UConn v. UCLA girls

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Dangerfield kind of got schooled by Jordin Canada in the first half (no real shame, as Canada is probably 1st Team All American point guard), but overall UConn did a great job especially on the boards. Stevens and Collier were forces inside, and Megan Walker was big off the bench. Walker has gotten better every game. She just needed some run and game experience. Her confidence to start the season may have been lagging after getting her butt kicked in practice by Kia and Gabby and Katie Lou, but the more she plays and produces the better she will get.

 

[asby]

Dangerfield kind of got schooled by Jordin Canada in the first half (no real shame, as Canada is probably 1st Team All American point guard), but overall UConn did a great job especially on the boards. Stevens and Collier were forces inside, and Megan Walker was big off the bench. Walker has gotten better every game. She just needed some run and game experience. Her confidence to start the season may have been lagging after getting her butt kicked in practice by Kia and Gabby and Katie Lou, but the more she plays and produces the better she will get.

Why did only Walker come off the bench?. .I can't remember the last time only 6 played..Is everyone in the doghouse or hurt?

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Reportedly Geno did not like the way the deep bench played against Maryland. If you watched the end of that game, other than Walker and 2 3s by Espinoza-Hunter, the deep bench was a horror show. They were deemed unworthy of any minutes because they sucked.

And Stevens also was benched from the beginning of the 3rd quarter, so Geno went with the usual 4 starters and Walker, this because Stevens picked up her 3rd foul. Geno does not like bad fouls away from the basket. He believes it is unnecessary and a sign of mental laziness. So some messages were sent.

When Stevens went out and Walker came in, UConn played better. That being said, I thought Stevens was active on the boards in the first half. She just has to be smarter with fouls. She was not asked to play the type of quality man to man defense UConn plays when she was at Duke, which played matchup zone. So she is struggling with that.

What really decided the game was the terrible defense UCLA played on Collier. Although Collier was often double teamed last year, she was zero-teamed at times by UCLA last night which frequently left her with wide open drives and layups. I could not understand how UCLA allowed itself to be beaten repeatedly with open drives by a player that everyone knows is an All American. Gabby Williams was also very active on the boards and on D as usual causing all kinds of problems.

I thought this game would be much tighter. UCLA did play good halfcourt D at times and Canada was fantastic and generally out played Dangerfield. Canada looks like she could be a very high WNBA draft pick and likely All American.

 

[Hooper_Scooper]

Reportedly Geno did not like the way the deep bench played against Maryland. If you watched the end of that game, other than Walker and 2 3s by Espinoza-Hunter, the deep bench was a horror show. They were deemed unworthy of any minutes because they sucked.

Yeah they sucked but they'd still start on 99% of the DI teams in women's college basketball! LOL. UConn is just on another level than everyone else.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Not so sure Irwin and Bent would start on most top 25 teams. They played poorly in the Maryland game. Coombs and Espinoza Hunter were OK. Gordon barely played. Hard to judge on the last 3 but they are not ready to be prime time players. Walker is looking like she is ready. I presume Camara once healthy will be in the rotation as well. Those 2 plus KLS gives UConn an 8 deep team.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Walker is stepping up. It will be interesting to see if she's the 6th man at some point this year and Stevens is the first Big off the bench,

Get KLS and Camara back and they'll be the 8 that play.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I think that is how it’s going to play out. First 3 off the bench Walker, Stevens and Camara. The other bench players are a notch below those 3. Coombs could see more action if anything happens to Dangerfield or Nurse. Espinoza-Hunter could see time as a zone buster, but I think she and Coombs have to really show more than what they have to crack the rotation. Gordon, Irwin and Bent are the last 3 in the bench depth.

 

[CaNOLEE]

K99, you saw where Geno called this freshmen class the worst defensive group of his uconn career? Although, that is Genospeak. He really hates freshmen. Next year he's going to need them.

We are going to really miss Gabby and Kia's athleticism and toughness.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

In the Maryland game, that group was horrible. They were bulldozed.

 

[Dominicfrank]

Stevens is NOT all american worthy by a long shot yet and we were lead to believe she could be the best player in the country. She doesnt seem to have the confidence or attitude to dominate. Can you imagine Gabby in that body?

Stevens is not a lost cause but she needs to step it up, she is playing like a star player on a non-Uconn team. I just dont see Geno letting her take minutes from Walker if Walker, who already shows you toughness and drive, keeps progressing and staying aggressive. Walker seems to me to be desperate to get playing time while Stevens coasts big time.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Stevens played in a very different system at Duke and she is having problems adapting at the defensive end. She is learning on the fly a new system. She sat against UCLA because she committed her 3rd foul far away from the hoop early 3rd quarter and those kinds of things are cardinal sins in the Geno bible, that get you nailed to the bench. I think she is too talented and will break out as soon as she adjusts.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Is Stevens the women's version of Ajou Deng?

Not everyone can play on a championship team and except a role. Makes you appreciate players like Kia Nurse.

That being said, it's only 4 games in. She came here to be elite and apart of greatness. It doesn't happen over night. One thing a lot of Big's have to learn is when to go after shots and when to set your feet and take a charge.

 

[Dominicfrank]

CaNOLEE- I agree but remember she was with this team ALL of last year in the system with Geno so these 4 games are far closer to the real thing than a 1st year player.

I think she is a sweet girl with talent but if she has been around the liked of Gabby, Nurse, KLS, Collier for over a year and still has a slow motor?

 

[Dominicfrank]

lastly: This was a closer game than the score showed......UCLA is a good team and will get better. This UCONN team doesnt seem any better than last year which means they are a GREAT team, best in basketball but beatable.

 

[Dominicfrank]

So in retrospect...........we started year playing ALL ranked teams. maybe I should let this team mature a little with some easy ones before I call them beatable.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Ajou was a redshirt too, Dom. But I know what you're saying. I think it's a confidence issue. I like self starters that help in other areas even when their shot isn't falling, but some players are the other way. Stevens might be one of those. And she is coming into a juggernaut with 3AA and another defensive AA that plays on a national team, so she probably doesn't want to step on any toes and is hesitant as a result. Give it 15 games.

I think UCLA is a very good club. But we'll get better as well and not having one of our top scorers and traveling cross country on short rest and playing at 1030 at night on their court doesn't bode well for them in a rematch.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

UCLA is one of the more athletic teams UConn will play this year. Don’t sell short an 18 point road win over this team while UConn was without its best offensive player. Stevens will be fine. She had a strong double double the prior game. The problem was fouls, against a team with some elite athletes. UConn is asking her to do stuff defensively that she is not used to doing. It’s that simple. She will learn and be fine. I give her a pass on that game. She has great speed, body control, balance and excellent basketball skills. She is certainly an upgrade over Natalie Butler, and is as good for a 6’5” and over player as anyone UConn has had.

 

[Dominicfrank]

Agree on all accounts on Stevens. I just heard SO much about her being possibly the best player in the country......

Looking back this might be the toughest first 4 games in the history of the women's game.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

UConn's entire non-conference schedule is crazy, but because the AAC is not that strong, it has to be. In the Big East days UConn would play maybe 2-3 tough out of conference games, this year just about all of them are against top 25 teams. The first 4 I would say are the toughest opening 4 games ever that UConn has played. That's why we probably should not overreact to the bench sucking monkey balls against Maryland, or Stevens picking up unnecessary fouls and having a resultant poor game against UCLA. Geno is using these things as teaching moments and when you can teach and still kick the opponent's ass, it is a very wonderful thing.