Ok Lets move on what does it take to beat Stanford

[The deacon]

I'd hate to think Paige has any of Arike in her. Paige being Paige is just fine. No need to summon up traits of such a selfish player.

 

[Longtime fan]

1 .Does Paige still have her cape ready.
2. Will we adjust to Stanford playing I Big and 4 guards with the same and Keep one of our bigs ready for foul trouble. Or will they adjust to us playing 2 bigs.
3. Will Geno play more Caroline in our 4 guard offense or Evina. I guess it depends who plays well?
4. Who will Nika pester when she get in the game Hailey Jones, Anna Wilson
5. How does Liv match up against Brink?
6. Who guards Lacey Hull
7. Can we outscore them in a run a gun battle or can we out defense them?
8 Will will still count on our guards for most our offense?
9.What type of defense do we play to beat them?
10. Any other topics please jump in

I don't think we can beat Stanford. We are all over-looking the impact of losing Dorka. She was playing great against NC State when the accident occurred. She was making an impact, and had done so in most of our big games. So we lost an important player.

The wild card for the next game, of course, is the return of the" caped crusader." Paige played like the MVP of the country again, as the NC State game got late. Can the team step up to support that? ( relying just on Paige will not get the job done). And can Paige do it again?

Stanford is the defending champ and they seem better than they were last season. We tend to forget about all the west coast teams, because we never play them, or see them play. But I watched several Stanford games ( I live in LA ). They are legitimate. They have size, speed, maturity and talent. Plenty of it.

We still have not played " the best game we can play." One in which we protect the ball; our shots are on target from all sources, we make fouls shots, and we defend. If we find that game, we could win. We are "there," and anyone " there" can win ( though I think Louisville has no chance ). But I really believe we need 40 minutes of excellence from everyone. Maybe 50 if the NC State game is an indicator.

Geno will, given a choice, play Evina not CD. Not only is she an offensive threat but she is a smart player. CD needs more experience to become as "court smart" as Evina. She, after all, received that magical pass from a trapped AZZI and saw, and delivered, a perfect pass to an open Williams for the winning basket. Let's not overlook, by the way, the brilliance of AZZI. No rest. 19 points. Amazing basketball overall. Getting that pass to Evina was a miracle.

We have a shot. But we need to step up. Coaches and players. For Dorka. And for Aubrey. And for us all. What a scene.

 

[CTGirl15]

Well, one positive of being the 2 seed in a field of 1 seeds, we will be wearing road uniforms and almost zero chance that the cursed grey uniforms will show up. They wore those against Arizona last year.

But, to beat Stanford, you have to get them to turn the ball over, take and miss a lot of three's, and get brink into foul trouble. Texas did it earlier this year and got close two days ago, but Stanford pulled out the win. They can go for long stretches without scoring or they let up defensively (see the Maryland 17 point comeback in the 4Q). But, its a tall order to hope all of that happens in one game. I think UConn will need to play smart on defense, be careful of the offensive fouls and fouls away from the basket for Aaliyah and Liv, and we need to make FTs and hit our open outside shots.

 

[CL82]

Here’s some analysis from the Stanford board including a history of every matchup. It’s a decent read.

 

[jchusky]

Stanford will attack Olivia, the fouls she committed last night were just leaving you scratching your head. Luckily for Uconn, Brink is also suffering getting into early foul trouble. She had 2 early in that Texas game and you could see how hard they struggled to manufacture offense without her. I just want to see Wilson guarding Paige, that is a matchup I have wanted.

 

[Kat]

Playing a lot of zone defense, challenging them to make their 3s. It would also help with keeping out of foul trouble which is especially important with Dorka unavailable to play. Getting those rebounds--that will be the decider.

 

[tchalla1]

I don't care what anyone says, Caroline IS in the dog house. Geno only sees the bad right now. For example, when Paige threw her that high pass that went out of bounds when she was wide open, that probably was interpreted as Caroline's fault. Caroline needs some time to get in the flow of the game. We've seen it over and over. She should be playing over 20 minutes vs Stanford but I wouldn't be surprised if she gets 6-8 minutes at best. My sense is that Geno is by nature a conservative. He goes with the tried and secure approach rather than the approach which might be a bit more risky but make the difference in a win. He should have Caroline spell the bigs some, especially in a 2 big lineup. They struggled in the small lineup against NC State but maybe that is because Caroline wasn't in the lineup.

I thoroughly agree with you that Caroline needs more playing time in order to contribute more, but I can't say she's in Geno's doghouse. In fact he often praises Caroline. Please remember she's a freshman and we're in the throes of a national championship run... I would like to see Caroline get minutes against Standard because as you alluded to, I too believe she can be of value given Stanford's "tweener" lineup.

 

[HopJim]

Exactly how I feel about them. Jones is a playmaker more than a scorer but she does get a bucket when they need it. She smart and knows how to get fouled at the very least. She also has games where she is completely off and a non factor. Aubrey would help a lot here. We don’t necessarily have anyone but Aubrey who matches up well with her. Caroline may be because she has the size and foot speed. Jones is probably not definitely too fast for our bigs and too big for out guards. Hull has been on fire too. She’s aggressive as hell and we need to make her a priority. If we stop those two, then I think we win. If they get theirs and then some, then we need another special performance from Paige. We can beat them but they are very well put together. Gonna be epic.

Jones could be the X-factor. We match up well everywhere else, but after watching all the drives for buckets and/or fouls from N. Car. State, suspect Jones has marching orders to take it to the bucket. If our guards can minimize the drives from the other Stanford players, our bigs have a better chance of staying physical and not fouling. I like Nika disrupting Jones's game, but wonder how much time Geno will give her.

 

[NU2BY]

I thoroughly agree with you that Caroline needs more playing time in order to contribute more, but I can't say she's in Geno's doghouse. In fact he often praises Caroline. Please remember she's a freshman and we're in the throes of a national championship run... I would like to see Caroline get minutes against Standard because as you alluded to, I too believe she can be of value given Stanford's "tweener" lineup.

Regardless of what Caroline's status is with Geno, or what so-called praise he might offer regarding her during a press conference or interview, he isn't playing her. That's the bottom-line! However, in defense of Geno, I think the one thing many of us are overlooking (me included) is that she was just short of brilliant when playing without Paige and Azzi. When they're in the lineup things are much different. She has to play a different game with a different mindset. This affects her game, abilities and confidence. Geno sees that and we aren't giving the best WCBB coach the game has ever seen his due. But that aside, I want Caroline to get 15-20 minutes in every game.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Lexie Hull is in many ways a key. She is constantly moving and can shoot open 3's like no tomorrow. If guarded she can't shoot them nearly as well. Jones is their 2nd leading rebounder and keeping her off the boards would sure help. No way I'd put AE on Haley Jones though as 1) we need Edwards to crash the boards and Jones is mainly a guard. 2) Jones is such a finesse player but also strong so I don't think AE's size would affect her much. I'd play Caroline a lot in this game and put her on Haley. She has the size and enough quickness to keep up with her and she blocks out well and would make her work on the defensive end. I like a man to man against Stanford as you just can't let them get so many open 3's. Stanford is so deep and so active that you really need to sub a lot to keep everyone fresh. Should be an incredible game decided by small factors. The one that sticks out to me though is turnovers. Paige and Azzi have been a great addition both in helping to score but also cutting down on the turnovers. I think we win this game and turnovers are the key. Stanford does move the ball very well though and can really wear you down. Gotta use the bench.

 

[DEpup]

1. Paige be Paige again.
2. Get Brink in foul trouble..
3. Jones is a really wild high dribbler so Nika needs to pick her pocket.
4. Shut down the scoring Hull sister and force others to score.
5. Stanford plays and undersized 4 so this is a good time for extended Evina and Caroline minutes to make up for Dorka.
6. He won't do it but I would also try and get a lead in the first half and then give Amari a minute or 2 late in the 2nd to protect Liv. Just tell her to rebound and distribute from the high post to Aaliyah and no jacking up jump shots..
7. Of course Azzi from 3...

 

[TeamFirst!]

I think Stanford will go to Brink over and over, especially early in the game. They have more depth in the post and they want us in foul trouble at least as much as we want Brink in foul trouble. Brink can be a little streaky but her quickness can kill you. She's tough to defend. Prechtel has been a non factor recently. I'd let Brink shoot the 3 sometimes but make sure to get the rebound. Getting her away from the boards is good and she is one of their worse 3 point shooters. You've got to roll the dice somewhere.

 

[housekeys]

Similar to beating SC. A team needs to limit Stanford's FG attempts. That is basically, 1) limiting offensive rebounds and, 2) limiting turnovers. Check the box scores. In all games where SC/Stanford had difficulty or lost, the opposing teams held them or equaled them in FG attempts. Foul trouble causes drops in intensity/aggressiveness and affects how teams rebound or control turnovers. So that is likely to be a factor.

Unless UConn can get another "superwoman" performance from PB, or CW, they will only go as far as the post players, Liv and AE, take them. They are capable, but have not shown it in the past games.

It should be a close game. Stanford is very good.

 

[JJTB]

I thoroughly agree with you that Caroline needs more playing time in order to contribute more, but I can't say she's in Geno's doghouse. In fact he often praises Caroline. Please remember she's a freshman and we're in the throes of a national championship run... I would like to see Caroline get minutes against Standard because as you alluded to, I too believe she can be of value given Stanford's "tweener" lineup.

I just love watching the kid…..but going from mid season MVP/MIP to basically an after thought must be killing her psyche. Hard to play when you have 3, maybe 4 minutes where you try to be perfect and not look over your shoulder. She must think she’s dribbling a bowling bowl at this stage. Don’t see her playing much….why mess with success? I hope she’s ready and thrives when/if her time comes! Go Lady Huskies!

 

[bayern7]

Stick with the same starting lineup
On the defensive side
-Take care of the ball as best as we can, Stanford wins games by scoring in transition off turnovers, so we need to keep that in check as best as we can.

• Liv and Aliyah will play the whole game if they stay out of foul trouble, keep the passing lanes tight for them and we need to try not leave huge gaps on the weak side like we did against NC State. Stanford will do a better job of exploiting that. They're a great cutting team.
• One of Paige, Azzi, Christyn, Evina, or Nika need to face guard Lexie, put the pressure on Jones and Brink to score and keep the paint tight.

-Lexie, Jones, and Brink will all do their thing to some extent, most important thing for us is making it as hard as possible to let them have the shots they want, make em work for it. Maybe try to get Brink in foul trouble, not as easy as it was last year but worth a shot. This Stanford team is not as deep as us on the offensive side of the ball, even missing Dorka <3

On the offensive side
-If we take good care of the basketball and our trio of guards are aggressive, do the work to get good looks, and meet the moment, we will win.
-Making what free throws we get would be nice...
-I also think its important that we don't see this team default to Paige early. She will have her moments to shine but everyone else needs to bring it. I think it's so impressive seeing her turn it on like she did last night this team thinks (like many people do) that Paige can single handedly win them a game as long as they do the basic stuff. Highly unlikely that will work going forward.
- Liv and Aaliyah haven't come up against a shot blocker like Brink in a while so they better be taking extra midrange shots this week. If they want clean looks in the post, we need to hit them with the pass fast which we don't seem to do so I'm not holding my breath. If Liv and Aaliyah can hit a couple shots away from the basket (which they are both capable of) and mix up the offensive looks that will change the game.

And lastly, say a prayer that everyone leaves this game, win or lose, healthy.

 

[Bama fan]

There is not enough difference in talent between many of the top teams in WCBB anymore so it will always be an any given night thing. While Stanford is probably the better team, they are not that much better that it would take too much to beat them. The Hall sisters have not been hot lately, so UConn needs to hope it stays that way. If they get hot the odds become very slim for UConn. Ultimately it depends on who is hot and who is not.

Lexi Hull scored 36, 19, and 20 in her last three games. If that is not hot, I hope she is at absolute zero vs UConn. Sheesh!

 

[Conndog]

Geno will, given a choice, play Evina not CD. Not only is she an offensive threat but she is a smart player. CD needs more experience to become as "court smart" as Evina.

To beat Stanford, besides limiting turnovers and hitting free throws, UConn will need to utilize its greatest strength and advantage, which is its superior guard play. Caroline, in my opinion, is the better offensive option than Evina, can guard against a taller opponent, and is much more likely to prowl around near the basket for opportunistic buckets. I don’t think Evina is a smarter player or blessed by greater court smarts. I’ll grant you that she is a senior while Caroline is a freshman, but if you want to go in with all your weapons, I’d rather Geno play Ducharme over Evina.

 

[BrysonDeMan]

AE and ONO simply have to stay out of foul trouble. If they have to sit for an extended period of time then Brink will take over. Who guards Jones and Hull? Christyn will be given one, and Azzi is a better defender then she looks but presume Nika will maybe get more than 8 minutes and try and tighten it up defensively. When our bigs are in foul trouble and now with Dorka out E came in and played the 4 a bit, so she could have a big role coming up.

Brink needs to stay out of foul trouble for them
she seems to rack them up and cuts into her playing time

 

[saywho]

Lexi Hull scored 36, 19, and 20 in her last three games. If that is not hot, I hope she is at absolute zero vs UConn. Sheesh!

Hull is actually leading the tournament in scoring for players left. She is playing like a player not wanting her last season to end without a win. Average points in tournament for top 3 players on each team so far:

UConn
Bueckers 15.75
Williams 15.25
Fudd 14.25

Stanford
Lexie Hull 22
Brink 12.25 (also averaging 4.25 blocks in the tournament)
Jones 11.5

Louisville
Van Lith 21.5
Engstler 13.5
Smith 12.5

South Carolina
Boston 16.75
Henderson 10
Cooke 7

 

[cohenzone]

The thing about Haley Jones is that she plays like a combination of Emily Engstler & Paige in the sense that she contributes in so many ways that impact & don’t impact the boxscore, and like Paige, she’s not concerned with personal stats, but rises to the occasion, as well as to the level of competition.

There is the regular season versions of Haley Jones & Lexie Hull and then there is the post season versions. Lexie Hull has really upped her game in the tourney, and she, Jones and Brink are matchup problems due to their size and length.

A lot factors on whether Brink stays out of foul trouble and if Stanford hits their outside shots. Stanford can be sloppy with the ball and it would behoove UConn to get into their transition game, particularly springing Christyn Williams into the open floor and freeing Azzi for open looks.

With Dorka out, UConn looses the luxury of an extra big. In order to come out with a win over a talented & confident Stanford squad, UConn needs contributions down the line. It will be hard to match the NC St game in terms of drama and intensity, but this one will go to the wire.

Stanford didn’t exactly demolish Texas although I’ve felt generally they’ve looked the best team by a little so far.

 

[mattlow710]

if our big will have foul troubles , so did they?i saw some of thier games, blink ,jones and belili also have foul troubles
WE just keep attack the basket and defence well.

 

[saywho]

Interestingly, they just have a handful of players who scored a good amount in one or two games and then none in others. So their averages are poor but as a team they have a ton of players in the 5-7 range, but moreso that they had two games of 10+ and then two non existent games. So, it is definitely more spread around at USC. Also, at Stanford, too. USC also had a very low scoring game which didnt help anybody's avg.

 

[Bigboote]

Scoring more points than them?

Dammit, Gump, you're a GD genius!