UCONN @ Cincinnati
Day: Sunday
Date: January 25th, 2015
Location: Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati Ohio
Time: 3:00
TV: ESPN2
UConn 17-1 (7-0)
Cincinnati 5-13 (2-4)
Head to Head
1/12/06 W 92-71 H
1/30/07 W 70-60 A
1/19/08 W 86-49 H
1/24/09 W 65-34 A
1/7/10 W 83-51 H
1/29/11 W 80-46 A
1/19/12 W 80-37 H
1/26/13 W 67-31 H
12/29/13 W 67-34 H
2/1/14 W 86-39 A
3/8/14 W 72-42 N
Overview
You can see by the pictures how much these two love each other. I believe Jamelle is Geno's favorite player of all time and one of his favorite people in the world. Because of that, this is always the toughest game every year for Geno and even tougher because they play two times.
Cincinnati has had a very tough season so far only winning five games to date. After winning their first game of the season, the Bearcats went on an eight game losing streak, losing two of them in heartbreaking fashion by one point. But they have righted the ship somewhat by going 4-5 over their last nine games. Their last victory was a 16 point win over UConn's previous opponent, Central Florida. They lost in their last game by 33 to Temple. It was their worst loss of the season and bad timing for their frame of mind playing the UConn buzz saw.
UConn is coming off another terrific performance, a 100-45 win over Central Florida. So many things went right in that game. So much so that Kara Wolters, in the post game show on SNY, called it their best performance of the season. I'm not sure about that, but I will say that the appears to be getting better and better. Confidence and Chemistry. A winning combination.
UConn Starters
11 Kia Nurse 6' Freshman Guard
Ok, I'm making it official. Nurse has hit the freshman wall. Second weak game in a row. She is playing just as hard but it seems to me that she is shorting her shots and just not as quick as she looked earlier. The question for me is how long does last? It would be a great game for her to get back to double digit scoring and finishing her shots.
2014-15: MPG 24.5, FG% .552, 3PT% .474, PPG 12.1, RPG 3.4, APG 3.1, 34 steals, 0 blocks
So, she is back to not missing a shot again. Like last time, we all know it won't last forever. Heck, she might miss a shot or two in this game!!! The level she continues to play at is amazing and there is no reason for this to change. Leiberman award here she comes??? I think so!
2014-15: MPG 27.0, FG% .582, 3PT% .521, PPG 12.1, RPG 2.3, APG 4.9, 44 steals, 3 block
23 Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis 5'11" Senior Forward
The Rock is still rock steady and she had a great game against Central Florida with 23 points on 5-7 shooting on three's. I watched the game again and really focused on KML in the 18 minutes she played. I believe she is playing at the highest level of her career. It's all about sustaining it for the rest of the season. Her decision making, passing, shooting, and defending have been outstanding.
2014-15: MPG 28.8, FG% .527, 3PT% .509, PPG 14.4, RPG 4.4, APG 2.9, 22 steals, 2 blocks
3 Morgan Tuck 6'2" Sophomore Forward
Not the highlight film of a game for Tuck against Central Florida, but still a solid game with decent statistics. I've said it before. Another healthy game is the most important thing. She looks great out there and I love her take charge attitude on the court. A real leader.
2014-15: MPG 25.6, FG% .587, 3PT% .188, PPG 14.5, RPG 5.1, APG 2.8, 12 steals, 7 blocks
30 Breanna Stewart 6'4" Junior Forward
The mad Stewart is the one I like. The one that has an attitude. The one that blocks a shot and has that look. We are seeing more and more of that and that should make all the other teams real nervous. In spite of a long range shooting slump, her overall game has been terrific.
2014-15: MPG 28.6, FG% .532, 3PT% .327, PPG 16.8, RPG 7.2, APG 3.1, 29 steals, 40 blocks
UConn Bench
Thwap.....Thwap.....Thwap....Thwap....Thwap....Thwap.....Thwap........
The sound of shot after shot being blocked by Stokes. She is on a streak like I haven't seen before. 34 blocks in the last 5 games, four games of 7 and one of 6. Amazing. But what Geno liked was her offensive aggressiveness. I know some folks don't believe that switch will go off for her and she will be more consistent on the offensive end, but I believe she has it in her and it's starting to come out.
2014-15: MPG 20.3, FG% .528, 3PT% .500, PPG 5.4, RPG 7.7, APG 1.1, 12 steals, 80 blocks
Talk about confidence, Saniya looks extremely confident in the last game. She is still not the offensive juggernaut she was in HS, but her all around game is improving every time she is on the court over the last few games. Her defense, which had her minutes dropping, has picked up. Geno has noticed as her minutes have been consistently over 20 since that game.
2014-15: MPG 20.1, FG% .424, 3PT% .327, PPG 5.4, RPG 2.2, APG 1.7, 10 steals, 5 blocks
15 Gabby Williams 5'11" Freshman Guard
She floats through the air with the greatest of ease..........
I don't think there is a player that I enjoy watching as much as Gabby. She isn't the best player, the best scorer, the best defender....but she just has "it". Whatever "it" is.
I'm looking for to watching "it" again on Sunday.
I don't think there is a player that I enjoy watching as much as Gabby. She isn't the best player, the best scorer, the best defender....but she just has "it". Whatever "it" is.
I'm looking for to watching "it" again on Sunday.
2014-15: MPG 16.2, FG% .598, 3PT% .000, PPG 8.3, RPG 6.1, APG 1.2, 26 steals, 8 blocks
YES!!!! I don't have to write that she will start doing better! She did.
Nice game after a shaky start against Central Florida. The most telling stat was that she played 22 minutes. I think Geno wants to give her every chance to make it a 9 player rotation.
2014-15: MPG 13.1, FG% .292, 3PT% .188, PPG 2.1, RPG 1.8, APG 1.0, 4 steals, 0 blocks
UConn Complete Stats
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Not a lot of player info, so I'll just add their HS exploits when there isn't anything else
Cincinnati Starters
35 Marley Hill 6'2" Sophomore Forward
Hill has earned the first player of the week honor of her career after being named American Athletic Conference and College Sports Madness Player of the Week last week. Hill led UC to a pair of wins during the week of Jan. 4-11, averaging 22 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. She shot 58.1% from the floor and 80% from the free throw line. She recorded a career-high 28 points during a double-overtime win over Houston. Hill has scored double digits in 11 of the last 12 games. Over the last four games she is averaging 16.5 points per game.
2014-15: MPG 32.8, FG% .458, 3PT% .000, PPG 13.1, RPG 9.8, APG .8, 7 steals, 19 blocks
Owens leads the league in minutes played averaging 37.2 per game. Owens has played all 40 minutes four times this season. She has led UC in scoring the last three games. Owens was the only Bearcat to reach double digits against Memphis on Jan. 14.
2014-15: MPG 37.2, FG% .376, 3PT% .451, PPG 13.0, RPG 4.9, APG 2.9, 17 steals, 3 blocks
23 Jasmine Whitfield 5'10" Junior Guard
Whitfield had a game high 12 points, 5 assists and 2 steals against Detroit. She has led the team in assists in 6 games.
2014-15: MPG 33.6, FG% .346 3PT% .270, PPG 11.6, RPG 4.8, APG 2.0, 18 steals, 4 blocks
25 Chelsea Jamison 5'10" Senior Guard
High School: Three-year varsity starter who is the ninth-leading scorer in Broad Ripple High School girl's basketball history ... Holds the top spot for points scored in a single game (43) at Broad Ripple ... Named to the 2011 MVP at the Eric Gordon All-Star Super Shootout ... Member of The Family Inc. AAU program ... Made First Team All-City after leading her team in points (17.5 ppg), assists and rebounds (10.5 rpg) last season.
2014-15: MPG 26.3, FG% .429, 3PT% .400, PPG 5.6, RPG 5.4 APG 0.8, 10 steals, 7 blocks
22 Bianca Quisenberry 5'8" Sophomore Guard
Quisenberry added some late heroics during UC’s 76-73 double-overtime win over Houston. After the Cougars scored the first five points of overtime, Quisenberry added the next five points to force the second overtime. She added two free throws with 59 seconds remaining before hitting a jumper with 35 seconds and adding the and-one free throw to tie the game.
Eight of her 10 points in the game came in overtime.
2014-15: MPG 20.2, FG% .319, 3PT% .179, PPG 5.1, RPG 2.9, APG 1.5, 19 steals, 3 blocks
Cincinnati Bench
05 Makenzie Cann 6'0" Freshman Guard
High School: Was a five-year varsity starter for Lawrenceburg, leading the Bearcats to a combined 129-31 record during her prep career ... was an all-state selection and a finalist for Kentucky Miss Basketball ... selected to play in the Ohio-Kentucky and Indiana-Kentucky all-star games ... named eighth-region player of the year as a junior and senior ... finished first in school history in assists (645), second in points (2,207) and steals (468) and fourth in rebounds (748) ... was a five-time selection to the all-region tournament team and four time selection to the all-district tournament team ... named first-team all-state by the Louisville Courier Journal and first-team all-state by the Lexington Herald Leader ... all-region selection as freshman and sophomore ... member of the Kentucky-Indiana junior all-star team ... was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) and served as a peer mentor.
2014-15: MPG 22.1, FG% .354, 3PT% .351, PPG 6.2, RPG 2.1, APG 1.0, 6 steals, 2 blocks
13 Brandey Tarver 5'10" Sophomore Guard
Sophomore Brandey Tarver set a new career high in rebounding against Temple, pulling down nine rebounds. She also had a career-best two steals against the Owls.
2014-15: MPG 20.3, FG% .347, 3PT% .000, PPG 4.6, RPG 3.8, APG 0.6, 3 steals, 6 blocks
Game Analysis
Right now, Cincinnati is starting four guards and one forward. They have two guards off the bench. I would imagine that Coach Elliott will play a zone for most of the game and force UConn to the outside as much as possible. UConn will want fast break at every chance before the Cincinnati defense can set up.
Cincinnati has a couple of talented players in Marley Hill and Ana Owen. They are 8th and 9th in the AAC in scoring. Hill is a terrific rebounder, 2nd in the AAC and excellent around the rim. Owen is a very good outside shooter and 5th in both 3 point shooting percentage and 3 pointers made.
But the talent discrepancy is just too much for the Bearcats to handle. It just won't matter what they do. UConn will just run it's offense, practice plays, take the best shot and then defend the hell out of the ball on the other end.
Cincinnati shoots only 38% from the field and 33% on 3's. Not helpful against the best field goal percentage defense in WCBB. What makes it worse it that they are a terrible ball handling team. They have only 178 assists this season and 308 turnovers. There is only one player on the team with a positive assist to turnover ratio. They will not do well against UConn's pressure defense.
Final Prediction
Under normal circumstances, UConn would play their normal game, run out to a huge lead, play hard 5 minutes into the second half and play one starter with the four reserves for 10 minutes and then remove the starter and one other bench player and play the walk on's the rest of the game. And UConn would win by 50+.
But Cincinnati is not normal circumstances for Geno. And history tells us. Geno just can't do that to Jamelle. Since playing against Coach Elliott, UConn's margin of victory and points scored have been lower than you would expect against the talent level.
MOV - 28, 34, 43, 36, 33, 47 and 30.
But Cincinnati is not normal circumstances for Geno. And history tells us. Geno just can't do that to Jamelle. Since playing against Coach Elliott, UConn's margin of victory and points scored have been lower than you would expect against the talent level.
MOV - 28, 34, 43, 36, 33, 47 and 30.
Points scored - 83, 80, 80, 67, 67, 86, 72
It's clear to me that Geno pulls the plug earlier in these games than against other teams. So...what do I think that means for this game?
I figure Geno will let them play their game for 15 minutes in the first half and then instruct them to back off on both offense and defense the last 5 minutes of the half. And the second half will be just the reverse with 5 minutes of full out play and 15 minutes of half court offense with little pressure defense.
Of course, sometimes it just won't matter and the players are just that much better. I'm thinking the final score will be closer to the high end of past games than the low end.
Sorry, Jamelle but it's UConn by 45+.
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