Doggydaddy's Den: Doggy's Doghouse 12/16/17

*********************************************************************************

Image result for happy hanukkah basketball

Happy Fourth Day of Hanukkah!!!!

PJ day at Daycare!!!

*********************************************************************************

Not to take anything from David and his wonderful "Numbers", I came across this great look at Azura Stevens on one of the UConn message boards. Believe it or not, it's from a Duke fan!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eight games played:
-- Shooting 47-64 from two-point range (73.4375 percent)
-- Made 50 field goals this year (#1 on the team)
-- Averaging 6.25 field goals per game (#1 on the team)
-- 22 offensive rebounds; averaging 2.75 offensive rebounds per game (both #1 on the team)
-- 74 total rebounds; averaging 9.3 rebounds per game (both #1 on the team)
-- Blocked 16 shots; averaging 2.0 blocks per game (both #1 on the team)
(And Stevens is doing this in 25.3 minutes per game, which is only #6 on the team)

Stevens' last four games (MSU, Nevada, Notre Dame, DePaul):
-- 18.75 points per game
-- 11.75 rebounds per game
-- 79.487 percent from two-point range (31-39)
-- 68.085 percent overall shooting (32-47)

In other words, for 50 percent of the games in her UConn career to date, Stevens is averaging numbers that, if kept up for the entire year, would:

-- Rank 13th all-time at UConn for PPG for a season
-- Rank 4th all-time at UConn for RPG in a season
-- Rank 4th all-time at UConn at field goal percentage for a season

To put this into perspective, UConn has NEVER had a player average these numbers (over 18 ppg, over 11 rpg, and over 60 percent from the floor) for an entire season. The closest were:

-- Peggy Walsh (1985-86): 16.7 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 55.9 percent from the floor
-- Renee Najarian (1987-88): 18.4 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 61.1 percent from the floor
-- Rebecca Lobo (1992-93): 16.7 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 44.9 percent from the floor
-- Rebecca Lobo (1993-94): 19.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 54.6 percent from the floor

*********************************************************************************

No. 22 South Florida hammered Southern Friday night 108-48. Kitija Laksa was fantastic with 40 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. She was 11-12 on threes!!!! Amazing.

*********************************************************************************

By David in Naples!!!!!

UConn can actually put five players on the court at the same time who have scored 1,000 points in college. (Kia, Gabby, KLS, Pheesa and Z.) In fact, five different players have led the Huskies in scoring in games this year. Clearly, offense is not a problem.

This season, after 8 games, the offense is averaging 87.8 points per game. That compares favorably to the scoring from previous years. Consider:

2016-17 average per game = 87.1 ppg
2015-16 average per game = 88.1 ppg
2014-15 average per game = 89.3 ppg

The lowest scoring this season was 78 points and that happened twice, against Stanford and UCLA. The Stanford game was a 25 point win and UCLA's margin was 18. The best scoring games were 103 versus DePaul, 97 against Maryland and 96 vs Michigan State. One would expect the scoring will stay high against the AAC schedule coming up in January and February.

The shooting % from the field this season is at 51.7%. Last year it finished at 52.7% and the year before it was 53.0%. Basically a match year to year. The scoring average in the 1st period of each game so far has been 26.8 points. That is better than last season (23.5 pts) or two years ago (24.0 pts). The individual scoring leader this season, points-wise, is Kia at 123 points. Right behind her are Azura (118), Napheesa (116) and Crystal (114). Interestingly, while Katie Lou only has 71 points, due to injury, she is the leader in points per game at 17.8 per. Kia is 2nd at 15.4 with Z third with 14.8 per. Collier, who led the teamin scoring at 20+ ppg, is 4th with an average of 14.5 per.

Six Huskies average in double figures this season. That is amazing considering last season there were only four and two years ago there were also only four. Given the balance between inside and outside scoring, those six could finish well finish the season with all in double figures. Let's hope so..!

Go Huskies..!!

*********************************************************************************

UCONN LINKS

Belliveau recalls humble beginnings with Auriemma, Dailey at UConn Carl Adamec

Geno Auriemma: Ten Wins To Remember On The Road To 1,000 Courant

WCBB Top 25 Results