Doggydaddy's Den: Doggy's Doghouse 2/4/18

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Days until Florida!!!!

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Here is my UConn/South Carolina Post Game Report.

Here is my UConn/Cincinnati Pre Game Report. It's an abbreviated version.

I'll be at the Cincinnati game. Come visit my wife and I in section 119 row P seats 6 and 7!!! Just yell out "DoggyDaddy"!!!!

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Image result for christyn williams uconn

Another nice game for the No. 1 High School player in the 2018 class and future UConn star Christyn Williams!!! Here is a video link of a few of her threes. Eventually I see her as a terrific replacement for Kia Nurse. A strong guard that can hit the three pointer. Let's hope it doesn't take long for her to play some great defense as well!

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Some interesting games Sunday besides UConn playing!

The first one that caught my eye was the No. 4 Louisville team playing at Syracuse. For one thing, UConn is playing Louisville on ESPN Monday the 12th. Louisville is a talented team but had that terrible 50-49 loss to Florida State a week ago. And Syracuse can be tough at home where they beat Florida State and gave Mississippi State a tough time. I smell an upset here.

No. 5 Notre Dame is dominating again since that devastating loss to Louisville beating two ranked teams in the process. They roll into Durham to play the No. 19 Duke Blue Devils. Since their six point loss to Louisville, Duke has won seven of eight games only losing to rival North Carolina. Lexie Brown is a heck of a player for Duke, but she can't get them past the Irish. Probably a 10+ win for Notre Dame.

No. 12 Tennessee heads into that weird elevated court in Vanderbilt. The Commodores are terrible this year and even though they always give Tennessee a tough time at home, I don't think this will be a pretty game. Tennessee will try to build off of their nice win against Texas A&M. I just have a feeling that the Lady Vols do that bullying thing and run Vanderbilt into the ground. Holly will probably have them press and run the entire game.

No. 6 Oregon is playing No. 24 Stanford. Both are coming off nice wins on Friday night. Stanford has had a crazy season. They are in the top 25 with eight losses. They slide in and out of the top 25 like a trombone. But they are like a vampire and I think Oregon at home drives that stake into their heart. Another triple double coming up for Ionescu?

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Sometimes I read a post on the UConn message board (The Boneyard) and just can't resist commenting here about it. I try hard to be upbeat and positive in my blog and if I'm critical of a player, it's fair and honest and painless. So it's usually a post that disparages a UConn player in some fashion that pisses me off. In this case this poster did just that about Azura Stevens and then lied about it when confronted by another poster. Here goes -

"Is anyone else concerned with Azura Stevens? Clearly Azura is very talented, but boneyarders were touting her as a can't miss all american. People on this very site were saying she was a lock starter, was going to dominate WCBB. You got the impression she may just be able to walk on water!! Is anyone else a bit disappointed in her minutes, production, contribution thus far? Concerned? Surprised?"

Really? After a bad game you now feel like you have to ask if people are disappointed in her season? David did a great job with the stats showing how dumb this is. I'd just add that she did a great job while Samuelson was out with her ankle injury. How quickly they forget.

My friend Cat posted this in a reply to this idiot -

"Is it possible for this board to enjoy a big win for 24 hours before finding something to be worried about? Just asking. "

and

"UConn doesn't beat Notre Dame or Texas without Azura Stevens. But sure, she got some quick fouls last night and that was that. It happens. Maybe she'll leave for the WNBA and fans here can be disappointed with her play in the WNBA."

Yeah, Cat can be sarcastic at times.

Now, this is the post that really bothers me. An out and out lie.

"You misunderstand I'm just fine with her. I was wondering what fellow boneyarders thought now 3/4 thru the season. My post was not intended to be I really critical it was just to see what others thought. "

Maybe this poster has limited understand of the English language? He said - "Is anyone else concerned with Azura Stevens?"

"Anyone else" That means HE is concerned. He wasn't just asking how others felt. He said he was disappointed in her minutes, production and contribution. No, not critical at all.

A moron AND a liar. Not a good combination.

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By David in Naples!!!!!

Part I

The South Carolina game was not Azura Stevens' best performance. She played only 17 minutes and had more fouls (4) than rebounds (3) or points (2). But that is the beauty of UConn this season. The rest of the team played lights out and an easy victory was had 83-58. Some posters were quick to ask if Z has been a disappointment this year, given all hype before the season started.

Seriously..? What is wrong with these people...?

For the year, Z has played 455 minutes, scored 298 points and grabbed 161 rebounds. She had 46 assists and only 25 turnovers (1.84 assist-to-turnover ratio). Her per-minute scoring and rebounding is best on the team. Z scores a point every 1.52 minutes she plays. Katie Lou's average is a point every 1.62 minutes on the floor. Napheesa has 163 rebounds in 607 minutes. Z has 161 rebounds in 152 fewer minutes. She is the 2nd best free throw shooter on the team at 79.2% (42-53). She has blocked 40 shots, 2nd best on the team to Pheesa at 43.

The tendency to criticize players after a bad performance is plain stupid. Kia Nurse went 1-8 against Stanford and scored 4 points. UConn won by 25. Gabby went 1-7 versus Notre Dame and the Huskies won by 9, (thanks to 17 points by Azura.) Katie Lou had a 1-5 shooting night against Tulsa for 3 points and UConn won by 18. I see a pattern..?

Players have bad nights, the rest of the team picks them up. One would think any UConn fan would know that... 8-)

Part II

Tomorrow, Duke plays #5 Notre Dame at the same time as UConn vs Cincy. Despite 5 loses and no quality wins, Duke is ranked #19 in the country. They are at home and it is now time to beat a good team or leave the Top 25. We will see....