If Nelson-Ododa is to be such an overpowering rival it would be interesting to surprise her with something not expected. Twin towers. Key and Saunders double post. Davis, Harston, Massengil guard forwards. Not to say full time.
I like that idea. At first I thought, “If Saunders didn’t get any minutes against Alabama, she is sure not going to get any at Connecticut.” But then I thought, “but wouldn’t that be interesting!? Why not give her a shot against them and see what happens? You never know what game situation might become a player’s “Magic Moment” until you put them into the game situation to find out.”
So hell yeah! I’d be all for giving that scenario a shot.
And since Rennia is likely to be out of the picture for the most part, anyway — (I hope I’m dead wrong about that, by the way) — she will be the most logical choice for being the player first leaking back to try to slow down their transition game. But this is also risky, because the players leaking back will risk getting into foul trouble as they try to stop their very well-practiced, highly effective fast-break machine. Both Rennia and Jordan MUST stay out of foul trouble, but I suspect putting one or both of them on the bench early with fouls is going to be one of their goals.
I’m hoping our coaching staff looks like they’ve gotten too-little sleep come Thursday, ‘cause they’re going to need to channel Pat, who once said during a tourney all-nighter for the coaches: “You’ve got to have the will to prepare.”
Al Brown, I know you’re no spring chicken anymore, but boy, you can sleep NEXT week!
Seriously, though. Auriemma has probably been quietly preparing for Tennessee for weeks. If they can they’ll put the worst beating on us that they’ve put on any opponent in years. Our team is going to have to find a new level of focus and fortitude to give them a good game, and I sure wish I could be there to show them how much I appreciate the effort that I am certain they’ll bring.
GO LADY VOLS!
