[treefan]

MT--

One thing I noticed this game and in watching the tape of last night's when I got home: our vulnerability against physical perimeter play hinges completely on the guards' willingness or unwillingness to drive.  When Lindy is in, she's not a threat to finish inside (or at least not quick enough to get a lot of advantage on the drive); if you body up on her, she's not going to turn you and go, and it prevents her from squaring up to the basket.

Toni and Amber present more of a driving threat, but Amber doesn't present as much of an outside threat, so you can drop off her and clog the middle more.

That's why Toni is so important to providing a balance to the team: she can play the one role that Stanford is often missing, the triple-threat slasher who can and will take the ball to the hoop.  She's not great at it, but she's good, and that provides us with some threat against teams that exert extreme perimeter pressure.

A couple of other things:
- Okay, I got a bit upset at the officiating today.  First half, looked fine for the most part.  Even the flagrant against Chiney, though I don't think it was nearly as bad as the earlier one against Kal.  But late in the game, it seemed Stanford couldn't buy a call inside, while da Bares set up a conga line to the charity stripe.  And the blocking call against Tinkle to end the first half was a joke; I don't think she could've been more still, but she was so close to the sideline, I doubt the official (who was watching the on-ball action) saw her standing there and waiting for the contact.

The late in the game sequence where Chiney was getting mugged inside, especially after the call against Tinkle, resulting in no whistle was a bit much.

- Great game by Amber; she needed to be in there in preference to Lindy.  I think LaRocque is a bit of a security blanket for Tara; she won't make many mistakes, and she's comfortable, and plays smart, but she doesn't create or cause the defense to adjust as much as Amber.  Orrange's two and-1 drives in the second half were the exact antidote necessary to K.al's overextended pressure on the outside.  Glad to see her take them.

Now we need to find the three-point shot again.  By someone not named Ogwumike, that is :).

VG

once again, great summary VG. I agree with every single pt you made, especially about the officiating. The call against Jos at the end of the half was great acting by Bares. Boothe also picked up quick fouls for breathing, while Chiney and Nneka (and one time Lindy) were clocked underneath. I hate the flagrant elbow foul thing, neither one was intentional.

[treefan]

MT--

One thing I noticed this game and in watching the tape of last night's when I got home: our vulnerability against physical perimeter play hinges completely on the guards' willingness or unwillingness to drive.  When Lindy is in, she's not a threat to finish inside (or at least not quick enough to get a lot of advantage on the drive); if you body up on her, she's not going to turn you and go, and it prevents her from squaring up to the basket.

Toni and Amber present more of a driving threat, but Amber doesn't present as much of an outside threat, so you can drop off her and clog the middle more.

That's why Toni is so important to providing a balance to the team: she can play the one role that Stanford is often missing, the triple-threat slasher who can and will take the ball to the hoop.  She's not great at it, but she's good, and that provides us with some threat against teams that exert extreme perimeter pressure.

A couple of other things:
- Okay, I got a bit upset at the officiating today.  First half, looked fine for the most part.  Even the flagrant against Chiney, though I don't think it was nearly as bad as the earlier one against Kal.  But late in the game, it seemed Stanford couldn't buy a call inside, while da Bares set up a conga line to the charity stripe.  And the blocking call against Tinkle to end the first half was a joke; I don't think she could've been more still, but she was so close to the sideline, I doubt the official (who was watching the on-ball action) saw her standing there and waiting for the contact.

The late in the game sequence where Chiney was getting mugged inside, especially after the call against Tinkle, resulting in no whistle was a bit much.

- Great game by Amber; she needed to be in there in preference to Lindy.  I think LaRocque is a bit of a security blanket for Tara; she won't make many mistakes, and she's comfortable, and plays smart, but she doesn't create or cause the defense to adjust as much as Amber.  Orrange's two and-1 drives in the second half were the exact antidote necessary to K.al's overextended pressure on the outside.  Glad to see her take them.

Now we need to find the three-point shot again.  By someone not named Ogwumike, that is :).

VG

once again, great summary VG. I agree with every single pt you made, especially about the officiating. The call against Jos at the end of the half was great acting by Bares. Boothe also picked up quick fouls for breathing, while Chiney and Nneka (and one time Lindy) were clocked underneath. I hate the flagrant elbow foul thing, neither one was intentional.