Maya and Sarah's first 20 games compared

[BrianUC]

Maya was the best player on her team. She finished second to Candace Parker in player of the year voting.

 

[David54]

I think Maya is the best wbb player I’ve seen so what Sarah. Is doing is mind boggling. Thanks for the stats.

 

[meyers7]

Sophomore Tina wasn't All-American Tina. Renee wasn't Paige. Maya had to do a lot on her own.

True, but it wasn't like she didn't have anybody.

 

[AzzisBraids]

Sarah is more unselfish, which isn't a bad thing but Maya had a killer instinct, verve. From the moment she stepped in Storrs she was the best player in college basketball. Sarah is having a first team All American year, but her story is still being written. Maya's is in stone and gold. They are both unique talents but there I just can't compare the two.

 

[DennieEddy]

Maya / Sarah

Does that change the initial analysis?

 

[hookshot]

Does that change the initial analysis?

no, supports it

 

[Skeets]

At the danger of being redundant, we are comparing our memories of 4-year Maya to 1/2 year Sarah. This is understandable since once you've seen all 4 years of Maya, you cannot unsee them. The stats may be the only fair way to compare 1/2 year Maya to 1/2 year Sarah. Someone know a better way?

 

[REB1094]

I don't see why Sarah Strong can't be in the Hidalgo/Juju/Betts conversation next year. She should be a real POY candidate from years 2 - 4. She's THAT good

 

[DennieEddy]

Maya / Sarah

I guess I'm still somewhat confused on the personal fouls bit. If Sarah has 35 (as Hookshot said in post #7), and Maya has only 28, doesn't Maya lead in that category?

 

[HuskyNan]

Sophomore Tina wasn't All-American Tina. Renee wasn't Paige. Maya had to do a lot on her own.

Maybe not first team AA, but Tina was on All American lists

 

[hookshot]

I guess I'm still somewhat confused on the personal fouls bit. If Sarah has 35 (as Hookshot said in post #7), and Maya has only 28, doesn't Maya lead in that category?

Whose on first, What"s on second..... Maya has the 35; the first stated value is always Maya

 

[DennieEddy]

Maya / Sarah

Let me ask one more time. With personal fouls, who has 35? Sarah or Maya?

 

[HuskyNan]

Let me ask one more time. With personal fouls, who has 35? Sarah or Maya?

This includes tonight’s results. Sarah had 4 fouls tonight so she had 28 after 20 games; Maya had 35.

 

[packwrap]

I don't see why Sarah Strong can't be in the Hidalgo/Juju/Betts conversation next year. She should be a real POY candidate from years 2 - 4. She's THAT good

She should be, but a lot will have to do with how she plays vs SC coming up and of course in the ncaa.

These days it's critical to have some signature moments in big TV games to get some media attention. Paige did it regularly as a frosh.

Today I think was a hint that Sarah is ready for that.

 

[hookshot]

Let me ask one more time. With personal fouls, who has 35? Sarah or Maya?

Maya (the way I read it)

 

[MilfordHusky]

This includes tonight’s results. Sarah had 4 fouls tonight so she had 28 after 20 games; Maya had 35.


View attachment 106518

Sarah is 1st in shooting percentage, 1st in rebounds, 1st in blocks, 1st in steals, and 3rd in assists (3 behind Paige).

 

[PvP]

I guess I'm still somewhat confused on the personal fouls bit. If Sarah has 35 (as Hookshot said in post #7), and Maya has only 28, doesn't Maya lead in that category?

As I wrote earlier, my use of "leading" means with the more desirable number, that is the higher number for categories like points or the lower number for categories like personal fouls or turnovers. So Saah "leads" Maya by having less personal fouls, 28 than Maya's 35. I just don't know how to make it clearer.

 

[reelfan]

AA year !!

 

[VAUConnFan]

Let us not forget that Maya came off the bench until her 9th game.
Because the scoring and rebounding was more dispersed among her teammates, Maya was not asked to do nearly as much. I dare say Ms Strong is much more important to this Huskie team as a freshman than Maya was to her team her freshman year, yet Maya was still the Big East Player of the Year in a league that included the likes of Angel McCoughtry, the previous season's winner.

 

[VAUConnFan]

She should be, but a lot will have to do with how she plays vs SC coming up and of course in the ncaa.

These days it's critical to have some signature moments in big TV games to get some media attention. Paige did it regularly as a frosh.

Today I think was a hint that Sarah is ready for that.

IMO, Maya put a stamp on her credentials with her Big Monday performance against LSU in Baton Rouge her freshman season followed by her incredible late game heroics against DePaul in Chicago the following Saturday. The LSU performance is even more remarkable considering that UConn played St. John's two days prior to the LSU game.

What we do not want to happen to Ms Strong is to have a Diana Taurasi Notre Dame moment. However, if such a thing was to happen and learn that Ms Strong has the character, temperament, wherewithal, and strength to come out stronger on the other side a la Ms Taurasi, then the myriad of great things/awards/honors/accolades become a foregone conclusion.