Some thoughts on last nights game

[Tonyc]

Alot of improvement. I really liked seeing everybody other then KLS and NC taking all the shots early. Everybody was involved. Defense was very very good. It was obvious that the coaching staff is trying to get the non starters alot of playtime so they're ready for March. ONO has alot of skills and potential. She also needs alot of playtime to be ready for March. She is gonna be a really really good post player. She has an outside shot, and good down low, has length, and can handle the ball well for a big. She needs work on not committing silly fouls.

CW is really good. She was more involved in the flow of the game. Very quick and some great moves. The defense looked really stifling in the first half. In the second half early on Depaul got open and made some easy layups however the defense picked up and the game was no contest. Something to look forward to on Sunday at ND.

Over all the team is improving and making stride especially on defense. ND will be an eye opener as it will expose some weaknesses for both teams. Both UConn and ND have short benches . Fouls will be a huge problem. Playing at ND could inflate that problem. As good as ND is on paper imo havent played up to their potential . I think they are beatable. We will see on Sunday.

 

[DefenseBB]

TonyC-I agree with you that last night looked significantly better in the first have with very smart and aggressive play from all 5 starters. Some have noted Megatron disappeared later in the game due to fouls, however I just think the flow of the game opened the door for KLS and Pheesa to continue their dominance. Even in the limited minutes Coombs got, I thought she looked confident and aggressive with her ball handling and even driving to the hoop. Most important was we saw the beast that CW could become!
The ND game is interesting to me as both teams know each other so well, it should be a highly spirited game especially with a Mabry on the floor-if your an ND fan, you love her feistiness, if you're not an ND fan, you think she's a bit dirty and a bit of whiner. The key will be to contain the "unleashed Jackie Young"! She is realizing her potential with the abundance of athletic skill and her basketball IQ. I would say she will be a joy to watch first hand but I am rooting for UConn so she can save her play for the Tennessee and Louisville games...

 

[Bama fan]

TonyC-I agree with you that last night looked significantly better in the first have with very smart and aggressive play from all 5 starters. Some have noted Megatron disappeared later in the game due to fouls, however I just think the flow of the game opened the door for KLS and Pheesa to continue their dominance. Even in the limited minutes Coombs got, I thought she looked confident and aggressive with her ball handling and even driving to the hoop. Most important was we saw the beast that CW could become!
The ND game is interesting to me as both teams know each other so well, it should be a highly spirited game especially with a Mabry on the floor-if your an ND fan, you love her feistiness, if you're not an ND fan, you think she's a bit dirty and a bit of whiner. The key will be to contain the "unleashed Jackie Young"! She is realizing her potential with the abundance of athletic skill and her basketball IQ. I would say she will be a joy to watch first hand but I am rooting for UConn so she can save her play for the Tennessee and Louisville games...

I like ND. Not as much as I like UConn but I like ND. Great competitors, well coached, good players,good school. But Ms Mabrey is far more than a bit of both of those attributes. Young killed it in the semi final last year. Hope we have an answer that works. And watch out for Ogunbowale's elbow! Go Huskies.

 

[DefenseBB]

I like ND. Not as much as I like UConn but I like ND. Great competitors, well coached, good players,good school. But Ms Mabrey is far more than a bit of both of those attributes. Young killed it in the semi final last year. Hope we have an answer that works. And watch out for Ogunbowale's elbow! Go Huskies.

I was trying to walk that fine line with Mabry as I too sort of like the Irish as I respect the heck out of what MM has done and truth be told, I like the Irish brethen (@Dillon77 @Fightin Choke @Orangutan) that contribute on this sight- there very measured in their views.
I am looking forward to watching a VaTech game or as @triaddukefan says VPI, so I can see Mabry, the younger play. @Charliebball has spoken highly of her as have many other so I wonder if maybe Marina just has the "middle child chip" that drives her.

 

[Bama fan]

I was trying to walk that fine line with Mabry as I too sort of like the Irish as I respect the heck out of what MM has done and truth be told, I like the Irish brethen (@Dillon77 @Fightin Choke @Orangutan) that contribute on this sight- there very measured in their views.
I am looking forward to watching a VaTech game or as @triaddukefan says VPI, so I can see Mabry, the younger play. @Charliebball has spoken highly of her as have many other so I wonder if maybe Marina just has the "middle child chip" that drives her.

She might have the middle child thing. My sister sure did! A guy I went to grade school with played football at VPI before people called it Virginia Tech. So Triad is paying homage to long standing tradition.. But I still can't forgive him for eating Spam! As to the Irish mafia here on the board, I'm glad they are here. Enjoy the game.

 

[FanFromMaine]

My two cents on last night:

DePaul was much better than I anticipated. The offensive weave that they displayed at the beginning of both halves was terrific and really pressured the UConn D. Unfortunately Bruno doesn’t have the athletes to keep it up the whole game.

And UConn then responded with more drives to the hoop with our better athletes. DePaul’s zone just couldn’t adjust quickly enough.

DePaul doubled nicely down low and forced our post players to become passers. To me they seem not ready for that yet but it may come later as the team jells.

I saw Megan struggle last night as she did against St John’s. But in both games she seemed to be often playing against much smaller, quicker players. Both opponents play with one post and four guards mostly. Megan defensively is still evolving and, as above, she gets sped up in the post when doubled offensively.

But Megan along with Kristin are so athletic and have such big frames it is a pleasure to watch even as they learns. Each one showed glimpses of their competence last night.

 

[dtbtbtb]

The game yesterday was good but against a team the size of UConn and ND will be a much different challenge with bigs who are uber athletic (Turner) and very skilled (Shepard) in addition to the shooting abilities of Young, O and Mabery. The good thing about the game on Sunday is that as long as it's a respectable score, it's a win win for both teams. If UConn wins, Muffett can use it as a teaching moment for her team that if they want to repeat as champions they need to play better and can't take it for granted. If UConn loses, it's solidifies ND position as the best team in the country. From the UConn side, if they win it will give great confidence to the team that they will be a major player in deciding the championship this season and if they lose, it was expected but now they see what they need to become better.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Alot of improvement. I really liked seeing everybody other then KLS and NC taking all the shots early. Everybody was involved. Defense was very very good. It was obvious that the coaching staff is trying to get the non starters alot of playtime so they're ready for March. ONO has alot of skills and potential. She also needs alot of playtime to be ready for March. She is gonna be a really really good post player. She has an outside shot, and good down low, has length, and can handle the ball well for a big. She needs work on not committing silly fouls.

CW is really good. She was more involved in the flow of the game. Very quick and some great moves. The defense looked really stifling in the first half. In the second half early on Depaul got open and made some easy layups however the defense picked up and the game was no contest. Something to look forward to on Sunday at ND.

Over all the team is improving and making stride especially on defense. ND will be an eye opener as it will expose some weaknesses for both teams. Both UConn and ND have short benches . Fouls will be a huge problem. Playing at ND could inflate that problem. As good as ND is on paper imo havent played up to their potential . I think they are beatable. We will see on Sunday.

@Tonyc---It is very very difficult to judge "improvement" from one team to another.
Olivia(ONO) shall be a good to better to great player before she graduates, she has to the potential. However, she's good with small/shorter teams, teams not as aggressive. St Johns gave her and the entire team a fit because they overplayed every possession and were overly physical. At some point this season opponents will use that as the norm to play Uconn.
Things that cannot be disputed is CW's points and aggressiveness nor that of Megan Walker those two show leaps from games to games.

I agree that ND is very beatable. When ND/UC play each team is beatable--that's a trademark of the series and I love it. I try to point to the overwhelmned Stewie at ND as a frosh only to become the reason for ND's defeat in the NC. I look forward to the latter type games from CW/MW this season.