UCONN vs Tulane
Day: Saturday
Date: February 27th, 2016
Location: Storrs, Ct
Time: 1:00
TV: SNY
No. 1 UConn 27-0 (16-0) Tulane 19-9 (10-6)
Head to Head games
UConn leads the series 3-0
UConn leads the series 3-0
2/14/15 W 87-39 H
2/23/15 W 94-47 A
2/3/16 W 93-38 A
Highlights from the last time these two teams met
2/3/16 at Tulane
2/3/16 at Tulane
Overview
What an amazing Senior Day this will be for the most amazing Senior class I have ever seen with Stewart, Jefferson, Tuck and Pulido. I'll give my thoughts on these 4 after the ceremony and game.
Tulane is coming off of another tough loss to Temple, 72-67, an improvement over their first matchup, which coincidently was prior tot he last UConn matchup. In their last 14 games, their oly losses have been to the top three teams in the AAC, Temple, South Florida and UConn. As I said in the first pregame report, they are coming off a 20 win season and had lost 3 starters to graduation. And still they are having another good season and probably 20 wins again. At 19-9 they have an outside shot at an at large bid. They need a better showing than the last time they met UConn.
UConn is continuing their march through the conference schedule and are coming off a 88-41 win over SMU in their last game. The talk of the internet was how poorly the bench played in the last quarter with the reserves in. I guess fans have to talk about something. Something to look for is their performance if UConn blows out Tulane again is the bench performance in this game. Hopefully the fans will have to find something else to complain about.
Stat by Stat Comparison
Leader is bolded.
Tulane Stats do not include the Temple game
Leader is bolded.
Tulane Stats do not include the Temple game
UConn Tulane
88.6 Points Per Game 66.5
48.0 Opp Points Per Game 61.9
.526 Field Goal % .431
.328 Opp Field Goal % .377
.363 3 Point Field Goal % 347
.305 Opp 3 Point Field Goal % .282
.794 Free Throw % .703
41.3 Rebounds Per Game 35.9
30.3 Opp Rebounds Per Game 36.8
22.0 Assists Per Game 13.6
12.3 Turnovers Per Game 16.3
1.8 Assists/Turnover Ratio .8
1.8 Assists/Turnover Ratio .8
12.4 Steals Per Game 8.3
6.7 Blocks Per Game 3.2
UConn Starters
30 Breanna Stewart
6'4" Senior Forward
6'4" Senior Forward
Stewart had one of her typical AAC games against Tulane in the first matchup, scoring a team leading 20 points on 7-8 from the field and 6-6 from the free throw line along with handing out a team leading 7 assists all in 24 minutes. She added 2 blocks and 1 steal.
2015-16 Stats
26 Games - MPG 28.7, FG% .593, 3PT% .417, PPG 19.3 RPG 8.3, APG 4.2, 46 steals, 92 blocks
26 Games - MPG 28.7, FG% .593, 3PT% .417, PPG 19.3 RPG 8.3, APG 4.2, 46 steals, 92 blocks
3 Morgan Tuck
6'2" RS Junior Forward
6'2" RS Junior Forward
In the first Tulane game, Tuck played in her first game back from resting her knee and played only 16 minutes. But she was great with her 11 points ad 5 rebounds. The rust certainly showed with her 4 turnovers.
2015-16 Stats
22 Games - MPG 26.1, FG% .496, 3PT% .260, PPG 12.8, RPG 5.5, APG 3.1, 16 steals, 8 blocks
4 Moriah Jefferson
5'7" Senior Guard
5'7" Senior Guard
Jefferson was a whirling dervish in the first matchup against Tulane. In her 29 minutes, she scored 16 points on 7-11 shoots and added 6 assists and only one turnover. I loved her 6 steals. She was all over the court!
2015-16 Stats
26 Games - MPG 30.8, FG% .579, 3PT% .404, PPG 13.5, RPG 2.5, APG 5.5, 75 steals, 6 blocks
11 Kia Nurse
6' Sophomore Guard
I'm sure Kia would like to forget the first game between UConn and Tulane. She missed shot after shot, all three pointers going 0-6 and after missing her sixth shot, she returned to the bench crying. Geno talked to her after the game that was unacceptable. Geno pointed out that basketball is more than just shooting and that she had a pretty good game in other aspects. Something she needs to hold on to!
2015-16 Stats
27 Games - MPG 27.4, FG% .418, 3PT% .336, PPG 9.0, RPG 2.0, APG 2.9, 38 steals, 6 blocks
33 Katie Lou Samuelson
6'3" Freshman Guard/Forward
Katie Lou had a nice game against Tulane in the first matchup. She was 5-9 from the field, 4-7 on threes for 14 points with 3 assists and 3 steals.
2015-16 Stats
27 Games - MPG 22.3, FG% .462, 3PT% .359, PPG 10.0, RPG 3.3, APG 2.3, 30 steals, 4 blocks
UConn Bench
Collier had one of her better games in the first matchup with Tulane. She played 19 minutes and scored 10 points on 4-5 shooting along with grabbing 6 rebounds and blocking two shots.
51 Natalie Butler
6'5" RS Sophomore Center
12 Saniya Chong
5'8" Junior Guard
Chong played 15 minutes and scored 5 points going 1-2 on threes.
15 Gabby Williams
5'11" Sophomore Forward
5'11" Sophomore Forward
Williams had an excellent game the first time these two teams met. She had 15 points on 7-8 shooting, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. All in 19 minutes.
2015-16 Stats
27 Games - MPG 19.3, FG% .630, 3PT% .000, PPG 9.7 RPG 6.0, APG 1.3, 52 steals, 10 blocks
24 Napheesa Collier
6'1 Freshman Forward/Guard
Collier had one of her better games in the first matchup with Tulane. She played 19 minutes and scored 10 points on 4-5 shooting along with grabbing 6 rebounds and blocking two shots.
2015-16 Stats
27 Games - MPG 18.4, FG% .531, 3PT% .167, PPG 6.9, RPG 5.7, APG .9, 40 steals, 38 blocks
6'5" RS Sophomore Center
Butler had maybe her weakest game as a Huskie in the first matchup with Tulane. She played minutes but scored only 3 points all from the foul line. She added 3 rebounds, but really didn't play well.
2015-16 Stats
16 Games - MPG 15.1, FG% .591, 3PT% .000, PPG 7.4, RPG 5.1, APG 1.1, 11 steals, 14 blocks
5'8" Junior Guard
Chong played 15 minutes and scored 5 points going 1-2 on threes.
2015-16 Stats
22 Games - MPG 15.2, FG% .405, 3PT% .365, PPG 4.8, RPG 1.5, APG 1.4, 16 steals, 2 blocks
22 Courtney Ekmark
6' Sophomore Guard
Ekmark played 9 minutes and scored 2 points and grabbed 2 rebounds.
2015-16 Stats
23 Games - MPG 10.0, FG% .489, 3PT% .367, PPG 2.5, RPG 1.4, APG .9, 8 steals, 1 block
20 Tierney Lawlor
5'7" Junior Guard
Tierney was scoreless in 3 minutes
2015-16 Stats
22 Briana Pulido
5'7" Senior Guard
Tierney was scoreless in 3 minutes
21 Games - MPG 3.2, FG% .429, 3PT% .400, PPG .4, RPG 0.1, APG 0.1, 1 steals, 0 blocks
5'7" Senior Guard
Briana was scoreless in 1 minute but grabbed a rebound.
2015-16 Stats
18 Games - MPG 2.6, FG% .231, 3PT% .143, PPG 0.4, RPG 0.1, APG 0.1, 1 steals, 0 blocks
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Tulane Starters
3 Kolby Morgan
5'8" Sophomore Guard
Morgan struggled in the first matchup. She did score 10 points in 30 minutes, but she was 4-14 from the field and 0-6 from behind the arc.
2015-16: MPG 32.8, FG% .416, 3PT% .338, PPG 17.2, RPG 4.5, APG 2.2, 63 steals, 14 blocks
11 Leslie Vorpahl
5'6" Junior Guard
Vorpahl was the one I said to look out for in the first matchup and she didn't disappoint. In her 24 minutes she scored 11 points on 4-9 shooting and 3-5 from behind the arc. She also added 3 assists and 3 turnovers.
2015-16: MPG 32.9, FG% .414, 3PT% .415, PPG 11.1, RPG 3.5, APG 5.4, 42 steals, 4 blocks
33 Courtnie Latham
5'11" Junior Guard
Latham is scoreless in 29 minutes going 0-3 from the field and 7 turnovers.
2015-16: MPG 29.0, FG% .339, 3PT% .262, PPG 7.5, RPG 3.5, APG 2.4, 28 steals, 5 blocks
6'2" Senior Center
Duru only played 14 minutes and was scoreless going 0-3 from the field and she only had one rebound.
2015-16: MPG 22.9, FG% .524, 3PT% .000, PPG 7.6, RPG 4.4, APG .5, 10 steals, 34 blocks
5'9" Senior Forward
Jone played 21 minutes in the first matchup with UConn. She scored 3 points and had 4 turnovers.
2015-16: MPG 23.9, FG% .531, 3PT% .000, PPG 6.9, RPG 5.6, APG 1.0, 24 steals, 5 blocks
Tulane Bench
5'10" Freshman Guard
Emery played 22 minutes and had 6 points on 3-6 shooting and grabbed 3 rebouds.
2015-16: MPG 18.3, FG% .462, 3PT% .323, PPG 6.8, RPG 3.4 APG .8, 32 steals, 2 blocks
6'2" Freshman Forward
Wyatt hit one basket and grabbed three rebounds in her 17 minutes.
2015-16: MPG 13.4, FG% .517, 3PT% .00, PPG 3.9, RPG 3.0, APG .1, 8 steals, 14 blocks
6'0" Freshman Guard
Schulte played 16 minutes in the first game against UConn and was scoreless.
2015-16: MPG 13.5, FG% .319, 3PT% .306, PPG 3.1, RPG 2.7, APG .2, 8 steals, 1 blocks
Game Analysis
Tulane disappointed in the first matchup. I felt they would be an interesting matchup for UConn. I really liked how Tulane ran their offense but it was totally ineffective against UConn's tough defense.
Leslie Vorpahl, their 5'6" point guard is a terrific player. She has a nice pull up jumper, a good handle and can hit from the outside and showed that in the first game. I really enjoy how she plays the game. She would fit in well with UConn. Their center, Chiwe Duru, is only 6'2, but plays bigger against most teams because of her bulk. But UConn is not most teams.Kolby Morgan is their leading scorer and is a pretty good size guard. She also has a nice pull up jumper and is strong to the basket on her drives. I like her game as well. But it didn't translate well against UConn.
The three of them play very well together and against most teams, are a handful. The team plays a nice offensive scheme, drives off screens and then either shooting or dishing and they playing post up with Duru when they have the advantage. I'm sure they will try that strategy again.
Their problem is when UConn has the ball. They play both a zone and a man-to-man defense, changing up to keep their opponent off guard. I'm sure they will play more zone because UConn will eat them up in the man to man. UConn has seen enough zones this year to know how to attack it.
UConn will certainly have Stewart flash to the middle often, looking for the openings in the zone. If that isn't open, UConn's quick passing around the exterior will find the open jumpers. Jefferson will certainly use her speed to dribble through the zone and find the open man when the defense collapses on her. Tulane doesn't have the athletes to handle this.
On defense UConn will press Tulane, trying to get the ball out of Vorpahl's hands. UConn will look to run off turnovers and I expect Tulane to have more than their average of 16 per game.
Final Prediction
While I like how Tulane plays, they just don't have the horses to compete and keep the game close. They didn't the first matchup and won't this matchup. UConn will turn them over often. And UConn will have no problm hitting their season averages. There might be a few minutes of UConn succumbing to the emotions of the senior night ceremony, but that shouldn't last long. I predict they will feed Polly often in her senior year start and she will rise to the occasion with a few baskets!
UConn by 50+.
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