Paige vs a Defensive Stopper

[CTtoSanDiego]

The probable #2 seed that worries me most is Baylor... which is exactly the team Charlie Creme's bracketology has us facing.

UConn fans know how important and effective a true defensive stopper can be, going all the way back to Ricky Moore on the men's first NC team. More recently, Mo Jefferson and Kia Nurse (and to a slightly lesser extent Gabby) have demonstrated what a defensive stopper can do to another team's star and thus their offense in general.

Paige's worst game this year was against Tennessee. No true Def. Stopper, but their long and athletic backcourt gave her trouble.... until that instant classic late 3 pt shot.

Didi Richards of Baylor is definitely a Defensive Stopper. She is long, athletic, experienced and older. Given how dependent our ladies can be on Paige's performance, this has me a bit concerned. A big performance by Christyn could offset this, but a lot of CW's recent successes have had to do with Paige getting CW the ball in the right spots. With Richards harassing Paige, this might be more difficult. And Paige scoring enough against Richards (not to mention the bigs behind her) will be difficult.

So, I would much rather see Louisville as our #2 seed..... or even Maryland, because although they can score big time, their defense seems to be pretty much nonexistent.

Still I remain cautiously bullish on our team... but would still prefer to meet Baylor in the Final Four rather than the Elite Eight. And yes, I know we have to get there first, but recent history suggests that is likely....

 

[Geesworld]

Great post and I agree @CTtoSanDiego. Baylor is a great defensive team. There size/length along with athleticism will be a problem and it starts with Didi Richards at the head of the snake.

If we are unlucky enough to draw them in our region our defensive stopper must do the same to Richards when she's on offense. Must crowd her and make her initiate the offense under duress. Maybe tire her out so she doesn't have so much energy for paige.

 

[dogpause]

She's really hard to defend because she doesn't need to score to be effective. And if you double team her...

 

[Gurleyman]

Baylor does worry me for that reason. Moon Ursin is probably a good defensive matchup for Christyn too. She’s strong and athletic, so CW wouldn't be able to blow by her or muscle up shots. And then they play Smith at the 4 at the other end, which would be a matchup headache with our four guard lineup.

One thing to feel a little better about is that Selena Lott is an excellent defender who is on WNBA draft boards, and Paige managed two good nights of three against her. But Richards has longer arms and can really bother shots - would need to run her off a lot of solid screens.

 

[oldude]

Great post and I agree @CTtoSanDiego. Baylor is a great defensive team. There size/length along with athleticism will be a problem and it starts with Didi Richards at the head of the snake.

If we are unlucky enough to draw them in our region our defensive stopper must do the same to Richards when she's on offense. Must crowd her and make her initiate the offense under duress. Maybe tire her out so she doesn't have so much energy for paige.

SC’s Bre Beal is also considered a defensive stopper and Paige put up 31 on her.

 

[VA Blue Dog]

No problem with the stopper.
Paige is relentless.
If open Muhl and others will get her the ball.
If pressed she has that side step pop or famous eye fake crossover.
Remember SC.

 

[JJTB]

Let's hope the outside shooting by her teammates is adequate enough to offset the defensive attention and physicality she'll receive. If the refs let things go it could get interesting, especially off the ball.

 

[HopJim]

Less concerned with Paige, who is expert at using picks, as I am one or more of the other shooters going cold or defensively stopped. If we need an offensive pick up, really no one one the bench who have proven they can hit outside shots. Love Anna, but she is getting back to game speed. If this happens, glad we have an inside game that minimize the need to hit 3's.

 

[freshler40]

The probable #2 seed that worries me most is Baylor... which is exactly the team Charlie Creme's bracketology has us facing.

UConn fans know how important and effective a true defensive stopper can be, going all the way back to Ricky Moore on the men's first NC team. More recently, Mo Jefferson and Kia Nurse (and to a slightly lesser extent Gabby) have demonstrated what a defensive stopper can do to another team's star and thus their offense in general.

Paige's worst game this year was against Tennessee. No true Def. Stopper, but their long and athletic backcourt gave her trouble.... until that instant classic late 3 pt shot.

Didi Richards of Baylor is definitely a Defensive Stopper. She is long, athletic, experienced and older. Given how dependent our ladies can be on Paige's performance, this has me a bit concerned. A big performance by Christyn could offset this, but a lot of CW's recent successes have had to do with Paige getting CW the ball in the right spots. With Richards harassing Paige, this might be more difficult. And Paige scoring enough against Richards (not to mention the bigs behind her) will be difficult.

So, I would much rather see Louisville as our #2 seed..... or even Maryland, because although they can score big time, their defense seems to be pretty much nonexistent.

Still I remain cautiously bullish on our team... but would still prefer to meet Baylor in the Final Four rather than the Elite Eight. And yes, I know we have to get there first, but recent history suggests that is likely....

The brackets are what the are. We have to make the necessary adjustments and have some of our reluctant shooters step up. Can they? Some seem ready, perhaps in the early rounds they coaches will address the later round pairings. That is the time to do it. There is more depth in women's basketball and so we also must have more depth. So much depends upon a solid start to establish our game and not play from behind.

 

[ScottCT]

Me personally I think the most dangerous number 2 seed for UConn would have been Maryland. Baylor is not that good offensively and turns the ball over way too much. They are a tough out but they're not the worst possible opponent.

 

[Baylor1994]

SC’s Bre Beal is also considered a defensive stopper and Paige put up 31 on her.

Bre Beal is nowhere near didi’s level lol

 

[Baylor1994]

Me personally I think the most dangerous number 2 seed for UConn would have been Maryland. Baylor is not that good offensively and turns the ball over way too much. They are a tough out but they're not the worst possible opponent.

Lol we do turn the ball over but we are an elite defensive team which leads to our offense! Also we average 81 points, shoot 48 percent from the field, 32-33 percent from threes, and 71 percent from the line. That’s better than most teams!

 

[bballnut90]

Bre Beal is nowhere near didi’s level lol

Cooke also guarded Bueckers majority of the game rather than Beale. To Paige's credit, Beale forced her to take some really difficult shots and Paige was able to hit most of them.

 

[oldude]

Lol we do turn the ball over but we are an elite defensive team which leads to our offense! Also we average 81 points, shoot 48 percent from the field, 32-33 percent from threes, and 71 percent from the line. That’s better than most teams!

That cinches it. Baylor is going to win the whole thing. The other 63 teams might as well not show up......?

 

[Baylor1994]

That cinches it. Baylor is going to win the whole thing. The other 63 teams might as well not show up......?

Haha I wish! If Baylor doesn’t win I want Stanford and Tara to win

 

[jabstep]

It's not DiDi who would be defending Paige it would be their center's and can they jump out on the picks and stop Paige from getting the easy foul line pull-up jumpers. I don't think they can. Paige can get off three's from behind picks. The only way to stop Paige is If Paige is off on her shot.

 

[Zanzman]

Haha I wish! If Baylor doesn’t win I want Stanford and Tara to win

Then why are you here

 

[Heytherego]

Baylor vs UCONN will be tough. However let’s not look too far ahead, both teams have to get there first.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

UConn fans know how important and effective a true defensive stopper can be, going all the way back to Ricky Moore on the men's first NC team.

I'd go a little further back to the job Lyman DePriest did on Dana Barros in the 2nd half of their 1988 NIT meeting. Barros had 22 in the first half, but only 2 in the 2nd with DePriest on him.

 

[Adriacus]

It's not DiDi who would be defending Paige it would be their center's and can they jump out on the picks and stop Paige from getting the easy foul line pull-up jumpers. I don't think they can. Paige can get off three's from behind picks. The only way to stop Paige is If Paige is off on her shot.

Baylor doesn’t switch the pick. The secondary defender hedges [not a hard hedge], the primary defender fights over the top of the pick, and the other three defenders rotate playing the standard 3 person zone [taking away the hard rimroll]. Once the primary defender recovers “to the hip”, the defenders do a rolling recover. The D is designed to give slight challenge to low % long range 2’s but heavier challenge 15 feet and in. Somewhat similar design to the way that the SA Spurs defended when Tim Duncan was still somewhat mobile. The only open looks [by design] are bad % midrange 2s.

Now, as with any D, design and execution do not always align. The best Ds generally are performing at a higher % not at absolute effectiveness.

 

[Baylor1994]

Then why are you here

Because it’s a free country

 

[Gurleyman]

Baylor doesn’t switch the pick. The secondary defender hedges [not a hard hedge], the primary defender fights over the top of the pick, and the other three defenders rotate playing the standard 3 person zone [taking away the hard rimroll]. Once the primary defender recovers “to the hip”, the defenders do a rolling recover. The D is designed to give slight challenge to low % long range 2’s but heavier challenge 15 feet and in. Somewhat similar design to the way that the SA Spurs defended when Tim Duncan was still somewhat mobile. The only open looks [by design] are bad % midrange 2s.

Now, as with any D, design and execution do not always align. The best Ds generally are performing at a higher % not at absolute effectiveness.

On the plus side for us, Paige loves those midrange twos - she buried South Carolina with a series of them. On the down side, she’s more dangerous as a passer - if you can force her to be a scorer and not spread the wealth around, I think we are a little more beatable.

Plus, having watched Baylor a couple times, the adjustment you have to make is that you really have small windows to make shots or plays, and you have to commit quickly or you are doomed. Having watched Gondrezick struggle, she was a little hesitant to pull the trigger in those small windows. She might curl open off a screen, but she had eyes in the back of her head seeing if DiDi was closing from behind. Once you do that, your window is closed. It‘d probably be a tough matchup to adjust to for Paige, who likes to survey her options a lot, although she has shown an effective quick trigger.

But of course we both have 3 games to get through before worrying about it. I’m not even looking past the first weekend with Geno at home. Cuse led NC State late.

 

[chrissaran]

Maryland plays no defense. Against Iowa, who didn't play all that well, they still put up 84. Aaliyah will make a real contribution against Baylor. She's improved on offense, and she's certainly fouling much less.

 

[Alydar]

Less concerned with Paige, who is expert at using picks, as I am one or more of the other shooters going cold or defensively stopped. If we need an offensive pick up, really no one one the bench who have proven they can hit outside shots. Love Anna, but she is getting back to game speed. If this happens, glad we have an inside game that minimize the need to hit 3's.

At least UConn has outside shooters. Yes, they can be cold but that's still light years ahead of Baylor's perimeter game, which has been non-existent.