NCAA Matchups to Watch

[nwhoopfan]

I guess the best bet for any type of deep run in the NCAAT from Big 12 will be Texas?

Best bet for winning a single game? I mean Oklahoma should be able to handle Portland, but I'm pulling big time for Pilots upset today.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Looking like we're going to have a Duke vs. Colorado match up in Round 2. Or, defensive minded teams who can struggle to score, who both found their offenses in a big way today!

 

[The deacon]

How would UConn do against the tOSU press? I mean, it's clear that teams without a strong presence at pg or a big post presence is vulnerable to this, and the temptation to dribble toward the sideline at midcourt is hard to overcome. Inês succumbed to this a few times against Princeton. In previous years, Nika did too.

It's a lot harder to press teams with really confident ball handlers. Christyn was like this, practically press insurance, since no one ever got the ball away from her. Heck, she'd put the ball behind her back to break through traps and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Paige and Azzi are the same way. Once they have the ball, it's just too dangerous to try to trap them, their handles are too good, their passing vision, and they don't get flustered -- though Azzi did that one time late in the Stanford game last year.

But the real insurance against the press this year is Dorka and Aaliyah. They've already done this a few times this year, ready to get a pass at midcourt, either one can dribble from there or pass into the post. Either one could beat an unwary pressing team that got its spacing just a little bit off all the way to the basket.

Well said all around, Bone Dog.

And I'd add about how to break the Ohio State press, go back and watch the early stages of Iowa's Big Ten tournament final vs. the Buckeyes. The Hawkeyes shredded the press; of course, it helps to have Caitlin Clark but, even when she wasn't involved in a play, Iowa's passing and clockwork team play was beautiful to see.

I believe the Huskies could do similar things, but it requires discipline to not go for the home run every possession.

 

[Bone Dog]

Well said all around, Bone Dog.

And I'd add about how to break the Ohio State press, go back and watch the early stages of Iowa's Big Ten tournament final vs. the Buckeyes. The Hawkeyes shredded the press; of course, it helps to have Caitlin Clark but, even when she wasn't involved in a play, Iowa's passing and clockwork team play was beautiful to see.

I believe the Huskies could do similar things, but it requires discipline to not go for the home run every possession.

I agree. You can’t press Caitlin. Once she has the ball, there’s really no point. And Iowa has good ball handlers throughout the starting lineup.

The thing about players like Paige or Caitlin or Azzi is that they have great handles, but they’re also not afraid to run with you, and they don’t run into corners. Plus their court vision is too good. Weaker ball handlers look down at their dribble and lose their way.

It’s also too easy to get burned trying to stay next to them running backwards. Try to run sideways alongside them and they’ll draw the foul whenever they feel like it.

I don’t think Nika’s skills are quite at that level. Watch the Texas game and you can see why Geno preferred to have Azzi face their press. It was useless against her, while Nika would get troubled needlessly by it. In one interview, Geno observed that Azzi doesn’t start her dribble without knowing what she’s going to do, and she never picks it up without a purpose.

 

[cancontent]

Alabama already up 12-0 less than 5 min into the game. B. Davis is really a handful to deal with. I guess the best bet for any type of deep run in the NCAAT from Big 12 will be Texas?

Baylor came back and Alabama squandered their lead. Now facing UConn which will be a challenge for them, especially in the paint.

Texas may still be the team most likely to have a run, but this match up against Louisville isn't clear cut. Both teams live off of their defense. I think the post players will be key and I think Texas may have the advantage here.

 

[Big12wbbFan]

Baylor came back and Alabama squandered their lead. Now facing UConn which will be a challenge for them, especially in the paint.

Texas may still be the team most likely to have a run, but this match up against Louisville isn't clear cut. Both teams live off of their defense. I think the post players will be key and I think Texas may have the advantage here.

UCONN will be huge challenge for Baylor. I think only chance they have to win is if they hit the 3 ball like they did in second half of Alabama game. The one thing in Baylor’s favor is that there is no pressure on them going into this game. No one expects them to win. More pressure is on UCONN to win.

 

[SECbbfan24]

UCONN will be huge challenge for Baylor. I think only chance they have to win is if they hit the 3 ball like they did in second half of Alabama game. The one thing in Baylor’s favor is that there is no pressure on them going into this game. No one expects them to win. More pressure is on UCONN to win.

They need Bickle to stay out of foul trouble and for Andrews and Asberry to be upperclassmen leaders to be steady.

I imagine Bella and Buggs will play well much like they have most this year but they are freshmen as well in a big situation

 

[Big12wbbFan]

They need Bickle to stay out of foul trouble and for Andrews and Asberry to be upperclassmen leaders to be steady.

I imagine Bella and Buggs will play well much like they have most this year but they are freshmen as well in a big situation

Very true. The odds are definitely against Baylor. Will be interesting to see how they do. Upsets do
happen, but UCONN is certainly the better team.

 

[southie]

Down goes 1 seed Stanford to 8 seed Ole Miss at home, 54-49! Congrats to the Rebels.

 

[SECbbfan24]

Pretty great showing by the SEC this tournament. Much better than I thought they were. Even with the Georgia loss, they played Iowa down to the wire at their place.

Congrats to Coach Yo and Ole Miss, very well deserved

 

[southie]

Probably the worst season of coaching by Tara in a long time.

Have to laugh that she whined and whined to the media last season about how physical Texas played and got in the officials' ears prior to our Elite 8 matchup one year ago. Tonight, Ole Miss give her some physical play in her own arena and she couldn't whine her way out of it this time around.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Probably the worst season of coaching by Tara in a long time.

Agreed. They had plenty of talent. She never quite figured out what to do with it, in which combinations.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Probably the worst season of coaching by Tara in a long time.

Have to laugh that she whined and whined to the media last season about how physical Texas played and got in the officials' ears prior to our Elite 8 matchup one year ago. Tonight, Ole Miss give her some physical play in her own arena and she couldn't whine her way out of it this time around.

My how gracious you are!

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Agreed. They had plenty of talent. She never quite figured out what to do with it, in which combinations.

Just didn't have the guards.

 

[southie]

My how gracious you are!

What goes around comes around. She got her karma tonight.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Just didn't have the guards.

Early in the season I thought they did, but several didn't seem to develop. Still could be some potential with Lepolo and Nivar, but they have a long way to go.

 

[nwhoopfan]

So, what is Haley Jones' legacy? She did play a huge role in bringing a Championship to Stanford after a 30 year drought. But she didn't seem to improve at all after her Soph year, in fact I think she regressed. To me it seems like potential unrealized. She was clearly dominant at times, but very inconsistent.

 

[GamecockFam]

Yeah, something was off with Stanford this season...

I'm happy for Ole Miss! Everyone knows I'm a Coach Yo stan...so happy for her!

Looking forward, that regional is full of defensively tough teams remaining....and then there's Iowa. Iowa will be facing a lot more defensively tough teams like Georgia...

 

[GamecockFam]

So, what is Haley Jones' legacy? She did play a huge role in bringing a Championship to Stanford after a 30 year drought. But she didn't seem to improve at all after her Soph year, in fact I think she regressed. To me it seems like potential unrealized. She was clearly dominant at times, but very inconsistent.

Agreed...a lot of unrealized potential. Haley Jones just seems like a human bowling ball without much technique. She tries too hard to bully her way under the basket for a layup when it isn't there and hunts for fouls.

 

[The deacon]

Down goes 1 seed Stanford to 8 seed Ole Miss at home, 54-49! Congrats to the Rebels.

Agreed, it was a hard-earned and well-deserved win for Ole Miss.

I wish they'd change their nickname. Confederate flags and statues have been taken down all over the South, yet a state university still goes by the nickname Rebels?

 

[undersized]

So, what is Haley Jones' legacy? She did play a huge role in bringing a Championship to Stanford after a 30 year drought. But she didn't seem to improve at all after her Soph year, in fact I think she regressed. To me it seems like potential unrealized. She was clearly dominant at times, but very inconsistent.

Love Haley's demeanor and floor game, but as a guard (if that's what she is...) it really helps when you can shoot it. I think her "regression" is more about the backcourt beside her getting weaker and weaker as Williams, Wilson, and the Hull twins graduated.

 

[azfan]

Agreed, it was a hard-earned and well-deserved win for Ole Miss.

I wish they'd change their nickname. Confederate flags and statues have been taken down all over the South, yet a state university still goes by the nickname Rebels?

Agree completely. Long over due and an action that continues to warrant action.

 

[GamecockFam]

Agreed, it was a hard-earned and well-deserved win for Ole Miss.

I wish they'd change their nickname. Confederate flags and statues have been taken down all over the South, yet a state university still goes by the nickname Rebels?

They've partially changed their nickname. They go by the landsharks in some scenarios. This actually reminds me of a student newspaper poll when they were rebranding. The most popular vote was to make Admiral Akbar (leader of the rebel fleet in Star Wars) the new mascot, but it was vetoed by the administration.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Love Haley's demeanor and floor game, but as a guard (if that's what she is...) it really helps when you can shoot it. I think her "regression" is more about the backcourt beside her getting weaker and weaker as Williams, Wilson, and the Hull twins graduated.

I really just don't see her as a guard in the WNBA. At all. Maybe a wing but more of an undersized PF. Just doesn't have the handles. She does have nice court vision, makes some great passes, but too turnover prone. And as EVERYONE keeps saying, just doesn't have the outside shot. She actually seemed to be improving in the middle of her career, then went way downhill this season.

 

[southie]

Love Haley's demeanor and floor game, but as a guard (if that's what she is...) it really helps when you can shoot it. I think her "regression" is more about the backcourt beside her getting weaker and weaker as Williams, Wilson, and the Hull twins graduated.

She calls herself a point forward. But, yeah, she can't shoot with much range; at the next level, if you are 5'11 you need to be a good shooter.