#1 Notre Dame vs. #9 Oregon State

[Plebe]

Arike had a bad first half but played a lot better in the 2nd. Hit a key three and didn't play hero ball in the 2nd besides one ill advised three. Ended up with 21 points, 5 boards, 3 assists and 0 turnovers despite a poor shooting night. Down the stretch Notre Dame was the more unselfish team and that's why they were able to execute and win.

Notre Dame wasn't the more unselfish team, they're just the better team. With the exception of the PG position, they have such a massive advantage over Oregon State player for player. Slocum dominated the first half with something like 16 points but then faded in the 2nd half, and no one else for OSU could pick up the slack.

 

[Plebe]

Mikayla Pivec for OSU is also a stud. 17 points on 8-14 with 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Oregon State a fairly young team. Will only lose McWilliams and Grymek. Kennedy Brown and Taylor Jones will likely have immediate impact in the post. Those two will be key.

But Pivec was only 1-4 from the free throw line and missed a critical 3 in the 4th quarter which OSU needed to stay close.

 

[Reypl21]

I was surprised ND didn't go inside as much in the first half, but MM doesn't like to show all her cards until the second half. This was Turner's best game of the season, and against a taller team. I hope this gets her going.

 

[nwhoopfan]

It was a tie game w/ 2 minutes left. If ND is so obviously superior at every position, how was it tied so late in the game? OSU didn't finish well, other than that I'd say they showed very well.

 

[DaBball]

I was surprised ND didn't go inside as much in the first half, but MM doesn't like to show all her cards until the second half. This was Turner's best game of the season, and against a taller team. I hope this gets her going.

PSA Oregon State posts are not good. I am surprised Shepard and Turner didn’t go for more. One critical player who disappeared was Corosdale. She nailed a three then blew past Shepard or Turner then disappeared.

 

[willtalk]

Agreed. Missed too many shots and decision making was suspect at a couple of moments. This team looks good though...Rueck will have them as a major threat this year.

She does tend to regress to hero ball at times. In some other games she would drive and kick out. In this one she tended to look for her own shot. The team has plenty of shooters but you have to keep them engaged. If you do not hit them when they are open they tend to get out of rhythm or end up taking forced shots.

If the get Aquino on the floor and up to speed by the playoffs they will be dangerous. Aquino is a threat to score from 15 in. The reason they do not know how to close the deal is because during the game they tend to get away from doing what works best for them.

 

[bbballfan23]

It was a tie game w/ 2 minutes left. If ND is so obviously superior at every position, how was it tied so late in the game? OSU didn't finish well, other than that I'd say they showed very well.

Like I've said before. They are more susceptible to losing than last years UConn team was & I personally don't think it's that close. They had the perfect storm to win at the buzzer. Much like MS St.

 

[Shades]

The OSU radio guy just said he’s not a fan of Mabrey during the postgame analysis.

 

[willtalk]

Mikayla Pivec for OSU is also a stud. 17 points on 8-14 with 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Oregon State a fairly young team. Will only lose McWilliams and Grymek. Kennedy Brown and Taylor Jones will likely have immediate impact in the post. Those two will be key.

I think the key both this year and next will be Aquino. She is an offensive threat when she is on the floor along with having the height to create problems in the middle. Next year they will be really tough. Morris came from a weak high school program and though she has potential but is not really D1 ready.

 

[Plebe]

PSA Oregon State posts are not good. I am surprised Shepard and Turner didn’t go for more. One critical player who disappeared was Corosdale. She nailed a three then blew past Shepard or Turner then disappeared.

Corosdale was the victim of foul trouble. She spent time on the bench in the first half after her 2nd foul, and she picked up her 3rd and 4th fouls in rapid succession early in the 3rd quarter. That was pretty much it for her.

 

[HuskyNan]

It was a tie game w/ 2 minutes left. If ND is so obviously superior at every position, how was it tied so late in the game? OSU didn't finish well, other than that I'd say they showed very well.

OSU was probably feeling pretty confident after beating South Carolina. A big part of the game is played between the ears.

 

[j66kicker]

I’ve witnessed her execute dirty plays before in other games. When a rebounder goes up high for a rebound, she’ll bend down and go into their legs and upend them. Very dangerous play. Seen her do it a couple times.

She learned that move from Mabrey

 

[Plebe]

It was a tie game w/ 2 minutes left. If ND is so obviously superior at every position, how was it tied so late in the game? OSU didn't finish well, other than that I'd say they showed very well.

You're way too easily offended.

Because OSU played out of their minds in the first quarter, that's how. If they could shoot 73% all the time, they'd be unbeatable. But Notre Dame won every quarter after that. Since this isn't horseshoes or hand grenades, I'd like to see them do more than just "show well" and close the deal, rather than collapse down the stretch just like they did last year against ND.

 

[DaBball]

I think OSU may be a threat for the title next year. They will (hopefully) have Aquino eligible, and they also bring in two of the top 2019 posts in Jones and Brown. Depending on how game ready they are, they seem likely to make immediate impacts. Scott likely brought Morris in knowing she was more of a project.

 

[CocoHusky]

I'd rather ND be undefeated when we play them anyways...Jackie Young is their best player. I think it's becoming less of a debate by the day.

I said this same thing more than a year ago October 2017

Don't think a ND team based around Arike being the main cog is the best thing for ND. Would hate to see Young overlooked in favor of Arike or Mabrey because I believe she is more talented. I'm a UCONN fan not necessarily in it for what's best for ND.

 

[bbballfan23]

I said this same thing more than a year ago October 2017

Good call!

 

[DaBball]

She definitely does seem to be their best player. She has tremendous size, skill, and athleticism. She also has the ability to score on all three levels, which makes her really good. She has given OSU a lot of troubles the past two times they have played.

 

[bballnut90]

Notre Dame wasn't the more unselfish team, they're just the better team. With the exception of the PG position, they have such a massive advantage over Oregon State player for player. Slocum dominated the first half with something like 16 points but then faded in the 2nd half, and no one else for OSU could pick up the slack.

2nd half I thought they were definitely the more unselfish team....Notre Dame had 13 assists in the half to Oregon State's 6. Slocum started to play hero ball while ND attacked the basket and got their bigs involved. I love Slocum and think she can take Oregon State to new heights, but she'll need to engage her teammates more than she did in the 2nd half. They'll also need post players to finish looks inside. Grymek had a couple of plays where she was deep in the post but bricked shots pretty badly. She just doesn't have good touch around the basket if she's being defended. Tough to go up against Shepard/Turner who make up arguably the best post duo in the country.

 

[CocoHusky]

She definitely does seem to be their best player. She has tremendous size, skill, and athleticism. She also has the ability to score on all three levels, which makes her really good. She has given OSU a lot of troubles the past two times they have played.

She is also ND's best (perhaps only adequate) perimeter defender for a few years now.

 

[Plebe]

2nd half I thought they were definitely the more unselfish team....Notre Dame had 13 assists in the half to Oregon State's 6. Slocum started to play hero ball while ND attacked the basket and got their bigs involved. I love Slocum and think she can take Oregon State to new heights, but she'll need to engage her teammates more than she did in the 2nd half. They'll also need post players to finish looks inside. Grymek had a couple of plays where she was deep in the post but bricked shots pretty badly. She just doesn't have good touch around the basket if she's being defended. Tough to go up against Shepard/Turner who make up arguably the best post duo in the country.

In order to get assists, you need teammates who can actually score. As you so accurately described, OSU lacked scorers when it counted, especially in the post. Turner, meanwhile, was automatic every time she caught the ball down low.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Notre dame only played 7 players all game and the 2 subs added 0 points.
OSU played 5 subs that added 30 points.
Are the ND fans on their forum screaming we need bench help?

Another interesting stat
ND averages 51 points in the paint per game and gives up 28 points in the paint, per game.
UConn averages 36 points in the paint per game and only gives up 20 points in the paint per game.

 

[nwhoopfan]

My bad, it was last tied just under 4 minutes left. The ND surge started with more time left on the clock than I thought.

 

[jonson]

My bad, it was last tied just under 4 minutes left. The ND surge started with more time left on the clock than I thought.

And exactly at the point that Arike stopped shooting.

 

[DaBball]

Ogunbowale's intentional elbow to Janessa's jaw. | Benny's House
Looks intentional to me.

Here is a link with pictures that will actually work. Mine just say file is too large.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Ogunbowale's intentional elbow to Janessa's jaw. | Benny's House
Looks intentional to me.

Here is a link with pictures that will actually work. Mine just say file is too large.

I saw that on Benny's House. Sure looks like she took aim and knew exactly what she was doing. Like I said, ND gave me more reasons to dislike them. Boo Irish.

 

[hugefan]

Problem was she Lou was a complete liability for us with her ankle being the way it was. She couldn't have kept Geno from scoring 30 that night either.

KLS was playing in help on the posts in the FF as we had difficulties there in the earlier game. Young was left open due to her low 3 pt shooting, so I see you are blaming KLS for Geno’s game plan and the fact that the refs called an offensive foul on her that was a block and another that was non existent when she was standing straight up but what’s knew LOL

 

[LoTrader]

Everybody remember this game. Let's see what Rueck and coaching staff are able to accomplish rest of the regular season before OSU plays ND again in the NCAAs. Difference tonight is ND knew how to close out a game, and OSU did not. Rueck has 3 months to dramatically improve the post position for OSU. If that happens, OSU will be in great shape come tournament time.

 

[Dillon77]

She is also ND's best (perhaps only adequate) perimeter defender for a few years now.

Coco: Excuse me, but I can't quite get the intent on this particular one (in italics).
- Is Jackie ND's best defender and no one else is adequate?
- Or she's the best .. and is only adequate?

Have you had a chance to see any games yet this year? Jackie is, by far, ND's best outside defender.
However, I've been encouraged by two of our freshman so far: Prohaska is at her best on the perimeter, exhibiting some good in-your-face defense and she moves her feet well. A tad too aggressive at times, but that will be learned. And Gilbert has good eye-to-hand/feet movement, jumping passing lanes a few times against Gonzaga and Drake.

BTW, I do remember you stating your opinion on Young a few years back.

 

[CocoHusky]

Coco: Excuse me, but I can't quite get the intent on this particular one (in italics).
- Is Jackie ND's best defender and no one else is adequate?
- Or she's the best .. and is only adequate?
Have you had a chance to see any games yet this year? Jackie is, by far, ND's best outside defender. However, I've been encouraged by two of our freshman so far: Prohaska is at her best on the perimeter, exhibiting some good in-your-face defense and she moves her feet well. A tad too aggressive at times, but that will be learned. And Gilbert has good eye-to-hand/feet movement, jumping passing lanes a few times against Gonzaga and Drake.

BTW, I do remember you stating your opinion on Young a few years back.

I have not had a chance to evaluate Prohaska's and Gilbert's perimeter defense yet. I was mostly speaking about the last couple of seasons. Jackie was the ND's best perimeter defender & is more than adequate. That is also a big part of her not getting enough credit because she should have been on the the All-ACC all defensive team last year. The other two ND perimeter defenders Marina and Arike are inadequate IMO.

 

[Plebe]

Coco: Excuse me, but I can't quite get the intent on this particular one (in italics).
- Is Jackie ND's best defender and no one else is adequate?
- Or she's the best .. and is only adequate?

Have you had a chance to see any games yet this year? Jackie is, by far, ND's best outside defender.
However, I've been encouraged by two of our freshman so far: Prohaska is at her best on the perimeter, exhibiting some good in-your-face defense and she moves her feet well. A tad too aggressive at times, but that will be learned. And Gilbert has good eye-to-hand/feet movement, jumping passing lanes a few times against Gonzaga and Drake.

BTW, I do remember you stating your opinion on Young a few years back.

IIRC Muffet said in Jackie’s freshman year that she was their best perimeter defender. No secret there. Not that Ogunbowale and Mabrey are horrible. Young is just outstanding. Yet another reason why she is even more valuable to this team than Arike imho.

Lili Thompson last year was also an excellent defender. But of course she only played half a season before her injury.