Doggydaddy's Den: Doggy's Doghouse 3/6/2021

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SLEEP OVER TIME!!!

What a wonderful time!!!

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UConn 77 St. John's 41

So, other than that, how did you like the play Mrs. Lincoln.

I know I felt terrible seeing Nika Muhl go down with that ankle injury. But I'm not going to dwell on that. I have a little write up following this game report about Nika, so let's just talk about a really good win against St. John's. Lots of positives in this game.

Mostly that the freshmen played really well in their first Post Season game. They had 38 points between them. Also Olivia Nelson-Ododa had a double double....in the first half.

The defense was just outstanding again, holding St. John's to 27.8% from the field and 4-18 on threes. And they forced 21 turnovers. Nika was a big part of that while she was in the game.

Paige had a tough first half, going 2-9 from the field but picked it up in the third quarter to score 11 points in those 10 minutes. She ended up leading the team with 17 points.

Plenty of links in the UConn link section about the game. This grandpa is plenty tired so I'll leave more game details to those articles.

Up next is Villanova, who upset DePaul in the quarter finals in overtime. I hope you got to watch that game. It was a lot of fun. UConn beat Villanova in December 90-52. Both teams are very different coming into this game. It should be a much more competitive game this time out. Even more so if Muhl can't lace them up. 3:00 Sunday!!!

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Well, I wrote this during the game and before Nika hurt her ankle. It doesn't change what I wrote, but I'm not sure it's that relevant after seeing the injury. Hopefully she will be back soon. Geno was optimistic about her saying "Nika is a pretty tough kid, as tough as they come. If I were to bet … Nika’s going to give it every opportunity overnight, and then she’s going to try to play."

Sometimes players just have a knack. And Nika Muhl has one. When she is doing on the ball defending of the player bringing the ball up the court, she has a knack to timing the dribble when the player switched their dribble from their right hand to their left. She just sticks in her right hand and tips the ball away, usually for a breakaway layup.

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This was a tough one. Which team do I dislike more? Tennessee or South Carolina? For me it's pretty easy.

I've disliked Tennessee a lot longer. Both fan based are pretty obnoxious but Tennessee fans are just a notch above. They've had more years of experience.

So I was pretty please to watch South Carolina take apart Tennessee early and then hold on for the 67-52 win. The Gamecocks jumped out to a 29-13 lead after the first quarter. Then both team put on a display of some pretty horrid basketball. Tennessee outscored South Carolina 39-38 over the last three quarters. Yes, South Carolina scored 29 in the first quarter and only 38 over the next three. My eyes hurt.

For the game Tennessee shot 36.4% from the field and 2-14 on threes. And they had 18 turnover and fouled South Carolina 19 times. And for a lot of the game, they looked disinterested.

I took a spin over at the Tennessee message board and it was as ugly as the game. Many talked about the lack of effort by their team, but as the Lady Vol fans are known to do, they focused their venom on the refs. A lot of that has to do with how the Tennessee players react to every time they are called for a foul Over the top demonstrations. Their coach is not much better. Coach Harper is always in the refs face. I'm surprised they haven't teed her up more than they have. And in a bad spot, when they were showing a little fight in trying to get back into the game, their senior leader Davis jawed with a South Carolina player, getting a technical foul. Worse yet, it was her fourth foul.

Like I said to some friends, no matter who won this game, GO GEORGIA!!!

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Late Season Top 15

Aliyah Boston South Carolina

Paige Bueckers UConn

Charli Collier Texas

Elissa Cunane NC State

Chelsea Dungee Arkansas

Dana Evans Louisville

Arelia Guirantes Rutgers

Naz Hillmon Michigan

Rhyne Howard Kentucky

Haley Jones Stanford

Natasha Mack Oklahoma State

Aari McDonald Arizona

Michaela Onyenwere UCLA

NaLyssa Smith Baylor

Kiana Williams Stanford

Paige is the only freshman on the list. Bodes well for National Freshman of the Year.

I haven't seen a lot of Stanford , but I know they are No. 4 in the AP rankings and have lost only two game, once to UCLA and once to an unranked 8-8 Colorado team. I guess that some AP writer thinks that gets them their first place vote. Anyway, I know about Haley Jones. A pretty good player that UConn was recruiting a couple of years ago. I don't begrudge her a spot on the final 15. But I took a look at Kiana Williams stats and they are pretty unimpressive. She averages 13.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.9 APG and she shoots 41% from the field and 35% on threes. I'd match up Christyn Williams with those numbers. She averages 15.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.5 APG and she shoots 47% from the field and 32% on threes. West Coast bias?

I haven't seen much Arizona either, but every time I do Aari McDonald is forcing shot after shot. She is the epitome of a "volume shooter". She averages 19.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG and 4.7 APG. On the surface that is not bad but how to you give an award named after John Wooden, who valued efficiency so much. McDonald is shooting 38.9%. No, not on threes, but from the field. And she shoots 29.6% on threes. Seriously? Just terrible shooting on the season. More West Coast Bias?

I like Paige's chances.

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No. 5 Louisville 72 Syracuse 59

No. 3 North Carolina State 66 Georgia Tech 61

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Tournament starts 3/8

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Tournament starts March 11

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No. 1 UConn 77 St. John's 41

(See UConn section for game links)

No. 25 DePaul 72 Villanova 78

Marquette 68 Providence 43

Seton Hall vs Creighton

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Tournament starts 3/9

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No. 2 Stanford vs No. 9 UCLA Sunday 8:00 PM

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No. 2 Texas A&M 68 No. 16 Georgia 74

No. 7 South Carolina 67 No. 14 Tennessee 52

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By David in Naples

This game was over after 1 period. Too bad they didn’t stop it and save Nika from hurting her ankle. Beating UConn is hard enough if a team plays well. But St. John’s put up a clunker in the first 10 minutes. Consider:

1. SJU scored 6 points on 3-13 shooting.
2. They went 0-4 from three range.
3. SJU had 6 turnovers, twice the baskets.
4. St John’s had 6 rebounds, the Sam number as Liv had by herself.
5. Defensively, they gave up 18 points and it could have been worse.

A win is a win, but this one might be expensive depending on Nika’s injury. Stay tuned...

Go Huskies..!

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