doggydaddy
Grampysorus Rex
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 6,008
- Reaction Score
- 8,970
Overview – UConn dominated ND at times last year, winning the series 3-1. Of course the loss was pretty painful. You can make some conclusions based on those results, but I would throw most of that out in this years first match-up. Coming into this game, UConn has been a little inconsistent offensively since the Baylor loss while ND has been on cruise control the last 4 games winning by an average of 60+ points. It will be a game of who can impose their will on the other. Can UConn pressure ND into mistakes? Will ND continue to be able to turn over their opponent with their quick hands? Who will get hot from the outside? It will be an intense game. Can't wait.
Players lost – Uconn – Moore and Dixon. ND- Bruszewski.
UConn has lost more than ND from last years club, but "Bruiser" was the physical and emotional leader for ND.
Figuring out who should match up with who was not easy. Both teams play 4 guards and I took a logical guess at the match-ups. I'm sure that this will not align with what we will see throughout the game, but it's the best I could do.
PG – Doty 5’10” (6.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.2 apg) vs Diggins 5’9” (16.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.8 apg)
Doty is still knocking off the rust. I've seen snippets of the old Doty, but not enough to make me believe she is as good as she will be by tournament time. Diggins is just a great player but not the nightmare for Doty that Sims was. Where Sims is like heavy metal, Diggins is like smooth jazz. Controlled improvisation. But her hands are like a cobra and Doty will have to be extra careful with the ball.
Advantage ND
SG – Hartley 5’9” (14.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.5 apg) vs Novosel 5’11” (15.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Hartley continues to show everyone that she is the most competitive players on the team. She relishes games like this and Saturday will be no exception. I expect she will play a terrific game and hit several clutch shows. On the other side, I could type almost the exact same thing. Novosel is just a great player. She hits clutch shots (see Duke this year) and is like a free safety in how she plays defense. I would call it Faris-esque.
Even
SF – Hayes 5’10” (14.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.7 apg) vs Mallory 5’10" (5.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Hayes is still playing at a high level and even when her shot is off, contributing in many ways. Her quickness will give Mallory, or whoever is defending, her fits. Mallory is all grit. Not the quickest player, she uses her smarts and great positioning to play defense. Hayes will have to look out for charging fouls. Mallory can get hot from beyond the arc, so Hayes will have to pay attention and not leave her open looks.
Advantage UConn
PF – Faris 5’11” (6.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.5 apg) vs McBride 5’11” (12.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Faris continues to show game after game that she is the most important player on the team. Coming off one of her best games (although she was unhappy after the game) Faris has her work cut out for her with McBride. One of the most improved players in the country, she is very athletic and a reallllll smart player. If this is the matchup, it will be a doozy. Still sticking with Faris in this matchup.
Advantage UConn
C – Dolson 6’5” (9.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.8 apg) vs Peters 6’2” (10.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Dolson is still struggling. She is working hard, but seems out of sorts. I'm hopeful that Dolson can draw on her two terrific performances last year against ND and break out. Peters is also struggling at times. She has fouled out in 2 games and has always been an inconsistent performer. But at home with a crazy crowd, I expect a terrific performance from Peters. Dolson has had the better games in 2 of the games last year while Peters was better in the other two including the championship game. At this point and time, Peters is playing better.
Advantage ND
Bench – Uconn - Lewis 6’ ( 15.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.9 apg), Stokes 6’3” (4.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, .5 apg), Banks, 5’9” (4.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.4 apg), Buck (3.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, .9 apg)
vs
ND - Achonwa 6’3” (8.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 apg), Wright 6’2" (6.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.6 apg), Miller 5'11 (3.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Total stats off the bench – Uconn – 27.6, 14.7, 4.7. ND – 18.1, 11.5, 4.6
As I said before, anytime you have a player like Lewis coming off your bench you have an advantage. Achowa is a solid post player and WILL have an impact in this game.
Advantage UConn
Coach – Geno Auriemma vs Muffet McGraw
Geno is Geno and he has the advantage over everyone. But McGraw is a heck of a coach, and will do a great job in this game in both preparation and in-game adjustments. I just hope Muffet wears her leather skirt.
Advantage UConn (slim margin)
Intangibles – Home court makes a difference for sure but this is not the only intangible advantage. The confidence gained from finally beating UConn cannot be minimized.
Advantage ND
Final analysis – This is going to be a lot of fun. Like the Baylor game, the kind of game that makes my stomach turn inside/out. Even more so being such a familiar opponent. UConn has to value the ball. ND leads the country in steals at 16.3 a game. ND also has three dangerous 3 point shooters and knows how to move the ball around to get that open look. UConn is just so quick and this could cause ND some big time trouble.
While ND is so dangerous on defense with their steals, they don't play the on-the-ball and in-your-face defense and can allow more points to the better offensive teams. Like the immovable object facing the irresistible force, ND draws a lot of fouls but UConn doesn't foul a lot. On top of that, ND fouls a lot but UConn doesn't draw that many fouls.
Final prediction – Tough to go against ND in this environment. They play so well together and at home they are even that much better. UConn certainly has the ability to win this game, so I wouldn't be shocked to see them pull it out. Should be a close game with the Irish squeaking one out.
Players lost – Uconn – Moore and Dixon. ND- Bruszewski.
UConn has lost more than ND from last years club, but "Bruiser" was the physical and emotional leader for ND.
Figuring out who should match up with who was not easy. Both teams play 4 guards and I took a logical guess at the match-ups. I'm sure that this will not align with what we will see throughout the game, but it's the best I could do.
PG – Doty 5’10” (6.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.2 apg) vs Diggins 5’9” (16.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.8 apg)
Doty is still knocking off the rust. I've seen snippets of the old Doty, but not enough to make me believe she is as good as she will be by tournament time. Diggins is just a great player but not the nightmare for Doty that Sims was. Where Sims is like heavy metal, Diggins is like smooth jazz. Controlled improvisation. But her hands are like a cobra and Doty will have to be extra careful with the ball.
Advantage ND
SG – Hartley 5’9” (14.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.5 apg) vs Novosel 5’11” (15.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Hartley continues to show everyone that she is the most competitive players on the team. She relishes games like this and Saturday will be no exception. I expect she will play a terrific game and hit several clutch shows. On the other side, I could type almost the exact same thing. Novosel is just a great player. She hits clutch shots (see Duke this year) and is like a free safety in how she plays defense. I would call it Faris-esque.
Even
SF – Hayes 5’10” (14.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.7 apg) vs Mallory 5’10" (5.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Hayes is still playing at a high level and even when her shot is off, contributing in many ways. Her quickness will give Mallory, or whoever is defending, her fits. Mallory is all grit. Not the quickest player, she uses her smarts and great positioning to play defense. Hayes will have to look out for charging fouls. Mallory can get hot from beyond the arc, so Hayes will have to pay attention and not leave her open looks.
Advantage UConn
PF – Faris 5’11” (6.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.5 apg) vs McBride 5’11” (12.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Faris continues to show game after game that she is the most important player on the team. Coming off one of her best games (although she was unhappy after the game) Faris has her work cut out for her with McBride. One of the most improved players in the country, she is very athletic and a reallllll smart player. If this is the matchup, it will be a doozy. Still sticking with Faris in this matchup.
Advantage UConn
C – Dolson 6’5” (9.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.8 apg) vs Peters 6’2” (10.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Dolson is still struggling. She is working hard, but seems out of sorts. I'm hopeful that Dolson can draw on her two terrific performances last year against ND and break out. Peters is also struggling at times. She has fouled out in 2 games and has always been an inconsistent performer. But at home with a crazy crowd, I expect a terrific performance from Peters. Dolson has had the better games in 2 of the games last year while Peters was better in the other two including the championship game. At this point and time, Peters is playing better.
Advantage ND
Bench – Uconn - Lewis 6’ ( 15.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.9 apg), Stokes 6’3” (4.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, .5 apg), Banks, 5’9” (4.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.4 apg), Buck (3.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, .9 apg)
vs
ND - Achonwa 6’3” (8.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 apg), Wright 6’2" (6.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.6 apg), Miller 5'11 (3.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Total stats off the bench – Uconn – 27.6, 14.7, 4.7. ND – 18.1, 11.5, 4.6
As I said before, anytime you have a player like Lewis coming off your bench you have an advantage. Achowa is a solid post player and WILL have an impact in this game.
Advantage UConn
Coach – Geno Auriemma vs Muffet McGraw
Geno is Geno and he has the advantage over everyone. But McGraw is a heck of a coach, and will do a great job in this game in both preparation and in-game adjustments. I just hope Muffet wears her leather skirt.
Advantage UConn (slim margin)
Intangibles – Home court makes a difference for sure but this is not the only intangible advantage. The confidence gained from finally beating UConn cannot be minimized.
Advantage ND
Final analysis – This is going to be a lot of fun. Like the Baylor game, the kind of game that makes my stomach turn inside/out. Even more so being such a familiar opponent. UConn has to value the ball. ND leads the country in steals at 16.3 a game. ND also has three dangerous 3 point shooters and knows how to move the ball around to get that open look. UConn is just so quick and this could cause ND some big time trouble.
While ND is so dangerous on defense with their steals, they don't play the on-the-ball and in-your-face defense and can allow more points to the better offensive teams. Like the immovable object facing the irresistible force, ND draws a lot of fouls but UConn doesn't foul a lot. On top of that, ND fouls a lot but UConn doesn't draw that many fouls.
Final prediction – Tough to go against ND in this environment. They play so well together and at home they are even that much better. UConn certainly has the ability to win this game, so I wouldn't be shocked to see them pull it out. Should be a close game with the Irish squeaking one out.
Thank God the game is not played on paper. The place will be a madhouse. Pieces to our puzzle will have to fall into place while shaking ND's puzzle up! More re Nd's pieces.
