UConn - Maryland Preview

[Tonyc]

A lot of nervous fans. I'm a little nervous too. We don't know what to expect. A lot of "ifs" from what I'm reading. If we get in foul trouble, if we play our best or if we don't play our best, if we don't play up to our level. Hey guys. We play defense. MD is not a good 3 pt shooting team. We will keep them on the outside. They will try to get inside. Our defense is too strong. Who will guard Thomas. We need to pack it it and keep her outside. We contained Chiney didn't we? We can contain Thomas too we did last season. I get the impression from some of you that you think we are going to struggle scoring and MD is going to put up a lot of points. Well first of all we are going to score, second we struggled against Stanford and Chong, and Kiah got us going as well as Bria. As far as MD scoring they struggled last season against our defense...twice. They will this season too. The biggest difference with MD this season is they're playing at home and most likely over confident with UConns injuries. We will be fine and if we lose hey we're down to 7 players and missing two of our stars. We lose now and hopefully gain some experience and hopefully MoTuck and KML come back 100% before year end. What matters right now is we get ready for the NCAAs.

IMO I think Geno spent a lot of time this week on teaching his team how to avoid fouls. The first team to learn how to adjust to the fouls called will win and could win by a lot. It has been very apparent to me that most teams didn't adjust. I think we will see UConn make adjustments to being called for fouls and that will be big.

 

[asuwish]

UConn-Maryland Game Preview, by doggydaddy

I wonder if because of Uconn's lack of depth, our length and Maryland's average outside shooting Geno would go (don't keep reading if you don't like four letter words) ZONE. Not all the time mind you, but to mix it up and confuse Maryland as well as limit all the touch fouls being called.

 

[doggydaddy]

I wonder if because of Uconn's lack of depth, our length and Maryland's average outside shooting Geno would go (don't keep reading if you don't like four letter words) ZONE. Not all the time mind you, but to mix it up and confuse Maryland as well as limit all the touch fouls being called.

Geno is not afraid to play some zone.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

It's not just Maryland. Let's just assume for a minute both Tuck and Mosqueda-Lewis are out until January, which is a very real possibility. Most of the season's tough games are between now and then, many of them on the road. There's the Maryland and Penn State games this weekend. There's Ohio State. Then Duke - on the road without Mosqueda-Lewis or Tuck or Kelly Faris to bail them out like last year. A few days after Duke comes Cal. You'd like to think both players are back to at least practicing by the time conference play or the Baylor game rolls around, but with injuries you never really know. It's true Coach Auriemma has dealt with a short bench before, but right now you can only really count on Dolson and Hartley. You never know what you're going to get from Stewart. Jefferson still frequently plays like an out of control freshman, and the fifth spot goes to a still mentally hesitant Banks or Chong who has exactly two games of collegiate experience. It's definitely going to be a challenge. I disagree with the notion that the team will be better off playing through the adversity the injuries have brought upon the team. That's just silly coach-speak. No team gets better by having the best player in the country sitting idle. That's like saying the Detroit Tigers would have been better off playing through the adversity of not having Miguel Cabrera. Or the Red Sox without David Ortiz. Or Baylor last year without Griner.

"You never know what you're going to get from Stewart"

No...just you don't know...

 

[easttexastrash]

I am looking forward to the game. Contrary to the beliefs of many, I think MD is well coached and will be very physical tonight. Without KML and Tuck I think it could be a very tight game, but still UCONN has the talent advantage and wins going away down the stretch, I say by 15.

 

[hussybulldog]

Anybody know of any online viewing of this game other than ESPNU or the pay view on MD web site?

 

[easttexastrash]

Anybody know of any online viewing of this game other than ESPNU or the pay view on MD web site?

HB, I just sent you a PM. Let me know if you need help with that.