[martyup]

The #1 ranked Gamecocks take on the #2 ranked Huskies on FS1.

I'm not impressed after the first Q.  SC leads 14-10.  Lots of turnovers and poor shooting.  Page is very good.

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The point guard for SC is a great ball handler.  I can't wait to see Wilson or Williams take her on.

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Lots of air balls.  They are on pace to finish with less than 50 each.  Halfway through the second Q it is 18-16.

---

UCONN is 8-30/0-6

SC is 9-26/0-4

[martyup]

The #1 ranked Gamecocks take on the #2 ranked Huskies on FS1.

I'm not impressed after the first Q.  SC leads 14-10.  Lots of turnovers and poor shooting.  Page is very good.

---

The point guard for SC is a great ball handler.  I can't wait to see Wilson or Williams take her on.

---

Lots of air balls.  They are on pace to finish with less than 50 each.  Halfway through the second Q it is 18-16.

---

UCONN is 8-30/0-6

SC is 9-26/0-4

[BobK]

Arizona Oregon much more fun Arizona up at the half 33-32

[BobK]

Arizona Oregon much more fun Arizona up at the half 33-32

[martyup]

At the half it is tied at 24.

UCONN is shooting 32%/0%
SC is shooting 35%/0% and is 1-4 from the charity stripe.

There are 23 turnovers between the two teams.

The sad thing is that the winner of this game will be seen as a solid #1 and the loser will be seen as a solid #2.

[martyup]

At the half it is tied at 24.

UCONN is shooting 32%/0%
SC is shooting 35%/0% and is 1-4 from the charity stripe.

There are 23 turnovers between the two teams.

The sad thing is that the winner of this game will be seen as a solid #1 and the loser will be seen as a solid #2.

[martyup]

After 3 quarters, UCONN leads 45-41.  The two teams combined are 1-15 from 3.  

UCONN is shooting 39%/0%
SCAR is shooting 37%/20%

There are 28 turnovers combined.  I'm sorry, but these are not the best two teams in the country.

[martyup]

After 3 quarters, UCONN leads 45-41.  The two teams combined are 1-15 from 3.  

UCONN is shooting 39%/0%
SCAR is shooting 37%/20%

There are 28 turnovers combined.  I'm sorry, but these are not the best two teams in the country.

[2006alum]

Both teams are better defensively than offensively, especially UConn. And these are two really athletic teams. But boy could they use some shooters. Definitely a gritty, ugly game. That said, wow a lot of underclass talent between Boston, Bueckers, and Edwards. It's rare that both teams are looking to their underclassmen to win, but for most of the game UConn's lineup has had no seniors and one junior in. They will be really, really good once they have Fudd, too. (sigh.)

[2006alum]

Both teams are better defensively than offensively, especially UConn. And these are two really athletic teams. But boy could they use some shooters. Definitely a gritty, ugly game. That said, wow a lot of underclass talent between Boston, Bueckers, and Edwards. It's rare that both teams are looking to their underclassmen to win, but for most of the game UConn's lineup has had no seniors and one junior in. They will be really, really good once they have Fudd, too. (sigh.)

[TheFarm07]

Both teams are better defensively than offensively, especially UConn. And these are two really athletic teams. But boy could they use some shooters. Definitely a gritty, ugly game. That said, wow a lot of underclass talent between Boston, Bueckers, and Edwards. It's rare that both teams are looking to their underclassmen to win, but for most of the game UConn's lineup has had no seniors and one junior in. They will be really, really good once they have Fudd, too. (sigh.)

We won't be too shabby either. The hope is that we can get one or two of the premier guard prospects in the Class of '22 like Kiki Rice, to complement our elite front line of Betts, Brink, Belibi and Prechtel in the '22-'23 season. We'll need our own bevy of guards to face off against Bueckers and Fudd.

[TheFarm07]

Both teams are better defensively than offensively, especially UConn. And these are two really athletic teams. But boy could they use some shooters. Definitely a gritty, ugly game. That said, wow a lot of underclass talent between Boston, Bueckers, and Edwards. It's rare that both teams are looking to their underclassmen to win, but for most of the game UConn's lineup has had no seniors and one junior in. They will be really, really good once they have Fudd, too. (sigh.)

We won't be too shabby either. The hope is that we can get one or two of the premier guard prospects in the Class of '22 like Kiki Rice, to complement our elite front line of Betts, Brink, Belibi and Prechtel in the '22-'23 season. We'll need our own bevy of guards to face off against Bueckers and Fudd.

[martyup]

Going to OT.  Both teams score 54 in regulation.  Bueckers leads all scorers with 22.   They had a combined 35 turnovers.

[martyup]

Going to OT.  Both teams score 54 in regulation.  Bueckers leads all scorers with 22.   They had a combined 35 turnovers.

[TheFarm07]

Going into overtime, a much more competitive game it turned out than the Arizona-Oregon game

[TheFarm07]

Going into overtime, a much more competitive game it turned out than the Arizona-Oregon game

[martyup]

Bueckers with highlight video baskets in OT.  She finishes with 31 points.  UCONN wins by 4.  All UCONN points scored in OT by Bueckers.

[martyup]

Bueckers with highlight video baskets in OT.  She finishes with 31 points.  UCONN wins by 4.  All UCONN points scored in OT by Bueckers.

[TheFarm07]

Paige Bueckers with a clutch 3-pointer bouncing off the back of the rim into the basket to give UConn a 4-pt lead with 10 seconds left.

Still early, but if this is just her freshmen year, she's on her way to joining all-time UConn greats, like Stewart, Moore and Taurasi.

With the hype Fudd is getting, UConn might have 2 all-time greats playing on the same team like when Taurasi and Bird overlapped.

If we play them in the postseason in a month and a half, Wilson, Williams and the Hull sisters will have their work cut off for them trying to stop her.

[TheFarm07]

Paige Bueckers with a clutch 3-pointer bouncing off the back of the rim into the basket to give UConn a 4-pt lead with 10 seconds left.

Still early, but if this is just her freshmen year, she's on her way to joining all-time UConn greats, like Stewart, Moore and Taurasi.

With the hype Fudd is getting, UConn might have 2 all-time greats playing on the same team like when Taurasi and Bird overlapped.

If we play them in the postseason in a month and a half, Wilson, Williams and the Hull sisters will have their work cut off for them trying to stop her.

[CTcard]

 Lots of turnovers and poor shooting.  Page is very good.

This line from your first post in the thread summed up the entire game.

[CTcard]

 Lots of turnovers and poor shooting.  Page is very good.

This line from your first post in the thread summed up the entire game.

[martyup]

I'm not impressed by these two teams.  They combined for 11-23 from the charity stripe.  That's not the result of good defense.  They also combined for 39 turnovers.

Here was their shooting:

UCONN 40%/13%
SCAR 37%/11%

There were only 3 baskets made from beyond the arc.  3 for 24.  Many of these shots were uncontested. In contrast, AZ was 9-15 from 3 against OR tonight.

Despite having 31 points, Bueckers was only 14 of 26 and 1-4 from 3.  Even though she was scoring the bulk of UCONN's points, SCAR did not adjust their defense to stop her.  I don't think Tara would play it that way.

I like our chances if we are lucky enough to get to play either of these teams.

[martyup]

I'm not impressed by these two teams.  They combined for 11-23 from the charity stripe.  That's not the result of good defense.  They also combined for 39 turnovers.

Here was their shooting:

UCONN 40%/13%
SCAR 37%/11%

There were only 3 baskets made from beyond the arc.  3 for 24.  Many of these shots were uncontested. In contrast, AZ was 9-15 from 3 against OR tonight.

Despite having 31 points, Bueckers was only 14 of 26 and 1-4 from 3.  Even though she was scoring the bulk of UCONN's points, SCAR did not adjust their defense to stop her.  I don't think Tara would play it that way.

I like our chances if we are lucky enough to get to play either of these teams.

[mbdude]

Staley blaming loss on ball. Used Nike ball instead of Wilson

[mbdude]

Staley blaming loss on ball. Used Nike ball instead of Wilson

[Farm93]

Staley blaming loss on ball. Used Nike ball instead of Wilson

She should blame it on their inability to toss the ball into the basket at the end of the 4th quarter.

They had 3 or 4 chances from right below the rim with less than 10 seconds left and couldn't figure out how to get that ball into the basket.

[Farm93]

Staley blaming loss on ball. Used Nike ball instead of Wilson

She should blame it on their inability to toss the ball into the basket at the end of the 4th quarter.

They had 3 or 4 chances from right below the rim with less than 10 seconds left and couldn't figure out how to get that ball into the basket.

[chimera]

Staley blaming loss on ball. Used Nike ball instead of Wilson

She should blame it on their inability to toss the ball into the basket at the end of the 4th quarter.

They had 3 or 4 chances from right below the rim with less than 10 seconds left and couldn't figure out how to get that ball into the basket.

Not just that but firs half they had several possessions where they had 3 or 4 shots right under the rim that they could not put in despite getting a bunch of O boards.   Make some of those and they are probably ahead by 6 or 8 points at the half.

[chimera]

Staley blaming loss on ball. Used Nike ball instead of Wilson

She should blame it on their inability to toss the ball into the basket at the end of the 4th quarter.

They had 3 or 4 chances from right below the rim with less than 10 seconds left and couldn't figure out how to get that ball into the basket.

Not just that but firs half they had several possessions where they had 3 or 4 shots right under the rim that they could not put in despite getting a bunch of O boards.   Make some of those and they are probably ahead by 6 or 8 points at the half.

[BosCard]

I think this year's UConn team is one of the top teams in the country and has as good of a chance to win the national championship as anyone else.  BUT, it is a big step down from the Breanna Stewart led UConn teams which seemed almost unbeatable.  Also a step down from the Collier/Samuelson led UConn teams where it seemed like you would have to bring your A game to beat them.  In this game, it seemed like South Carolina should have beaten UConn but they just played a really bad game and missed a lot of unguarded layups.

[BosCard]

I think this year's UConn team is one of the top teams in the country and has as good of a chance to win the national championship as anyone else.  BUT, it is a big step down from the Breanna Stewart led UConn teams which seemed almost unbeatable.  Also a step down from the Collier/Samuelson led UConn teams where it seemed like you would have to bring your A game to beat them.  In this game, it seemed like South Carolina should have beaten UConn but they just played a really bad game and missed a lot of unguarded layups.

[TheFarm07]

I think this year's UConn team is one of the top teams in the country and has as good of a chance to win the national championship as anyone else.  BUT, it is a big step down from the Breanna Stewart led UConn teams which seemed almost unbeatable.  Also a step down from the Collier/Samuelson led UConn teams where it seemed like you would have to bring your A game to beat them.  In this game, it seemed like South Carolina should have beaten UConn but they just played a really bad game and missed a lot of unguarded layups.

Agreed, beyond Bueckers, none of their other players scare me too much. I was surprised that Westbrook didn't have more of a role in the game; I thought she would be their second option after Bueckers, but Griffin and Nelson-Ododa seem to have more of an offensive presence than she did, at least in last night's contest.

When playing the Breanna Stewart-led teams of '13-'16, you needed a perfect game from your team and a step down from theirs to have any chance, but I feel like even though we will have to play well to beat them (if we match up against them in the tournament), we don't need all the stars to align to pull off the victory

[TheFarm07]

I think this year's UConn team is one of the top teams in the country and has as good of a chance to win the national championship as anyone else.  BUT, it is a big step down from the Breanna Stewart led UConn teams which seemed almost unbeatable.  Also a step down from the Collier/Samuelson led UConn teams where it seemed like you would have to bring your A game to beat them.  In this game, it seemed like South Carolina should have beaten UConn but they just played a really bad game and missed a lot of unguarded layups.

Agreed, beyond Bueckers, none of their other players scare me too much. I was surprised that Westbrook didn't have more of a role in the game; I thought she would be their second option after Bueckers, but Griffin and Nelson-Ododa seem to have more of an offensive presence than she did, at least in last night's contest.

When playing the Breanna Stewart-led teams of '13-'16, you needed a perfect game from your team and a step down from theirs to have any chance, but I feel like even though we will have to play well to beat them (if we match up against them in the tournament), we don't need all the stars to align to pull off the victory

[BillBradley]

Totally agree. We can handle both of those teams! I especially like our matchup against UConn. As others have said, Paige is good but the rest are more of a supporting cast. Very tough to win it all with a freshman leader who's never been there. Against SC, she got her shot whenever she wanted because she had a quickness and/or height advantage. But she would find it much more difficult against Lexi/Lacie who are about the same quickness but have a 3 inch height advantage. We could hold her in the teens - I highly doubt she gets 30 against us. They would need 50 from the rest.

[BillBradley]

Totally agree. We can handle both of those teams! I especially like our matchup against UConn. As others have said, Paige is good but the rest are more of a supporting cast. Very tough to win it all with a freshman leader who's never been there. Against SC, she got her shot whenever she wanted because she had a quickness and/or height advantage. But she would find it much more difficult against Lexi/Lacie who are about the same quickness but have a 3 inch height advantage. We could hold her in the teens - I highly doubt she gets 30 against us. They would need 50 from the rest.

[BosCard]

I still would prefer not to play UConn though because their perimeter defense is good and they are a guard heavy team.  They really play the passing lanes and it likely would be similar or possibly slightly better than UCLA's defense against us.  That kind of defense takes away some of the passing our offense is predicated on.  We would need more individual creators to win.  So likely Jones, Brink or Williams would need to create more on their own.

[BosCard]

I still would prefer not to play UConn though because their perimeter defense is good and they are a guard heavy team.  They really play the passing lanes and it likely would be similar or possibly slightly better than UCLA's defense against us.  That kind of defense takes away some of the passing our offense is predicated on.  We would need more individual creators to win.  So likely Jones, Brink or Williams would need to create more on their own.