UConn Stanford thoughts

[Tonyc]

This will be a very good game with UConn winning by 8. The difference will be turnovers and rebounds. The Paige and Azzi show will draw alot of attention as will the Hull and Jones show. Contain them and you win. I dont think Paige and Azzi can be stopped but they may be slowed down. With all this talk about Stanford bigs, I would like to see UConn slow Hull and Jones down. They are good rebounding guards. Hey right now UConn is peeking and on a roll. They have been tested during the tournament like no other team has been tested and they've come through. The loss of Dorka means we can not get into early foul trouble. We need our bigs to play like they did in the overtime, which was dont foul.

I know some fans are nervous and concerned about this game and rightfully so. Just remember we have Paige and Azzi. There are alot of really good players playing this weekend but the biggest difference is Paige and Azzi have the will to win and they can make it happen. With all that said it will come down to rebounds and turnovers and I believe that will be the difference in UConn winning.

 

[Jim R]

This will be a very good game with UConn winning by 8. The difference will be turnovers and rebounds. The Paige and Azzi show will draw alot of attention as will the Hull and Jones show. Contain them and you win. I dont think Paige and Azzi can be stopped but they may be slowed down. With all this talk about Stanford bigs, I would like to see UConn slow Hull and Jones down. They are good rebounding guards. Hey right now UConn is peeking and on a roll. They have been tested during the tournament like no other team has been tested and they've come through. The loss of Dorka means we can not get into early foul trouble. We need our bigs to play like they did in the overtime, which was dont foul.

I know some fans are nervous and concerned about this game and rightfully so. Just remember we have Paige and Azzi. There are alot of really good players playing this weekend but the biggest difference is Paige and Azzi have the will to win and they can make it happen. With all that said it will come down to rebounds and turnovers and I believe that will be the difference in UConn winning.

Believe if we can stay fairly even with our bigs (rebounds & points), and force Jones to the left, our guards will lead us to the “W”. Should be a good game led my two coaching greats

 

[MooseJaw]

This will be a very good game with UConn winning by 8. The difference will be turnovers and rebounds. The Paige and Azzi show will draw alot of attention as will the Hull and Jones show. Contain them and you win. I dont think Paige and Azzi can be stopped but they may be slowed down. With all this talk about Stanford bigs, I would like to see UConn slow Hull and Jones down. They are good rebounding guards. Hey right now UConn is peeking and on a roll. They have been tested during the tournament like no other team has been tested and they've come through. The loss of Dorka means we can not get into early foul trouble. We need our bigs to play like they did in the overtime, which was dont foul.

I know some fans are nervous and concerned about this game and rightfully so. Just remember we have Paige and Azzi. There are alot of really good players playing this weekend but the biggest difference is Paige and Azzi have the will to win and they can make it happen. With all that said it will come down to rebounds and turnovers and I believe that will be the difference in UConn winning.

I love your exuberance, I just don't know if I can jump on board with our Huskies winning the battle of the boards. I hope we do just don't see as clear a path to that advantage as you do. I too would like to see us slow Jones down, in my estimation she should be the key for Stanford's hopes to win the game. I would love to see Brink get into early foul trouble, we don't need her under the basket swatting away bunnies, which is our biggest weakness. Stay tuned, I have the Huskies with a 5 point win.

 

[Tonyc]

When you get to this point in the tournament you are what you are. Its not easy to make changes. All the practice and development will show up here. The one caution is that you dont revert back to your comfort zone. Typically the stars will show up and we've got some big stars that have been showing up and we've seen that in our toughest road to get this far. Again rebounds and turnovers will give UConn this win.

 

[GoUconn7961]

WE ARE DOOMED - DOOMED I TELL YOU!!!

(and yes, I will do this on every thread predicting a UConn win in order to appease the MOJO Gods. Not even one bit sorry. )

 

[Stymie]

Pretty sure Stanford can’t match up with our guards.
Key will be Olivia and Edwards staying out of foul trouble.
Stanford will try to but our bigs behind the 8 ball.
I’m thinking there may be short periods where Deberry is inserted in a zone situation to assure the others are available at crunch time.
Would be nice to get Stanford’s bigs in foul trouble.
Possible, but wouldn’t count on it.
As an aside, need to get Azzi more shots.
Paige will always create hers, but need to work Azzi free.

 

[JavaMan]

I'm worried! I don't know how to make peace with this or otherwise resolve it. This is an unbearable decision. This is torture...scary even. For which of the two teams in this game will Mr. & Mrs. Samuelson openly support?

 

[Tonyc]

Pretty sure Stanford can’t match up with our guards.
Key will be Olivia and Edwards staying out of foul trouble.
Stanford will try to but our bigs behind the 8 ball.
I’m thinking there may be short periods where Deberry is inserted in a zone situation to assure the others are available at crunch time.
Would be nice to get Stanford’s bigs in foul trouble.
Possible, but wouldn’t count on it.
As an aside, need to get Azzi more shots.
Paige will always create hers, but need to work Azzi free.

I understand getting Stanford bigs in foul trouble but I would much rather get Lexie and Haley in foul trouble. I believe they are the key to get Stanford going.

 

[Surly1]

This will be a very good game with UConn winning by 8. The difference will be turnovers and rebounds. The Paige and Azzi show will draw alot of attention as will the Hull and Jones show. Contain them and you win. I dont think Paige and Azzi can be stopped but they may be slowed down. With all this talk about Stanford bigs, I would like to see UConn slow Hull and Jones down. They are good rebounding guards. Hey right now UConn is peeking and on a roll. They have been tested during the tournament like no other team has been tested and they've come through. The loss of Dorka means we can not get into early foul trouble. We need our bigs to play like they did in the overtime, which was dont foul.

I know some fans are nervous and concerned about this game and rightfully so. Just remember we have Paige and Azzi. There are alot of really good players playing this weekend but the biggest difference is Paige and Azzi have the will to win and they can make it happen. With all that said it will come down to rebounds and turnovers and I believe that will be the difference in UConn winning.

As history suggests, the first game in the Final Four is UConn’s bugaboo. While not a foregone conclusion, reaching the championship game, UConn’s track record is pristine.

Stanford presents a tall challenge. Unlike the last time they met in the tourney, Stanford has closed the talent gap. They are deep, balanced and can rely on multiple players for scoring. As defending champions, their team is seasoned and not intimated by either UConn or SC, which should make for an interesting and exciting matchup.

Like last year, UConn played the game of the tourney in the Elite Eight against NC St. However, unlike last year, there will be no one on the team who will underestimate Stanford. With that lesson learned, UConn will need performances down the line, but at some point in the game, look for Paige to assert herself. Though not 100%, Paige is still capable of stepping up when needed and delivering in the biggest games and in the biggest moments. Dropping 30 against SC last year, 28 against Baylor in last year’s Elite Eight classic, and the recent 27 she poured in against NC St is proof.

This stage, particularly in Minneapolis is why Paige and her teammates came to UConn. The story is outlined. We’re hours away from the plot being detailed.

 

[Happydad745]

Stanford has always played UConn tough...especially in the final tournament. Either team can win this, I doubt 1 player can pull this out, it is really going to take a team effort to win it.

 

[StanFan]

Are you saying you think Paige should match up on Hailey? As a Stanford fan I would love that - Brink has a nice enough jumper to pull Ono out, and we would isolate Hailey down low all day out of the motion. That is the advantage of being a point forward.

Paige is an amazing player, but I think the post is talking about individual player match ups and Paige as a defender does not match up well on Hailey (just as Hailey as a defender does not match up well on Paige).

 

[Rb335]

I don’t think it’s a knock against Bueckers. She is clearly the better point guard. The issue is that in the absence of having a true point guard, Stanford utilizes their PF as a point forward. Haley Jones has size and agility, allowing her to be a Swiss Army knife on the floor. The issue is that logically, AE would be matched up with her when you compare starting lineups. But putting AE on her and forcing her to guard jones as she brings the ball up, plays inside out, etc is a recipe for AE quick foul trouble. But if you play anyone else on Jones, who does AE guard? She’ll have trouble chasing one of the Hull sisters around the perimeter.

If Uconn can’t assert their inside game offensively and force Stanford to go big, I’d expect to see us utilize the four guard lineup to try and matchup.

 

[darkstar1]

Put Nika on her and you won’t have to hope.

 

[Fossil]

I believe that the Connecticut bigs can play even with Stanford for me the bigger problem is our outside shooting. In the NC game Connecticut shot five for 21. If Stamford doesn’t feel they need to cover the three-point line they’ll pack the lane and kill any interior offense. Stanford shoots a high percentage from three which will force Connecticut to guard the line opening up the interior for Jones to drive or Wilson to drive or Hull to drive which is not a good formula for Connecticut. Hull is a menace in that she is a pure hustle kid that can rebound defend and score Connecticut may want to put their better defender on her then Jones who doesn’t move quite as much. If Connecticut does not shoot a high percentage from distance they are done. We have the players to do it they just have not been hot.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Are you saying you think Paige should match up on Hailey? As a Stanford fan I would love that - Brink has a nice enough jumper to pull Ono out, and we would isolate Hailey down low all day out of the motion. That is the advantage of being a point forward.

Paige is an amazing player, but I think the post is talking about individual player match ups and Paige as a defender does not match up well on Hailey (just as Hailey as a defender does not match up well on Paige).

ONO is a high post player that spends most of her time straddling the 3-point line taking long 2s, or dishing to someone else. Edwards is usually the one you see in the low post, but also spends a fair amount of time away from the basket. Brink isn't going to gain an advantage dragging UConn bigs away from the hoop. The advantage is inside where UConn has a chronic weak spot.

 

[StanFan]

ONO is a high post player that spends most of her time straddling the 3-point line taking long 2s, or dishing to someone else. Edwards is usually the one you see in the low post, but also spends a fair amount of time away from the basket. Brink isn't going to gain an advantage dragging UConn bigs away from the hoop. The advantage is inside where UConn has a chronic weak spot.

We are pretty far down a hypothetical that I don’t think is very likely (Paige matching up Hailey defensively) so all a bit of a moot point but I think maybe we are talking past each other.

I know Ono plays a lot of high post when UConn has the ball, but we are talking about UConn’s defensive sets where she is the primary post defender right? And then there a ton of advantage to drawing her out if that allows you to isolate Hailey down low against Paige. It would be somewhat similar the the opening set NC State scripted for Kayla Jones, but with a different matchup.

 

[fomalhaut]

Stanford shoots a high percentage from three

Slightly better than Connecticut over the whole year, but the difference is insignificant over the course of one game. Not to mention the fact that Connecticut's two best three-point shooters each missed a chunk of the season and both are back now.

 

[itsasport]

UConn needs a lot of made threes at over 40%, an advantage of points from turnovers, a decent foul shooting percentage, Paige and Azzi breaking down the defense with pull-ups from around the foul line, and the rest of the team doing their thing. .
UConn has done all these things, although not always in the same game.

Both Stanford and SC have been beaten this season by teams with less talent and neither scores a lot of points against good defensive teams. UConn will not necessarily have to score a lot of points to win.

They will both be considered the favorites against UConn- so the pressure will be on them.

Finally, both Paige and Azzi were born to play in these kind of games.

 

[Terrierdog]

Pretty sure Stanford can’t match up with our guards.
Key will be Olivia and Edwards staying out of foul trouble.
Stanford will try to but our bigs behind the 8 ball.
I’m thinking there may be short periods where Deberry is inserted in a zone situation to assure the others are available at crunch time.
Would be nice to get Stanford’s bigs in foul trouble.
Possible, but wouldn’t count on it.
As an aside, need to get Azzi more shots.
Paige will always create hers, but need to work Azzi free.

I had also wondered if we might see Debari!