UCONN @ Cincinnati
Day: Wednesday
Date: December 30th, 2015
Location: Fifth Third Arena
Time: 7:00
TV: SNY
No. 1 UConn Huskies Cincinnati Bearcats
10-0 4-7
Prior Meetings
UConn leads the series 14-0
1/12/06 W 92-71 Home
1/30/07 W 70-60 Away
1/19/08 W 86-49 Home
1/24/09 W 65-34 Away
1/7/10 W 83-51 Home
1/29/11 W 80-46 Away
1/19/12 W 80-37 Home
1/26/13 W 67-31 Home
12/29/13 W 67-34 Home
2/1/14 W 86-39 Away
3/8/14 W 72-42 Neutral
1/25/15 W 96-31 Away
2/3/15 W 96-36 Home
3/7/15 W 93-35 Neutral
Team Overviews
UConn comes off a tough well earned win against No. 6 Maryland 83-73. UConn really stuggled early with turnovers and defending the paint the entire game. Their shooting was off and overall, they just didn't look good. Oh, and they still won by 10 against a terrific Maryland team.
Cincinnati won their first 4 games of the season. But since then, they have lost 7 of 8 games for a 5-7 record. Last season, they had 5 wins and 13 losses coming into the first UConn game. The seem to be improved but not enough to challenge the good teams in WCBB. They lost by 40 to Michigan State and 29 against Ohio State. But they did stay with the rest of the teams they have met including a decent Georgia team before losing by 18. They have improved since last season but how much is the question.
Cincinnati won their first 4 games of the season. But since then, they have lost 7 of 8 games for a 5-7 record. Last season, they had 5 wins and 13 losses coming into the first UConn game. The seem to be improved but not enough to challenge the good teams in WCBB. They lost by 40 to Michigan State and 29 against Ohio State. But they did stay with the rest of the teams they have met including a decent Georgia team before losing by 18. They have improved since last season but how much is the question.
Stat by Stat Comparison
Leader is bolded.
UConn Cincinnati
87.7 Points Per Game 62.2
55.3 Opp Points Per Game 73.4
.530 Field Goal % .348
.371 Opp Field Goal % .452
.347 3 Point Field Goal % .302
.358 Opp 3 Point Field Goal % .327
.746 Free Throw % .648
39.2 Rebounds Per Game 37.3
30.3 Opp Rebounds Per Game 41.5
22.2 Assists Per Game 11.3
13.1 Turnovers Per Game 15.3
1.7 Assists/Turnover Ratio .7
1.7 Assists/Turnover Ratio .7
13.1 Steals Per Game 7.4
5.6 Blocks Per Game 2.2
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UConn Starters
30 Breanna Stewart
6'4" Senior Forward
6'4" Senior Forward
One more time, the best player in the game. Time after time she made a big play for UConn against Maryland.
2015-16 Stats
9 Games - MPG 32.3, FG% .616, 3PT% .448, PPG 22.9 RPG 7.1, APG 4.7, 20 steals, 28 blocks
9 Games - MPG 32.3, FG% .616, 3PT% .448, PPG 22.9 RPG 7.1, APG 4.7, 20 steals, 28 blocks
3 Morgan Tuck
6'2" RS Junior Forward
6'2" RS Junior Forward
Steady, steady and more steady. Her shooting percentage is up to 53%.
2015-16 Stats
10 Games - MPG 31.4, FG% .533, 3PT% .348, PPG 15.5, RPG 5.8, APG 3.7, 9 steals, 6 blocks
4 Moriah Jefferson
5'7" Senior Guard
5'7" Senior Guard
Leading this team in many ways, Jefferson had a ESPN top ten play to end the half against Maryland.
2015-16 Stats
10 Games - MPG 32.6, FG% .563, 3PT% .343, PPG 13.5, RPG 2.9, APG 5.9, 27 steals, 0 blocks
11 Kia Nurse
6' Sophomore Guard
Another tough outing for Nurse in the Maryland game. Her saving grace is her terrific defense.
2015-16 Stats
10 Games - MPG 28.6, FG% .458, 3PT% .355, PPG 10.2, RPG 2.5, APG 3.2, 19 steals, 1 block
24 Napheesa Collier
6'1 Freshman Forward/Guard
Not a good game against Maryland with four turnovers. This should be a good chance to do better.
2015-16 Stats
10 Games - MPG 20.8 FG% .462, 3PT% .000, PPG 6.0, RPG 6.4, APG 1.0, 24 steals, 11 blocks
UConn Bench
12 Saniya Chong
5'8" Junior Guard
What a great 11 minutes by Saniya. A big steal and layup in the first half and a game sealing three pointer with 42 seconds left in the game. She can be a big part of the gameplan if she can hit threes at a 42% clip.
5'8" Junior Guard
What a great 11 minutes by Saniya. A big steal and layup in the first half and a game sealing three pointer with 42 seconds left in the game. She can be a big part of the gameplan if she can hit threes at a 42% clip.
2015-16 Stats
8 Games - MPG 11.3, FG% .474, 3PT% .417, PPG 3.4, RPG 1.0, APG .5, 2 steals, 2 blocks
15 Gabby Williams
5'11" Sophomore Forward
5'11" Sophomore Forward
Gabby struggled in limited minutes against Maryland. I'm sure she was disappointed. Hoping for a bounce back against the Bearcats.
2015-16 Stats
10 Games - MPG 18.8, FG% .591, 3PT% .000, PPG 8.8 RPG 6.4, APG 1.0, 19 steals, 7 blocks
33 Katie Lou Samuelson
6'3" Freshman Guard/Forward
A couple of turnovers in the first half kept her out of the game for long periods against Maryland. She hit a contested three and missed the rest even though she was wide open. She makes those in her sleep. Time to get it together over the next four games.
2015-16 Stats
9 Games - MPG 18.1, FG% .393, 3PT% .250, PPG 7.1, RPG 2.7, APG 1.9, 9 steals, 0 blocks
22 Courtney Ekmark
6' Sophomore Guard
Did not play against Maryland. It's clear she will only see action due to injury or against weak opponents.
2015-16 Stats
7 Games - MPG 10.7, FG% .615, 3PT% .429, PPG 3.0, RPG 1.4, APG 0.9, 2 steals, 1 block
20 Tierney Lawlor
5'7" Junior Guard
DNP against Maryland
2015-16 Stats
7 Games - MPG 3.0, FG% 1.000, 3PT% 1.000, PPG 1.3, RPG 0.1, APG 0.3, 0 steals, 0 blocks
5'7" Senior Guard
DNP against Maryland
2015-16 Stats
6 Games - MPG 2.2, FG% .200, 3PT% .200, PPG 0.0, RPG 0.0, APG 0.2, 0 steals, 0 blocks
Out for the game?
6'5" RS Sophomore Center
I am so over her not playing. It's time Natalie!!!! It's time.
UCONN TEAM STATS
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Cincinnati Bearcats
Head Coach Jamelle Elliott
Ok...I'll say it. I love Jamelle's new haircut. She looks GREAT. So, how much can I say about her that most UConn fans don't know? Probably nothing. But here are some facts about her and Cincinnati.
Here are some quotes from back when she was hired. Some really nice words. And some facts from the Cincinnati site.
Jamelle is a former student-athlete and assistant coach at Connecticut, was named the University of Cincinnati's eighth head women's basketball coach on May 5, 2009. She enters her seventh campaign in 2015-16.
Elliott spent the better part of two decades with the Connecticut women's basketball program and Hall of Fame head coach Geno Auriemma, the last 12 years as an assistant coach. She has been a part of six national championships, including the Huskies' 2009 undefeated championship run, and won a title as a player, helping UConn to the 1995 championship, the first in the school's history.
After graduating from Connecticut with a degree in business management in 1996, Elliott went on to earn her graduate degree in sports management at UConn in 1997. Elliott, a native of Washington, D.C., was named to the Washington Post all-Metro Team as well as being named Scholar-Athlete at H.D. Woodson High School.
Cincinnati Starters
03 Ana Owens
5'6" Sophomore Guard
2015-16 Stats
Ana started each of the season's 31 games and averaged team bests of 11.7 points and 2.5 assists per game. She was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team.
11 games - MPG 34.7, FG% .359, 3PT% .412, PPG 14.9, RPG 3.6, APG 3.5, 12 steals, 1 block
23 Jasmine Whitfield
5'10" Senior Guard
Jasmine started each of the season's 31 games and averaged 9.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.
2015-16 Stats
11 games - MPG 30.8, FG% .372, 3PT% .329, PPG 14.0, RPG 6.4, APG 1.9, 12 steals, 3 blocks
11 games - MPG 30.8, FG% .372, 3PT% .329, PPG 14.0, RPG 6.4, APG 1.9, 12 steals, 3 blocks
12 Alyesha Lovett
6'0" RS Senior Guard
Lovett sat out last season with a medical redshirt. In her previous season she was one of only two players to start all 31 games and averaged 10.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. She was twice named to the American Conference Weekly Honor Roll.
2015-16 Stats
11 games - MPG 31.4, FG% .362, 3PT% .179, PPG 10.0, RPG 5.5, APG 2.5, 21 steals, 9 blocks
22 Bianca Quisenberry
5'8" Junior Guard
Bianca appeared in 30 games, starting 23 and averaged 4.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists.
2015-16 Stats
9 games - MPG 28.0, FG% .330, 3PT% .226, PPG 9.0, RPG 4.8, APG 1.8, 18 steals, 2 blocks
32 Shelbi Chandler
6'3" Senior Forward
Chandler played in 30 games including making her only start of the season at UT Martin (11/19) and averaged 0.9 points and 1.7 rebounds.
2015-16 Stats
11 games - MPG 19.6, FG% .412, 3PT% .000, PPG 3.6, RPG 2.8, APG .5, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Cincinnati Bench
02 Nikira Goings
5'9" Freshman Guard
11 games - MPG 15.5, FG% .279, 3PT% .276, PPG 4.5, RPG 1.9, APG .7, 9 steals, 1 block
20 Maya Benham
6'0" Freshman Guard
Benham was ranked as the No. 16 wing according to ESPN HoopGurlz.
2015-16 Stats
10 games - MPG 11.3, FG% .407, 3PT% .333, PPG 2.9, RPG 1.6, APG .3, 3 steals, 2 blocks
10 games - MPG 11.3, FG% .407, 3PT% .333, PPG 2.9, RPG 1.6, APG .3, 3 steals, 2 blocks
13 Brandey Tarver
5'10" Junior Guard
Brandey played in all 31 games, starting seven and averaged 3.6 points and 3.3 rebounds.
2015-16 Stats
11 games - MPG 14.9, FG% .214, 3PT% .000, PPG 2.1, RPG 2.4, APG .3, 1 steal, 3 blocks
11 games - MPG 14.9, FG% .214, 3PT% .000, PPG 2.1, RPG 2.4, APG .3, 1 steal, 3 blocks
25 Chelsea Warren
6'1" Freshman Forward
Warren was a McDonalds All-America nominee and Gatorade Player of the Year nominee.
2015-16 Stats
11 games - MPG 11.6, FG% .250, 3PT% .000, PPG 1.3, RPG 3.5, APG .2, 0 steals, 0 blocks
Game Analysis
Right now, Cincinnati is starting four guards and one forward. They have three freshman off the bench so I don't know how much Jamelle will play them. Their one forward off the bench is a freshman and only 6'1". I would imagine that Coach Elliott will play a zone for most of the game and force UConn to the outside as much as possible. Especially since UConn is shooting almost 5 percent lower from distance than last season. UConn will want fast break at every chance before the Cincinnati defense can set up.
But the talent discrepancy is just too much for the Bearcats to handle. It just won't matter what they do. UConn will just run it's offense, practice plays, take the best shot and then defend the hell out of the ball on the other end.
Cincinnati shoots only 34.8% from the field and 30.2% on 3's. What makes it worse it that they are a terrible ball handling team. They have only 124 assists this season and 168 turnovers. They will not do well against UConn's pressure defense.
Final Prediction
Last year I predicted a 45+ margin of victory. I figured Geno would ease up on Jamelle. Stop pressing, hold up on the fast breaks and just take it easy on Cincinnati.
Of course, sometimes it just won't matter and the players are just that much better. And last year proved that. In spite of holding back after a big lead the scores last year in their three games the scores were almost identical. 96-31, 96-36, and 93-35.
Of course, sometimes it just won't matter and the players are just that much better. And last year proved that. In spite of holding back after a big lead the scores last year in their three games the scores were almost identical. 96-31, 96-36, and 93-35.
Who am I to argue. UConn by 60+.
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