A Reminder - Texas - Baylor, UCLA - Oregon Tonight

[Charliebball]

I wonder which Texas team we will see............they are the home team so hopefully they show up and make this a ball game...........Oregon is at home so I'll assume they will take care of business.......

 

[LoTrader]

A great deal on the line for both UCLA & Oregon in this game. I'm expecting a nail biter.

 

[Carnac]

I wonder which Texas team we will see..they are the home team so hopefully they show up and make this a ball game......Oregon is at home so I'll assume they will take care of business..

Somebody needs to knock off Baylor and Mississippi State and "humble" them a little. I don't think it's going to happen. Texas is the only remaining team on Baylor's schedule capable of doing it. No one on MS's. Baylor is going in to the tournament this year with a chip on their shoulder. After getting knocked out early the last 2 years, they are determined to make it to the FF this year or bust!! Which is the right bracket for Baylor?

The Lady Bears are sharply focused at this time of the year, and you can bet Mulkey will have her team ready for all comers next month. Mississippi State has joined UConn as the 2 elephants in the room this year. No team wants to play them (or be in their bracket) except for the championship. Anyone that says they're looking forward to playing either of these teams before the championship game is being disingenuous.

Post script - Baylor won as I thought they would 93-87.

Charlie Creme's take:

 

[DefenseBB]

Finally! The east coast gets to see a meaningful PAC12 game!!!! Both games on ESPN2 tonight 8 pm and 10 pm.

I won't have to rely on our good friend NWHoop for the play by play!

I am rooting for Texas but my money is on Baylor. I think Oregon wins this game at home.

Of some note is the FSU at Duke game. I am rooting for Duke (what can I say, I like Triad!) but my money is on FSU...

 

[LoTrader]

Finally! The east coast gets to see a meaningful PAC12 game!!!! Both games on ESPN2 tonight 8 pm and 10 pm.

I won't have to rely on our good friend NWHoop for the play by play!

I am rooting for Texas but my money is on Baylor. I think Oregon wins this game at home.

Of some note is the FSU at Duke game. I am rooting for Duke (what can I say, I like Triad!) but my money is on FSU...

I'm predicting a UCLA victory tonight. Just a feeling after watching them live vs Oregon State Friday night.

 

[shizam]

Somebody needs to knock off Baylor and Mississippi State and "humble" them a little. I don't think it's going to happen. Texas is the only remaining team on Baylor's schedule capable of doing it. No one on MS's. Baylor is going in to the tournament this year with a chip on their shoulder. After getting knocked out early the last 2 years, they are determined to make it to the FF this year or bust!! Which is the right bracket for Baylor?

The Lady Bears are sharply focused at this time of the year, and you can bet Mulkey will have her team ready for all comers next month. Mississippi State has joined UConn as the 2 elephants in the room this year. No team wants to play them (or be in their bracket) except for the championship. Anyone that says they're looking forward to playing either of these teams before the championship game is being disingenuous.

Charlie Creme's take....

This might be an all too obvious statement but the big problem for WBB (not just UConn either) is there are too few teams that can play competitive games with the top teams. Too much of the season is between haves and have nots. This past weekend was a good one though as today should be.

 

[DefenseBB]

I'm predicting a UCLA victory tonight. Just a feeling after watching them live vs Oregon State Friday night.

Like I said, I am looking forward to watching this game. I like UCLA, Jordin, Billings and am curious on how Close coaches this game. I just think at home, Oregon has the advantage as they have a bit more weapons.

 

[Centerstream]

Also FSU @ Duke 6PM ESPN2.

 

[shizam]

Like I said, I am looking forward to watching this game. I like UCLA, Jordin, Billings and am curious on how Close coaches this game. I just think at home, Oregon has the advantage as they have a bit more weapons.

I dont think the UCLA kids are as strong mentally. I used to be a huge Canada fan but her game hasn’t developed like I thought it would. She is in early peaker like Mariya Moore. Oregon thrives on competition more than UCLA. UCLA isn’t tough. One sleeper for UCLA is Onyenwere. She will have a great career.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Bando back in the starting lineup for Oregon tonight. She got a lot of minutes against USC, especially late in the game. The question is who she would replace. I actually think Graves is more comfortable with the way McGwire is playing right now and he would opt to bring Sabally off the bench. She's been slumping lately. Down the stretch in the 4th quarter and OT against USC, Sabally was nowhere to be found on the court. It was McGwire or Gildon getting the minutes.

 

[shizam]

Sabally I thought by now would be playing lights out. Basketball is a funny game.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Oregon thrives on competition more than UCLA. UCLA isn’t tough.

I thought that earlier in the season. But they absolutely folded the last 2 or 3 minutes of the game against Stanford in Eugene. That was only 1 game, but it made me question a little bit how competitive they really are.

Ionescu has been off her game for at least 3 or 4 games now. Her stats still look okay, but just watching her, she doesn't look like the same player. Will she get her groove back?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Sabally I thought by now would be playing lights out. Basketball is a funny game.

She checks all the boxes of what you look for in a basketball player, before the game starts. But she's had way too many 1-8 from the floor and scored only 3 points type of games lately. Maybe hit the freshman wall or something, but she hasn't been consistently productive.

 

[LoTrader]

Sabally I thought by now would be playing lights out. Basketball is a funny game.

Sabally is a freshman. McGwire played last year a whole lot in the NCAAs (as a freshman), and has played well since Bando was injured. Gildon was awesome last year in the NCAAs, glad she is getting some more time back. UO Coaches have some luxury & flexibility in how they game plan since they have a lot of choices who they can bring off the bench. I believe Bando will see significant minutes tonight.

 

[LoTrader]

I dont think the UCLA kids are as strong mentally. I used to be a huge Canada fan but her game hasn’t developed like I thought it would. She is in early peaker like Mariya Moore. Oregon thrives on competition more than UCLA. UCLA isn’t tough. One sleeper for UCLA is Onyenwere. She will have a great career.

I think the UCLA kids are pretty talented, and, I believe it is their coach who has held them back a bit. Jordan Canada is a fantastic talent. I don't know how her little frame would hold up in the WNBA, but she is a stud. I think she would be an even better player under a better coaching staff.

 

[jonson]

She checks all the boxes of what you look for in a basketball player, before the game starts. But she's had way too many 1-8 from the floor and scored only 3 points type of games lately. Maybe hit the freshman wall or something, but she hasn't been consistently productive.

Since (I think) the Arizona series, and maybe before, Sabally has alternated between a relatively strong showing and a disappearing act (another example, would be the two games with OSU). Don't know why, but, in the unproductive ones she gets tentative (you can almost see her thinking about what to do next) and lets herself get mentally taken out of the game. Early in the game against USC, for example, she made two terrific drives to the hoop and then missed both shots. After that, she was visible only when she passed to the other team (although her teammates did a good job of that as well). And she sat for all of the second half and much of the first. I do think this is her version of the proverbial freshman wall. If I'm right about the off and on again alternation, it suggests that she should have a decent game against UCLA and that would be a big plus for the Ducks, but. . . . And you are right (in another post) about Ionescu, who hasn't really had a good game for a while. Don't know why, but I suspect she's a bit under the weather.

On the other hand, I do think the Ducks (despite the Stanford game) have an edge in mental toughness. UCLA always seems to underachieve, and I don't think either Canada or Billings have improved much, if at all, over the past 3 years. So I'm hopeful.

 

[Centerstream]

I think the UCLA kids are pretty talented, and, I believe it is their coach who has held them back a bit. Jordan Canada is a fantastic talent. I don't know how her little frame would hold up in the WNBA, but she is a stud. I think she would be an even better player under a better coaching staff.

First time I have seen someone on this board state that the UCLA Coach isn't a good coach or could be a better one. I thought last year during the tournament and this year prior to and after our UCLA game that she was given nothing but accolades. I thought that Geno was also of this thinking.

 

[nwhoopfan]

First time I have seen someone on this board state that the UCLA Coach isn't a good coach or could be a better one. I thought last year during the tournament and this year prior to and after our UCLA game that she was given nothing but accolades. I thought that Geno was also of this thinking.

I agree w/ LOTRADER. Not saying she's a terrible coach, but she certainly hasn't maximized the talent she's had. Other coaches in the conference have gotten better results w/ similar and even lesser talent than what Close has had at UCLA.

 

[LoTrader]

What a game! Full of surprises. Sabally was amazing, but the kid who I believe was the difference for UO was Maite Cazorla. She was just phenomenal. Ducks are a high powered team, but UCLA showed a lot of guts. I'm curious to hear what others think (particularly those who are not from PAC12 land) of these two teams and how they will fare in the NCAA Tournament.

 

[Centerstream]

I agree w/ LOTRADER. Not saying she's a terrible coach, but she certainly hasn't maximized the talent she's had. Other coaches in the conference have gotten better results w/ similar and even lesser talent than what Close has had at UCLA.

And some could say that this year that Geno has not maximized the talent he has - Z, BatCam and Megan.
Of course with the 5 starters he has, really not a problem.
I was just voicing my wonderment about the UCLA coach and poster's being underwhelmed by her successes, that's all.

 

[shizam]

What a game! Full of surprises. Sabally was amazing, but the kid who I believe was the difference for UO was Maite Cazorla. She was just phenomenal. Ducks are a high powered team, but UCLA showed a lot of guts. I'm curious to hear what others think (particularly those who are not from PAC12 land) of these two teams and how they will fare in the NCAA Tournament.

Both teams showed they are going to be tough for anyone. They should both go elite eight and one possibly final four. UCLA really showed me something. That game was won but no cigar for Drummond on that final shot in regulation. What poise in the final seconds by Canada at the top of the key to make that pass and not try to do it herself. She was great just like I saw her soph year in a double overtime game at Cal. She was unstoppable.

 

[nwhoopfan]

And some could say that this year that Geno has not maximized the talent he has - Z, BatCam and Megan.
Of course with the 5 starters he has, really not a problem.
I was just voicing my wonderment about the UCLA coach and poster's being underwhelmed by her successes, that's all.

Geno might get a bit of a pass with the 11 Championships.