Day: Saturday
Date: February 25th, 2017
Location: Storrs, Ct
Time: 4:00
TV: ESPN3/SNY
No. 1 UConn 27-0 (13-0) Memphis 13-14 (6-8)
Head to Head games
UConn leads the series 6-0
UConn leads the series 6-0
1/4/14 W 90-49 A
1/22/14 W 83-49 H
2/7/15 W 80-34 A
2/28/15 W 87-24 H
2/7/15 W 80-34 A
2/28/15 W 87-24 H
1/13/16 W 86-46 A
1/30/16 W 83-40 H
Last Years Highlights
1/30/16 W 83-40 H
Overview
Memphis enters this game on a two game losing streak, losing to Cinicinnati 68-57 and SMU 60-39 in what was maybe their worst offensive performance of the season. But prior to that Memphis was on a nice little streak winning 5 of 6 games including an upset of No. 23 South Florida 62-57.
UConn made a nice recovery from that close call against Tulsa. They hammered No. 23 Temple 90-45 in a great offensive and defensive effort. The Huskies will still be without Kia Nurse, who they are taking their time with in bringing her back into the active rotation.
Stat by Stat Comparison
Leader is bolded.
Leader is bolded.
UConn Memphis
85.3 Points Per Game 59.0
53.7 Opp Points Per Game 61.6
.514 Field Goal % .402
.342 Opp Field Goal % .413
.384 3 Point Field Goal % .302
.267 Opp 3 Point Field Goal % .316
.773 Free Throw % .636
39.5 Rebounds Per Game 32.3
33.2 Opp Rebounds Per Game 34.6
22.9 Assists Per Game 12.6
12.7 Turnovers Per Game 16.1
1.8 Assists/Turnover Ratio .8
1.8 Assists/Turnover Ratio .8
10.5 Steals Per Game 9.2
4.7 Blocks Per Game 2.2
UCONN
UConn Starters
33 Katie Lou Samuelson
6'3" Sophomore Guard/Forward
MPG 30.9, FG% .484, 3PT% .415, FT% .821, PPG 20.6, RPG 3.8, APG 2.8
24 Napheesa Collier
6'1" Sophomore Forward/Guard
MPG 29.9, FG% .680, 3PT% .382, FT% .823, PPG 19.8, RPG 9.0, APG 2.1
15 Gabby Williams
5'11" Junior Forward
MPG 28.1, FG% .562, 3PT% .167, FT% .667, PPG 13.0, RPG 8.7, APG 5.2
12 Saniya Chong
5'8" Senior Guard
MPG 29.4, FG% .458, 3PT% .378, FT% .810, PPG 7.9, RPG 2.7, APG 3.9
20 Tierney Lawlor
5'7" Senior Guard
MPG 3.2, FG% .000, 3PT% .000, FT% .500, PPG 0.1, RPG .3, APG .1
UConn Bench
5 Crystal Dangerfield
5'5" Freshman Guard
51 Natalie Butler
6'5" RS Junior Center
MPG 16.6, FG% .481, 3PT% .000, FT% .700, PPG 5.4, RPG 4.7, APG 1.0
10 Molly Bent
5'9" Freshman Guard
MPG 10.5 FG% .267, 3PT% .286, FT% .625, PPG 1.1, RPG 1.6, APG 1.5
25 Kyla Irwin
6'2" Freshman Forward
MPG 8.1, FG% .429, 3PT% .308, FT% .684, PPG 2.3, RPG 1.5, APG .4
Out for the game
11 Kia Nurse
6' Junior Guard
MPG 32.7, FG% .462, 3PT% .422, FT% .857, PPG 12.8, RPG 2.4, APG 4.2
Memphis Starters
03 Taylor Williams 6'1" Senior Guard
MPG 32.9, FG% .350 3PT% .328, FT% .807, PPG 11.7, RPG 4.3, APG 1.9
10 Cheyenne Creighton 6'1" Sophomore Forward
MPG 34.7, FG% .539, 3PT% .500, FT% .484, PPG 14.7, RPG 7.5, APG .8
05 Brea Elmore 5'9" Sophomore Guard
MPG 31.0, FG% .396, 3PT% .343, FT% .763, PPG 12.8, RPG 3.5, APG 2.9
15 Taylor Barnes 5'8" Freshman Guard
MPG 28.6, FG% .350, 3PT% .228, FT% .732, PPG 6.7, RPG 2.8, APG 2.5
Memphis Bench
02 Loysha Morris 5'9" Senior Guard
MPG 17.3, FG% .324, 3PT% .118, FT% .750, PPG 3.4, RPG 2.2, APG 1.6
01 Breigha Wilder-Chochran 5'9" RS Junior Guard
MPG 24.7, FG% .381, 3PT% .300, FT% .627, PPG 5.4, RPG 3.3, APG 2.7
25 Brianna Porter 6'3" Sophomore Forward
MPG 18.3, FG% .370, 3PT% .000, FT% .500, PPG 2.8, RPG 3.1, APG .4
01 Milena Bajic 6'1" Sophomore Forward
MPG 13.4, FG% .367, 3PT% .100, FT% .474, PPG 2.1, RPG 2.5, APG .2
Game Analysis
Memphis has lost every starter from last season. They start 4 players all season in Creighton, Elmore, Williams and Barnes. The fifth starter has varied for much of the season. That is why I only listed four starters and had everyone else on the bench. That won't happen in the game....lol.
On defense, Memphis plays both a 2-1-2 zone and a 3-2 zone, mixing them up to try to confuse the offense. On the inbound passes after a make or on a defensive rebound by the opponent, they use on the ball pressure to try to disrupt the initial offense before slipping back into the zone.
It's not a bad zone. They do work pretty well together. But it has gaps that UConn will exploit and with crisp ball movement, there will be open threes as well.
On offense, Memphis plays an inside out game, working the ball to their one inside threat, Cheyenne Creighton. Their guards like to drive to the basket and then kick out to open players. They don't take or make a lot of threes. Mostly when they get the ball on the outside, they set screens and try to get the ball handler to the rim.
UConn will pick apart the zone as best as they can and find all those open gaps I talked about. With the terrific ball movement that they show, the Huskies will hit the gaps and kick out to open shooters. What failed them against Tulane has pretty much worked against everyone else.
Defensively, UConn will pressure Memphis into many mistakes. They aren't a very good ball handling team as they have close to 100 more turnovers than assists. I expect UConn for create 20+ turnovers. Memphis doesn't have the size to cause problems on offense nor the shooters to make UConn pay if they do leave them open occasionally.
Final Prediction
When putting together the team stats grid, every stat was down from the Memphis team from last year. And UConn won both of those games by 40 and 43 points. On senior night, at Gample...well...it won't be pretty. UConn should win this game by more than those two margins.
UConn by 50+.
DD: I grew up and then moved back to Westchester County. When I heard Chong of the powerhouse Ossining was coming to Armonk (home to IBM hqtrs and a hamlet of 12,000) I made sure I left work early to see the game. Got there for 2nd half and sat behind my daughter's friend's Dad (and as a lifelong NYY fan, a guy I thought highly of) Bernie Williams. His daughter, Beatrice (aka Bea) was assigned guarding the Ossining superstar and UConn recruit, Chong. Not surprising to many, Bernie sat very unassuming in the BHHS stands and watched his daughter closely but did not get demonstrative as she went head-to-head with Saniya. Eventually, in 2nd half Ossining pulled away from Byram Hills, my alma mater, but by game's end, Be a scored 35 points to Saniya's 33 as I recall. I saw Chong at the County Sectionals at Westchester County Center with another UConn fanatic (when in high school he was among top FT % shooters, used to post on ESPN as rolfwulf), and she was superb as a hybrid SG/ PG often double- and triple-teamed. An 8th grader on the team was Espinoza-Hunter nailing three after three. UConn benefits from unexpected recruits from the county north of NYC. Chong has done very well, considering injuries and style of play, at UConn and will leave with 3-4 NC's. Not shabby, eh.
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