Prognosticators Game 7 (ND) [merged thread]

[Phil]

UConn by 13 82-69

 

[psconn]

Gabby has to be careful about charges. Muffet said preseason that without a rim protector ND's interior defense would need to draw more charges.

University of Flop will teaching the grad-level program leading up to this one.

 

[Tenspro2002]

We haven't looked great on offense or defense, but we have superior talent and are playing at home.

UConn 78-69 ND, with most of the game played with a 5-10 point margin.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Uconn 83 Irish 76 MOV 7. The Irish against Uconn is like the Cowgirls against the Sooners---EMOTIONAL
I am certain ND will be the toughest opponent so far. Azura will have 4 fouls in the first half. Gabby 3. Irwin, Walker, AEH see PT.
How's that for walking a plank??

 

[Charliebball]

Just checked Massey - 82-69 with UConn a 87% chance of winning

 

[LasVegasYank]

With injuries ND down to 8 players.

Sound familiar?

Even then, a dangerous opponent.

Thinking UConn 78, ND 68. A struggle.

 

[JavaMan]

​

 

[huskeynut]

The Clash of the Titans - could be ESPN's headline.

However, ND down to 8 players. ND has not seen a tough defense yet. Match-ups not in favor of ND. Lou will play some but not a lot. Just enough to be Muffet's spider!

UConn 81 ND 60.

 

[MilfordHusky]

ND's answer for Azura will be watching from the bench clad in a tracksuit.

Exactly. Sort of like when Morgan Tuck looked great in a stylish dress.

 

[MilfordHusky]

With injuries ND down to 8 players.

Sound familiar?

Even then, a dangerous opponent.

Thinking UConn 78, ND 68. A struggle.

Yeah, ND is a dangerous opponent, but we have Dangerous:

 

[Dillon77]

ND's answer for Azura will be watching from the bench clad in a tracksuit.

And, unfortunately, so will option 2 (Mik Vaughn). Lots of questions on that particular match-up. Would not be surprised to see if MM starts switching her defenses a lot; in part, to keep what will be a very short rotation fresh and out of foul trouble.

 

[Charliebball]

And, unfortunately, so will option 2 (Mik Vaughn). Lots of questions on that particular match-up. Would not be surprised to see if MM starts switching her defenses a lot; in part, to keep what will be a very short rotation fresh and out of foul trouble.

your guards better hit their three's or it could get ugly....................our's too

 

[oldude]

ND is really in a catch 22 defending the Huskies with the injuries to their front court. Shepard is not a true post. Nelson is good for a few minutes off the bench, but she doesn’t have the athleticism to play big minutes against the Huskies. Westbeld is still hobbled somewhat and Patterson is still on a freshman learning curve.

ND needs help defending Z, Pheesa & Gabby inside, so the Irish will need to pack their defense in the paint. That leaves Kia, Danger and Lou, assuming she plays, opportunities to catch and shoot 3’s.

This game could get away from ND early.

 

[Tontobruto]

78-75 Uconn

 

[Carnac]

Yeah, ND is a dangerous opponent, but we have Dangerous:

Yes we do, and her throttle is w-i-d-e open. She's doing 90 mph in the fast lane, breaking hearts and ankles at the same time.

 

[rvwsleep]

UConn 82 -67 because I had a vision.

 

[mrmojack]

Uconn 79-62

 

[ochoopsfan]

I thought I posted a score but didn't see it. So this replaces any prior score that I might have made.
Irish 63
Uconn 83
Go Lou!!

 

[Bigboote]

I was gonna go 82-67, but rvw beat me to it. I don't think I saw:

81-67 UConn

 

[GoUconn7961]

We. Are. DOOMED!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

The only way nd has a chance is if diggins suits up for the game.

bizarro- - ND has no chance if 5 Diggins suit up for the Irish!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Why beat-around-the-bush?
IMHO, there is no ND player that could start for the Huskies!

UCONN
C/F Azura Stevens
PF Pheesa Collier
SF Gabby Williams
SG Kia Nurse
PG Crystal Dangerfield

ND
F Jessica Shepard
F Kathryn Westbeld
G Jackie Young/Lili Thompson
G Arike Ogunbowale
G Marina Mabrey

The only ND player with a shot at starting for UCONN is Ogunbowale but Kia Nurse is a better defensive player and can shoot the lights out with her! Kia is the more well-rounded player! Arike would be the 7th player on the UCONN rotation!
Even if ND had Brianna Turner healthy, ND is no match for UCONN's BIGS!
If I were Geno (and thank God I'm not) I'd pound it inside till The Muffett starts crying & stamping her foot in frustration, screaming that she doesn't get any respect!
Katie Lou will play just enough to give ND a 10 point migraine!
How is ND going to defense UCONN when potentially 7 Huskies can score in double figures? The 5 starters above and Katie Lou and Megan Walker, UCONN's bench beyond KLS & MW won't score! Also UCONN should out-rebound ND by 20!
Jessica Shepard's tongue will be hanging on her sneaker laces by the middle of the 1st 1/2!
There will be 14,000+ screaming UCONN fans at the XL Center, and there would be more if XL management didn't build the bar!
So all the above adds up to UCONN 85 / ND 59

 

[Dillon77]

Old Dude: Your premise on Z is not going to get any argument from me (or Orangutan for that matter), if you look at our respective posts just above here on posts. While Vaughn was off to a very promising start, she -- too -- was on a freshman learning curve and would've been very challenged with Z's inside/outside abilities. But she was/will be pretty quick for a post and that's what you need. (We'll see how that match-up is next year if Z opts to stay in college and Bri and Mik both come back.).
The only "big" (and she's really more of a traditional forward) who has that kind of agility is Patterson and -- as you said -- she's a frosh who is just beginning to get minutes.

That said, your key words are "pack it in." Would expect to see a bunch of zone from the Irish, with some man to man on occasion, depending on who the Huskies have in.

The Irish have done a good job on the offensive boards, which create second chances (like a turnover does), so the half-court game might be of interest to them, to keep the UConn athletes from going up and down the floor. On the other side, if UConn is not shooting the eyes out, ND likes to push the break, which Ogunbowale, Young and Mabrey all do well. Like Charliebball said, the Irish need to shoot well. If that happens, this could be interesting. However, I'm very leery of the lack of agility in the inside area.

 

[bags27]

Before a sell-out home crowd and with Lou getting in some emotional minutes, UConn has inherent advantages. And separate from these advantages, talent wise they're a 12-15 point better team. They just are. But ND loves to play as underdog and the win against South Carolina was an awesome thing. I'm thinking UConn wins by around 10, giving some BYers just enough angst to write hand-wringing threads on how terrible the team is this year, forgetting how competitive the 2015 NC was when UConn had a significantly better team than ND (Turner was out of that game, too). This is a great rivalry and greatness is defined by one's best opponent. I'm going to skip my Pats on TV and get there early to soak in everything.

 

[Reypl21]

Before a sell-out home crowd and with Lou getting in some emotional minutes, UConn has inherent advantages. And separate from these advantages, talent wise they're a 12-15 point better team. They just are. But ND loves to play as underdog and the win against South Carolina was an awesome thing. I'm thinking UConn wins by around 10, giving some BYers just enough angst to write hand-wringing threads on how terrible the team is this year, forgetting how competitive the 2015 NC was when UConn had a significantly better team than ND (Turner was out of that game, too). This is a great rivalry and greatness is defined by one's best opponent. I'm going to skip my Pats on TV and get there early to soak in everything.

Turner played in the 2015 NC game. She missed the regular season game where Tuck blazed them at ND. I believe Turner scored all of her points in the second half of that game.