Doggydaddy's Den: Doggy's Doghouse 3/24/2023

GO UCONN!!!!!

**************************************************

It's been a brutal week for me. Thank goodness for the UConn Huskies, both Men and Women teams to give me a spark.

This damn fever kept coming back but I think I finally licked it. Maybe...lol.

Twelve hours in the car driving back from the mountains of Georgia with my wife, son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters and I'm finally back in my condo in Florida. Exhausted but alive!!!

I followed the Villanova/Miami game in the car and then a few more before I collapsed. I'll post some highlight videos and a few words on each game. And here are some good pregame interviews for you to enjoy!!!

And in case you haven't seen it, here is my UConn/Ohio State Pregame Report.

Nika Muhl Pregame Interview

Dorka Juhasz Pregame Interview

Azzi Fudd Pregame Interview

Geno Pregame Interview

**************************************************

Sweet Sixteen - Elite Eight Update

The games so far on Friday have been so competative. And no 1 Seed to be found! Amazing. The women's game is getting better and better.

*****************************************************

In the first game, which I followed while on the road back from Georgia, 9 Seed Miami continued their upsetting ways, beating the 4 seeded Villanova Wildcats 70-65. The Hurricane build a huge lead, 21 points to be exact before Nova mounted a crazy comeback to actually take the lead. But the Wildcats just couldn't put Miami away. Maddy Siegrist looks to have finished her college career with a 31 point 13 rebound effort. But she had a tough time shooting, going 8-29 from the field. Not good. And a couple of tired late misses. Jasmyne Roberts led Miami with 26 points on a more efficient 10-16 from the field. Great season for Nova who made the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2003.

Miami moved on to the Elite Eight for the first time in their history. Quite the accomplishment. They will be walking into a buzzsaw with the winner of the LSU/Utah game. And that was.......

Miami/Villanova Highlight Video

*****************************************************

Well, the SEC keeps on rolling. 3 Seed LSU hit their foul shots at the end while 2 Seed Utah did not. The Tigers beat the Utes 66-63 in a game that was close throughout. LaDazihia Williams was the surprise hero in this game. She scored a team high 24 points on 11-14 shooting and superstar Angel Reese added 17 points and 12 rebounds for her 37th double double of the season. They just dominated the paint. And it was painful to watch Jenna Johnson miss both freethrows with four seconds left and Utah down 64-63. I can't imagine how she is feeling tonight. Utah grabbed the offensive rebound on the second miss but turned the ball over before getting off another shot. LSU is in the Elite Eight and proving the naysayers wrong about that weak Kim Mulkey schedule.

They should have penalized LSU at least 10 points because of the outfit that Kim Mulkey made us all watch.

2 Seed Utah/ 3 Seed LSU Game Highlights

*****************************************************

2 Seed Iowa vs 6 Seed Colorado - It looked like this was going to be the one blowout game. After a tight first half, Iowa jumped out 15-2 to start the third quarter to take an eleven point lead going into the fourth quarter. Credit to Colorado as they closed to 76-70 with 4 minutes left but it wasn't to be for the Buffaloes. Caitlin Clark did her thing once again scoring 31 points and handing out 8 assists in leading the Hawkeyes to the 87-77 win and into the Elite Eight. They will take on the winner of the 5 Seed Louisville vs 8 Seed Ole Miss game later Friday night.

**************************************************

Yes, there were lots of upsets in the Women's tournament but it pales in comparson to the Bracket Busting games that happened in the Sweet Sixteen and before on the Men's side. It's just crazy.

Thursday No. 2 UCLA and No. 4 Tennessee lost, with both No. 1 seeds losing before this round.

Friday BOTH no. 1 seeds lost to their respective 5 seeds.

So there are zero 1 seeds heading into the Elite Eight. None.

**************************************************

By David in Naples

Some cool stats for UConn in the first two NCAA tournament games. Both victories were well played and showed Huskies' style basketball.

Consider:

1. Vermont missed 40 of 60 shots and finished shooting 33.3%. Baylor missed 40 of 61 shots and only made 34.4%. Defense..!!
2. Baylor was up 6 points after making 6-11 threes in 1st period. They only made 6-18 the rest of the game and lost by 19.
3. Azzi has shot 4-28 in the 1st half of the last 5 games. (BE tourny plus 2 NCAA games) She shot 16-32 (50%) in 2nd half of those games.
4. Baylor shot 47% in the 1st period & then only 19% in the 4th period.
5. Caroline Ducharme shot 8-10 in the two games, scored 22 points, went 4-6 from three, grabbed 11 rebounds, and had 5 assists. All off the bench.
6. UConn scoring by period = 45 - 48 - 44 - 35. Consistent..!
7. Huskies defense in 4th period = 19 pts in two games.
8. UConn with 50 assists in two games. Nika with 20 of those assists.
9. Aaliyah shooting 22-26 for 47 points in two games. That's 85% from the field.

10. Points in the paint in 2 games = UConn with 90 pts, Opponents with 22.

And.......

Saturday can't come soon enough..! So, here is a quiz on the Huskies season stats to pass the time.

1. Nika leads the team with 279 assists. Who is 2nd?
2. How many Huskies are averaging double digits in points per game?
3. Who leads the team in steals, Nika or Aubrey?
4. Who has played in more games, Dorka or Ayanna?
5. Who has more personal fouls, Nika or Lou?
6. Azzi and Lou are the best free throw shooters this season. Who is 3rd best?
7. Has Nika scored more or less than 250 points?
8. Who has blocked the most shots this season, so far?
9. How many different players have fouled out of a game this season?
10. UConn's average points per game is 76.3 ppg. How many times have the Huskies scored exactly 76 points?

Answers:

1. Aaliyah is 2nd with 89, but Dorka is close with 88.
2. Five (Aaliyah - 17, Lou - 15, Azzi - 15, Dorka - 14 and Aubrey - 12)
3. Trick question, they both have 49.
4. Ayanna = 29, Dorka = 28.
5. Nika with 81, but Lou is close with 80. (Aaliyah has the most with 92)
6. Ines with 83.3% (5-6). Aubrey is close at 80.7% (88-109)
7. Nika has scored 253 points.
8. Aaliyah has 41, but Dorka is close at 39.
9. Four players have fouled out a total of five times. (Lou leads with twice fouling out.)
10. Exactly 0 times. (High was 103 vs Seton Hall & low was 52 vs Marquette)

How did you score?

Go Huskies..!

**************************************************