Doggydaddy's Den: DoggyDaddy's Dailies 3/27/17

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Standings in the DoggyDaddy's Dailies brackets.

Rank	Bracket, OwnerBracket	R64	R32	S16	E8	ChampionChamp	TotalTot	PCT
1	Synfulsynful	300	280	200	80	UConn	860	96.9
2*	espn98607569 1espn98607569	310	260	200	80	UConn	850	95.7
2*	Syn synful	290	240	240	80	Washington	850	95.7
4	MacbethJBB1985JBB1985	280	280	200	80	UConn	840	94.6
5*	giwdulespn07994140	270	240	240	80	UConn	830	93.2
5*	espn41965188 1 connboy77espn41965188	290	300	240	0	UConn	830	93.2
5*	CymbelineJBB1985JBB1985	270	240	240	80	Baylor	830	93.2
8*	Radyladyespn99191609	280	260	200	80	UConn	820	91.7
8*	Henry IV Part 1JBB1985JBB1985	260	280	200	80	Stanford	820	91.7
10*	Coach All 1Coach All	250	240	240	80	UConn	810	89.7
10*	PinotBear 2PinotBear	290	280	240	0	UConn	810	89.7

Bracket

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Here is my UConn/Oregon Pre Game Report.

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Wow....I'm exhausted. I just watched the Notre Dame/Stanford game. Maybe the best game I've seen all year.

The first period was all offense. Back and forth with not much defense. It ended with a small Stanford lead 24-22. The second quarter was a different story. Once Karli Samuelson went out with 2 fouls early in the quarter, Stanford struggled to score. Notre Dame put big time pressure on the shooters and was able to back down into the post to impede the Stanford bigs. It ended with Notre Dame winning the quarter 23-7 to take a 45-31 lead at the half. I really had my doubts that Stanford could come back in this one. Boy was I wrong.

It was still an 11 point lead for Notre Dame at 51-40 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter when McPhee hit a big three pointer. Stanford outscored Notre Dame 17-6 to end the quarter with Notre Dame in front 57-55.

The fourth quarter was as fun as basketball can be to watch. Clutch play after clutch play. McPhee hit another three to give Stanford the lead and the back and forth was on!

I'm guessing over 10 lead changes in the quarter. Crazy. And when Smith for Stanford hit a layup with 25 seconds left, it was 76-75 Stanford. Notre Dame set up a play and Lindsay Allen took a jumper with 4 seconds left that was blocked by Smith. Notre Dame got the rebound and Ogunbowale was blocked from behind by McCall. Game over.

Somehow, it just seems right if Stanford meets UConn and Mr. Samuelson's head explodes....lol.

I worry about Stanford against UConn if both teams make it that far. But I'm thrilled they won and beat Notre Dame. I'm always happy when the Irish loses.

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The Baylor/Mississippi State game was just as exciting. Even though the two teams struggled on offense the fourth quarter, the intensity was awesome.

For almost all the game, it was a really nicely played game. Baylor was sloppy on offense, turning the ball multiple times, but hit a hit percentage of their shots. Mississippi was better with handling the ball and used that to their advantage. The game went back and forth and got real interesting late in the fourth quarter.

Sadly, with 2 minutes left, the refs started to make their presence known, and not in a good way. They called a charge on Vivians when clearly it was a block on Jones. She was moving after Vivians picked up her dribble. Then on the other end, Brown looked to knock over the Mississippi State player before hitting a go ahead layup.

Mississippi State tied the game at 75 with 22 second left on a great drive by the diminutive point guard, Williams. After a Baylor time out, Alexis Jones was determined to take the ball to the basket where she missed her layup. A held ball was called on the rebound and it was Baylor ball with 3.4 seconds left. Mulkey called her last timeout and set up what she hoped would be the winning basket. Once the inbounds was set up, Vic Schaeffer called his last timeout to set his defense. Talk about tension. I really was feeling it. They tried to set up Brown, but McGowan was able to knock the ball away and the desperation shot by Williams was off and on to overtime.

The OT was the Morgan Williams show. She hit a big three pointer, another big jump shot, a nice assist to Vivians, who hit a three. And Vivians hit two big foul shots after being hit from behind after a great offensive rebound. That gave MSU an 87-82 lead with under 2 minutes left in overtime.

With 1:25 minutes left, Prince hit a huge corner three to pull Baylor to within 2 at 87-85. On the following possession, Williams drove hard to the basket as the shot clock was going to expire and was fouled by Wallace, who collected her fifth foul. Prince then missed a three pointer, McGowan rebounded and handed to Williams who was fouled with 34 second left. She only hit 1 of 2 to give MSU a 90-85 point lead.

Whew.....

Jones then turned the ball over, an appropriate thing for Baylor to do. It was their 18th TO of the game and basically ended the Lady Bears season. Williams hit two more foul shots and the Bulldogs will go to the final four to meet the winner of the UConn/Oregon game on Monday.

Once again Baylor is eliminated before the final four, a bitter disappointment for Kim Mulkey and her seniors. A great career for Nina Davis.

Finally, Morgan Williams had a performance for the ages. She finished with 41 points, 7 assists and ZERO turnovers. She hit 6 of 8 three pointers after hitting only 14 three pointers all season. Crazy! The post game interview was just so touching to see. Vic Schaeffer was so wonderful in his joy and Williams could barely get the words out as Saturday was three years that her dad had died. A true life story that we sometimes forget watching these games.

Congrats to Mississippi State! Hopefully they will play UConn in the Final Four.

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By David in Naples!!!!!

Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier now have 724 & 715 points respectively. They join Stewie (777 points) and Maya (754) as the only other sophomores to score over 700 points in the season. Taurasi didn't do it, Kaleena didn't do it and neither did Lobo, Svetlana or Tina Charles.

KLS and Pheesa are averaging 20.7 and 20.4 points per game over 35 games. Both of those averages are better than Stewie (19.4) and Maya (19.3) their 2nd season on the Huskies. Stewie score her points over 40 games and Maya took 39. At best, Lou and Napheesa will play 38 games. Very impressive company..!

Katie and Pheesa could not be more different in how the score their points. Lou has taken 273 three point shots, which is 54% of her attempts. She has made 116 threes for 348 of her points. Napheesa has only 57 points via the three or just 8% of her total. Pheesa does her scoring down low among the trees and further out in the lane. Lou is a face the basket gunslinger with unlimited range.

Interestingly, after 35 games they both have 108 made free throws. Collier has 2 more attempts so her accuracy is 82.4% from the charity stripe. Lou is at 83.7%.

Two very different scorers, but very similar results. And, both are just sophomores..!!

And.......

With the 20 assists for the UCLA game, this UConn team has moved into 3rd place for assists in a single season, with 831. The Huskies passed both the 2016 team (821) and the 2015 group (828). The only two better are the 2002 team with 846 and the 2014 Huskies with 850. Watch for UConn to make up the 19 assists against Oregon on Monday and reach 1st place.

Go Huskies..!!