You've probably watched UConn as much as I have and know what our team needs to do on Friday night. Their three starting guards are among the five best backcourts in the nation - and ours are better. Our defense will have to be even more aggressive and stingy than Arizona's was last season, when they beat UConn in the semis in San Antonio.
Their starting "bigs" are not, in my opinion, among the twenty-five best frontcourts in the nation. Ours is one of the very best. We need to out-rebound and out-score the Huskies in the paint - and provide rim-protection all night against their guards' dribble drives (without fouling.)
Here's how I see the starters for each team:
Stanford Frontcourt UConn Frontcourt
Cameron Brink (6'-4") Olivia Nelson-Ododa (6'-5")
In the next two games I see Cameron emerging as the consensus number one post player in the nation.
Fran Belibi (6'-1") Aaliyah Edwards (6'-3")
Every game Fran gets better. She anticipates the flight of the carom, moves to the ball, and gets off the floor quicker every game. Against Texas she was using her 31" vertical, which more than makes up for her height, and ripping the ball out of the air. (On Friday night, once she secures a rebound, she'll protect it with her strong hands from those pesky thieving guards!) I predict our front court will score thirty-five points between them and their subs coming off the bench, including Ashten, Kiki, Brooke, and Alyssa.
Stanford Backcourt UConn Backcourt
Lexie Hull (6'-1") Paige Bueckers (5'-11")
Lacie Hull (6'-1") Azzi Fudd (5'-11")
Haley Jones (6'-1") Christyn Williams (5'-11")
My biggest fears came true. We must all admit, we are a streaky-shooting 3point team. When they start falling, it's almost impossible to beat us. But when they're not and we don't shift our strategy quickly enough (and not wait until 4 minutes left in the game), and get the ball inside to our All-American post, we are vulnerable. UConn exposed that. Still, a great season to be proud of.
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