[biketoc]

Yes, last night was (hopefully) the low point of the season.  Props to WI for their fight and not backing down.  That being said, there was no excuse for losing with or without Brit and Dijonai.  I agree with much of what has been said about lack of intensity.  I think we have all been waiting for Alanna to step up and be a leader on this team, but that just doesn’t seem to be part of her makeup, at least not yet.  I think Marta wants to be that person, but she doesn’t seem able to lead the team.  Brit is more of the silent assassin type.
 
So, back to last night’s game.  I too was surprised at the starting lineup.  That lineup made perfect sense for UNLV, but looking at the starting five for WI I wondered why it was the same five for Stanford.  The only reason I could think of was because it worked before and Tara seems to make decisions like that.  Tara didn’t stick with that lineup for very long so it wasn’t really an issue.  What I really don’t understand is why she stuck with Kaylee and Marta for so long in the 4th quarter.  Even after Kaylee picked up her 4th foul she stayed in the game.  I wish someone had asked her about that.  As has been said on this board before when Marta and Kaylee are in the game at the same time it is almost 3 on 5.  Why, when your offense has gone completely cold, does she stick with two players who don’t even look to score?  My hope is that Tara was making a statement to the two of them that this is your opportunity.  Unfortunately both of them failed to step up.  Quite a bit was made about Alanna looking tired and not finishing and both of those things are true, but in the 4th quarter WI pounded on her whenever she got the ball because they knew they did not have to worry about Kaylee.  I think Kaylee is what she is and there isn’t anymore there.  I don’t intend this to be mean, it’s more about her ceiling.  Now it is up to the coaches to limit her playing time to situational substitutions.  Let Maya and Nadia get the experience they need.  They both have a nose for the basket on offense that Kaylee has never had.
I don’t think Marta has hit her ceiling, but she sure seems stuck.  I was a big fan of her from the first time I saw her play.  She brought so much energy and pushed the ball up the floor like no one since Toni Kokenis.  I always thought her biggest problem was going to be all the other players not being ready for her quick passes and that was true her freshman year.  Now her problems are too much dribbling at times, her reluctance to shoot and her turnovers.  She just really seems out of sorts at times.  Watching Kiana at the point vs UNLV really brought to light the issues that Marta is struggling with.

In the post game notes Tara made reference to how the coaches need to step up.  I thought the 4th quarter was all on her. I was so surprised to see her put on a press, but why wait so long to do it?  If her goal was to win the game then she failed miserably.  If her goal was to send a message to Marta, Kaylee and the rest of the team, then we can only hope it was received.  I try to keep in mind these are young women and this is a process. 

[biketoc]

Yes, last night was (hopefully) the low point of the season.  Props to WI for their fight and not backing down.  That being said, there was no excuse for losing with or without Brit and Dijonai.  I agree with much of what has been said about lack of intensity.  I think we have all been waiting for Alanna to step up and be a leader on this team, but that just doesn’t seem to be part of her makeup, at least not yet.  I think Marta wants to be that person, but she doesn’t seem able to lead the team.  Brit is more of the silent assassin type.
 
So, back to last night’s game.  I too was surprised at the starting lineup.  That lineup made perfect sense for UNLV, but looking at the starting five for WI I wondered why it was the same five for Stanford.  The only reason I could think of was because it worked before and Tara seems to make decisions like that.  Tara didn’t stick with that lineup for very long so it wasn’t really an issue.  What I really don’t understand is why she stuck with Kaylee and Marta for so long in the 4th quarter.  Even after Kaylee picked up her 4th foul she stayed in the game.  I wish someone had asked her about that.  As has been said on this board before when Marta and Kaylee are in the game at the same time it is almost 3 on 5.  Why, when your offense has gone completely cold, does she stick with two players who don’t even look to score?  My hope is that Tara was making a statement to the two of them that this is your opportunity.  Unfortunately both of them failed to step up.  Quite a bit was made about Alanna looking tired and not finishing and both of those things are true, but in the 4th quarter WI pounded on her whenever she got the ball because they knew they did not have to worry about Kaylee.  I think Kaylee is what she is and there isn’t anymore there.  I don’t intend this to be mean, it’s more about her ceiling.  Now it is up to the coaches to limit her playing time to situational substitutions.  Let Maya and Nadia get the experience they need.  They both have a nose for the basket on offense that Kaylee has never had.
I don’t think Marta has hit her ceiling, but she sure seems stuck.  I was a big fan of her from the first time I saw her play.  She brought so much energy and pushed the ball up the floor like no one since Toni Kokenis.  I always thought her biggest problem was going to be all the other players not being ready for her quick passes and that was true her freshman year.  Now her problems are too much dribbling at times, her reluctance to shoot and her turnovers.  She just really seems out of sorts at times.  Watching Kiana at the point vs UNLV really brought to light the issues that Marta is struggling with.

In the post game notes Tara made reference to how the coaches need to step up.  I thought the 4th quarter was all on her. I was so surprised to see her put on a press, but why wait so long to do it?  If her goal was to win the game then she failed miserably.  If her goal was to send a message to Marta, Kaylee and the rest of the team, then we can only hope it was received.  I try to keep in mind these are young women and this is a process.