 36 rebounds per game while Butler pulls down about 34 rebounds per game. UConn's defense is committing 15.1 turnovers per game while forcing 16.5 turnovers and they score 19.6 points off turnovers. Butler averages 14.5 turnovers per game while forcing 15.5 turnovers and scoring 15.4 points off turnovers. The Huskies appear to be better thieves than the Bulldogs as UConn averages 2 more steals per game than Butler. Once again borrowing Massey and SOS stats from the excellent work of MSGRET: "Butler vs UConn in the Massey ratings is as follows. Rankings is UConn #8 vs Butler's #129, SoS is UConn #1 - Butler #206, Offense UConn #10 - Butler #210, Defense UConn #6 - Butler #102". Butler has not played any ranked teams while UConn has faced 6 ranked teams, counting North Carolina State as a ranked team as they were ranked at the beginning of the season. It would be fair to say that Butler has not faced anyone like UConn this season. Massey has UConn winning this game going away. [B][COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=6]Analysis[/SIZE] [SIZE=5]Aaliyah Edwards 6'3" vs Sydney Jaynes 6'3"[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] - Welcome to the "big leagues" Sydney! Edwards is an All-American forward who went #4 in the mock WNBA draft. Aaliyah is playing well now and Butler will have a very difficult time containing Edwards while simultaneously trying to contain UConn's other weapons. I expect that Aaliyah will have a very good game and that Geno will be resting Aaliyah early. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]Paige Bueckers 6'0" vs Caroline Strande 5'11"[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] - Caroline is Butler's best player she fills the stat sheet and she is a great rebounding guard. She averages 16.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and shoots the three at .462. But, alas for Caroline the match-up with Paige Bueckers who is a stat stuffer on her own will be an extremely difficult test for her. Paige averages 19.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.4 blocks, and shoots the 3-ball at .500. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]Nika Muhl 5'11' vs Rachel Kent 5'11"[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] - Rachel Kent is an excellent basketball player who also has been stuffing the stat sheet. She averages 10.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals and makes 2.2 threes per game... The rub on Rachel is that she does take a lot of threes as she shoots .333 from three. Nika on the other hand just about cancels out Rachel's productivity. Nika averages 7.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. Nika also averages 1.1 three-pointers per game however, she shoots three-pointers at .432. On paper these two players would seem to be even...however, in a game situation and given Nika's experience against ranked teams and players... [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]Ashlynn Shade 5'10 vs Jordan Muelemans 6'0"[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] - Here is where it starts to get interesting...our freshmen are growing up right before our eyes. Jordan is a solid player averaging 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. She is a fantastic 3-point shooter and you cannot leave her open. Jordan not only averages 3.1 threes per game but she also shoots them at a pace of .508. Ashlynn is proving herself to be a reliable scorer who can shoot the three. She averages 6.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, .8 assists per game. Ashlynn is averaging 1.0 threes per game and shoots them at a pace of .300. I think that Jordan will prevail in the match-up. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - BUTLER[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]KK Arnold 5'9" vs Ari Wiggins 5'8"[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] - Ari is a solid starter who averages 5.6 points, 2.6 rebounds 2.8 assists, and is a pretty good thief averaging 2.0 steals per game. KK is a real spark plug who seems to have another gear that she can kick into at any time. KK is averaging 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and is a pretty good thief in her own right averaging 1.9 per game. KK averages 1.1 threes per game and shoots them at .364 while Ari is not a three-point threat at all. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=6]BENCH[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] Butler brings 19.2 points and 13. 4 rebounds off the bench while UConn's bench brings 17.6 points and 11.2 rebounds to the floor. Given the level of competition UConn has played versus what Butler has faced so far this season. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=6]INTANGIBLES[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] UConn will be giving their fans a final look at them before they go home for the holidays. I think they put on a show for the fans. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=6]COACHING[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] A lot of coaching experience on the bench for UConn and they have accumulated a lot of wins...this staff knows how to win basketball games. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=6]SCORE[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]UConn - 96 [/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5][B]Butler - 52[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR] [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]MOV - 44[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] [/QUOTE]

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