OK, you're Coach Muffet McGraw. What's your game plan?

[chrissaran]

UConn has to be strong on the glass at both ends. You can see the difference Kiah makes when she's active. She needs to be active on Saturday. Our guards need to keep their guards in front of them. Breanna needs to be Breanna. We won't win if she has an off game shooting.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Use my guards to drive to the basket and don't stop. I'm more interested in what Geno and the coaching staff going to do to shut down Jewell Loyd.

May be too soon, but I'd like to see Gabby on her for a bit...

 

[OneTrickPony]

My guess is that the ND coach will continue with the Flopping Irish tactic. She is probably showing the team film of the Italian national soccer team.

Mabrey swooned early in the Kansas game and the zebras ignored her...the word may have gotten out...

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

The simple answer (for UConn, of course) is to replicate what worked for Stanford. Manhandle Stewie, put my best defender on KML, then hope that Loyd and Allen can swoop by flatfooted UConn defenders and go unimpeded to the basket. It will be a bonus if the UConn defenders stand motionless as Mabrey spots up for uncontested treys.

But now, upon further review, I notice this new girl, Nurse, and whoever guards her doesn't dare to leave her to double up on Stewie. Same goes for whomever guards that pesky little point guard. Or KML or that other one, Tuck.

Back to the drawing board.

You wear a red scarf and try and distract Geno from paying attention to the court.

Seriously, if I were her I'd try to slow the game down and make it strictly a half court affair. I might try a box and one with the one focusing on whichever of your players is hot from the outside. If nurse and KML, etc. get hot from the outside then she'll have to switch to man.

 

[Orangutan]

You wear a red scarf and try and distract Geno from paying attention to the court.

Seriously, if I were her I'd try to slow the game down and make it strictly a half court affair. I might try a box and one with the one focusing on whichever of your players is hot from the outside. If nurse and KML, etc. get hot from the outside then she'll have to switch to man.

I would love to hear the rationale on that because it sounds like a terrible idea to me. Notre Dame is at their best when the transition game is going, and they have three bigs that are comfortable handling on the break (Turner, Reimer, Westbeld). I think they want to stop UConn from running and make them work the clock but I think that's just normal defense. As far as Notre Dame can control the pace with their own offense, they should run whenever possible.

 

[rocky rococo]

UConn had a bunch of things exposed against Stanford. Mostly they are things that can be corrected through practice, but by March, less likely in two weeks. For this reason I would not be terribly surprised if ND were to pull off a win by 5-7 points, replicating Tara's game plan. It strikes me as likely that we'll see ND again much later this year, and at the moment I have no idea what the outcome would be.

 

[sawxfan23]

If I am Muffet I play a triangle and 2 against UConn. I would put my best perimeter defender on KML and I would put my best overall defender on Stewart. I pack the paint with the triangle and double down hard on KML and Stewart if they try and post. On offense I would spread the floor in a 4 quarters set and let Loyd or Allen penetrate off the bounce. I would have Turner and Reimer diving and looking for either the pass or rebound off the penetration. The bottom line is that UConn has not proved it can guard the perimeter yet and I would take advantage of that.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I would love to hear the rationale on that because it sounds like a terrible idea to me. Notre Dame is at their best when the transition game is going, and they have three bigs that are comfortable handling on the break (Turner, Reimer, Westbeld). I think they want to stop UConn from running and make them work the clock but I think that's just normal defense. As far as Notre Dame can control the pace with their own offense, they should run whenever possible.

I think UCONN has more talent and especially more quickness, so ND would be more likely to win in a half court game. When USC plays at UCONN, we can insert a lineup that can play either way, so I hope the game is up tempo, which would be more enjoyable.

 

[Kibitzer]

If I am Muffet I play a triangle and 2 against UConn. I would put my best perimeter defender on KML and I would put my best overall defender on Stewart. I pack the paint with the triangle and double down hard on KML and Stewart if they try and post. On offense I would spread the floor in a 4 quarters set and let Loyd or Allen penetrate off the bounce. I would have Turner and Reimer diving and looking for either the pass or rebound off the penetration. The bottom line is that UConn has not proved it can guard the perimeter yet and I would take advantage of that.

Interesting concept.

Permit a comment about the perpetual conundrum of how to defend the perimeter while still not allowing penetration by the perimeter players. Defend up close and you shut down treys -- but are vulnerable to drives to the basket. OR. . . Give the perimeter shooter space and be vulnerable to a spot-up triple.

Very generally, UConn guards perimeter shooters closely and reliy on help defense to bail them out if their opponent drives past them. (Now you know how our bigs block so many shots.) When guarding wings, UConn defenders overplay their opponent saying, in effect, "You wanna drive to the basket, you gotta go baseline" (where help defense works best).

At least this what I have been seeing.

 

[jsloanjr]

IMO, UCONNis just fine for tis game......They have been tested and this weekend was the final tune up......

 

[j66kicker]

IMO, UCONNis just fine for tis game.They have been tested and this weekend was the final tune up.

I don't know if they're fine or not - hopefully they are. But I think in general the posters on this board are overestimating the quality of the opponents they were "tested" by last weekend. Our margin of victory in these "tests" was similar to our typical AAC margin of victory last year. It worries me that we played even with GB for so long in the first half. I think we have quite a ways to go before we'll be the finely-tuned machine we're accustomed to...

That said, I would love to be proved wrong. Nothing would please me more than seeing an absolute BEAT DOWN on ND Saturday

 

[Paesano]

Shoot four times as many FTs as UConn.

Bingo! If they keep the game close, the refs will do their thing.

 

[Orangutan]

I think UCONN has more talent and especially more quickness, so ND would be more likely to win in a half court game. When USC plays at UCONN, we can insert a lineup that can play either way, so I hope the game is up tempo, which would be more enjoyable.

I really don't see how UConn has more quickness, but we may have to agree to disagree on that. And I really, really don't see how South Carolina (I will always think USC is the one in California) is more equipped to run than ND.

The only person in ND's top 8 that has below average speed/quickness for her position is Mabrey, everyone else is above average and I'd say Loyd, Allen, and Turner are well above average.

This probably reads more confrontational than I mean it to sound...you'll have to trust me that I'm more confused than anything. This ND team is built to run. Heck, Lindsey Allen was probably the best ND player against Michigan St. and still McGraw was chastising her post game for not pushing tempo enough. ND is going to run. It's a live by the sword, die by the sword type of thing.

On the other hand, if it comes down to half-court execution, I really don't see this young ND team out-dueling UConn.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I guess we'll just have to find out this weekend.

 

[thatguyed]

Wear shiny skirt. Check. Big earrings, yeah really big earrings today. Check. Start to practice 4th quarter how-could-this-possibly-happen-to-us-we're-Notre-Dame disconcerted pose. Check.

 

[Intpseeker]

True but perhaps he meant on the defensive end. I don't recall a guard who was a better defender than Faris in UCONN's history. Maybe Ashley Battle?

Side note on Notre Dame - they DO have a lot of height - I think about 5 kids who are 6'2" or taller. Thing is, though, they only really play a few of them. Turner, Reimer and Westbeld. Most of their scoring comes from the guards/wings - Loyd, Maybrey, Allen and Johnson. I realize UCONN is not "big" without Dolson, but we have Stewie at 6'4", Tuck at 6'2", and Stokes off the bench at 6'3". Also, I think Williams plays bigger than her 5'11" frame...

I agree with the people who said Nurse might get into foul trouble. She love to take it strong to the basket and no team is better than ND at drawing charges. UCONN needs to be careful about driving into the lane.

Six players between 6'2 and 6'4. Thirty fouls to give down low. Expect a war, given the fact that they are 'letting them play' this year in the paint.

 

[Intpseeker]

I must have missed the thread where comparison's were made to Faris. Apples and oranges.

I agree. Ms. Nurse is unique, even with the embarrassment of riches to which we have had the fortune to cheer on.

If there is more talking on defense, she can avoid those fouls where she runs right through the picks that are set for her.