Georgia Tech @ Notre Dame - 12/13/20

[Shades]

Notre Dame, IN - 2:00 PM ET
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[Dillon77]

Sunday morning notes, some of which I posted on The Bench:

On the Ramblin' Wreck - The 3L's

- Lorela Cubaj is a senior who seems like she's been there forever. And she'll get one more year with this year being a mulligan of sorts. Kind of a Euro Center...she'll take a lot of jumpers by the elbow and then move it in.
GT lost to Georgia at home and, for some reason, I caught the 4th quarter and OT. She was matched up against Georgia's Jenna Staiti who is Dolson-type center, and they both held their own. So, Cubaj can battle.

- Lotta-Maj Lahtinen is an energizer-bunny type of player from Finland who reminded me most of one Marta Sniezek, with her all-round hustle and defense. She is not a huge scorer and that outburst against BC was an anomoly. Still, worth payng attention to her impact on both ends of the floor.

- Loyal McQueen is the key frosh for Coach Fortner...a 5'8" guard from South Carolina.
Those three lead the way for GT so far this year. 2019-20 Leading scorer Kierra Fletcher, while on the roster, has not made an appearance for the Wreck yet.

On Notre Dame

- Oft-injured center Mik Vaughn practiced for the Irish this week, after a recovery from (yet) another ACL injury.

- With frosh Nat Marshall recovering from her own ACL injury and junior Danielle Cosgrove taking a leave of absence until February, ND has been operating sans centers or playing forwards out of position. So it will be good to have Mik back, whether for 10 minutes or 20. Her length will help against the wily Cubaj.

- Sam Brunelle and Katlyn Gilbert looked more effective in their second games and hopefully, after a week of just practice (schools out and there were no games midweek), they'll be in better shape, both individually and as a part of the unit.

- Still, expect freshman Maddy Westbeld to be a focal point of the Irish. She's upped her scoring incrementally each game and is not afraid of the moment. In my eyes, the Irish play best when running the offense through her somewhere in the vicinity of the elbow. So far so good. Really good.

 

[LETTERL]

It seems Lahtinen has been playing for GT for a decade.

 

[DefenseBB]

Come on Ramblin' Wreck! Channel your own inner "Rudy" and have your 13th player get a chance to get in the game today!!! (sorry Dillon , I still like the heck out of you though)....

 

[Shades]

ND with a 4 pt edge nearing the end of the half.

 

[eebmg]

8-0 run by GTech. Leads 35-33 at half

 

[DefenseBB]

53-44 GT with 3:44 to go in the 3rd...Come on Tech!

 

[ConnecticutBB]

Great Effort GT...ND goes down again..

 

[Orangutan]

It seems Lahtinen has been playing for GT for a decade.

Had the same thought about Cubaj. Sad part is she used to be badly outmatched against ND. Now ND is outmatched by her...

 

[Orangutan]

I think GT is pretty good and they played very well for most of the game.

On the other hand, ND has a LONG way back to being a contender. Maddy Westbeld is maybe the only bright spot of the season so far.

 

[eebmg]

 

[nwhoopfan]

Maybe Muffet knew what she was doing abruptly retiring.

 

[GRIFFBIFF20]

What has happened to Sam Brunelle's career?????

 

[Blueberries]

I thought Sam Brunelle was the focal point of the Irish moving into this year. Is there an injury or something I missed? She isn't even starting?

 

[eebmg]

I thought Sam Brunelle was the focal point of the Irish moving into this year. Is there an injury or something I missed? She isn't even starting?

She is coming back from a Knee injury last year and this is her second game back so she is trying to get in playing shape. Her stat line today looks pretty good 7pts, 8 RB in 17 minutes

 

[Blueberries]

Thanks for the info

 

[DefenseBB]

Well, I think eebmg is being kind, she is getting better but "looking good" today is not entirely true. Her defense and game shape are sorely lacking. Heck, Over on the Bench, they want to bench her...

Given the talent that team has, despite the injuries, they were still more experienced and talented than GT. This could be the pain of having a 1st year coach (at any level) trying to lead them. I am also not sold on having Coquese Washington as your top assistant. I will be very interested in the Duke-ND game this year with Cunningham supporting Kara vs. Neile having Coquese...

 

[Ozimoto]

There was a bit of grumbling about the coaching on the bench as well. No one seems to have any patience anymore.

 

[eebmg]

Well, I think eebmg is being kind, she is getting better but "looking good" today is not entirely true. Her defense and game shape are sorely lacking. Heck, Over on the Bench, they want to bench her...

Given the talent that team has, despite the injuries, they were still more experienced and talented than GT. This could be the pain of having a 1st year coach (at any level) trying to lead them. I am also not sold on having Coquese Washington as your top assistant. I will be very interested in the Duke-ND game this year with Cunningham supporting Kara vs. Neile having Coquese...

Well, I did not watch the game. Just looked at SB's stats which did not indicate her defensive issues.

 

[Dillon77]

I think GT is pretty good and they played very well for most of the game.

On the other hand, ND has a LONG way back to being a contender. Maddy Westbeld is maybe the only bright spot of the season so far.

On a good day (although it's pouring in NJ as I type), I could add Anaya Peoples to that (although yesterday was a tough game for her, too). Maddy, on the other hand, has been a pleasure to watch. I like the way she figures out what the other team is throwing at her/the offense and amends her game to attack the right way. She's always strong in the 2nd half and, particularly, the 4th quarter. See, there's some light at the end of the tunnel

 

[donalddoowop]

I think Peoples will be a big help. Next season they will have better guards, although very young guards.

 

[Orangutan]

On a good day (although it's pouring in NJ as I type), I could add Anaya Peoples to that (although yesterday was a tough game for her, too). Maddy, on the other hand, has been a pleasure to watch. I like the way she figures out what the other team is throwing at her/the offense and ameds her game to attack the right way. She's always strong in the 2nd half. See, there's some light at the end of the tunnel

Yes, Peoples has been good as well. I feel that her and Westbeld are two building blocks to a good team going forward.

It's just unclear who players 3 through 5 are at the moment.

As an aside, I get the feeling that Anaya is an All-American power forward tragically trapped in a 5'9 body.

Weird skillset but effective in her own way.

 

[Orangutan]

There was a bit of grumbling about the coaching on the bench as well. No one seems to have any patience anymore.

Niele has had a COVID offseason and 5 games and they are openly wondering how long she gets to turn things around. Spoiled rotten.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Niele has had a COVID offseason and 5 games and they are openly wondering how long she gets to turn things around. Spoiled rotten.

Don't forget inheriting a diminished roster with injuries to every returning player over 6 feet tall. It's a wonder anyone facing such obstacles can man a team that wins against D1 competition! (and I say this as someone who is no fan of the Domers, but let's be real, the luck o' the Irish haven't been with them lately)

 

[Dillon77]

Yes, Peoples has been good as well. I feel that her and Westbeld are two building blocks to a good team going forward.

It's just unclear who players 3 through 5 are at the moment.

As an aside, I get the feeling that Anaya is an All-American power forward tragically trapped in a 5'9 body.

Weird skillset but effective in her own way.

One of the guys on the Bench (Luke?) brought up that Anaya reminds him of ND forward Adrian Dantley* who was, at best, 6'3" tall and made his mark in college and the pros pounding it out in the lane. Having gone to school with AD, I'm not sure he even made 6'3".

Still, she's very effective and feisty, to boot.

Glad to see the whole gang back -- even if it's not a matching set or the one you'd plan for -- it's good to have them all on the practice floor at the same time. Stay tuned.

* Comment made knowing that AD was a player of the 70's and 80's and might illicit "huh's" from many folks.