How can we beat South Carolina

[TeamFirst!]

Everyone needs to rebound. Paige was at her absolute peak last time we played them but if we are honest probably at 80% of that now, especially on defense. We need others to step up as well. Azzi and Caroline can hit pull up jumpers and score in a variety of ways. We need players who can score against a top defense. We all know who those players are.

 

[UofCT]

We have Paige and they don’t. That’s how we win.

 

[MSGRET]

This team is much better than the one that won last year and the one that lost in Nov. If they play like they have since the loss to Villanova then I believe that they will get #12. They have had 3 very physical games in a row, winning each of them with tough defense that helps create their offense. South Carolina has not played a team like UConn in this tournament and I believe that they will rely on what they did in the Bahamas and not be ready for what happens on the court.

 

[Conndog]

I want UConn to win obviously and think they can and will, but whatever the outcome is, I'm sure it will be a hard-fought and competitive game. But honestly, I'll have a hard time accepting the result, win or lose, if we don't give Caroline a real chance to contribute. She deserves to play and is skilled enough in multiple ways to have a shot. It upsets me when she gets just a few minutes and gets pulled if she doesn't score right away. What starter gets pulled after a short time if they aren't scoring right away? What other guard roams around the basket and creates the kind of mismatch she does? Her teammates need to look for her when she is there. Play all your weapons, Geno!

 

[Pharos]

I don't know about BB stats. But I've been fiddling with "points per shot" for 2s and 3s. And UConn was "more efficient" against Stanford than SC was against LV. Efficiency plus number of shots taken is where differences appear. So shooting well and rebounding. Who'd a thunk?

 

[Pharos]

Weirdly SC - even with Boston's efficiency near the basket - didn't shoot especially well inside the arc. Outside in the last 3 quarters they did well. And 10 more foul shots and higher percentage. So limiting Boston's touches is worth striving for. Stopping her once she gets the ball, not worth fouling for. She'll get hers. Better to strive to limit 3-point success by SC... and not foul.

 

[Farney]

Just want to point out the usual UConn bias. I won’t even address how unfair it is they play their first 2 games at home. Or that Bridgeport had the audacity to bid for the regionals.

But the nerve of the NCAA to schedule the final four in Minnesota knowing it was possible UConn might have a player from that state by the time the game was played.

And now it’s snowing in Minneapolis? Absolute unfair advantage to UConn. Entire tournament is rigged and I hope teams and fans complain wildly. I wouldn’t be shocked to learn ESPN bought a snowmaking machine and is orchestrating the weather!

 

[baggerbob]

Boston has been called for 3 fouls this entire tournament.

Thinking she will be in any sort of foul trouble is laughable. She is absolutely pampered by the officials.

Boston playing 35 minutes with no fouls is a joke. Not even Wilt could go 35 minutes without a foul, and he never fouled out of an NBA game.

 

[MSGRET]

Just want to point out the usual UConn bias. I won’t even address how unfair it is they play their first 2 games at home. Or that Bridgeport had the audacity to bid for the regionals.

But the nerve of the NCAA to schedule the final four in Minnesota knowing it was possible UConn might have a player from that state by the time the game was played.

And now it’s snowing in Minneapolis? Absolute unfair advantage to UConn. Entire tournament is rigged and I hope teams and fans complain wildly. I wouldn’t be shocked to learn ESPN bought a snowmaking machine and is orchestrating the weather!

I hope that this sarcasm and that you just forgot the emoji.

 

[fomalhaut]

For everyone who predicts rebounds, turnovers, and fouls will be key in this game; the most important question, with the largest affect on these variables, has not been asked (I don't think).

Who are the officials for this game?

It should be three of the five who were chosen but did not work the semifinals:

Tiffany Bird, Bountiful, Utah
Maj Kazuko Forsberg, Honolulu, Hawaii
Michael McConnell, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Michol Murray, Chandler, Arizona
Angelica Suffren, Atlanta, Georgia

 

[ClifSpliffy]

Just want to point out the usual UConn bias. I won’t even address how unfair it is they play their first 2 games at home. Or that Bridgeport had the audacity to bid for the regionals.

But the nerve of the NCAA to schedule the final four in Minnesota knowing it was possible UConn might have a player from that state by the time the game was played.

And now it’s snowing in Minneapolis? Absolute unfair advantage to UConn. Entire tournament is rigged and I hope teams and fans complain wildly. I wouldn’t be shocked to learn ESPN bought a snowmaking machine and is orchestrating the weather!

'And now it’s snowing in Minneapolis?'

im glad that u told us this, cuz it's icing at my hut, and,.... umm.... well,
we come from the land of the ice and snow.
the other team comes from the land of the rice and hoe (the farm kind).
ergo..................home game for us, and paige and the gang are gonna look like they're flying around on winged skates.

 

[Blueballer]

I have a feeling that SC is going to face guard Paige a lot and try to make her life a misery like they did to Van Lith. Paige is much better than Hailey Van Lith but that will still make things very difficult. I think Christyn and Azzi may have to bring the ball up in the begining before Nika and Evina come in. I know Geno says he doesn't want all the pressure to be on jump shots but we will have to hit more than we did on Friday. Not expecting much offensive production from our posts as they will be so busy concentrating on defense. It would be nice to see AE get a couple of those steals and runs to the basket. Fingers crossed as we can't allow a slow start and get behind as much as L'Ville did. SC is too tough to play catch up against. Please keep it close.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Going into this tournament a lot of people thought Stanford looked to be the best team. No doubt SC is still heavily favored but on any given night it wouldn’t be considered a huge upset if UConn won. Bring on the Geno mojo!

 

[NU2BY]

Years ago Jim Calhoun had 3 bigs, 2 who played very regularly and one that came in to clean up. His name I cannot forget: Soulyman Wan. Calhoun kept substituting Soulyman in and out taking fouls against Christian Laetner of Duke. By absorbing all of those fouls and containing Laetner inside,, UConn men won the first National Championship.

His name was Souleymane Wane and Duke's center that year was Elton Brand.

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