12-24-2012, 09:17 AM
It is only a few days before we play UConn, putting our Maples winning streak on the line. UConn looks much better this year than last, largely due to the addition of frosh sensation Breanna Stewart. Here is a brief rundown of the main players. Those of you who have been following UConn please chime in with thoughts on how we will defend them and how we will attack them. UConn has two great inside players and a bevy of players who shoot the 3 at a very high percent. As always, they are a very strong defensive team--perhaps South Carolina-like with their quick and tenacious guards, but with the added bonus of two tall and productive post players, and then with Kaleena as a wing-like sensation all her own. This will be a tough game for us.
Breanna Stewart 6-4. Freshman!Â
Started 8/10 games, 23 minutes.Â
60% fg, mostly but not entirely from 2. 84% free throws. Leads the team with 17 ppg and leads the team with 7 rpg. Also leads the team with 16 blocks. Somewhat prone to fouls, leading the team with 21. Stewart was last years player of the year in almost all the high school polls and has come into Connecticut with seemingly few transition issues, although the attached article points out a few. Quite incredible for a freshman to be leading a marquee team in so many categories.
http://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article/UCon...094755.php
Stefanie Dolson 6-5 center. Junior
Started 10/10 games, 26 minutes.Â
58% fg almost entirely from 2, 68% free throws. 12 ppg, 6 rpg. Second on the team in assists with 31. Leads in turnovers with 24. Dolson has been working on slimming down and it seems to be paying off.Â
http://articles.courant.com/2012-11-20/s...-jefferson
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis 6-0 forward. Sophomore.Â
Started 9/9 games for 28 minutes.
54% three point shooter, and she takes around 5 a gameabout half of her shots. 88% free throws. Also 20 steals, second on team. Last years freshman sensation, she was often compared with Maya Moore. She was out for a game after suffering a concussion, but seems to be back on track.
http://blog.ctnews.com/elliott/2012/12/0...oncussion/
Kelly Faris 5-11 guard. Senior
Started 10/10 for 27 minutes.
42 assists to 9 turnovers. Leads team with 26 steals. 8 ppg. She doesnt take a lot of 3 point shots but makes 44% that she does. The story is that she is a great all-around player and a particularly tenacious defender who is still working on her shot.
http://articles.courant.com/2012-12-04/s...-sun-coach
Caroline Doty 5-10 guard. Redshirt Senior
Started 8/10 for 16 minutes.
About 4 ppg. About 40% from three. Caroline is Uconns hard-luck story, overcoming a couple of knee injuries to finally come back as a redshirt senior. But earlier this month Geno chose to start Faris and Hartley over her. Geno says that their team has six starters. But the truth seems to be that Doty has not been quite as productive as Faris and Hartley.
http://articles.courant.com/2012-12-03/s...ueda-lewis
Bria Hartley 5-7 5-10 guard. Junior.
Started 5/8 for 24 minutes.
About 10 ppg, 50% field goals. 30 assists to 10 turnovers. Hartley had a sprained ankle dating back to last summer. She seems to have been hampered until December, when she has hit her stride. Her stats, in other words, are much lower than what she has been doing lately.
http://articles.courant.com/2012-12-20/s...ball-s-3x3
Brianna Banks 5-9 guard. Sophomore.
Started 0/10 for 19 minutes.
About 10 ppg, 59% field goals, 48% from three. She is the bench player who gets the most minutesother than the Doty/Hartley switch. She had a break out game a few weeks ago and hit 4/5 three point shots.
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=323330041
Thoughts on defense: I suspect that we can defend UConn inside reasonably well. I imagine Chiney will be on Stewart, perhaps Ruef or Tinkle on Dolson. But I worry a lot about stopping the three point shots. How will we defend Kaleena? Toni is our best perimeter defender but she gives away an inch to her. I have my doubts about Bonnie on her. Can Taylor or Ruef handle her? Toni will do fine against whoever she is asked to guard. Amber on Hartley?
Thoughts on offense: After South Carolina, this worries me even more than our defense against UConn. I think they can use Dolson and Stewart to keep Chiney under control which will require Joslyn to have a great offensive game. We will need one of our three point shooters to get hot since we know absolutely that one of theirs will. Bonnie probably won't get a lot of time because of the need to have our best defenders in. Toni and Amber have not shown much in three point shooting this year. Will Taylor be able to play at a high level on defense and launch a sprinkling of three pointers?Â
Breanna Stewart 6-4. Freshman!Â
Started 8/10 games, 23 minutes.Â
60% fg, mostly but not entirely from 2. 84% free throws. Leads the team with 17 ppg and leads the team with 7 rpg. Also leads the team with 16 blocks. Somewhat prone to fouls, leading the team with 21. Stewart was last years player of the year in almost all the high school polls and has come into Connecticut with seemingly few transition issues, although the attached article points out a few. Quite incredible for a freshman to be leading a marquee team in so many categories.
http://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article/UCon...094755.php
Stefanie Dolson 6-5 center. Junior
Started 10/10 games, 26 minutes.Â
58% fg almost entirely from 2, 68% free throws. 12 ppg, 6 rpg. Second on the team in assists with 31. Leads in turnovers with 24. Dolson has been working on slimming down and it seems to be paying off.Â
http://articles.courant.com/2012-11-20/s...-jefferson
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis 6-0 forward. Sophomore.Â
Started 9/9 games for 28 minutes.
54% three point shooter, and she takes around 5 a gameabout half of her shots. 88% free throws. Also 20 steals, second on team. Last years freshman sensation, she was often compared with Maya Moore. She was out for a game after suffering a concussion, but seems to be back on track.
http://blog.ctnews.com/elliott/2012/12/0...oncussion/
Kelly Faris 5-11 guard. Senior
Started 10/10 for 27 minutes.
42 assists to 9 turnovers. Leads team with 26 steals. 8 ppg. She doesnt take a lot of 3 point shots but makes 44% that she does. The story is that she is a great all-around player and a particularly tenacious defender who is still working on her shot.
http://articles.courant.com/2012-12-04/s...-sun-coach
Caroline Doty 5-10 guard. Redshirt Senior
Started 8/10 for 16 minutes.
About 4 ppg. About 40% from three. Caroline is Uconns hard-luck story, overcoming a couple of knee injuries to finally come back as a redshirt senior. But earlier this month Geno chose to start Faris and Hartley over her. Geno says that their team has six starters. But the truth seems to be that Doty has not been quite as productive as Faris and Hartley.
http://articles.courant.com/2012-12-03/s...ueda-lewis
Bria Hartley 5-7 5-10 guard. Junior.
Started 5/8 for 24 minutes.
About 10 ppg, 50% field goals. 30 assists to 10 turnovers. Hartley had a sprained ankle dating back to last summer. She seems to have been hampered until December, when she has hit her stride. Her stats, in other words, are much lower than what she has been doing lately.
http://articles.courant.com/2012-12-20/s...ball-s-3x3
Brianna Banks 5-9 guard. Sophomore.
Started 0/10 for 19 minutes.
About 10 ppg, 59% field goals, 48% from three. She is the bench player who gets the most minutesother than the Doty/Hartley switch. She had a break out game a few weeks ago and hit 4/5 three point shots.
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=323330041
Thoughts on defense: I suspect that we can defend UConn inside reasonably well. I imagine Chiney will be on Stewart, perhaps Ruef or Tinkle on Dolson. But I worry a lot about stopping the three point shots. How will we defend Kaleena? Toni is our best perimeter defender but she gives away an inch to her. I have my doubts about Bonnie on her. Can Taylor or Ruef handle her? Toni will do fine against whoever she is asked to guard. Amber on Hartley?
Thoughts on offense: After South Carolina, this worries me even more than our defense against UConn. I think they can use Dolson and Stewart to keep Chiney under control which will require Joslyn to have a great offensive game. We will need one of our three point shooters to get hot since we know absolutely that one of theirs will. Bonnie probably won't get a lot of time because of the need to have our best defenders in. Toni and Amber have not shown much in three point shooting this year. Will Taylor be able to play at a high level on defense and launch a sprinkling of three pointers?Â


