Date: January 3rd, 20187
Location: Minges Coliseum,
Greenville, N.C.
Greenville, N.C.
Time: 2:00
TV: SNY/ESPN3
No. 1 UConn 11-0 (1-0) East Carolina 8-6 (0-1)
Head to Head
UConn leads 8-0
11/31/14 W 88-38 A
1/28/15 W 87-42 H
3/8/15 W 106-56 N
2/6/16 W 92-46 H
2/20/16 W 84-41 A
3/5/16 W 92-51 N
1/4/17 W 90-45 H
1/24/17 W 91-44 A
Overview
With their slow start, ECU is similar to Memphis in that regard. They won their first game against South Carolina Upstate, as they should against a school with that name. But it didn't bode well as they only won 66-53. They then lost their next four games, but each game was close, losing to UNC Willmington 66-62, Richmond 65-64, William & Mary 71-65 in OT, and Jacksonville State 82-73.
It must have helped their confidence, as they went on to win 7 of 8, losing their only game in that streak to UTEP in overtime. In their last outing, their AAC opener, they lost 66-54 to Cincinnati. You could say that they have some overall momentum coming into this matchup with UConn.
Speaking of UConn, they are coming into this game after a shellacking of Memphis 97-49 in their AAC opener. Just as UConn was becoming 100% healthy with everyone available to play, Andra Espinosa-Hunter is taking some time off from the team to handle some personal problems. Don't ask me what it is. I know that she transferred schools her last year in high school to be close to her family and her ailing Grandmother. Everyone else is available.
Stat by Stat Comparison
Leader is bolded
Leader is bolded
UCONN East Carolina
90.1 Points Per Game 67.4
59.6 Opp Points Per Game 62.0
.534 Field Goal % .385
.352 Opp Field Goal % .368
.404 3 Point Field Goal % .262
.300 Opp 3 Point Field Goal % .331
.726 Free Throw % .596
42.5 Rebounds Per Game 42.6
32.3 Opp Rebounds Per Game 39.9
22.8 Assists Per Game 14.5
14.5 Turnovers Per Game 19.1
1.6 Assists/Turnover Ratio .8
1.6 Assists/Turnover Ratio .8
10.0 Steals Per Game 11.4
4.7 Blocks Per Game 4.3
UCONN
11 Kia Nurse
4 Mikayla Coombs
5'8" Freshman Guard
MPG - 5.3, FG% .222, 3PT% .000, FT% .000, .5 ppg, .5 rpg, .3 apg, 0 blk, 3 stls
UConn Starters
24 Napheesa Collier
6'1" Junior Forward
MPG -30.1, FG% .518, 3PT% .286, FT% .696, 15.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 3.3 apg, 18 blks, 21 stls
15 Gabby Williams
5'11" Senior Forward
MPG - 27.4, FG% .589, 3PT% .000, FT% .682, 11.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.7 apg, 5 blks, 29 stls
11 Kia Nurse
6' Senior Guard
MPG - 33.2, FG% .582%, 3PT% .525, FT .840, 16.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.6 apg, 5 blks, 10 stls
5 Crystal Dangerfield
5'5" Sophomore Guard
MPG - 32.9, FG% .486, 3PT% .500, FT% .692%, 12.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.1 apg, 0 blks, 20 stls
33 Katie Lou Samuelson
6'3" Junior Guard/Forward
MPG - 28.6, FG% .536, 3PT% .500, FT% .806, 19.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2 blk, 8 stls
UConn Bench
23 Azura Stevens
6'6" Junior Forward
MPG - 23.7, FG% .596, 3PT% .174, FT .714, 15.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 3.3 apg, 20 blks, 10 stls
3 Megan Walker
6'1" Freshman Guard/Forward
MPG - 17.0 FG% .457, 3PT% .357, FT% .615, 6.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 apg, 2 blk, 4 stls
MPG - 17.0 FG% .457, 3PT% .357, FT% .615, 6.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 apg, 2 blk, 4 stls
32 Batouly Camara
6'2" Sophomore Forward
MPG - 2.7, FG% .000, 3PT% .000, FT% .000, 0.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0 blk, 0 stls
10 Molly Bent
5'9" Sophomore Guard
MPG - 5.4, FG% .500, 3PT% .000, FT% .000, .7 ppg, .4 rpg, .3 apg, 0 blk, 1 stls
25 Kyla Irwin
6'2" Sophomore Forward
MPG - 7.6, FG% .600, 3PT% .167, FT% .000, 2.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg, .6 apg, 0 blk, 2 stls
4 Mikayla Coombs
5'8" Freshman Guard
MPG - 5.3, FG% .222, 3PT% .000, FT% .000, .5 ppg, .5 rpg, .3 apg, 0 blk, 3 stls
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Coach Heather Macy
After being named head coach of the East Carolina women's basketball team on April 30, 2010, Heather Macy enters her eighth season at the helm of the program.
Macy owns a career record of 233-141, including a 118-102 overall mark during her tenure at ECU. She is the only coach in program history to lead the Pirates to 20 or more wins in three-straight seasons after posting consecutive 22-win campaigns from 2012-15 which were complemented by as many Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) appearances.
In 2015-16, milestones were a common theme, as Macy earned victory No. 100 at ECU on Nov. 27 in an 80-62 triumph over Eastern Washington. ECU’s quartet of commitments during the Early Signing Period comprised the No. 49 overall class in the nation, marking the program’s first top-50 crop in program history. Jada Payne also became the first Pirate to receive an invitation to a WNBA preseason camp with the Washington Mystics.
Payne finished her four-year career with 2,029 points, which includes 1,757 during three seasons with the Pirates – a total that ranks No. 3 on the program’s all-time scoring list. Payne’s accomplishments were aplenty during her final campaign as her 625 points stand as the second-most in a season in program history. She also earned All-American Athletic Conference First Team honors to become just the second player in program history to earn first-team recognition in three-straight years. For the second time in as many years, I’Tiana Taylor received a second-team nod, while becoming just the fourth player to average a double-double with 14.1 points and 10 rebounds per game. Her 321 total rebounds stand No. 2 in the school’s record book for a single season.
East Carolina Starters
14 Ariyana Williams
5'9" Freshman Guard
MPG - 23.6 FG% .359, 3PT% .319, FT% .828, 11.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, .8 apg, 0 blk, 16 stls
15 Thais Oliviera
6'2" Senior Forward
MPG - 26.9 FG% .523, 3PT% .000, FT% .673, 10.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 24 blk, 20 stls
25 Dominique Claytors
5'11"Freshman Guard/Forward
MPG - 24.2 FG% .418, 3PT% .313, FT% .625, 7.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, 2 blk, 27 stls
44 Destiny Campbell
6'1" Junior Forward
MPG - 12.5 FG% .545, 3PT% .000, FT% .571, 6.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, .1 apg, 13 blk, 7 stls
01 Alex Frasier
5'9" Junior Guard
MPG - 26.6 FG% .417, 3PT% .000, FT% .390, 5.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.4 apg, 2 blk, 13 stls
East Carolina Bench
21 Salita Greene
5'11" Junior Guard
MPG - 16.0 FG% .500, 3PT% .000, FT% .750, 5.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, .4 apg, 0 blk, 0 stls
5 Mickayla Sanders
6' Senior Forward
MPG - 13.8 FG% .289, 3PT% .260, FT% .850, 5.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.2 apg, 3 blk, 13 stls
2 Lashanda Monk
5'6" Freshman Guard
MPG - 15.1 FG% .349, 3PT% .154, FT% .581, 4.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.9 apg, 2 blk, 24 stls
11 Raven Johnson
6' Freshman Guard
MPG - 15.6 FG% .315, 3PT% .200, FT% .600, 6.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, .4 apg, 3 blk, 16 stls
4 Necole Hope
5'10" Freshman Guard
MPG - 15.0 FG% .287, 3PT% .281, FT% .273, 4.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg, .9 apg, 2 blk, 14 stls
Game Analysis
New players same system. All five starters are gone from last seasons team that lost twice to UConn by 45 and 47 points. I can tell you that Coach Macy will play her entire roster and at times make hockey like substitutions, a full five player line change. She has 11 players with double digit MPG. On the other hand, UConn has 7 players doing that.
The Pirates just don't have much firepower. They shoot only 38.5% from the field and 26.2% on threes. And that is against a pretty weak schedule. What they do have going for them is turning the other team over. Last season, UConn had a bunch of turnovers in their win in the second game they played ECU. The Pirates will be trying to do that again. It's the only chance they have to keep the game semi-close.
Look for the Huskies to pressure the Pirates early and often. ECU will struggle with that and the Huskies will convert defense to offense. Without the threat of a three point game, the UConn defense will close down the paint and prevent what little offense the Pirates will be able to create.
Offensively, UConn is much bigger than ECU so look for the UConn entry passes for easy baskets. The Huskies will be able to score in bursts.
Final Prediction
UConn has won their games against ECU by 50, 45, 50, 46, 43, 41, 45 and 47. Incredibly consistent margins. But this year could buck that trend. ECU is a very young team, and most of these players didn't see much action in the two games last year. UConn can be a big shock to the system of an inexperienced team like the Pirates have.
Between the weak offense of the Pirates, and the tough defense of UConn, I just can't see ECU scoring more than 40 points. And with the end of the UConn bench getting better and better, I don't see this UConn team giving away any of the lead.
Here is my unusually large margin. UConn by 60+.
I missed the games in which Batouly played. Why is she not playing of late?
ReplyDeletesomeone posted that ANDY GRANDMOTHER IS NOT WELL. AND SHE IS VERY CLOSE TO HER GRANDMOTHER
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