bballnut90
LV Adherent. Topic Crafter
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2011
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First off...WOW. What a fantastic game to start the season! I know no one here is happy with the end result, but a hard fought game between two very good teams, a 3pointer with 1 second left to send it to overtime and a huge upset? Great atmosphere and night for women's basketball, even if it wasn't the best of nights for UCONN fans. Here were some of my impressions on both squads/the game overall:
1. Stanford's guard play is outstanding. Orrange is fantastic at getting to the rim and hitting shots. She had outstanding confidence as a lead guard and came through in a huge way for Stanford. Thompson is dynamite at the off guard position. Great athlete, hard to stay in front of her because of her quickness, but you can't give her space because she'll hit shots from mid range and long range. These two had the best games tonight and were the difference in my opinion.
2. Karlie Samuelson is going to be a great asset for Stanford. She penetrates, dishes, and has a great looking jumper. Had some great hesitation moves that completely faked out UCONN defenders. Made some nice aggressive passes that ended up as turnovers, but I think she has a great mindset and will be a big asset for Stanford.
3. Stanford was much, much, MUCH better than I expected. The absence of a player like Chiney or Nneka allowed other players to penetrate lanes, creating open looks on the perimeter and good drives to the basket. I really thought Stanford would get walloped and was a team in the 15-20 range. Never would have predicted they'd upset UCONN--granted, I never would have predicted that they'd upset Baylor 2 years ago either.
4. On the flip side, UCONN isn't as good as I think most expected UCONN to be. In the past, UCONN has had no problem shedding All Americans and thumping every opponent in its path. That might not be the case this year. UCONN isn't the same team as last year, the role each player has is very different, and they are missing 2 former All-Americans. I underestimated this significance, but I still think UCONN will be the team to beat this year.
4. For UCONN, I think there were certain bright spots tonight, but the team did not look cohesive on the court. Stanford got into the lane at will, not a ton of communication defensively, lots of standing around watching Stewart and try to have her create own magic. I think tonight really highlighted how important Dolson was to this team last year. Dolson ran the offense from the high post and set big strong picks that allowed players to get open. Dolson had very good vision for a post and was a great leader, distributor and finisher for UCONN. They don't have a replacement for that, and as a result, the offense was stagnant.
5. Chong and Nurse were highlights for UCONN tonight. Nurse was a feisty, scrappy player out there. And Chong I thought did an outstanding job, despite the poor decision at the end to go for the layup down by 3.
6. I thought Stewart had a nice night (23 points, 10 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals) but it wasn't her best night. Her jumper looks smoother this year, but she didn't do a great job of finishing shots. Some of that might be fatigue, Stanford was incredibly physical with her. She also missed 4 free throws which is uncharacteristic.
7. Morgan Tuck didn't have a great game but did some nice things in overtime. I'm not sold on the idea that she's going to be another All-American or star for UCONN. She's a versatile player with a big frame, reminds me a bit of Asjha Jones with more range but not as athletic or strong in the post. She does have a unique skill set and I think will be a key contributor for UCONN this year. Will need to improve her shot selection and avoiding foul trouble. Not her best showing, but she had some good moments.
8. KML and Jefferson were no shows, point blank. KML two years ago was one of the very best players in the nation. She was automatic from long range, was an aggressive rebounder and such a smooth scorer. None of that was apparent tonight. Didn't see great leadership from her, nor did I see an aggressive mindset. I still think she can be one of the best players in the nation, she just needs to want it.
Jefferson just didn't show up offensively. 2-7 from the floor, 0-3 from long range and 1-3 from the line. She'll need to have an elevated role this year where she'll be called upon to take more shots, take a bigger leadership role and be creative offensively. I thought she was very passive tonight. I'm interested to see how she develops this year and if she's able to handle the extra responsibilities.
9. Stokes did a good job blocking shots defensively, but she doesn't have an apparent offensive game. Little confidence from her offensively, she also struggled rebounding the ball. Last year she had a very specific role for UCONN: come in, play strong defense, block shots and get boards. This year she's expected to do more, and she doesn't have a strong back up post. That'll be a story to watch.
10. A side note--once the game started to get late....you almost knew Stanford was going to win. Stanford was just oozing confidence, while UCONN seemed tight. Maples might be the most difficult venue in the nation for a road team to pick up a win, Stanford just doesn't lose at home. If there is a rematch at the end of the year, I'd put money on UCONN, but Stanford was terrific tonight.
1. Stanford's guard play is outstanding. Orrange is fantastic at getting to the rim and hitting shots. She had outstanding confidence as a lead guard and came through in a huge way for Stanford. Thompson is dynamite at the off guard position. Great athlete, hard to stay in front of her because of her quickness, but you can't give her space because she'll hit shots from mid range and long range. These two had the best games tonight and were the difference in my opinion.
2. Karlie Samuelson is going to be a great asset for Stanford. She penetrates, dishes, and has a great looking jumper. Had some great hesitation moves that completely faked out UCONN defenders. Made some nice aggressive passes that ended up as turnovers, but I think she has a great mindset and will be a big asset for Stanford.
3. Stanford was much, much, MUCH better than I expected. The absence of a player like Chiney or Nneka allowed other players to penetrate lanes, creating open looks on the perimeter and good drives to the basket. I really thought Stanford would get walloped and was a team in the 15-20 range. Never would have predicted they'd upset UCONN--granted, I never would have predicted that they'd upset Baylor 2 years ago either.
4. On the flip side, UCONN isn't as good as I think most expected UCONN to be. In the past, UCONN has had no problem shedding All Americans and thumping every opponent in its path. That might not be the case this year. UCONN isn't the same team as last year, the role each player has is very different, and they are missing 2 former All-Americans. I underestimated this significance, but I still think UCONN will be the team to beat this year.
4. For UCONN, I think there were certain bright spots tonight, but the team did not look cohesive on the court. Stanford got into the lane at will, not a ton of communication defensively, lots of standing around watching Stewart and try to have her create own magic. I think tonight really highlighted how important Dolson was to this team last year. Dolson ran the offense from the high post and set big strong picks that allowed players to get open. Dolson had very good vision for a post and was a great leader, distributor and finisher for UCONN. They don't have a replacement for that, and as a result, the offense was stagnant.
5. Chong and Nurse were highlights for UCONN tonight. Nurse was a feisty, scrappy player out there. And Chong I thought did an outstanding job, despite the poor decision at the end to go for the layup down by 3.
6. I thought Stewart had a nice night (23 points, 10 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals) but it wasn't her best night. Her jumper looks smoother this year, but she didn't do a great job of finishing shots. Some of that might be fatigue, Stanford was incredibly physical with her. She also missed 4 free throws which is uncharacteristic.
7. Morgan Tuck didn't have a great game but did some nice things in overtime. I'm not sold on the idea that she's going to be another All-American or star for UCONN. She's a versatile player with a big frame, reminds me a bit of Asjha Jones with more range but not as athletic or strong in the post. She does have a unique skill set and I think will be a key contributor for UCONN this year. Will need to improve her shot selection and avoiding foul trouble. Not her best showing, but she had some good moments.
8. KML and Jefferson were no shows, point blank. KML two years ago was one of the very best players in the nation. She was automatic from long range, was an aggressive rebounder and such a smooth scorer. None of that was apparent tonight. Didn't see great leadership from her, nor did I see an aggressive mindset. I still think she can be one of the best players in the nation, she just needs to want it.
Jefferson just didn't show up offensively. 2-7 from the floor, 0-3 from long range and 1-3 from the line. She'll need to have an elevated role this year where she'll be called upon to take more shots, take a bigger leadership role and be creative offensively. I thought she was very passive tonight. I'm interested to see how she develops this year and if she's able to handle the extra responsibilities.
9. Stokes did a good job blocking shots defensively, but she doesn't have an apparent offensive game. Little confidence from her offensively, she also struggled rebounding the ball. Last year she had a very specific role for UCONN: come in, play strong defense, block shots and get boards. This year she's expected to do more, and she doesn't have a strong back up post. That'll be a story to watch.
10. A side note--once the game started to get late....you almost knew Stanford was going to win. Stanford was just oozing confidence, while UCONN seemed tight. Maples might be the most difficult venue in the nation for a road team to pick up a win, Stanford just doesn't lose at home. If there is a rematch at the end of the year, I'd put money on UCONN, but Stanford was terrific tonight.