cferraro04
Sensei
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
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General Analysis
This is my first game analysis for this season. I waited for a couple of games to see who the likely starters were. It appears that at least for now Geno is going with: Sarah Strong 6'2" Freshman - Forward; Paige Bueckers - 6'0 Redshirt Senior- Guard; Ashlynn Shade - 5'10" Sophomore - Guard, Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Graduate - Guard; and Ice Brady- 6'3" Redshirt Sophomore - Forward. The other five active players, at least for now are all managing to play significant minutes. I imagine as the season goes on there will be other players added to the line-up and the minutes for the non-starters will start to diminish because they will be distributed among more players, ie., Azzi Fudd, Ayanna Patterson, and Aubrey Griffin. So far we have four players averaging double figures: Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong, Ashlynn Shade, and surprise Jana El-Alfy. It may be a little too early in the season to tell but UConn is slightly anemic in the rebounding category only averaging 35 per game. Our three-point shooting hasn't really caught on yet as we are only averaging 7.5 threes a game. I expect this statistic to vastly improve as the season progresses especially after Azzi Fudd is inserted into the line-up. Our defense, while it hasn't really been tested yet is looking pretty good. I think the guard play of North Carolina may tell us something more about our ability to defend the basketball. After 2 games 28.5 points per game off of Turnovers isn't too shabby.
A quick look at North Carolina. They have an experienced team starting with three graduate students, one senior and one sophomore. Their likely starters are Allyssa Ustby - 6'1" Graduate - Guard/Forward; Lexi Donarski - 6'0" Graduate - Guard; Kelly Reniye - 5'7" Sophomore - Guard; Grace Townshend - 5'5" Graduate - Guard and Maria Gakdeng - 6'3" Senior - Forward / Center. North Carolina has also started Trayanna Crisp - 5'8" Junior - Guard and Blanca Thomas - 6'5" Freshman - Center. Their other impactful players are Laila Hull - 6'1" Red Shirt Freshman - Guard and Ciera Toomey - 6'4" Freshman - Forward.
So far North Carolina is averaging 75.3 points per game while giving up 50.0 points per game. They average 8.7 three-pointers per game. So far they appear to be a decent rebounding team averaging 42.7 rebounds per game. It should be noted, however, that the level of competition that they have been playing hasn't been that good. Their opponents are in the bottom fifth of the rankings. It is still a little difficult to assess how good North Carolina's defense will be against UConn because they have yet to face the level of competition that UConn will bring on Friday night.
Match-ups
Ice Brady - 6'3" Redshirt Sophomore Forward vs Maria Gakdeng - 6'3" Senior Forward/Center - Maria averages 6.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1 block per game. Ice averages 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.5 steals a game. These players on paper seem to be pretty evenly matched. However, Geno will bring in Jana El-Alfy - a 6'5" redshirt freshman Center for Ice, and North Carolina will more than likely bring in Blanca Thomas - a 6'5" freshman Center. So while the starters may play even I think when you consider both players at this position that UConn gets the advantage but, going with the starters only - ADVANTAGE - EVEN
Paige Bueckers - 6'0 Redshirt Senior Guard vs Lexi Denoarski 6'0 Graduate Guard - Lexi is North Carolina's best scorer and all-around player so it is only fitting that she should match up with Paige. Lexi averages 15.0 points per game, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. She also averages 3.0 three-pointers per game. Paige so far this season is averaging 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.5 steals per game. Paige is averaging 1.5 three-pointers per game...but, we know she is capable of knocking down multiple threes per game. Paige's overall game, skill-level, and defense will prove too much for Lexi. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Sarah Strong - 6'2" Freshman Forward vs Alyssa Ustby - 6'1" Graduate Guard/Forward - Alyssa is another player who can fill up the stat sheet for North Carolina. She averages 10.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals and gets 1.3 blocks per game. Sarah Strong on the other hand averages 15.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 4.0 steals, .5 blocks per game. Alyssa has a lot of experience at the college level but Sarah is a prodigy and wasn't the number one player out of high school for nothing. Sarah will get the job done playing off of Alyssa.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Ashlynn Shade - 5'10" Sophomore Guard vs Kelly Reniye 5'7" Sophomore Guard - Kelly averages 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 3.0 steals, and hits on 1.5 threes per game. Ashlynn is playing very well this season and is averaging 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 4.0 steals, and hits 1.5 three-pointers per game. These players appear to be pretty evenly matched with Ashlynn having the slight edge in points per game.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Graduate Guard vs Grace Townsend - 5'5" Graduate Guard - Grace is a pass-first point guard averaging 4.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals. Kaitlyn is adjusting to a new team and seems to be getting better each game. She averages 6.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1 steal per game. These players seem to be almost the same player. This should be a very interesting match-up.
ADVANTAGE - EVEN
BENCH
UConn's bench is much deeper this year than it was last year. They will be bringing 29 points, 17.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 3.0 steals, and 3.5 three-pointers per game while North Carolina will be bringing 33.7 points, 18.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 5.3 steals, and 3.5 three-pointers. While both teams have deep benches and even though UConn has faced tougher competition than North Carolina has and based on what is on paper.
ADVANTAGE - NORTH CAROLINA
INTANGIBLES
This is a home game for North Carolina and UConn has had difficulty playing against ranked teams on the road. However, this is a deeper, bigger and more talented team than we have had lately...We have a more aggressive Paige Bueckers who is looking to score. I think we cast away our road demons and we take this one. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
COACHING
I really think even having this category is unfair...because there is Geno and Chris and everyone else. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
UConn - 87
North Carolina - 68
MOV - 19
This is my first game analysis for this season. I waited for a couple of games to see who the likely starters were. It appears that at least for now Geno is going with: Sarah Strong 6'2" Freshman - Forward; Paige Bueckers - 6'0 Redshirt Senior- Guard; Ashlynn Shade - 5'10" Sophomore - Guard, Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Graduate - Guard; and Ice Brady- 6'3" Redshirt Sophomore - Forward. The other five active players, at least for now are all managing to play significant minutes. I imagine as the season goes on there will be other players added to the line-up and the minutes for the non-starters will start to diminish because they will be distributed among more players, ie., Azzi Fudd, Ayanna Patterson, and Aubrey Griffin. So far we have four players averaging double figures: Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong, Ashlynn Shade, and surprise Jana El-Alfy. It may be a little too early in the season to tell but UConn is slightly anemic in the rebounding category only averaging 35 per game. Our three-point shooting hasn't really caught on yet as we are only averaging 7.5 threes a game. I expect this statistic to vastly improve as the season progresses especially after Azzi Fudd is inserted into the line-up. Our defense, while it hasn't really been tested yet is looking pretty good. I think the guard play of North Carolina may tell us something more about our ability to defend the basketball. After 2 games 28.5 points per game off of Turnovers isn't too shabby.
A quick look at North Carolina. They have an experienced team starting with three graduate students, one senior and one sophomore. Their likely starters are Allyssa Ustby - 6'1" Graduate - Guard/Forward; Lexi Donarski - 6'0" Graduate - Guard; Kelly Reniye - 5'7" Sophomore - Guard; Grace Townshend - 5'5" Graduate - Guard and Maria Gakdeng - 6'3" Senior - Forward / Center. North Carolina has also started Trayanna Crisp - 5'8" Junior - Guard and Blanca Thomas - 6'5" Freshman - Center. Their other impactful players are Laila Hull - 6'1" Red Shirt Freshman - Guard and Ciera Toomey - 6'4" Freshman - Forward.
So far North Carolina is averaging 75.3 points per game while giving up 50.0 points per game. They average 8.7 three-pointers per game. So far they appear to be a decent rebounding team averaging 42.7 rebounds per game. It should be noted, however, that the level of competition that they have been playing hasn't been that good. Their opponents are in the bottom fifth of the rankings. It is still a little difficult to assess how good North Carolina's defense will be against UConn because they have yet to face the level of competition that UConn will bring on Friday night.
Match-ups
Ice Brady - 6'3" Redshirt Sophomore Forward vs Maria Gakdeng - 6'3" Senior Forward/Center - Maria averages 6.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1 block per game. Ice averages 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.5 steals a game. These players on paper seem to be pretty evenly matched. However, Geno will bring in Jana El-Alfy - a 6'5" redshirt freshman Center for Ice, and North Carolina will more than likely bring in Blanca Thomas - a 6'5" freshman Center. So while the starters may play even I think when you consider both players at this position that UConn gets the advantage but, going with the starters only - ADVANTAGE - EVEN
Paige Bueckers - 6'0 Redshirt Senior Guard vs Lexi Denoarski 6'0 Graduate Guard - Lexi is North Carolina's best scorer and all-around player so it is only fitting that she should match up with Paige. Lexi averages 15.0 points per game, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. She also averages 3.0 three-pointers per game. Paige so far this season is averaging 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.5 steals per game. Paige is averaging 1.5 three-pointers per game...but, we know she is capable of knocking down multiple threes per game. Paige's overall game, skill-level, and defense will prove too much for Lexi. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Sarah Strong - 6'2" Freshman Forward vs Alyssa Ustby - 6'1" Graduate Guard/Forward - Alyssa is another player who can fill up the stat sheet for North Carolina. She averages 10.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals and gets 1.3 blocks per game. Sarah Strong on the other hand averages 15.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 4.0 steals, .5 blocks per game. Alyssa has a lot of experience at the college level but Sarah is a prodigy and wasn't the number one player out of high school for nothing. Sarah will get the job done playing off of Alyssa.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Ashlynn Shade - 5'10" Sophomore Guard vs Kelly Reniye 5'7" Sophomore Guard - Kelly averages 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 3.0 steals, and hits on 1.5 threes per game. Ashlynn is playing very well this season and is averaging 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 4.0 steals, and hits 1.5 three-pointers per game. These players appear to be pretty evenly matched with Ashlynn having the slight edge in points per game.
ADVANTAGE - UCONN
Kaitlyn Chen - 5'9" Graduate Guard vs Grace Townsend - 5'5" Graduate Guard - Grace is a pass-first point guard averaging 4.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals. Kaitlyn is adjusting to a new team and seems to be getting better each game. She averages 6.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1 steal per game. These players seem to be almost the same player. This should be a very interesting match-up.
ADVANTAGE - EVEN
BENCH
UConn's bench is much deeper this year than it was last year. They will be bringing 29 points, 17.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 3.0 steals, and 3.5 three-pointers per game while North Carolina will be bringing 33.7 points, 18.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 5.3 steals, and 3.5 three-pointers. While both teams have deep benches and even though UConn has faced tougher competition than North Carolina has and based on what is on paper.
ADVANTAGE - NORTH CAROLINA
INTANGIBLES
This is a home game for North Carolina and UConn has had difficulty playing against ranked teams on the road. However, this is a deeper, bigger and more talented team than we have had lately...We have a more aggressive Paige Bueckers who is looking to score. I think we cast away our road demons and we take this one. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
COACHING
I really think even having this category is unfair...because there is Geno and Chris and everyone else. ADVANTAGE - UCONN
UConn - 87
North Carolina - 68
MOV - 19