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| Wishing I was still blogging from Boynton Beach like I was the last time these two teams met instead of freezing cold Connecticut |
UCONN versus Temple
Day: Sunday
Date: February 1st, 2015
Location: McGonagle Hall,
Philadelphia, PA
Time: 2:00
Philadelphia, PA
Time: 2:00
TV: ESPN2
UConn 19-1 (8-0)
Temple 10-11 (5-2)
Overview
In the first meeting, UConn defeated Temple by a 92-58 score. Tuck led them with 24 points with both Stewart and KML having excellent games. Nurse was HOT going 4-5 on three's. I thought Temple played as well as anyone against UConn for long periods in the last meeting. It was clearly not a close game, but Temple ran their offense and did a great job taking care of the ball.
Temple welcomes the Huskies to McGonigle Hall while on a three game winning streak after losing to UConn 2 weeks ago. The three wins were all against weaker conference opponents. But still, they have won 6 out of their last 9 games and are playing some of their best ball of the year.
UConn is coming into this game on an 18 game winning streak and they seem to get better every game. I'd be remise if I didn't mention Stokes triple double against East Carolina in their last outing. Geno has been struggling with how to disperse the minutes, but he seemed happier after the ECU game.
UConn Starters
11 Kia Nurse 6' Freshman Guard
She was so aggressive in the last game, I feared for her physical being. She has no regard for her body and it was apparent in two play, one with her diving for a loose ball and one taking a hard charge. She would run through a brick wall for this team.
Last Temple game - 13 points on 4-7 shooting, 4-5 on 3's, 5 rebounds, 1 assists, 2 TO, 1 steal in 21 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 24.7, FG% .551, 3PT% .468, PPG 11.9, RPG 3.6, APG 3.2, 37 steals, 0 blocks
Last Temple game - 13 points on 4-7 shooting, 4-5 on 3's, 5 rebounds, 1 assists, 2 TO, 1 steal in 21 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 24.7, FG% .551, 3PT% .468, PPG 11.9, RPG 3.6, APG 3.2, 37 steals, 0 blocks
I'm sure she will remember how poorly she shot in this game. She was all over the floor in the ECU game and had several incredible finishes around the basket.
Last Temple game - 2 points on 1-6 shooting, 0-1 on 3's, 0 rebounds, 5 assists, 0 TO, 1 steal in 20 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 26.2, FG% .575, 3PT% .500, PPG 11.7, RPG 2.5, APG 4.7, 48 steals, 3 block
23 Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis 5'11" Senior Forward
The Rock is still rock solid. While some might think she should shoot more in order to enhance her WNBA draft position, I love how she lets the game come to her. She just wants the team to get better and if that means the occasional game where she takes a back seat to others, so be it. You can't have a better teammate than that.
Last Temple game - 17 points on 7-10 shooting, 2-3 on 3's, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 TO, 0 steals in 31 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 28.1, FG% .536, 3PT% .509, PPG 14.2, RPG 4.3, APG 2.7, 23 steals, 2 blocks
3 Morgan Tuck 6'2" Sophomore Forward
She killed it in the last Temple game and her FG percentage has been rising ever since. She is coming off another complete game against ECU with 17 points 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
Last Temple game - 24 points on 11-12 shooting, 0-1 on 3's, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 TO, 1 steal in 23 minutes.
Last Temple game - 24 points on 11-12 shooting, 0-1 on 3's, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 TO, 1 steal in 23 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 25.3, FG% .593, 3PT% .171, PPG 14.5, RPG 5.2, APG 2.9, 13 steals, 8 blocks
30 Breanna Stewart 6'4" Junior Forward
It looks to me that Stewie is trying to dominate the post on the offensive end and after she does she takes her game outside. It's a new Stewart posting so hard in the box and calling for the ball. She used to post and when she was "nudged" she would move on. Not any more. I love the tougher Breanna.
Last Temple game - 18 points on 9-19 shooting, 0-4 on 3's, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 TO, 1 steal, 1 block in 21 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 27.7, FG% .544, 3PT% .339, PPG 16.8, RPG 6.9, APG 3.3, 38 steals, 43 blocks
UConn Bench
TRIPLE DOUBLE!!!!!! I can't mention it enough. If she really has seen the light and knows she has to be more aggressive and actually does something about it, turn out the lights, the party is OVER. I really enjoyed the post game interview with her. She is a great kid and has the tools to be the BEST center in the country. Talk about making a case for the WNBA. I think she knows what she has to do.
Last Temple game - 9 points on 3-8 shooting, 5 rebounds, 1 assists, 2 TO, 1 steal, 7 blocks in 21 minutes.
Last Temple game - 9 points on 3-8 shooting, 5 rebounds, 1 assists, 2 TO, 1 steal, 7 blocks in 21 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 20.8, FG% .523, 3PT% .500, PPG 5.6, RPG 8.2, APG 1.0, 12 steals, 93 blocks
Chong is getting better and better at her role on this team. I've seen her make several plays that she wasn't ready to make in the past. She just seems stronger mentally and physically. I am hoping for another building block game for her.
Last Temple game - 4 points on 2-5 shooting, 0-2 on 3's, 4 rebounds, 1 assists, 0 TO, 1 steal in 24 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 20.1, FG% .439, 3PT% .339, PPG 5.9, RPG 2.3, APG 1.7, 11 steals, 5 blocks
15 Gabby Williams 5'11" Freshman Guard
She goes left for two, right for two. She has the angle bank shot down to a science when she goes to the basket. She is still rebounding above everyone else. She just has to prove she can do what she is doing against tougher competition and that won't happen until South Carolina.
Last Temple game - 5 points on 2-8 shooting, 10 rebounds, 1 assists, 1 TO, 2 blocks in 21 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 16.5, FG% .611, 3PT% .000, PPG 8.4, RPG 6.0, APG 1.3, 27 steals, 8 blocks
Well, she HAS to do better against Temple this time. She really has been playing well. She has great intensity and seems to know where to be on both offense and defense. She is starting to get it.
Last Temple game - zeros across the board in 10 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 14.1, FG% .267, 3PT% .222, PPG 2.0, RPG 2.1, APG 1.0, 4 steals, 0 blocks
UConn Complete Stats
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Temple Starters
13 Mama Traore 6'1" Junior Forward
Last UConn game - 0 points on 0-2 shooting, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 TOs in 17 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 16.3, FG% .286, 3PT% .000, PPG 2.2, RPG 4.1, APG 0.5, 11 steals, 4 block
22 Tanaya Atkinson 5'9" Freshman Guard
Last UConn game - 0 points on 0-4 shooting, 0-1 on 3's, 4 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 TO in 19 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 28.3, FG% .403, 3PT% .410, PPG 11.0, RPG 7.0, APG .8, 24 steals, 4 blocks
1 Erica Covile 6'1" Junior Guard
Last UConn game - 13 points on 4-12 shooting, 1-4 on 3's, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 TO, 2 steals in 38 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 29.8, FG% .439 3PT% .314, PPG 11.3, RPG 9.3, APG 1.6, 32 steals, 12 blocks
23 Tyonna Williams 5'6" Senior Guard
Last UConn game - 10 points on 2-11 shooting, 2-10 on 3's, 3 rebounds, 1 assists, 2 TO in 28 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 31.8, FG% .317, 3PT% .284, PPG 9.7, RPG 2.5, APG 3.0, 19 steals, 4 blocks
15 Alliya Butts 5'4" Freshman Guard
Last UConn game - 14 points on 5-14 shooting, 4-9 on 3's, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 5 TO, 2 steal in 22 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 22.9, FG% .331, 3PT% .360, PPG 11.3, RPG 2.2, APG 2.1, 44 steals, 1 block
Temple Bench
2 Feyonda Fitzgerald 5'7" Sophomore Guard
Last UConn game - 16 points on 7-17 shooting, 0-5 on 3's, 0 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 TO in 30 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 28.6, FG% .325, 3PT% .257, PPG 12.1, RPG 2.6, APG 2.7, 24 steals, 1 block
21 Kadijiah Berger 5'10 Freshman Guard
Last UConn game - 3 points on 1-6 shooting, 1-5 on 3's, 5 rebounds, 1 assists, 0 TO, 2 steals in 22 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 16.3, FG% .271, 3PT% .321, PPG 3.1, RPG 2.5, APG 1.1, 13 steals, 2 block
35 Safiya Martin 6'4" Sophomore Center
Last UConn game - 2 points on 0-1 shooting, 2 rebounds, 1 assists, 2 TO, 1 steal in 24 minutes.
2014-15: MPG 23.4, FG% .433, 3PT% .000, PPG 3.3, RPG 5.2, APG 0.2, 6 steals, 22 blocks
42 Taylor Robinson 6'4" Sophomore Center
DNP in the last UConn game
2014-15: MPG 14.1, FG% .466, 3PT% .000, PPG 4.5, RPG 2.9, APG .3, 8 steals, 7 blocks
Game Analysis
Temple showed last time that they will come out shooting threes if they have a crack of an opening. They put up 34 of them. Unfortunately for them they only made eight. They did try to get to the rim and surprisingly they got to the foul line 15 times. But they still don't have the inside game to do any damage. We saw what I expected last time they met, a typical Cardoza team. Disciplined, smart, and hard working. I expect that again. I'm sure they will make some adjustments now that they have film from that first matchup.
UConn was able to do whatever they wanted on offense in the first game. The starting frontline went 27-41 the field and including Stokes and Williams, took 57 of the 75 shots UConn attempted. I would think you would see a lot more of that. Geno seems to have found his rotation style in the last game. I'll be curious to see if he can repeat that against a more disciplined team in Temple.
UConn was able to do whatever they wanted on offense in the first game. The starting frontline went 27-41 the field and including Stokes and Williams, took 57 of the 75 shots UConn attempted. I would think you would see a lot more of that. Geno seems to have found his rotation style in the last game. I'll be curious to see if he can repeat that against a more disciplined team in Temple.
Final Prediction
Temple has a punchers chance of keeping it closer than last time. They WILL take their 30+ three point shots. But they need to make 40% to do that. The talent disparity is just too great for it to be anything more than that.
I'll repeat my prediction from the last meeting. 80's to 50's is my final. 30+ win for UConn. Only because Cardoza is the coach.
I'll repeat my prediction from the last meeting. 80's to 50's is my final. 30+ win for UConn. Only because Cardoza is the coach.
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