Official WBB vs #1 UCONN Game Thread - 3/2/15 on ESPN2

[Mama_Bull]

Lots of upsets in the top 25 today: #13 UK beat #2 SC. Unranked Virginia beat #8 UL. Unranked LSU beat  #12 TA&M. Unranked Oregon Beat #19 Stanford.

 

Some teams ahead of us also lost: #17 Iowa beat Minn (RV #27). #25 NW lost to #5 Maryland by 21 points. #24 Cal lost to #7 Oregon St by 18 points. We are currently #28. #26 Seton Hall (Big East leader) wontwoy games this week against unranked teams (Xavier and Butler) and will probably crack the top 25. 

 

Perhaps we will move into the top 25 as well, but I doubt it.

[NCBull]

UConn is the ___________ of womens bball.

Fill in the blank for me anyone?

I'm going with "juggernaut".

[USFBulls12]

Lots of upsets in the top 25 today: #13 UK beat #2 SC. Unranked Virginia beat #8 UL. Unranked LSU beat #12 TA&M. Unranked Oregon Beat #19 Stanford.

Some teams ahead of us also lost: #17 Iowa beat Minn (RV #27). #25 NW lost to #5 Maryland by 21 points. #24 Cal lost to #7 Oregon St by 18 points. We are currently #28. #26 Seton Hall (Big East leader) wontwoy games this week against unranked teams (Xavier and Butler) and will probably crack the top 25.

Perhaps we will move into the top 25 as well, but I doubt it.

...the #13 UK team that we should've beat earlier in the season on a neutral floor took down the #2 team (previously #1) in the country whose only other loss is to #1 UCONN..this really shows how much space exists between UCONN and the rest of Division I women's basketball. They are truly in a league of their own. This does prove to be good for us come tournament time because it sort of shows we can run with the big dogs who aren't Maryland or UCONN. There are probably under 5 teams in the country who might blow us out (20+ points) on a given day. If we match up against a team like Stanford or UK or South Carolina in the 2nd or 3rd round of the tournament, I am not fearful of a blowout but rather expect a hard fought game in which we have equal opportunity of winning. I'm very excited for the tournament, I just hope we don't let nerves get to us. We deserve to face up with and beat any team out there. Edited March 2, 2015 by USFBulls12

[DELdaBull]

Big opportunity

[usfgrad84]

Not expecting a win tonight. I'm not really one for moral victories. However, in this case, UCONN is really head and shoulders way above pretty much every team in the country. What I want to see tonight is to play UCONN tough and competitively so that the game is within 8 to 10 points down to the last 4 minutes. Not like last time.

I want to see Williams and Jenkins have at least their average games and not fall flat on their faces. I want to see Fereira continue to grow.

Tonight I will be happy with a competitive game where the country can take note that we are a good program and to watch out for us on tournament and we will be a force to be reckoned with in post season and next year.

A win would be amazing, but not sure it is realistic tonight.

[raptorcj]

Expecting a win vs UConn would be a little insane, even if our team is strong this year. But if the stars are aligned, our girls shoot the lights out, we stay out of foul trouble, and maybe one or two of their players miss the plane...we could win! Go Bulls!

[charsibb]

We're 23-point dogs. No doubt it is closer than that.

 

Hoping for a straight-up win though!

[USFBulls12]

We're 23-point dogs. No doubt it is closer than that.

Hoping for a straight-up win though!

I honestly think it's greater than that. I'm expecting 30+, anything less will be a pleasant surprise. I just want us to play our best game and not play like a mess. If we have more than 15 turnovers, we have played like a mess. If we keep turnovers down, get the rebounds that we should, make free throws and the easy shots and protect against a high number of 3 pointers from Mosqueda-Lewis, I'll be happy.

[BullyPulpit]

I was at the first meeting between the two squads. The thing that is so deceptive about UCONN is the way they quickly break you. In the blink of an eye, they will run off 8 straight points and leave you to wonder..."how the heck did we get down by 10 points already?" 

 

From a strategic standpoint, I think our only hope is to try and spread them out on defense, letting Williams drive into space and either draw the quick double team and kick it out or shoot it. We should always have a player at the top of the key prepared to get back in transition in a hurry, as UCONN will attack quickly when given the opportunity. 

 

As for our defense, we really don't have the horses to play man-to-man defense against them, but I think we could pull off a match-up zone. The key is to prevent KML from getting hot from the outside. Every game I see her she seems to get wide open and, even with the tiniest bit of space, she drills the threes with ease. 

 

My hope for tonight is that we make a respectable showing. A loss of 20 points or less will speak volumes about our squad and its potential, anything else won't really tell us too much about where we stand relative to the rest of women's basketball. A win.....well, that would shock the world and put everyone on notice that we have a chance to make it back to Tampa for the Final Four. Good luck tonight ladies and make us proud! 

[usfgrad84]

I was at the first meeting between the two squads. The thing that is so deceptive about UCONN is the way they quickly break you. In the blink of an eye, they will run off 8 straight points and leave you to wonder..."how the heck did we get down by 10 points already?"

From a strategic standpoint, I think our only hope is to try and spread them out on defense, letting Williams drive into space and either draw the quick double team and kick it out or shoot it. We should always have a player at the top of the key prepared to get back in transition in a hurry, as UCONN will attack quickly when given the opportunity.

As for our defense, we really don't have the horses to play man-to-man defense against them, but I think we could pull off a match-up zone. The key is to prevent KML from getting hot from the outside. Every game I see her she seems to get wide open and, even with the tiniest bit of space, she drills the threes with ease.

My hope for tonight is that we make a respectable showing. A loss of 20 points or less will speak volumes about our squad and its potential, anything else won't really tell us too much about where we stand relative to the rest of women's basketball. A win.....well, that would shock the world and put everyone on notice that we have a chance to make it back to Tampa for the Final Four. Good luck tonight ladies and make us proud!

The only comment I have about the first matchup is that it was still relatively early in conference play and a couple of players, Jespersen and especially Ferreira were extremely inexperienced at the college level and as the have become more comfortable have begun to make meaningful contributions lately.