[M T]

Half time was Stanford 29 - ASU 15 so second half was Stanford 23 - ASU 28.

Ugly shooting percentage in the second half.  Our top players played the whole game.  Not good.
No 3s.

Two double-doubles for the O team though.

[M T]

Half time was Stanford 29 - ASU 15 so second half was Stanford 23 - ASU 28.

Ugly shooting percentage in the second half.  Our top players played the whole game.  Not good.
No 3s.

Two double-doubles for the O team though.

[Viking_Guy]

Couldn't watch today, but it sounded like two things:

(1) The game was essentially no blood, no foul.  Not called closely, evenly or well.  Let me put it this way: in the first half, Stanford was called for 2 fouls, and ASU 9 or so.  In the second half, Stanford was called for 7 fouls before ASU was called for its third.  And the game wasn't being played that differently.  It felt like a game of rugby.  And then there were the occasional hand-check fouls, called seemingly at random.  Just not good.

(2) Stanford couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.  From 2 feet away.  And then got scared to shoot, and started to try to run out the clock way too early.  How about 0-10 from 3 pt range?  And in the second half, a grand total of 1 field goal in the last TWELVE MINUTES, and FOUR in the entire second half.  Very poor composure down the stretch.

That being said, an okay defensive performance.  Zero points from the bench.  Everyone not named Ogwumike shot a combined 4-29.

Blech.  More later.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Couldn't watch today, but it sounded like two things:

(1) The game was essentially no blood, no foul.  Not called closely, evenly or well.  Let me put it this way: in the first half, Stanford was called for 2 fouls, and ASU 9 or so.  In the second half, Stanford was called for 7 fouls before ASU was called for its third.  And the game wasn't being played that differently.  It felt like a game of rugby.  And then there were the occasional hand-check fouls, called seemingly at random.  Just not good.

(2) Stanford couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.  From 2 feet away.  And then got scared to shoot, and started to try to run out the clock way too early.  How about 0-10 from 3 pt range?  And in the second half, a grand total of 1 field goal in the last TWELVE MINUTES, and FOUR in the entire second half.  Very poor composure down the stretch.

That being said, an okay defensive performance.  Zero points from the bench.  Everyone not named Ogwumike shot a combined 4-29.

Blech.  More later.

VG

[81alum]

This was the ugliest game I've seen Stanford play in quite some time.  29.4% shooting. 

There was one beautiful play in the first half when Nneka blocked a shot and started a fast break.  She wound up dishing an assist at the other end to Chiney with a last second bounce pass near the basket.

That said, we seemed to rarely be able to get the ball to Nneka or Chiney in close--their baskets were often off of dribble drives of their own or off of O-boards.  Combine that with 0-10 three point shooting and you get--ugly. 

There were times in the second half when I wondered if we would really be able to break 40 points.  A lot of the final points came in the last minutes off of free throws.  ASU got within 6 points several times towards the end.  22 of our points came from free throws--meaning we played 40 minutes to score 15 baskets.  None of them for three.

I don't know whether to think this is a positive wake-up call to get us ready for tougher competition, or whether it will simply soften us up for the final tomorrow.

Sarah Boothe did not play at all.  I wonder if something is wrong there. 

Toni did a lot of pull up jumpers because that was what they were giving us, I guess, but went just 3-13.  A lot of those shots seemed awkward.  Was Kali Bennett really altering so many shots?  If so, Griner seems scarier yet.

There were some plays that were virtually wrestling matches where nothing was called.  But we keep hearing that we need the experience of playing in those kinds of games since that is often how tournament games are called.  And that was not responsible for 0-10 three point shooting.

Ugh.

[81alum]

This was the ugliest game I've seen Stanford play in quite some time.  29.4% shooting. 

There was one beautiful play in the first half when Nneka blocked a shot and started a fast break.  She wound up dishing an assist at the other end to Chiney with a last second bounce pass near the basket.

That said, we seemed to rarely be able to get the ball to Nneka or Chiney in close--their baskets were often off of dribble drives of their own or off of O-boards.  Combine that with 0-10 three point shooting and you get--ugly. 

There were times in the second half when I wondered if we would really be able to break 40 points.  A lot of the final points came in the last minutes off of free throws.  ASU got within 6 points several times towards the end.  22 of our points came from free throws--meaning we played 40 minutes to score 15 baskets.  None of them for three.

I don't know whether to think this is a positive wake-up call to get us ready for tougher competition, or whether it will simply soften us up for the final tomorrow.

Sarah Boothe did not play at all.  I wonder if something is wrong there. 

Toni did a lot of pull up jumpers because that was what they were giving us, I guess, but went just 3-13.  A lot of those shots seemed awkward.  Was Kali Bennett really altering so many shots?  If so, Griner seems scarier yet.

There were some plays that were virtually wrestling matches where nothing was called.  But we keep hearing that we need the experience of playing in those kinds of games since that is often how tournament games are called.  And that was not responsible for 0-10 three point shooting.

Ugh.

[M T]

Stats are up at ESPN:
ASU outscored us from the field.  They had 14 two-pointers & 3 three-ptrs, for 37 points.
Stanford had 15 two pointers & 0 three-ptrs, for 30 points.  Not good.

What was good was that we hit 81.5% of our 27 FTAs, for 22 points.  ASU hit 6 of 8.

Rebounds: Stanford 25 DR, 14 OR;  ASU 16 DR, 8 OR.  We almost out-rebounded them under our basket.

Nneka & Chiney: 38 min.  Toni: 40 min.  Jos: 24 min, Lindy: 22 min.
After shooting 44% in the first half, we ended up at 29.4% (15-51)
Nneka and Chiney each hit 50% (7 - 14; 4 -8).
0fer days for Jos, Lindy, Taylor, Bonnie.
Toni was 3-13, Amber 1-6.

With the horrible shooting, it should not be surprising:
7 Assists; 16 TO

No field goals for Stanford from 12:43 in the second (37-22) until 3:44 (42-32), nearly 9 minutes!



The Double Doubles were
Nneka 24pts, 12 reb, 4asst, 2blk
Chiney 12pts, 13 reb

[M T]

Stats are up at ESPN:
ASU outscored us from the field.  They had 14 two-pointers & 3 three-ptrs, for 37 points.
Stanford had 15 two pointers & 0 three-ptrs, for 30 points.  Not good.

What was good was that we hit 81.5% of our 27 FTAs, for 22 points.  ASU hit 6 of 8.

Rebounds: Stanford 25 DR, 14 OR;  ASU 16 DR, 8 OR.  We almost out-rebounded them under our basket.

Nneka & Chiney: 38 min.  Toni: 40 min.  Jos: 24 min, Lindy: 22 min.
After shooting 44% in the first half, we ended up at 29.4% (15-51)
Nneka and Chiney each hit 50% (7 - 14; 4 -8).
0fer days for Jos, Lindy, Taylor, Bonnie.
Toni was 3-13, Amber 1-6.

With the horrible shooting, it should not be surprising:
7 Assists; 16 TO

No field goals for Stanford from 12:43 in the second (37-22) until 3:44 (42-32), nearly 9 minutes!



The Double Doubles were
Nneka 24pts, 12 reb, 4asst, 2blk
Chiney 12pts, 13 reb

[Yellowlab]

OK, this was the pack it in and make them beat you from the perimeter strategy that everyone is going to employ against Stanford this year.  Yes, ASU is a good defensive team, but those were wide open looks that Stanford kept missing.  (I confess that I yelled at the TV more than once.)

I have to agree that Stanford got the deer-in-the-headlights look during this game.  There were long no-movement-watch-the-dribbler stretches that make you wonder why Tara didn't call time out and chew someone out. 

How about Nneka at the free throw line down the stretch?  You could sense the game slipping through Stanford's fingers, but Nneka just kept knocking down the FTs.  That was the no-doubt-about-it kind of thing you see from a (younger) Tiger Woods, an MJ, or a Kobe.  She might as well have said, "Chill out.  I've got this."

I keep having to ask wbbfan where my socks are, because Nneka keeps knocking them off.

[Yellowlab]

OK, this was the pack it in and make them beat you from the perimeter strategy that everyone is going to employ against Stanford this year.  Yes, ASU is a good defensive team, but those were wide open looks that Stanford kept missing.  (I confess that I yelled at the TV more than once.)

I have to agree that Stanford got the deer-in-the-headlights look during this game.  There were long no-movement-watch-the-dribbler stretches that make you wonder why Tara didn't call time out and chew someone out. 

How about Nneka at the free throw line down the stretch?  You could sense the game slipping through Stanford's fingers, but Nneka just kept knocking down the FTs.  That was the no-doubt-about-it kind of thing you see from a (younger) Tiger Woods, an MJ, or a Kobe.  She might as well have said, "Chill out.  I've got this."

I keep having to ask wbbfan where my socks are, because Nneka keeps knocking them off.

[M T]

Bad news for remaining game.... Just before halftime, Melissa asserted herself and called a flagrant foul in what I consider the fault of the fouled person.  A K.al player and a WSU player are chasing a ball toward the corner.  The K.al player reaches out with the left arm, above the body of the WSU player.  WSU player then locks her arm around that arm and prevents the K.al player from disengaging.  Then the WSU player puts on the brakes (IMO to secure the foul) and goes down (feet first), she keeps her arm up and cocked in a position to lock the arm of the K.al player.

Melissa reviews the tapes and pronounces a flagrant foul.

If she had been reffing the Stanford game, I think there would have been two (IIRC) flagrant fouls against Stanford.
-----

I guess what ASU did was shut down 3 positions for Stanford and let the O team score what they could (not that it was easy).  The O-team had a more or less normal offensive output.  But they were almost on their own.

I think someone said K.al had the easier game today.  It is tied at the half 26-26.

Worst quote so far by one of the announcers:  "It's getting loud here in the Staples center."    If there are 1000 people there, I'd be surprised.  Maybe 500?  (Stanford box score doesn't show an attendance.  IIRC, for PAC-12 WBB tournament games, they only show attendance of the second game (as total for all who showed up even if they left before the 2nd game))

For anyone in attendance, maybe a good sign would be  "WHY L.A. ?"

[M T]

Bad news for remaining game.... Just before halftime, Melissa asserted herself and called a flagrant foul in what I consider the fault of the fouled person.  A K.al player and a WSU player are chasing a ball toward the corner.  The K.al player reaches out with the left arm, above the body of the WSU player.  WSU player then locks her arm around that arm and prevents the K.al player from disengaging.  Then the WSU player puts on the brakes (IMO to secure the foul) and goes down (feet first), she keeps her arm up and cocked in a position to lock the arm of the K.al player.

Melissa reviews the tapes and pronounces a flagrant foul.

If she had been reffing the Stanford game, I think there would have been two (IIRC) flagrant fouls against Stanford.
-----

I guess what ASU did was shut down 3 positions for Stanford and let the O team score what they could (not that it was easy).  The O-team had a more or less normal offensive output.  But they were almost on their own.

I think someone said K.al had the easier game today.  It is tied at the half 26-26.

Worst quote so far by one of the announcers:  "It's getting loud here in the Staples center."    If there are 1000 people there, I'd be surprised.  Maybe 500?  (Stanford box score doesn't show an attendance.  IIRC, for PAC-12 WBB tournament games, they only show attendance of the second game (as total for all who showed up even if they left before the 2nd game))

For anyone in attendance, maybe a good sign would be  "WHY L.A. ?"

[Viking_Guy]

MT--

I thought WSU would be easier for Kal than ASU for us.  Not listening to this game, but following it via gametracker.  Seems like the same strategy - WSU packing it in combined with "if you can't beat them, beat them up."  Exacerbated in this case by da Bares utter ineptitude at the FT line (1-6 through the first 5 minutes of the second half).

35-34 Cougs at the 12:50 mark.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

MT--

I thought WSU would be easier for Kal than ASU for us.  Not listening to this game, but following it via gametracker.  Seems like the same strategy - WSU packing it in combined with "if you can't beat them, beat them up."  Exacerbated in this case by da Bares utter ineptitude at the FT line (1-6 through the first 5 minutes of the second half).

35-34 Cougs at the 12:50 mark.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Oh, and right on cue:

Pac-12 Considers Moving its Women's Tournament
http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basket...nt-seattle

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Oh, and right on cue:

Pac-12 Considers Moving its Women's Tournament
http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basket...nt-seattle

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Kal finally pulled away (or WSU ran out of steam) breaking open a 47-44 game with 9 straight points late in the second half.  Then making enough of their FTs to keep the Cougs at arms' distance, eventually winning 64-49.

Not sure what it is about Staples: no people = no energy; bad shooting background; the change from Galen; whatever, it produces absolutely crap women's games.  Hoping the article in the above post is correct; would like to see it rotating to various venues if possible (not always in Seattle; how about Portland?  Denver?  America West in Phoenix?)

And now for yet another bizarre start time, 11:30 AM tomorrow.  And with the new deal, I'm guessing it will only get weirder.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Kal finally pulled away (or WSU ran out of steam) breaking open a 47-44 game with 9 straight points late in the second half.  Then making enough of their FTs to keep the Cougs at arms' distance, eventually winning 64-49.

Not sure what it is about Staples: no people = no energy; bad shooting background; the change from Galen; whatever, it produces absolutely crap women's games.  Hoping the article in the above post is correct; would like to see it rotating to various venues if possible (not always in Seattle; how about Portland?  Denver?  America West in Phoenix?)

And now for yet another bizarre start time, 11:30 AM tomorrow.  And with the new deal, I'm guessing it will only get weirder.

VG

[M T]

I think it is a bit misleading to say ASU has the best defense in the conference.
For the conference games, ASU's opponents have averaged 52.8 points,  while Stanford's opponents have averaged 52.2.
When you include non-conference games (teams like UConn & Tennessee or E. Washington & Army), yeah, it is ASU opponents 52.0, Stanford opponents 54.5.

Today's game had a season high in season lows:
FG: 15 (avg 29)
3PT: 0 (avg 5)
Points: 52 (avg 77)
Assists: 7 (avg 17)
Points in the paint: 20 (avg 36)
Bench: 0 (avg 18)
2pt%: 37% (avg 51%)
3pt%: 0% (avg 31%)
FG%: 29.4% (avg 45.5%)
A/TO:  0.44 (avg 1.32)
Unforced errors (TO - opponent S): 3 (avg 6) [That's a positive stat]

Opponent steals: 13 (avg 6)

[M T]

I think it is a bit misleading to say ASU has the best defense in the conference.
For the conference games, ASU's opponents have averaged 52.8 points,  while Stanford's opponents have averaged 52.2.
When you include non-conference games (teams like UConn & Tennessee or E. Washington & Army), yeah, it is ASU opponents 52.0, Stanford opponents 54.5.

Today's game had a season high in season lows:
FG: 15 (avg 29)
3PT: 0 (avg 5)
Points: 52 (avg 77)
Assists: 7 (avg 17)
Points in the paint: 20 (avg 36)
Bench: 0 (avg 18)
2pt%: 37% (avg 51%)
3pt%: 0% (avg 31%)
FG%: 29.4% (avg 45.5%)
A/TO:  0.44 (avg 1.32)
Unforced errors (TO - opponent S): 3 (avg 6) [That's a positive stat]

Opponent steals: 13 (avg 6)

[FarmDad.01]

Something in Garvin's last post, about a bad shooting environment, triggered a distant memory. I gave myself five minutes to google past stats for the years in which the women had to move from Galen (a gym they know) to Staples for semis and finals, but drew blanks.  It's my impression that Staples doesn't dim its arena lighting as much as many or most venues. My hunch is, every semi-finalist in every year shot measurably worse from beyond the arc, but that the finalists reverted toward the norm in the big game. If either or both supposition is true, not to worry. Because Stanford's threes have fallen well over the last ten NCAA runs.

[FarmDad.01]

Something in Garvin's last post, about a bad shooting environment, triggered a distant memory. I gave myself five minutes to google past stats for the years in which the women had to move from Galen (a gym they know) to Staples for semis and finals, but drew blanks.  It's my impression that Staples doesn't dim its arena lighting as much as many or most venues. My hunch is, every semi-finalist in every year shot measurably worse from beyond the arc, but that the finalists reverted toward the norm in the big game. If either or both supposition is true, not to worry. Because Stanford's threes have fallen well over the last ten NCAA runs.

[M T]

For 2011, for Arizona and California, here are their stats for the pair of games (wins) at the Galen Center and then one (loss) at Staples (semi)


                                          |---TOTAL---| |--3-PTRS--|              |----REBOUNDS----|                             
Opponent              Date      Score  W/L  FG-FGA  Pct 3FG-FGA  Pct  FT-FTA  Pct  Off Def  Tot  Avg  PF  A  TO Blk Stl  Pts---Avg
Arizona:
vs Oregon            03/09/11  90-89  W  35-77  .455  6-16  .375  14-25  .560  14  28  42 39.1  15  18  15  1  11  90  73.2
vs U$C                03/10/11  72-61  W  26-53  .491  7-13  .538  13-20  .650    6  30  36 39.0  13  13  17  4  8  72  73.1
vs Stanford          03/11/11  71-100  L  24-61  .393  9-19  .474  14-18  .778  11  18  29 38.7  13  10  19  1  6  71  73.1

California:
vs Washington        03/09/11  58-48  W  23-60  .383  1-13  .077  11-28  .393  23  24  47 40.9  15  7  15  6  11  58  63.3
vs Arizona State      03/10/11  48-43  W  20-50  .400  0-1  .000  8-14  .571  12  20  32 40.6  10  3  16  2  13  48  62.8
vs UCLA              03/11/11  50-63  L  18-53  .340  3-19  .158  11-15  .733  11  21  32 40.4  12  9  19  1  4  50  62.4

(Stanford & UCLA played no games at the Galen center in that tourney.  2011 was the first year with any women's games at Staples.)

I see nothing of particular interest in 3pt%.  The drop in FG% isn't so great, considering it was a loss.
(Stats from PAC-12.org)

[M T]

For 2011, for Arizona and California, here are their stats for the pair of games (wins) at the Galen Center and then one (loss) at Staples (semi)


                                          |---TOTAL---| |--3-PTRS--|              |----REBOUNDS----|                             
Opponent              Date      Score  W/L  FG-FGA  Pct 3FG-FGA  Pct  FT-FTA  Pct  Off Def  Tot  Avg  PF  A  TO Blk Stl  Pts---Avg
Arizona:
vs Oregon            03/09/11  90-89  W  35-77  .455  6-16  .375  14-25  .560  14  28  42 39.1  15  18  15  1  11  90  73.2
vs U$C                03/10/11  72-61  W  26-53  .491  7-13  .538  13-20  .650    6  30  36 39.0  13  13  17  4  8  72  73.1
vs Stanford          03/11/11  71-100  L  24-61  .393  9-19  .474  14-18  .778  11  18  29 38.7  13  10  19  1  6  71  73.1

California:
vs Washington        03/09/11  58-48  W  23-60  .383  1-13  .077  11-28  .393  23  24  47 40.9  15  7  15  6  11  58  63.3
vs Arizona State      03/10/11  48-43  W  20-50  .400  0-1  .000  8-14  .571  12  20  32 40.6  10  3  16  2  13  48  62.8
vs UCLA              03/11/11  50-63  L  18-53  .340  3-19  .158  11-15  .733  11  21  32 40.4  12  9  19  1  4  50  62.4

(Stanford & UCLA played no games at the Galen center in that tourney.  2011 was the first year with any women's games at Staples.)

I see nothing of particular interest in 3pt%.  The drop in FG% isn't so great, considering it was a loss.
(Stats from PAC-12.org)