Starting Lineup/Match-ups with ND

[msf22b]

Is it most likely to match up well and succeed against ND?
Is there any alternative?
Probably not, considering the way the season has shaped up and the freshman have progressed.

It's illuminating to compare the scoring tonight.
In a tough win, in which they were challanged throughout the first half until 'Cuse laid down in the 2nd, the ND starting guards scored 49 points.

In a lackidasical win, in which the issue was never in doubt, the UConn starting guards scored 6 points (Doty played limited minutes).

Our scoring is tending from the front court (considering KML the small forward) KML, Stef, and tonight Stewie and Kelly.

In my opinion, for us to win at ND, considering tonight, requires somewhat more production from the starting backcourt; not necesserily world-beating, just routinely good (but way better than tonight).

 

[VAMike23]

In my opinion, for us to win at ND, considering tonight, requires somewhat more production from the starting backcourt; not necesserily world-beating, just routinely good (but way better than tonight).

I think that's a good point, and one that echoes Geno's repeated phrase about guard play being the key against the elite teams. But I also think that they will just have to bring an extra dose of old-fashioned mental toughness to the table.

Stef was quoted after the January game as saying "they out-toughed us." Or something close to that. I won't joke around with the 'who wants it more' phrase in this post, but whatever you want to call it we just have to bring more of it than they do.

These teams know each other too well for there to be a lot of surprises. Each of the teams is going to get punched in the proverbial mouth at some point, but how will they react? So far they've got our number and it's up to us to rise above it all--this includes the officiating, btw. (Are we going to whine if ND gets more FT attempts again? It's almost guaranteed to happen again, especially at their place. It's the way they are coached to play, and they know what the result will be when are able to execute. Simple as that.)

 

[VAUConnFan]

The best backcourt in the Big East, it pains me to say; Add Jewel Lloyd to this mix... As mentioned, backcourt play is what usually the difference in games games at the elite level. Which prompts the conclusion that a close game in South Bend will favor Notre Dame.

 

[Goodgood]

We lost to them at home, with Brianna Banks. We could still win in South Bend, but our back court production is currently no match to theirs. Who would have thought so at the beginning of the season? Unless MJ, CD and BH find their shooting touch, it could be a long night.

 

[wire chief]

We will need to start strong with high energy, like Syracuse just did. I don't relish us playing from behind. The question is will we fold as Syracuse did, like that famous loss a dozen years ago, when we led by 15 or 16 at the half? Is Stewie ready for an elite team? Will our backcourt rise to the occasion? Will we control silly turnovers?

 

[Tonyc]

I expect Breanna to make her mark in this game, much like she has in the past couple of games. Shes going through growing pains right now and looks to be a little more confident the past week or so. ND lacks height. UConn dosnt. We can beat them down low. Our guards need to score more then they did last nite. A combined 15 pts would be nice.

USF will be a very tuff game and a good warm up for ND. I have a feeling the adreniline will be flowing M0nday nite. The key is to have someone other then KML and Stef put up points. We need 4 players in double figures. If we stay out of foul trouble we win big. ND has beaten us at the line much to often. UConn wins this one.

 

[diggerfoot]

Is it most likely to match up well and succeed against ND?
Is there any alternative?
Probably not, considering the way the season has shaped up and the freshman have progressed.

It's illuminating to compare the scoring tonight.
In a tough win, in which they were challanged throughout the first half until 'Cuse laid down in the 2nd, the ND starting guards scored 49 points.

In a lackidasical win, in which the issue was never in doubt, the UConn starting guards scored 6 points (Doty played limited minutes).

Our scoring is tending from the front court (considering KML the small forward) KML, Stef, and tonight Stewie and Kelly.

In my opinion, for us to win at ND, considering tonight, requires somewhat more production from the starting backcourt; not necesserily world-beating, just routinely good (but way better than tonight).

I think you have a point if you leave out your concern about scoring. Faris is a guard this year so leaving her point total out is a misguided manipulation of the data. For that matter, in Auriemma's system parts are to be somewhat interchangeable, so that a "small forward" may actually be positioning herself and scoring more like a guard. Hmm. Does anyone on the current team fit that description?

Yet I agree our vulnerability lies with guard play. Auriemma's best teams, with one exception, featured extraordinary point guard leaders (not necessarily scorers). I really like Jefferson's potential, but she is a freshman on the depth chart. This demonstrates the importance of timing. If she came into Montgomery's situation, I think she would have performed as well or better than Montgomery for her freshman year, but she was not going to be designated the lead guard over Hartley and Doty on this current team. Doty demonstrated great guard play in the past, particularly at feeding post players and her A/T ratio (of course, she had two of the greatest posts in the game to work with), but those days are gone. Hartley, in my mind, never did see plays develop as well as a lead guard should. Often times when I see a soon to be open UConn post hoping for the ball to arrive at the right time, it is Hartley with the ball and failing to see the opportunity. She was invaluable on offense because she was our most fearless and dependable scorer, though not at the moment. The after effects of her injury probably has everything to do with this. happens. That leaves Faris, who has the savvy of a lead guard, but the timing of her progression through the program was not such as to nurture that. Once again, timing is everything. As a result, and to your point, we probably do have the greatest guard vulnerability, at least lead guard, of an Auriemma team since our first championship.

I actually think we could still win ... or lose ... everything: BE regular season, BE tournament, NCAA tournament. To me there are clues about our prospects for the remainder of the year embedded in the UPS Team Performance Index, which I'll save for another post.

 

[Tidepool]

As for Stef's point about toughness -- in games decided by fewer than 10 points in 2012-13 and 2011-12, we are 1-6. I worry if, late in close games, doubts will not creep in.

 

[Drumguy]

As for Stef's point about toughness -- in games decided by fewer than 10 points in 2012-13 and 2011-12, we are 1-6. I worry if, late in close games, doubts will not creep in.

5 of those to ND, 1 to Baylor

 

[Tidepool]

3 times to ND, 2 times to Baylor, once to St. John's.

 

[vtcwbuff]

A starting line up guaranteed to kick ND butt.

G Bird
G Taurasi
C Charles
F Moore
F Mosqueda-Lewis

 

[Goodgood]

A starting line up guaranteed to kick ND butt.

G Bird
G Taurasi
C Charles
F Moore
F Mosqueda-Lewis

That line up should win an Olympic gold medal easily. ND is way down the totem pole.

 

[msf22b]

Faris is a guard this year so leaving her point total out is a misguided manipulation of the data. For that matter, in Auriemma's system parts are to be somewhat interchangeable, so that a "small forward" may actually be positioning herself and scoring more like a guard. Hmm. Does anyone on the current team fit that description?
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I certainly agree Digger that conventional attribution doesn't necessarily bring enlightenment with regard what or who is meant by "guard" or "forward" and what are their functions within the offense.

Nevertheless, two Irish Lassies, who start and are considered guards scored 49 points last night.
And the two most likely candidates on the Huskies to a parallel role, didn't.
For this exercise in logic, I am considering that a team has 2 guards and 2 forwards regardless of the fact that 4 or even 5 of the players can be considered "guards."

 

[diggerfoot]

"Nevertheless, two Irish Lassies, who start and are considered guards scored 49 points last night. And the two most likely candidates on the Huskies to a parallel role, didn't."

Um, OK, so what's your point in bringing that up? If you allege that it is the guards that need to score the points on a team to win I strongly disagree, with plenty of evidence to back me up. If your point is that the Irish guards bring something to the table that we are lacking I do agree, but it's not about scoring points, so the 49 points is meaningless as an argument in support of that claim.

Guards are the most important part of the offense for many reasons; needing them to be the leading scorers for a team to win championships is not one of them.

The argument you're making is fatalistic. You know what? For the remaining games we will not have a single game where our guards provide over 40% of the scoring, not when we have the leading 3-point shooter in the country and the highest percentage shooter in the country overall playing other positions. Not when most high efficiency offenses are geared towards feeding the posts. Nope. There will seldom be a game where they even score close to 40% of the points, even if Hartley gets back on track. So to allege that guard scoring is precisely where the points should be coming from is to establish an expectation of failure for this team. The team may fail at their goals and guard play may be the explanation. They could have too many miscues, as the TPI suggests does happen to us, or perhaps they do fail to score at key moments, but failure of guards to score more than their fair share of points will not be the downfall for this particular team.

 

[magical2]

DIGGER excellent
In addition to all you stated McBride and Diggins took
42 shots between the 2 of them give KML AND one of SD,KF,
STEWIE that number and you will see similar results or better
I know the FTs may come up but answers to that if needed
We play a different game then ND
much more can be stated on this
IRA

 

[Icebear]

As I suggested last time we need a Catholic, a secular atheist, and a Calvinist to officiate this game to keep the game fair and balanced.