Vs. St. Bonaventure

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I had hoped UConn would go 1-1 between WVU and SBU and they still have the chance to do so. I saw SBU blow out a very good Marquette team in Charleston. In that game SBU, which has a very athletic and quick team, completely destroyed Marquette in transition, and Marquette also didn't shoot well that game. SBU is a team that returned 5 senior starters from last year and they certainly look like a team that will not beat itself. UConn has them on a neutral court in NJ. I think UConn might have a size advantage but not sure it will matter. Can't have some of the live ball TOs that UConn had last night against this team.

 

[the Blades]

SAT DEC 11 @ the Prudential Center, NJ....3:30pm ....TV: ESPN2

of note: Leading scorer and asst man, Lofton has missed the last 2 games with a high ankle sprain, but he sounds determined to play vs. Uconn: " Lofton really hopes to be able to play Saturday in front of family and friends. His aunt, Ember Lofton, bought more than 100 tickets to the game....“It would be like a dream come true,” he said of hoping to play. To go back home and play in front of my family, Newark is literally a block away from where I live. I live 10-15 minutes from the Prudential Center.”....He also has personal connections to UConn, having played at Putnam Science with UConn forward Akok Akok and having known UConn point guard and Linden native R.J. Cole since he was 8.

How N.J. native and St. Bonaventure guard Kyle Lofton went from having no Division I offers to becoming an NBA prospect

Kyle Lofton is the starting point guard for a St. Bonaventure team (7-1) that is among the best in the nation and will face No. 15 UConn on Saturday.

www.nj.com

by the numbers: (click image)

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Line is UConn -4 so bettors still confident in UConn to get the job done vs. SBU on a neutral court.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Let's make it a a UConn sweep of this NFT classic!!!!!!

 

[the Blades]

SAT DEC 11 @ the Prudential Center, NJ ....TV: ESPN2

of note: Leading scorer and asst man, Lofton has missed the last 2 games with a high ankle sprain, but he sounds determined to play vs. Uconn: " Lofton really hopes to be able to play Saturday in front of family and friends.

also per Borges:
Martin (who is also UConn’s top rebounder) practiced on Friday and has been pushing to play on Saturday. ...“We’ll see how the injury responds overnight, see how he feels at shoot-around (Saturday),” Hurley said.

BUT-

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Wise decision not to play Martin. It's a long season. There is another week until the Providence game and let him rest for that game. UConn is supposed to have the depth to absorb these injuries so let's play the depth and see what happens. A loss to SBU will not be the end of the world, but it may not happen and either way, the team is going to be better for giving these extra minutes to Hawkins and Johnson and playing their bench.

 

[the Blades]

Wake -up Uconn 4 minutes 4 TO's, Typically dumb in this offense, Whaley in such a hurry to run and set screen, he doesn't even look at the ball. While, " Mr. to cool AJ" has to no look a simple pass.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Hawkins is like 0-December. Marone!

 

[the Blades]

Hawkins is like 0-December. Marone!

Just was gonna comment, reminds me of Gilbert ( all of his )or Vital early in their career, never met a shot he didn't like, out of control drives 1 vs. 3....SMH !

 

[the Blades]

Bonnies look to have a little Nova in them... alot of 6-5 and 6-4 guys tryin' to beat ya off the dribble.
Lookin at their 6-4/210 PG to go after RJ in the 2nd half., he'll need help.

 

[CaNOLEE]

0-13 last 2.

Ducharme is the same way for the women. A few bricks won’t deter her.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Now the refs going to be a factor.

 

[the Blades]

Another scum bag official, can't call the obvious !!!! Whaley with 3 fouls on that BS !

 

[CaNOLEE]

Welcome back 24.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Hawkins just needed to have one go in. Now a bunch are going in.

Akok back to back blocks turned this game around and got UConn rolling. Akok made it clear to SBU that there will be no easy shots in the paint, and instilled some fear. That's exactly what you need to do to teams like this.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Oh boy, the last 10 min choke is on.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

No choke. I think that UConn needs to make a few more 3s than they did. They missed too many open looks. But this is a solid win over the best team in the A-10 which is a top 25 or 30 team.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

8-27 on 3s (29%) and outrebounded by 3, but win by 10 I will take.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Game changer:

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

RJ and 1:

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Jalen and 1:

 

[the Blades]

Loved it !!! That's the way to close out a game. Took care of the rock ( only 8 TO's after 4 in the 1st 4 mins), RJ and Gaf attacked pressure, instead of the hand off BS at half court and even overcame these trash refs w/ how let the "Saints" do anything they wanted to do with hands all over Uconn's guards and plowing over em' everytime they drove ( or called Uconn for blocks on blatant charges.)

 

[the Blades]

Game changer:

View embedded media

Yeah, Akok showed some of best the timing and quickness since the Achilles inj.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Give us your Al Davis gif, KEA.

nothing flashy today, but two solid wins missing key players on a neutral court. ‘And I didn’t even have use my AK‘. 😎

 

[the Blades]

0-13 last 2.

Ducharme is the same way for the women. A few bricks won’t deter her.

I guess you shook him up, he's gotta be as good as Caroline !

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Give us your Al Davis gif, KEA.

 

[CaNOLEE]

I guess you shook him up, he's gotta be as good as Caroline !

Reverse mush Blades. I know what I’m doing. 😂

 

[the Blades]

8-27 on 3s (29%) and outrebounded by 3, but win by 10 I will take.

full box-

Men's Basketball vs St. Bonaventure on 12/11/2021 - Box Score - University of Connecticut Athletics

The official box score of Men's Basketball vs St. Bonaventure on 12/11/2021

uconnhuskies.com

 

[the Blades]

Line is UConn -4 so bettors still confident in UConn to get the job done vs. SBU on a neutral court.

No idea who this is, But I Guess We Have A Winner !

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

0-13 last 2.

Ducharme is the same way for the women. A few bricks won’t deter her.

I didn't comment on this yesterday but Caroline and Jordan are in fact remarkably similar players. Unlike Jordan, Caroline looked unplayable the first few games, dribbling balls off her feet multiple times and other unforced TOs which, like Jordan's unpressured TO in the Auburn game leading to OT, appeared to be simple stage fright.

Like Jordan, Caroline is a big shooting guard who carries a reputation as having a sweet stroke on the jumper. In the few games since Bueckers was injured and she has soaked up minutes of both Fudd and Bueckers, she has shown that. She has mixed in some air balls.

Someone should introduce Caroline and Jordan because they are freshman with similar talents and their freshman years have been similarly up and down so far. In both cases the talent has been flashed but lots of rough edges as well, LOL.

Of the two Jordan seems like he has the biggest challenge battling front runner syndrome. He needs to do a better job handling adversity and improve his body language. He also has an odd demeanor in the pressers I have seen and I would keep him away from the media as much as possible until next year. He needs grooming and I don't mean hair.

 

[the Blades]

Someone should introduce Caroline and Jordan

How about not... If Hawkins would like to learn something he should probably talk to Christian Vital who played for DH, had similar long range shooting and athletic skills, shot Uconn out of games ( as I mentioned in game) until he finally understood & got the game later in his Uconn career ( after him & DH had some back & forths) and became a plus-plus player.

Not some gals hoopster who isn't in the same universe regarding the level of the sport the play. Also CV was one of the sharpest communicators in regards to breaking things down and talking with the media. I think he could probably be a great coach someday. So he could help him with that too, if as you mentioned Jordan needs help in that area.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I did not mean Jordan could learn something from Caroline.....the point of my post was that they could likely commiserate with each other about the freshman blues and what they are doing to deal with them, because they are similar players having similar struggles. It's up to the coaches to make each of these players better players.

 

[the Blades]

I think I get what your saying, so misery loves company ??? I'd tell Jordan to pass, always focus on things that head you up a level in life, especially if you want to be a pro. If not be your own person, a female BB player is the last thing that's gonna help or enlighten ya'.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Paige Bueckers would argue your last point.....both she and Jalen Suggs have regularly discussed how they supported each other in high school and college.

 

[the Blades]

Paige Bueckers would argue your last point.....both she and Jalen Suggs have regularly discussed how they supported each other in high school and college.

I don't believe it, unless he's a weak minded male ...or it's just social media hype these kids love to play. But Paige is a special case if he is $upporting her, I'm sure she can pay him back now with interest ( just don't tell Geno or the NCAA, you know how they love retroactive penalties for Uconn !)