Looking ahead

[cferraro04]

Well, we don't have a game until Sunday, so, I have a lot of time on my hands and I'm bored waiting to see our ladies take the battlefield, I mean hardwood again. I know it is early and a lot can change between now and February, but I am convinced that it is Baylor and UConn and everyone else this year. Outside of these two I believe Duke will have the best opportunity at an upset against UConn.

Our freshmen are still learning the college game albeit that their learning curve has been much faster than most...but, we must still remember that they are freshmen. Baylor's team is loaded with the elderly statesmen of WCBB. They are talented and they are the reigning national champions. If this game was held today this is how I see it going down.

I do not think that Griner will be doubled. I'm thinking Geno says lets give Griner her 30 and 12 and stop everyone else. Meanwhile, Baylor has a problem of its own, doesn't Baylor have to stop UConn from scoring 80 plus points. I think Sims is the engine that makes Baylor go... I see Geno letting Griner get hers and concentrating on stopping the rest of Baylor. I see match-up nightmares for Baylor. UConn will get a lot of offense from different places. I think UConn wins the February match-up by double digits...I will say 15 points. I see the NCAA match-up being a lot closer but I think UConn wins that one by 4 to 6 points.
Griner 23 / 9.5 vs Dolson 10.4 / 6.0 - Advantage Griner
Pope 7.3 / 5.3 vs Stewart 21 / 5 - Advantage Stewart
Hayden 9.1 / 4.1 vs KML 15 / 5.4 - Advantage KML
Madden 4.3 / 3.2 vs Faris 6.7 / 5.3 - Advantage Faris
Sims 14.9 / 3.0 / 4.4 vs Hartley 14 / 3.9 / 3.7 - Even
Williams 10.1 / 9.1 vs Tuck 15 / 5.5 - Slight adv Williams
Bench
Baylor (Johnson, Chandler, Fugua, Robertson, Agbuke, Higgins)
UConn (Jefferson, Doty, Stokes, Banks, Buck)
Advantage - UConn

Home Court - Advantage UConn

Coaching - Slight Advantage UConn

 

[tonehill68]

Cferraro, I like your assessment and agree with you on this.

You forgot to add the freshman Prince for Baylor on the bench. She's a pretty good player with good potential.

 

[EricLA]

Fun read. I'm betting our Baylor visitors will disagree, and it's not clear yet with a healthy Hartley who will be starting. Before the season I would have said Doty all the way as the starting PG since I would think Doty or Jefferson will almost always be on the court as Geno wants Bria to be the 2 guard. But now I have no idea. but fun to think about for sure!!!

 

[cferraro04]

Thanks Eric...you are right this game is going to be fun with an asterick. The asterick is because it will be a stressful fun as I believe that Baylor stands in our way of an undefeated season. With regards to Hartley, I think Geno would like her at the two but in the big games he will need his All American out there making decisions and protecting the basketball...not to mention Bria's intense competitive nature and the fact that she is the best bet to stay with Odyessy Sims. Keep in mind Eric that these individuals are not going to be kept off the court with regards to starting... Dolson, Stewart, KML and Kelly Faris...so, starting Doty may be the strategy in order to coincide with Geno's previous statement that he likes to have Doty out there while she is warmed up given her physical situation. However, in a game of magnitude such as Baylor...she may only see a few minutes 3 to 5 before he brings in Hartley or he may just go with Hartley off the bat. Of course, a lot will have to do with Doty's condition prior to the game. My understanding is, that it is up and down and has to be taken game to game.

tonehill68...point well taken...Prince is very good and by February she may become an "X" factor for them...lately her minutes have been limited due to an injury I am guessing...she only got 9 minutes against Kentucky. I don't see her breaking through the 6 player rotation of Griner, Madden, Hayden, Pope, Williams and Sims...however, she will probably be 7th in the rotation making her part of Baylor's bench...but I don't see Prince's additional production being enough for Baylor's bench to outperform UConn's bench of Banks, Stokes, Jefferson, Doty and Buck. Even with Prince getting more minutes I still think with regards to the bench play...it is still ADVANTAGE - UCONN