Doggydaddy's Den: Doggy's Doghouse 2/26/2022

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GO UCONN!!!!!

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UConn 21-5 (15-1) VS Providence 11-17 (6-13)

Sunday, Feburary 27th 2022

2:00 PM

Gampel Pavilion

Storrs, Ct

TV: CBS Sports

Connecticut leads the all-times series against the Friars, 42-21, including victories in each of the last 30 meetings. The Huskies hold a 37-11 record vs. Providence in BIG EAST regular-season action and a 4-2 mark in the BIG EAST Tournament.

1/30/22 Game Highlights

The Friars are 11-17 on the season and 6-13 in the Big East. Providence scores a paltry 61.1 points per game on 40.3% shooting. Crooms is their leading scorer with 13.7 points per game. The Friars are turnover-prone, committing 17.8 per game.

The Friars’ defense is better than their offense, allowing 62.8 points per game on 36.6% shooting, right behing UConn for the best field goal percentage defense in the league.

It was a real struggle against this Friar team on their home court in the first matchup winning by only 8 points, 69-61.

Christyn Williams played 40 minutes and scored 19 points to lead UConn. Williams was one of four UConn players to reach double figures. Evina Westbrook had 13 points while Carolina Ducharme finished with 12 points. Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 10 points for the Huskies, who shot 54% (25-for-46) from the floor.

UConn led 15-10 after one quarter before using an 11-0 run to build a 36-23 halftime lead. Providence then cut a 16-point deficit in half in the third quarter thanks in part to a reversal of a call that saw the Friars getting called for an offensive foul to Lauren Sampson getting credited with a basket.

Providence only trailed 50-42 heading into the final quarter. The Huskies scored the first six points in the fourth to regain the momentum and Providence could never make a push to get it close.

The issue was the defense of the Friars' leading scorer Janai Crooms, who led all scorers with 27 points. In this game UConn had no answer for her. She either scored from the field or was fouled. She got to the free throw line 10 times, making 8 of them.

I can't see the same outcome in this game other than UConn winning. This is a very different UConn team. The first matchup was the game after that tough win against DePaul. The third of four road games. The Huskies just looked sluggish the first time they met.

Hopefully, UConn will continue to build on their momentum. They are coming off their best game of the season against St. John's. You can bet that Paige will be closer to 20 minutes in this game. And I promise you that Geno will devise his defense to make sure Coombs doesn't come close to 27 points.

UConn by 35+.

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Saturday, UConn 2023 recruit, Ashlynn Shade and her Noblesville team will compete for the IHSAA State Championship.

IHSAA Champions Network -Webstream: For viewers outside of the Bally Sports Indiana (BSIN) coverage area, a live stream will be available at IHSAAtv.org. For those within the BSIN coverage area, the stream will be available only on delayed basis following the conclusion of the telecast.

I watched the first half and Noblesville was up by 19 points. Ashlynn had a ton of points. I lost track of how many post up, turn around jumpers she hit. She is really good. UConn fans are going to LOVE her.

Noblesville let their opponent close to 11 points going into the fourth quarter but behind Ashlynn Shade's 31 points, they pulled away for the 24 point win and a State Championship!!!

GO ASHLYNN!!!!!

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Upcoming TV Schedule

SUNDAY -- CBSSN at 2pm

Big East Tournament
SAT 3/5: FS1 at NOON (other games not on TV)
SUN 3/6: FS1 at 3 PM (2nd semifinal follows on FS1)
MON 3/7: FS1 at 8 PM

Selection Show
SUN 3/13: ESPN 8 PM

NCAA 1st Round
FRI 3/18 or SAT 3/19: ESPN, time TBA

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GAMES

No. 2 Stanford 63 Washington 56

No. 5 Baylor 85 Kansas 77

No. 9 Iowa State 71 Texas Tech 55

No. 11 Texas TCU

No. 12 Arizona 68 USC 59

No. 19 BYU 82 Pacific 52

No. 20 Oklahoma 72 Kansas State 69

No. 24 Florida Gulf Coast 78 Jacksonville 55

No. 25 Oregon 73 Utah 65

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Straight from the Dog

No upsets in WCBB in the top 25, but I found it interesting that there were so many "close" games.

No. 2 Stanford beat 7-15 Washington by 7 points.

No. 5 Baylor beat 19-7 Kansas by 8 points.

No. 12 Arizona beat 12-15 USC by 9 points.

No. 20 Oklahoma beat 18-10 Kansas State by 3 points.

No. 25 Oregon beat 17-10 Utah by 8 points.

Maybe I'm just a big ole homer, but UConn would beat every one of those unranked teams by 20+ points.

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From my buddie Bulkey!!!

The game against St. John's reminded us of the extraordinary floor play of days of yore. This play is probably the one most viewed.

click to play:

www.instagram.com/tv/CabGJjIjqaZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Ironically, the one Husky who didn't get into the act was Paige.

Christyn, who started this with a mammoth block is trailing. Note that Evina, standing on the foul line, besides shooting the jumper, had two options: Caroline to her left and Dorka to her right.

Here:

Note that the player covering Caroline is doing exactly what she's supposed to do: challenge the point (Evina) who is otherwise supposed to take the foul line jumper. And Evina responds as she's supposed to: pass to the player (Caroline) that the defender just left. When the player covering Dorka slides over to take Caroline who is going to the rim with the ball, Caroline passes to an open Dorka for the easy lay-up. Christyn to Evina, Evina to Caroline, and Caroline to Dorka for the easy basket. Perfect passing. You could use this tape to train players in executing the 3-2 perfectly.

But, while we fans love it and coaches teach it, even better might be fewer passes. So long as the shot is still easy, the fewer passes to get there, the less chance of something going wrong.

If Paige had been on point, instead of Evina, what would she have done? Would she have done textbook perfection or might she have been, well, Paige? The alternative might have been for the point to drive toward the basket, splitting the defenders and then dumping it off to Dorka herself as Dorka's defender comes to challenge Paige. 1 pass in the paint instead of 2. Maybe the same result.

Definitely not what they teach, because the lay-up while still a 3-2 might be taken in more compacted, contested space. But with Paige, you just never know.

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Great news. We will no longer have to endure the fans that said "They should hold Paige out until the BE tournament" or "Just let her wait until next year".

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By David in Naples

Azzi Fudd had a wonderful night shooting against St John’s. In fact, her night was so great, she is now in the 50%-45%-90% club. (At least for now). She is shooting 73-144 overall, which is 50.7%. From long range, Fudd is 40-84 or 47.6%. She has also made 11-12 free throws or 91.7%.

So she is in the 50-45-90 club for shooting percentages. It remains to be seen if she can go a whole season with those numbers. Oddly, previous Huskies have had the biggest problem with the 90% free throw level. Paige was 2 made free throws short last year and Kaleena was 1 free throw short both sophomore & senior seasons.

Final note - Azzi needs more attempts from three, but would be 3rd in the nation at her current make rate. 😁

Go Huskies..!

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