Mind-boggling

[DobbsRover2]

May have been mentioned elsewhere but Mike Lopresti has a tremendous article about UConn over on NCAA.com called Is UConn Unstoppable? And though the opener about how superior the Huskies are this year could have devolved into one of those "bad for basketball" articles, it most certainly does not and has great insight and quotes scattered throughout it. But what really floored me were some of the factoids about UConn he threw in, such as:

• UConn has scored 536 points in the first half of their 11 games. Their opponents have scored 536 points total for BOTH halves.
• Their biggest deficit during the season has been two points -- and I was worried when Duke had that big 4-3 lead early in the game that UConn was finally able to rally from.
• 67% of the FGs have been assisted this year, and 83% in the Duke game.
• UConn is 15-3 in no. 1 vs. no. 2 games in its history.

Just a great run for the Huskies this year and recent years.

And speaking of UConn and Duke, just watched the field hockey championship at NCAA.com, where all the scoring occurred in the first half (and the first third of the video) of UConn's 2-0 win. All the field hockey matches I had ever watched at any length were dreadful, with a stop-action whistle every 5 seconds, but the play in this game was really fun. Of course if fans are going to gripe about 55-50 games for WCBB, a 2-0 game might be a killer. Duke had averaged 5 goals in their first two games of the tourney, so shutting them out was a stellar job.

 

[ChicagoGG]

Wow. What an amazing set of statistics. Great read, thanks for linking!

 

[Ctpaul0825]

“If they can’t pass, generally we don’t recruit a kid,” Auriemma said. “So it’s part of what we believe in. If you’re not a good passer, it’s going to be hard to play for us. Because if every time you’re open you get the ball, but every time somebody else is open you can’t get them the ball, pretty soon you’re going to stand out.”

A key to Geno's recruiting and coaching philosophy!

 

[meyers7]

Good article. I think most of us on here were really looking forward to this year's team. Thinking they had the potential to be really good (great). And they are living up to that so far.

 

[Phil]

Nice read, thanks

 

[DobbsRover2]

“If they can’t pass, generally we don’t recruit a kid,” Auriemma said. “So it’s part of what we believe in. If you’re not a good passer, it’s going to be hard to play for us. Because if every time you’re open you get the ball, but every time somebody else is open you can’t get them the ball, pretty soon you’re going to stand out.”

A key to Geno's recruiting and coaching philosophy!

Yeah that was one of the stand-out quotes in the article that if you think about it is so obvious but yet had never really struck me that of all the things Geno and CD recruit for, one of the chief ones is simply the ability to give the ball to a teammate effectively, which is the glue that holds the UConn offense and indirectly even the defense together. There is a reason the Huskies shoot over 50% season after season, and it is because they run the plays to put their players in position for high percentage shots, and they have players who can automatically make the needed passes most of the time.

 

[dtbtbtb]

If a player can pass and shoot and willing to put 100% effort for 40 min. every game as part of a team concept not geared towards personal glory but team success, UConn is the school for them.

 

[pvdoggy]

>> UConn is 15-3 in no. 1 vs. no. 2 games in its history

while Duke under CoachP is 1-13 when facing an eventual #1 seed in the tournament.
That's pretty amazing.

 

[UcMiami]

Thanks for finding and posting that! Fun article and a really good picture of Geno and Stef.
I know it is easier to have fun when you are winning, but this team in particular just seems to be really joyful. And the coaches seem to be having a really good time to. It starts with Stef, but it seems to have permitted the whole team - playful, always smiling. (Thank goodness Kelly and her game face are gone! ) I think it also stems from Geno - he just seems to be more relaxed about everything, or more trusting in the team?

 

[baggerbob]

The thing his article doesn't say is, what happens if Stef, Stewie, KML, and Bria all have a great game the same night?

 

[DobbsRover2]

The thing his article doesn't say is, what happens if Stef, Stewie, KML, and Bria all have a great game the same night?

I'm guessing somewhere between 130 and 150, and if MoJeff pops in a few 3s with the 20 assists in that game, might be 160.