UCONN/ND prediction: poetry in motion

[RadyLady]

(1)I think that ND is going to follow Stanford's blueprint and try to take KML out of the game, pack the paint, double down on Stewart and force UConn to beat them from the outside. (2) On offense I think that ND will spread the floor in a 4qtrs set and penetrate with either Allen or Loyd. Then they will have Reimer and Turner diving in for the pass or rebound. UConn has not yet proven it can defend the perimeter and I think that ND is going to try to exploit that. (3) Also as much as I hate ND IMHO there is not a better in game X's and O's coach as McGraw.

(1) that's a big recipe. Take out KML AND double down on Stewey. That leaves 3 UConn players (Tuck Nurse and MoJett) to be guarded by the two ND players left on the floor. All three can shoot the 3. With the scoring options we have for all 5 starters, I don't see them keeping that up for long, especially the shots are falling if the game is called tightly because likely they will foul.

(2) The defense has certainly stepped up noticeably, I wouldn't base any assumptions about UConn's defense based upon the Stanford game. teams are going to get their points, but the important thing is that UConn keeps the pressure on and shuts down the players that need to be silenced during the game. I don't believe that we will see the same team we saw at Maples, not at all.

(3) Have to disagree here. In last year's national championship game, McGraw could not x or 0 her way out of a blowout loss. In a close game, I would give the edge to Geno as far as coaching is concerned. However whatever he draws up has to be executed by the team, and the question then becomes 'has the UConn players learned how to close out a close game?' If the game is close, we will learn this.

 

[BigBird]

IMO this game will not be close...UCONN by 20+

Well, I share your enthusiasm, just not the estimate. How many posts had the Huskies beating Stanford by 15, 20, or more? ND is very tough anyway, but at home? Yes, if UConn brings their best game, they should win. But ND knows what we do, and what counter moves to make so that the best game never arrives. At times vs. Green Bay, UConn looked amazing. At way too many times against Stanford, they looked confused and disrupted, especially on defense. Which team will show up? Beats me.

 

[sawxfan23]

Wow. Sounds like a job application to work with Muffet.
Me thinks you have forgoten to figure in that Stanford game was quite a while ago.
OK, they take out KML, but there's the little things UConn has in Kia KILLER Nurse, MoJett, Stewie, Kiah HAMMER Stokes and Tuck. Oh yeah, Chong, Williams, Edwards, Lawlor, Pulido, Geno, Dailey, Shea and Moseley.
Muffet Tuffet can have her curds and wey. Oh yeah, you called them Xs and Os.....

Really? "AS MUCH AS I HATE ND" is what I prefaced my comment with is definitely an application. You got me. Stanford was all of 2 weeks ago, that is an eternity.

 

[Geno-ista]

IMO this game will not be close...UCONN by 20+

Someone started partying a bit early today! Nothing wrong with that!

 

[sawxfan23]

(1) that's a big recipe. Take out KML AND double down on Stewey. That leaves 3 UConn players (Tuck Nurse and MoJett) to be guarded by the two ND players left on the floor. All three can shoot the 3. With the scoring options we have for all 5 starters, I don't see them keeping that up for long, especially the shots are falling if the game is called tightly because likely they will foul.

(2) The defense has certainly stepped up noticeably, I wouldn't base any assumptions about UConn's defense based upon the Stanford game. teams are going to get their points, but the important thing is that UConn keeps the pressure on and shuts down the players that need to be silenced during the game. I don't believe that we will see the same team we saw at Maples, not at all.

(3) Have to disagree here. In last year's national championship game, McGraw could not x or 0 her way out of a blowout loss. In a close game, I would give the edge to Geno as far as coaching is concerned. However whatever he draws up has to be executed by the team, and the question then becomes 'has the UConn players learned how to close out a close game?' If the game is close, we will learn this.

1. That is not what I said. I said to double down on Stewart when she enters the post. If UConn shots perimeter jump shots all game then there is not a doubt in my mind that UConn will get beat.
2. The defense is getting better but is not even close to the defense of the past. Even in the Gulf Coast Tournament stopping the oppoenents guards fronm penetrating has been a problem. It was covered up in large part by the inability of those lesser teams to make shots but I agree it has been getting better but I don't think it is good enough just yet.
3. Coach McGraw (WHO I ABSOLUTLY DESPISE) is a great in game X's and O's coach an honestly has won at least 3 games against UConn by coaching. Last year ND got EVERY shot they wanted against UConn they just didn't make them. Not that that would have made a difference because UConn was by far the best team in the country last year. Talent not coaching won last years NC.

Listen, do I hope UConn will win? Of course I do! I am a diehard UConn fan but I also have watched ND repeatedly and they are a very good team.

 

[JFC613]

1. That is not what I said. I said to double down on Stewart when she enters the post. If UConn shots perimeter jump shots all game then there is not a doubt in my mind that UConn will get beat.
2. The defense is getting better but is not even close to the defense of the past. Even in the Gulf Coast Tournament stopping the oppoenents guards fronm penetrating has been a problem. It was covered up in large part by the inability of those lesser teams to make shots but I agree it has been getting better but I don't think it is good enough just yet.
3. Coach McGraw (WHO I ABSOLUTLY DESPISE) is a great in game X's and O's coach an honestly has won at least 3 games against UConn by coaching. Last year ND got EVERY shot they wanted against UConn they just didn't make them. Not that that would have made a difference because UConn was by far the best team in the country last year. Talent not coaching won last years NC.

Listen, do I hope UConn will win? Of course I do! I am a diehard UConn fan but I also have watched ND repeatedly and they are a very good team.

I like your analysis and honest appraisal. I too hate 'Muppet' also, but I do agree that as far as X's & O's she's a good coach. I've been concerned about our guys over the years in close games as we've seemed to buckle in too many. And, most of those have been against, you guessed it, 'Muppet' and her crew. So, we'll see if we've matured and can muster up the tenacity we had in the second half against GB? In any event it will be a great test again for us early in the season. I believe Geno will have them ready. The raucous atmosphere in Stanford has them with a good feel for what their in store for.......Go Huskies!!

 

[Geno-ista]

I think we are headed into ND in a pretty hood place mentally and physically. I'm feeling an 8 pt game-.UConn 77-ND 71. Not sure their young talent is ready yet for this game either. Home court is a huge advantage. Could be closer but I think we win.

 

[RadyLady]

1. That is not what I said. I said to double down on Stewart when she enters the post. If UConn shots perimeter jump shots all game then there is not a doubt in my mind that UConn will get beat.
2. The defense is getting better but is not even close to the defense of the past. Even in the Gulf Coast Tournament stopping the oppoenents guards fronm penetrating has been a problem. It was covered up in large part by the inability of those lesser teams to make shots but I agree it has been getting better but I don't think it is good enough just yet.
3. Coach McGraw (WHO I ABSOLUTLY DESPISE) is a great in game X's and O's coach an honestly has won at least 3 games against UConn by coaching. Last year ND got EVERY shot they wanted against UConn they just didn't make them. Not that that would have made a difference because UConn was by far the best team in the country last year. Talent not coaching won last years NC.

Listen, do I hope UConn will win? Of course I do! I am a diehard UConn fan but I also have watched ND repeatedly and they are a very good team.

(1) I read this as otherwise. And I disagree.
(2) Game time should be interesting
(3) Agree to disagree

 

[RadyLady]

I like your analysis and honest appraisal. I too hate 'Muppet' also, but I do agree that as far as X's & O's she's a good coach. I've been concerned about our guys over the years in close games as we've seemed to buckle in too many. And, most of those have been against, you guessed it, 'Muppet' and her crew. So, we'll see if we've matured and can muster up the tenacity we had in the second half against GB? In any event it will be a great test again for us early in the season. I believe Geno will have them ready. The raucous atmosphere in Stanford has them with a good feel for what their in store for..Go Huskies!!

And I would ask if it is the X and O of Geno or the execution thereof. I understand that this is a chess game of sorts, yet poor execution can nullify the best laid plays. Not prepared to give this to McGraw.

 

[HoopsFan21]

1. That is not what I said. I said to double down on Stewart when she enters the post. If UConn shots perimeter jump shots all game then there is not a doubt in my mind that UConn will get beat.
2. The defense is getting better but is not even close to the defense of the past. Even in the Gulf Coast Tournament stopping the oppoenents guards fronm penetrating has been a problem. It was covered up in large part by the inability of those lesser teams to make shots but I agree it has been getting better but I don't think it is good enough just yet.
3. Coach McGraw (WHO I ABSOLUTLY DESPISE) is a great in game X's and O's coach an honestly has won at least 3 games against UConn by coaching. Last year ND got EVERY shot they wanted against UConn they just didn't make them. Not that that would have made a difference because UConn was by far the best team in the country last year. Talent not coaching won last years NC.

Listen, do I hope UConn will win? Of course I do! I am a diehard UConn fan but I also have watched ND repeatedly and they are a very good team.

Muffet is a great in-game Xs and Os coach. I don't like her smirking attitude and she looks like she could start stomping on the side lines any moment, but I will give her credit where it is due. How quickly some forget how many times she coached her team to a victory over UConn. What was it 4 or 5 wins between the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons? How many close games has UConn won in the last decade? How many OT games? If it's close, and given that it's on the road, you have to give the edge to ND.

 

[Ouremblem]

Me thinks it all depends on Stewie. Will she rise?

Muffet is a great in-game Xs and Os coach. I don't like her smirking attitude and she looks like she could start stomping on the side lines any moment, but I will give her credit where it is due. How quickly some forget how many times she coached her team to a victory over UConn. What was it 4 or 5 wins between the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons? How many close games has UConn won in the last decade? How many OT games? If it's close, and given that it's on the road, you have to give the edge to ND.

My question is we're up by 3 with 10 seconds left. What will Geno do if ND has the ball? Will he foul? Or will he put Breanna at the head of the key to intimidate the ball handler and let them launch a prayer over her? My only concern is Breanna could jump straight up and still get the foul call.

 

[watanabe]

Pooh on ND. My moneys on the Huskies.

 

[Geno-ista]

Muffet is a great in-game Xs and Os coach. I don't like her smirking attitude and she looks like she could start stomping on the side lines any moment, but I will give her credit where it is due. How quickly some forget how many times she coached her team to a victory over UConn. What was it 4 or 5 wins between the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons? How many close games has UConn won in the last decade? How many OT games? If it's close, and given that it's on the road, you have to give the edge to ND.

HoopsFan- I don't accept your premis about ND beating us in close games because we crack or they are better coached . My feeling is that the years we were getting beat by ND the pre Stewie years, ND had better guards, a more veteran team, a deeper team and they were just a better team those years. I've been saying this for a long time. And when Geno was asked by Kara Lawson in Nashville after #9, how he has been able to go undefeated in championship finals, geno said, because he always went in with the better team. Maybe once he thought he won without the best team. When Stewie became Stewie late her freshman season, and we were a better team, we crushed them. ND always had the best guards.

 

[HoopsFan21]

HoopsFan- I don't accept your premis about ND beating us in close games because we crack or they are better coached . My feeling is that the years we were getting beat by ND the pre Stewie years, ND had better guards, a more veteran team, a deeper team and they were just a better team those years. I've been saying this for a long time. And when Geno was asked by Kara Lawson in Nashville after #9, how he has been able to go undefeated in championship finals, geno said, because he always went in with the better team. Maybe once he thought he won without the best team. When Stewie became Stewie late her freshman season, and we were a better team, we crushed them. ND always had the best guards.

Perhaps. But the other close losses bug me enough to realize it's more than just a question of talent when it comes down to the wire like that. Believe me, no one is more thankful than I am that it rarely does, but do you think Stanford has the better team? UConn's 0-5 in its last OT games. I don't think UConn's record is much better in games decided by <10 points. The Baylor game several years ago was the only one I can think of that was close that they pulled out. I think one of the horde tweeted out the stats after the Stanford game. My belief is the players just aren't ready for those situations, and there's not much room to direct blame except at the coaching staff for having an unprepared team. They may be great if they ever find themselves down 10 with a minute left and having to play against 8 players, but figuring out how to burn clock or effectively inbound the ball because if you don't you will lose? Not so much. Also, whenever they call time out with :20 left in the first half to draw up a play, it looks like a middle school team out there when it comes to executing it. To my amateur eyes, it seems like they just aren't comfortable with final play of the half/game "execute or lose" type situations, and it has been this way for a while no matter what combination of 5 players they've trotted out there.

 

[Geno-ista]

It is hard to explain. They better improve this year , because I think they will have a lot of these types of games this season and leading up to the championship game.

 

[itsasport]

I watched the first half of the ND-Kansas game. While the outcome was still in question, ND's entire offense was from Loyd, Allen and Mabry. None of them can be left open for 3's. The first two were only 1-1 each. It was Mabry who went 5-7. The good news is that she is the easiest to guard. They also used screens very effectively. Kansas too often went under the screen and it cost them. The guards were also the most active defensively. they repeatedly double-teamed the Kansas guards, who, being freshmen, did not seem to see it coming and did not pass to an open teammate.

ND's real weakness both offensively and defensively is in the 4 and 5 positions. Neither Reimer or Turner are strong offensive players. They took only 10 shots combined in the whole game and almost none in the first half. They also do not play big or strong defensively. I think that the heavy pressure on the Kansas guards was partly to prevent them from passing it into the front court, particularly to Gardner, who went 7-15.

ND is going to clog the inside. Stewie and Tuck should be constantly moving from the post to the 3-point line for open shots, and if they're followed out by Reimer or Turner, etc. to drive past them. This would be a great time for Tuck to have a break-out game from behind the arc. This is a game in which Kiah should be a big help. She is a better rebounder then anyone on ND and she could disrupt their guard penetration. She could even score some points.

When Kansas got the ball to to a player near the basket, ND sent a player in to help, and the Kansas guards got open shots, they just didn't make enough of them. If KML, Nurse and Mo can hit threes, ND is cooked.

UConn's A game will beat ND's A game. The difference, like in the Championship, will be the bigs, even without the lady with the green hair.

 

[sawxfan23]

ND's real weakness both offensively and defensively is in the 4 and 5 positions. Neither Reimer or Turner are strong offensive players. They took only 10 shots combined in the whole game and almost none in the first half.

You do realize that Turner is their 2nd leading scorer at 15 ppg, averages just under 2 blks and 2 steals per game and is one of the best posts in the country right? Reimer while not being as good as Turner also averages 9 pts and 7 rebs and is a very solid player in the post.

 

[DavidK]

All I see is Notre Dame knows us well and that's an atvantage for them.

We know them just as well as they know us, and just like Bria and Steph, they graduated McBride and Achonwa.

And I know I can't confirm or deny it but I believe KML was sick at Stanford and shutting her down isn't as easy as saying it.

Geno isn't to bad at shutting down/limiting a teams best player either himself. Last I checked also Loyd shot 27% in the NC game and only had 13 points, and that was with a large focus on McBride.

Uconn wins 77-61, Nurse puts on a show and steps into the national spotlight.

 

[MilfordHusky]

My biggest concern is the officiating, especially phantom calls on us. That said, we need to be mentally tough and need at least 3-4 players to have good games. Kaleena and Stewie are the keys. If they both struggle, everyone else needs their A+ games. I really want to see Kiah shut down the lane.

 

[watanabe]

All I see is Notre Dame knows us well... ...Nurse puts on a show and steps into the national spotlight.

Yeah baby! Also would add: Nurse leads the team to unrestricted scoring and stifling defense allowing ND only 34 points.

 

[BigBird]

My biggest concern is the officiating, especially phantom calls on us.

I am almost afraid to ask, but why does it seem that officiating, both phantom calls and otherwise tends to play a bigger than average role in games played at ND?

 

[Tonyc]

All this worry about ND. Hey they lost Baker and McBride, they struggled their last game. Tonites game will show me how good NDs defense is. I think ND on paper should win by a lot. When it comes to UConn were pretty good right now compared to every body else. No we are not last years team and we are not last years defensive team but what team is. ND isn't as good as they were last year either. Duke lost 5 seniors, Stanford lost Chiney. SC brought everybody back and theyre good. I know this. Geno made some adjustments with this team and we look really good executing. We have good balance from all 5 spots. Its gonna take a lot to slow us down. We know ND will try to stop KML and Stewie. Everybody else will step it up. UConn by double digits. As far as phantom calls at ND. That's just the way it is. It used to be that way at Tenn when we played down there too. I think the refs will make the difference in this game and we wont see as many phantom calls.

 

[Shenandoah]

My biggest concern is whether Kiah Stokes starts to play the kind of game that we all feel she is capable of. It must drive Geno CRAZY when she misses layup after layup. She has shown in the past that she has the kind of makeup to be a difference maker. Geno has said that she consistently hits the 12-15 ft. jumper in practice. She had to show some consistency. Saturday would be a good place to start. If she gets 10-12 points, 10 boards, and 5+ blocks, UConn wins by double digits.

 

[pvdoggy]

My biggest concern is whether Kiah Stokes .... If she gets 10-12 points, 10 boards, and 5+ blocks, UConn wins by double digits.

You don't ask for much, do you ? She won't be on the floor enough to get that kind of stat line.

 

[Shenandoah]

What Kiah does when she is on her game, at least defensively, is to discourage opponents from driving the lane with no fear. Our guards have shown that they are fully capable of being blown by for layups. Kiah stops that. If, as you say, pvdoggy, she isn't in there long enough to get a 10-10-5 stat line, look for Jewel Lloyd to go off for 25, and ND winning. JMO...