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Message: [QUOTE="cferraro04, post: 5180190, member: 267"] [B][COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]GENERAL COMMENTS:[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] Wow! This season seems to be flying by. It is so important to appreciate our players while we have them. When we look at this season and realize that despite numerous top players being out of action, some returning and working their way back into the line-up after being out on injury for a year or more we have only lost 2 games. Being 20 and 2 isn't too shabby. Yeah, we got a couple of tough ones coming up but they are important for our coaching staff to assess exactly where we are at as we head into the post-season. I don't expect that UConn will have any difficulty putting DePaul away early in this match-up. Their tallest starter is 6'2" and the rest of the starters are 6'1", 6'0", 5'9", and 5'6". Their team is somewhat on the young side as they will start: with one graduate student, three juniors, and one freshman. They average 64.6 points per game and their opponents average 4 more points than they do. They are 4th in the Big East with an 11 and 11 record. Their RPI is 115 and their SoS is 62. Everyone should get to play in this one and I expect since Aubrey did not play in the last one that Geno will up her minutes in this one. This is not your typical Doug Bruno, DePaul team that jacks up 30 three-pointers and hits on 12 of them. DePaul only averages 5.2 three-pointers per game. Jorie Allen is their go-to player averaging 19.5 points per game to go along with 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.45 steals per game. Jorie does most of her damage inside the three-point line. [B][COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]RPI / SoS:[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=4]DePaul's RPI - 115[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=4][B]DePaul's Opponent's RPI - 4, 12, 13, 18. 19, 23, 26, 42, 50, 96, 97, 106, 176, 177, 177, 203, 224, 264, 264, 265, 334, 343 DePaul's SoS - 62 DePaul's Oppenent's SoS - 8, 14, 18, 23, 40, 45, 47, 69, 81, 91, 101, 114, 127, 127, 137, 165, 165, 203, 214, 297, 318, 357 UConn's RPI - 5 UConn's Opponent's RPI - 7, 10, 12, 17, 33, 44, 50, 50, 52, 58, 72, 72, 96, 98, 103, 104, 115, 122, 134, 176, 234, 264 UConn's SoS - 5[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR] [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=4]UConn's Opponent's SoS - 14, 14, 16, 18, 21, 22, 25, 28, 28, 35, 41, 42, 45, 57, 69, 91, 127, 137, 139, 224, 228, 349[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]PLAYER MATCH-UPS:[/SIZE][/COLOR] [SIZE=5]Jana El-Alfy, 6'5" - R-Freshman - Center vs Meg Newman, 6'2" - R-Junior - Forward [/SIZE][/B]- Meg averages 8.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game. Jana averages 5.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and .5 steals per game. While Meg has a 3-point and 3 rebound edge on Jana statistically it should be noted that UConn has faced more formidable competition overall than DePaul. Also, UConn will play this position by committee with Ice Brady and Morgan Cheli taking turns at 5 position. UConn's team defense will make it very difficult for Meg to get comfortable on the offensive end. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - EVEN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [SIZE=5]Sarah Strong, 6'2" - Freshman - Forward vs Jorie Allen, 6'0" - Graduate - Forward[/SIZE][/B] - In this match-up, I wouldn't let the fact that Jorie is an upperclassman and Sarah is only a freshman. Sarah doesn't play like a freshman, she plays with a calmness, and at a maturity level that belies the fact that this is her first season as a college basketball player. Jorie is DePaul's best player averaging 19.5 points, 6'0 rebounds, 1.45 steals, and .64 blocks per game. Sarah Strong is averaging All-American numbers: 17.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.4 steals, 1.2 blocks, and 1.71 three-pointers per game. Jorie will have a very difficult time trying to contain Sarah. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [SIZE=5]Paige Bueckers, 6'0" - R-Senior - Guard vs Kate Clarke, 6'1" - Junior - Guard[/SIZE][/B] - Kate averages 10.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, .5 steals, and 2.25 three-pointers per game. Paige averages a team-best 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.9 steals, and 2.05 three-pointers per game. Paige was flat and not looking for her shot in the first half of the Creighton game. Geno must have said something to her because she came out a completely different player in the 2nd half. I would look for Paige to continue where she left off in the 2nd half of the Creighton game. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [SIZE=5]Azzi Fudd, 5'1" - Graduate - Guard vs Taylor Jordan-Mattews, 5'9" - Graduate - Guard[/SIZE][/B] - Taylor averages 14.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.6 three-pointers per game. Azzi disappeared somewhat in the last game against Creighton and I would expect to see her back in her game against DePaul. Azzi averages 10.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1 steal, and 1.8 three-pointers per game. Given that Azzi is still getting stronger game by game I am expecting a strong bounce-back game from Azzi. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [SIZE=5]Kaitlyn Chen, 5'9" - Graduate - Guard vs Shakara McCline, 5'6" - Sophomore - Guard [/SIZE][/B]- Shakara averages 4.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 steals. Sakara also averages .55 three-pointers per game. Kaitlyn has stepped up her game of late. She is averaging 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 steals and is hitting .6 three-pointers per game. I expect that Kaitlyn will dominate in this match-up and unfortunately, for Shakara and any of the players who substitute for her, it won't get any better when KK, Ashlynn, or Allie are in the game. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]BENCH:[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] UConn will bring in 28.2 points and 15.9 rebounds off the bench. DePaul will bring 15.4 points and 11.3 rebounds off the bench. I expect UConn's bench players to play significant minutes against DePaul's starters. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]COACHING:[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] Doug Bruno has yet to rejoin the team Geno and his staff are the best in women's college basketball. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]INTANGIBLES:[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] Yes, UConn will be going to Wintrust Arena, Chicago for this one but I don't see that hindering what is sure to be a game where UConn puts up a lot of points. UConn is too big, too talented and well-focused. UConn will win their 21st game this season. [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]ADVANTAGE - UCONN[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(226, 80, 65)][SIZE=5]SCORE:[/SIZE][/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]UCONN - 93[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5][B]DePaul - 52[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR] [B][COLOR=rgb(85, 57, 130)][SIZE=5]MOV - 41[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B] [/QUOTE]

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