Doggy's UConn/Oklahoma Post Game Report

Game Analysis

There are lots of ways to look at a game like this. If you are looking for the "sky is falling" approach you have come to the wrong place. I'm sure if you have been reading my blog long enough you know I pretty much always look at the bright side of things. This team makes that easy but when they have a game like this, you have to be dedicated to your positive look at things. 

UConn came into this game having not played in 11 days and boy did it show. After a quick 6-0 burst to start the game (I was thinking blowout), the Huskies battled back and forth with a very game Oklahoma team. Sometimes a team will struggle on offense after a long layoff, and sometimes the struggle is on defense. For the next 20 minutes or so, it was both. The crisp play on offense was replaced with uncertainty and the quick double teaming and switching on defense was more like Tennessee's defense against Stanford on Tuesday. Always late to the open shooter.

Not to take anything away from Oklahoma. Sherri had them playing smart and confident. They fed off of their successes and after a 4 point play by Taylor Robertson the Sooners took a 12 point lead with 7 minutes left in the third quarter. UConn went on a quick 8-0 run to close to 4 and that's how the quarter ended.

So, down 52-48 going into the fourth quarter against a confident opponent in a hostel environment of 5000+ in Norman. How would this team respond to this adversity?    

Quite well, if you must know. After a three pointer by Robertson (isn't she something else?) to extend the lead to 7, 57-50,  UConn became UConn again. They went on a 13-5 run to finally take the lead at 63-62 on a post move by Collier. And they finished the game on a 13-1 run holding Oklahoma to one free throw with 13 second left in the game.

It was a great finish by the Huskies and that's what great teams do. I can name close games in many of the undefeated or championship season. It's something that can make a team stronger. I'm sure California is in for a world of hurt.   

 

Game Replay

Game Highlights

Game Stats and Box Score

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Game Quotes from Geno

"I told them in the locker room they live in a fantasy world. This is the way most of the world lives. Tough games, you have to suck it up. You have to make big plays towards the end. You guys just aren't in that situation enough because you live in a make-believe world.

"Today they lived in the real world, and I was proud of them because they got tested and came out with flying colors."

"You know, Napheesa Collier is the hardest working player in America, I don't think there's any player in the country that competes harder on every play than she does. She was like a one-man wrecking crew inside. She didn't get much help."

“That’s what happens when people play us. This is what we get. I knew it was coming, and I knew it was a difficult matchup for us, and I knew we weren’t going to be ready for it. I can feel it.”

Game Quotes from

Oklahoma Coach Sherri Coale

"I couldn't be more proud of our team. I did not think that we were afraid. And most teams when they take the floor against Connecticut are afraid. They're intimidated... We were not afraid and that's huge. "

"I had a blast, I had a blast. It was one of those where we could all stay in the moment. I kept saying in timeouts 'Be where your feet are, right here in this possession. Forgot the score, win this possession.' I think now everybody can feel how much more fun it is for sure, but also how much more effective it is when you just play and don't fret. There was no fretting tonight. And that's a big step."

"This (game) had so much opportunity and I think we rung it dry. We did everything but have more points than them at the end... This team has great capacity. Their effort and attention tonight was — I could not ask for anymore."

Link to Coach Coale's Post Game Interview 

UConn Player Evaluations

Napheesa Collier

Collier was just terrific in this game. She didn't let the layoff impact her performance. She played all 40 minutes and was dominant in the post. Her quick moves to the basket with either hand and her tenacious rebounding make her so difficult to guard. She scored 23 points and grabbed a career high 17 rebounds. She also added 4 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. She really just willed UConn to victory in this game.

Kati Lou Samuelson

Not a very good shooting game for Katie Lou. Only 1-6 on threes, but boy, the one she hit late in the game was huge. She hit all five free throws with most of those down the stretch. With 20 points, Samuelson played big again in this game grabbing 11 rebounds, her second double-double and now two in a row.  

Christyn Williams

The freshman showed up for most of this game. She did not react well to the layoff mostly in her defensive effort. In her 35 minutes, she did manage 14 points and 6 rebounds. And no one can deny her all-out effort. She was just a little slow on the defensive side. Did I just complain about 14 points and 6 rebounds? That was dumb!  

Crystal Dangerfield

I think the layoff impacted her shot. She is the kind of player that needs repetition and 11 days off just kills that. You might see a similar issue in the Baylor game. But the rest of her game was pretty good. She played all 40 minutes and in spite of going 3-13 from the field, she scored 11 points and had 3 steals. She is in just amazing shape.    

Megan Walker

Megan looked off, still coming back from her bout with strep throat. She looked a little slow out there but she managed 35 "tough it out" minutes. She did grab 7 rebounds and added 4 points and a block and a steal. She should be better Saturday.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Kyla Irwin, 
Molly Bent, Batuly Camara and Mikayla Coombs

Well, this was about the contribution from the bench in this game. It shows that Geno just doesn't trust anyone outside the starting five in games that UConn is challenged. Disappointing. I can understand ONO as Oklahoma is a small and quick team. A tough matchup for her and for Irwin.  

 Final Thoughts

UConn was 14-15 from the free throw line. A difference maker. The best player on the court, Collier was the only one that missed a free throw.

Sherri Coale doesn't age. She is as beautiful as the first time I saw her on the sidelines. Ok....hopefully my wife won't read this far into my blog!

Next game is Saturday in Berkeley California in the HASS Pavilion. It's at 3:00 on the PAC-12 Network. You can listen to the game on ESPN radio 97.9 locally.