Both myself and Steve have pointed this out already, Maya Moore is the real deal. I know that these first two games were exhibitions but she’s shown herself to be very poised on the court. Is she going to make mistakes? Of course she is. Is Geno Auriemma going to let her here about them? Of course he is. Could she end up being better than Diana Taurasi was at UConn? Only time will tell.
Former Tennessee guard, ESPN analyst and women’s National Team member Kara Lawson saw Moore first hand last Friday and came away impressed. She also added her insight about the UConn/Rutgers rivalry.
3. Big East supremacy: Rutgers/UConn
I always am very hesitant to jump on any player’s bandwagon, let alone one that hasn’t even played a college game. But if there is one statement that had to be in my story lines in some form or fashion, it is this: Maya Moore is the real deal. The UConn freshman’s skill level, athleticism and relentless nature are impressive. I love a player with a good motor. Those are very hard to find.
So what does Rutgers do for an encore? The Scarlet Knights were one of the best stories of the tournament last season and return all significant players. Look for Kia Vaughn and Essence Carson to build off of consistent seasons on both ends. Matee Ajavon is the best shot getter in the women’s game today. What I mean by that is give her the ball and she can get off her shot on anybody. That’s a very nice luxury for C. Vivian Stringer to have down the stretch of games. I’m thrilled we are guaranteed two matchups between these two teams (at Rutgers on Feb. 5 and at Hartford Civic Center on March 3) — and very likely three or four before the season is complete.
The only scarier thing is that a lot of national pundits are saying that Elena Delle Donne is an even better player than Moore. Times are definitely looking up for the UConn women.
