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It appears that Moriah injured her hamstring last Friday. It's not considered serious but it will impact her playing time against Tulsa. She won't be playing.
Sanyia Chong will get the start. I'm excited to see her get to put in some serious time. This should mean more time for Ekmark as well.
Get well soon Moriah!!!
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Here is a "transcript" of the latest Geno Show on WTIC created by my friend Cat. She is amazing. It is certainly not easy to do this. THANKS CAT!!!!
Four games in 8 days starting tomorrow night. Get a good look at what we've got.
Moriah's injury, nothing that makes you think it's a problem. Hamstrings become a problem if not taken care of so we expect Moriah to be 100% for Houston and South Florida.
Saniya Chong will get the start. She has been really, really good, great at practice. She's been everything you would want her to be, alive at both ends, vocal and I can't say enough about how she's been practicing. Big variable is can we keep her on the court. She and Rosemary have figured out a system that has worked. Key has been she's grown up a little bit. It's not easy playing at Connecticut. There's a lot going on, school, practice, competition, pressure to perform at a high level every day. A lot going on; school. Pressure to perform every day. It takes a while to get it, some get it early and some take longer and some know they will never get it and leave.
For her to look like she's got it is very rewarding for us (staff) and for her.
Cincinnati game. Eight players in double figures never been done before.
Natalie Butler. She did a lot of things that you would want her to try to do. Whether successful or not, that was starting point. She was in comfort zone. Hasn't played in 1.5 years, off surgery, more mentally. To come in and play well was perfect scenario. Hopefully she can build on that tomorrow night.
Bob brought up Geno's interview on ESPN after Maryland game (not replacing KML and Kiah Stokes). Geno thinks team will end up with 100 fewer blocked shots than last year. He says they're replacing that with forcing turnovers, steals. Trick is to convert those turnovers to baskets. That changes things. Sometime off blocked shot don't necessarily get a layup; but force turnover in middle of floor is a recipe for lay-ups. We need to keep getting better at it. It's only January 4, there's a long way to go. Two months from now we still won't be in the NCAA tournament. Still, it'll come fast. We're in a good place but want to be in better place.
We're terrible defensively vs where we were last year. There's a 5 point difference in points allowed per game. On the three pointers given up, part of that is teams come down and jack up 3s. The real problem is the quality of the 3s we're giving up -- they've been open. We're working on it. Part of it is taking it seriously (mindset that we're going to win anyway) which is a recipe for not improving. Mindset is changing. That is what happens when replacing seniors and playing more players.
On Maryland game. There are times we make it look easy, there are times where you can see it's not easy. Maryland played great. Shot the ball well. Attacked us. Brianna Jones was a handful. It was hard. We had to work really hard to get win. It's a better sign than winning by 40. That doesn't do anything for us. The way the game played out really helped us. Only 1 turnover in 2nd half. There are few adjustments we made that you can say caused us to have fewer turnovers. At halftime we passed around media guide so they could know who teammates were.
Morgan joined show for 2nd half.
Going on road while school out is a good thing. Geno says the team will get a free day in Florida on Monday -- after which the players can do what they want (beach, shopping), but how enjoyable will depend on how Sunday goes (game vs South Florida).
Morgan's assessment on season so far. Gone well. Off court great; still have to work on things on the court.
Funniest on the team -- Kia and Gabby.
Kia's tries to watch her brother play hockey whenever she can.
Was a dancer when young. Started basketball in 4th grade. Played soccer and volleyball, also.
High-low chemistry with Stewie. Easy to throw to Stewie since she can just go get it; not as easy throwing to me as I can't get it well as Stewie.
High assist numbers for Stewie and Morgan. Geno: you need to have players willing to pass and players who can make shots. Morgan and Stewie are good passers; we have a tradition at UConn of post players who are good passers. One thing that helps Morgan is she's a good shooter. You need to be a good shooter to be a good passer; if not a good shooter than defenders will be in the passing lane.
Morgan's parents moved to Virginia, near Richmond.
Hardest part of being div 1 scholarship athlete? Practice. Hard to manage it. Finals time is hard. Her major is in international business. Wants to work in business side of sports. Morgan says right now she expects to be back at UConn next year.
Geno: have a difficult decision to make. You have to love going to school, and love being a student, love the college environment. Easy thing is to say time to move on. Majority of kids that leave early don't like school. Morgan likes school. She likes the college environment.
UConn players are treated pretty well. Nice dinners; fun activities. Didn't have a chance to go to a broadway show last week but did have dinner at a really nice restaurant. Last year the team saw Book of Mormon which Geno liked more than he thought he would.
Wearing #3. Got permission from Tiff. Favorite player at UConn? Maya Moore.
Other schools seriously considered before deciding UConn: Duke and Illinois. Decided on UConn after attending (with Stewie) Baylor game during Stef's and Bria's freshman year. Great crowd.
When freshman in high school, Morgan was Illinois POY. Then got hurt. First thought, not try out for USA BB. Also feared wouldn't come back as a good player. How hard is it in high to come back from injury? Don't have support for rehab like have in college. Parents told me feeling sorry for myself not do anything.
Sitting out sophomore year at UConn, learned a lot; how to read things. Better understanding of game. Knee bothers her every now and then but nothing like in her sophomore year.
How many braces for knee? Five. Any of them work yet? No. I'm more comfortable without a brace. Geno says there's a better chance of discovering rivers on Mars than finding a brace that fits Morgan. Just got measured for a new one brace which will be #6.
Going forward, what most important thing to impart to freshmen? We need them to play and be productive and not play as freshmen. Will have to step up and make plays.
Tomorrow night Morgan expects Saniya to be really good.
Geno: best he's ever seen Saniya at Connecticut. Tomorrow night will be good for her. Preview of coming attractions for next year maybe.
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From David in Naples
Uconn's 11 opponents have made 236 field goals, so far this year. Since they have taken 651 shots, that comes to 36.3% accuracy. However, UConn has also created 236 turnovers. So every time an opponent brings the ball up the court, there is a 50% chance they will turn it over and a 50% they may make a basket.
In sharp contrast, UConn has made 382 baskets on 53.2% shooting. The Huskies only have 138 turnovers so they are 2.77 times more likely to make a basket than turn the ball over.
That is how you win basketball games.
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Oh my god.....can we just relax for a minute???
As I mentioned, Moriah Jefferson will be sitting out this game with a slight hamstring injury. She is being listed as Day-to-Day. But if you read the crazy message boards, you would think the season was over.
"OMG! I would rest her until the SC game. Every year, injuries are the most important item I worry about. I sincerely hope it is NOT serious."
Not play her until the South Carolina game? Sit her the next 4 weeks? 11 games? Ok...this one is on the list for dumbest post on record.
"Everyone should be more worried about this development. Moriah is the most irreplaceable player on this team. The only real risk to winning the NC is Moriah getting injured.
**I know Breanna Stewart is the best player in the country, but we have players that can approximate some of her production. We do NOT have anyone that can handle the ball and run the team and play defense on the perimeter like MoJett."
**I know Breanna Stewart is the best player in the country, but we have players that can approximate some of her production. We do NOT have anyone that can handle the ball and run the team and play defense on the perimeter like MoJett."
Exactly how does he know how worried everyone is? Heck, someone said they should sit her a month. Sounds pretty worried to me. I loved this one - "we have players that can approximate some of her production" - talking about Stewart. Yeah, we have other players that can block shots like her, hit threes like her (this year), rebound like her. We actually do have a player that can handle the ball and run the team. In a pinch, Nurse can do it. And Wednesday we will find out more about Chong.
Jefferson is out this game. Not for the rest of the season. Why do fans have to post as if she is done?
Just ask Geno, who said "No one is walking around and going, 'Our season's in jeopardy,'".
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So, without further ado!!!
Ladies and Gents, DD looks at the news........
Moriah Jefferson Out With Sore Hamstring; Chong To Start Vs. Tulsa Hartford Courant
Upsets in Red
No. 22 South Florida Women Rout Central Florida 108-63 New York Times
No. 24 DePaul Women Beat 25th-Ranked Seton Hall 86-74 New York Times
Memphis Women's Basketball Defeats Houston 74-57 Tuesday Memphis Team Site
East Carolina Suffer 66-51 Conference Setback Against Tulane East Carolina Team Site
Fitzgerald Nets Her 1000th Point in Temple's Loss at SMU Temple Team Site
No. 22 South Florida Women Rout Central Florida 108-63 New York Times
No. 24 DePaul Women Beat 25th-Ranked Seton Hall 86-74 New York Times
Memphis Women's Basketball Defeats Houston 74-57 Tuesday Memphis Team Site
East Carolina Suffer 66-51 Conference Setback Against Tulane East Carolina Team Site
Fitzgerald Nets Her 1000th Point in Temple's Loss at SMU Temple Team Site
Thanks to Johnny C for sending me many of these numbers!!!
Zykira Lewis UCF 30 points
Jessica January DePaul 13 points 10 rebounds 10 assists
Tiffany Jones Seton Hall 14 points 16 rebounds
Megan Quinn Villanova 25 points 11 rebounds
Allazia Blockton Marquette 25 points 13 rebounds 6 assists (ot)
Danaejah Grant St. John's 27 points (ot)
Statistical Sites
NCAA 2015 Stats
NCAA Division I basketball records thru 2013-2014
ESPN Women's Basketball Stats
Women's Basketball State
NCAA 2015 Stats
NCAA Division I basketball records thru 2013-2014
ESPN Women's Basketball Stats
Women's Basketball State
Message Boards
UConn Territory - The best UConn women's message board ever!!!
College Fans Only - WCBB board where no holds are barred
Vol Nation - Tennessee women's basketball board
ND Nation - Notre Dame women's basketball board
UCONN Information
Interesting Blogs and Links
Carl Adamec's blog, SNY
John Altavilla's blog, Hartford Courant
Jim Fuller's blog, New Haven Register
A Dime Back - A great web site for all UConn Sports, Including UConn Women
A Dime Back - A great web site for all UConn Sports, Including UConn Women
I'm always open for suggestions. Just please reply to this blog or email me at:
As soon as I read that I thought of your What the ??? section lol. Geno said Stewart is like having three extra players on the court so yeah she would be easily replaceable....sheesh.
ReplyDeleteCincinnati game. Eight players in double figures never been done before.
ReplyDeleteDid you mean by UConn or in college basketball?
Ask Geno....lol. That is who said that. But I think for UConn.
Delete