UConn vs. ND Girls #1 vs. #2

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

This 4 pm tilt this afternoon pits UConn against ND, which is #2 in the USA Today poll and #3 in the AP. I would hope there are more fans at XL than there were for the men's game yesterday.

We are told that Katie Lou Samuelson and Boutaly Camara will both be back today. UConn should have a legitimate 8 girl rotation with Stevens, Walker and Camara the first three off the bench. In the wings are Irwin, Espinoza- Hunter, and Bent, who seem to be the 9-11 players. Behind them is Coombs and Gordon.

Notre Dame is a team that traditionally runs very good halfcourt offense and is difficult to defend. As always, UConn will rely on fullcourt defensive pressure and forcing TOs to create an edge with transition offense. ND traditionally has handled it better than most teams have and they usually shoot very well. ND has probably been UConn's toughest opponent the past 10 years, with Stanford a close second.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Nurse has set a UConn record with 11 consecutive made 3s over 3 games.

 

[CaNOLEE]

They are playing like the boys. Terrible defense and rebounding.

Today might have been a game to work KLS in off the bench. Up 8 and and ND went on a 22-2 run.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Katie Lou isn’t the problem. The team looks lethargic. They always have trouble defending ND but today lots of problems. ND is much more physical and physically strong than what I was expecting. They are pushing UConn around. UConn not looking like the stronger or faster team.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

ND consistently runs very good offense so it’s not a surprise they are scoring. UConn needs to turn up pressure and turn them over.

 

[the Blades]

Bunch of front runner womens fans sound pretty silent , egotistical Geno is getting his ass handed to him by Little Miss Muffet ...
and he's to stubborn to change

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

The UConn women needed a test! Better now than Final 4. They need some competition and are getting it lets see what they can do.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

That drive and baseline jumper by Stevens was BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!!

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

UConn got tested by a good team and passed the test!

 

[CaNOLEE]

Crazy what happened with Gabby. Is she hurt?

Like Megan Walker's toughness. She belongs. #1 players sometimes won't do the heavy lifting, especially early in their careers. She's kind of Caron Butler like.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I don't know if Gabby is hurt, but she took some very bad shots in the first half which she has been doing regularly in recent games. Gabby Williams can do a lot of things but shooting is not one of them and when she suddenly behaves like she is a shooter, it's a problem and Geno is letting her know it's a problem.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Update, Gabby Williams has been suffering from severe migraine headaches this week, which apparently affected her play in the first half and led to her not playing at all in the second half.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Makes sense.

Pulling this game out with KLS and Gabby on the bench, is pretty great. Nd was game today and we were ripe for an upset.

This doesn't bode well for them in a rematch, because they played as well as they could have for 30 minutes.

 

[Dominicfrank]

ND will kick themselves for not beating us with Gabby, the best player in the college women's game, not playing. Stevens has been REALLY good over the past 3 games.....Im finally impressed with her energy and passion which wasnt there early.

I too like Walker, she has some GRIND in her which the great ones all have. She could be a Maya Moore for us.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Dom I agree with the comparison but I see Walker as a poor man's Maya Moore. More was averaging 18 ppg and 8 rpg and starting as a freshman, and I never saw a UConn freshman as good as she was. Walker is a similar kind of player but lower key, Maya Moore Lite. Walker does grind like you guys say. I like her. She is not the athlete that Maya was (best athlete I ever saw wear a UConn women's uniform), but she is big, strong and good.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Game report:

http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400994964

 

[Shaggydog84]

i believe ND has 3 players out due to injury. not sure any are coming back but what they have was very impressive. looked like a packed house....fooled me where they were playing cuz i haven’t seen the XZl filled in 5 years.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

ND is the best team UConn has played so far this year. They have strong, physical players. The center Jessica Sheperd is a transfer from Nebraska and was Big 10 Freshman of the Year, she played against UConn with Nebraska 2 years ago at XL Center.

 

[Shaggydog84]

ND is the best team UConn has played so far this year. They have strong, physical players. The center Jessica Sheperd is a transfer from Nebraska and was Big 10 Freshman of the Year, she played against UConn with Nebraska 2 years ago at XL Center.

So, sounds like UConn isnt the only major team taking in transfers. Their best guard played at Stanford i believe. Interesting to see if the woman's game will start to see the transfer #'s rise like the men. I have no clue what that looks like as i dont follow the women's like i do the men's. I should ask my wife. She loves to watch games where typically the outcome is never in doubt.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Yes, ND has two transfer girls who were big factors in the game yesterday, one from Nebraska and the other the guard from Stanford. I went to the UConn-Nebraska girls game at the XL Center 2 years ago because one of the other girls on the Nebraska team is a niece of one of my coworker's fiancee. I met her entire family, they flew out from Nebraska for the game, and they are a very tall family. Great people. The niece (Maddie Simon) was Nebraska State High School Player of the Year, and she matched up against Katie Lou Samuelson defensively but was a frosh and did not get heavy minutes. The Nebraska coach was fired at the end of that season, and that is when Shepard, who was probably Nebraska's best player that year, transferred to ND.

Maddie Simon is still on the Nebraska team, and is now a junior. I would like to see her do well. I got to meet her father and entire family and they are really great people. Her father is around 6'5" and is a former athlete as well, I can't recall if he played hoops or something else.

 

[the Blades]