Game Analysis - Game 29 (the real one...lol) - UConn v. Providence II

[cferraro04]

GENERAL COMMENTS:

What people tend to overlook when it comes to Providence is that they have height, they are long. Their roster is as follows: 5'6", 5'8", 5'9", 5'11", 6'0", 6'1", 6'1", 6'1", 6'1", 6'2", 6'2", 6'4", 6'5". They average 36.5 rebounds a game, while UConn averages 36.8. Providence's best three are Sabou Gueve (G), Teneisia Brown (F), and Orlagh Gormley (G), who tend to fill up the stat sheet. They collectively average 35 points, 16.2 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5.3 steals per game. They, of course, won't find it that easy against UConn, which has the number one defense in the country and a juggernaut of an offense. IN the first match-up between these two teams back on December 31st, they collectively scored: 19 points (-16); 11 rebounds (-5.2); 6 assists (-1). On the other hand, UConn was sloppy with the basketball in that game as Providence's best three went off for 9 steals (+3.7). Providence lost by 37 points, 90-53. I would expect two things from this game: one, Providence will play better, but two, so will UConn.

Overall, Providence is not a very good team. Their RPI index is 96, their SOS is 171, and their NET ranking is 101. This doesn't bode well when playing UConn, which has an RPI index of 2, a SOS of 17, and a NET Ranking of 1. Normally, Providence is not a good three-point shooting team, averaging 4.6 threes per game. Providence has a defensive rating of 91.5, ranking them 230th in the nation. UConn, on the other hand, has a defensive rating of 69.3, ranking them first in the nation.

PLAYER MATCH UPS:

Serah Williams, 6'4" - Senior Forward v. Ashley Dinges 6'1" - Freshman Forward - Ashley averages 21.6 minutes, 5.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, .9assists, .6 steals, and .8 three-pointers per game. Serah averages 18.5 minutes, 7.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, .7 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. In game one, Serah Williams fouled out after playing 24 minutes. She had 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 5 blocks, and four turnovers. Ashley had 9 points on 3 three-pointers and two rebounds. ADVANTAGE - UCONN

Sarah Strong, 6'2" - Sophomore Forward v. Teneisia Brown, 6'2" - Graduate Forward - Teneisia averages 25.8 minutes, 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.2 steals per game. Sarah averages 27.1 minutes, 19.3 points, 1.6 three-pointers, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. In game one, Teneisia found herself in foul trouble with 4 fouls...she also had 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, with 2 turnovers. Sarah had 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals in 23 minutes of playing time. She also uncharacteristically turned the ball over 5 times. ADVANTAGE - UCONN

Azzi Fudd, 5'11" - Graduate Guard v. Sabou Gueve, 5'9" - Graduate Guard - Sabou is Providence's best player. She averages 30.6 minutes, 15.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.8 steals, .9 blocks per game. Azzi averages 28.8 minutes, 18.0 points, 3.0 three-pointers, 2.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.4 steals, and .4 blocks. In game one, Sabou had 12 points, 2 rebounds, 4 steals, but she had 7 turnovers. Azzi had 18 points, 2 three-pointers, 6 assists, 4 steals, and only 2 turnovers. ADVANTAGE - UCONN

Ashlynn Shade, 5'10" - Junior Guard v. Payton Dunbar, 5'11" - Sophomore Guard - Payton averages 22 minutes, 7.5 points, 1.5 three-pointers, 1.3 rebounds, .9 assists, .6 steals per game. - Ashlynn averages 27.1 minutes, 8.0 points, 1.4 three-pointers, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.9 steals per game. In game one, Ashlynn had 5 points, 1 three-pointer, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal with only 1 turnover. Payton had 11 points, 3 three-pointers, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, with 3 turnovers. ADVANTAGE - UCONN

KK Arnold, 5'9" - Junior Guard v. Orlaugh Gromley, 5'6" - Sophomore Guard - Orlaugh averages 30.0 minutes, 8.4 points, .6 three-pointers, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.3 steals, and .3 blocks per game. KK is averaging 25 minutes, 7.0 points, .5 three-pointers, 2.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.7 steals, and .2 blocks per game. In game one, KK did not play, and Allie Ziebell started in KK's place. Orlaugh will find it to be a tougher go this time around with the now maskless pesty Arnold, playing defense on her. Orlaugh, despite only scoring 3 points, had a decent stat line. She had 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. While statistically, these players on paper look to be even...KK has faced much tougher competition than Orlaugh. ADVANTAGE - UCONN

BENCH:

Providence brings 15.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.5 steals, 1.5 blocks, and1.5 three-pointers off the bench.
UConn brings 35.8 points, 15.7 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 5.3 steals, 1.8 blocks, and 3.3 three-pointers off the bench.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN

INTANGIBLES:

Home game at Gampel Pavilion, better athletes, more experience, hungry to break out of their recent slump, and better coached.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN

COACHING:

Erin Batth embarks on her third season as head coach of the Providence College women’s basketball team during the 2025-26 campaign. She was named the 11th head coach in program history on March 20, 2023. Batth is also the first Black female head coach in program history and one of 11 Black female head coaches in the BIG EAST Conference women’s basketball all-time.

Batth arrived at Providence College with 17 years of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I level. She spent the 2022-23 season at Michigan, where she served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Wolverines. In her lone season in Ann Arbor, Batth helped guide Michigan to its 11th NCAA Tournament appearance. The Wolverines claimed a No. 6 seed in the tournament, equaling the second-best seed in program history. Michigan finished the season with a 23-10 overall record (11-7 Big Ten) and was ranked in the national polls for 19-consecutive weeks. Michigan was ranked as high as No. 12 during the 2022-23 campaign and checked in at No. 18 in the final poll heading into the NCAA Tournament. Michigan advanced to the Second Round before falling to ninth-ranked and No. 3 seed LSU, 66-42, on March 19.

Before she arrived in Ann Arbor, Batth spent four seasons at NC State (2018-22), helping the Wolfpack to three-straight ACC Tournament titles for the first time in program history. In her four seasons, NC State compiled a 110-17 record, reached the NCAA Sweet 16 three times, and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2022. Additionally, NC State finished inside the top-10 of the national rankings each of her four seasons with the program. Batth worked with the post players, including ACC Tournament MVP and All-American center Elissa Cunane. The 2021-22 team won a program-record 32 games and finished the year ranked No. 3 in the final Associated Press poll.

Before joining NC State, Batth was an assistant coach at Liberty (2017-18). The Lady Flames swept the Big South regular season and tournament titles and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. She worked with 2018 Big South Player of the Year Keyen Green and helped Liberty finish the season ranked No. 18 among NCAA Division I programs in rebounding margin (+8.4).

While Baath has a good coaching resume, Geno and his staff have the results to back up their coaching resume.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN

SCORE:

UCONN - 95
PROVIDENCE - 48
MOV - 47

 

[Bone Dog]

Excellent analysis, Sensei! Thanks again.

I have no idea if we will see a blow out or another uneven effort from our girls. Providence is not good enough to pose a serious challenge, but this is just the thing that might make us nervous. Another worry is whether the team is still in the grip of the flu, especially Sarah. If she is over the flu, and Azzi is playing up to her usual speed, I think we'll see a few good things:

• Sarah scoring with ease at all three levels
• Azzi filling up the boxscore and forcing TOs
• Serah and Sarah freed up by other scorers to dominate in the low post
• Blanca unleashed
• Kayleigh and KK free to drive the lane because of the perimeter threats posed by Sarah Azzi Ash and Allie.

I also expect we won't see Geno go deeper than 9 from here on out: Sarah Azzi Ash Serah KK + Kayleigh Jana Allie Blanca. We won't see the others unless it's in the closing moments of blowouts. This is the team that Sarah and Azzi will take as far as they can go, and Geno is going to give them every opportunity to rediscover every ounce of their mojo.

If the Friars will bring anything competitive, I suspect it will come from Gueve, Brown and Dinges.

 

[Next 12]

I don't have to express my opinion about this team and this game as I assume every one knows how I feel about the Huskies. So. to comment on this game I will say irregardless what the score will be ,this game is win 29 and a 45 game win streak continues.With this team and 26/27 newcomers, I am visioning a 112 future win streak for Our Huskies,. Remember , til it's not, it's possible. As the saying goes " all things are possible ".GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Huskee11]

This is Senior Day so looking for Caroline and Ayanna to be in the starting lineup. Sometimes UConn does not play great on Senior Day, although they defeated Marquette last season 92-57. I have a feeling they will channel the emotion of Senior Day in a positive way.

KK did not play against Providence the first time, broken nose, and UConn still managed 16 steals and forced 30 turnovers. On the other hand, UConn was sloppy with 21 turnovers and Providence had 12 steals. It was also a foul plagued game,19 called on UConn, 17 on the Friars.

Nevertheless, UConn led 30-7 after the first period and 48-19 at halftime.

So I am hoping to see UConn again put the defensive squeeze on, this time without all of those fouls, and with KK available, to take better care of the ball.

Gueye averages almost 13 shot attempts per game but only took 6 the last time. So a goal will be to again limit her touches and shot attempts. She is far and away their best percentage shooter at an even 50%, but she is not a three point shooter, only 6 for 27.

I am hoping for some nice minutes from Caroline and Ayanna, and hopefully a healthier team taking the floor that emerges from its late season mini-funk.

Senior Day is always emotional, and this will be no exception with five being honored. I hope the crowd blows the roof off when Caroline is honored, I know I will do my part. The ceremony is scheduled for after the game, which makes sense given the early start to the game. It used to be beforehand but they may have changed the protocol to after from before in recent years.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Sensei great work as usual!
I really think UConn will take the Friars behind the woodshed for a real beating!
They’ll want to make up for the last two or three games!

 

[Centerstream]

Maybe we need a separate thread on the starting lineup for this game and how long before the first sub(s). 🤣
We have four Seniors that should start, based upon previous seasons, Caroline, Ayanna, Azzi, and Serah. I am guessing that Sarah will be the fifth starter. This is an ok lineup and my only wish is that Caroline is free of any migraine associated effects and gives the team and fans five minutes of Freshman Caroline! I want Ayanna to show everyone what we can expect to see next season, then bring on KK, Ashlynn and Blanca - which would be Serah's normal rotation.
I'm also interested to see if they let the FS1 announcers remain quiet and broadcast the Senior Day starting lineup.

 

[DennieEddy]

Excellent analysis, Sensei! Thanks again.

I have no idea if we will see a blow out or another uneven effort from our girls. Providence is not good enough to pose a serious challenge, but this is just the thing that might make us nervous. Another worry is whether the team is still in the grip of the flu, especially Sarah. If she is over the flu, and Azzi is playing up to her usual speed, I think we'll see a few good things:

• Sarah scoring with ease at all three levels
• Azzi filling up the boxscore and forcing TOs
• Serah and Sarah freed up by other scorers to dominate in the low post
• Blanca unleashed
• Kayleigh and KK free to drive the lane because of the perimeter threats posed by Sarah Azzi Ash and Allie.

I also expect we won't see Geno go deeper than 9 from here on out: Sarah Azzi Ash Serah KK + Kayleigh Jana Allie Blanca. We won't see the others unless it's in the closing moments of blowouts. This is the team that Sarah and Azzi will take as far as they can go, and Geno is going to give them every opportunity to rediscover every ounce of their mojo.

If the Friars will bring anything competitive, I suspect it will come from Gueve, Brown and Dinges.

I didn't realize Sarah & Azzi had to "re-discover" anything, especially their mojos.

 

[Bone Dog]

I didn't realize Sarah & Azzi had to "re-discover" anything, especially their mojos.

Refers to the team -- team work in a team sport -- not those particular individuals.

 

[Monte]

Is the Senior Ceremony going to be on TV?