12/30/09 Connecticut at Cincinnati

[Downtown Brown]

7 pm

 

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Game being televised on espn2. Big home game for UC, I hope the fans show up at 5/3arena and are vocal.

 

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Scouting notes on Uconn.

Connecticut is 9-2 overall heading into Cincinnati with a three-game winning streak. The wins have come against Central Florida (60-51), Maine (71-54), and Iona (93-74).

· The game at Cincinnati will be the Huskies first road game of the season after playing eight games at home and three at neutral sites.

· UConn is ranked ninth overall in the BIG EAST averaging 74.9 points per game with four players averaging in double figures.

· Senior guard Jerome Dyson leads the team and is third in the BIG EAST with a 19.8 points per game average, followed by senior forward Stanley Robinson (17.0 ppg), sophomore guard Kemba Walker (13.3 ppg), and senior forward Gavin Edwards (10.8 ppg).

· The Huskies are a team built around defense and rebounding, ranking first in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage defense (.364) and fifth in rebounding offense (41.2 rpg).

· UConn allows its opponents 63.5 points per game, which ranks ninth overall in the league.

· Freshman forward/center Alex Oriakhi and Robinson lead the Huskies on the glass wtih 8.5 and 7.4 rebounds per game, respectively.

· Walker leads the conference in assists with 6.4 per game, more than half an assist higher than Eugene Harvey of Seton Hall who is in second (5.82 apg).

· Despite only having scored 46 3-pointers this season, the Huskies are fifth in the league converting 37.1 percent from behind the arc.

· Going into last week, UConn was ranked first in the nation in blocked shots. They post 10.3 blocks per game, led by Gavin Edwards at 3.6 bpg.


http://www.gobearcats.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/122909aaa.html

 

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"My biggest fear is [whether] we truly understand what we're kind of getting into," coach Jim Calhoun said shortly after arriving at the team hotel. "This will be a test for us — if we can hold our own, on the road, Big East, a good Cincinnati team, a chance for us to find out more about ourselves."

But through the development of players such as forward Yancy Gates and the arrival of spectacular freshman guard Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati (8-3) has more muscle and firepower than usual. While the Bearcats don't shoot well — about 25 percent the last five games — they are among the Big East's best rebounding teams, featuring big, physical players UConn probably hasn't seen since a nine-point loss to Duke Nov. 27.


http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-men/hc-ucmen1230.artdec30,0,2177824.story

 

[TheLongHaul]

As of now Vegas has UC as a 1 point favorite.

 

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I'm just hoping we can find a way to shoot over 40% from 3 point range (from the FT line as well).

 

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UC wins! 71-69.

LS 21
DV 17
Davis 9
Thomas, Bishop, Gates each w/ 6.

I still can't believe that LS didn't miss the second FT intentionally? I thought that was what a HS kid would do. However, I am glad he made at least one of them. Nice work!

 

[swg]

Thomas had 9 rebounds (nice effort) and the team shot 14-19 for 74 percent from the line.
Davis had a big 2nd half which helped keep the lead in the Bearcat's hands, as LS didn't score for some time in the second period.

 

[Downtown Brown]

nice win