Wow - was that fun or what!

[UcMiami]

What a great game tonight.
1. Bria finds her shot after a slowwww start. Hit the three and some beautiful pull ups.
2. CD finds her shot as well (and takes a few!)
3. KML - just so smooth - and love her post-up game. She is so strong that wings and guards do not have a chance.
4. Stef - unguardable - she is now over 40% from three and deadly from inside the arc.
5. KF - just the same as always, great. So many tipped balls and solid positional defense.
6. MJ - so fast. There was one MU fast break where she came out of nowhere to bother the layup - they made it, but it was just amazing.
7. Kiah - glad she took some shots, and what a defensive/rebounding presence.
8. BS - Not her best game on offense, but some great defense, not just the blocks, but a number of steals/tipped balls. And that drive where she was fouled - wow, the distance she covered toward the basket!
9. Heather - I love watching her. She does a lot of little things right. She is always bothering the in-bounds pass as she runs back on D - nothing big, just giving everyone one more second to get back on defense.
10. Hope MT is OK. Geno said she was going to play, but felt something in warm-ups and Rosemary said better sit.
11. Really liked seeing BB on the bench - seemed to be enjoying herself and having a good time. Liked the reported conversation with Doty - she told her how lucky it was she was a sophomore so she really understood the offense and defense and could learn so much watching from the bench.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kaleena found her shot. In about 5th grade.

 

[blackbird]

Kalana's shot is so pretty. It literally always looks like it's going to go in. And is usually is.

 

[ThisJustIn]

It's like the basket is the hand playing with a basketball yo-yo... just drawing it back into its palm.

 

[Replicant]

Team shoots 65.2% on 3's!!!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kalana's shot is so pretty. It literally always looks like it's going to go in. And is usually is.

All great shooters miss only long or short, almost never left or right. Sue, Dee, Maya, and Kaleena are great shooters.

 

[blackbird]

In terms of "best shooter" I rate Diana #1, because she took the hardest shots.

But pure shooter...I know it's early, but I don't know that I've seen a player as accurate as Kaleena. It's crazy.

 

[magical2]

What a great game tonight.
1. Bria finds her shot after a slowwww start. Hit the three and some beautiful pull ups.
2. CD finds her shot as well (and takes a few!)
3. KML - just so smooth - and love her post-up game. She is so strong that wings and guards do not have a chance.
4. Stef - unguardable - she is now over 40% from three and deadly from inside the arc.
5. KF - just the same as always, great. So many tipped balls and solid positional defense.
6. MJ - so fast. There was one MU fast break where she came out of nowhere to bother the layup - they made it, but it was just amazing.
7. Kiah - glad she took some shots, and what a defensive/rebounding presence.
8. BS - Not her best game on offense, but some great defense, not just the blocks, but a number of steals/tipped balls. And that drive where she was fouled - wow, the distance she covered toward the basket!
9. Heather - I love watching her. She does a lot of little things right. She is always bothering the in-bounds pass as she runs back on D - nothing big, just giving everyone one more second to get back on defense.
10. Hope MT is OK. Geno said she was going to play, but felt something in warm-ups and Rosemary said better sit.
11. Really liked seeing BB on the bench - seemed to be enjoying herself and having a good time. Liked the reported conversation with Doty - she told her how lucky it was she was a sophomore so she really understood the offense and defense and could learn so much watching from the bench.[/quote

PROPS UcM Great breakdown of players
the shooting tonight from 3 was totally 'sick' to watch lmao
wow CD
ALRIGHT BRIA
KML is the best shooter in college basketball and that is only a part of her game She is only a SO
OH MY AA for 3 years running she can shoot,post up,rebound,play defense,steals,assts,shoot FTs
KF scored,rebounds,assts,steals,no TOs,DEFENSE,BLOCKS
SD could've scored 30 if we needed her to
STEWIE looked good rebounding,defense close to double/double
MO 5 ASSTS
KIAH good D,BLOCKS,REBS
Worth while/all around effort for ist 30 mins
IRA

 

[Icebear]

In terms of "best shooter" I rate Diana #1, because she took the hardest shots.

But pure shooter...I know it's early, but I don't know that I've seen a player as accurate as Kaleena. It's crazy.

I have always defined Diana as a scorer and Kaleena as a shooter. Obviously, there is overlap but Diana simply knew how to get the ball into the hoop, even under the most awkward of circumstances. See the shot falling out of bounds when she changed hands because it was the only way available.

Kaleena, however, simply has a grace and purity to her shot that not even Diana fully had. Both Maya and Kaleena are great shooters who are scorers. Diana was always a scorer who could shoot.

And if that confuses you I have done my job.

 

[alexrgct]

Certainly, the team isn't going to play like that night in and night out, especially in terms of shooting the rock, but still an encouraging game. This team desperately needs the Bria who showed up last night to continue making an appearance.

Against St Johns, Stef didn't play, Bria was awful, and Breanna wasn't good either. That leaves KML as the only pure scorer, and you had to hope Kelly would continue her theme of "doing what is needed game by game to help the team win (thankfully, she did)". But a team with KML Stef, and Bria scoring and Kelly reliably filling in whatever gals need filling? That one could be a tough out, especially if Breanna, Mo, and Kiah can make meaningful defensive contributions.

 

[meyers7]

I have always defined Diana as a scorer and Kaleena as a shooter. Obviously, there is overlap but Diana simply knew how to get the ball into the hoop, even under the most awkward of circumstances. See the shot falling out of bounds when she changed hands because it was the only way available.

Kaleena, however, simply has a grace and purity to her shot that not even Diana fully had. Both Maya and Kaleena are great shooters who are scorers. Diana was always a scorer who could shoot.

And if that confuses you I have done my job.

hmmm, I understood it completely. Not sure if that's good or bad.

 

[Icebear]

hmmm, I understood it completely. Not sure if that's good or bad.

Scary, isn't it.

 

[meyers7]

So many positives.
6 players in double figures (KML, Dolson, Hartley, Faris, Stewart and Doty)
Stokes 7 rebounds
Jefferson 5 assists
22 assists / 11 TO's
Out rebounded them 43-31
shot 54% from the field, 62% from 3 pt land
Defensively 25%, and 31% from 3 pt land
Blocked 12 shots, 16 steals, 22 TO's

Only negatives I could come up with were
9/15 on FT's, 60%? Really guys? on uncontested shots?
Let Marquette score first in both halves
But other than that.....nothing.

Fun game to watch. Love to see more like this.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kelly and Kiah missed 2 FTs each. I'm glad Kiah chose last night's game to miss, not Saturday's nail biter.

 

[UcMiami]

Loved Geno's post game comment about relaxing the offense - they were getting too 'narrow' in their approach culminating in the St. Johns game - coaches harping on getting the perfect shot, making the perfect pass, setting the perfect screen. They realized they were losing the fun and made a conscious effort to open up the offense and just let it flow.
I think you saw the results in the shooting percentage (not that I expect it that high in future) - players weren't thinking 'should I be passing this instead of shooting' they were just letting it fly. Loved that Kiah took that foul line jumper - she has a nice 15' shot, but wasn't taking (yes she missed it, but at least she took it!) I think this new attitude will help MT and the other freshmen as well.
And they kept it up for the whole game and didn't slow everything down once they built the lead.

 

[Kibitzer]

Kaleena found her shot. In about 5th grade.

Not really.

From my reading about her, she wasn't very good as a youth and that is where her stepfather stepped in, He apparently was a major influence in her basketball development and they must have a very special relationship.

He may have taught her to shoot a basketball but she got that beautiful smile somewhere else.

I look forward to watching her devastating shooting (and all around play as an AA) for two seasons after this one. (Psst. Somebody tell John A. she is a sophomore, not a junior.)

 

[bruinbball]

Yeah, I can probably count on a single hand the number of times I have saw Kelly miss 2 FT's on the same attempt. That happened last night...what a terrible night

 

[bruinbball]

Loved Geno's post game comment about relaxing the offense - they were getting too 'narrow' in their approach culminating in the St. Johns game - coaches harping on getting the perfect shot, making the perfect pass, setting the perfect screen. They realized they were losing the fun and made a conscious effort to open up the offense and just let it flow.
I think you saw the results in the shooting percentage (not that I expect it that high in future) - players weren't thinking 'should I be passing this instead of shooting' they were just letting it fly. Loved that Kiah took that foul line jumper - she has a nice 15' shot, but wasn't taking (yes she missed it, but at least she took it!) I think this new attitude will help MT and the other freshmen as well.
And they kept it up for the whole game and didn't slow everything down once they built the lead.

I'd like to see her use that little jump when shooting the FT's

 

[slimmer56]

I loved Geno's comments about Kaleena. He said he has been after her to quit passing up shots. He said he does not ever want her to commit one foul, because he never, ever wants to take her out. He said that at anytime Kaleena will hit 3 in a row to blow the game wide open. Gosh, she freakin' amazes me.

The more I watch UCONN I find myself watching Stewie play ball. You talk about potential. She may have hit the dreaded Freshman wall lately, but you can tell we got us a ball player. I saw her grab a rebound above the rim last night, and I thought she was going to dunk it. Her defense is exquisite. I know of no other girl in college bball that plays the point in the 1-2-2 zone trap, then runs up the floor (if they break the trap) to guard a big. UCmiami is right... that girl can cover a whole lot of ground, and it looks effortless ! Keep watching, and be amazed !

 

[alexrgct]

Once Breanna gets her sea legs about her on offense, she will be everything she was expected to be out of high school. She does some things on defense that are basically unheard of in the women's game. She had a couple of blocks last night that no one other than maybe Griner could do.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Not really.

From my reading about her, she wasn't very good as a youth and that is where her stepfather stepped in, He apparently was a major influence in her basketball development and they must have a very special relationship.

He may have taught her to shoot a basketball but she got that beautiful smile somewhere else.

I look forward to watching her devastating shooting (and all around play as an AA) for two seasons after this one. (Psst. Somebody tell John A. she is a sophomore, not a junior.)

I was joking about 5th grade. I recall her saying that she wasn't very good at one point. But she and her stepfather worked at it. She was the #4 player in the country as a 15-year old sophomore per Parade Magazine, and the Lewis Launch was well known by then. My guess is that the shot developed in about 7th or 8th grade. She's the only player I can recall whose shot has a name. Everyone in the stands and on the floor expects every shot to go in.