Save Us From Sabrina Ionescu

[Carnac]

[QUOTE="Sonny44, post: 2119143, member: 742"]They have 13 losses don't they, and play in the pac 12, right? I'm not losing sleep over this one.[/QUOTE]

Exactly!!!! No disrespect to Oregon. Take them seriously, yes. Fear them, no. If UConn can't beat a double digit loss team (20/13 - /8/10) with a sub .500 conference record, the they don't deserve to advance. Please do not allow yourselves to become prisoners of the moment. Oregon had 10 losses in conference play. If those teams could figure Oregon out, why can't Geno and staff? I'll bet the entire staff is watching Oregon game film right now!!!

Oh ye of little faith - What???????, all of a sudden Oregon has become a Juggernaut, and now they're invincible? Please!

Allow me to share an observation here: Is anyone assuming that the 13 teams that beat them play a better brand of defense than UConn? Pardon me, but I'm not familiar with any team in the Pac 12 whose defense comes close to rivaling UConn's. Let's not forget what Geno said yesterday in a presser, if they (UConn) can score 90 points, then he'll trust his defense to make those 90 points stand up. He also said that he would much rather prefer to play a team that they didn't play this year. Ding ding ding!!! Oregon qualifies here.

Oregon as not seen the likes of UConn this year. They can watch all the film they want to. They can't replicate what UConn is going to bring to the court in a walk through, or a short practice. You don't prepare for UConn in 1 day.

Last thought: A quick revue of the this year's schedule shows that no team scored 90 points on UConn. One team (Maryland) scored 81. Only two teams (Florida St 76 & UCLA 71) broke 70. If UConn can score in the high 80's or low 90's, they'll be in deep cotton, and on their way to Dallas.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

Williams will defend her.... don't you think?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Pardon me, but I'm not familiar with any team in the Pac 12 whose defense comes close to rivaling UConn's.

Only two teams (Florida St 76 & UCLA 71) broke 70

There are some fairly stingy defenses in the Pac 12. UCLA was held under 70 8 times by Pac 12 teams, including 3 times by Oregon St. and twice by Arizona St. OSU held them to 53 and ASU held them to 55 in their lowest scoring games.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Williams will defend her.... don't you think?

Then KLS would have to defend one of Oregon's post players. Is that very likely?

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Too many Boneyarders are like petrified meerkats on steroids. I am glad we have players with strong, confident, and positive attitudes.

 

[Carnac]

A few random observations from being at the Oregon-Maryland game:

Kept waiting for a run from Maryland that never came. Flat doesn`t begin to describe how they played. It looked like they tried to turn the energy up briefly midway through the fourth quarter, but too little too late.

We remember Slocum as the player who lit us up big time in the fourth quarter in December. How does that player only shoot one three pointer in 38 minutes? Team as a whole 0-6 from three? Makes no sense.

Frese played right into their hands when for some reason she went 2-3 zone for the third quarter. Who does that against a team that is trying to slow the game down? More importantly, it also got Lexi Bando in the game. Against man to man, she was totally ineffective and only got one shot off in the first half, I think. She is not especially quick and does not play off the dribble, so tight man to man is a problem for her. But a great long distance shooter and the zone allowed her to get open and hit three threes, also missed some other open ones. Great strategy, Maryland.

I am really impressed with Ionesco. She is a step slow and their offense has too much dribbling, but she can really pass, is a very good shooter, and a fearless competitor. No one is talking, though, about Maite Cazoria, who played 40 minutes with 15 points and only one turnover. She was particularly effective early, as she was then the primary ballhandler and took it to the basket a couple of times. From Spain, plays kind of like the USF players but she is quicker and better.

The arena was rooting for Oregon. Obviously, in major part rooting against Maryland but also a recognition of a solid, young, well coached team that is easy to root for. They earned a lot of respect yesterday.

We will win on Monday but we better come out hard from the opening tap. If we let them hang around, that means they are setting the tempo and there could be some seat squirming. If we get way up early, they will not have the luxury of playing slow.

You said: "We remember Slocum as the player who lit us up big time in the fourth quarter in December. How does that player only shoot one three pointer in 38 minutes?"
I guess UConn brings out the BEST in their opponent's game. It sure seems that way. Slocum played like she had the Midas touch that evening.

You said: "we better come out hard from the opening tap. If we let them hang around, that means they are setting the tempo and there could be some seat squirming".
Agreed!!! The last time we let a team "hang around" was against Tulane. We all remember how that worked out for us.

 

[Carnac]

While Oregon may have improved greatly I think a lot of people forget how much UConn has improved since the start of the season. I'll be stunned if this isn't a 20+ win.

Toadfoot, It takes one to know one. YOU look like a "seer" to me. I (and the rest of the yard) hope your prediction comes true. I think it will.

 

[Los24]

[QUOTE="Exactly!!!! No disrespect to Oregon. Take them seriously, yes. Fear them, no. If UConn can't beat a double digit loss team (20/13 - /8/10) with a sub .500 conference record, the they don't deserve to advance.
[/QUOTE]

Let's also remember that 60% of their starters are freshmen. To your point, if we can not beat a majority freshman team then they do not deserve to win. Regardless of how talented they may be....

 

[Charliebball]

Another common opponent was Temple. Oregon only beat Temple by 1 point.

Ionescu averaged 11 points per game in the 11 loses she played in for Oregon, she scored 18 in their 76-63 loss to UCLA earlier in the season and scored 11 in their 84-75 win over UCLA more recently..........I'm undecided whether it is better to concentrate on stopping her from scoring or whether it might be better to let her shoot and not allow her to get the ball inside to Hebbard or on the wing to Bando.........I suppose that's why they pay Geno & Co. the big bucks