UCONN @ East Carolina
Day: Saturday
Date: February 20, 2016
Location: Greenville, N.C.
Time: 8:00
Time: 8:00
TV: CBS SN
UConn 25-0 (14-0) East Carolina 10-16 (4-10)
Head to Head
UConn leads 4-0
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
Overview
UConn is coming off an easy win against a terrible Cincinnati team. Geno had his seniors come off the bench, starting Chong, Nurse, Samuelson, Collier and Butler. It was an interesting experiment that had both good and bad. I wouldn't look for Geno to repeat that again in this game or any other game.
East Carolina is now 10-16 overall after winning their last game against the worst team in the league Houston in their last outing. After the UConn game on Feb. 6th, they lost two tough games in overtime to Memphis and SMU.
As I said in the first preview, ECU lost several players from last years roster and only bring back 2 starters. One is Jada Payne who is a terrific player. It's been a real struggle after a solid season last year. It will only get worse next season as they have 3 seniors starting and I'm not sure what talent they have to replace them.
Stat by Stat Comparison
Leader is bolded.
Leader is bolded.
UConn East Carolina
88.8 Points Per Game 67.8
48.6 Opp Points Per Game 69.4
.531 Field Goal % .399
.333 Opp Field Goal % .408
.360 3 Point Field Goal % .284
.313 Opp 3 Point Field Goal % .302
.789 Free Throw % .697
41.1 Rebounds Per Game 40.7
29.8 Opp Rebounds Per Game 38.2
22.0 Assists Per Game 13.6
12.4 Turnovers Per Game 17.5
1.8 Assists/Turnover Ratio .8
1.8 Assists/Turnover Ratio .8
12.4 Steals Per Game 8.0
6.5 Blocks Per Game 2.8
UConn Starters
30 Breanna Stewart
6'4" Senior Forward
6'4" Senior Forward
Against ECU in the first matchup Stewart had 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and 3 steals in 27 minutes. Just one more game where she fills up the box score.
2015-16 Stats
24 Games - MPG 29.0, FG% .592, 3PT% .435, PPG 19.6 RPG 8.3, APG 4.3, 41 steals, 80 blocks
24 Games - MPG 29.0, FG% .592, 3PT% .435, PPG 19.6 RPG 8.3, APG 4.3, 41 steals, 80 blocks
3 Morgan Tuck
6'2" RS Junior Forward
6'2" RS Junior Forward
Tuck was playing in her second game back from her time off the first time these teams met. She only played 17 minutes and was still a little rusty. She only scored 7 points with 5 rebounds and 2 assists.
2015-16 Stats
20 Games - MPG 26.5, FG% .509, 3PT% .289, PPG 13.4, RPG 5.6, APG 2.5, 12 steals, 8 blocks
4 Moriah Jefferson
5'7" Senior Guard
5'7" Senior Guard
Jefferson had a terrific game scoring 16 points and handing out 8 assists in her 29 minutes. She added 3 steals. A true on the court leader.
2015-16 Stats
24 Games - MPG 31.2, FG% .588, 3PT% .412, PPG 13.8, RPG 2.5, APG 5.6, 71 steals, 5 blocks
11 Kia Nurse
6' Sophomore Guard
Kia had her best game of the season against ECU in the first matchup. She was 8-11 from the field, 4-7 on threes in scoring 20 points, 4 assists and only 1 turnover. I hope she remembers that and we see a similar level of play.
2015-16 Stats
25 Games - MPG 27.6, FG% .415, 3PT% .330, PPG 9.2, RPG 2.1, APG 2.9, 37 steals, 6 blocks
33 Katie Lou Samuelson
6'3" Freshman Guard/Forward
It's kind of ironic that her defense has been more consistent than her offense this year. She had a terrible game against ECU the first time. She only played 15 minutes and scored 3 points, going 1-4 on threes. She didn't take a 2 point shot. And she didn't grab a rebound. I doubt we will see a similar result in this game.
2015-16 Stats
25 Games - MPG 22.0, FG% .441, 3PT% .333, PPG 9.2, RPG 3.2, APG 2.4, 29 steals, 4 blocks
UConn Bench
Not a bad game for Collier against ECU the first time. But she has so much more to offer. She only played 12 minutes, but she scored 8 points on 4-6 shooting. Maybe her nice effort against Cincinnati will get her going.
51 Natalie Butler
6'5" RS Sophomore Center
12 Saniya Chong
5'8" Junior Guard
Chong had a tough shooting game against ECU in the first matchup with ECU. She played 20 minutes but only scored 5 points. She did grab 4 rebounds.
15 Gabby Williams
5'11" Sophomore Forward
5'11" Sophomore Forward
Gabby has been playing great lately, but her first game against ECU was not one of them. In 19 minutes she scored 10 points and grabbed only 4 rebounds. Look for a much better effort in this game.
2015-16 Stats
25 Games - MPG 19.5, FG% .640, 3PT% .000, PPG 10.1 RPG 6.4, APG 1.3, 50 steals, 10 blocks
24 Napheesa Collier
6'1 Freshman Forward/Guard
Not a bad game for Collier against ECU the first time. But she has so much more to offer. She only played 12 minutes, but she scored 8 points on 4-6 shooting. Maybe her nice effort against Cincinnati will get her going.
2015-16 Stats
25 Games - MPG 18.4, FG% .541, 3PT% .200, PPG 7.0, RPG 5.7, APG .8, 37 steals, 34 blocks
6'5" RS Sophomore Center
Not one of Butler's best effort against ECU a few weeks ago. She played 14 minutes but only scored 2 points, grabbed 3 rebounds. She had 3 turnovers and only 1 assists. She did manage to block 2 shots.
2015-16 Stats
14 Games - MPG 15.2, FG% .595, 3PT% .000, PPG 7.0, RPG 5.2, APG 1.1, 10 steals, 13 blocks
5'8" Junior Guard
Chong had a tough shooting game against ECU in the first matchup with ECU. She played 20 minutes but only scored 5 points. She did grab 4 rebounds.
2015-16 Stats
20 Games - MPG 15.4, FG% .423, 3PT% .391, PPG 4.8, RPG 1.6, APG 1.3, 15 steals, 2 blocks
22 Courtney Ekmark
6' Sophomore Guard
Ekmark had 2 points and 1 rebound in 8 minutes in the last ECU game. She is coming off a fine effort against Cincinnati.
2015-16 Stats
21 Games - MPG 10.0, FG% .513, 3PT% .385, PPG 2.5, RPG 1.4, APG .9, 6 steals, 1 block
20 Tierney Lawlor
5'7" Junior Guard
Tierney was scoreless in 4 minutes
2015-16 Stats
22 Briana Pulido
5'7" Senior Guard
Tierney was scoreless in 4 minutes
19 Games - MPG 3.3, FG% .429, 3PT% .400, PPG .5, RPG 0.2, APG 0.2, 1 steals, 0 blocks
5'7" Senior Guard
Say No More
2015-16 Stats
16 Games - MPG 2.6, FG% .273, 3PT% .167, PPG 0.4, RPG 0.1, APG 0.1, 1 steals, 0 blocks
*******************************************************************
East Carolina Starters
23 Jada Payne 6'2" RS Senior Guard/Forward
Payne had a nice game against UConn in the first game. 15 pints 3 rebounds on 7-10 shooting in 35 minutes.
2015-16: MPG 37.4, FG% .486, 3PT% .252, PPG 19.3, RPG 9.0, APG 2.4, 52 steals, 16 blocks
24 I'Tiana Taylor 6'1" Senior Forward
Taylor was part two of the Payne and Taylor 1-2 punch of their offense. In 36 minutes had 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists along with 2 blocks and 1 steal.
2015-16: MPG 32.2, FG% .422 3PT% .000, PPG 13.7, RPG 10.7, APG 1.3, 43 steals, 15 blocks
04 Devaughn Gray 5'11"Senior Forward
Gray had a tough outing against UConn in the first matchup. She played 38 minutes and while she had 4 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals she was 1-10 from the field and 0-5 on threes with 4 turnovers.
2015-16: MPG 27.5, FG% .341, 3PT% .316, PPG 8.5, RPG 3.2, APG 2.0, 11 steals, 11 blocks
55 Marina Laramie 6'2"RS Junior Post
Laramie had a decent game in her 33 minutes. She was 4-12 from the field and 0-2 on threes but she had 8 points and 5 rebounds. Not bad.
2015-16: MPG 31.7, FG% .379, 3PT% .326, PPG 11.1, RPG 6.2, APG 1.3, 13 steals, 9 blocks
05 Khadidja Toure 5'9" RS Point Guard
Toure played only 19 minutes and scored 3 points hitting her only three pointer. 1 assists and 4 turnovers hurt.
2015-16: MPG 26.2, FG% .327, 3PT% .297, PPG 7.7, RPG 2.8, APG 2.3, 33 steals, 10 blocks
East Carolina Bench
01 Alex Frasier 5'9"Freshman Point Guard
2015-16: MPG 22.5, FG% .400, 3PT% .125, PPG 3.3, RPG 2.2, APG 2.3, 22 steals, 3 blocks
13 Fanni Csutoras 5'11"Junior Guard/Forward
2015-16: MPG 15.9, FG% .243, 3PT% .225, PPG 3.0, RPG 1.9, APG 1.1, 19 steals, 2 blocks
40 Gabrielle Holston 6'0" RS Sophomore Guard/Forward
2015-16: MPG 13.2, FG% .480, 3PT% 1.000, PPG 2.4, RPG 1.8, APG 0.4, 15 steals, 6 blocks
Game Analysis
As I said in the preview of the first game these two teams played, ECU is lead by last years all-AAC performer in 6'2" senior Jada Payne. She is having another terrific season averaging almost a double double and close to 20 ppg. I'Tiana Taylor, a 6'1" senior forward does average a double-double. Both of them had good games against UConn. But that was about it.
The Pirates issue is not from the forward position. They have plenty of size and are a strong rebounding team. They just can't shoot well and they turn the ball over often.
Both of these issues play right into UConn's strength on defense.
UConn started the last game with Stewart, Tuck and Jefferson on the bench, giving others a chance to play before UConn had a 30 point lead. Hopefully for UConn the starters in that game will give the same effort they did against Cincinnati in this game. We will see if Geno's plan worked.
The Pirates issue is not from the forward position. They have plenty of size and are a strong rebounding team. They just can't shoot well and they turn the ball over often.
Both of these issues play right into UConn's strength on defense.
UConn started the last game with Stewart, Tuck and Jefferson on the bench, giving others a chance to play before UConn had a 30 point lead. Hopefully for UConn the starters in that game will give the same effort they did against Cincinnati in this game. We will see if Geno's plan worked.
Final Prediction
Like the last time they played, UConn will press early and often, turning over the sloppy Pirates and like the last game, will have a big first half. The final score depends on how much work Geno thinks they need but Geno will be gearing everything to the end of year AAC tournament and the 6 games of the NCAA tournament. That might mean plenty of time for his starters and a bigger margin of victory.
UConn won the first game 92-46, double up the Pirates. I'll say UConn by 50+. A final similar to the last game.
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