UConn 77 ND 67

[meyers7]

I find this game impossible to handicap; I just don't have a clue.
But: Whoever wins, will win even more convincingly in the Big East and NCAA's.

Disagree. UCONN wins the Big East Tourney no matter what happens tonight. That's my guess.

 

[UConnCat]

I find this game impossible to handicap; I just don't have a clue.
But: Whoever wins, will win even more convincingly in the Big East and NCAA's.

Such prediction is certainly not consistent with the teams' recent history and doesn't say much for the fight in either team.

In 2011, UConn beat ND three times, including a 21-point thrashing in the 2nd regular season match-up, yet ND came back to win in the FF.

Last year UConn lost the first two regular season match-ups, by 13 points in the Hartford game, yet came back to win the BET and then was one rebound away from winning in the Final Four.

 

[Vowelguy]

Personally I don't see a problem if we have Lewis and Dolson put up 32 and 25. If they do, I think we win. I'm betting we can get 25 points out of the other 7 players. .

More like the other 4 players. I don't expect scoring from MoJeff, Doty, Stokes, or Buck.

 

[Vowelguy]

I know Faris took responsibility for not playing well defensively against McBride in the first match-up, but that was just Kelly being Kelly. McBride shot 10-21 and only 2 of her FGs were scored when Kelly was guarding her. Most of McBride's damage was done in transition which is why I mentioned the strategy of pressing ND (something Scotter raised with me) and allowing its guards to score in transition. The team needs to do a better job of trying to limit ND's ability to get its guards in the open court and force them to score in the half-court. It'll be interesting to see how Geno plays it tonight.

Ok. But who's responsibility was she in transition? (I'm asking; I don't know.)

 

[meyers7]

More like the other 4 players. I don't expect scoring from MoJeff, Doty, Stokes, or Buck.

I wasn't counting Buck anyway. But Jefferson could get a breakaway, Doty could hit a 3, maybe Stokes gets a putback. Or maybe none of them score. I'd still take the 32/25 and 20-25 from the others.

 

[UConnCat]

Ok. But who's responsibility was she in transition? (I'm asking; I don't know.)

It depends. One of the guards, but not always Kelly if she went for a rebound for example. Some of her transition baskets came from ND breaking UConn's press which doesn't assign a defender to a particular player. Kelly guarded McBride for many (but not all) half-court possessions but it's not like she was told to shadow McBride all over the court.

The UConn team needs to do a better job of forcing McBride to take tough shots.

 

[Tonyc]

Alot of nervous fans from reading the boards. All we have to do is play good defense and we will win. Good defense leads to break ways, which leads to easy baskets, which leads to confidence, which leads to momentum, which leads to ND second guessing. Then pound it down low all nite. If we play good defense we win.

 

[magical2]

Defense,Defense,Defense LIMIT STUPID TOs
The rest we will take care of with our offense to
win this one by more than everyone else thinks
My concern is letting Diggins being allowed to push
off without the ball FOUL or creating contact on
going to the basket and not being called for innitiating
contact or getting a shooting foul given
Want to shut her down DONT LET HER DRIVE TO HER LEFT
TOO much offense,TOO much defense for ND or their fans
LET US RAIN ON THEIR PARADE
77-66 the good guys
IRA

 

[meyers7]

LIMIT STUPID TOs

That one right there may just do it. No easy baskets for ND.

 

[msf22b]

Disagree UConnCat: Such prediction is certainly not consistent with the teams' recent history




This is an interesting development: disagreeing in a thread requesting predictions (guesses. open prognostication of the future)
A new high for the group

 

[mcannon1]

I'm with Tony. UCONN BY 10+.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I won!

 

[meyers7]

I won!

You shouldn't be happy.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I won!

Yes, you won, but did you call the three overtimes.
I'm looking at the stats, looking at the play by play, replaying the game, and still cannot believe UConn lost.