Doggydaddy's Den: DoggyDaddy's Dailies 12/28/15

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If you haven't seen it, here is my UConn/Maryland Pregame Report

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I came across a review of the UConn/Maryland game from a Terp fan's perspective. It's pretty interesting, but not as interesting as the fan comments after the article. I've linked the article in the UConn links area.

He does a great job on each player. I only have a few issues.

First he says that "If UConn is the First Order, this man is Snoke." Geno is Snoke? I guess I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan, so I didn't get that reference. After looking that up, I guess that's a pretty good compliment.

About Jefferson he says - "With Mosqueda-Lewis gone, she's now the headlining act in the Husky backcourt,". Uh.....Moriah was a first team AA last year and KML was a forward.

About Williams he says - "A very good rebounding guard". She's a forward. And a very good rebounding forward.

He only lists two strengths, forcing turnovers and of all things shooting free throws. Yes, 74% is pretty good, but they really don't get to the line that often to be a strength.

His one weakness for UConn is depth. My take on depth is the same as Geno's. If you are playing your 8, 9 and 10 players, the talent level goes way down. Against a tough team would you rather have Stewart for 40 minutes or Stewart for 30 minutes and 10 minutes of someone else? He says it might "lead to the Terps' stars being just a little fresher come crunch time". Now when was the last time any team was a little fresher come crunch time? It doesn't happen.

Finally his prediction is - "UConn, 80-72. Despite everything I've just said, I expect Maryland to present a challenge for this team. Averaging 90 points per game, they have the best scoring and rebounding differential in the country, albeit against a very weak schedule. The Huskies will be a whole different animal, but big games are nothing new for a team coming off two straight Final Four appearances."

He says UConn by eight, 80-72. He thinks UConn will score one less point and Maryland 14 more points than last years matchup? Maybe, just maybe if it was last years Maryland's roster. But the Terps have a new starting backcourt and they really haven't shown that they are any better than last year. I have no idea why he believes they will score that many more points.

I'll stick by my prediction of 25+ points for UConn.

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From David in Naples

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UConn has fouled their opponents 109 times versus getting fouled 148 times. Clearly, the Huskies are just more careful with illegal contact.
But, the biggest difference comes in fouls that lead to free throws. Consider:

1. UConn has tried 151 free throws while opponents have only tried 55. That is almost 100 more free throws.
2. The Huskies make 74% of their attempts from the charity stripe. (112 of 151)
3. Opponents only shot 69% so they have made only 38 free throws.
4. The difference between UConn's made free throws and opponents' is 74 pts or over 8 pts per game.
5. No player has fouled out this season & no one has more than 18 fouls total. Over 9 games that's just 2 per.

Clearly giving UConn more free throws is not a good strategy & the Huskies free throw defense is working perfectly.

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What was I thinking?????

Ok...this What The ???? is not my usual stuff about opposing teams. This one is about Geno.

What The ???? is he thinking with his 2016-17 OOC schedule. I know the AAC is relatively weak, but he doesn't need to create the schedule from hell to make up for it. This was first posted on the best UConn message board around, UConn Territory by UConncat.

Jim Fuller talks about next season's non-conference schedule in one of his blog entries.

With the announcement that Baylor and UConn have signed a contract to play again beginning next season, Jim writes about how challenging next season's non-conference schedule will be.

Jim notes that next season's non-conference schedule could be the most difficult ever for a UConn team. Here's what it looks like:

Home

South Carolina

Baylor

Texas

Ohio State

Depaul

Chattanooga

Away

Notre Dame

Maryland

Florida State

Kansas State

LSU

Nebraska

There will be another, unidentified team added that, according to Fuller, is a perennial NCAA tournament team.

That non-conference schedule is brutal.

Jim notes that the timing of Baylor's enthusiasm for adding UConn to the schedule -- after Stewart, Moriah and (maybe) Tuck move on. Here's what Geno had to say:

"There is a line from here to Chicago for people waiting to play us in non-conference games starting next year," Auriemma said with a laugh. "We understand that and I am sure we will take our lumps for a little bit. We played them all before we got Stewie so we might as well play them now."

"If we have one returning All-American next year or none, the schedule is going to be brutal and I think it should be. I think our home schedule should be the same way and the road schedule with the really young team that we are going to have is going to be really difficult. We are way past the stage of what our record is. What we are trying to accomplish is to get our team ready to win a national championship. What our record is going into the NCAA tournament is irrelevant, we are way past winning streaks. We have already been there, done that. Playing games that you God forbid might lose shouldn't be a don't do that. There are a lot of schools that schedule not to lose and that is not who we are."

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So, without further ado!!!

Ladies and Gents, DD looks at the news........