RebKell's Junkie Boards

[Shades]

Storrs, CT - 7:00 PM ET
TV: FS1 (Lisa Byington, Monica McNutt)

Video stream:
https://www.foxsports.com/live/fs1 (tvpli)

Audio:
https://listen.tunein.com/connecticutwbbschedule

Live stats:
http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statmonitr.php?gid=conn

_________________
Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[Iluvacc]

Why is this on FS and not ESPN?

[Shades]

Fox owns the rights to Big East.

_________________
Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[Tally24]

I do not even want to think about ONO trying to guard Boston.

Also, how fast will Edwards foul out? 3rd quarter? I have a night class tomorrow and I can’t decide if I want to keep up with the score throughout, or just watch in full after the class.

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https://twitter.com/TalonShoemake

[mercfan3]

[GlennMacGrady]

UConn committed only 11 fouls against S.Car. last year. (S.Car. only committed four.)

ONO fouled out with 1:15 to go in the game, when UConn was down 16 and had lost. In fact, she committed three of her five fouls in the last 6.5 minutes of the fourth quarter, again when the game was effectively lost. Her second foul was with 3:32 left in the third quarter, when UConn was down 21. Her first foul was with 1:26 left in the second quarter. I don't see anything in the play-by-play that indicates any of the fouls were shooting fouls on Boston.

Boston is not some unstoppable scoring machine. She's averaging 13.7 PPG and shooting 49.5%.

So, I'm not sure these fears of both ONO and Edwards fouling out because of Boston are justified.

UConn will have to stop the fast and scoring guards, Henderson and Cooke, and also 6-2 Victaria Saxton, who's shooting 60.5%.

Mostly, UConn will have to score against the Gamecocks' excellent defense, which they couldn't do last year, especially in the pathetic two-point first quarter.

I like UConn's chances if six players can play at least their B+ games. Last year, only three UConn players showed up and the other three were D's or F's.

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http://www.youtube.com/MagicBusBasketball

[ucbart]

My prediction yesterday was 79-68 SC-they just have more experience than us and frankly, our 3 best players since the Arkansas loss, are freshman. I've never seen ONO or Christyn have games against big teams that can make me trust them(that 28 point game at ND her freshman year doesn't count with Crystal, Lou, and Phee as your teammates). If Christyn shoots more than 3-3's, we are screwed. Furthermore, at some point, Paige has to hit a freshman wall. She just isn't going to be this efficient for her entire career and this might be the game. The SC defense is different than the Tennessee length on defense. They're quick, athletic, and will really harass her and attempt to get her out of rhythm.

Keys for UCONN to pull off an upset:

1. Alliyah Edwards and ONO can play a bulk of minutes together, with Olivia at the high post. She is a good passer from there and it brings Boston out of the lane, which allows our guards to get layups on back door cuts and not have to contend with her defending the rim.

2. We hit 3 and FT's One has gotten better(3's)....and the other is trash(FT's)

3. Paige is Paige.

4. On D, which is the most important aspect of this game, we need to limit transition and dribble penetration.

[huskiemaniac]

I just noticed Massey calls it 72-68, CT. I don't see it that way.

My optimistic final score is 78-71, SC.

[GlennMacGrady]

[mercfan3]

[Stormeo]

Fwiw, this is now a #1 (SoCar) vs #2 (UConn) matchup, per the new AP Poll.

[RavenDog]

Win or lose, it'll be a great experience for the UConn freshmen and others, especially should they play again in March.

Can't wait!

[singinerd54]

My biggest fears, in rank order:

1) Geno makes no (or very minimal) in-game adjustments. Could be defensive tactics (see Arkansas game), using the bench, managing fouls, usage of timeouts, etc.

2) Everyone not named Paige is a deer-in-the-headlights and too afraid of making mistakes to be aggressive (see Tennessee game).

3) Paige shoots very poorly (see Tennessee game) and/or presses in another way that harms the team, quite possibly at Geno's insistence.

4) Aaliyah can't play or is limited due to the hit to the mouth last game. Also, I hope Aubrey can play. I think we need her tenacity. (If she can't, I suspect Mir will be an important change of pace.)

5) Foul trouble for ONO (those arms swinging wildly on blocks...) or Aaliyah.

I more or less expect some combination/extent of these to happen. South Carolina is definitely the best team we've played, and my favorite for the national title. I think we'll lose, but I want to see some fight and not feel like we're out of their league.

[GlennMacGrady]

I like the UConn lineup that ended the 1Q. PB more dangerous against this kind of defense as the ball handler with two bigs under the basket. Need rebounding against SC. Outside chucking won't win it.

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/MagicBusBasketball

[Shades]

14-10 SC end of first

_________________
Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[singinerd54]

Paige rushing, but looking better than against Tennessee. I like the amount of aggressiveness, even if she's rushing her shots. Seeing Boston in the paint is a big difference than anything she's seen so far.

NIKA!!! That block!! Love her intensity. What Geno said about her in the post game about UConn basketball is so true (was also said about Aaliyah).

Christyn I want her or Evina to be on the floor, not both.

Unless Aaliyah is going to have better positioning and rebounding inside, we also need ONO on the court. ONO looking better than expected! I like her out high for the passing, and don't mind the jump shots (with some discretion).

[Conway Gamecock]

Both teams totally unsettled right now.....

[Iluvacc]

This does not look like a 1 versus 2 matchup

[singinerd54]

How TF is no one on the ball with 3 seconds left?! Terrible. When scoring is so precious, that is a major miss.

Aubrey, make that layup!! Aaliyah, that foul at the 3 point line cannot happen!!

Overall, we are playing hard and I am pleasantly surprised at the intensity. Geno goes with the defensive lineup, which works for me. Aubrey with the individual defense those last few minutes was great.

The charge on Cooke and the moving screen call on ONO were both bad.

Poor shot making, but some really strong defense happening on both sides.

[mercfan3]

[myrtle]

If Uconn could make layups they'd be up by 10.
at the other end, I think Henderson is pigging the ball a bit too much.

I guess you could call it a defensive battle but the offense is sucking. 1-11 from three between the two teams. ugh.

[ucbart]

[ucbart]

Two more things:

1. These announcers are atrocious. Fox, you have been GIFTED that greatest program that WBB has to offer. Spend some money and hire someone that's not McNutt. She is horrible. And, did something get added to the hand book? Every time I listen to a game, even if SC isn't on the floor, the announcers SLOBBER all over Dawn.

2. No crowd is a huge problem. This is flat and there is 0 energy.

[myrtle]

Evina has disappeared.
Williams and Griffin have some of the same issues. Neither can shoot, but boy are they active.
Muhl is coming along nicely. I'm enjoying watching her.

_________________
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.
- Amanda Gorman

[mercfan3]

Is South Carolina playing a box and one on Paige? It looks like it sometimes (that is exactly how I’d play UConn this year)

Evina does seem to be in a slump..but as I’ve been saying, I want the three freshman and the two next best players on the floor. (Appears to be ONO and CW or Griffin right now).

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“Anyone point out that a Donald Trump anagram is ‘Lord Dampnut’”- Colin Mochrie