Boston Bullies Brink, Belibi

[mudcat]

is the reason we will play SC in the Championship game (I am making the big assumption that we beat AZ). I don't think Stanford has anyone that can cope with Boston inside. Brink, while talented, doesn't have the strength to cope with Boston. Perhaps the best matchup overall might be Prechtel as she at least has the shooting range to pull Boston away from the basket on the Stanford offensive end.

 

[Go/huskies]

Williams vs Cooke is the match up I’m looking forward to seeing, will either one of them shoot there team out of the game is the big question.

 

[Jim R]

is the reason we will play SC in the Championship game (I am making the big assumption that we beat AZ). I don't think Stanford has anyone that can cope with Boston inside. Brink, while talented, doesn't have the strength to cope with Boston. Perhaps the best matchup overall might be Prechtel as she at least has the shooting range to pull Boston away from the basket on the Stanford offensive end.

I'll take Stanford.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Gotta say, I've enjoyed Boston's interviews. Seems like a nice kid.

 

[Boreifs]

is the reason we will play SC in the Championship game (I am making the big assumption that we beat AZ). I don't think Stanford has anyone that can cope with Boston inside. Brink, while talented, doesn't have the strength to cope with Boston. Perhaps the best matchup overall might be Prechtel as she at least has the shooting range to pull Boston away from the basket on the Stanford offensive end.

Brink can also shoot the three quite competently.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Either way, I hope it's a grind it out game. Maybe our reward for getting Baylor too early is to be fresher in the final. Hopefully, we can get some minutes from Nika and Anna, especially for E.

 

[Heytherego]

Stanford is an extremely talented team, when they all are on the same page. They have a hard time getting there and maintaining it. If they can be consistent they will be tough for anyone to beat.

 

[CocoHusky]

I'm really impressed by Prechtel. Stanford thrives on the three ball which makes Brink and Prechtel very dangerous in a five out situation for Stanford. I don't think Tara has many options besides packing the paint on defense and spreading the floor on offense.

 

[DefenseBB]

To me, the real question is which SC outside shooting team shows up? If Cooke and Henderson are hitting their shots, SC can win using an in-out game but as we have seen, SC goes into prolonged slumps of outside shooting. Stanford has been lighting it up from the 3 pt line and has length with Jones, Hull, Prectal, Belibi and Brink who all get significant minutes and could expose the fact that Lele Grissett is not available.

Should be a good game but I am rooting for Stanford.

 

[Charliebball]

I'd take Stanford in that match up................better shooting team, better coached team........

 

[jonson]

is the reason we will play SC in the Championship game (I am making the big assumption that we beat AZ). I don't think Stanford has anyone that can cope with Boston inside. Brink, while talented, doesn't have the strength to cope with Boston. Perhaps the best matchup overall might be Prechtel as she at least has the shooting range to pull Boston away from the basket on the Stanford offensive end.

Although Boston is surely much stronger than Brink, I think the match-up is a bit more complicated than this. For one thing, Brink is deceptively strong; she is also very quick. And Brink, who is very fast basket to basket, may, in effect, run Boston into the ground if she attempts to keep up. (And, if she doesn't, that likely means some easy baskets for Stanford.) Whether Brink can stay out of foul trouble is an open question, but Tara also has Belibi and Prechtel as backups, and, as you point out, the latter especially will pose some challenges for Boston given her shooting from beyond the 3-point line (the Louisville game was not an outlier). (Brink can shoot from there as well.) So positives and negatives on both sides.

 

[ucbart]

Gotta say, I've enjoyed Boston's interviews. Seems like a nice kid.

Yup! She's just so bubbly and fun. I like her a lot, too.

 

[Hayven]

It’s been said before, but guard play is key in April. Stanford’s guards don’t get much recognition but, I believe they are better than SCs. Especially with the often questionable shot selection of SC’s guards. Which often includes ignoring Boston on offense. Stanford can score from all levels of the court. Brink is prone to fouling, but Pretchel looked amazing against Louisville. I expect Stanford to win, but SC provides a slight easier road to the 12th banner

 

[CocoHusky]

Although Boston is surely much stronger than Brink, I think the match-up is a bit more complicated than this. For one thing, Brink is deceptively strong; she is also very quick. And Brink, who is very fast basket to basket, may, in effect, run Boston into the ground if she attempts to keep up. (And, if she doesn't, that likely means some easy baskets for Stanford.) Whether Brink can stay out of foul trouble is an open question, but Tara also has Belibi and Prechtel as backups, and, as you point out, the latter especially will pose some challenges for Boston given her shooting from beyond the 3-point line (the Louisville game was not an outlier). (Brink can shoot from there as well.) So positives and negatives on both sides.

Brink was taken to locker room last night for what the announcers said was a leg injury. Once she returned to the game she had athletic tape on the back of one leg which probably indicates a hamstring. This could impact her mobility.

 

[LoTrader]

Stanford has 4 x BIGs that are competent defenders. It is South Carolina that is going to have to figure out how to stop Stanford BIGs.

 

[Carnac]

I like Stanford in the championship game. I have since the brackets were announced.

 

[Kmoney]

It depends on how the game is called. A tightly called game favors Stanford because of their depth. A loosely called game favors SC because of their physicality.

 

[connie]

Boston Bullies Brink, Belibi​

Now that's a headline!

 

[chrissaran]

Stanford will win, and I'm rooting for them.

 

[itsasport]

It is hard to tell much from the games against Texas and Louisville (who basically beat themselves), but Stanford looks to be a better team than SCar.

UConn and Stanford "should" be in the championship for the following reasons.

First, by far, is that it would be good for women's' basketball. What separates UConn and Stanford from other teams this year is how beautifully and superbly they are capable of playing the game- hard but clean.

The coaches and the players respect the game and themselves too much to play dirty. Winning is important, but not at any cost. It would be the wrong lesson of life.

Second, they are the two top seeded teams.

Third, they have not played each other. And both would have beaten SCar (though perhaps by a hair as did UConn.)

Fourth, it would be harder (but not impossible) for the refs to screw things up, thus avoiding recent controversy. Goodness knows, the refs need all the help they can get.

 

[Cuango]

If I were Stanford or if we were to play SC in the title game, I would be very happy if SC’s guards took most of the shots and Boston didn’t get a lot of shots. I see SC’s guards as volume shooters who can be pretty streaky. Some nights they shoot fairly well but have also produced quite a few 6/22, 7/23 type games. Dawn made an effort to make Boston more of a focal point (finally) late in the season but it looks as though that is not consistently happening still. Anyway, imo the more the shot count tilts to the guards, the better for SC’s opponent.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I didn't agree with Boston's rationale on choosing S.C.--it offered the best path to the WNBA--but she does seem like a nice person.

 

[BobbyJ]

It’s been said before, but guard play is key in April. Stanford’s guards don’t get much recognition but, I believe they are better than SCs. Especially with the often questionable shot selection of SC’s guards. Which often includes ignoring Boston on offense. Stanford can score from all levels of the court. Brink is prone to fouling, but Pretchel looked amazing against Louisville. I expect Stanford to win, but SC provides a slight easier road to the 12th banner

I agree with this. Not so much physically but with how they move the ball. Their whole offense is understood by everyone and they're in constant motion which will force SC's defense to shift both vertically and laterally. The high-low elevator play among others with Brink will yank Boston around and make her expend even more energy. Unlike the SEC, Stanford's posts aren't often stationary allowing her to lean on them. Like UConn did, if Stanford shuts off SC's transition points it'll be difficult for SC to score the 65-70 they'll need to win.

 

[blkkirk]

I think Stanford wins this game relatively easily. However, if they have a poor shooting night like they did in the first quarter last night anything is possible. All around a very good basketball team. They will be hard to beat.

 

[ABCDFE]

Either way, I hope it's a grind it out game. Maybe our reward for getting Baylor too early is to be fresher in the final. Hopefully, we can get some minutes from Nika and Anna, especially for E.

Please everyone do not overlook AZ. This is a one and done scenario and anything can happen as we've all seen through history of college basketball tournaments. Lets not talk about the Finals until we actually get there.