Thursday, February 11, 2021

Doggy's Doghouse 2/11/2021

  




 








                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

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I am getting my second vaccine on Tuesday. 

Here is Geno's take on getting his. 

Only Geno!!!
  

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First meeting this season 
UConn won 72-41. 

Here is my write up after the first meeting.

You might not know it from the score, but boy, was Paige Bueckers missed in UConn's easy win over Georgetown.

Geno put it best when he was asked if they missed Bueckers today. He basically said, "when you don't have your best passer and best shooter, what do you think". And it showed for sure in spurts. 

The Hoyas are so bad, it didn't matter. But you can tell that UConn tired out mentally. When you rely on a player to get the ball to the right place at the right time, it's difficult for other players to pick up that slack when she is missing. 

That being said, there were a few standout performances in spite of what Geno said. 

The juniors really came thru.  Olivia Nelson-Ododa scoring 19 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in only 24 minutes. She also went 2-2 on threes. Now, I'm not sure that is good or bad. It's good because well, it's good to make shots. But it will only encourage her to shot more of them and I'm not sure that is a good thing. Can you imagine how the Tennessee game would have changed if she hit her first two threes in that game?

Christyn Williams had a decent game but why the hell did she take 12 three pointers? I get it if she had made 5 or 6, but she only made 2. She did end up with 17 points, 6 assists and 4 steals in playing the entire game. 

Finally, Evina Westbrook did her best to get the offense moving and had 9 assists and 13 points. She also had 3 steals in her 31 minutes.

How cool was it to see Nika Muhl get her first start. As my friend Phil pointed out, when is the last time a UConn player started a game following a game in which she did not play (and not due to injury)? And when's the last time a UConn play started a game (not counting senior night) in January or later having fewer than 3 career points?  She didn't do a bad job in playing 31 minutes. She hit two threes and had 3 steals. Too many turnovers with 5 but who is surprised about that number? 

Aubrey Griffin started again. It's probably what she will do the rest of the season. And she was as effective as she always is with 15 points and getting to the foul line. This time she made 7-10. And she grabbed 7 rebounds. 

Well I was wrong about Aubrey starting the rest of the season. Hurting her knee had something to do with it, but I'm not convinced Geno is done tinkering. 

So what has happened with Georgetown since UConn won by 31? They have lost 4 more games. They lost to St. John's 70-53, Creighton 65-57, Marquette 55-48, and Seton Hall 60-52. 

Looks to me that UConn can just decide what the margin of victory will be.

A few stats. 

They have scored 49.5 PPG and given up 64.7 PPG, a negative 15.2 points per game.  
They have two players in double digit scoring and that is at 11.1 PPG and 10.9 PPG.
They shoot 34.0% from the field and 20.0% on threes. Oh, and 54.3% from the FT line. 
They have 89 assists and 193 turnovers. 
That is a negative 5.4 assist to turnover ratio. Never seen anything like that before.  

Ok, that's enough. If I could give an UGGY award for a season to date, this would be it!!

Prediction? It won't be 71-42. I'd look for more likely in the 90's for UConn.

UConn by 45+

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Scott Allen and Azzi Fudd

"Last night after our win against one of the nations best teams, St John’s, I came back to the gym to talk with their coaches and others in the gym. When I came over to the St John’s bleachers I noticed Azzi Fudd, the nations top recruit and UCONN signee, cleaning the bleachers that her team sat on. She graciously went through all of the bleachers picking up any trash left behind. I asked if she would like me to take the trash and throw it away. She answered “No Coach Allen, I’ll do it” as she went to find a trash can.
I’ve known Azzi since she was in fourth grade and have coached against her for the last four years. She is the best basketball player, boys or girls, I’ve ever coached against. Not only is she talented but she is also a class act as she demonstrated last night.
Please share this post in hopes that some day your child may have the opportunity to show such class like Azzi. Hard not to be a UCONN fan next year to watch her! Thank you Azzi for being a role model for everyone wanting to be like you." 


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Isuneh "Ice" Brady



We talk all the time about our wonderful 2021 recruits but UConn does have one commitment 
from the 2022 class. Listed first at 6'3" she has grown an inch. This young lady is still growing!

Her game is just so special. I love lefties being one myself and they are always difficult to guard. She is not only 6'4", she has a big and strong body. Think Edwards only bigger. And she can finish with either hand. But what makes her unique for her size is that she truly has a great outside shooting touch her form is sweet and she can take it out to the three point line. She will be quite the weapon for Geno. Here are three clips.    

From her coach - “She’s an absolute competitor on both ends of the floor. She doesn’t settle and constantly wants to get better. Even after games, she’s putting up extra shots. She’s not satisfied with where she is. The upside with her is amazing.”

ESPN Ranking No. 5

ASGR Ranking No. 2

Bluestar Ranking No. 5 

Prospects Nation No. 3 

Prep Girls Hoops No. 2






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No. 6 Texas A&M at Vanderbilt - Cancelled

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By David in Naples

This will come as news to some on the UConn message boards, but UConn basketball games are 40 minutes long. Not 12 minutes long or 28 minutes in length. I say that, because all the discussion seems to be about the first 12 minutes of the game. The last 28 minutes of play get the red-headed step child treatment. Let me explain...

With 8 minutes remaining in the 2nd quarter, Seton Hall was winning 21-10. Paige and her mates were stone cold shooting and just getting warmed up on defense. But games don't end at the 12 minute mark. From the score of 21-10, UConn crushed Seton Hall by a score of 60-28. That is a 32 point turn around..!!  Where is the love for the Huskies holding SH to 28 points in the last 28 minutes? How about mentioning the 60 points scored in those 2 3/4 quarters. Down 11 and win by 21. That was a fabulous effort by a young, tired team. 

Lots to like about the play of this team in the Seton Hall game. Evina came to play after suffering from a bad back against South Carolina. She finished with 12 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals. How about the defense that forced 19 turnovers and gave up only 20 baskets?  How about holding Lauren Park-Lane to 1-12 shooting and no layups? How about some love for the "bigs"?

Not every win will be pretty. But, that last 28 minutes was a thing of beauty with good offense and a smothering defense. Enjoy it and drop the negative.
Go Huskies..!!

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I don't usually do this but I'm adding my predictions from yesterday's blog to the game write ups.

Nailed it!!!

No. 1 (not for long) South Carolina 77 Missouri 62 - Destanni Henderson had seven of her 11 points in a decisive third-quarter run as No. 1 South Carolina pulled away from Missouri. Zia Cooke 15 points for the Gamecocks while Aliyah Boston had 11 points and 12 rebounds for her ninth double-double this season.
Missouri trailed just 45-44 midway through the third quarter before Henderson took over. She hit a jumper, and then another driving basket where she was fouled. After missing the free throw, South Carolina rebounded and Henderson was open for a 3-pointer and a 52-44 lead with 2:30 left in the period. Missouri could not respond and lost for the fifth time in its past seven games and fourth in a row to South Carolina.
The Tigers shot 14 of 25 (56 percent) in the first half in a 36-all game at the half. South Carolina, meanwhile, went through stretches of poor shooting. It missed 12 of 14 shots toward the end of the first quarter and its final five in the second period after moving in front 36-31 late. Shug Dickson had 15 points to lead Missouri. LaDazhia Williams and Aijha Blackwell, who combine to average almost 29 points a game, were held to just 17 between them.

This should be an interesting game. South Carolina is coming off that tough loss to UConn and will be out for "blood". But Missouri is a tough team and should give the Gamecocks a battle for a while. But Boston and company are too talented and will take over the game and win going away. 

No. 3 Louisville 85 Georgia Tech 70 - The Cardinals defeated Georgia Tech 85-70 to improve to 19-1 on the year and 11-1 in ACC play. Evans finished with 25 points and seven assists. Louisville also got big nights from Kianna Smith with 21 points and Elizabeth Dixon with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Evans scored nine straight points in the second quarter to give the Cardinals control and a lead it would never relinquish. It was Louisville's defense that helped it build a lead in the second quarter. In the first quarter, Georgia Tech could do very little wrong offensively. The Yellowjackets led 20-19 and shot 43% from the field and 75% from deep. Louisville cracked down on the defensive end in the second quarter holding Georgia Tech to just eight points and 23% from the floor.

Another interesting game. I haven't been a Louisville fan this year. Overrated in my book. And Georgia Tech is a decent team that has a shot here. This could be an upset. But their star Dana Evans probably won't let that happen.

No. 4 North Carolina State 86 Clemson 65 - The Wolfpack used a 28-9 first quarter explosion to take a big lead they would never lose. Kayla Jones led NC State with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. The Wolfpack scored the game's first 12 points on the way to a 17-2 lead in the opening 5 1/2 minutes. Jones outscored the Tigers in the opening period and tallied 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting by halftime. N.C. State finished the game shooting nearly 52% while making 10 of 21 3-pointers. Delicia Washington had 24 points and eight rebounds for Clemson which never recovered from its bad start. The Tigers trailed 28-9 by the end of the first quarter and got no closer than 13 again, finishing the game shooting 41%.

Clemson just doesn't have enough firepower to beat NC State. I'd look for a double digit win for the Wolfpack. Big game for their star center Elissa Cunane.

No. 12 Michigan 62 Purdue 49 - Michigan overcame a slow start to beat Purdue Thursday in its first game since Jan. 21. The Wolverines , like the rest of Michigan’s athletic teams, were forced to shut down all activities on Jan. 23 because of a COVID-19 outbreak within the department. They were able to begin activities on Feb. 4 and had their first practice Sunday, but clearly the layoff hurt the Wolverines. Michigan had eight turnovers in the first quarter but still held a 12-6 lead after the first 10 minutes because of its defense. The Wolverines opened the second half with an 11-0 run to take their largest lead of the game, 42-24, but the Boilermakers came back with an 11-0 run of their own. Junior Naz Hillmon led Michigan with 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting while adding 10 rebounds. Michigan shot just 38.9 percent from the floor but also forced 22 turnovers and held Purdue to 39 field-goal attempts.

Michigan's only loss this season was in their last outing against No. 17 Ohio State, and they won't get their second loss against a pretty weak Purdue team. 

  
No. 16 Tennessee 56 No. 20 Kentucky 71 - Well, this was a crazy game. After an even first quarter where Kentucky led 13-11, the Wildcats went on a run in the second quarter to take a 35-20 lead. Tennessee then outscored Kentucky 6-2 to end the quarter. In the third quarter, Tennessee game out like gangbusters, outscoring the Wildcats 19-2 to take a 45-39 lead with 4 minutes left in the quarter. Once again Kentucky outscored Tennessee to end the quarter, this time 7-2 to be down only 1 point 47-46 going into the final period. After Kentucky outscored Tennessee 24-15 in the 2nd quarter and Tennessee outscored Kentucky 21-9 in the third quarter it was anyone's game. When Kentucky scored quickly to take a six point lead and then Tennessee came back to close to two points 55-53 with 5 minutes left in the game, it looked like once again it was anyone's game. But Kentucky would not go along with that. The Wildcats outscored the Lady Vols 13-1 over the next 3 1/2 minutes to take a 68-54 lead and it was over. What a really strange game. Rae Burrell was the only bright spot for Tennessee,  scoring 22 points. Chasity Patterson scored 21 points for Kentucky. Sweet revenge for Kentucky and Jasmine Massengill who hit 3-5 three pointers and scored 11 points for the Wildcats.           

Oooo boy, looking forward to this one. Tennessee embarrassed Kentucky when they met in late January by 17 points. It was uglier than that. Can Kentucky bounce back? Tennessee is playing their best ball of the year but had a game in 10 days. This one is a toss up.

No. 17 Gonzaga 79 San Francisco 66 - Gonzaga were plagued by foul trouble and a physical San Francisco team. The Zags went to their bench and the backups made some clutch plays to help beat the Dons in the Kennel. With the game still in doubt early in the fourth quarter and starting forward Jenn Wirth on the bench with four fouls, backup center Anamaria Virjoghe dug for a loose ball. Ten seconds later, backup Melody Kempton overcame two USF defenders for a rebound and putback to give the Zags a 68-53 advantage with 6½ minutes left. Virjoghe had five points and four rebounds in 15 minutes. Jenn Wirth returned midway through the fourth quarter, helping put the Dons away. The 17th-ranked Zags also got a big game from starting guard Jill Townsend, who scored a team-high 19 points. She fouled out, but with only 1 minute, 8 seconds left and the game safely in hand.

Gonazaga of course. They won't lose against until the NCAA Tournament. 

No. 18 Arkansas 86 Mississippi State 80 -  Chelsea Dungee scored 22 points, surpassing 2,000 for her career, and her three free throws and a steal in the last 20 seconds helped No. 18-ranked Arkansas turn aside a second-half challenge from Mississippi State 86-80. Destiny Slocum led Arkansas with 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting, and Amber Ramirez scored 12. The Razorbacks shot 58% for the game (32 of 55). Myah Taylor led the Bulldogs with 22 points, sinking five 3-pointers with six rebounds and seven assists. It was Taylor’s first 20-point game this season, second of her career. Aliyah Matharu added 17 points for the Bulldogs, Rickea Jackson scored 12 with seven rebounds and Jessika Carter scored 11.

I will be rooting for Arkansas the rest of the way unless they meet UConn in the NCAA tournament. I'm a big fan of their coach Mike Neighbors. Mississippi State is really missing Coach Vic. Arkansas should win this one going away. 

No. 21 Northwestern 54 Rutgers 70 -  Rutgers defeated No. 21 Northwestern on the road for a huge win for the Scarlet Knights. They were led by Tyia Singleton who had a career high 17 points. It was the great C. Viv defense that carried the day for Rutgers. They closed out with a 23-10 fourth quarter to pull away from the Wildcats. 

GO RUTGERS! My birth state team, I always root for them when not playing UConn. I miss seeing C. Vic on the sidelines. She is always a show in itself. Look for a Scarlet Knight upset! 

No. 24 Georgia 74 Auburn 54 - Maya Caldwell had her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds to help No. 24 Georgia beat Auburn 74-54 on Thursday night. Caldwell had six assists and made three 3-pointers for the Bulldogs. Que Morrison added 14 points and eight rebounds, Gabby Connally scored 11 points and Javyn Nicholson had 10. Jenna Staiti had six blocks to go with seven points and six rebounds. Que Morrison added 14 points and eight rebounds, Gabby Connally scored 11 points and Javyn Nicholson had 10. Jenna Staiti had six blocks to go with seven points and six rebounds.The Bulldogs committed 28 turnovers but made up for them by making 10 3-pointers, eight more than Auburn, and outrebounding the Tigers 54-31.

Auburn is on an 11 game losing streak. I will continue against a good Georgia squad.  

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