Stanford Match-ups

[msf22b]

I don't know if I've seen mention of the match-up issue with regard to Stanford's front-court height.
At the Tennesse game they started three fowards at 6' 3' (Chiney, Tinkle, Ruft) and 2 guards.

We started essentially 4 guards and and a full-sized center.

Do the match-ups work or does Geno start Stewie?

 

[Icebear]

Whether Geno starts her or not will be seen but she will get plenty of time just like the last two games where she has done very well coming of the bench with 48 points. The team has, also, started well with Caroline starting at PG and it seems to have helped to get Bria more comfortably into her game, as well. Match ups go both ways and those Stanford bigs have to stay with our smaller and much faster guards.

 

[hoopingcrane]

I don't know if I've seen mention of the match-up issue with regard to Stanford's front-court height.
At the Tennesse game they started three fowards at 6' 3' (Chiney, Tinkle, Ruft) and 2 guards.

We started essentially 4 guards and and a full-sized center.

Do the match-ups work or does Geno start Stewie?

How do the match-ups work for Stanford? If Kelly hits a couple of outside shots, doe Chiney come out to play her? On balance, I think Breanna comes off the bench.

 

[Husky68]

Ruef will have tough time guarding KML. CO on her, not sure would want to do that. Lot of subbing for Ruef with Greenfield another big. I'd put Koenis on KML and let Ruef guard Doty and CO on Faris; when Stewart comes in put CO on her and Ruef goes to Faris.
Way to disrupt KML is have someone on her where ever she goes, like the chick on ND, hand check and hold as much as refs allow. Stopping KML is key to slowing down Uconn (may not work, but I'd start there).
Uconn shoots well, game should not be close. Trees need sub 40% shooting and lot of scrums.

 

[dtbtbtb]

I see the matchup with Stanford a bit problematic on Defense as they don’t play with a traditional Center so it leaves Dolson to guard CO which will not happen as Ferris will get this "pleasure") or Tinkle who is roaming away from the basket and is a good 3 pt shooter. This is a kind of game which would have been real good for Stokes to play a lot of minutes...oh well...On Offense it could be interesting and as Tara likes to leave one of UConn's players open and double on others I think that Doty and or Kelly will have to hit outside shots for this game to go UConn's way. IMO Stanford will do everything to limit the touches of Dolson, Bria and KML

 

[Jonathan Husky]

I see the matchup with Stanford a bit problematic on Defense as they don’t play with a traditional Center so it leaves Dolson to guard CO which will not happen as Ferris will get this "pleasure") or Tinkle who is roaming away from the basket and is a good 3 pt shooter. This is a kind of game which would have been real good for Stokes to play a lot of minutes...oh well...On Offense it could be interesting and as Tara likes to leave one of UConn's players open and double on others I think that Doty and or Kelly will have to hit outside shots for this game to go UConn's way. IMO Stanford will do everything to limit the touches of Dolson, Bria and KML

She will also have to limit touches of Breanna, who assuming no foul trouble will
get as many minutes as Dolson, Bria and KLM. That means she will have to leave Kelly open. Good strategy last year but not this year. Kelly's 3 point % is the highest on the team. I don't expect Doty to play much more than 12-15 minutes. Banks and Jefferson will get more minutes than her at the guard positions.

 

[Icebear]

She will also have to limit touches of Breanna, who assuming no foul trouble will
get as many minutes as Dolson, Bria and KLM. That means she will have to leave Kelly open. Good strategy last year but not this year. Kelly's 3 point % is the highest on the team. I don't expect Doty to play much more than 12-15 minutes. Banks and Jefferson will get more minutes than her at the guard positions.

Banks yes, Jefferson, no.

 

[doggydaddy]

Tinkle who is roaming away from the basket and is a good 3 pt shooter.

She shoots 28.6%, 10 for 35.

 

[doggydaddy]

Hey Cardfan, help me out.

If you had to label Ogwumike, Ruef and Tinkle as the center, power forward and small forward, how would you do it?

Thanks!

 

[OneTrickPony]

Whether Geno starts her or not will be seen but she will get plenty of time just like the last two games where she has done very well coming of the bench with 48 points. The team has, also, started well with Caroline starting at PG and it seems to have helped to get Bria more comfortably into her game, as well. Match ups go both ways and those Stanford bigs have to stay with our smaller and much faster guards.

I agree...the big Stanford wings will have a lot of trouble with the Killer K's...Kaleena and Kelly...and when Breanna plays their problems just multiply. I'm less worried about Ruef and Tinkle than I am about Taylor Greenfield...she is a real threat from the outside and must not be allowed to set and shoot.

Amber Orrange looked really good, too...interesting to see how our guards handle her...

 

[Tonyc]

If I remember correctly Stef and Maya had foul trouble the last time we played at Stanford. If we stay out of foul trouble I think UConn has a confortable double diget lead. If the treys are falling its over early. IMO the only way this game is close if UConn is in foul trouble and UConn is not a team that usually gets into foul trouble. I really dont see UConn losing this game. Because of our history at Maples I cant make a prediction on the score.

 

[OneTrickPony]

If I remember correctly Stef and Maya had foul trouble the last time we played at Stanford. If we stay out of foul trouble I think UConn has a confortable double diget lead. If the treys are falling its over early. IMO the only way this game is close if UConn is in foul trouble and UConn is not a team that usually gets into foul trouble. I really dont see UConn losing this game. Because of our history at Maples I cant make a prediction on the score.

My memory of Maya's last game there was that she was mugged all over the court by Chiney with no fouls called. I'm sure I'm not completely objective about that, but the combination of Chiney's bodying up Maya with no fouls, and but Stef getting a lot of calls against her effectively neutralized our game plan with our short rotation.

Stef is in much better shape this year, and shouldn't pick up the same fatigue fouls she got two years ago. It will be interesting to see if they use the same defense against Kaleena as they did with Maya...with all 6'-3" players to put on her, it should be interesting.

Any word on Morgan and Kiah?

 

[msf22b]

They're home, how can we know? (oh, I suppose somebody knows).

 

[Jonathan Husky]

Banks yes, Jefferson, no.

You are probably right Ice, unless Geno decides to press a lot.

 

[Scotter]

Geno's hand was almost forced when it came to moving Breanna to the bench. With both Kiah and Morgan injured moving Breanna to the bench made a lot more sense than starting the only two healthy post players in the regular rotation. I think the only way Breanna starts against Stanford is if Kiah is really ready to play, which may be unlikely at least from the sound of the last statements about her injury. Until Kiah is back as a backup at center for Stef I expect Breanna to come off the bench.

If and when Morgan and Kiah are both fully healthy then I do expect Breanna to return to the starting lineup. It is just too hard to get all four post players appropriate playing time if 3 of the 4 are starting each half on the bench.

 

[Patrick Lilly]

I'm not so sure about UConn running away with this game. If I were Tara, I'd put Chiney on Breanna. Stewie has not demonstrated that she can handle that type of defense without getting into foul trouble herself. When she is on the bench, our offense is less productive. I hope Morgan can play; we will need her and I hope Stewie steps up big time.

 

[speedoo]

I'm not so sure about UConn running away with this game. If I were Tara, I'd put Chiney on Breanna. Stewie has not demonstrated that she can handle that type of defense without getting into foul trouble herself. When she is on the bench, our offense is less productive. I hope Morgan can play; we will need her and I hope Stewie steps up big time.

I hope Tara does have CO guard Stewart, because she would in effect be using her best player by far as a potential sacrificial lamb to foul Stewart and possibly foul out.

People seem to forget that CO did foul out late in the game two years ago at Maples after aggressively going after Maya all game long. It was good strategy then, because Stanford still had Nneka to allow Stanford to hold on for the win. Sacrificing Chiney to harass Maya was a no brainer two years ago, but it would be a bad strategy this year.

 

[doggydaddy]

I'm not so sure about UConn running away with this game. If I were Tara, I'd put Chiney on Breanna. Stewie has not demonstrated that she can handle that type of defense without getting into foul trouble herself.

Stewart had 2 fouls against Maryland and 1 against Penn State. What games are you talking about that might constitue a trend?

 

[Tonyc]

This is a big game. I expect the adreniline to be flowing. In big time players, when the pressure is on they perform. We saw that in Hartley againest Baylor her freshman year, we saw that in KML last season and IMO we will see that from Breanna at Stanford.

For those who like to compare the biggest difference in this game for UConn as compared to the MD and Penn St games which UConn won by 15 is Bria and KML are 100%. This will allow Kelly and Breanna better looks. If Tuck and Stokes are healthly and can play this could get ugly.

In most games this season UConn opponets have found it hard to get inside on UConn. I dont think this game will be any different. We are too tall and defend inside to well. UConn has alot of scorers which in unique when comparing UConn to other teams. Uconn has 10 players who can shoot the trey effectively. Bria and KML are almost automatic from the outside. KML now has an inside game. Breanna is gonna get her points because shes that type of player. I expect UConn to keep Chiney away from the glass and doubled up. This will force Stanford to take outside shots.

 

[easttexastrash]

I hope Tara does have CO guard Stewart, because she would in effect be using her best player by far as a potential sacrificial lamb to foul Stewart and possibly foul out.

People seem to forget that CO did foul out late in the game two years ago at Maples after aggressively going after Maya all game long. It was good strategy then, because Stanford still had Nneka to allow Stanford to hold on for the win. Sacrificing Chiney to harass Maya was a no brainer two years ago, but it would be a bad strategy this year.

When she was a freshman? She was very good against Griner this year; she's hardly the same player that she was two years ago. And a freshman Stewart is not close to a senior Moore.