What We Learned

[Phil]

• Both teams need to get better, and they will. But definitely weaknesses exposed.
• KML - Wow.
• Defense was very good, especially interior team defense. Did an outstanding job on a bigger team.
• 11-21 from the foul line? UGH.
• For all the pre-game comments about Buck, she didn't even get in. Fortunately Stokes did a serviceable job in her time. I think she has established herself as the 2nd player off the bench.
• Hayes-Doty-Faris all had mediocre games. Hayes at least had 13 rebs & 6 assists and Faris did a really good job defensively. But bad shots (& Tiff in particular had a bunch of those) are the equivalent of TOs.
• Hartley really broke out of the shadows of the elder players.
• Dolson didn't score much but played good defense - those early blocks I think helped set a tone.
• Clearly the game plan against UConn has changed - focus will now be on Hartley & KML. Will be interesting to see how the defense adjusts and how the team responds.
• Hartley-KML-Dolson = all frosh/sophs!

I agree with almost everyone you said, and I'll meet you partway on Kelly, offensively, not a standout game, but defensively - watch her guard Chiney. You could make a dvd and sell it as "How to guard a great player who has four inches on you and a lot of strength."

 

[Phil]

One question about KML: did Stanford do something different in the 2nd half to limit her scoring, or was it just a case of a few shots not falling and things opening up for others?

That's an excellent question. I think one of Tara's strengths is her ability to make adjustments. I said to the people next to me that there would be some KML discussion at halftime. I'll have to rewatch the game and see if that's what happened or if it was happenstance.

 

[HuskyNan]

One question about KML: did Stanford do something different in the 2nd half to limit her scoring, or was it just a case of a few shots not falling and things opening up for others?

I thought that 1. KML was being defended better and 2. she was getting tired. The defense was being more physical and Kaleena is still just a freshman in only her third game of the season. Her shots started hitting the front of the rim which was, to me, a sign of tired legs.

 

[UConnCat]

I thought that 1. KML was being defended better and 2. she was getting tired. The defense was being more physical and Kaleena is still just a freshman in only her third game of the season. Her shots started hitting the front of the rim which was, to me, a sign of tired legs.

That's how I saw it too. She had some open looks in the 2nd half but the shots were a little off. Love that she continued to do other things (rebound, defend).

 

[Icebear]

That's how I saw it too. She had some open looks in the 2nd half but the shots were a little off. Love that she continued to do other things (rebound, defend).

Me, also.

 

[VAMike23]

That's how I saw it too. She had some open looks in the 2nd half but the shots were a little off. Love that she continued to do other things (rebound, defend).

Agreed

 

[DaveDragon]

I agree with almost everyone you said, and I'll meet you partway on Kelly, offensively, not a standout game, but defensively - watch her guard Chiney. You could make a dvd and sell it as "How to guard a great player who has four inches on you and a lot of strength."

I'm sure they were simulating this in practice with the male practice players. There's no better way for Kelly to learn how to guard a much bigger/stronger player than to put a bigger guy on her (not literally).

 

[AboutWeston]

Was I being critical of Kiah somehow...?

Yes, sort of, but we all know you didn't really mean to be!

 

[meyers7]

I might be wrong, but I don't recall anyone saying that when UConn traveled to the West Coast last year.

Supposedly it is easier to travel west than east. (not being funny here, I actually read an article on this somewhere awhile back). No personal experience if it is true or not though.

 

[HuskyNan]

Supposedly it is easier to travel west than east. (not being funny here, I actually read an article on this somewhere awhile back). No personal experience if it is true or not though.

True, but when UConn goes to the West Coast, it plays games that are at 11pm or midnight, body time, while Stanford had a 4:30 pm game yesterday. Pluses and minuses each way.

 

[Phil]

Supposedly it is easier to travel west than east. (not being funny here, I actually read an article on this somewhere awhile back). No personal experience if it is true or not though.

I can say yes, from personal experience, although it is a bigger deal for trips across the pond. Still true for three hour trips, though not as much - that said, I wasn't trying to throw a ball into a hoop many feet away, where small differences can translate makes into misses. On the other hand, I didn't do it as a world class athlete, which means as Nan notes there are pluses and minuses.

 

[meyers7]

True, but when UConn goes to the West Coast, it plays games that are at 11pm or midnight, body time, while Stanford had a 4:30 pm game yesterday. Pluses and minuses each way.

Yea I don't remember the reasoning, just that it is supposed to be harder going east????

 

[cardfan]

True, but when UConn goes to the West Coast, it plays games that are at 11pm or midnight, body time, while Stanford had a 4:30 pm game yesterday. Pluses and minuses each way.

Our tip off time last year at Maples was 6pm and you guys played at UOP a few days before. Maybe a prep game on the road for Uconn and TN games could help.

 

[HuskyNan]

Yea I don't remember the reasoning, just that it is supposed to be harder going east????

For most travelers, jet lag occurs when traveling east to west or west to east. But for many, it's easier to travel east to west because you feel as if you're gaining time, compared with flying west to east, when you feel like you're losing time.

Forbes Magazine

This spring, our family went to San Francisco for a week long vacation, then we came home for three days before my oldest son and I flew to St. Louis for the Robotics National Championships. When I got back to Connecticut, my system was all kerflooey, couldn't sleep well at all. I needed a couple weeks of melatonin supplements to get me on track again.

 

[HuskyNan]

Our tip off time last year at Maples was 6pm and you guys played at UOP a few days before. Maybe a prep game on the road for Uconn and TN games could help.

I remember UConn playing, I believe, USC and staying up until 11pm for tipoff.

 

[AboutWeston]

Our tip off time last year at Maples was 6pm and you guys played at UOP a few days before. Maybe a prep game on the road for Uconn and TN games could help.

How about setting up a Stanford-Yale series?

 

[meyers7]

For most travelers, jet lag occurs when traveling east to west or west to east. But for many, it's easier to travel east to west because you feel as if you're gaining time, compared with flying west to east, when you feel like you're losing time.

Forbes Magazine

This spring, our family went to San Francisco for a week long vacation, then we came home for three days before my oldest son and I flew to St. Louis for the Robotics National Championships. When I got back to Connecticut, my system was all kerflooey, couldn't sleep well at all. I needed a couple weeks of melatonin supplements to get me on track again.

Here you go

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/22/t...ts-to-beat-jet-lag.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

 

[cardfan]

How about setting up a Stanford-Yale series?

We are playing Princteon at home next month before the TN game. So who knows...

 

[Vowelguy]

We are playing Princteon at home next month before the TN game. So who knows...

Watch out for the Tigers, off to a good start with wins over Marist and Villanova.

 

[doggydaddy]

a few easy wins at Gampel coming up... and one at the XL Center then TAMU

DC, you confuse me. First you remind us all that any team can be upset, even by unranked teams and now we have easy wins?

So, which is it?

 

[speedoo]

DC, you confuse me. First you remind us all that any team can be upset, even by unranked teams and now we have easy wins?

So, which is it?

 

[Buckaroobanzai]

• Both teams need to get better, and they will. But definitely weaknesses exposed.
• KML - Wow.
• Defense was very good, especially interior team defense. Did an outstanding job on a bigger team.
• 11-21 from the foul line? UGH.
• For all the pre-game comments about Buck, she didn't even get in. Fortunately Stokes did a serviceable job in her time. I think she has established herself as the 2nd player off the bench.
• Hayes-Doty-Faris all had mediocre games. Hayes at least had 13 rebs & 6 assists and Faris did a really good job defensively. But bad shots (& Tiff in particular had a bunch of those) are the equivalent of TOs.
• Hartley really broke out of the shadows of the elder players.
• Dolson didn't score much but played good defense - those early blocks I think helped set a tone.
• Clearly the game plan against UConn has changed - focus will now be on Hartley & KML. Will be interesting to see how the defense adjusts and how the team responds.
• Hartley-KML-Dolson = all frosh/sophs!

We also learned that we now have five players - KML, Tiffany, CD, Bria and Stef - who are prepared to shoot when the game is on the line. At the end of last season, it appeared that Maya was the first and last resort.

 

[wallman]

Have to say the more I watch, the more I am impressed with Dolson who would fall down in high school club, she really blocked some shots last night that surprised the O sisters and I thought her defense was good in giving help when needed. On the other hand was surprised at Chiney O getting ball stripped and she has not developed a shot like her sister, who in the second half put up a shot every time she touched, as she probably thought she was never going to touch the ball again and showed she has some range.

 

[HuskyNan]

On the other hand was surprised at Chiney O getting ball stripped and she has not developed a shot like her sister, who in the second half put up a shot every time she touched, as she probably thought she was never going to touch the ball again and showed she has some range.

I mentioned to my husband that I would be happy if Nneka took 18' jump shots all game rather than dominate the post. Sure she scored 22, because she's a great player, but UConn made her work for every point.

 

[Replicant]

What we learned? To borrow a Genoism...we could be really, really good!