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GO UCONN!!!!!
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The Boys and their Dogs -
Under the UConn blanket!!
GO UCONN!!!!!
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Only a few days left!!
Naismith fan voting has started. You can vote once a day. Paige and Aaliyah are on the ballot.
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I was just sitting on my couch minding my business when Duke decided to see how good my heart was. The Huskies were up 42-27 going into the fourth quarter. They scored the first basket of the quarter to take a 17 point lead and then......
Between some poor UConn shooting, some bad passing and some good Duke play, the score was 50-45 with the momentum on the Blue Devils' side with 52 seconds remaining. If there was more time left, Duke might have completed the comeback. KK Arnold turned the ball over, but Duke couldn't convert on the next possession. They had to foul three times just to get into the penalty and hope that UConn missed their free throws. It took them 15 seconds to do that. Paige hit two free throw to make it a three possession game and it was over. Whew...
Paige was wonderful again in this game with 24 points. She added her obligatory 2 blocked shots.
Aaliyah was 6-7 from the field for 12 points and added 7 rebounds. It would have been nice if she could have had double digit shot attempts. That fourth foul call was bogus.
KK had a great game, although she really has to work on her three point shot in the off season. She was 0-4 but had 12 points and 4 assists. More importantly she had 5 steals.
Nika led the defensive effort with 4 steals and some great on ball defense. And she added 8 assists. Typical Nika game.
Like I said when I talked about Notre Dame's freshman Hidalgo having a tough time, freshman can really struggle in these big games. Shade was no exception. She was scoreless on 0-4 shooting, 0-3 on threes. Great players bounce back. Let's see what happens.
For all the crap that Ice Brady got in her last showing, she gave the Huskies a solid 13 minutes.
UConn's defense was amazing in the first half holding Duke to 13 total points.
Overall for the game, they held Duke to 32% from the field, 21% on threes (4-19) and turned them over 23 times. However, Duke outrebounded UConn 43-28 and had 16 big offensive rebounds. That allowed them to stay in the game.
So, on UConn goes to the Elite Eight game against 1 seed USC and their precosious freshman JuJu Watkins. Nike will have her hands full coving the 6'2" guard. She is really talented. But if you look up volume shooting in the dictionary, her picture is there. More on that match up in my Pregame Report. Hopefully out sometime on Sunday.
Last two minutes of the game
Full Game Replay
Geno Postgame Presser
Aaliyah Postgame Interview
Paige Courtside Interview
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It was a very competative game and Baylor had a four point lead going into the fourth quarter. They were not able to hold on.
With just over four minutes to play, Baylor was up by three and on the verge of pulling off a tremendous upset. Watkins had other ideas, though, as she took over down the stretch. First, she found Clarice Akunwafo for a layup to tie the game, then converted a tough and-one in transition to put USC in front for good. Over the final 3:33, Watkins either scored or assisted on 11 of the Trojans final 12 points.
As great as Watkins was she was only 8-28 from the field (Volume Shooting Bigtime) but she is great in getting to the free throw line and a great FT shooter. She was 12-13 and several were huge down the stretch.
Game Highights
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This game was never in doubt. Colorado game into the tournment losing six of their last 8 games and caught Kansas State on a bad day to get to the matchup with Iowa State.
Caitlin Clark was her usual self in this one. She scored 30 points on 13-22 shooting Excellent. She was 3-11 on threes. Not so excellent. But she showed she is more than just a long range shooter, going 10-11 on her two point shots and handing out 15 assists. Some were just beautiful.
The rest of her teammates were really on in this game. Marshall scored 14 points and was 4-5 on threes. Martin also had 14 points and was 2-4 on threes. The other two starters Affolter had 10 points and forward Stuelke, their only big, scored 15 points. Clark found her time after time. The five starters scored 83 of their 89 points.
They go on to a game against LSU, a rematch from last years championship game.
Game Highights
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To tell you the truth, I don't really want to write about this game. I can't stand LSU. I'm sorry they won. I can't stand Mulkey. She is just an asshole. And it passes down to her players. Reese was trash talking the UCLA bench after LSU put the game out of reach. Pathetic.
They just have an attitude that turns me off. Ok...that's enough about them. I'll end with saying I hope Iowa gets their revenge and send them home.
Game Highights
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By PHIL
Milestone Watch
• Aaliyah Edwards had 12 points in the Duke game, which brings her to a career total of 1809 points. She passed Stefanie Dolson and Tiffany Hayes to take sole possession of 16th place all time.
• Aaliyah Edwards now has 1006 rebounds with 7 against Duke. She now needs 1 to catch Gabby Williams in 8th place.
• Nika Mühl has 671 assists after her 8 assists in the Duke game. She extends her record as the all-time leader in career assists
• Mühl is now the holder of:
o Single game assists record 15 (against NC State 20 November 2022) surpassing Paige Bueckers
o Single season assists record 284 (2022–23) surpassing Sue Bird’s 231
o Career assists record surpassing Moriah Jefferson
Paige Bueckers now has 809 points this season. This moves her past Napheesa Collier who had 792 in 2018-19, and Breanna Stewart who had 777 in 2013-14. She is now in 2nd place, behind only Maya Moore who had 868 in 2010–11.
• Geno now has 1212 wins.
• UConn now has 135 NCAA wins, more than any other school.
• Aaliyah Edwards now has 1006 rebounds with 7 against Duke. She now needs 1 to catch Gabby Williams in 8th place.
• Nika Mühl has 671 assists after her 8 assists in the Duke game. She extends her record as the all-time leader in career assists
• Mühl is now the holder of:
o Single game assists record 15 (against NC State 20 November 2022) surpassing Paige Bueckers
o Single season assists record 284 (2022–23) surpassing Sue Bird’s 231
o Career assists record surpassing Moriah Jefferson
Paige Bueckers now has 809 points this season. This moves her past Napheesa Collier who had 792 in 2018-19, and Breanna Stewart who had 777 in 2013-14. She is now in 2nd place, behind only Maya Moore who had 868 in 2010–11.
• Geno now has 1212 wins.
• UConn now has 135 NCAA wins, more than any other school.
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Plus one for every assist block point rebound and steal. I don’t add extra for offensive rebounds as it already seems to favor the bigs. Minus one for every missed shot (2, 3 or foul), turnover or foul committed.
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Tournament Section
Click on the matchup for an article about the game
Date, Time and TV
Albany
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Portland
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UCONN LINKS
Several links are pay sites. Sorry!
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Vol Nation - Tennessee women's basketball board
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UCONN Information
UConn 2023-2024 Statistics (updated after 1st game)
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