Year of the Big Girl?

[Fairfield Fan]

South Carolina is the odds-on favorite to win another NC because of their bigs: they start the two best post players in the nation-bar none: Boston (6'5") and Cardozo (6'7"). Add to those two Amihere (6'3"), and no one can respond. With competent guards to get them the ball and play adequate defense, they've never lost. It's all about not just Bigs, but Great Bigs. That's the way the women's game has been for some time, and it's not changing back.

Clark is fun to watch, and she has a good/adequate post in Czinano. But South Carolina's front court is unstoppable.

 

[GoUconn7961]

South Carolina is the odds-on favorite to win another NC because of their bigs: they start the two best post players in the nation-bar none: Boston (6'5") and Cardozo (6'7"). Add to those two Amihere (6'3"), and no one can respond. With competent guards to get them the ball and play adequate defense, they've never lost. It's all about not just Bigs, but Great Bigs. That's the way the women's game has been for some time, and it's not changing back.

Clark is fun to watch, and she has a good/adequate post in Czinano. But South Carolina's front court is unstoppable.

IMO Cardozo is the one that makes the difference for SC. She is a better rebounder than Boston and is wide open when Boston gets double-teamed. It's hard to stop both of them together under the basket. I also think Cardozo is better at establishing position under the basket.

 

[meyers7]

You can say that, but you'd be wrong. You're losing experience, not size.

 

[huskyd]

We have 2 players (6-4 and 6-3) coming in next year. That's a decent amount of size to cover.

This year we have: 6-5, 6-5, 6-3 and a couple athletic 6-2, 6-1
Next year we have : 6-5, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, and 3 athletic 6-2, 6-1, 6-1

Don't think we are losing much from a pure size point of view.

Losing experience, that's for sure.


Welllll, ONO shot better than Juhasz (59% to 49%), had way more assists (116 to 74), way more blocks (100 to 31) and wasn't as hurt. Juhasz avg more rebounds (10 to 8.5) and scoring (14 to 12) and was a 3 pt shooter. (ONO didn't even really attempt many). So I'm not sure one can argue one made much more of a difference than the other. Each did some thing better than the other.

You're right. From the "pure size" pov there isn't much difference. From the talent end, though, I believe Dorka has had more impact than the 2 big girls we'll have next year project. As usual (barring injuries) we'll have a bunch of guards with more to come the next year. Aaliyah will have to spend more time underneath with not much help. As most posters write, size (+talent) is what we need.

 

[Inthepaint]

You and me both, Bone Dog!

Still getting taller only sideways

 

[uconnfan68]

IMO Cardozo is the one that makes the difference for SC. She is a better rebounder than Boston and is wide open when Boston gets double-teamed. It's hard to stop both of them together under the basket. I also think Cardozo is better at establishing position under the basket.

Cardoso made a big jump this season. She’s in much better shape, and is a terror on the boards. Nice soft hands that seem to gobble up any wayward passes inside, and she can convert.

 

[meyers7]

Because the team isn't losing size. The team is losing experience. They will have plenty of size on the team, more really. How much of it they can use, do to experience, remains to be seen. Of course all of this can change with transfers and injuries. But the team should have plenty of size.

Besides the fact that they are not (God willing, i.e. injuries or lack of them) going to be a pound it in the post type team. They should be, hopefully, a 3 pt shooting, pressing, fast breaking type team. Which should leave Edwards plenty of space in the lane for 1v1.

Sure there might be some teams they play where the other team's big(s) get some points/rebounds, but they should be able to outscore any of those teams. They should be pretty potent offensively next year. Won't have to rely on their defense as much. Again, hopefully.

 

[meyers7]

You're right. From the "pure size" pov there isn't much difference. From the talent end, though, I believe Dorka has had more impact than the 2 big girls we'll have next year project. As usual (barring injuries) we'll have a bunch of guards with more to come the next year. Aaliyah will have to spend more time underneath with not much help. As most posters write, size (+talent) is what we need.

Don't think we are going to need that much size. And we'll have lot's of talent, like crazy amount (assuming we can keep people healthy). Except most of it will be in the backcourt. We're going to be a guard oriented team next year. 3 pt shooting, pressing, fast breaking, run 'em off the floor type of team.....hopefully.

 

[npignatjr]

This does nothing to explain why I keep getting fatter.

What I've lost in height I seem to, with a large multiple, picked up in girth.

 

[npignatjr]

As good as Clark is, I still would probably pick Boston first.

Draft according to need. Which WNBA team is built to win with a 6'4" center with minimal skills over 10' from the basket?

 

[npignatjr]

South Carolina is the odds-on favorite to win another NC because of their bigs: they start the two best post players in the nation-bar none: Boston (6'5") and Cardozo (6'7"). Add to those two Amihere (6'3"), and no one can respond. With competent guards to get them the ball and play adequate defense, they've never lost. It's all about not just Bigs, but Great Bigs. That's the way the women's game has been for some time, and it's not changing back.

Clark is fun to watch, and she has a good/adequate post in Czinano. But South Carolina's front court is unstoppable.

And yet a depleted UConn team almost did. SC had lots of stripes help. I wonder going into the tournament the comments by Geno and Tara about the holding grabbing, preventing of freedom of movement fouls not being called will have an effect on how games are officiated?

 

[hoopsnloops32]

And yet a depleted UConn team almost did. SC had lots of stripes help. I wonder going into the tournament the comments by Geno and Tara about the holding grabbing, preventing of freedom of movement fouls not being called will have an effect on how games are officiated?

This is exactly what happened with mens college basketball around 2010 and how it moved to a much more guard focused game by not allowing defenses to touch around the perimeter. I wouldn't be surprised if the tournament is called differently than the rest of the season taking away the physicality allowed in most leagues and allowing guards to operate more freely and dominate. Especially with Clark being the face of the tournament this year there will likely be direction to enforce rules that help high attention players shine. And if not in the tournament, certainly next season I think you will see a bunch of coaches campaigning to change the way the game was called both from an injury perspective and from a style of play perspective.

If they want to continue to grow the game they need to change the way its called and played.

 

[The deacon]

The choice was for best player, not #1 draft pick.

Your choice, not mine...

 

[huskyd]

CC can go pro this year??

Caitlin is age eligible, but she's a junior who's going to play at Iowa next season. However, she is also eligible to stay for a 5th season after that. She has said that she's considering the 5th year due the NIL rule. The lady has a lucrative deal with several big companies including Nike. All of the big money is with advertisers; the WNBA still pays bubkis. I hope we get to see her for a long time.

 

[MilfordHusky]

When all 3 were healthy, Paige won the POY awards over both Clark and Boston. Paige’s game hasn’t dropped off, though her health has. I think she’s the best player; of those who are playing, I think it’s Clark.

 

[Cuango]

South Carolina is the odds-on favorite to win another NC because of their bigs: they start the two best post players in the nation-bar none: Boston (6'5") and Cardozo (6'7"). Add to those two Amihere (6'3"), and no one can respond. With competent guards to get them the ball and play adequate defense, they've never lost. It's all about not just Bigs, but Great Bigs. That's the way the women's game has been for some time, and it's not changing back.

Clark is fun to watch, and she has a good/adequate post in Czinano. But South Carolina's front court is unstoppable.

Not “unstoppable” but definitely dominant! They have had two overtime games and a four point win against an injured UConn so, though undefeated, they are clearly not invincible. They, like most teams, are an injury or a poor performance against a hot team away from a loss. Will that happen? I hope not the injury. We’ll have to wait til at least the elite eight for the other as they should win their first three even with a poor performance. I don’t think they are unbeatable though. Pretty tough but, “never been a horse that couldn’t be rode or a cowboy that couldn’t be throwed!” Now it’s one and out!

 

[The deacon]

When all 3 were healthy, Paige won the POY awards over both Clark and Boston. Paige’s game hasn’t dropped off, though her health has. I think she’s the best player; of those who are playing, I think it’s Clark.

Well said, Milford, regarding Paige of '20-21. We just don't know how close to that level Paige can be again. Even after she'd returned last season, she clearly wasn't the same player she'd been... Caitlin has been doing it at a very high level for nearly three full seasons, and has been blessed with durability. Oh, if only Paige could borrow some of that. I can't wait to see her back on the court.

 

[Geno-ista]

This does nothing to explain why I keep getting fatter.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Well said, Milford, regarding Paige of '20-21. We just don't know how close to that level Paige can be again. Even after she'd returned last season, she clearly wasn't the same player she'd been... Caitlin has been doing it at a very high level for nearly three full seasons, and has been blessed with durability. Oh, if only Paige could borrow some of that. I can't wait to see her back on the court.

Geno said that in June she was stronger and better than ever. We'll see how she looks after surgery and recovery, but I expect her to be at least as good as she was as a freshman by sometime next season.

 

[Tngamecock]

And yet a depleted UConn team almost did. SC had lots of stripes help. I wonder going into the tournament the comments by Geno and Tara about the holding grabbing, preventing of freedom of movement fouls not being called will have an effect on how games are officiated?

You might want to rewatch that game again. Ref help perception was not reality. It was hack a Shaq on our bigs near the basket. Both teams pushing and grabbing big time. Foul discrepancies occurred near end of game when you were down and had to start fouling. Also, many of your fouls were on the shooter resulting in 2 shots. Ours were out on the floor against your quickness or making it a 1 & 1.

Top 3 in my opinion are SC, UConn, Stanford. And anyone can be any one of those three. I was kind of worried about UCLA because they were in our bracket and played us close early in the season. Rewatched that game last night….. And it was South Carolina’s worst game of the season and UCLA lead at the half. But South Carolina had a 10 point lead late in the game. I’m not as concerned about UCLA now.

 

[npignatjr]

Geno said that in June she was stronger and better than ever. We'll see how she looks after surgery and recovery, but I expect her to be at least as good as she was as a freshman by sometime next season.

Geno is a salesman cheerleader, especially in the off season. For her sake hopefully returns to full health. But 2 knee surgeries in a year?

 

[npignatjr]

Geno is a salesman cheerleader, especially in the off season. For her sake hopefully returns to full health. But 2 knee surgeries in a year?

 

[npignatjr]

You might want to rewatch that game again. Ref help perception was not reality. It was hack a Shaq on our bigs near the basket. Both teams pushing and grabbing big time. Foul discrepancies occurred near end of game when you were down and had to start fouling. Also, many of your fouls were on the shooter resulting in 2 shots. Ours were out on the floor against your quickness or making it a 1 & 1.

Top 3 in my opinion are SC, UConn, Stanford. And anyone can be any one of those three. I was kind of worried about UCLA because they were in our bracket and played us close early in the season. Rewatched that game last night….. And it was South Carolina’s worst game of the season and UCLA lead at the half. But South Carolina had a 10 point lead late in the game. I’m not as concerned about UCLA now.

Since when in the women's game is there a 1&1 over 10 years ago maybe? The grabbing ignored on Lou was obvious. There is a replay of the game where Aaliyah was scoring under the basket, shown on ESPN often in the background Lou is held openly. So the coaches besides Geno and Tara that came out pointing out the ignoring the holding, preventing freedom of movement, that is occurring are wrong?