Just to clarify: The LVs beat FL

#1
madtownvol

madtownvol

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#1
Seriously, the LVs got a nice win on the road against a scrappy and athletic FL team; like Auburn this is a game that could have been very problematic.

But the LVs had one of their better offensive nights of the season.

Folks complain about a lack of ball movement but tonight, they had some great possessions (Yeah, I know, they got hung up at times as well but FL is not a bad defensive team--particularly at home). Overall, the LVs shot 48% from the field (and 50% 7 for 14 from behind the arc). That is a huge improvement from their SEC norm.

At the start of the game, I thought we might see our big three go off for a collective big night. In the end, Diamond had her best game of the season; Very efficient in getting her 27 points (with a highlight reel reverse lay-up!) and excellent work on the defensive end; and she kept her turnovers in check. When the game was getting a little close, Diamond came through the momentum changing play. If she can keep this level of performance up, this team can make a tournament run.

Jamie got lost in the middle quarters but wound up with a solid, B+ game; and Mercedes was a bit subpar but did enough.

Jordan also made a nice contribution on both ends; when she was writhing on the floor, that was a very uncomfortable moment. This team would really be in a tough spot without her. I was really happy when she came back-- three cheers to the resiliency of youth.

And in terms of coaching decisions, I would have pulled Alexa after her series of turnovers but in the end, it proved to be a good decision to leave her in. A.M hit some clutch threes and settled down; the steal and back flip pass to Nunn was a sweet play.

Yes, they will need a better effort to compete with South Carolina but one game at a time; you have to beat who is in front of you and tonight the LVs did the job.
 
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#4
#4
so?

there were plenty breaks in the action, she should be in the prime of her athletic life. 40 minutes should be next to nothing for her.
 
#6
#6
madtownvol said:
Seriously, the LVs got a nice win on the road against a scrappy and athletic FL team; like Auburn this is a game that could have been very problematic.

But the LVs had one of their better offensive nights of the season.

Folks complain about a lack of ball movement but tonight, they had some great possessions (Yeah, I know, they got hung up at times as well but FL is not a bad defensive team--particularly at home). Overall, the LVs shot 48% from the field (and 50% 7 for 14 from behind the arc). That is a huge improvement from their SEC norm.

At the start of the game, I thought we might see our big three go off for a collective big night. In the end, Diamond had her best game of the season; Very efficient in getting her 27 points (with a highlight reel reverse lay-up!) and excellent work on the defensive end; and she kept her turnovers in check. When the game was getting a little close, Diamond came through the momentum changing play. If she can keep this level of performance up, this team can make a tournament run.

Jamie got lost in the middle quarters but wound up with a solid, B+ game; and Mercedes was a bit subpar but did enough.

Jordan also made a nice contribution on both ends; when she was writhing on the floor, that was a very uncomfortable moment. This team would really be in a tough spot without her. I was really happy when she came back-- three cheers to the resiliency of youth.

And in terms of coaching decisions, I would have pulled Alexa after her series of turnovers but in the end, it proved to be a good decision to leave her in. A.M hit some clutch threes and settled down; the steal and back flip pass to Nunn was a sweet play.

Yes, they will need a better effort to compete with South Carolina but one game at a time; you have to beat who is in front of you and tonight the LVs did the job.
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Really nice job!
 
#7
#7
Think how good we would be if every lady gave it there best every night. I still believe that this team has top ten talent.
 
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#9
#9
Top 10 talent yes but not top 5 because of depth. Middleton has shown the last two games why she has to play. Bench points. The big three on this team are not elite enough to carry to Elite 8 this year. They have to have scoring from the bench.
 
#10
#10
RPAV said:
Top 10 talent yes but not top 5 because of depth. Middleton has shown the last two games why she has to play. Bench points. The big three on this team are not elite enough to carry to Elite 8 this year. They have to have scoring from the bench.
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Russell is always double and triple teamed and doesn't have the shooters to open up the middle. In hindsight, she should have gone to a program like the old Iowa State, K. State or current Oregon State where she would be in the paint and surrounded by four capable 3-point shooters.
 
#11
#11
NoBackBoard said:
Russell is always double and triple teamed and doesn't have the shooters to open up the middle. In hindsight, she should have gone to a program like the old Iowa State, K. State or current Oregon State where she would be in the paint and surrounded by four capable 3-point shooters.
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You do know that we shot 50% from 3 correct and killed their zone which made them go man to man. You were watching correct
 
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#16
#16
Our starting 5 is top 5 talent, nationally. You couldn't name more than, what, three, programs that have more talent/higher rated prospects in their starting 5. The problem is that we are not well coached, we are erratic and we underachieve. On the one hand, the game is about winning and losing--but it is also about whether your team is playing to its potential game in and game out. That of course we don't do. That is why we lose games and why many of the games we win are tighter than they should be. We should have won last night's game by 30. We had a 17 point lead in the first quarter, but then we always fall into long stretches when we play dumb basketball, lose leads, fall behind.

That's been the difference between us and UConn for 10+ years. They don't have lapses. If, for example, you run a pick and roll, and picker rolls off and is open, UConn will get the ball to her 8 out of 10 times. We will get it to the open screener 4/5 times, maybe. Look at the play when Reynolds was fallen on and seemed to hurt her ankle. Russell set a pick for her, rolled and was wide open, and Reynolds did not make the pass; she gets double teamed, held ball and we lose possession. We miss passes into Russell in the low post REGULARLY. She establishes fantastic position, and our winger, often Nared or DD or Middleton, will look and then not get Russell the ball. Or she will think about it and then try to make the pass too late, missing the moment when you need to make the pass. Kara Lawson mentioned this issue when talking about us in a televised game a week or so ago. Little things. Should Russell be chasing her mark--opposing center--all of the court, leaving the paint open for opposing wingers and guards to drive to the basket? I don't think so, unless her opposing big proves she can make outside shots--and yet Russell does this all the time. We've got a talented bunch, we should have no more than a couple of losses, but you gotta play fundamentally sound BB consistently--not half the time. We're making progress, getting better, but have to keep improving the mental side of the game.
 
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#17
#17
armchair said:
Our starting 5 is top 5 talent, nationally. You couldn't name more than, what, three, programs that have more talent/higher rated prospects in their starting 5. The problem is that we are not well coached, we are erratic and we underachieve. On the one hand, the game is about winning and losing--but it is also about whether your team is playing to its potential game in and game out. That of course we don't do. That is why we lose games and why many of the games we win are tighter than they should be. We should have won last night's game by 30. We had a 17 point lead in the first quarter, but then we always fall into long stretches when we play dumb basketball, lose leads, fall behind.

That's been the difference between us and UConn for 10+ years. They don't have lapses. If, for example, you run a pick and roll, and picker rolls off and is open, UConn will get the ball to her 8 out of 10 times. We will get it to the open screener 4/5 times, maybe. Look at the play when Reynolds was fallen on and seemed to hurt her ankle. Russell set a pick for her, rolled and was wide open, and Reynolds did not make the pass; she gets double teamed, held ball and we lose possession. We miss passes into Russell in the low post REGULARLY. She establishes fantastic position, and our winger, often Nared or DD or Middleton, will look and then not get Russell the ball. Or she will think about it and then try to make the pass too late, missing the moment when you need to make the pass. Kara Lawson mentioned this issue when talking about us in a televised game a week or so ago. Little things. Should Russell be chasing her mark--opposing center--all of the court, leaving the paint open for opposing wingers and guards to drive to the basket? I don't think so, unless her opposing big proves she can make outside shots--and yet Russell does this all the time. We've got a talented bunch, we should have no more than a couple of losses, but you gotta play fundamentally sound BB consistently--not half the time. We're making progress, getting better, but have to keep improving the mental side of the game.
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Absolutely have to improve the mental side of the game especially with this group. Never seen a team with so much BLAH. I am not sure that more than 2 really have the Heart that is needed to be successful as a team. My thoughts include the desire to play hard for the full game. They need to attend one of Barnes games and at least to see what REAL EFFORT LOOKS LIKE. Maybe take HW with them!!
 
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#18
#18
armchair said:
Our starting 5 is top 5 talent, nationally. You couldn't name more than, what, three, programs that have more talent/higher rated prospects in their starting 5. The problem is that we are not well coached, we are erratic and we underachieve. On the one hand, the game is about winning and losing--but it is also about whether your team is playing to its potential game in and game out. That of course we don't do. That is why we lose games and why many of the games we win are tighter than they should be. We should have won last night's game by 30. We had a 17 point lead in the first quarter, but then we always fall into long stretches when we play dumb basketball, lose leads, fall behind.
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Yes, these mental lapse, sloppy execution stretches the LVs fall into are a major problem.

In the last few games, when the LVs have jumped out to big leads, it is almost like they think "Oh, this is going to be easy" and then they get over run when an Auburn or a Florida ups the pressure.

I do differ on the talent assessment. High school reputations aside, this team is not inordinately talented.

We have two more or less elite players-- Diamond and Mercedes. However, both are inconsistent (that can go on coaching) and I think Mercedes still has trouble matching up against really physical teams.

Nared is on the way to becoming a top notch player but right now she is a good player who is getting featured on a team which is short handed.

But, let's say on a good night we have three quality players that most top teams would be happy to have.

After that?

Is Jordan really an elite PG?

Is Middleton really an elite guard?

Is Nunn an elite power forward?

Is Meme a top ten in the SEC?

Of that set, I think Jordan has more potential than she shows night in and night out,. though she has been a better run of late.

Meme could be special by her senior year but she is not there yet.

Nunn is a good role player but that is it.

Alexa is in the process of becoming a good role player but I think that will be her upper limit.

Hard to say where Cooper would be if not injured but I would bet she would be the starting PG. Her absence this season, to my mind looms large. I think she would have been quite good and I hope she makes it back all the way from her ACL.


I think the bigger failing for Holly and Company is that they have not had such a great eye for talent and finding players that blend together.
 
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#22
#22
madtownvol said:
Yes, these mental lapse, sloppy execution stretches the LVs fall into are a major problem.

In the last few games, when the LVs have jumped out to big leads, it is almost like they think "Oh, this is going to be easy" and then they get over run when an Auburn or a Florida ups the pressure.

I do differ on the talent assessment. High school reputations aside, this team is not inordinately talented.

We have two more or less elite players-- Diamond and Mercedes. However, both are inconsistent (that can go on coaching) and I think Mercedes still has trouble matching up against really physical teams.

Nared is on the way to becoming a top notch player but right now she is a good player who is getting featured on a team which is short handed.

But, let's say on a good night we have three quality players that most top teams would be happy to have.

After that?

Is Jordan really an elite PG?

Is Middleton really an elite guard?

Is Nunn an elite power forward?

Is Meme a top ten in the SEC?

Of that set, I think Jordan has more potential than she shows night in and night out,. though she has been a better run of late.

Meme could be special by her senior year but she is not there yet.

Nunn is a good role player but that is it.

Alexa is in the process of becoming a good role player but I think that will be her upper limit.

Hard to say where Cooper would be if not injured but I would bet she would be the starting PG. Her absence this season, to my mind looms large. I think she would have been quite good and I hope she makes it back all the way from her ACL.


I think the bigger failing for Holly and Company is that they have not had such a great eye for talent and finding players that blend together.
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Totally agree with your point re: finding players that blend together. I found it noteworthy that Holly mentioned her excitement at having a recruiting class (2017) where the pieces fit together.
 
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#23
#23
armchair said:
Our starting 5 is top 5 talent, nationally. You couldn't name more than, what, three, programs that have more talent/higher rated prospects in their starting 5. The problem is that we are not well coached, we are erratic and we underachieve. On the one hand, the game is about winning and losing--but it is also about whether your team is playing to its potential game in and game out. That of course we don't do. That is why we lose games and why many of the games we win are tighter than they should be. We should have won last night's game by 30. We had a 17 point lead in the first quarter, but then we always fall into long stretches when we play dumb basketball, lose leads, fall behind.

That's been the difference between us and UConn for 10+ years. They don't have lapses. If, for example, you run a pick and roll, and picker rolls off and is open, UConn will get the ball to her 8 out of 10 times. We will get it to the open screener 4/5 times, maybe. Look at the play when Reynolds was fallen on and seemed to hurt her ankle. Russell set a pick for her, rolled and was wide open, and Reynolds did not make the pass; she gets double teamed, held ball and we lose possession. We miss passes into Russell in the low post REGULARLY. She establishes fantastic position, and our winger, often Nared or DD or Middleton, will look and then not get Russell the ball. Or she will think about it and then try to make the pass too late, missing the moment when you need to make the pass. Kara Lawson mentioned this issue when talking about us in a televised game a week or so ago. Little things. Should Russell be chasing her mark--opposing center--all of the court, leaving the paint open for opposing wingers and guards to drive to the basket? I don't think so, unless her opposing big proves she can make outside shots--and yet Russell does this all the time. We've got a talented bunch, we should have no more than a couple of losses, but you gotta play fundamentally sound BB consistently--not half the time. We're making progress, getting better, but have to keep improving the mental side of the game.
Click to expand...

Maybe I missed your point, but you know 8/10 is the same as 4/5?
 
#24
#24
travis929 said:
Totally agree with your point re: finding players that blend together. I found it noteworthy that Holly mentioned her excitement at having a recruiting class (2017) where the pieces fit together.
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Of course, we don't know how these "well fitting pieces" will fit with current LVs. Last year's fit of "old" players and "new" players did not go well.
 
#25
#25
After saying all that, I LOVE beating FL. My past history (UT, UA, FSU, UGA) DEMANDS that we beat them.
 
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