Heads-up: ESPN2 Kentucky at Baylor tonight

[OneTrickPony]

I was impressed with Destiny Williams last night. Solid game.

She is similar to Tuck only without the 3 pointer.

I agree...and I have to think that Tuck is bigger, more mobile and a better shot inside and out. I can't wait to see them go at each other...I suspect the Honorable Mention All American (Williams) will have all she can handle and then some...

 

[easttexastrash]

Hey...I mentioned Williams!!!

Pope? Still question about her in my mind. Otherwise she would get 20+ minutes in the rotation. Maybe that will change as the season progresses.

The interesting thing will be how Baylor handles Stanford's 6'3", 6'3" and 6'3" diverse front line.

If UConn plays Dolson, Stewart and Tuck at 6'5", 6'4" and 6'2", Stanford might show some weakness that UConn can exploit.

You did! Good eye. Our posts crossed in cyberspace.

It will be interesting to see what Tara does, although nobody outside of Hawaii will get to see it since there is no coverage. It will also be interesting to see how Mulkey adjusts to what Stanford threw at BG in the FF. BG really is a good enough shooter to step away from the basket more than she has in the past. She is, dare I use the word, an "underrated" shooter.

 

[EricLA]

Well Griner is a really good FT shooter so it's not like you want to play hack-a-Brit... I was very impressed with Baylor. I thought Kentucky would offer more resistance (15-20 point loss instead of the huge beatdown), but Kentucky lacks an outside game, and clearly they can't score around the basket with block-a-Brit hanging out in that area...

Both UCONN and Baylor have different strengths and weaknesses (duh). Even tho Baylor has Simms, I think UCONN has stronger guard/wing play and are deeper in that area too. Baylor obviously has stronger post play as I doubt Stef, Kiah, and Heather combined will score much over 10 points between them this year.

To me, Baylor's key will be to try to limit UCONN's outside shooting and midrange game while UCONN's will be to do their best to limit Simms and Griner (ie. try to slow them and make the rest of the team beat them). Both teams have until February to adjust, tweak, grow, etc. I think it will be an epic game - like Ali vs. Frasier when both were at their best.

UCONN has more quality depth and IMHO the x-factor will be Stewart - she has more range and is taller than anyone else on Baylor save for Griner. Bree could kill most teams with her Augustus-like mid range game.

 

[sarals24]

Woah, you don't think Stef will score more than 10 points a game this year? You're nuts! Especially if Kiah starts to get more minutes....With Stewie outside keeping defenses honest, I think Stef gets lots of easy buckets.

Unless you mean that they won't score 10 points between them in the Baylor game, in which case, I agree.

 

[Tonyc]

Well we saw what Tina did to Griner. I expect Stewart to do the same. UConns post players will get (Dolsen Stokes and Stewart) will get more then 40 pts againest Baylor. It will be interesting to see how Stewart puts UConn on her back and wills them to victory. I dont see Griner having the effect she had on Kentucky who has no size, having that impact on Dolsen and Stewart and Stokes. I do see Stewart Dolsen and Stokes making it very difficult for Griner to score. I dont see Griner getting those turn around jumpers without an occassional block or steal. I dont see Griner dribbleing making layups uncontested. Geno has a defensive game plan for Griner and Simms which will make them more passers then shooters. Dont forget UConn wasnt at the line with an 11 pt lead last season. This season theyre a much different team and will get to the line.

One thing Simms turns the ball over. By not allowing her to dribble all over the place, and pressing Baylor and getting the ball out of her hands I expect alot more TO's. I dont see Simms drivng the lane uncontested either. Uconn has alot of scorers, Baylor depends on Simms and Griner alot.

Uconn brings in a different type game this season. I think fans will be very surprised as Geno weaves his magic on this game. The UConn press is going to make it difficult for Baylor to score as they dont have many outside shooters and with their bigs, Griner will have problems getting position underneath. UConn by double digets.

 

[EricLA]

Woah, you don't think Stef will score more than 10 points a game this year? You're nuts! Especially if Kiah starts to get more minutes....With Stewie outside keeping defenses honest, I think Stef gets lots of easy buckets.

Unless you mean that they won't score 10 points between them in the Baylor game, in which case, I agree.

I meant I don't think they score much over 10 points between them IN the Baylor game (i'd guess between 10-12 or so). I don't count Stewart as a center type which is where I was making my comparisons - Dolson, Buck and Stokes vs. Griner. I think Stef will average about 15 PPG this year and Kiah probably about 5-6. So I'd say about 20 points from our "center" position this year.

The key to stopping UCONN will be to limit ALL the scoring options on the team because if you take away one thing, another will bite you. We will be like a hydra this year - a multi-headed monster that scores from every position on the court. The only time i think we struggle scoring is those last second shots at the end of the first half from mid-court, and even then, I wouldn't be surprised to see this team make those too...

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

As an "outsider" - Baylor is very good. All reports say UConn is very good. If you played tomorrow, I would consider it close to "even-up" with perhaps a slight edge to Baylor.

Since your game is so far down the road I can't see prognosticating. Certainly UConn can beat Baylor and vice-versa. As the season progresses (and hopefully no injuries to either team) and the players and team play develops, it will be a better time to make guesses as to how the game might go.

 

[magic]

I was not impressed by Kentucky last year, and after watching last night's painfully boring game, nothing has changed my mind. Kentucky played so poorly, I could not even take away an honest assessment of Baylor. Noone put any pressure on Sims at all. Quite frankly, I don't know what the Kentucky game plan was. It was my opinion last year that Sims was the key to Baylor's success, and I still believe this to be the case. Yes, Griner gets her points, but Sims makes everyone else look better than they are. Williams is the " garbage man (lady)". I will be interested to see what kind of toughness Stanford brings to Baylor later this week.

 

[VAMike23]

Well we saw what Tina did to Griner. I expect Stewart to do the same. UConns post players will get (Dolsen Stokes and Stewart) will get more then 40 pts againest Baylor. It will be interesting to see how Stewart puts UConn on her back and wills them to victory. I dont see Griner having the effect she had on Kentucky who has no size, having that impact on Dolsen and Stewart and Stokes. I do see Stewart Dolsen and Stokes making it very difficult for Griner to score. I dont see Griner getting those turn around jumpers without an occassional block or steal. I dont see Griner dribbleing making layups uncontested. Geno has a defensive game plan for Griner and Simms which will make them more passers then shooters. Dont forget UConn wasnt at the line with an 11 pt lead last season. This season theyre a much different team and will get to the line.

One thing Simms turns the ball over. By not allowing her to dribble all over the place, and pressing Baylor and getting the ball out of her hands I expect alot more TO's. I dont see Simms drivng the lane uncontested either. Uconn has alot of scorers, Baylor depends on Simms and Griner alot.

Uconn brings in a different type game this season. I think fans will be very surprised as Geno weaves his magic on this game. The UConn press is going to make it difficult for Baylor to score as they dont have many outside shooters and with their bigs, Griner will have problems getting position underneath. UConn by double digets.

Love the tonyc optimism ....!

However,

1. "Well we saw what Tina did to Griner. I expect Stewart to do the same." Tina was a senior, Griner only a frosh. Now Griner is a senior. She is vastly improved. We will not beat Baylor by having our freshman Stewart--however gifted--taking it directly to senior Griner the way Tina did. Stewie will be huge key to the game but it will be a group effort.

2. Sims looks better to me, and so does the Baylor supporting cast. They have improved over last year for sure. By February, with not only our new players but our in-season experience, we will have improved more (hopefully). It will be a true battle. IMHO if we matched up today on a neutral court, we would lose. We need some more time to get this group more experience. The key cogs in the Baylor machine--Griner and Sims--are entering their third year together on the court, and it shows. The rest of the machine has been upgraded.

 

[Tonyc]

I feel UConns high low will have an affect on Baylor and Griner. I also think UConns height will cause alot of problems for Baylor to get inside on Uconn and they are not a good outside shooting team. I like Stewart and Dolsen inside/high low etc. Baylor will have alot of problems executing their offense. It will be tested to the highest degree. UConns press will not allow Simms to break it by dribbleing through it and leaving her defenders behind trying to catch up. This UConn team can do it all. They dont depend on one or two players to bail them out. They have alot of players who can put up alot of points and demand one on one coverage. Yes with Griner standing in the middle it allows defenders to take chances but again remember last season when defenders often laid off one of UConns players to double someone else. That wont hurt Uconn this season. UConn will be able to score from every position this season. I look forward to seeing UConns big attact the basket. Uconn is the best coached team in WCBB and they are the most disiplined. Much like military disipline. As big as Griner is Uconn has the answers this season.

For those who like comparisions I think UConn couldve beaten Kentucky by 50+ last night too.

Just checked Baylors games this season and even the exhibition games show poor 3 pt shooting . Pack in the defense and make them shoot the ball. We have the defense to keep the ball from getting inside.

 

[easttexastrash]

This UConn team hasn't really played a game that would allow for an objective analysis. I suspect that Stewart will perform well against TAMU. I'll have to reserve judgement on Tuck and Jefferson until they've played against a higher level Div I team.

 

[doggydaddy]

This UConn team hasn't really played a game that would allow for an objective analysis. I suspect that Stewart will perform well against TAMU. I'll have to reserve judgement on Tuck and Jefferson until they've played against a higher level Div I team.

So, does A&M count?