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January 4, 2009
Maya Needs To Keep Moving
The learning process is never ending for All-American Maya Moore. Through 13 games, her numbers are astounding. She’s averaging 18.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks in 28.2 minutes for the unbeaten and top-ranked Huskies.
But the lesson that came out of Saturday’s 76-63 victory over a young and feisty LSU team that is going to be dangerous down the road came during the 20 minutes she played in the second half when Maya scored just two points on 1-of-5 shooting (0-of-3 3-pointers). She was hardly a non-factor, however, as she had six rebounds (two offensive), one assist and just one turnover.
But with LSU blanketing her defensively with a box-and-1 and various other schemes to limit the Huskies’ leading scorer, Maya was unable to get free for some open looks as she did in the first half and as she’s done so many times this season en route to surpassing the 20-point mark five times.
The two-points she scored equaled her lowest second half total of the season. The first, however, came in a much different scenario. She scored two points and did not attempt a shot in five minutes in a 96-37 rout of Holy Cross Dec. 3.
With Maya removed from the equation offensively Saturday the other 66.6 percent of the Big Three took charge. Renee Montgomery blew up, scoring 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting (2-of-5 3-pointers). Tina Charles (6-of-11 FG) had 12 points as the pair combined for 27 of UConn’s 35 points in the half.
``In the second half we were not really, towards the end of it at least, we weren’t going to take the first shot that we saw,’’ Maya said. ``We want to use the clock. We want to work the defense. And there were opportunities where I could have done some things, but I was just trying to be patient. But then my teammates stepped up and there was no need for me to force anything when Tina and Renee have their opportunities. I probably could’ve crashed the offensive boards a little more if I wanted to stay involved. So that’s something that I can work on when I’m not getting wide-open looks to find other ways to score.’’
Maya still finished with another attractive line: 17 points (7-of-15 FG; 2-of-8 3-pointers), 13 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal in 40 minutes. It was her fifth double-double this season and the first time she has played 40 minutes. The game also provided her with more reference material as she strives to become the best player she can be.
Maya needs to be continually active offensively despite what the opponent is trying to do to take her out of the game. Also, Geno would like to see her take more than 15 shots in every game.
``I told Maya before the game that somewhere between 15 and 20 shots was going to be good for her,’’ Auriemma said. ``But we’ve been talking a lot about finding the ball. She’s sometimes waiting for the ball to find her. And in the past when she’s been really good she goes to where the ball is and it’s right there all the time it seems like. But that’s the growing thing for Maya. Keep moving, keep moving, keep moving. And if people judge her on how many points she’s scoring as to whether or not she’s being effective, I think they would miss how many other things that she’s doing right now that have made her a better player and that have made us a little bit better team.’’
Members of Husky Nation in Big 12 country were jobbed by CBS yesterday. Cherilyn Williams sent an e-mail last night stating that folks in Missouri were able to catch only the last couple of minutes of UConn’s victory over LSU. Obviously, the decision makers at CBS have no clue just how far-reaching the Nation stretches.
Here’s what Cherilyn had to say last night: ``I really wish that I could’ve seen today’s game, but CBS pulled a slick one on us Missouri Husky fans! They did regional programming, showing different games in different parts of the country! They announced it as a triple play, as if they would show three games on and off, but we saw only the last TWO minutes of the UConn game - the LAST two!!!!!’’
By then Renee had already scored all of her game-high 21 points to bury the Lady Tigers.
One more thing … Don’t worry about the tape you saw on Maya’s right hand. She sustained a scratch on her thumb in the first half and applying tape is the best quick fix you can get during a 135-second media timeout. Kudos to trainer Rosemary Ragle for getting Maya back out on the floor without a hitch.
Rich
Posted by Elliott on January 4, 2009 12:53 PM
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