Game Thread UConn vs OSU 5:30 PM Monday

[huskeynut]

Collier back in

 

[HoopsFan21]

Couple of sloppy passes by UConn , lucky OSU is inept at putting the ball in the hoop

 

[huskeynut]

UCONN shooting at 52%. OSU shooting 27%.

 

[MilfordHusky]

15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal for Moriah. She's not starting THIS season slowly.

 

[HoopsFan21]

50-24 half

 

[huskeynut]

50 - 24 UCONN at half.

 

[Wbbfan1]

UConn lead 50-24 at the half. OSU is a talented team, but Kevin McGuff has to start coaching and run some offense instead of allowing players to take whatever shot they want. OSU does have 5 assists because Shayla Cooper has 11 points and is OSU's leading scorer.

 

[nd2tty]

Man, if only Sierra Calhoun was playing. She would have 30 and OSU would be leading 54-50 at the half.

 

[EricLA]

I never would have predicted this. Knew we were good, but this is a legit top 10 team who gave the #2 team in the n ation everything they could handle. Just WOW... And all this without Chong, Butler, or Boykin. Holy smackdown, batman!!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Mitchell has 1 point. I still think she gets to near 20, if only in garbage time.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Glad Katie and Napheesa got significant minutes in 1st half. They need the minutes against elite competition. Offense did slow down when they both played. That's to be expected in their 1st college game. Napheesa had 2 points and 4 Rebounds. Katie with 2 points and 2 rebounds.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I never would have predicted this. Knew we were good, but this is a legit top 10 team who gave the #2 team in the n ation everything they could handle. Just WOW... And all this without Chong, Butler, or Boykin. Holy smackdown, batman!!

Not to mention it's at their house with all the pregame hype and festivities they had going on.

 

[Kaizen]

Oh MamMa Mia, what a performance. Reb. UConn 30, OSU 15

 

[WiseOne]

UCONN is giving Ohio State an old fashioned beatdown!!!

 

[nd2tty]

I know it's only halftime, but I was thinking a lot in this run-up that we might be giving OSU a little too much credit.

We saw how many years of playing UConn in the Big East it took for ND to compete/win a few games/be relevant consistantly nationally.

OSU has some good players/one great/and one All American, did well last year (still lost 11 games and lost in 2R of tourney), and competed with SC Friday night. But they haven't experienced UConn consistently: though they played in 2010 and in 2013 (both 20+ point losses; Craft and Alston started in 2013).

I know we can be hesitant to give UConn too much of a free pass before the season has even started (and last year's Stanford loss loomed in the rearview), but they returned 4 starters, including Stewie, Mo, and Tuck as determined 4th year players.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I never would have predicted this. Knew we were good, but this is a legit top 10 team who gave the #2 team in the n ation everything they could handle. Just WOW... And all this without Chong, Butler, or Boykin. Holy smackdown, batman!!

As the announcers said, even without shot-blocker extraordinaire Kiah Stokes, this team may be better defensively than last year's team. Gabby is really quick. Lou and Napheesa are long. Stewie is ridiculously long. Kia is a defensive star. Morgan is solid. And Moriah is just the quickest player in the country.

 

[Blue Huskie]

Nice start to this Season girls. Strong 1st half. Is Butler injured? I thought we would see her by now.

 

[Orangutan]

The vaunted Ohio State backcourt has 3 points at halftime. Nurse and Jefferson have 27.

My first thought looking at Stewart's line was that she has "only" 8 points. Then I noticed the 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 assists.

Yikes.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Geno: "Kia Nurse's desire to be great reminds me of Maya." Stunned silence.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Geno on Kia: "Kia Nurse is not the same player that came to Connecticut. Her desire to be good reminds me of Maya Moore."

 

[MilfordHusky]

Nice start to this Season girls. Strong 1st half. Is Butler injured? I thought we would see her by now.

Have you been away? Freak thumb injury and surgery. Expected back in about mid-December.

 

[trb123]

I got the impression that Foster is still coaching at OSU.

 

[arty155]

Sucking the air right out of the arena, for the moment.

 

[huskeynut]

A very good first half.

Moriah and Kia look in mid-season form. Gabby's energy is infectious and she can play some serious D. Morgan off to a slow start but I don't worry. Stewie a little quiet but that's okay. KLS and Collier played well for their first game. Bodes well for the rest of the season.

tOSU has talent but they do not play as a team yet. They rely too much on Ashton and Mitchell and they were shut down in the first half. They also need to play a tougher defense. They don't show weak side help when the ball goes down low.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Glad Katie and Napheesa got significant minutes in 1st half. They need the minutes against elite competition. Offense did slow down when they both played. That's to be expected in their 1st college game. Napheesa had 2 points and 4 Rebounds. Katie with 2 points and 2 rebounds.

Yeah, their decision making is a little slow, and their movements are less purposeful. But they will get it. Both want to be great.