Doggydaddy's Den: DoggyDaddy's Dailies for 12/28 and the SMU post game report

DoggyDaddy's Dailies now has helpful and interesting links located at the bottom of the page.

Hope you enjoy them!

A Daily look at scores from yesterday, a list of top performers in those games and of course a little opinion.

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Here are pictures from both the DePaul game and the UCLA game from my good friend DannyK

ENJOY!!!

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I am combining an abbreviated SMU post game report with my game links. There were only 6 games. 58 games on Sunday and the full season starts again!!!!!!

UConn-SMU Post game report

Geno had a goal to get the team to get off to a quick start and I certainly would say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!! They scored the first nine points of the game, they were up 20-2 and then 30-4 after only 7 minutes of play. That was as good an 8 minutes that this team has played all season. The starters were all in sync.

Player of the Game - Moriah Jefferson - As I mentioned in the pre-game report, UConn was really looking for Jefferson to regain her offensive touch. She had scored only 11 points in her last three games, going 5-24 from the field including 1-9 on three pointers. She came out on fire before finishing with 24 points on 8-12 shooting including a sparkling 4-5 on three pointers. Jefferson is a much better shooter than she has shown and she never let it impact any other aspect of her game. Just in time for the Duke game. She was her usual disruptive force on defense with 5 steals.

Morgan Tuck - Morgan was very efficient in this game, hitting her first four shots. She ended up with 12 points and 5 rebounds in only 18 minutes. It's clear that Geno intends to limit her minutes as often as possible to save wear and tear on her knee.

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis - KML was not her usual sharp shooting self, hitting only 3-8 three balls. But that was enough to pass Maya Moore for second place on the UConn career list only a few behind someone we all know from California. Some wise guy. It would be awesome if KML had a crazy big game against Duke and broke the record Monday night. She finished with 19 points and 6 assists along with 2 steals.

Breanna Stewart - After 46 points in her last two games, Stewart was in an offensive funk for this game. She only made 2 of 9 shots and missed both her 3 pointers. But she was a beast on the boards with 12 rebounds, she added 2 blocks and 2 steals. Maybe she is saving her made shots for the Duke game. We can only hope.

Kia Nurse - Ho hum.......another stat padding game for Nurse. With 13 points, 7 assists, 4 steals and only 1 turnover, Kia had another game where you ask "is she really a freshman?". Her passes were smart and creative and she is as good as any guard UConn has had on the break in a long time. She is so strong, defenders just can't stop her from getting to the basket. She took a BIG hit on a fast break and got up smiling. As the announcer said, it looked like a hip check in hockey so the Canadian girl was used to it!!

Now the bench? They just killed all the momentum that the starters built in those first 7 minutes. In the next 13 minutes UConn was only able to score 19 points. Geno, in his half time interview, was so pleased with the starters but clearly was upset with bench players. He said that when you come in with a 30 point lead, it's hard to play like it means something, but he expects his players to do just that. Don't play to the score and that is how the bench played in the first half. How else will they know how to play in a more competitive game. They were better in the second half but Geno wants more and he will push them hard before the Duke game.

Kiah Stokes - Well, after I was so nice to Kiah in my last blog entry, she pulls a stinker like this. I'm pretty sure she did it just to embarrass me. Ok, maybe not, but still, with ..... Kiah was able to continue her assault on the block record of Rebecca Lobo, set in 1993-4 with 133 blocks. Kiah, if UConn is in the championship game, is on pace for 144.

Saniya Chong - It started out pretty promising when Chong hit her first shot, a three, but went south pretty quickly before she recovered late in the game. She still doesn't look comfortable with her shot and no, it's not because of her low release. She has had some open shots that she should knock down.. She did play well on defense but Geno wants more from her.

Gabby Williams - What else can I say about her that hasn't been said. She is just a terrific basketball player. A terrific player who can't make foul shots. I know she didn't shoot under 50% in high school, so she should get better. But her release is very Shaq-est. She grabs a couple of rebounds every game where you wonder how the heck she got that ball. One of them, in this game, was a rebounds grabbed over a 6'5" player without fouling her. And she did go 4-5 from the field again. A few more games like this and she will be the 6th player averaging double digits in scoring.

Overall, this game went as expected. It was great to see them not looking ahead to the Duke game. Geno did a great job keeping them focused on the now. And the team played like it.

Look for my Duke Pre-Game analysis sometime Sunday. This is going to be a great game. At least it has that possibility.

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So, without further ado!!!

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

Jefferson leads No. 2 UConn women over SMU 96-45 Courier-Express

Jefferson Leads No. 2 UConn Women Over SMU 96-45 ABC News

Jefferson leads No. 2 UConn women over SMU 96-45 Midlothian Exchange

UConn Women Open Conference Play With A 96-45 Win Over SMU Hartford Courant

UConn win puts Auriemma over the top Carl Adamac Blog

Freshman Williams settling into post position Carl Adamac Blog

Auriemma Now Tops In Winning Percentage John Altavilla Blog

Auriemma now career leader in winning percentage Rich Elliott Blog

Game report: No. 2 UConn 96, SMU 45 Rich Elliott Blog

Ekmark nearing a return to full participation Rich Elliott Blog

UConn's Auriemma at the head of the class Jim Fuller Blog

Despite gaudy numbers, UConn's offense still a work in progress Jim Fuller Blog

No hiding UConn's Williams passion Jim Fuller Blog

UConn guard breaks out of slump in rout of SMU Roger Cleaveland

Video: UConn Women Crush SMU, 96-45 Sox and Dawgs

Upsets in Red

Only the UConn Game.

Central Florida 64 Houston 50 - ESPN Scoreboard

My Granddaughters love Disney

Thanks to my friend JohnnyC who sends me these numbers when he can.

Yanique Gordon Central Florida 17 points 12 rebounds
Fifi Ndour Central Florida 10 points 13 rebounds
Moriah Jefferson UConn 24 points
Keani Albanez Gonzaga 20 points 7 steals
Kendall Kenyon Pacific 27 points 15 rebounds 6 blocks
Taj Winston San Francisco 11 points 11 rebounds
Lauren Nicholson Saint Mary's 21 points
Nici Gilday Santa Clara 31 points
Marie Bertholdt Santa Clara 13 points 10 rebounds