[mbdude]

Exceprt from HighPostHoops. Author is sportswriter Ben Dull:
Smith’s staggering efficiency and workload
15 games into the 2018-19 season, let’s put some numbers to how impressive Alanna Smith’s senior campaign has been. She’s up to 66.0% true shooting with a 30.7% usage rate per Her Hoop Stats. She’s shooting 48.8 percent from deep on 5.3 3-point attempts per game. And her block rate has ballooned to 8.9 percent after Sunday’s block party in Tucson.
Smith has the highest usage of anybody in the top 50 nationally in true shooting. Iowa’s Megan Gustafson (72.0% TS and 28.9% USG) and Oregon’s Ruthy Hebard (69.5% TS and 24.6% USG) are the only Power 5 high usage players in that ballpark.
We can keep saying the Cardinal won’t be as daunting of an opponent if some of Smith’s 3-pointers stop going in the basket. That shouldn’t get in the way of appreciating this level of production. Few Power 5 players in the country carry this big of a scoring load for their teams. Smith does and remains one of the most efficient scorers in college basketball.

The Her Hoop Stats link is interesting

[mbdude]

Exceprt from HighPostHoops. Author is sportswriter Ben Dull:
Smith’s staggering efficiency and workload
15 games into the 2018-19 season, let’s put some numbers to how impressive Alanna Smith’s senior campaign has been. She’s up to 66.0% true shooting with a 30.7% usage rate per Her Hoop Stats. She’s shooting 48.8 percent from deep on 5.3 3-point attempts per game. And her block rate has ballooned to 8.9 percent after Sunday’s block party in Tucson.
Smith has the highest usage of anybody in the top 50 nationally in true shooting. Iowa’s Megan Gustafson (72.0% TS and 28.9% USG) and Oregon’s Ruthy Hebard (69.5% TS and 24.6% USG) are the only Power 5 high usage players in that ballpark.
We can keep saying the Cardinal won’t be as daunting of an opponent if some of Smith’s 3-pointers stop going in the basket. That shouldn’t get in the way of appreciating this level of production. Few Power 5 players in the country carry this big of a scoring load for their teams. Smith does and remains one of the most efficient scorers in college basketball.

The Her Hoop Stats link is interesting

[BobK]

Great post and to add right now Alanna is playing as well as anyone in our history.

[BobK]

Great post and to add right now Alanna is playing as well as anyone in our history.

[crackpot]

Thanks mbdude. I don't think there's anyone else in the NCAA right now playing better.

Also, am I the only one whose heart stopped on seeing the subject line, or am I just overly anxious?

[crackpot]

Thanks mbdude. I don't think there's anyone else in the NCAA right now playing better.

Also, am I the only one whose heart stopped on seeing the subject line, or am I just overly anxious?

[Lorcan]

Thanks mbdude. I don't think there's anyone else in the NCAA right now playing better.

Also, am I the only one whose heart stopped on seeing the subject line, or am I just overly anxious?

No, you’re not. I probably cursed, but given that I’m not in polite company or any company at all, I deny all claims of that. 

I think Alanna has a great shot for Pac-12 POY, but it will be tough given the media’s fangirling of Sabrina Ionescu who has all but been coronated POY. If I had a vote, I’d go with Alanna or Iowa’s Gustafson.

[Lorcan]

Thanks mbdude. I don't think there's anyone else in the NCAA right now playing better.

Also, am I the only one whose heart stopped on seeing the subject line, or am I just overly anxious?

No, you’re not. I probably cursed, but given that I’m not in polite company or any company at all, I deny all claims of that. 

I think Alanna has a great shot for Pac-12 POY, but it will be tough given the media’s fangirling of Sabrina Ionescu who has all but been coronated POY. If I had a vote, I’d go with Alanna or Iowa’s Gustafson.

[mbdude]

Thanks mbdude. I don't think there's anyone else in the NCAA right now playing better.

Also, am I the only one whose heart stopped on seeing the subject line, or am I just overly anxious?

I should'a thought of that. amended subject line

[mbdude]

Thanks mbdude. I don't think there's anyone else in the NCAA right now playing better.

Also, am I the only one whose heart stopped on seeing the subject line, or am I just overly anxious?

I should'a thought of that. amended subject line

[BosCard]

Have to respectfully disagree with Bob on this one.  Alanna has been playing great and is having a very special year and one of the best by a Stanford player.  However, Chiney's senior year, she averaged 26.1 points and 12.1 rebounds.  She lead the team in scoring in 30 out of 33 games.  The only other player who averaged double figures was Amber Orrange who averaged 10.3 points.  This team reached the final four and only lost 3 times including twice to UConn (who were led by Breanna Stewart and Moriah Jefferson).

[BosCard]

Have to respectfully disagree with Bob on this one.  Alanna has been playing great and is having a very special year and one of the best by a Stanford player.  However, Chiney's senior year, she averaged 26.1 points and 12.1 rebounds.  She lead the team in scoring in 30 out of 33 games.  The only other player who averaged double figures was Amber Orrange who averaged 10.3 points.  This team reached the final four and only lost 3 times including twice to UConn (who were led by Breanna Stewart and Moriah Jefferson).

[Griffins78]

Hard to compare over history but I also feel Alanna may be having the best season of any Stanford player in history. Her ability to go outside and score so efficiently and effectively from 3-point land and yet be unstoppable inside as Chiney was makes her a dominant player. But her defense and blocking shots from all angles has allowed us to be aggressive on defense kept most is not all our opponents frustrated and below their averages.

[Griffins78]

Hard to compare over history but I also feel Alanna may be having the best season of any Stanford player in history. Her ability to go outside and score so efficiently and effectively from 3-point land and yet be unstoppable inside as Chiney was makes her a dominant player. But her defense and blocking shots from all angles has allowed us to be aggressive on defense kept most is not all our opponents frustrated and below their averages.

[jonnyss]

alanna is special, among the best ever at stanford, in her multiple talents. she is not as good inside as jayne or chimney or nneka. she is not as good outside as candice or jeanette or jennifer azzi. 

but she is an offensive star with both an inside and an outside threat, and she is a defensive star as a shot-blocker. 

her multiple skills make her a sort of draymond green or russell westbrook. (not the exact same multiple skills, but i hope you get what i mean). or breanna stewart - lite.

[jonnyss]

alanna is special, among the best ever at stanford, in her multiple talents. she is not as good inside as jayne or chimney or nneka. she is not as good outside as candice or jeanette or jennifer azzi. 

but she is an offensive star with both an inside and an outside threat, and she is a defensive star as a shot-blocker. 

her multiple skills make her a sort of draymond green or russell westbrook. (not the exact same multiple skills, but i hope you get what i mean). or breanna stewart - lite.

[BostonCard]

Right on cue, she’s having another monster game against WSU.

BC

[BostonCard]

Right on cue, she’s having another monster game against WSU.

BC

[81alum]

I remember watching her playing internationally the summer before her freshman year wondering how well her skills would transfer to the college level.  I predicted an outstanding career for her but while she was good, it took several years for her to reach her full potential.  And now she has, and it is wonderful to behold.  

But the true greats in WBB have been dominant for four years.  Alanna had 1004 points through last year, and has added 357 this year.  Chiney had 2,737.  Candice 2,629.  And then there are 21 more players currently ahead of Alanna.  By the end of the season, Alanna will probably will pass a lot of them but to make the top 10 she will have to pass Jennifer Azzi at 1634. So Alanna might indeed get to the top 10.

As far as how she fits with the other Stanford greats, I think we need to acknowledge her defensive weakness--a tendency to foul.  For example, yesterday she was kept off of defending Bobbye Buckets to help prevent her (Alanna) from getting into foul trouble.  This allowed her to have a monster game, with 0 fouls.  But when she has to guard a talented forward her own size, she has trouble.  A lot of those blocks turn into fouls.  So she is an offensive gem and can at times be a defensive liability.

I wonder if Nicole Powell is the best comparison.  Not exact, but she was also very versatile, although smaller.

[81alum]

I remember watching her playing internationally the summer before her freshman year wondering how well her skills would transfer to the college level.  I predicted an outstanding career for her but while she was good, it took several years for her to reach her full potential.  And now she has, and it is wonderful to behold.  

But the true greats in WBB have been dominant for four years.  Alanna had 1004 points through last year, and has added 357 this year.  Chiney had 2,737.  Candice 2,629.  And then there are 21 more players currently ahead of Alanna.  By the end of the season, Alanna will probably will pass a lot of them but to make the top 10 she will have to pass Jennifer Azzi at 1634. So Alanna might indeed get to the top 10.

As far as how she fits with the other Stanford greats, I think we need to acknowledge her defensive weakness--a tendency to foul.  For example, yesterday she was kept off of defending Bobbye Buckets to help prevent her (Alanna) from getting into foul trouble.  This allowed her to have a monster game, with 0 fouls.  But when she has to guard a talented forward her own size, she has trouble.  A lot of those blocks turn into fouls.  So she is an offensive gem and can at times be a defensive liability.

I wonder if Nicole Powell is the best comparison.  Not exact, but she was also very versatile, although smaller.

[2006alum]

Also, to put it in perspective, Chiney's senior year tally was an insane 967 points. Nneka's senior year was 809, Chiney's junior year 805. To crack the top ten, Smith will need at least 623 points, which would put her just behind Nicole Powell, who had 627 points her senior year, good for ninth all time. Assuming we go deep into the PAC-12 and the tournament, we should be roughly halfway through the season, and since Smith seems to be picking up steam as she goes, you figure she'll at least match her current tally, if not out-perform it, since Tara subbed her out early in a lot of our early-season blowouts. Doubling 357 would put her around 720, which would put her 7th all time, between Candice's and Nneka's sophomore years (both missed games due to injury as juniors). If she keeps her average pace per game of 21 ppg, she'd finish just above Kate Starbird for 5th all time single season ppg, above Powell's 20.2. So Powell seems like a good analog for single season performance, albeit that Powell was a more consistent contributor across her four seasons.

Which seems about right: I'd put Smith one rung below our historically best offensive players (Wiggins and Ogwumike x2), who all started from basically their frosh years. Smith only became a regular starter last season, and only a reliable, game in, game out scorer this season. Even last season she had some really quiet games, including a stretch mid PAC-12 play where she scored in the single digits for something like 7 of 10 games. She exploded in the post-season and hasn't looked back since.

Intriguingly, she is also on pace to come very close to breaking Appel's single season record of 84 blocks (Smith has 40 so far), and will very likely pass Appel's junior year tally of 70 for 2nd all time. So although she has some weaknesses as a defender, as a shot blocker she will almost certainly be up there with Appel and Chiney, McCall and Tinkle, all of whom maxed out at 66 blocks in a season. And indeed, Smith already has 62 blocks, good for 7th all time, from last year...

[2006alum]

Also, to put it in perspective, Chiney's senior year tally was an insane 967 points. Nneka's senior year was 809, Chiney's junior year 805. To crack the top ten, Smith will need at least 623 points, which would put her just behind Nicole Powell, who had 627 points her senior year, good for ninth all time. Assuming we go deep into the PAC-12 and the tournament, we should be roughly halfway through the season, and since Smith seems to be picking up steam as she goes, you figure she'll at least match her current tally, if not out-perform it, since Tara subbed her out early in a lot of our early-season blowouts. Doubling 357 would put her around 720, which would put her 7th all time, between Candice's and Nneka's sophomore years (both missed games due to injury as juniors). If she keeps her average pace per game of 21 ppg, she'd finish just above Kate Starbird for 5th all time single season ppg, above Powell's 20.2. So Powell seems like a good analog for single season performance, albeit that Powell was a more consistent contributor across her four seasons.

Which seems about right: I'd put Smith one rung below our historically best offensive players (Wiggins and Ogwumike x2), who all started from basically their frosh years. Smith only became a regular starter last season, and only a reliable, game in, game out scorer this season. Even last season she had some really quiet games, including a stretch mid PAC-12 play where she scored in the single digits for something like 7 of 10 games. She exploded in the post-season and hasn't looked back since.

Intriguingly, she is also on pace to come very close to breaking Appel's single season record of 84 blocks (Smith has 40 so far), and will very likely pass Appel's junior year tally of 70 for 2nd all time. So although she has some weaknesses as a defender, as a shot blocker she will almost certainly be up there with Appel and Chiney, McCall and Tinkle, all of whom maxed out at 66 blocks in a season. And indeed, Smith already has 62 blocks, good for 7th all time, from last year...