Doggydaddy's Den: Doggy's Doghouse 12/5/2023

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Even my daughter (mother to Logan and Barrett)

is looking for my Blog!!!

GO UCONN!!!!!

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Geno has some tough love for Paige in the interview I posted yesterday.

"Paige...<pause>... um... I dunno. Maybe she's still rusty you know - maybe she's just not in game mode because she hasn't played in so long. Ah... I thought she was lousy today. Quite honestly, I thought she was BAD <emphasized the word>. And um... uh... I told her that. You know, Paige isn't good when it takes 7 dribbles to get her shot off. Paige isn't good when she's gotta take on guys 1 against 2... 1 against 3... going in the lane, you know. Forcing things hoping to get to the free throw line. That's not her game. That's not who she is. So, yeah, I'm chalking it up to she's still rusty. But yeah... no.... no she was not good."

So, think she might have a big game against Ball State? A weaker opponent for sure, but if Paige is the player I think she is her reaction will be something to see.

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** Designates Upset

Monday, 12/04

Scores and Links

No. 25 Penn State 65 West Virginia 83 **

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I'm still hopefull. Come to UConn Sarah!!!

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It's Time for UConn to get an Aussie!!!!

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Straight from the Dog

Sigh, the fans are out with their pitchforks. All looking for someone to blame.

In a discussion of the comments by Geno about Paige one fan said this -

"I'd like to call out Geno for the big girl hole in his recruiting for longer than I can remember."

Someone else replied with a great list.

2018-19 Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Batouley Camara (JUCO transfer)
2019-20 Olivia, Batouley, Evelyn Adebayo (grad student)
2020-21 Olivia, Aaliyah Edwards, Piath Gabriel
2021-22 Olivia, Aaliyah, Piath, Dorka, Amari
2022-23 Aaliyah, Dorka, Amari, Ayanna, Ice
2023-24 Aaliyah, Amari, Ayanna, Ice, Jana
2024-25 Amari, Ayanna, Ice, Jana, ?
2025-26 Ayanna, Ice, Jana, Gandy, ?

Some got injured, some didn't perform. Yes, there were two bigs that Geno really wanted and it came down to UConn and South Carolina. Coach Staley won out on A'ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston. Two difference makers.

And depending on what his numbers are for next season, don't think for a moment Geno won't get a big from the portal.

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Only one Top 25 game Monday and of course there was an upset. Actually, I'm not sure it was. Unranked but undefeated West Virginia hosted No. 25 Penn State. It wasn't even close.

The Mountaineers jumped to a big halftime lead and then put it away in the fourth quarter winning 83-65. So as quick as Penn State entered the Top 25 they are being shown the door out. It's just the way of the Top 25 this year. Upsets galore.

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Week 2 Dropped from rankings: Illinois 23, Mississippi State 25

Week 3 Dropped from rankings: Maryland 20, Creighton 22

Week 4 Dropped from rankings: Oklahoma 22, Washington State 23

Week 5 Dropped from rankings: Ole Miss 19, Tennessee 20, Mississippi State 21, Princeton 25

Some interesting facts.

Crieghton was in, then out, and are now back in.

Mississippi State was in, then out, then in and now back out.

Three SEC teams were dropped in this week. That conference is not as good as years past. They only have two teams in the top 25.

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By PHIL

Princeton vs Tennessee

AP ranking

I'm writing this before the 4 December AP rankings come out.

At the moment, Tennessee is ranked 20 and Princeton ranked 25.

Since the prior rankings, Princeton has a win over Seton Hall in double overtime and a loss to Rhode Island. They will certainly drop out of the rankings as they should.

Since the prior rankings, Tennessee has two losses. Their fans will point out that both losses were to teams ranked ahead of them, so maybe they performed as expected and should not move down? Well, UConn just lost to a team ranked ahead of them and I don't think there's any question they will drop in the ranking. So, Tennessee will drop but how far?

Let's compare Tennessee and Princeton. I picked Princeton for a specific reason. Both teams played Oklahoma, and both teams beat Oklahoma.

For each team, the win over Oklahoma was the best when of the season to date.

Tennessee beat Oklahoma by 3 points, Princeton beat Oklahoma by 14 points. Major advantage Princeton

Tennessee has a record of 4 – 4, Princeton has a record of 5 – 3. Advantage Princeton

Tennessee's strength of schedule is ranked fourth in the country, Princeton's SOS is fifth in the country. Tiny advantage Tennessee but arguably just about a push

Tennessee's second-best victory is an overtime win over 106 Memphis. Princeton's second best victory is a win over 62 ranked MTSU. Advantage Princeton.

Princeton also has a win over 74 ranked Seton Hall. While that's hardly a major accomplishment, Tennessee has no other wins with double digit rankings or better. Their other two wins are ranked 222, and 316. Advantage Princeton

The toughest opponent of both teams is 8 Indiana. Princeton lost by 9 points, Tennessee lost by 14 points. Advantage Princeton.

I don't think there's a chance that Princeton will be ranked in the rankings come out. The point of this exercise is to argue that wherever Princeton comes out, Tennessee should be lower.

** Poll is out and Tennessee is out of the Top 25 at Others receiving votes (no. 29) and Princeton is nowhere to be found.

Milestone watch

• Aaliyah Edwards has 1306 career points after the Texas game. She passed Morgan Tuck and Laura Lishness to move into 39th place. She needs 59 points to catch Charde Houston.

• Nika Mühl had 458 assists after the Texas game. She recorded 6 in the Kansas game bringing her total to 456. She is in sole possession of 18th place. She needs 17 to tie Svetlana Abrosimova.

• Paige Bueckers has 966 career points, so needs 34 to reach the 1000 point milestone.

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STATS

Plus one for every assist block point rebound and steal. I don’t add extra for offensive rebounds as it already seems to favor the bigs. Minus one for every missed shot (2, 3 or foul), turnover or foul committed.

Texas 70 UConn 54

Aaliyah 21, Paige 13, KK 7, Ashlynn 3, Nika 3, Qadence 2, Aubrey 1, Ice -2.

Play your 8 players 25 minutes each against Ball State and see what happens.

Losses to undefeated Massey 2, 3, 5 rated teams.

Go Huskies!

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UCONN LINKS

Several links are pay sites. Sorry!

UConn falls to lowest ranking in 30 years

UConn needs more from Paige Bueckers

How Texas symied Bueckers and kept UConn reeling

Why Bueckers struggled against Texas - "It's not who she is"