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Logan and Barrett are reading my blog!! Such good grandkids!!!
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One step closer to the ultimate goal.
Up next is a pretty good Iowa team. I'll be working on a full pregame report time permitting. If not, I'll just add as much info as I can in the next daily blog.
They are not the one player team that some folks would like you to believe. More on them later.
The Huskies are really playing at a high level. And if they ever get hot from the outside in this tournament, it will be difficult for any team to come close to them.
But to me, the key word comes down to this - FUN. Paige just loves basketball and has so much fun playing. She is goofy and silly. And she has a relationship with Geno that I haven't seen since Taurasi. In fact, I would say that she might be Geno's favorite player of all time personality wise. He just doesn't know what to do with her so he just accepts it and laughs. I think he's made him feel younger.
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In case you missed it!
Crystal Dangerfield Breaks Down What Geno Means To UConn & Paige Bueckers Talent
They call him "G"??? Funny!!! You can definitely hear Paige, the ringleader.
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So long Tennessee, it was nice knowing ya!!!
The anticipated match up between No. 3 Tennessee and Baylor will not happen as the Lady Vols lost in the second round to No. 6 Michigan. And it wasn't close.
The Tennessee fans basically went bonkers as the game went on, turning on their team faster than you can say "wait until next year".
They attacked their effort, their ability and their smarts. It really got so ugly on that message board. It hard to blame them after watching that game. The players looked disinterested, and just not prepared for the Michigan team. They shot only 33.9% from the field and 2-14 on threes. They turned the ball over 16 times. And they were out-rebounded. Something that didn't happen very often this season.
You have to wonder with the transfer rule that some of the players might be looking for a better situation.
Their coach hasn't show the ability to coach her players up, and come up with a decent offensive scheme. And worse, she isn't attracting top level players. Her 2021 recruiting class is good, but not great with No. 43 Sara Puckett, No. 45 Karoline Striplin, No. 62 Kaiya Wynn and unranked Brooklyn Miles.
Of course, the Lady Vol fans are overrating these players and they are looking at players that were lower ranked that over performed as examples of what will happen. But we all know the odds of more than one of them doing that is slim.
Tennessee loses their top player, Rennia Davis, a probably lottery pick in the WNBA and one of their big players in Kasi Kuskituah. The Davis loss is huge. And it's yet to be determined who else might leave. Their other big, Tamari Key, might want to join her sister at UNC where she will be an incoming freshman Teonni in 2021. That was a huge recruiting loss for Coach Harper as the younger Key is ranked No. 9 in the class of 2021. Exactly the level player that Tennessee needs to get.
If the series between UConn and Tennessee continue in 2021-22, that game could get really ugly for the Lady Vols. As least I'm hoping so!!
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SECeeya!
So much for the best conference in women's basketball. I already mentioned Tennessee losing in the second round.
4th seed Kentucky squeezed by 13th seed Idaho State before losing to 5th seed Iowa by 14 points.
3rd seed Tennessee struggled in the first half against 14th seed Middle Tennessee before pulling away and then lost to 6th seed Michigan by 15 points.
1st seed South Carolina handled 15th seed Mercer before handling 8th seed Oregon State 59-40. They have not been playing well. They shot 35% from the field and 1-15 on threes.
3rd seed Georgia was tied at the half before beating 14th seed Drexel by 14 and then lost to 6th seed Oregon 57-50.
7th seed Alabama beat 10th seed North Carolina in a competitive game before getting blown out by Maryland 100-64.
No. 4 seed Arkansas lost in the first round to 13th seed Wright State 66-62.
No. 2 seed Texas A&M almost lost to 15th seed Troy winning 84-80. It took help from the refs at the end of the game to help the Aggies beat Iowa State in overtime.
So, with 7 teams in the tournament, one team lost in the first round and four teams lost in the second round and all to lower seeded teams. And the remaining teams have not played well. Power conference my ass.
The SEC style of play just doesn't translate well against team in the tournament. Color me unimpressed.
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MERCADO REGION
Sweet Sixteen
No. 1 NC State vs No. 4 Indiana Saturday 6:00 ET ESPN2
No. 2 Texas A&M vs No. 3 Arizona Saturday 8:00 ET ESPN2
HEMISFAIR REGION
No. 3 UCLA 62 No. 6 Texas 71
Sweet Sixteen
No. 1 South Carolina vs No. 5 Georgia Tech Sunday 1:00 ET ABC
No. 2 Maryland vs No. 6 Texas Sunday 9:00 ET ESPN
ALAMO REGION
Sweet Sixteen
No. 1 Stanford vs No. 5 Missouri State Sunday 3:00 ET ABC
No. 2 Louisville vs No. 6 Oregon Sunday 7:00 ET ESPN
RIVER WALK REGION
Sweet Sixteen
No. 1 UConn vs No. 5 Iowa Saturday 1:00 ET ABC
No. 2 Baylor vs No. 6 Michigan Saturday 3:00 ET ABC
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The Hoop Hall Awards is open for voting. It's a position by position ballot.
Paige Bueckers is on the list for the Nancy Leiberman Point Guard award.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa is on the list for the Lisa Leslie Center award.
I believe you can vote once a day per email address.
Here is the link.
And here is the link for the Naismith player of the year.
It's open now.
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By David in Naples
There was no part of last night's victory over Syracuse in which UConn underperformed the Orange. For example, despite all their height, Syracuse was crushed in the "points in the paint" stat, 38-26. Points off turnovers? UConn by 27-15. Fast break points? Again, UConn by 21-0. Yes, Cuse had 0 points on fast breaks. Bench scoring? Yup, UConn on top, 12-5.
UConn's final stats show balance in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals. Consider:
1. Scoring - Paige, Aaliyah and Liv had 20 points, 19 points and 17 points respectively.
2. Liv led the rebounding with 8, Evina, Paige, and Aaliyah each had 5 boards.
3. Three players had a team leading 4 assists & Liv and Christyn had 2 each.
4. Steals - Six players totaled 11 steals. Paige and Aubrey had 3 each & Anna had 2.
This balance in stats bodes well for the next game against Iowa. Hard to defense a team that spreads out the scoring, rebounds and assists.
Go Huskies..!!
UConn's final stats show balance in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals. Consider:
1. Scoring - Paige, Aaliyah and Liv had 20 points, 19 points and 17 points respectively.
2. Liv led the rebounding with 8, Evina, Paige, and Aaliyah each had 5 boards.
3. Three players had a team leading 4 assists & Liv and Christyn had 2 each.
4. Steals - Six players totaled 11 steals. Paige and Aubrey had 3 each & Anna had 2.
This balance in stats bodes well for the next game against Iowa. Hard to defense a team that spreads out the scoring, rebounds and assists.
Go Huskies..!!
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