Preview: UConn Women’s Basketball at Louisville | ESPN, 7 p.m.
After routing the second-place team in the conference, 93-57, on Sunday, UConn women’s basketball will take a break from AAC play. In the first leg of a two-game road trip, they head to Kentucky to face No. 3 Louisville. The Cardinals have just one loss on the season so far, falling on the road to Notre Dame (the top ranked team at the time).
Louisville’s offense largely runs through their pre-season All-American and reigning ACC player of the year Asia Durr. The senior guard averages 21.1 points per game and finishes over 30 percent of the Cardinals’ plays.
“She happens to play a position where she has the ball in her hands a lot. So, what makes it hard is that she’s doesn’t necessarily need somebody to get her the ball - she already has it,” said Auriemma of Durr. “So, we’ve got to guard her right from the start of the possession. And she can do a lot of things. She scores a lot of different ways. And she’s especially dangerous when they’re down.”
When Durr, who stands at 5’10”, tries to score inside, the Huskies do have a height advantage. However, she is really a threat from everywhere on the floor. While her three-point percentage on the season (34 percent) is not particularly impressive, she has shot over 50 percent from beyond the arc in several games. In Louisville’s win last Thursday over Florida State, she finished 4-5 from three-point range. If Durr can get going from deep, it could be trouble for the Huskies.
With Durr is leading the way, the Cardinals also have three other players averaging near ten points a game. Sam Fuehring, who leads the team in rebounds at 6.2 per game, is Louisville’s second-leading scorer at 10.2 points per game. Arica Carter, the team’s biggest three-point threat, also adds 9.7 points per game on 44 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Additionally, freshman Dana Evans chips in 9.8 per game to provide a spark for the Cardinals off the bench.
When you add sophomore forward Bionca Dunham to that mix, you are looking at one of the most efficient offensive lineups in the nation. All five rank in the top 10 percent for points per scoring attempt. While the same can be said of UConn’s starting lineup, Louisville is slightly more efficient at an aggregate 1.16 points per scoring attempt (fourth in the nation).
In addition to being extremely efficient on the offensive end, the Cardinals are also an excellent defensive team, especially beyond the arc, where they hold their opponents to just 27 percent shooting.
“They really guard you, they play really hard, they’re physical defensively, and they force a lot of turnovers,” noted Auriemma.
Physicality on the defensive end is something the Huskies struggled with in the loss to Baylor. While Louisville doesn’t pose the same size challenges as the Bears did, this game will still serve as a good test for how UConn is able to adapt to the defensive pressure.
Regardless of the outcome, this game serves as another barometer for where the Huskies stand against top competition, with about a month and a half until tournament play begins. While another top tier road win would certainly be a great add to the Huskies’ resume, a loss would not be a source for panic.
As Auriemma put it (referring to last years’ home game against Louisville), “We were up by 25 at the half last year. That didn’t stop them from making the Final Four”.
Keys to the game for UConn
Offensive Rebounding: Louisville is good at a lot of things, but crashing the defensive glass isn’t one of them. The Cardinals’ defensive rebounding rate ranks in the bottom third of the country, as they collect just 65 percent of their opponents’ misses. Even if the Huskies don’t have a great shooting night on the road, being aggressive on the offensive glass should lead to plenty of second chance opportunities. As of late, we’ve seen Megan Walker excel on the offensive glass and this provides an opportunity for her to shine against a tougher opponent.
Containing Asia Durr… : Durr is a threat from pretty much everywhere on the court, which is what makes her one of the hardest players in the country to guard. As Auriemma said, UConn will need to guard her from the start of every possession and try to force her into contested shots.
…Without Ignoring Louisville’s Other Offensive Threats: While Durr might be the Cardinals’ best offensive weapon, the trio of Fuehring, Carter and Evans cannot be ignored. All three have already demonstrated their ability to be volume scorers this season, especially in games where Durr is quieter.
How to watch
Where: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY
When: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN