[Viking_Guy]

My opinion -- I think they may be a more difficult matchup for us than Baylor.  Yes, Griner is a beast, but as A&M showed tonight, if you can play her physically without fouling, she can and does miss shots.  She\'s not a great rebounder, especially for her size (not very soft hands), and if you force her to make a move involving putting the ball on the floor she\'s really vulnerable.

Tonight, Baylor\'s players kept trying to force the issue with her, getting the ball into the post with very little side to side movement to force the defense to rotate.  At the end of the game, in the key stretch where A&M only scored 6 points in 9 minutes, they suffered from trying to either force the ball in or making wild 1v1 drives into the paint.

And Baylor\'s free throw shooting was a big key.

As far as A&M goes, Danielle Adams, for a first team All-American, doesn\'t really impress me.  She\'s got some great moves down low, and a nice little spinning jumper, but she seems to content to hang out on the perimeter and jack up threes when she doesn\'t really make them.

That being said, Carter and Colson really concern me.  We\'ve had enough trouble guarding one quick guard, let alone two.  I\'m hoping they got the good shooting game out of their system tonight.

Might we see zone?  It\'s a possibility against A&M, who doesn\'t really have a lot of range; Carter\'s at 38% from 3, and sub Tyra White is at 39%, but Adams and Colson are both around 31%.

The far larger concern is their defense; as MT pointed out, the one biggest downside of the Gonzaga win was 18 turnovers, many of the pass to no one/lazy pass variety.  If we don\'t emphasize ball security, we let a so-so offensive team score easy transition buckets.

One thing that I am glad of: transfer Kelsey Bone is not yet eligible.  Karla Gilbert (who fouled out quickly against Griner tonight, but gave the Aggies valuable minutes) is the only active player taller than 6\'1".  Both Ogwumikes struggle against taller, longer defenders, which they shouldn\'t have to deal with.

What do I expect?  Chiney on Adams.  Nneka on Gilbert.  Kayla on Elonu, Jeanette sagging off Colson and Lindy chasing Carter.  

Offensively, MAKE ADAMS WORK.  She\'s a load at 250 lbs +, but she\'s not in very good shape (reminds me a bit of Shawntanyce Polk, may she rest in peace, with a bit more range).  If Nneka and Chiney can get down the floor early, she\'ll trail badly.

Prediction?  I\'d say, barring someone having a complete disaster of a game for Stanford or an unlikely suspect shooting the lights out for the Aggies, 60%-40% the Cardinal wins.  With each Cardinal turnover, that percentage goes down a point.  With each offensive rebound, back up a point.

Have to keep Colson and Carter out of the paint.  Rebound the heck out of the ball.  And frustrate Adams.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

My opinion -- I think they may be a more difficult matchup for us than Baylor.  Yes, Griner is a beast, but as A&M showed tonight, if you can play her physically without fouling, she can and does miss shots.  She\'s not a great rebounder, especially for her size (not very soft hands), and if you force her to make a move involving putting the ball on the floor she\'s really vulnerable.

Tonight, Baylor\'s players kept trying to force the issue with her, getting the ball into the post with very little side to side movement to force the defense to rotate.  At the end of the game, in the key stretch where A&M only scored 6 points in 9 minutes, they suffered from trying to either force the ball in or making wild 1v1 drives into the paint.

And Baylor\'s free throw shooting was a big key.

As far as A&M goes, Danielle Adams, for a first team All-American, doesn\'t really impress me.  She\'s got some great moves down low, and a nice little spinning jumper, but she seems to content to hang out on the perimeter and jack up threes when she doesn\'t really make them.

That being said, Carter and Colson really concern me.  We\'ve had enough trouble guarding one quick guard, let alone two.  I\'m hoping they got the good shooting game out of their system tonight.

Might we see zone?  It\'s a possibility against A&M, who doesn\'t really have a lot of range; Carter\'s at 38% from 3, and sub Tyra White is at 39%, but Adams and Colson are both around 31%.

The far larger concern is their defense; as MT pointed out, the one biggest downside of the Gonzaga win was 18 turnovers, many of the pass to no one/lazy pass variety.  If we don\'t emphasize ball security, we let a so-so offensive team score easy transition buckets.

One thing that I am glad of: transfer Kelsey Bone is not yet eligible.  Karla Gilbert (who fouled out quickly against Griner tonight, but gave the Aggies valuable minutes) is the only active player taller than 6\'1".  Both Ogwumikes struggle against taller, longer defenders, which they shouldn\'t have to deal with.

What do I expect?  Chiney on Adams.  Nneka on Gilbert.  Kayla on Elonu, Jeanette sagging off Colson and Lindy chasing Carter.  

Offensively, MAKE ADAMS WORK.  She\'s a load at 250 lbs +, but she\'s not in very good shape (reminds me a bit of Shawntanyce Polk, may she rest in peace, with a bit more range).  If Nneka and Chiney can get down the floor early, she\'ll trail badly.

Prediction?  I\'d say, barring someone having a complete disaster of a game for Stanford or an unlikely suspect shooting the lights out for the Aggies, 60%-40% the Cardinal wins.  With each Cardinal turnover, that percentage goes down a point.  With each offensive rebound, back up a point.

Have to keep Colson and Carter out of the paint.  Rebound the heck out of the ball.  And frustrate Adams.

VG