TN over ND

[msf22b]

I think that Notre Dame has two problems; maybe three.
This team appears slightly slow, cumbersome
A bit passive.
And (after all this time) the upperclassmen haven't quite figured out their roles.
Lindsey Allen (Muffet proclaimed best point in the land); can't quite decide when it's appropriate (or necessary) to shoot;
Turner disappears at times (still injured? problems between the ears?) never really became the dominant player all expected.
Ogunbowale and Mabrey can be killers or mice
Westbeld reminds me of a grown up Irwin; can be overpowered or rushed to the point of ineffectiveness.

Perhaps Canuck is correct, that Muffet is losing her edge.
UTenn will compete tonight; but they're easy pickings.
Noter Dame is ready for a breakout game; I'm sure they're tired of seeing what a truly dominant team looks like.
I think they'll run all over UTenn

 

[bags27]

You are right. It *is* way to early to declare that. ND is 16-2 against the 3rd-toughest schedule in the country (per Sagarin, 2nd hardest per Massey). Muffet is starting to be on the downside of her career why? Because of a loss to a senior-laden NC State team that has also beaten Sagarin #4 FSU and Sagarin #10 Duke in recent weeks?

Not that loss or even the way the team's been playing (though I think Nan and msf22b are right: Muffet hasn't been able to get her kids playing their very best).

I think there's a body language issue, Orangutan. I don't think ND boosters can see it because things like that are too subtle for someone to pick up who sees someone often. But for those of us who see someone only infrequently, and so it's more of a snapshot to compare with earlier snapshots, it's easier to see it in her body and facial language on the bench and in the pressers. I see someone who is beginning to feel a little world weary.

Geno certainly has changed markedly in the last 10 years. But he's been incredibly fortunate (I didn't say "lucky" because that has a different connotation; he's earned his "luck") because he continues to discover or invent new ways of charging his batteries. But he's certainly changed, and, if he hadn't been so "fortunate," he might well be heading into the same "rut", the same world weariness, that I suspect Muffet is beginning to fall into.

 

[Orangutan]

I think there's a body language issue, Orangutan. I don't think ND boosters can see it because things like that are too subtle for someone to pick up who sees someone often. But for those of us who see someone only infrequently, and so it's more of a snapshot to compare with earlier snapshots, it's easier to see it in her body and facial language on the bench and in the pressers. I see someone who is beginning to feel a little world weary.

Perhaps. I think that's just how she looks. Also, as noted this team is not (yet) as dominant as some previous editions have been. So I think she's been wearing her worried or frustrated face more often this year.

 

[j66kicker]

Didn't exactly happen that way. Check the play-by-play. Notre Dame vs. Connecticut - Play-By-Play - April 7, 2015 - ESPN

ND was last within 6 points at 4:58 left, at which point KML went on a personal 7-0 run that put UConn up 13 2:38 to go.

Mabrey hit a 3 with 1:34 left to cut it to 10. Maybe at that point ND could have fouled and I suppose most coaches would. Do as anyone really think that UConn would have missed enough free throws to let ND back in. Or that ND having scored 53 points in 38.5 minutes could suddenly score 10+ in 1:34?

You're right. At the time I thought not fouling was a mature and reasonable white flag when there was no chance of coming back. "Continuing to fight" by fouling would have just been a silly going through the motions.

 

[HuskyNan]

I think people want to make too much of ND not being quite as good as they have been over the last few years. I don't think "something is wrong". ND just isn't as great as people thought they would be. ND of recent years has been lead by scoring guards (Diggins, Novosel, McBride, Loyd, Cable). That role is now being filled by two sophomores and freshman (Mabrey2, Arike, Young). The transition from Cable/Mabrey1 to Arike/Mabrey2 hasn't been quite as smooth as expected. I think the contributions of Mabrey1, Cable and to a lesser extent Huffman were vastly underrated and their departures written off by many as relatively insignificant compared to the young talent of Mabrey2, Arike, and Young.

Talent is surely important but so too is experience. Cable and Mabrey1 were highly experienced seniors who knew their roles within the offense perfectly. I think Arike and Marina are still finding their way to an extent. I think, for example, Turner has missed the passing of Mabrey1 as ND has struggled to successfully make entry passes to her.

I think things are coming along. ND has shot 50% or better in each of the last three games. I think Jackie Young has got back to her pre-injury form and her upside is immense. Mabrey2 looks better after a slow start (e.g. 15 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast, 4 stl v. Miami). Ali Patberg is starting to contribute.

Now that's not to say that everything is perfect. For example, ND does this weird thing where they'll get out to a healthy lead and then play even the rest of the way.

So if things go to form... I expect ND to open it up to 10-12 by half and then probably play the 2nd half even. There will probably be a mild scare when Tenn. hits a 6-0 or 8-0 run at some point in the 2nd half. ND will eventually counter and restore the 10ish point lead and go on to win. Boneyard posters will remark that ND won but they didn't look good doing it and continue to try "put their finger on" what is "wrong" with ND.

No need to get defensive. Most of us have seen maybe 3, 4, 5 games all season while you've seen them all. We're just calling them like we see it.

 

[VFLfan]

I dunno. Tennessee has beaten Stanford and Kentucky but has lost to Penn State, Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss. They seem perfectly capable of playing up to the competition and perfectly capable of having no interest in playing that day. Which team will show up?

Notre Dame is the better coached team by about a mile but there's something wrong I can't put my finger on. The players play hard but sometimes the Irish go into a weird funk offensively. I haven't seen them play recently, though, so perhaps Muffet's got that problem straightened out.

If both teams play their best, I would expect ND to win by a pretty good margin. We'll see what happens.

Give us a lil credit Nan, we didn't lose to Vandy...this year...yet...anyway

 

[Vowelguy]

I dunno. Tennessee has beaten Stanford and Kentucky but has lost to Penn State, Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss. They seem perfectly capable of playing up to the competition and perfectly capable of having no interest in playing that day. Which team will show up?

Notre Dame is the better coached team by about a mile but there's something wrong I can't put my finger on. The players play hard but sometimes the Irish go into a weird funk offensively. I haven't seen them play recently, though, so perhaps Muffet's got that problem straightened out.

If both teams play their best, I would expect ND to win by a pretty good margin. We'll see what happens.

Very well summed up. Curious to see what happens.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Not that loss or even the way the team's been playing (though I think Nan and msf22b are right: Muffet hasn't been able to get her kids playing their very best).

I think there's a body language issue, Orangutan. I don't think ND boosters can see it because things like that are too subtle for someone to pick up who sees someone often. But for those of us who see someone only infrequently, and so it's more of a snapshot to compare with earlier snapshots, it's easier to see it in her body and facial language on the bench and in the pressers. I see someone who is beginning to feel a little world weary.

Geno certainly has changed markedly in the last 10 years. But he's been incredibly fortunate (I didn't say "lucky" because that has a different connotation; he's earned his "luck") because he continues to discover or invent new ways of charging his batteries. But he's certainly changed, and, if he hadn't been so "fortunate," he might well be heading into the same "rut", the same world weariness, that I suspect Muffet is beginning to fall into.

It also helps Geno that in the last ten years he has been fortunate to coach some of the very best basketball talents (Maya and then Stewie) on the planet. I don't believe Muffet has ever had that same opportunity.

 

[Plebe]

I dunno. Tennessee has beaten Stanford and Kentucky but has lost to Penn State, Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss. They seem perfectly capable of playing up to the competition and perfectly capable of having no interest in playing that day. Which team will show up?

Notre Dame is the better coached team by about a mile but there's something wrong I can't put my finger on. The players play hard but sometimes the Irish go into a weird funk offensively. I haven't seen them play recently, though, so perhaps Muffet's got that problem straightened out.

If both teams play their best, I would expect ND to win by a pretty good margin. We'll see what happens.

I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis but for one minor fact. Tennessee beat Vanderbilt; perhaps you were thinking of Virginia Tech?

 

[pacific 44]

Tennessee has as much chance of winning this game as a one legged man in an kickin'contest.Muffet has that certain something in her that almost always has her team rip roaring in games like this and tonight will be no exception.Holly not so much.If Uconn didn't exist Muffet would only have a few losses in the past few years.82-64 Shamrocks.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Notre Dame wins by 20. At least.

 

[Orangutan]

No need to get defensive. Most of us have seen maybe 3, 4, 5 games all season while you've seen them all. We're just calling them like we see it.

Likewise, I was just calling it as I saw it. Didn't mean it to come off like I was having a go at you or anyone else.

 

[ccwarrior]

ND wins, but I don't see a massive blowout. While ND is a very good team, with a good coach, they have definitely lost "something" this year. The players seem to be tough and have good BB IQ, but they also seem to be less athletic and seem to have less "drive" to impose their will on their opponents.

 

[mdakota]

Thanks for the heads up on this game... I need something to put me to sleep

 

[Bestiarius]

One would think that the number 6th ranked team should have no problem defeating a Tennessee team that didn't garner even a single vote in the latest AP poll.
2017 Women's College Basketball Rankings and Polls for Week 11 - ESPN

 

[wallman]

Should be an interesting game. Will Notre Dame find their passing game to beat the overplaying defense of TN or will it be a slugfest.

 

[HuskyNan]

It also helps Geno that in the last ten years he has been fortunate to coach some of the very best basketball talents (Maya and then Stewie) on the planet. I don't believe Muffet has ever had that same opportunity.

Skylar Diggins was the Naismith High School POY, the Gatorade POY, and ranked #1 by HoopGulrz and Max Preps. Brianna Turner was the Gatorade and USA Today High School POY and Naismith Awars finalist. Those are two top talents that have made it to South Bend, and those are the ones off the top of my head. The cupboard is hardly bare at Notre Dame and in fact this year, the Irish have more McDonald's All American than QUConn does.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Skylar Diggins was the Naismith High School POY, the Gatorade POY, and ranked #1 by HoopGulrz and Max Preps. Brianna Turner was the Gatorade and USA Today High School POY and Naismith Awars finalist. Those are two top talents that have made it to South Bend, and those are the ones off the top of my head. The cupboard is hardly bare at Notre Dame and in fact this year, the Irish have more McDonald's All American than QUConn does.

Diggins is good, but she isn't DT, Maya, or Stewie good. Neither is Turner.

 

[JavaMan]

I guess Doris and Dave are doing the game.​

​

 

[BigBird]

...Maybe at that point ND could have fouled and I suppose most coaches would. Do as anyone really think that UConn would have missed enough free throws to let ND back in. Or that ND having scored 53 points in 38.5 minutes could suddenly score 10+ in 1:34?

Spot on. I thought at the time that the "head scratcher" was Dave and Doris thinking that there was still a winning pathway for ND.

 

[huskeynut]

I would think ND wins this one. Normally this should be a blowout. Just don't know.

Tennessee is completely unpredictable. They have play some very good basketball and they have played some terrible basketball.

ND is very good on paper but they are not clicking as in years past. Spacing seems to be off on the offensive end. A little too much standing around. Turner has become an inigma. I still think her shoulder is not 100%. And some of the younger players have not stepped up as anticipated.

 

[Plebe]

I guess Doris and Dave are doing the game.​

The denizens of VolNation will not conceal their unhappiness about this. They despise Doris and consider her a UConn shill.

 

[JavaMan]

The denizens of VolNation will not conceal their unhappiness about this. They despise Doris and consider her a UConn shill.

How did they find out?

​

 

[Gus Mahler]

I still think her shoulder is not 100%.

I suspect the same thing. I feel for her, if true.

 

[Monte]

Expect mixed feelings on the BY.

Wonder how many anticipate a slaughter, how many a competitive game.