UConn stats..finally ok with last season's ending...

[DavidinNaples]

Like many UConn fans, I considered last season's ending a big disappointment. The passing of several months of time and extensive sock puppet therapy have changed my mind. The season was a great success considering the Big 3 graduated, bench depth was limited, starters were young, etc... So here are the best 7 stats from last season's fabulous effort:
1. Napheesa (20.4) and Katie Lou (20.2) both averaged over 20+ points per game as Sophomores. Only 1 sophomore has ever averaged 20+ points in a season, (Bascom 22.6 in 1988). Pheesa's 754 pts tied her with Maya for 2nd place in total points for sophs. KLS is now 3rd with her 747 points. Maya, Stewie and D.T. did not break 20 points, for an average, their sophomore year.
2. Gabby was gabbulous last season. Consider 190 assists playing center on offense, 100 steals & 52 blocked shots on defense and 309 rebounds as an undersized Husky playing in the lane w/ the trees. Gabby scored 14.3 pts per game on 58% shooting and even made a three..!
3. As a team, UConn had 863 assists for the season. That is an all time record. Once again, five different players had 100+ assists. With only 445 turnovers, the team had a combined 1.94 assist to turnover ratio..!! Wow..!
4. Saniya Chong finished with a personal best in points (289), assists (140), rebounds (104), made 3s (50) and steals (48). She averaged 31 minutes per game and stayed healthy for 35 of the team's 37 games. In addition, as seniors, she and Tierney Lawlor finished with a career record of 152-2. Thank you Saniya and TLAW..!!
5. Napheesa Collier led UConn in points (754), total rebounds (336), blocked shots (77), offensive rebounds (108) and made free throws (112). Her shooting percentage of 67.8% also led the team and was 10% higher than the nearest Husky. Pheesa did all this as a sophomore, playing inside against taller, more physical opponents. She was an All American. Well deserved.
6. UConn's team defense created 666 turnovers, stole 370 balls and blocked 186 shots. Those stats compare nicely to opponents only making 800 baskets on 35% shooting overall. From three range, opponents made only 27.6%. Team defense carried this squad all year.
7. UConn scored 3,222 points in 37 games for an average of 87.1 per game. That was amazing considering the top 3 scorers from last year graduated. In fact, this year's squad nearly matched last season's 88.1 per game average. Next year will see the return of the top 4 scorers and 5 of the top 6.

Time to put last season in the record books and look froward to what might be a very, very, very special team in 2017-2018..!!

Go Huskies..!!

 

[Jim R]

View attachment 23284

Like many UConn fans, I considered last season's ending a big disappointment. The passing of several months of time and extensive sock puppet therapy have changed my mind. The season was a great success considering the Big 3 graduated, bench depth was limited, starters were young, etc... So here are the best 7 stats from last season's fabulous effort:
1. Napheesa (20.4) and Katie Lou (20.2) both averaged over 20+ points per game as Sophomores. Only 1 sophomore has ever averaged 20+ points in a season, (Bascom 22.6 in 1988). Pheesa's 754 pts tied her with Maya for 2nd place in total points for sophs. KLS is now 3rd with her 747 points. Maya, Stewie and D.T. did not break 20 points, for an average, their sophomore year.
2. Gabby was gabbulous last season. Consider 190 assists playing center on offense, 100 steals & 52 blocked shots on defense and 309 rebounds as an undersized Husky playing in the lane w/ the trees. Gabby scored 14.3 pts per game on 58% shooting and even made a three..!
3. As a team, UConn had 863 assists for the season. That is an all time record. Once again, five different players had 100+ assists. With only 445 turnovers, the team had a combined 1.94 assist to turnover ratio..!! Wow..!
4. Saniya Chong finished with a personal best in points (289), assists (140), rebounds (104), made 3s (50) and steals (48). She averaged 31 minutes per game and stayed healthy for 35 of the team's 37 games. In addition, as seniors, she and Tierney Lawlor finished with a career record of 152-2. Thank you Saniya and TLAW..!!
5. Napheesa Collier led UConn in points (754), total rebounds (336), blocked shots (77), offensive rebounds (108) and made free throws (112). Her shooting percentage of 67.8% also led the team and was 10% higher than the nearest Husky. Pheesa did all this as a sophomore, playing inside against taller, more physical opponents. She was an All American. Well deserved.
6. UConn's team defense created 666 turnovers, stole 370 balls and blocked 186 shots. Those stats compare nicely to opponents only making 800 baskets on 35% shooting overall. From three range, opponents made only 27.6%. Team defense carried this squad all year.
7. UConn scored 3,222 points in 37 games for an average of 87.1 per game. That was amazing considering the top 3 scorers from last year graduated. In fact, this year's squad nearly matched last season's 88.1 per game average. Next year will see the return of the top 4 scorers and 5 of the top 6.

Time to put last season in the record books and look froward to what might be a very, very, very special team in 2017-2018..!!

Go Huskies..!!

Like always, thanks for putting things into perspective!

 

[Wally East]

I still can't get over Napheesa and KLS each scoring more than 20 ppg in the same season. It's been rare for there to be a 20+ ppg scorer, as in it's only happened five times (by three players) before last season. Then, it happened twice in the same season.

Napheesa averaged 30 minutes and KLS averaged 32 minutes per game. It would seem likely that they will both get slightly fewer minutes, maybe closer to 28ish based on what other outstanding players on deeper teams have averaged.

 

[UcMiami]

Wally - suspect you are correct and it should improve their play per minute as I think both would be better with fewer minutes required in the tougher contests. (Gabby should also be able to sustain better with less usage.) I think they all had games where they were conserving energy, this coming season if the freshman pan out and the transfers contribute as expected they should be able to go full bore for the minutes they are on the court and then get decent rest.

David - nice post as always.

 

[huskyd]

View attachment 23284

Like many UConn fans, I considered last season's ending a big disappointment. The passing of several months of time and extensive sock puppet therapy have changed my mind. The season was a great success considering the Big 3 graduated, bench depth was limited, starters were young, etc... So here are the best 7 stats from last season's fabulous effort:
1. Napheesa (20.4) and Katie Lou (20.2) both averaged over 20+ points per game as Sophomores. Only 1 sophomore has ever averaged 20+ points in a season, (Bascom 22.6 in 1988). Pheesa's 754 pts tied her with Maya for 2nd place in total points for sophs. KLS is now 3rd with her 747 points. Maya, Stewie and D.T. did not break 20 points, for an average, their sophomore year.
2. Gabby was gabbulous last season. Consider 190 assists playing center on offense, 100 steals & 52 blocked shots on defense and 309 rebounds as an undersized Husky playing in the lane w/ the trees. Gabby scored 14.3 pts per game on 58% shooting and even made a three..!
3. As a team, UConn had 863 assists for the season. That is an all time record. Once again, five different players had 100+ assists. With only 445 turnovers, the team had a combined 1.94 assist to turnover ratio..!! Wow..!
4. Saniya Chong finished with a personal best in points (289), assists (140), rebounds (104), made 3s (50) and steals (48). She averaged 31 minutes per game and stayed healthy for 35 of the team's 37 games. In addition, as seniors, she and Tierney Lawlor finished with a career record of 152-2. Thank you Saniya and TLAW..!!
5. Napheesa Collier led UConn in points (754), total rebounds (336), blocked shots (77), offensive rebounds (108) and made free throws (112). Her shooting percentage of 67.8% also led the team and was 10% higher than the nearest Husky. Pheesa did all this as a sophomore, playing inside against taller, more physical opponents. She was an All American. Well deserved.
6. UConn's team defense created 666 turnovers, stole 370 balls and blocked 186 shots. Those stats compare nicely to opponents only making 800 baskets on 35% shooting overall. From three range, opponents made only 27.6%. Team defense carried this squad all year.
7. UConn scored 3,222 points in 37 games for an average of 87.1 per game. That was amazing considering the top 3 scorers from last year graduated. In fact, this year's squad nearly matched last season's 88.1 per game average. Next year will see the return of the top 4 scorers and 5 of the top 6.

Time to put last season in the record books and look froward to what might be a very, very, very special team in 2017-2018..!!

Go Huskies..!!

David, you write in an orderly way, with clarity and an excellent sense of perspective. (You might want to save these comments for the next time your wife or children call you a dunderhead.)

To write that last year's ending was “disappointing” is to understate the feeling many of us experienced. Before last season, we were dealing with low expectations: no size, no experience, no depth. Some imagined the possibility that we'd lose 8 games before the conference schedule kicked in.

If we believed at the start of last year that we'd be undefeated in the regular season and wind up in the final 4, our unhappiness with the ending would have been much worse. Disappointment is proportionate to expectation.

Which brings me around to this season: plenty of height, plenty of experience, plenty of depth. Something “special” seems an understatement. This could be the start of 4 more NC's in a row BUT with 4 undefeated seasons as an accompaniment. Beyond amazing. In this fantasy, I imagine UConn being ranked both 1 AND 2, for its regulars and its subs. Oh, and no team will come within 20 of the Huskies all season. Too much? Nah.

 

[shizam]

That first game of the season at Florida St was a great game to watch. What surprised me most about UConn was how good Collier was. I knew Gabby Williams would be terrific (well maybe not as terrific as she played this year) but Collier really progressed tremendously and it showed in that first game right out of the gate.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Well done, David! Yes, our expectations increased over the course of the season. It is tough to get so close to another championship and fall short. That loss eliminates the burden of the streak and motivates everyone to work even harder. A few thoughts on your points:

1. Diana and Stewie never averaged 20 ppg for a season at UConn, so Lou and Pheesa were sensational. Maya hit about 22 ppg as a senior. I think 19 ppg was about the average for Stewie and Tina in their NPOY seasons, so we had 2 sophomores exceed that benchmark! Geno was right about Pheesa having so many ways to score. And Lou had her memorable "bucket" game at Maryland and her 10-10 game against USF. Both improved by a huge leap from the prior year.

2. Gabby used her extreme athleticism and increased understanding of basketball to dominate many games. She wreaked havoc in the exhibition games, but then got into foul trouble in a number of early season contests. She played out of position and still was the NDPOY. As Geno quipped, "When Gabby Williams guards you, you are guarded." She still isn't anywhere near her potential. Many folks thought she was the most versatile and best player in the country.

3. We lost the UConn career assist leader, MoJeff, and still set the NCAA record without the great finishers like Stewie and Tuck (and Kaleena a year earlier). Everyone could pass, and everyone could finish. We should have had 1 more game to add 20 0r so assists to the record. That's the target for this coming season.

4. Saniya played her way into a WNBA career. She was instrumental in the tight FSU game and became a trusted and valuable player. Maya and Lorin won 150. Stewie, Tuck, and Moriah got to 151. Saniya and T topped those greats.

5. Pheesa's efficiency was outstanding. She was in Brionna Jones/Tamika Williams territory.

6. Geno was concerned about the team defense, but it wasn't too shabby after all, especially lacking a rim protector.

7. The team shot very well, including from the arc and FT line. The slight drop in FT shooting from .800 the prior year cost them the national championship. Kia Nurse became an elite FT and 3-point shooter--and she returns! So, I end on a positive note.

Go Huskies!

 

[Gus Mahler]

Allow me to add a few points:

UConn had four starters average 40% or better last year. (only Gabby not)

I wasn't aware of the dropoff in FT percentage. Probably because UConn had four starters shooting 81% or better. (only Gabby not)

UConn was the first team in NCAA WCBB history to graduate three players who were WBCA 1st-team All-Americans, and then come back with three different players become 1st-teamers.

And as a corollary to that, this year will be the first year any team returns three 1st-teamers.

And to complement them, two returning AP Honorable Mention All-Americans.

Pretty cool.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Allow me to add a few points:

UConn had four starters average 40% or better last year. (only Gabby not)

I wasn't aware of the dropoff in FT percentage. Probably because UConn had four starters shooting 81% or better. (only Gabby not)

UConn was the first team in NCAA WCBB history to graduate three players who were WBCA 1st-team All-Americans, and then come back with three different players become 1st-teamers.

And as a corollary to that, this year will be the first year any team returns three 1st-teamers.

And to complement them, two returning AP Honorable Mention All-Americans.

Pretty cool.

In terms of FT shooting, the 2015-16 team led the nation at .800. (That may have been a UConn record, and OldeCoach would have been very proud.) The seniors shot .836 (Stewie), .788 (Morgan), and an astounding .894 (Moriah). The 2016-17 team shot .779 for the season and .680 in the loss. We missed 8 of 25 FTs. If we had shot .800, we would have had 3 more points--and a win.

SIX DIFFERENT All-Americans in consecutive seasons is phenomenal. That may never be matched--at least for 3 years.

So, we have 3 returning AAs and 2 HM AAs. I like our chances.

 

[Wally East]

Allow me to add a few points:

UConn had four starters average 40% or better last year. (only Gabby not).

Just to clarify, 40% or better from the three-point line

 

[Gus Mahler]

Just to clarify, 40% or better from the three-point line

Oops. Thanks.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Ok, I admit I'm spoiled. After we shot .800 on FTs the prior season, the .779 last year seemed shabby. But a look at the record books shows that it was the second-highest in UConn history. Nonetheless, let's get back to .800.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Ok, I admit I'm spoiled. After we shot .800 on FTs the prior season, the .779 last year seemed shabby. But a look at the record books shows that it was the second-highest in UConn history. Nonetheless, let's get back to .800.

Eighty percent as a team is pretty phenomenal. 'Course, it was a pretty phenomenal team.