Some thoughts on Depaul Game (merged)

[Tonyc]

Well reading the board some fans are a little nervous playing Depaul because they shoot so many treys and theyre ranked. No me. This is an opportunity of UConn to shine. Griff could have a great day playing one on one and rebounding. ONO there is no answer for. Instead of looking at how many treys Depaul makes I like to think that over 60% of their treys are missed which will allow UConn more touches and more fast break points.

Will Geno go to a 6-7 player rotation? I think once we get the lead everybody will play and excel. I saw Depaul play once this season. They throw up alot of treys and imo they rush some of those. Against UConn they will have problems rebounding and they will have problems getting the ball inside. ONO could have a field day inside.

Will UConn be a little rusty with the long break? I think so but after a few minutes they should be fine. We must maintain composure and poise. We cant get caught up into a run a gun out of control game which can happen against Depaul. Geno will have them ready. UConn teams are very good at adapting to game time situations. Geno is a master at making adjustments on the run during a game. I like UConn winning this game by 20+. We should see in this game and for the next couple of weeks UConn becoming the team many of us think they will aspire to.

 

[Bigboote]

If UConn were coached by anyone else, I might be worried. But Geno knows Doug very well, and he knows Doug's coaching very well, so UConn will have a game plan.

As many threes as the Blue Demons make, they also cut very hard and get a lot of open layups to keep their opponents honest. So UConn needs to defend the three-point line and defend the basket. I would think that would consist of ONO staying put near the basket (maybe not possible, as DePaul often plays a five-out) and Aubrey and Molly, who are good perimeter defenders, getting lots of minutes.

I had written that I didn't think Anna would match up well against DePaul's guards, but I'm backing off of that a little bit. DeP doesn't do a lot of one-on-one. They rely either on the quick three or cutting and passing. I think Anna is good at reading passing angles, so she might not be the defensive liability I was thinking. Of course, Molly gets a hand on lots of passes, and I can't wait to see how disruptive Aubrey will be to DePaul.

 

[Carnac]

Well reading the board some fans are a little nervous playing Depaul because they shoot so many treys and theyre ranked. No me. This is an opportunity of UConn to shine. Griff could have a great day playing one on one and rebounding. ONO there is no answer for. Instead of looking at how many treys Depaul makes I like to think that over 60% of their treys are missed which will allow UConn more touches and more fast break points.

Will Geno go to a 6-7 player rotation? I think once we get the lead everybody will play and excel. I saw Depaul play once this season. They throw up alot of treys and imo they rush some of those. Against UConn they will have problems rebounding and they will have problems getting the ball inside. ONO could have a field day inside.

Will UConn be a little rusty with the long break? I think so but after a few minutes they should be fine. We must maintain composure and poise. We cant get caught up into a run a gun out of control game which can happen against Depaul. Geno will have them ready. UConn teams are very good at adapting to game time situations. Geno is a master at making adjustments on the run during a game. I like UConn winning this game by 20+. We should see in this game and for the next couple of weeks UConn becoming the team many of us think they will aspire to.

Remember the nervous Nellies that expressed concern going in to the Seton Hall game? They’re back. They still don’t have faith in UConn yet. UConn is not Notre Dame. DePaul will not be able to do to us what they did to them. As Bigboote said, Liv should have a career day against DeP. Their tallest players are only 6-2. One is a junior, the other is a freshman.

She should have a double double by halftime, and that’s a conservative observation. If Notre Dame's freshman Brunelle can score 31 against the Blue Devils, so can ONO. I’m sure Liv will be motivated. Lots of shots mean lots of rebounds, because less than half of them are going in.

I’m not predicting a final score, or the mov. But I agree with tonyc that UConn will prevail. Doug Bruno has never beaten Geno, and he won’t tomorrow. Geno has the talent to get the job done.

I’d like to think our girls can motivate themselves enough to play at a level that will insure success. I’m sure they do not want to go into the Christmas break with a loss. That would dampen any holiday spirit they might have.

 

[Triad]

Well reading the board some fans are a little nervous playing Depaul because they shoot so many treys and theyre ranked. No me. This is an opportunity of UConn to shine. Griff could have a great day playing one on one and rebounding. ONO there is no answer for. Instead of looking at how many treys Depaul makes I like to think that over 60% of their treys are missed which will allow UConn more touches and more fast break points.

Will Geno go to a 6-7 player rotation? I think once we get the lead everybody will play and excel. I saw Depaul play once this season. They throw up alot of treys and imo they rush some of those. Against UConn they will have problems rebounding and they will have problems getting the ball inside. ONO could have a field day inside.

Will UConn be a little rusty with the long break? I think so but after a few minutes they should be fine. We must maintain composure and poise. We cant get caught up into a run a gun out of control game which can happen against Depaul. Geno will have them ready. UConn teams are very good at adapting to game time situations. Geno is a master at making adjustments on the run during a game. I like UConn winning this game by 20+. We should see in this game and for the next couple of weeks UConn becoming the team many of us think they will aspire to.

TonyC as always informative and interesting.
Doug Bruno is a very good coach. He has relied on the 3 for many many years sometimes it works sometimes not. He will start the game going right at Olivia Nelson Ododa again and again and hope she SWATS at layup attempts (a common call).
Geno will go with a rotation of as many players as he has available. Hopefully 8. With Irwin and Bent playing decent defense and scoring Geno has a bonus. Defense and REBOUNDING shall be the key to Uconn's success. I too expect Uconn to hit the boards hard hopefully with a lot of fast breaks.
As you predict and I believe Aubrey Griffin shall be critical on defense and rebounding. I'd put her at the point of my Zone press with her quick hands and mobility.
I won't go so far as seeing the team we aspire to seeing in the next few week mostly because we don't have a true back up for ONO. She, ONO, is critical to this team because she is as good as KIAH in basket defense and can score from many positions like Stewie. But without a replacement (in game) she is prone to foul trouble mostly because she is attacked and Refs seem to see too many fouls not created by her.

 

[Triad]

Remember the nervous Nellies that expressed concern going in to the Seton Hall game? They’re back. They still don’t have faith in UConn yet. UConn is not Notre Dame. DePaul will not be able to do to us what they did to them.

This nervous Marie hasn't seen the REAL competition for Uconn as yet. Dayton, Ohio, Depleted ND, were nice games and fun to watch but Baylor, USC, Tenn, Oregon, Oregon St, Ms St. they are not. Obviously, DePaul is not ND nor is UConn as short as the UC bench may be. Uconn will win. That's fairly well established but Doug Bruno on HIS COURT and a team comfortable with their RIMS can "go-off" on the 3 and score big, as the ND game showed. Uconn has yet to prove they can defend the post AND the 3 line at the same time.
The game is not in the W column as yet. If I recall properly----that is why the game is actually played.

 

[Triad]

If UConn were coached by anyone else, I might be worried. But Geno knows Doug very well, and he knows Doug's coaching very well, so UConn will have a game plan.

As many threes as the Blue Demons make, they also cut very hard and get a lot of open layups to keep their opponents honest. So UConn needs to defend the three-point line and defend the basket. I would think that would consist of ONO staying put near the basket (maybe not possible, as DePaul often plays a five-out) and Aubrey and Molly, who are good perimeter defenders, getting lots of minutes.

I had written that I didn't think Anna would match up well against DePaul's guards, but I'm backing off of that a little bit. DeP doesn't do a lot of one-on-one. They rely either on the quick three or cutting and passing. I think Anna is good at reading passing angles, so she might not be the defensive liability I was thinking. Of course, Molly gets a hand on lots of passes, and I can't wait to see how disruptive Aubrey will be to DePaul.

@Bigfoote--nice analysis!! I just wrote that Uconn has not as yet proven they can defend the POST and 3 LINE at the same time. As you point out a team that can drive and shoot the 3 accurately can actually hurt Uconn. If they can get ONO in early foul trouble or Megan for that matter (both seem prone) the night could get long.
Griffin, is proving herself as a better than average rebounder and 2nd chance put back as well as quick hands on Defense.
Ania is NOT fleet of foot but not stagnant either. With her constant running on offense she will wear down a few Devils (blue or otherwise). Hopefully, she'll take advantage of every opportunity to score---I repeat that for Molly. As @oldude repeats often, they need to make ALL of their layups. Layups are gods gifts to active teams and Uconn needs to make the most of them.

 

[Carnac]

This nervous Marie hasn't seen the REAL competition for Uconn as yet. Dayton, Ohio, Depleted ND, were nice games and fun to watch but Baylor, USC, Tenn, Oregon, Oregon St, Ms St. they are not. Obviously, DePaul is not ND nor is UConn as short as the UC bench may be. Uconn will win. That's fairly well established but Doug Bruno on HIS COURT and a team comfortable with their RIMS can "go-off" on the 3 and score big, as the ND game showed. Uconn has yet to prove they can defend the post AND the 3 line at the same time.
The game is not in the W column as yet. If I recall properly----that is why the game is actually played.

I agree that DeP will be in their comfort zone. The game must be played and won between the lines. I looked at the teams they’ve played to date. The talent level of those teams is nowhere near UConn. They lost by 21 to (at the time) #7 Oregon State that is ranked below UConn. All I’m saying is UConn will be the best team they’ve played thus far (according to the polls), and I expect UConn’s play and the score to reflect it.

 

[Carnac]

@Bigfoote--nice analysis!! I just wrote that Uconn has not as yet proven they can defend the POST and 3 LINE at the same time. As you point out a team that can drive and shoot the 3 accurately can actually hurt Uconn. If they can get ONO in early foul trouble or Megan for that matter (both seem prone) the night could get long.
Griffin, is proving herself as a better than average rebounder and 2nd chance put back as well as quick hands on Defense.
Ania is NOT fleet of foot but not stagnant either. With her constant running on offense she will wear down a few Devils (blue or otherwise). Hopefully, she'll take advantage of every opportunity to score---I repeat that for Molly. As @oldude repeats often, they need to make ALL of their layups. Layups are gods gifts to active teams and Uconn needs to make the most of them.

All of the observations made here is why this game will be so interesting to watch. DePaul will present a challenge to us that no other team has to this point. Geno knows whats coming. He will have his team ready.!!!

It will be interesting to see how we respond. Not only does UConn need to make their layups, they also need to limit their turnovers to a single digit, and limit DePaul to one shot per possession. If they can do those two things, they should be fine.

 

[Triad]

I agree that DeP will be in their comfort zone. The game must be played and won between the lines. I looked at the games they’ve played to date. The talent level of those teams is nowhere near UConn. They lost by 21 to a team ranked well below UConn. All I’m saying is UConn will be the best team they’ve played thus far, and I expect the score to reflect it.

This is a UConn Women's site. Uconn cheering is expected . I understand that. My glass in the last 20 years has been 1/3 full of dust until March. I look for the pitfalls and mostly have been wrong. I enjoy being wrong because UConn wins. Until Uconn takes on Oregon or Baylor and wins or loses by less than 10 I won't feel comfortable. A high ranking getting into the NCAA's is a plus

 

[Carnac]

TonyC as always informative and interesting.
Doug Bruno is a very good coach. He has relied on the 3 for many many years sometimes it works sometimes not. He will start the game going right at Olivia Nelson Ododa again and again and hope she SWATS at layup attempts (a common call).
Geno will go with a rotation of as many players as he has available. Hopefully 8. With Irwin and Bent playing decent defense and scoring Geno has a bonus. Defense and REBOUNDING shall be the key to Uconn's success. I too expect Uconn to hit the boards hard hopefully with a lot of fast breaks.
As you predict and I believe Aubrey Griffin shall be critical on defense and rebounding. I'd put her at the point of my Zone press with her quick hands and mobility.
I won't go so far as seeing the team we aspire to seeing in the next few week mostly because we don't have a true back up for ONO. She, ONO, is critical to this team because she is as good as KIAH in basket defense and can score from many positions like Stewie. But without a replacement (in game) she is prone to foul trouble mostly because she is attacked and Refs seem to see too many fouls not created by her.

ONO must stay out of foul trouble. Hopefully she learned her lesson in the Seton Hall game. Did you notice that she picked up her first foul in the ND game in 57 seconds, but played the rest of the game without picking up number 2?

 

[LoTrader]

I agree that DeP will be in their comfort zone. The game must be played and won between the lines. I looked at the teams they’ve played to date. The talent level of those teams is nowhere near UConn. They lost by 21 to Oregon State that is ranked well below UConn. All I’m saying is UConn will be the best team they’ve played thus far, and I expect UConn’s play and the score to reflect it.

In what ranking poll is Oregon State ranked "well below" UConn? Is UConn the best team that DePaul will have played thus far? I suppose UConn will win this game, but UConn has yet to play a "ranked" team. UConn has won all their games, and, is what I would expect of UConn. I'm reserving judgment on UConn until I get to observe how UConn plays vs a few ranked teams.

 

[Carnac]

In what ranking poll is Oregon State ranked "well below" UConn? Is UConn the best team that DePaul will have played thus far? I suppose UConn will win this game, but UConn has yet to play a "ranked" team. UConn has won all their games, and, is what I would expect of UConn. I'm reserving judgment on UConn until I get to observe how UConn plays vs a few ranked teams.

I stand corrected. I saw a "16" somewhere, I mis-took it to be (4) Oregon State. It was DePaul ranked 16. I've corrected that statement. I understand your optimism at this point. According to the polls, (2) UConn IS the best (highest ranked team) team they've played to date. I didn't make the polls. Yes, UConn has won all of their games. Geno on UConn’s No. 2 ranking: ‘It’s not really true.'

"Through all the chaos in women’s basketball over the last few weeks, Stanford and UConn came out on top on Monday. The Cardinal (8-0) maintained the No. 1 ranking for the second straight week, while UConn (8-0) jumped up two spots to No. 2 following Louisville’s loss to Ohio State. #7 Louisville survived a scare with a 1 point win at #14 Kentucky on Sunday. The Wildcats held Louisville to 9 points in the 4th quarter.

But if you ask Auriemma, that ranking isn’t reflective of where the team is at right now. “That’s a statement," Auriemma said. "I’m not sure what that statement means, but not possible. It’s not really true. We’re just there because we haven’t lost yet. Everybody else happened to lose. We aren’t No. 2 in the country”

No argument there. #16 DePaul will be the first ranked team we've played this season. We have 3 ranked teams on the back end of our schedule this season. Currently, UConn does have a better RPI than Oregon State. Since Oregon State IS NOT on our schedule this year, we'll have to wait until March perhaps to meet to see who's best.

"The first five weeks of the season reflect perhaps the most parity the game has seen. While that may be a direct challenge to UConn’s usual dominance, Auriemma says it’s what the game needs.

"Each year that goes by, more coaches and more teams start to feel like there’s a sense of, ‘Why not? Why can’t we do it?’” Auriemma said. "And it may be since that Final Four, (Breanna Stewart’s senior year), when it was Washington, Oregon State, and Syracuse, and people looked around and said, ‘Why can’t we do that?’ So, we’re starting to see that happen around the country." "It’s exactly what needs to happen. More and more and more each year."

View attachment 49134

UConn plays Baylor on the 9th of January. THAT will be their first real test of the season. I'm not throwing shade at Oregon State here. OS was ranked #7 in the preseason, and has moved up to #4. Water always seeks it's own level. By mid February, let's see where the two programs rank. It's possible that OS is ahead of UConn by then. I would imagine that the Beavers will have a much better RPI at that time, due to the teams that comprise the respective conferences.

I also expect Oregon State to lose several conference games that UConn will not. The PAC 12 is a much tougher and more competitive conference than the weak AAC. No argument there. I don't see O. State going undefeated in conference play this year. Stanford and Oregon will finish 1-2. I fully expect UConn to lose a game or two before conference play resumes next month. UConn WILL NOT go undefeated this season, but neither will Oregon State.

 

[LoTrader]

I stand corrected. I saw a "16" somewhere, I mis-took it to be (4) Oregon State. It was DePaul ranked 16. I've corrected that statement. I understand your optimism at this point. According to the polls, (2) UConn IS the best (highest ranked team) team they've played to date. I didn't make the polls. Yes, UConn has won all of their games. Geno said that in a recent presser. "We're only #2 because we haven't lost yet". No argument there. #16 DePaul will be the first ranked team we've played this season. We have 3 ranked teams on the back end of our schedule this season. Currently, UConn does have a better RPI than Oregon State. Since Oregon State IS NOT on our schedule this year, we'll have to wait until March perhaps to meet to see who's best.

UConn plays Baylor on the 9th of January. THAT will be their first real test of the season. I'm not throwing shade at Oregon State here. OS was ranked #7 in the preseason, and has moved up to #4. Water always seeks it's own level. By mid February, let's see where the two programs rank. I would imagine that the Beavers will have a much better RPI at that time, due to the teams that comprise the respective conferences.

I also expect Oregon State to lose several conference games that UConn will not. The PAC 12 is a much tougher conference than the weak AAC. No argument there. I don't see O. State going undefeated in conference play this year. Stanford and Oregon will finish 1-2. I fully expect UConn to lose a game or two before conference play begins. UConn WILL NOT go undefeated this season. Neither will Oregon State.


View attachment 49131

Thanks. Agree, with the exception that I think the PAC-12 champion is going to be difficult to predict, but if I had to guess at this point, it would be Oregon for regular season champion, and, no idea who will win the season ending PAC-12 Tournament championship. I'm looking forward to Monday evening's UConn vs DePaul game.

 

[oldude]

Let’s take a look at recent history, I.e. the 3 seasons since the Big 3 graduated. DePaul has been ranked in each of those seasons and UConn has beaten the Blue Demons by 46, 34 & 36 pts. While DePaul is clearly capable of getting teams out of their comfort zone with their unique brand of basketball, it doesn’t work with UConn.

Geno knows how to prepare for a Doug Bruno up tempo team, and UConn has far superior talent. In my mind, it would be an upset if UConn does not win by 30+.

 

[Carnac]

Thanks. Agree, with the exception that I think the PAC-12 champion is going to be difficult to predict, but if I had to guess at this point, it would be Oregon for regular season champion, and, no idea who will win the season ending PAC-12 Tournament championship. I'm looking forward to Monday evening's UConn vs DePaul game.

Stanford and Oregon are two of the best teams in the country. It is impossible at this point to predict who will finish on top. I would not bet on the outcome of those games. I think this is the best team Tara has had in some time. If they lose, it won't be at home. I'll be watching the PAC-12 Conference this year. I'm out here in So. CAL. I do follow the PAC 12. I have been for years. I even go to a USC game once in a while. It's never crowded, and it's much closer and easier to get in to/out of than Pauley Pavilion. Looking at Stanford's schedule, I think the two Oregon schools will be the biggest test for the Cardinal this year. You 3 are the class of the PAC-12 this year.

 

[Carnac]

Let’s take a look at recent history, I.e. the 3 seasons since the Big 3 graduated. DePaul has been ranked in each of those seasons and UConn has beaten the Blue Demons by 46, 34 & 36 pts. While DePaul is clearly capable of getting teams out of their comfort zone with their unique brand of basketball, it doesn’t work with UConn.

Geno knows how to prepare for a Doug Bruno up tempo team, and UConn has far superior talent. In my mind, it would be an upset if UConn does not win by 30+.

OD, you and I must go to the same optometrist, cause we're looking through the same pair of glasses at this game.

 

[LoTrader]

Let’s take a look at recent history, I.e. the 3 seasons since the Big 3 graduated. DePaul has been ranked in each of those seasons and UConn has beaten the Blue Demons by 46, 34 & 36 pts. While DePaul is clearly capable of getting teams out of their comfort zone with their unique brand of basketball, it doesn’t work with UConn.

Geno knows how to prepare for a Doug Bruno up tempo team, and UConn has far superior talent. In my mind, it would be an upset if UConn does not win by 30+.

If UConn wins by 30+ on DePaul's home court, that will be a very positive indication that UConn is indeed a TOP 5 team.

 

[oldude]

If UConn wins by 30+ on DePaul's home court, that will be a very positive indication that UConn is indeed a TOP 5 team.

I believe UConn is most definitely a top 5 team, but I don’t believe a 30+ pt victory on their home court means all that much in the big picture. Honestly, as well as DePaul has played YTD, the Blue Demons lack of size, depth and athleticism should get exposed by UConn. DePaul just does not match up particularly well with UConn.

 

[tomcat]

My only concern is UConn's three-point defense, which, it seems to me, ranges from weak to nonexistent. If DePaul's shooters stay hot (I'm assuming that at some point they will BE hot -- the operative question is whether they can stay that way), can UConn muster enough defense out on the perimeter to stop the damage? Other than that, the other posters are right, IMHO: DePaul has no answer for ONO if she stays out of foul trouble and this is a game where Aubrey can come up big. In all, I think UConn wins, but maybe not as easily as some would think.

 

[PAC-12HoopFan]

Currently, UConn does have a better RPI than Oregon State. Since Oregon State IS NOT on our schedule this year, we'll have to wait until March perhaps to meet to see who's best.

View attachment 49131

Such is the truth when dealing with the RPI. Oregon State beats a weak Utah State team last night by 29, then drops from #1 to #3 as a result. Oregon State could have won by 50 last night and it still would have dropped to #3, one spot below a team it beat last month.

 

[Carnac]

Such is the truth when dealing with the RPI. Oregon State beats a weak Utah State team last night by 29, then drops from #1 to #3 as a result. Oregon State could have won by 50 last night and it still would have dropped to #3, one spot below a team it beat last month.

SMH. I'm sure you agree that the metrics used to determine the RPI index is questionable at best. Like I said, Water tends to seek it's own level. Teams will eventually settle in exactly where they belong by the end of January. Games played in November and December mean little because many of the schedules of top 25 teams only include 1-2 comparably ranked/talented teams, so it's hard to gauge just how good a team is until they begin conference play. Any top 25 team can go 12-0 if they schedule nothing but cupcakes and jelly rolls to begin the season.

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

Stanford and Oregon are two of the best teams in the country. It is impossible at this point to predict who will finish on top. I would not bet on the outcome of those games. I think this is the best team Tara has had in some time. If they lose, it won't be at home. I'll be watching the PAC-12 Conference this year. I'm out here in So. CAL. I do follow the PAC 12. I have been for years. I even go to a USC game once in a while. It's never crowded, and it's much closer and easier to get in to/out of than Pauley Pavilion. Looking at Stanford's schedule, I think the two Oregon schools will be the biggest test for the Cardinal this year. You 3 are the class of the PAC-12 this year.

Where in So Cal are you, Carnac? I'm in San Diego. UConn class of 75.

 

[Carnac]

Where in So Cal are you, Carnac? I'm in San Diego. UConn class of 75.

The Inland Empire

 

[huskyd]

A lot has been written on this page. Here are a few additional thoughts. In addition to worrying about Ono's fouls, we should be concerned with UConn's tendency to turn the ball over. Against Seton Hall, Crystal and Megan threw the ball away 15 times between them. Making lay-ups is nice, and so is making free throws. Along with Ono, Meg should be expected to rebound a bunch. I was thinking that this would be a good game for Molly to start and for Evelyn to get some playing time. The game is not being played on the DePaul campus, which Geno describes as a nightmare. Should be fun.

 

[HopJim]

My only concern is UConn's three-point defense, which, it seems to me, ranges from weak to nonexistent. If DePaul's shooters stay hot (I'm assuming that at some point they will BE hot -- the operative question is whether they can stay that way), can UConn muster enough defense out on the perimeter to stop the damage? Other than that, the other posters are right, IMHO: DePaul has no answer for ONO if she stays out of foul trouble and this is a game where Aubrey can come up big. In all, I think UConn wins, but maybe not as easily as some would think.

Can Geno spell Z-O-N-E?