Score Prediction Thread - MISS STATE

[Zanzman]

I'm thinking this one will be tighter than last year's meeting by quite a lot. I am guessing that the Huskies take out the Bulldogs by about 15 in what will be an entertaining game. Defense trumps offense and the score will be rather low at 85 to 60. UConn's offensive efficiency is the difference in this one.

15?

 

[Tenspro2002]

This game will play out similar to UCLA. I think we play at a decent margin throughout, but never pull away. Lou continues to struggle, but we score a ton in the paint.

UConn 84-71 MSU.

 

[HoopsHoppy]

Mississippi State has a defensive genius as a coach. Add to this that games are always tighter in the final four. Both of those spell trouble for this team. I see a very close game going down to the final minutes.

UConn 125
Mississippi State 19

You tout defense as operative in this final four but, if memory serves, you have an opponent scoring more points than any prediction to date - hmmm! Are you saying those guard drives will overpower our UConn guarding? Just wondering

 

[HoopsHoppy]

UConn 86 - MSU 64; MOV of 22

 

[Jeff H]

So without looking at any one else's predictions...

Mississippi State has been on fire in the NCAA's scoring in bunches - this after a fairly offensively-challenged season. It seems they found the hoop - and just in time to take out Baylor.

So for starters, Morgan William will NOT score 40 points against UCONN. That that away before OT and that puts them at about 40 against Baylor. Assume that she would score about 10-15 points and another 10 or so by other players since William was not scoring. That puts them at about 65 or maybe 70 vs. Baylor.

Personally I think UCONN's defense is better, or at least better able to make adjustments. I think Mississippi State will have a hard time scoring over 70 against UCONN, and probably will be in the 60-65 range. UCONN, on the other hand, has shown they can score a bunch of ways against a bunch of defenses. UCONN's problem will be inside with 6'7" McCowan. If Pheesa and Gabby can't stop her, Geno may be forced to use Natalie, who was very competent on defense against Baylor's bigs.

UCONN 85
Miss State 65

Yep, 75 in regulation against Baylor with William going crazy. Only one poster so far predicting Mississippi State will get out of the 60's. Meanwhile after the trap/letdown game vs. Tulane UConn is averaging 94.6 per game. I like your prediction, but it's yours, so...
UConn 86
Miss State 64

 

[topogigio]

Huskies by 30!

 

[Rayvin56]

I see a 31 point MOV, 97-66 UConn. Saniya has a career game.

 

[tomcat]

UConn 83-67.

 

[OfanMan]

In the 2015 Sweet 16, UConn beat Texas by 51. They took the crushing loss to heart, learned from it and made use of their knowledge of the Huskies. The next year in the Elite 8 they improved mightily … to lose by only 21. Last year in the Sweet 16, the Bulldogs were trounced by 60. They took… they learned… etc…yada, yada. They’ll improve mightily this year…to lose by 26. 88 – 62.

 

[Frenchy]

As it was the story with UCLA & Oregon Geno will not let a team depending on one player to beat him. Too many members of this board need to do Yoga and relax.
Uconn 86 Miss State 62 while our bench most of the 4th qt.

 

[Zorro]

Meyers, you are a RASCAL!

 

[Zorro]

89-47. Natalie gets a dubble-bubble. William scores < 41.

 

[drweo]

9 out of 10 MS St players played in the "piranhas on a roast" game last season. At some point UConn will go on a run and the Bulldog players will be overwhelmed with DOUBT. Huskies 92-63 (29 pt mov)

I could be wrong, but I dont think they are that fragile now. Still, they will lose by double figures. (How's that for a hedge? )

 

[oldude]

I could be wrong, but I dont think they are that fragile now. Still, they will lose by double figures. (How's that for a hedge? )

You may be right, but if any team can get inside your head, it's the Huskies.

 

[VaConnFan11]

UConn 87-61

 

[VA Huskie]

I think this is where the pressure of our 1st FF with the "young girls" in charge impacts our offense. So I'm thinking a lower scoring game than usual.

UCONN 72 MSU 47

 

[HopJim]

86-60. William will be shut down by Nurse, which means that Viviens will have to create her own shot. That makes her drop back into her old habits, and the MissSt offense stalls. In the meantime 2016 flashbacks run amok, someone throws a roast on the court, and the Huskies beat the Bulldogs.

Honestly, I can't WAIT to see Danger guarding William. Danger is 5'5"; let's see how much shorter William is.

Don't believe either Nurse or Danger have the foot speed to guard one on one BUT the switching UConn defense more than good enough to shut down MS State outside game.

 

[2ndCity]

UConn: 91, Mississippi State: 72. Margin: 19.

 

[Carnac]

86-60. William will be shut down by Nurse, which means that Viviens will have to create her own shot. That makes her drop back into her old habits, and the MissSt offense stalls. In the meantime 2016 flashbacks run amok, someone throws a roast on the court, and the Huskies beat the Bulldogs.

Honestly, I can't WAIT to see Danger guarding William. Danger is 5'5"; let's see how much shorter William is.

Anyone that saw that game, saw an unbelievable performance by coach Vic Schaefer's point guard Morgan William, who he called "the best quarterback in the country".
William had a breakout game Sunday. She was in a zone: 13 f/g - six 3's - nine f/t with 7 assists for good measure. In the after glow of their momentous victory over Baylor, Bulldog fans are thinking and hoping for William to have another 41 point game Friday, or one close to it. She will be under a great deal of pressure to be the saviour once again against the Huskies.

If Mississippi State is to accomplish what would be a monumental upset in the tournament, it will be a team effort. William will not be able to bear the brunt of the load or responsibility for a Bulldog win. William is a junior, so she's not new to being a team/floor leader, or playing in big games. It is doubtful that Geno and company will allow William to get the number of open shots beyond the arc against them as she did against Baylor.

At 5'5", William is extraordinarily quick. The question begs, who guards her? Gabby? Kia? Soniya? Dangerfield should not be on the floor more that 17 minutes as she was against Oregon. Danger is still not as adept as Nurse, at keeping people in front of her as yet. It's doubtful that Crystal will spend any appreciable amount of time on guarding William. This is unless the aforementioned trio are not up to the task of guarding William, and keeping her point production at a bare minimum.

Geno and his staff will have three days to figure out a game plan for William and her mates. My guess is they came up with something in less than two hours. The one thing we know is, that it is hard to have back-to-back games of that magnitude. If William starts the game slowly, and begins to press or force shots early on, that will only exacerbate the situation, especially if the ball movement begins to slow down, or UConn turns then over repeatedly in the first two quarters.

Another dynamic to take note of is that their 6'7" sophomore post player Teaira McCowan is foul prone, and subject to early foul trouble, which may have an impact on this game. Given the proclivity with which Gabby and Naphessa tend to drive to the basket for lay-ups, this could send (their rim protector) McCowan to the bench early in the first quarter.

I like UConn in this one 91-57. The offense should start the game in 5th gear..................with the top down.

 

[Tonyc]

Uconn 89 MS 64

 

[baggerbob]

Anyone that saw that game, saw an unbelievable performance by coach Vic Schaefer's point guard Morgan William, who he called "the best quarterback in the country".
William had a breakout game Sunday. She was in a zone: 13 f/g - six 3's - nine f/t with 7 assists for good measure. In the after glow of their momentous victory over Baylor, Bulldog fans are thinking and hoping for William to have another 41 point game Friday, or one close to it. She will be under a great deal of pressure to be the saviour once again against the Huskies.

If Mississippi State is to accomplish what would be a monumental upset in the tournament, it will be a team effort. William will not be able to bear the brunt of the load or responsibility for a Bulldog win. William is a junior, so she's not new to being a team/floor leader, or playing in big games. It is doubtful that Geno and company will allow William to get the number of open shots beyond the arc against them as she did against Baylor.

At 5'5", William is extraordinarily quick. The question begs, who guards her? Gabby? Kia? Soniya? Dangerfield should not be on the floor more that 17 minutes as she was against Oregon. Danger is still not as adept as Nurse, at keeping people in front of her as yet. It's doubtful that Crystal will spend any appreciable amount of time on guarding William. This is unless the aforementioned trio are not up to the task of guarding William, and keeping her point production at a bare minimum.

Geno and his staff will have three days to figure out a game plan for William and her mates. My guess is they came up with something in less than two hours. The one thing we know is, that it is hard to have back-to-back games of that magnitude. If William starts the game slowly, and begins to press or force shots early on, that will only exacerbate the situation, especially if the ball movement begins to slow down, or UConn turns then over repeatedly in the first two quarters.

Another dynamic to take note of is that their 6'7" sophomore post player Teaira McCowan is foul prone, and subject to early foul trouble, which may have an impact on this game. Given the proclivity with which Gabby and Naphessa tend to drive to the basket for lay-ups, this could send (their rim protector) McCowan to the bench early in the first quarter.

I like UConn in this one 91-57. The offense should start the game in 5th gear...with the top down.

The real key is making sure William gets worn out on the defensive end of the floor, which Uconn with their offense is very capable of doing.

 

[choochoo]

82 to 65 the good girls go to the championship game!

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

It's doubtful that Crystal will spend any appreciable amount of time on guarding William.

Perhaps I was unclear with my point in that area; I want to see Dangerfield standing toe-to-toe with William. Danger is 5'5", but by all reports William's listed height of 5'5" is an exaggeration. William is...more robust than Crystal, so she LOOKS shorter. I'm just wondering by how much.

HOWEVER....I do want to note that during the post-Regional win ceremonies, Geno and Danger had quite a conversation. It was extended, bilateral, and both were smiling the entire time. I think something special happened there, and I don't think that we'll have to wait until Next Year for it to bear fruit.

 

[eebmg]

Wow. Did not expect these gigantic MOV's. I think it will be much closer. MSU has some weapons, plays good defense, has depth so can try to be physical and has a good coach. They also want some revenge or at least redemption. UConn 78 to 65.

 

[Gmoney]

Uconn 92 - 52