MoJeff played all 40 minutes....and more..

[DavidinNaples]

Not to take anything away from Stewie's fabulous game, but MoJeff was just superb today. Not only did she play all 40 minutes, but she scored the last 9 UConn points of the game. So much for being tired..! She had 18 points, so w/ all due respect, can we stop the "what if they don't guard her" posts. She went 2-3 from 3 point range, maybe also cut out the "I wish she could hit more 3's" comments. Thanks...

She had 5 assists and 2 more steals bringing her season total to 133 and 68. (Footnote to UcMiami) She didn't get a block today, but did grab a rebound. And her defense.!!! Shimmel went 4-15, had 9 pts and 5 turnovers. Little Schimmel and Gibbs, 3-8...that's 30% for those three, 7 baskets in 84 minutes. MoJeff had 3 turnovers, but only one was her fault. She drove the lane and then tried to pass to a wing for three. The other two were totally the fault of Coach Walz's ugly shirt.

The beauty of Jefferson is she doesn't try to do too much. That may be the secret to this whole UConn team. Nobody tries things they can't do well. Everyone seems happy to contribute just enough. MoJeff is half way through her 2nd year, how much better can this young lady get...?? Watch and find out WCBB. Go MoJet..!!

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I want Tuck back and healthy, and then just watch --The Three Husketeers--.

 

[tomcat]

Stewart was the scorer, but MoJeff was the glue they needed today.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Have to wonder how good MJ will become...frankly, I have never seen such a young college point guard who has all of what she has. She just controls the game, on offense and defense. Incredible, as I see it.

And the joy she has for the game...

 

[watanabe]

There isn't another player like her in WCBB today. Today the opposing players helped her off the floor and the opposing coach even patted her on the back.
No one has seen anything like this lady with the great attitude and winning smile. Non-stop performance.

 

[Icebear]

Now does everyone understand why she received Hoopsgurlz highest rating ever for a PG with a 98.

 

[pap49cba]

With her personality, ability and smile I see some major endorsement contracts in her future.

 

[rocky rococo]

She's the one and only BonnBonn. I'm still willing to consider that she may yet end up the greatest PG in the history of wcbb. Big talk, I know, but she rises and rises with no apparent top end yet in sight. I loved the drive down the lane that she finished with the reverse layup today, just a thing of beauty. There will be more and more of that as teams realize her outside shooting has to be respected. So they come out on her, and the second they do, there's the first step and she's already by them. Basketball can be a thing of beauty, and she is an artist.

 

[RadyLady]

View attachment 4973

Not to take anything away from Stewie's fabulous game, but MoJeff was just superb today. Not only did she play all 40 minutes, but she scored the last 9 UConn points of the game. So much for being tired..! She had 18 points, so w/ all due respect, can we stop the "what if they don't guard her" posts. She went 2-3 from 3 point range, maybe also cut out the "I wish she could hit more 3's" comments. Thanks...

She had 5 assists and 2 more steals bringing her season total to 133 and 68. (Footnote to UcMiami) She didn't get a block today, but did grab a rebound. And her defense.!!! Shimmel went 4-15 had 9 pts and 5 turnovers. Little Schimmel and Gibbs, 3-8...that's 30% for those three, 7 baskets in 84 minutes. MoJeff had 3 turnovers, but only one was her fault. She drove the lane and then tried to pass to a wing for three. The other two were totally the fault of Coach Walz's ugly shirt.

The beauty of Jefferson is she doesn't try to do too much. That may be the secret to this whole UConn team. Nobody tries things they can't do well. Everyone seems happy to contribute just enough. MoJeff is half way through her 2nd year, how much better can this young lady get...?? Watch and find out WCBB. Go MoJet..!!

luv this post!!

 

[UcMiami]

Great post David - I do the stats you do the poetry - OK? Just a little edit on your last paragraph.
'That may IS be the secret to this EVERY GREAT whole UConn team.'
It reminds me of Geno talking about Stewart in one game shooting two or three turnaround Js in the lane - after the game he was 'Do we ever practice those? - No! So, why are you shooting them? Dunno!' She has gone back to the hook shot and I don't think we have seen that turnaround J since. And I really think it is the secret to Geno's coaching philosophy - figure out what we can do really really well and what each player can do really really well and then put them in positions to do those things over and over again. And figure out what the other team does really really well and their individual players do really well and devise ways to make those things difficult or uncomfortable for them to do.

 

[UcMiami]

Have to wonder how good MJ will become...frankly, I have never seen such a young college point guard who has all of what she has. She just controls the game, on offense and defense. Incredible, as I see it.

And the joy she has for the game...

I think we are beginning to see where she will improve over the next 2+ years - confidence in her scoring ability at this level, and the knowledge of when to shot/drive. She struggled with that last year and early this year - thinking too much if she should shoot. Now she just does it. I am not sure we will see it this year, but I suspect next year a 20 point game by her will not be a surprise.

 

[Husky7882]

View attachment 4973

Very nice post, David...but I can't get past that pose and those arms...
What a thing of beauty, what a work of art!!!
I
Am
Jealous

 

[pap49cba]

That foul call on Mo in the 1st half when she dove for a loose ball and the LV player rolled over her was a joke.

 

[UcMiami]

The definition in that arm is spectacular - and something that wasn't there when she arrived in Storrs. With that pose she is beginning to look like Michelangelo's Sistine ceiling!

 

[msf22b]

I'm not going to bring up my much maligned argument that we might have had much of this last year.
Aside from my colleagues on the 'Yard both Geno and the urchin herself have contradicted that view.

But I'm delighted that there is now universal agreement regarding her present contribution and upside.

Wowsa!

what a game changer.

 

[watanabe]

That foul call on Mo in the 1st half when she dove for a loose ball and the LV player rolled over her was a joke.

Some strange calls today. By my count there were at least four that were just wrong. Maybe the ref.s were distracted by someone's "orange" legs?

 

[John Glass]

great game by Jefferson, even the birds are smiling about it

 

[reno tony]

The definition in that arm is spectacular - and something that wasn't there when she arrived in Storrs. With that pose she is beginning to look like Michelangelo's Sistine ceiling!

She threw a pass away which surprised me but she had some great velocity on that ball. She is certainly stronger than I expected.

61 TO GO​

 

[rocky rococo]

She threw a pass away which surprised me but she had some great velocity on that ball. She is certainly stronger than I expected.

​

I know the play you're talking about, she had somebody open on the baseline. I think she surprised herself on how strong her pass was.

 

[UConnCat]

Walz on Moriah's game:

"I'll give kudos to Moriah Jefferson who hits two big-time 3s, which is what she has to do for them,'' Walz said. ``If she can do that then it makes it so much harder for teams to defend them. Because if you're going to double the post, you have to go off of her.''

 

[reno tony]

I know the play you're talking about, she had somebody open on the baseline. I think she surprised herself on how strong her pass was.

That was the one. She sailed it about 2 or 3 feet too high.

 

[watanabe]

I'm still smiling at her reaction to the pick that was set at half court that MoJett ran full speed into while she was watching her player. I thought for a second she was would go down for the count. She shook it off and kept on going. Unstoppable!

 

[UcMiami]

That was the one. She sailed it about 2 or 3 feet too high.

I think it was intended for Stewart and it was more miscommunication - Stewart had started to drive for the basket/to rebound a possible shot and Moriah thought she was going to spot up and threw to where she had been - don't think it was to high - just behind because Stewart had moved.
But seeing that arm, you do understand how she can make that shot she made before halftime where she was falling onto her back, or some of the drives where she gets whacked or ends up off balance.

 

[UcMiami]

I'm still smiling at her reaction to the pick that was set at half court that MoJett ran full speed into while she was watching her player. I thought for a second she was would go down for the count. She shook it off and kept on going. Unstoppable!

Her anticipation of where her man is going, her ability to get through around and beneath screens and yet be there on the other side in perfect position is almost magical - there was a sequence of plays where she was on Jude and was being run through picks and every time Jude though she had finally escaped and gotten a step Moriah just appeared again right in front of her blocking her intended path - it really was amazing.

 

[Icebear]

I think that photo was from last year.