3 Points in the 4th Quarter

[508mikey]

She deserves to play but man she takes some ugly shots.

I think her confidence has suffered because she has a moron for a coach

 

[madtownvol]

Dunbar may as well transfer. This staff has no idea how to utilize her talents nor do they seem like they will. They claim she is a liability on defense but Pat found a way to use shooters. Shanna, Angie and Syd saw the floor a lot. Syd was the best defender of the three but they could all light up the scoreboard. They generally have just thrown Kort in game out of desperation. Too little time to get in a rhythm and get comfortable. She has been forced to put up crazy shots. It's not fair to waste her talent this way.

Speculation about transfers always bugs me; in most cases, it is fans projecting their own frustrations onto players. Transfers are actually uncommon because student-athletes make connections with teammates and campus and often few transferring as the easy way out. I am sure Dunbar understands the weaknesses that are keeping her off the court.

It is hard to compare Shanna, Angie, and Syd to Dunbar because the teams were so different but all three of those made significant improvements in the athletic side of the game over their careers. Syd did not see much time as a freshman and had injury problems that limited as a sophomore; it was her junior and senior year where she became a linchpin.

The difference with Shanna and Angie is that they came in as deadly scorers. Dunbar is shooting 30% from behind the arc. That is not terrible but when a players gives up that much defensively, she has to deliver a lot more on the offensive side to stay on the court.

Going forward, I think her future success will require that Dunbar is not classified as a perimeter player - zone buster; She has the size to be a decent inside player and perhaps could help fill the gap left by Graves; she is slow footed when matched up against guards but not as much against other posts players. And she has a good work ethic; she looks much better in terms of her mobility than last year; If she keeps on that improvement curve, she could be more an important player next season.

Sometimes it takes underclassmen a little while to crack the rotation;

 

[mcannon1]

"I know Pat picked Holly, but some people are just better "coordinators" than head coaches-- We see it all the time in football."

And were she able, Coach Summitt would be willing to admit her mistake and take the hard but necessary steps to insure the players were developed to their maximum ability even if it meant she had to recommend Holly retire as head coach. The players and the team would come first to Coach Summitt. That's why she stepped down herself.

 

[mcannon1]

In losses to ND, Ark, and UK these are Diamond's averages:

14.7 ppg
41.5% FG
5 rbs
1.3 assts
2.7 stls
6.3 tos

In comparison, Defensive Specialist's averages are:

2 ppg
13.9% FG
1 rb (0 rebounds in 2 games)
1.7 assts
.7 stls (0 stls in 2 games for the Defensive Specialist)
1 to

But yeah, it's Diamond's fault they lost.

Is Defensive Expert Andraya Carter?

 

[Ladyvolfan4ever]

"I know Pat picked Holly, but some people are just better "coordinators" than head coaches-- We see it all the time in football."

And were she able, Coach Summitt would be willing to admit her mistake and take the hard but necessary steps to insure the players were developed to their maximum ability even if it meant she had to recommend Holly retire as head coach. The players and the team would come first to Coach Summitt. That's why she stepped down herself.

Pat used to talk to other coaches to learn more. Maybe Holly could call someone even Rick Barnes and say how do I bust this zone defense. Do something.

 

[Amb3096]

She is not the best player on the team. Only hyped to be. Nowhere near her rating or hype. They all need to improve especially Diamond and Russell. Top billing recruits playing below average basketball. A good coach would have their attention.

If not Diamond, then who in your opinion is the best player on the team? Bashaara is good, but she doesn't have the ability to take over a game like Diamond can, and the others don't warrant mention.

She needs to improve, but the others need to improve even more.

 

[Amb3096]

Is Defensive Expert Andraya Carter?

Yes

 

[volnationnj]

If not Diamond, then who in your opinion is the best player on the team? Bashaara is good, but she doesn't have the ability to take over a game like Diamond can, and the others don't warrant mention.

She needs to improve, but the others need to improve even more.

Diamond is the best player on the team,
but that's the problem.
If your best player performs at the level that Diamond has this year, you're going to end up with a 12-8 record.
Whether it's bad coaching, overrated players, terrible chemistry or a combination of the three, no one on this team has distinguished themselves with their play.
The team lacks a coherent offensive system. (Coach)
Is there anyone on this team that you are confident in their making a wide open look from behind (or in front of it for that matter) the 3 pt line (players)
Body language, players seemingly having a preference on who they pass the ball to. (Chemistry).
Not a good situation at all. But regardless of who is responsible, it's the coach who is ultimately the one held accountable. That's just the way it works.

 

[Amb3096]

Diamond is the best player on the team,
but that's the problem.
If your best player performs at the level that Diamond has this year, you're going to end up with a 12-8 record.
Whether it's bad coaching, overrated players, terrible chemistry or a combination of the three, no one on this team has distinguished themselves with their play.
The team lacks a coherent offensive system. (Coach)
Is there anyone on this team that you are confident in their making a wide open look from behind (or in front of it for that matter) the 3 pt line (players)
Body language, players seemingly having a preference on who they pass the ball to. (Chemistry).
Not a good situation at all. But regardless of who is responsible, it's the coach who is ultimately the one held accountable. That's just the way it works.

My point is that Diamond is the best player on the team, but she's not a miracle worker. She's doing about exactly the same as what she did at UNC, but is being crucified here for not being Candace Parker.

Diamond, Bashaara and Mercedes are the only players this season that have been remotely dependable this year. The rest of the team has been woeful for the majority of the year. So pinning it all Diamond, who has brought it, is perplexing when you have two veteran starters (Carter and Reynolds) who have been mostly awful and two reserves who played decent minutes last year (Nared and Middleton) who look to have not improved one bit.

If fingers are to be pointed, it should be going to Holly and the aforementioned players first before it goes anywhere near Diamond. She can improve (as can Mercedes, who needs to improve even more), but if she had decent coaching and reliable teammates, they would be much better than 12-8 even if she played the same.

 

[vol-un-tear]

At this point Reynolds and Cooper are playing the best so they are are the best players IMO. Diamond has proven nothing to me. She's isn't a vocal leader and it doesn't appear she has earned respect. Diamond is the biggest recruit. Now she needs to play like it. GLV!!!