Great game, UConn.

[doggydaddy]

I know most people focus on the missed shots, the turnovers, lost opportunities to score.

No doubt UConn has had better offensive days.

But this team's identity is how hard they play defense. How they play remarkable help defense. And they are relentless in their efforts to stop teams from scoring.

They held Duke to 20% shooting in the 2nd half. TWENTY percent. That is against a team that was shooting 48% for the season to date. After allowing 3-6 on three pointers, they held them to 2-9 in the 2nd half.

For the season, they are holding teams to 30% shooting and 26% on 3's. Heck, they even hold opponents to 67% on FT's.

So, I suppose we can complain about the offense and they were not up to snuff in this game. But you can count on terrific defense game after game and they will have a chance to win ANY game based on that. That includes Baylor and ND.

 

[schmendrick]

As gleaming a performance as Kiah had, Caroline also had a breakthrough night. Superbly clutch in picking up Tiff.

 

[Aluminny69]

I don't think they play any defense in the ACC, do they?

 

[UConnCat]

And just to offer some perspective, although Duke lost to KY in Lexington, it scored 65 points against KY and shot 47%. This is the same KY team that held Tenn to 38% shooting. Duke entered the game with a FG % of about 48%.

 

[speedoo]

Caroline has been terrific since returning from her knee tweak. UConn needed her badly tonight, with Tiff hurting.

 

[justML]

Hey, I'm just glad they got a road win against a top ranked team.

Who cares if it was pretty?

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

 

[HuskyNan]

Hey, I'm just glad they got a road win against a top ranked team.

Who cares if it was pretty?

We're getting to the time of year that coaches want their teams to learn how to pull out close games, how to hold leads late and how to beat a good team in front of a hostile crowd. No more worrying about style points; it's time to prep for the postseason.

 

[Fishy]

Does Duke schedule this game to cause themselves misery?

It seems like an exercise in self-mutilation on their part.

 

[ghostmutt]

Some of their fans gripe about Coach P, but she does the crouching "deer-in-headlights" pose just as well as their old coach, so what's the big deal?

What really impresses me about the defense is that the effort doesn't waver if there's a series of missed shots on the other end; if anything, the players tighten the defense with each miss. And it passes down from group to group since the 2009 team. Most teams seem to let the frustration of not hitting leak from one side of the ball to the other. Shows excellent discipline by the players and the fruits of practiced labors.

I love to see the production from our NC team starters (Tiff and Caroline) increase just at the time when the young ones (Bria and KML) hit the January blahs. It's one thing to be an inspirational leader; it's another thing all together to provide a momentum-changing defensive play and timely buckets like Caroline did tonight. That's leadership by example, and that's what we need from her, just a few times a game. Tiff has only one mode--overdrive--but she seems to be tempering her aggressiveness and playing smarter lately, and with a senior's urgency. I worried early in the season about what would happen to the team in March if a sophomore and a freshman were our top two scorers, but the veterans are rounding into form nicely. Kelly's effort is a given now.

Tough team to scout when the supporting players, Caroline and Kiah, can lead the way when the usual suspects aren't hitting. Good "grinder" of a win.

 

[dtbtbtb]

The best development is that Kiah now is to be trusted in a big game which takes away the thought that if Stef is in foul trouble UConn is going to lose (think of last year NC game against ND).

 

[Icebear]

I don't think they play any defense in the ACC, do they?

Duke is about the only team that does thanks to the B1G.

 

[rington]

The best development is that Kiah now is to be trusted in a big game which takes away the thought that if Stef is in foul trouble UConn is going to lose (think of last year NC game against ND).

that is so true, especially from now to season's end

 

[uconnfan68]

Does Duke schedule this game to cause themselves misery?

It seems like an exercise in self-mutilation on their part.

It's their coach's hubris.