UConn-East Carolina Post game report
(pictures from the Hartford Courant, UConnhuskies.com)
I'm not sure I have seen a better half by a UConn team. Wow...did I just really say that? Yep.
They started a little slow, but all of a sudden, like so many times this year....BAM....it's over. Talk about a tough choice for POG. Jefferson, KML, Tuck all played as good as they have all season.
UConn's transition game was all-worldly, with The Rocket - Jefferson leading the break most of the time. But it was much more than Jefferson. The outlet passes were terrific, the entry passes were spot on, the shooting was amazing. I'm running out of superlatives to describe just how well they played.
Offensively they shot 77% from the field, 6-10 from beyond the arc, 15 assists on 23 baskets. They had FOUR players in double figures in the first half. Crazy numbers.
The definitive play of the half was a crazy sequence after a Nurse miss with 10 second left on the shot clock and 32 seconds in the half. The ball ticked off the rim but they didn't reset the shot clock. As the ball is bouncing over the end line, Stewart is being boxed out away from the ball. But somehow, with her long arms, she reaches around the player, tipping the ball back in play before it's out of bounds. She manages to tip it again but it was bouncing towards the side lines. Tuck scrambles for the ball and saves it, flipping it in the air where Jefferson leaps and grabs it. Jefferson drives the lane, sees the clock and kicks it out to KML who shoots a three with 1 second left on the shot close (that should have reset). Of course Kaleena hits nothing but net and the UConn crowd goes wild. All hustle all the time with this team. Even up 39 points.
Geno changed things up in the second half and it really did impact the way the game was played. Offensively, UConn was still aggressive, but defensively, he switched to a zone and boy, did East Carolina exploit that. Now, UConn has played zone plenty of times this year, but this was the longest stretch I've seen. I'm sure Geno did that to practice it in case the situation came up where there was foul trouble but ECU actually outscored UConn 14-13 the first five minutes of the half. East Carolina scored more points in the first 8 minutes of the 2nd half as they did in the entire first half.
The problem for East Carolina was that UConn just kept scoring, eventually setting a season high total with 106 points while holding ECU to 11 points the last 12 minutes.
Someone requested that I post the box score, so here is the link.
Game Quotes
(from Uconnhuskies.com)
Coach Geno Auriemma
“When we play like that, it doesn’t matter what the other team does. I went in and asked Pat (McKenna, the women’s basketball sports information contact at UConn) did we shoot 77 percent? He said ‘no, 77.4’ That is what stat guys do, but I was like everybody else. I was amazed because that is not something that you see very often.”
''If we weren't in this league, everybody would say, `Wow that's a pretty competitive conference. But, putting us in there changes everything.''
Coach Heather Macy
On the improved play in the second half - ''The kids responded and they understood that it was going to be about getting better during that 20 minutes, versus just run up and down and playing pick-up, and that's what I felt we did in that first half, played a lot of pick-up.''
CO-Player of the Game
Breanna Stewart
I picked this picture because it showed how much bigger and stronger Stewart is and that is the difference between her ability to play through contact this year. I love a game like this where she limited her outside game and just focused on taking it to the hoop and getting fouled. Another POY performance and great stat line.
In 30 minutes she had 16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 blocks and 3 steals.
CO-Player of the Game
Morgan Tuck
Morgan was just terrific in the first half. She is just a great combination of quickness and strength and it's so difficult for defenders to deal with. Her quick first step and her ability to body the defender makes her close to unstoppable when she gets the ball in the right place. Her shooting percentage should go up a little with her 7-9 day from the field.
In 22 minutes Tuck had a line of 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists a block and a steal.
In 22 minutes Tuck had a line of 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists a block and a steal.
CO-Player of the Game
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis
Buttah.....I tell you....Buttah. Her shot Sunday was like Buttah!!! KML hit her first 5 three point shots before her desperation three at the halftime buzzer was blocked. And every one of the was Buttah. So smooth. She now only needs 12 more to tie the NCAA record of 392. But it wasn't just her threes that were impressive. Her total offensive game was on display.
In 28 minutes, KML had 21 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block.
CO-Player of the Game
Moriah Jefferson
I said it before and I'll say it again. I could watch Jefferson play all day. She just does so much on the court and much of it no one else can match. She was all over the court defensively and turned that into offense in the blink of an eye. And she still managed to go 2-4 on threes. Such a dynamic player that is the engine for this Ferrari of a team.
In 33 minutes, she had 20 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals.
Kia Nurse
Kia had a terrific defensive game and I loved her aggressiveness on offense. Her three point shot seemed to have deserted her, but you gotta love this kid. There was a bit of a scare when she seemed to injure her foot, but she was smiling when Ragle was examining her. Maybe she is ticklish.
In 24 minutes she had 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal.
In 24 minutes she had 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal.
Saniya Chong
Chong had the kind of game that Geno is pretty happy with. She let the game come to her, didn't put up any bad shots, and tried to distribute the ball as best she could. She got to the line a couple of times. She did have a few passes that were a little overaggressive. But Geno will take that over her being passive.
In 17 minutes, she had 5 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and those 3 turnovers.
In 17 minutes, she had 5 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and those 3 turnovers.
Gabby had a really nice game. She as so active the entire time she was on the court. I love her ability to grab a rebound in traffic by just jumping higher than anyone else. She had one left handed hook shot that had me shaking my head. Another double digit game for Williams.
In 15 minutes she had 12 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assists.
In 15 minutes she had 12 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assists.
Kiah Stokes
LOVE this picture!!! Kiah had a nice game. Stokes had four blocks giving her a school-record 132 for the season, one more than Rebecca Lobo, who set the old mark of 131 back in 1993-94. Again, she probably had two more that were taken away with a bogus foul being called.
In 15 minutes, Stokes had 8 points, 3 rebounds and those 4 blocks.
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| They sure do have something to be happy about!!!! |
| This is how it looked to the ECU coach! |
EXAMPLES OF ECU PHYSICALLITY
| They even hit themselves!! |
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Next game is against South Florida, Monday at 7:00 on ESPN.
USF defeated Tulane 79-68 in the second semi-final game. The Bulls were led by Courtney Williams with 21 points and Alisia Jenkins with 22 points and 15 rebounds. This will be the third game between UConn and South Florida with UConn winning the first two games. Look for my Pre-Game report sometime soon. I hope.
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