This is a game where the cream will rise to the top. I expect Paige to be Paige. With Cardoso out this will allow UConns guards to dribble drive. Another point Aaliyah will not have to be concerned with 6'7 blocking her shots. She can continue to play confidently and I believe she is to quick for SC's bigs to handle. Paige and Aaliyah can not win the game alone. They will need some help. Everybody else has to score. The dribble drives should be open and our guards are quick enough to cause problems for SC's defense. Now SC's defense may double down on Aaliyah and Paige leaving somebody open. We need to hit those shots and force SC to guard 5 on 5. I would like nothing more at the beginning of the game to have KK and Nika hit a couple of outside shots thus forcing SC to pay attention to them. We will need 5 players scoring to keep SC's defense honest. We must stay out of foul trouble. Wouldnt it be nice to go the first half with no UConn play with more then 2 fouls? I dont expect a blowout like some have mentioned. I expect the score to be in the 60's maybe low 70's. I dont expect miracles, I do expect UConn to play their game well.
This is my short thought on how UConn can beat SC.
I love your optimism, Tony. But I think you are a bit over the top. First, South Carolina has several "BIGS' to replace Cardozo. They are more like 6'4 than 6'7", but they are big, strong, athletes, the likes of which Aaliyah has not been paired up against in any of the Big East games. Paige, as you say, has to be " all world" against South Carolina , and we all know she can do that. However, we also know she has been struggling, and "beat upon" in the last few games. South Carolina will beat on her again. And the" home game atmosphere" may have the referees favoring the gamecocks ( I know, they are paid to be fair and objective ). Nikka can defend anyone and, as you suggest, she needs to hit some threes early. But she added only 7 points against Seton Hall. That is a long distance from what we shall need in Columbia, SC. As for Shade and KK, let's not forget that they are freshmen. And they are not yet reliable as scoring threats ( e.g. KK had zero points against a Seton Hall team that would lose 200-0 against South Carolina ). And don't forget, South Carolina has had several straight recruiting classes which many regard as "the best in the country." So our really good freshmen may be playing against better basketball players than they have seen. Remember what Hidalgo ( Notre Dame ) did to them? Now, let's get to the fatigue /foul trouble factors; UCONN has five players charged with " getting the job done." It is one thing to play 38 minutes each against the Big East, and quite another to do that against South Carolina. We have two players who represent " depth," while SC probably has five. And what do you expect from Ice and Q? They may become really good players in a season or two. But for each positive they add, they also show a negative. So we are a 10th ranked team, depending on three superstars and two solid freshmen. Not much behind them. And South Carolina is twice that. I don't think they will even notice that Cardozo is gone. I certainly hope you are right in your assessment. But I see UCONN beaten by 18 ( and if it is worse, I wont be surprised ). We have three great players. And four "learning and developing" players behind that. That is not enough against the likely undefeated national champions.
I'll be very surprised if Staley doesn't use as many bodies, contact, and as much pressure as she needs to make sure Bueckers doesn't beat her. It'll take career days from the rest to pull this one off.