Post game report
Well, that was fun! This game went as I expected, if you read my pregame report. I was pretty sure that the short handed Scarlet Knights would really struggle with their point guard and defensive wiz, Syessence Davis out with her knee injury. Their bigs, Hollivay and Butts, just didn't have speed or quickness to run with UConn in the full court and defend the post in the half court. I mentioned fatigue and that certainly was a factor as well. My prediction was close to right on at 40+ with the 36 point margin. Not too bad.
Right from the start, you knew that KML was going have a great game. She was moving well and even with her misses, you just knew she was going to make her share of threes. What I loved was Nurse taking and hitting the first shot of the game. UConn needs her to be confident from the start in these games and she was terrific on both ends of the ball.
Rutgers employed what I would call the "hack em so much they can't see everything" defense. And of course, the terrible refs in WCBB missed more than they caught. The several charge/block calls were awful. AWFUL. They were worse when I watched again and played them back in slow motion. Defenders are constantly sliding in front of the offensive player after the player picks up the dribble. It's like the refs forgot that part of the rule. If the offensive player has no way to change direction AND the defender then moves in front of the offensive player, it's a block. Period. It puts the player with the ball in physical jeopardy thus the rule! Ok...off the soap box.
The strategy only seemed to annoy UConn and they played as hard as I've seen them play for extended periods. This is not a bad team UConn beat by 36, the Huskies seem to be just that good. It was fairly close with back and forth play for the first 12 minutes, with UConn leading by six, 24-18. From that point until half time, led by KML Jefferson and Tuck, UConn turned it up a notch going on a 27-13 run to end the half. If Rutgers had any fight left, the 20 point half time lead took some out of them.
If that didn't do it, the 12-2 run to start the second half did. They might not have been intimidated, but it didn't matter, they played like it. RU stayed physical the entire game. It's just who they are. Push, shove, grab, hold....repeat.
Stewart played more minutes in the second half after picking up 2 fouls in the first and was more effective. The blow to the face in a collision 2 minutes into the game seemed to put her off her game for a while. Like KML came back after a tough outing, Stewart will probably to the same in the Texas game.
UConn goes on to Albany to play Texas. They have a couple of bigs, 6'7" and 6'5" and they do play them together although they usually don't start together. That might change this game. Texas doesn't have a player that plays over 5'11" other than those two bigs. They can't afford to have only one big on the court. Stewart or Tuck would have a field day.
I'll be putting together a Pregame report for the UConn/Texas game later in the week. All you wanted to know about Texas and more!
Official Basketball Box Score Rutgers vs UConn 3/23/15 9 p.m. at Storrs, Conn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VISITORS: Rutgers 23-10 TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS ## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 02 COPPER, Kahleah..... f 4-16 0-0 3-3 1 2 3 4 11 1 3 0 0 37 44 LANEY, Betnijah..... f 5-15 1-5 0-0 1 3 4 2 11 1 6 0 1 35 43 BUTTS, Ariel........ c 2-4 0-0 1-2 6 0 6 4 5 0 0 0 0 13 03 SCAIFE, Tyler....... g 8-20 0-0 0-1 1 2 3 1 16 2 3 0 1 36 04 CANTY, Briyona...... g 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 3 2 1 1 0 1 7 01 HOLLIVAY, Rachel.... 3-4 0-0 0-0 2 2 4 1 6 0 1 1 0 21 05 PARSONS, Natalie.... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 10 PARKER, Shrita...... 1-5 0-2 0-0 0 2 2 1 2 2 0 0 2 30 13 HERNANDEZ, Cynthia.. 1-3 0-2 0-0 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 13 15 DAVIS, Syessence.... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 20 EVANS, Christa...... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 33 ALFANO, Alex........ 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 TEAM................ 3 3 Totals.............. 25-73 1-9 4-6 11 19 30 17 55 7 14 2 5 200 TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 14-40 35.0% 2nd Half: 11-33 33.3% Game: 34.2% DEADB 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-5 20.0% 2nd Half: 0-4 0.0% Game: 11.1% REBS F Throw % 1st Half: 2-3 66.7% 2nd Half: 2-3 66.7% Game: 66.7% 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOME TEAM: UConn 34-1 TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS ## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 03 Tuck, Morgan........ f 7-11 0-1 2-2 1 6 7 2 16 7 3 0 1 29 23 MOSQUEDA-LEWIS, K... f 7-16 5-12 4-4 0 2 2 1 23 4 3 1 1 32 30 Stewart, Breanna.... f 2-5 1-1 3-6 0 2 2 2 8 4 2 2 1 20 04 Jefferson, Moriah... g 8-11 3-4 0-0 0 4 4 0 19 5 2 0 1 34 11 Nurse, Kia.......... g 3-6 2-4 0-0 0 3 3 0 8 1 1 0 3 27 12 Chong, Saniya....... 0-2 0-1 2-2 1 3 4 0 2 0 1 0 0 18 15 Williams, Gabby..... 3-8 0-0 5-7 4 6 10 2 11 1 1 0 2 19 20 Lawlor, Tierney..... 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 22 Ekmark, Courtney.... 0-3 0-0 0-1 3 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 24 Pulido, Briana...... 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 41 Stokes, Kiah........ 2-2 0-0 0-0 4 4 8 3 4 1 2 2 0 12 TEAM................ 2 5 7 Totals.............. 32-66 11-24 16-22 16 37 53 10 91 23 16 5 9 200 TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 18-35 51.4% 2nd Half: 14-31 45.2% Game: 48.5% DEADB 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 7-14 50.0% 2nd Half: 4-10 40.0% Game: 45.8% REBS F Throw % 1st Half: 8-11 72.7% 2nd Half: 8-11 72.7% Game: 72.7% 5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Officials: Denise Brooks, Bruce Morris, Tiara Cruse Technical fouls: Rutgers-None. UConn-None. Attendance: 3486 Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total Rutgers....................... 31 24 - 55 UConn......................... 51 40 - 91 Points in the paint-RU 32,UCONN 36. Points off turnovers-RU 12,UCONN 12. 2nd chance points-RU 11,UCONN 9. Fast break points-RU 2,UCONN 14. Bench points-RU 10,UCONN 17. Score tied-0 times. Lead changed-1 time.
Game Quotes
(from Uconnhuskies.com)
Coach Geno Auriemma
''It's called basketball. You've got to put the damn ball in the basket and Kaleena does that pretty well.''
"I told the team that what we did in the game was pretty impressive,".
"Moriah was just in charge of the game the entire time,".
“This team, this season, like every other team that’s been there has earned it. Twenty-two years in a row? I don’t even know what to say. While you’re doing it, it really isn’t as imposing or as significant. But when you look back on it, sometimes it does leave you in awe.”
Coach C. Vivian Stringer
''After Canty was injured all of the sudden you have to put a freshman in there,'' said Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer. ''That meant that Betnijah (Laney) has to go off her shooting role and she becomes a point guard. It just was a big collapse.''
"That's a great team, and I have nothing but admiration and respect for the well-oiled machine they have," Stringer said. "I expect them to play for the national championship."
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Player evaluations
Player of the Game
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis
Morgan Tuck
After playing limited minutes because she wore new sneakers and taped her ankles too tight, KML had a wonder game against Rutgers. Her early threes set the tone for the game and she was just awesome while on the court. She played 32 minutes, scored 23 points hitting five three point shots. She is now only 6 from tying the NCAA record for three point shots made. Definitely within reach in the Texas game. She added 4 assists, showing her complete game.
"I decided I didn't want to be cool and wear the same sneakers as Morgan [Tuck] and Stewie," Mosqueda-Lewis said. "I switched to my old shoes, and I didn't get taped."
I could have easily named Morgan the player of the game. She has been playing her best basketball of the season in the tourney so far. With 16 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists in 29 minutes, Tuck continues to show how complete her game is. I could go on and on about her post moves, her quick moves down the lane, her cuts without the ball, her ability to find her open teammates.......I could......I should!!!!! Stay tuned. I think she wants the MVP of the NCAA's. She is playing like she is on her way.
Breanna Stewart
This was the story of Stewarts game. The aftermath of a big collision two minutes into the game. While she did stay in for a little while, she picked up two quick fouls and sat for most of the first half. She did get minutes in the second half she never really looked right out there. She did manage 8 points, 4 assists and 2 blocks. Mostly in the second half.
Moriah Jefferson
Remember the days when teams would back off Jefferson and challenge her to take the three point shot? It seems so long ago now. Jefferson is now the team leader in three point percentage, sliding past KML by going 3-4 in this game. She'd be leading the country if she had enough attempts. Jefferson just controls the game both offensively and defensively so well, it's hard to imagine a better point guard in the country. And this tournament will give everyone the chance to see that.
Gabby Williams
My wife always marvels at how well Williams is built. And this picture really shows that. Her ability to elevate and her physical strength allow her to rebound over players like Rutgers Hollivay in this shot. It's not just her elevation but it's how quickly she gets off the floor. Gabby had another double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, her fifth of the season. I believe the time has passed where you will see Geno sit her against the better teams. She is no longer a freshman overwhelmed by the situation.
Kia Nurse
I though Nurse was as good as she has been all season. Hitting that first shot is huge for her. The defense she plays is such a good match for Jefferson in the back court. As good as any in the country. In this game, she put in a solid 27 minutes, scoring 8 points, and she had three big steals. It's hard to believe that she is only a freshman (not any more) and hard to imagine how good she will be.
Saniya Chong
It's hard to believe that this was the only picture of Chong out of over 100 taken by The Courant and Uconnhuskies.com. Sorry Saniya. I thought is was another solid game for Chong, even if the stats don't show it. I believe this is Geno upset after Chong left Laney open for a three point shot. But other than that, Saniya played terrific defense. She ended up with 2 points and 4 rebounds.
Kiah Stokes
Stokes was on her game against Rutgers. Her rebounds and defense game. She was all over the boards with 8 rebounds and she had 2 blocks, all in only 12 minutes. I thought she forced Rutgers to change their shots several times. She just made herself big in the paint. It felt like she played more than those 12 minutes but she was really into the game. She makes a difference.
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The Seniors say goodbye
This girl has balls!!!
Geno really looks relaxed for a change
Intimated? Maybe.
Dejected? Totally.
Morgan - "I'm cuter"
Moriah - "I'm cuter"
Kaleena - "Forget about it girls, I'm cuter"
(pictures from the Hartford Courant, UConnhuskies.com)
thank you!
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