What are the Key(s) to beating Iowa - (The Infamous B.Y. Scout)

[Bajan Best]

We all know the Bone Yard is filled with plenty Couch-Coaches, yours truly included, who has never lost a game and always has the winning strategy long after the game is already played.
Legendary rumors also have it that Geno has been browsing the yard for our insight for years, LOL

With that said, let's do our jobs and provide him the secret formula to winning the game

For Instance, I think the easiest way to get past Iowa, is not to expend too much effort in stopping Caitlin Clark, let her score 50 if she can, instead place all that effort in stopping everyone else on her team. Resulting in a final score UConn 80, Iowa 50.
Because just like Paige, Caitlin can be pretty effective at getting others easy shots when pressed, which is what makes them pretty dangerous.

 

[GoUconn7961]

You said what I was going to say. And, I'll add to that - stay out of foul trouble. Not sure Iowa has an answer for Edwards and ONO.

 

[cohenzone]

Play our game. We are better than them up and down the line up. Clark can double Paige and it shouldn’t matter. (unless Paige scores 50).

 

[jabstep]

If Nika is available we can use her and Aubrey to be in her face all game. Make her pick up her dribble by double-teaming her. Make the other girls beat us. I don't think they can.

 

[freshler40]

Just continue to play to our strengths and deep bench, play up tempo. Hope Iowa watched the Syr game!

 

[Heytherego]

Totally agree! I think it’s all about getting a good shot contest on Clark and then shutting down everyone else. Clark is a scorer and I don’t think she can be limited to 10-15. She’ll get 20+ but can we stop the others? I think so. Rebounding/Defense are keys. Offensively I think we will get some easy shots and second chance points. PB has the “supporting” cast and Clark doesn’t is what it comes down to.

 

[SLY63]

Assuming we put up 90, let Clark have 40 and shut down the others

 

[oldude]

Iowa is at their best with Clark running the offense. I would not be surprised if UConn tries to get the ball out of Clark’s hands early in the possession by doubling her and then scramble to cover everyone else.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

It’s mainly about limiting touches. The less she touches the ball the less she scores. She has the same level of vision as Paige so she’s a great distributor so double teaming won’t work. Keep the switching and let her score 20-25.

 

[Fossil]

I just watched a bunch of Clark highlights she is incredibly talented. I think UConn should bring it to the officials attention that when she drives and pulls up she pushes off just prior to pulling up watch the Kentucky game. There’s no way the defender falls away the way she does without that shove clearing space for a wide-open jumper. I also believe that Kentucky has an incredibly poor defense very little help defence on the drives to the basket allowing Iowa’s big to get position almost all the time. I believe if we play our defense the way we can and front their big Nika or CW should be able to slow Kaitlyn down some while probably not completely shutting her down because she’s that good but at least challenge her shots and make it more difficult

 

[RogueDave]

3/4 trapping press them right out of the gym. Game will be over at halftime.

Rotate AE, AG even MM out there would be exciting to see.

We need to reset our defensive intensity back up to ludicrously Awesome!

We have a war looming with Baylor and will need an outstanding defensive outing in preparation for that game!

Yes having Nika out there playing and defending schooling the Iowa guards would be great too!

 

[Tonyc]

All we have to do is play our game and we will be fine. We put different players on her and play our game. We are the better team and barring fouls and injuries we win by 20+. We are just too good right now to lose to anybody including Baylor and Stanford.

 

[GoUconn7961]

All we have to do is play our game and we will be fine. We put different players on her and play our game. We are the better team and barring fouls and injuries we win by 20+. We are just too good right now to lose to anybody including Baylor and Stanford.

I always love your confidence and optimism. I think we'll be fine too. But if we aren't; then we aren't. Life goes on.

 

[darkstar1]

I agree with all that say not to worry much about Clark scoring. Play normal tough D and our bigs shut down theirs and it’s game over. I see AE and Liv dominating inside.

 

[Waquoit]

Syracuse ran some nice stuff that opened up many opportunities that they were unable to capitalize on, so I am not as bullish on the defense as some. Not that we can't do better. I have no clue about Iowa but I do know that Geno is a master at countering an opponents strengths.

 

[Bigboote]

Iowa is at their best with Clark running the offense. I would not be surprised if UConn tries to get the ball out of Clark’s hands early in the possession by doubling her and then scramble to cover everyone else.

Clark also occasionally becomes visibly frustrated. My thought is to have Nika (if available) pick Caitlin up near half court and do her Nika the Gnat thing.

Also, Iowa sometimes has a hard time getting the ball to Czinano. UConn did a great job last night keeping the ball away from the 6-7 Cardoso, so I think there's a pretty good chance UConn will limit Czinano's touches. UConn has two of the best bigs coaches around, who know how to get someone open (How many times did we see Collier catch the ball under the basket with nobody within six feet of her?), and along with that comes knowing how to keep someone from getting open.

Czinano and Bueckers grew up within 10-20 miles of each other. Does anyone know if they played with/against one another?

The best defensive teams Iowa has seen this year are probably Northwestern and Rutgers. They ain't seen nothin' like UConn's defense.

 

[GoUconn7961]

WE. ARE. DOOMED.

(My appeal to the MOJO Gods...)

 

[and one]

I've watched enough of Iowa this year to think we can play our game like any other and win. If any adjustments are made I'll second @oldude and make it hard for Caitlin to get touches.

 

[UConnCat]

Iowa shoots the ball really well and scores a lot of points. Clark and Czinano have combined for 50% of Iowa's shots with Clark taking 165 more shots than Czinano. Clark has 202 assists on the season and most of them are on Czinano baskets. Clark is clearly the key to everything Iowa does. The only weakness in her offensive game is her carelessness with the ball. She has 134 turnovers on the season.

Although Clark leads by a lot in 3FGA (262), Warnock, Marshall and Martin have combined for 294 threes and have made 42% of them. Iowa spreads the floor with really good shooters and that allows Czinano space to go to work inside.

Iowa gives up a ton of points on defense. For the most part, the opponents who have beaten Iowa have done so by putting up a lot of points rather than shutting Iowa down. The only team to hold Iowa under 70 points was Northwestern, a team that defeated Iowa twice this season. Indiana and Maryland also beat Iowa twice.

I'm not sure what Northwestern did but I'm sure the UConn staff will check out those games among others.

 

[DEpup]

My thoughts.

1. Play up tempo offense. They aren't as athletic. I doubt they will be able to keep up. MD was able to wear them down.
2. Focus on Clark when she is trying to initiate offense and make her give up the ball. She's going to get her shots but if we can rush them on offense and frustrate Clark's ability to run offense then it will both shut down their offense for the rest of the team and probably get in her head with her own shooting.
3. Liv and Aaliyah keep doing what they did last night and get Czinano in foul trouble along with disrupting her shots. The Cardoso strategy worked. Czinano's back up is nowhere near her ability.

 

[oldude]

We sometimes overlook the significant advantage provided by UConn’s fitness level, particularly among the Bigs. Liv, Aaliyah and Aubrey can run all game long.

So it’s not the first time down the court, or even the 10th time. But by the time your Bigs have done 20-30 sprints to keep pace with UConn, just like last night’s Syracuse game, UConn is going to have an advantage.

 

[itsasport]

UConn has a huge advantage in size, basketball skills and athleticism in every position excepting Clark. Unlike every other team that UConn has faced or will face in the tournament, this advantage is greatest in the front court.

Iowa has only one decent forward/center- 6'3'' Czinano. She is no match for Edwards. Czinano played only 29 minutes against Kentucky because of foul trouble, Without her, or even with her, Olivia, Edwards, Aubry, and Anna will run amok under the basket..

The only other Iowa player above 6'1" is a freshman, who played 9 unspectacular minutes against Kentucky.

This past season, Iowa won only one game against a ranked opponent, #24 Iowa State, and by only 2 points. The only team above the top 15 was Maryland, who they lost to twice- by 18 and 10 points. '

I think that Syracuse would have defeated Iowa.

To paraphrase Gorge C, Scott as Patton, UConn is going to go through Iowa like s..t through a duck.

 

[AmeriConn]

Iowa lost to Michigan State (1x), Ohio State (2x), Maryland (2x), Indiana (2x), and Northwestern (2x). I would like to go back and see how they beat them.

 

[Ralph]

Score more points than them. Does Shea normally do our scouting reports? Is she doing that at home watching video? Is someone else taking over? Besides us?

 

[Ralph]

But if we are doing it, why try and improve upon perfection?