Queen Napheesa

[Plebe]

I know much has been raved already about her, but last night's performance and stat line deserve every tweet and retweet:

24 points
10-of-10 shooting
12 rebounds
6 assists
5 blocks
1 steal (only one?)
in 29 minutes of play

I realize this was done against a less-than-elite opponent, but this kind of efficiency and these full-spectrum contributions seem to have become habitual for her.

I'm no monarchist by any stretch, but I have somehow taken to calling her Queen Napheesa these days. She brings a regal aura of calm and poise to everything she does. In that sense she reminds me a lot of Tuck.

 

[Gus Mahler]

"Queen Napheesa." I like it.

 

[BroadwayVa]

"Queen Napheesa." I like it.

I is not in the blood line of early Egyptian Queens---i'll eat the sphinx !! If she isn't Queen of Egypt--I'll be her campaign manager for the title--When she want s to be glam girl--she's among the glamours --when she wants to be baby cute--she is the cutest--when she wants to be the dam-dest most productive scorer in the post and now with the 3--she doe it!!

 

[JordyG]

I is not in the blood line of early Egyptian Queens---i'll eat the sphinx !! If she isn't Queen of Egypt--I'll be her campaign manager for the title--When she want s to be glam girl--she's among the glamours --when she wants to be baby cute--she is the cutest--when she wants to be the dam-dest most productive scorer in the post and now with the 3--she doe it!!

Speaking of doe, remember the piece where her former AAU buddies called her Bambi?

 

[Huskee11]

BIG problem for 2018-2019 if we recruit (successfully) Queen Egbo, number 21 on ESPN 2018 ranking.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Speaking of doe, remember the piece where her former AAU buddies called her Bambi?

 

[Carnac]

I know much has been raved already about her, but last night's performance and stat line deserve every tweet and retweet:

24 points
10-of-10 shooting
12 rebounds
6 assists
5 blocks
1 steal (only one?)
in 29 minutes of play

I realize this was done against a less-than-elite opponent, but this kind of efficiency and these full-spectrum contributions seem to have become habitual for her.

I'm no monarchist by any stretch, but I have somehow taken to calling her Queen Napheesa these days. She brings a regal aura of calm and poise to everything she does. In that sense she reminds me a lot of Tuck.

Anyone here doubt she could have had a triple double if she had played 7 minutes into the 4th quarter, and the bench was aware of how close she was?

 

[JoePgh]

Beyond what has been mentioned, her amazing consistency from game to game is worth noting. Fortunately, unlike Lou, her game is not heavily dependent on anything as fragile and easily jarred as a 3-point shot. All 3-point shooters, certainly including KML, are streaky. Lou seems to be doing a better job than KML of scoring in other ways when her 3-point shot is on the fritz, but still her stats are affected by that.

Queen Napheesa, on the other hand, seems to play the same game every night, taking the same contested shots within 5 feet of the basket and sinking two thirds of them. When others are streaky, she is totally predictable, and I'm sure Geno and the coaches really appreciate that.

I can think of two games (Baylor in the 4th quarter and Cincinnati in the second quarter) when Natalie was in the game and it was starting to get ragged, with the lead slowly diminishing. Napheesa came back in the game and order was immediately restored. In the Notre Dame game, ND's best scoring was done in the second quarter when Napheesa was on the bench because of fouls.

It may be because of the (lack of) quality in the opposition, but I think she and Gabby are both doing a much better job of keeping their fouls under control. One way that UConn can definitely be vulnerable is if either of them has to have their minutes reduced because of foul trouble.

What South Carolina player do you think Napheesa will guard? I wonder if Geno will have enough faith in Lou's defensive abilities to have her guard A'ja Wilson, as Stewie did last year. That means that either Napheesa or Gabby could have Coates as their primary responsibility, and I think both would do well. When Coates gets the ball down low, both of them will double-team her, but UConn won't win that matchup unless they can stop Coates from getting the ball down low on most possessions.

 

[Plebe]

BIG problem for 2018-2019 if we recruit (successfully) Queen Egbo, number 21 on ESPN 2018 ranking.

The cliché that comes to mind is crossing that bridge when we get to it.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Speaking of doe, remember the piece where her former AAU buddies called her Bambi?

I was trying to say she dough zit. My left SSSS hand can't crank up the ole tin lizzy any more or type an S.

 

[Sonny44]

As I recall she had a less than stellar performance against SC. Soon she will set that straight.

 

[JordyG]

I was trying to say she dough zit. My left SSSS hand can't crank up the ole tin lizzy any more or type an S.

Don't worry. I'm putting it down to the Broadway part of your Va.

 

[Suebird10fan]

Thanks Plebe for bringing additional attention to Napheesa's huge night.

I have a formula that I've used for decades to measure efficiency, applying a factor to each statistic (negative in the case of TOs and missed shots). The details aren't important, but every time I see that someone had a monster game I run the numbers. On a per minute basis, Napheesa's efficiency rating is pretty near the top of what I have ever seen.

Early in the season I was firmly in the camp that Napheesa was our best player (and probably #2 in the nation). KLS had me wavering for a bit, but, at least for now, I'm solidly back in the Napheesa camp, even wondering whether she should get the nod over Plum for NPOY. Two more years? How sick is that! We are truly, truly blessed.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Don't worry. I'm putting it down to the Broadway part of your Va.

If I was really doing Broadway--I'd either be doing West Sid Story or Oklahoma.
In Oklahoma--i'd be doing the doesy doe---no SSS on the end of those.

 

[Waquoit]

Anyone here doubt she could have had a triple double if she had played 7 minutes into the 4th quarter, and the bench was aware of how close she was?

Y'know 4 more assists isn't really that close. How many trips down the floor did it take to get Gabby her 10th the other game? Five or six? I think too much of that stuff can be disrespectful of the opponent.

 

[ucbart]

To the person who asked who Pheesa would guard, I think she will guard Wilson and Gabby will guard Coates....and it sounds pretty daunting.

However, on the other side of the ball. I think Wilson and Coates will have a hard time guarding our quicker and smaller posts who can take them off the bounce.

 

[JordyG]

If I was really doing Broadway--I'd either be doing West Sid Story or Oklahoma.
In Oklahoma--i'd be doing the doesy doe---no SSS on the end of those.

Gotta tell you, at my age it's more like z-z-z-z-z-z.

I know you can't miss this part, buy we just had 10" of the snowy stuff here in NY. Up in Conn. they had more. I hope this doesn't effect SMU's flight tomorrow.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Gotta tell you, at my age it's more like z-z-z-z-z-z.

I know you can't miss this part, buy we just had 10" of the snowy stuff here in NY. Up in Conn. they had more. I hope this doesn't effect SMU's flight tomorrow.

Gee I'm really sorry abt the snow!! (ignore the grin). My Ct Cousins were basking in Ct sunshine until most recently--jumping on the Global warming--now they are not so sure. The one in Northern NH
is a glutton for punishment and snow.
Geno played Tenn in a raging snow storm--and (I believe) he and Pat thanked the folks for coming out. So as Geno says---The ShOW must go on!!

 

[JordyG]

Gee I'm really sorry abt the snow!! (ignore the grin). My Ct Cousins were basking in Ct sunshine until most recently--jumping on the Global warming--now they are not so sure. The one in Northern NH
is a glutton for punishment and snow.
Geno played Tenn in a raging snow storm--and (I believe) he and Pat thanked the folks for coming out. So as Geno says---The ShOW must go on!!

Condolences not excepted you cad! You whipper (wiping snow from my mouth)snapper! I hope your backyard lounging chair gets stuck in the down position.