cferraro04
Sensei
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 2,403
- Reaction Score
- 13,141
GENERAL COMMENTS:
Creighton/UConn part II: In game one, held on January 11th, Creighton lost 95-54. This was actually much closer than I anticipated. They start 2 Freshmen, 1 sophomore, 1 senior, and 1 graduate student. They basically play three players off the bench: 2 Freshmen, and 1 sophomore. To say that this is a young team would be putting it mildly. Given their youth and inexperience at the college level, they have acquitted themselves quite well.
Creighton's record is 12-12. Their RPI rating is 122; their SOS is 78, and their NET Ranking is 95. UConn's SOS has slipped recently, and they have been replaced by UCLA for the number one RPI in WCBB. UConn's RPI is 2; Their SOS is 18, and their NET Ranking is 1. Creighton is not going to help UConn with the selection committee, as they are contributing to being a drag on UConn's SOS rating. They lost to UConn by 41, which isn't too far off UConn's average MOV of 39.3. In the first outing, Creighton's individual players scored as follows: Ava Zedier had 23 points; Kennedy Townsend had 11 points; Grace Boffeli had 9 points/9 rebounds; Allison Heathcock had 2 points; Neleigh Gessert had 2 points; and Kendall McGee had 5 points. Interestingly, Creighton had 22 turnovers while UConn had 21 turnovers. This was interesting because both teams turn the ball over on average 13.3 and 13.0, respectively. Creighton hit 3 three-pointers while UConn hit 11.
UConn had a huge rebounding edge in that they had 12 more rebounds than Creighton, 41 to 29. UConn had 15 steals while Creighton had 8. UConn averages 89.8 points per game while Creighton averages 69.5. I would be hard-pressed to think that this game would be any different from the first one. Like the last game, I would expect all of UConn's players to play, and similar to the first meeting between these teams, I expect "everyone will eat".
PLAYER MATCH UPS:
Serah Williams, 6'4" - Senior Forward v. Neleigh Gessert, 6'0" - Freshman Guard - Neleigh averages 12.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, .8 assists, .6 steals, and .9 blocks per game. Serah averages 7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, .8 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. In their first match-up, Serah had 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 turnovers. Neleigh had 2 points and 2 rebounds.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Sarah Strong, 6'2" - Sophomore Forward v. Grace Boffeli, 6'1" - Graduate Forward - Grace is a rebounding machine, having gone off for 17 rebounds and 15 rebounds in 2 of her last 5 games. Grace is Creighton's most experienced player; she averages 9.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, .5 steals, and .9 block per game. Sarah is averaging 19.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks. In the first match-up, Grace had 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. Sarah had 18 points and 23 Rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 2 turnovers. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Azzi Fudd, 5'11" - Graduate Guard v. Ava Zediker, 5'10" - Freshman Guard - Ava is Creighton's best all-around stat stuffer. She averages 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and hits 1.1 three-pointers per game. Azzi averages 17.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.4 steals, and hits 2.9 three-pointers per game. In the first match-up, Ava was unstoppable! She had 23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals, and hit 2 three-pointers. Azzi had 14 points, 5 assists, and 3 turnovers. She also hit 2 three-pointers. Ava played 34 minutes, and Azzi played 26 minutes. This is a tough one to call because average stats show Azzi leads in 3 categories while Ava leads in 2. However, when you look at the stats from their first match-up, clearly Ava was the better player. And then you have to figure Ava played 8 more minutes than Azzi did. I am going to say that lightning doesn't strike the same place twice.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Ashlynn Shade, 5'10" - Junior Guard v. Allison Heathcock, 5'11" - Sophomore Guard - Allison averages 7.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and hits 1.1 three-pointers per game. Ashlynn averages 7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 steals, and hits 1.4 three-pointers per game. Given that Ashlynn plays 26.3 minutes and Allison plays 28.6 minutes per game. Ashlynn plays against much tougher competition than Allison. Also in the last match-up, Ashlynn had 12 points, 2 assists, 1 steal, and went off for 4 three-pointers, while Allison had 2 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
KK Arnold, 5'9" - Junior Guard v. Kennedy Townsend, 5'10" - Senior Guard - Kennedy averages 11.1, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and hits 2 three-pointers per game. KK averages 7.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.9 steals, and hits .6 three-pointers per game. In the first match-up, Kennedy had 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5 turnovers, and hit 1 three-pointer, while KK had 5 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 4 steals, zero turnovers, and hit one three-pointer. Based on average stats and performance in the first meeting. ADVANTAGE - EVEN
BENCH:
Creighton's bench consists of basically 3 players: Kendall McGee, Elizabeth Gentry, and Nora Gessert. Collectively, they average: 14.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 steals, .9 blocks, and 1.8 three-pointers
UConn's bench averages: 36.7 points, 14.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 5.1 steals, 3.1 three-pointers.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN
COACHING:
Jim Flanery and his staff:
Jim Flanery begins his 24th year as Creighton’s head coach in 2025-26 after taking the Bluejays to their fourth consecutive, and eighth overall, NCAA Tournament last season. Flanery is Creighton’s all-time victory leader, entering the season with a record of 453-275 (.622).
Flanery has guided Creighton to eight of the 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in women’s basketball history, reaching the Big Dance in 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The 2021-22 campaign was historic for the Bluejays as Creighton reached the Elite Eight with victories over Colorado, at No. 8 Iowa, and over No. 10 Iowa State. Creighton also reached the NCAA Second Round in 2013, 2017, 2018, and 2024, as well as claiming the program’s first BIG EAST regular-season title in 2017.
Under Flanery, the Bluejays have reached 20 wins or more 12 times and have been to the postseason 18 times, including a stretch of 11 consecutive years from 2008-2018. Flanery also led Creighton to a pair of appearances in the WNIT Final Four (2003 & 2004), capturing the 2004 WNIT Championship. Flanery has four conference titles, capturing the BIG EAST regular-season crown in 2017, the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championships in 2003 and 2013, and the 2012 MVC Tournament Championship.
Geno and his staff:
Auriemma has won 12 NCAA National Championships, 24 Final Four appearances, and 59 combined regular-season and tournament conference titles. He is the all-time leader in NCAA championships, passing John Wooden.
INTANGIBLES:
UConn will be playing for the home crowd at Storrs, CT. I expect Blanca will be back in the line-up. Azzi had an off-game last time they faced Creighton...I don't expect that to happen again. Creighton is young, inexperienced, and undersized. UConn has too much talent, experience, size, and speed. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
SCORE:
UConn - 102
Creighton - 48
MOV - 54
Creighton/UConn part II: In game one, held on January 11th, Creighton lost 95-54. This was actually much closer than I anticipated. They start 2 Freshmen, 1 sophomore, 1 senior, and 1 graduate student. They basically play three players off the bench: 2 Freshmen, and 1 sophomore. To say that this is a young team would be putting it mildly. Given their youth and inexperience at the college level, they have acquitted themselves quite well.
Creighton's record is 12-12. Their RPI rating is 122; their SOS is 78, and their NET Ranking is 95. UConn's SOS has slipped recently, and they have been replaced by UCLA for the number one RPI in WCBB. UConn's RPI is 2; Their SOS is 18, and their NET Ranking is 1. Creighton is not going to help UConn with the selection committee, as they are contributing to being a drag on UConn's SOS rating. They lost to UConn by 41, which isn't too far off UConn's average MOV of 39.3. In the first outing, Creighton's individual players scored as follows: Ava Zedier had 23 points; Kennedy Townsend had 11 points; Grace Boffeli had 9 points/9 rebounds; Allison Heathcock had 2 points; Neleigh Gessert had 2 points; and Kendall McGee had 5 points. Interestingly, Creighton had 22 turnovers while UConn had 21 turnovers. This was interesting because both teams turn the ball over on average 13.3 and 13.0, respectively. Creighton hit 3 three-pointers while UConn hit 11.
UConn had a huge rebounding edge in that they had 12 more rebounds than Creighton, 41 to 29. UConn had 15 steals while Creighton had 8. UConn averages 89.8 points per game while Creighton averages 69.5. I would be hard-pressed to think that this game would be any different from the first one. Like the last game, I would expect all of UConn's players to play, and similar to the first meeting between these teams, I expect "everyone will eat".
PLAYER MATCH UPS:
Serah Williams, 6'4" - Senior Forward v. Neleigh Gessert, 6'0" - Freshman Guard - Neleigh averages 12.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, .8 assists, .6 steals, and .9 blocks per game. Serah averages 7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, .8 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. In their first match-up, Serah had 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 turnovers. Neleigh had 2 points and 2 rebounds.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Sarah Strong, 6'2" - Sophomore Forward v. Grace Boffeli, 6'1" - Graduate Forward - Grace is a rebounding machine, having gone off for 17 rebounds and 15 rebounds in 2 of her last 5 games. Grace is Creighton's most experienced player; she averages 9.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, .5 steals, and .9 block per game. Sarah is averaging 19.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks. In the first match-up, Grace had 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. Sarah had 18 points and 23 Rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 2 turnovers. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Azzi Fudd, 5'11" - Graduate Guard v. Ava Zediker, 5'10" - Freshman Guard - Ava is Creighton's best all-around stat stuffer. She averages 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and hits 1.1 three-pointers per game. Azzi averages 17.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.4 steals, and hits 2.9 three-pointers per game. In the first match-up, Ava was unstoppable! She had 23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals, and hit 2 three-pointers. Azzi had 14 points, 5 assists, and 3 turnovers. She also hit 2 three-pointers. Ava played 34 minutes, and Azzi played 26 minutes. This is a tough one to call because average stats show Azzi leads in 3 categories while Ava leads in 2. However, when you look at the stats from their first match-up, clearly Ava was the better player. And then you have to figure Ava played 8 more minutes than Azzi did. I am going to say that lightning doesn't strike the same place twice.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Ashlynn Shade, 5'10" - Junior Guard v. Allison Heathcock, 5'11" - Sophomore Guard - Allison averages 7.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and hits 1.1 three-pointers per game. Ashlynn averages 7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 steals, and hits 1.4 three-pointers per game. Given that Ashlynn plays 26.3 minutes and Allison plays 28.6 minutes per game. Ashlynn plays against much tougher competition than Allison. Also in the last match-up, Ashlynn had 12 points, 2 assists, 1 steal, and went off for 4 three-pointers, while Allison had 2 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
KK Arnold, 5'9" - Junior Guard v. Kennedy Townsend, 5'10" - Senior Guard - Kennedy averages 11.1, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and hits 2 three-pointers per game. KK averages 7.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.9 steals, and hits .6 three-pointers per game. In the first match-up, Kennedy had 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5 turnovers, and hit 1 three-pointer, while KK had 5 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 4 steals, zero turnovers, and hit one three-pointer. Based on average stats and performance in the first meeting. ADVANTAGE - EVEN
BENCH:
Creighton's bench consists of basically 3 players: Kendall McGee, Elizabeth Gentry, and Nora Gessert. Collectively, they average: 14.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 steals, .9 blocks, and 1.8 three-pointers
UConn's bench averages: 36.7 points, 14.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 5.1 steals, 3.1 three-pointers.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN
COACHING:
Jim Flanery and his staff:
Jim Flanery begins his 24th year as Creighton’s head coach in 2025-26 after taking the Bluejays to their fourth consecutive, and eighth overall, NCAA Tournament last season. Flanery is Creighton’s all-time victory leader, entering the season with a record of 453-275 (.622).
Flanery has guided Creighton to eight of the 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in women’s basketball history, reaching the Big Dance in 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The 2021-22 campaign was historic for the Bluejays as Creighton reached the Elite Eight with victories over Colorado, at No. 8 Iowa, and over No. 10 Iowa State. Creighton also reached the NCAA Second Round in 2013, 2017, 2018, and 2024, as well as claiming the program’s first BIG EAST regular-season title in 2017.
Under Flanery, the Bluejays have reached 20 wins or more 12 times and have been to the postseason 18 times, including a stretch of 11 consecutive years from 2008-2018. Flanery also led Creighton to a pair of appearances in the WNIT Final Four (2003 & 2004), capturing the 2004 WNIT Championship. Flanery has four conference titles, capturing the BIG EAST regular-season crown in 2017, the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championships in 2003 and 2013, and the 2012 MVC Tournament Championship.
Geno and his staff:
Auriemma has won 12 NCAA National Championships, 24 Final Four appearances, and 59 combined regular-season and tournament conference titles. He is the all-time leader in NCAA championships, passing John Wooden.
- National Championships: 12 (1995, 2000, 2002–2004, 2009, 2010, 2013–2016, 2025).
- Final Four Appearances: 24 (1991, 1995–1996, 2000–2004, 2008–2019, 2021–2022, 2024–2025).
- Conference Titles: 59 total (includes 30 Regular Season and 29 Tournament titles across Big East and AAC).
INTANGIBLES:
UConn will be playing for the home crowd at Storrs, CT. I expect Blanca will be back in the line-up. Azzi had an off-game last time they faced Creighton...I don't expect that to happen again. Creighton is young, inexperienced, and undersized. UConn has too much talent, experience, size, and speed. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
SCORE:
UConn - 102
Creighton - 48
MOV - 54
