The YTD, as I see it...

[Huskies Rule]

So where is the team at now? I will put aside the Stanford anomaly- our defense simply was not ready to play at the level they are at now. Whether attributable to early-season inexperience with new teammates (team chemistry), understanding and executing the system- whatever- the defense in Palo Alto was poor. We allowed Stanford to shoot 49% from the floor and 50% from the three- both uncharacteristically and unacceptably high. We gave up 77 points in regulation- 13 more than in any other game this year. Most game stats, other than defensive numbers, were comparable.

- What has stood out to me in the other significant games thus far this season is the team's ability to adjust and to handle every opponent, regardless of size and varying skill sets. (size pertaining to frontcourt players).


- vs. Vanderbilt: A quality team with good all-around skills but with average size(6'1,6'1,6'3) and avg. quickness.
Though we were oddly outrebounded (36-32), We held Vandy to 37% field goals, recorded 14 steals, 10 blocks,
and turned them over 24 times. All solid numbers. And 91-52- solid retribution for the Mo'ne Davis crap.

- vs. Green Bay: A team with a similar skill set and size (6',6'1,6'2) to Vandy. but much improved board work
(42-26), held GB to 33% shooting, creating 9 steals. 89-53- another very good defensive effort.

- vs. Notre Dame: Ranked #2, with outstanding, quick guard play and average size (6'1,6'2,6'3). Our defense
is outstanding, holding ND to a season-low 31% field goal percentage, a season-low 58 points- 29 points
below its season average of 87 pts. and controlling the boards 52-34 (shades of last year's NC game). And
coming back from a first-half 10 point deficit, at ND, showed great character and poise. 76-58.

vs. DePaul: Ranked #25, with little size, guard-oriented run and gun team. Averaged 90 points per game,
scored 93 against ND, held to 64 pts. UConn had incredible 28 assists, sharing the ball beautifully. held
DePaul to 35% fgp and 22% on threes (6 of 27). 98-64

vs. UCLA: A very young but very athletic squad with very good size (6'3,6'3,6'4) and 2 very talented,
quick but inexperienced freshmen guards (Hoopgurlz #4, #19). Rebounds equal, but 10-1 blocked shot
margin, created 21 turnovers and defense held UCLA to 32% shooting from the field. 86-50, UConn
team defense continues to shut down opponents.

vs. Duke: Ranked #8, with incredible height (6'5,6'3, 6'4 and an equally tall bench) but below average
guard play. Duke had the greatest team rebound margin in NCAA, better than plus 21, while they
averaged 53 rebounds per game. UConn outrebounded Duke 38-32, had more blocked shots 7-2
(Duke had averaged 7 blocks per game), out-assisted Duke 20-11, and turned them over 22 times.
UConn held them to a woeful 32% field goal % and a total of 52 points, 26 below their season's avg.
83-52, defense just getting better and better.

---- What does it all mean? That we have an excellent offensive team, but that in games when the
offense might not be clicking on all cylinders, our extraordinary defense (as JPMcCallie put it-
UConn works so hard, they're relentless, they make all the hustle plays) will, I believe, be the
difference between winning or losing. My favorite stat- after wins- is points given up, and this
team is just getting better and better at it. On the offensive side, the scoring balance, distributed
between so many players, is outstanding and makes for a stronger UConn.

In the Stanford defeat, UConn was outrebounded 41-37, while most other stats were very much
comparable. However, the one statistic that stood out for me was Stanford shooting field goals
at 49% and three-pointers at 50%. Neither before nor after that game has an opponent shot so
efficiently. I believe this to be the result of early season jitters, a lack of familiarity with new team-
mates, not yet gelling and understanding the defensive schemes and the tendencies of a new
nucleus of players. But I think the Stanford loss was a really really good thing, that the team
learned a ton and grew a ton as a result.

Continued hard work will continue to yield excellent results. And defense will win the NC.
Individual stats meaningless, but gotta say Moriah is becoming a little beast !!

This season? So Far, So Good !!

(Holy mackerel, I've become an EricSanDiego wannabe) My apologies, E.

 

[meyers7]

Year to date? We haven't even played this year?????

 

[BigBird]

What impressed me about the Stanford game is hard to describe statistically. The UConn defense, time and time again, failed to stop the ball in the forecourt. It seemed that our perimeter defenders were tired, slow, confused, afraid, or some combination of these. Stanford players drove around them like our defenders were junkyard cars.

Not now. The Husky defense looks good and getting better with each game.

 

[meyers7]

What impressed me about the Stanford game is hard to describe statistically. The UConn defense, time and time again, failed to stop the ball in the forecourt. It seemed that our perimeter defenders were tired, slow, confused, afraid, or some combination of these. Stanford players drove around them like our defenders were junkyard cars.

Not now. The Husky defense looks good and getting better with each game.

Our defense isn't necessarily about great 1v1 defenders, though we've had a few. (and have a couple now). But rather it's been predicated on great "team" defense. So they more they play together, the more they gel, the better the communication gets, the better it's going to look. And I agree, I think we see that happening.

 

[Zorro]

Year to date? We haven't even played this year?????

You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can't fool Meyers!

 

[msf22b]

I agree about the D.
Except that as in all things with regard this team, the potential for extraordinary excellence on D is apparent.