ACC 2024-25 Season

[VA Huskie]

They may struggle more than they should (given their record and team composition) on these East Coast trips.

I still think they're a good team, but I'm not buying the Top 16 NCAA seed talk.

Elsewhere, Virginia Tech is trying to sink their NCAA chances with a loss to lowly UVA tonight. They made Latasha Lattimore look like A'ja Wilson.

Lowly UVA is 3-3 in the ACC and outplayed Duke for 3 quarters.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Whatever happened to SMU in the second half of their game against Pitt carried over today with North Carolina. Scored 33 total, only 1 quarter w/ double digit scoring. Last 6 quarters--0, 10, 6, 8, 8, 11. My goodness that is putrid!

edit--Utsby had 18 rebounds, but I suppose there were a lot of rebounds to be grabbed w/ SMU shooting 12-62 (19%)

 

[WBBTakeover]

Lowly UVA is 3-3 in the ACC and outplayed Duke for 3 quarters.

They still lost, though.

Zero ranked wins for UVA. Losses to Wyoming, Washington State, Boston College (at home), and Auburn (also at home). NET near 100. WBIT bound.

 

[nwhoopfan]

One player from SMU shot 1-19 from the floor. How do you not glue that player to the bench at some point during the game? She also contributed 6 TOs and 4 fouls. She probably broke the formula for advanced metrics.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Well, Duke certainly looked great tonight against Cal! Don’t know if Duke just had a horrible game against UVA or UVA had an unusually good game vs Duke.
I think Alexis’ $$ will make a difference. I was at a pregame discussion with one of UVA’s coaches on Sunday and she basically said that they had no $$ prior to his gift. She indicated that for some of the players we’d like to recruit that’s a nonstarter.

Interestingly, when Debbie was still UVA’s coach I told the asst athletic director that they needed to keep their eye on Shea Ralph. He said “she’s on our list” when Debbie leaves.

My son got his PhD from Duke. He’s still a huge men’s bb fan, but roots for UVA women.

As I mentioned after the UVA game, Latasha Lattimore would start for us. She's long and athletic (even if she's a little out of control). We don't have a 6'4 like her on our roster. She was a mismatch against us (until we made our adjustments) and a huge mismatch against a VT team that is tiny inside (they likely win tonight's game with one or both of Wake Forest's starting posts).

Shea Ralph would've been a great move to make after the unmitigated disaster that was Tina Thompson, but Carla Williams was not making that decision (I'm guessing you talked to Craig Littlepage about Shea). I was REALLY hoping for Coach Yo, but she wasn't taking a pay cut to clean up the UVA mess after cleaning up the mess in Oxford.

Alexis' gift may help--to keep certain players from leaving. One of them would be a great fit for a team like Maryland (which rebounded well after a down year by their standards) or Tennessee (another ranked team that needs athletic bigs), which is why the players may need an incentive to stay. I can't see it making a difference in bidding wars against the teams ranked, say, 11-20 (which is where UVA is trying to get)--especially since those teams will have had the track record of recent success that UVA lacks. If it comes down to UVA versus Duke for a 6'4-6'5 athletic big and both teams can offer immediate PT and $$, how many are choosing UVA?

 

[CAbballfan2]

Well, Duke certainly looked great tonight against Cal! Don’t know if Duke just had a horrible game against UVA or UVA had an unusually good game vs Duke.
I think Alexis’ $$ will make a difference. I was at a pregame discussion with one of UVA’s coaches on Sunday and she basically said that they had no $$ prior to his gift. She indicated that for some of the players we’d like to recruit that’s a nonstarter.

Interestingly, when Debbie was still UVA’s coach I told the asst athletic director that they needed to keep their eye on Shea Ralph. He said “she’s on our list” when Debbie leaves.

My son got his PhD from Duke. He’s still a huge men’s bb fan, but roots for UVA women.

Duke had a horrible 2 game swing. Tonight, they looked like the team they were in early non conference play.

 

[VA Huskie]

Yo

They still lost, though.

Zero ranked wins for UVA. Losses to Wyoming, Washington State, Boston College (at home), and Auburn (also at home). NET near 100. WBIT bound.

u really know how to hurt a guy, don’t you…
I do think we’re getting better though.

 

[VA Huskie]

As I mentioned after the UVA game, Latasha Lattimore would start for us. She's long and athletic (even if she's a little out of control). We don't have a 6'4 like her on our roster. She was a mismatch against us (until we made our adjustments) and a huge mismatch against a VT team that is tiny inside (they likely win tonight's game with one or both of Wake Forest's starting posts).

Shea Ralph would've been a great move to make after the unmitigated disaster that was Tina Thompson, but Carla Williams was not making that decision (I'm guessing you talked to Craig Littlepage about Shea). I was REALLY hoping for Coach Yo, but she wasn't taking a pay cut to clean up the UVA mess after cleaning up the mess in Oxford.

Alexis' gift may help--to keep certain players from leaving. One of them would be a great fit for a team like Maryland (which rebounded well after a down year by their standards) or Tennessee (another ranked team that needs athletic bigs), which is why the players may need an incentive to stay. I can't see it making a difference in bidding wars against the teams ranked, say, 11-20 (which is where UVA is trying to get)--especially since those teams will have had the track record of recent success that UVA lacks. If it comes down to UVA versus Duke for a 6'4-6'5 athletic big and both teams can offer immediate PT and $$, how many are choosing UVA?

Actually I talked with a guy named John Oliver - Littlepage’s top assistant. But it was well before Tina.
You’re really down on coach Mox, but I’m still unsure. This is the first year where most of the players were brought in by her and fit her style. But she still doesn’t have anywhere near the overall talent that the better schools have. My hope is that the $$ will allow her to bring in more of that talent. But we’ll see.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Yo

u really know how to hurt a guy, don’t you…
I do think we’re getting better though.

I'm not trying to, though.

There is improvement being made by the Hoos, as the last two weeks would indicate.

 

[DallasDomer]

Duke had a horrible 2 game swing. Tonight, they looked like the team they were in early non conference play.

Sarcasm or what am I missing?

 

[WBBTakeover]

Delaney Thomas--I am a fan

 

[WBBTakeover]

Beth and Debbie said something interesting--that Kara wants to develop high school talent. Honestly, that's the best way to go (South Carolina does it, UConn does it) for long-term success. I wouldn't want to become Louisville.

 

[triaddukefan]

Delaney Thomas--I am a fan

I thought that we might be in trouble this season in the post, but she has held up quite well.

 

[triaddukefan]

Delaney Thomas--I am a fan

 

[packwrap]

One player from SMU shot 1-19 from the floor. How do you not glue that player to the bench at some point during the game? She also contributed 6 TOs and 4 fouls. She probably broke the formula for advanced metrics.

...but you really should have seen the one she made!

 

[WBBTakeover]

Congrats, Liz! Can't wait to see you hitting fadeaway jumpers against the Liberty and Lynx!

 

[WBBTakeover]

I love it! She is so solid--doing everything that's being asked of her. Same thing with Taina Mair--solid across the board.

 

[triaddukefan]

Crazy that she is only averaging 18 minutes a game. I know some would like to see her inserted into the starting lineup, but I like her energy and scoring coming off of the bench.

 

[cancontent]

Crazy that she is only averaging 18 minutes a game. I know some would like to see her inserted into the starting lineup, but I like her energy and scoring coming off of the bench.

Agreed. She provides a boost off the bench and it's worked for the most part. Why mess with what's working?

I'd rather see her develop versus being thrust into the starting position if she's not ready for it. For comparison look at Mackenly Randolph of Louisville. Originally started as a freshman and now is barely getting time off the bench. Rushing for the sake of leveraging a star freshman for attention when they're not ready doesn't work.

 

[darrell]

Crazy that she is only averaging 18 minutes a game. I know some would like to see her inserted into the starting lineup, but I like her energy and scoring coming off of the bench.

I am guilty of saying she should be starting over Donovan.

 

[CAbballfan2]

I am guilty of saying she should be starting over Donovan.

Toby will move to the 4 position once Roberson returns next season. I foresee her then, starting over Donovan.

 

[WBBTakeover]

I am guilty of saying she should be starting over Donovan.

No, she shouldn't. She's exactly where she needs to be as a freshman--coming off the pine.

Watch the games and don't fall victim to the hype.

 

[darrell]

No, she shouldn't. She's exactly where she needs to be as a freshman--coming off the pine.

Watch the games and don't fall victim to the hype.

There are plenty of good Freshmen in the starting lineup of Top 25 teams, so I don’t think she “needs to be” coming off the bench.

Donovan is an undersized post player who doesn’t shoot threes and isn’t nearly as productive as, say, a Liatu King for example.

I’ve watched plenty of Duke games and I’d say they look a lot better with Fournier (or Wood) to complement Delaney Thomas.

 

[WBBTakeover]

There are plenty of good Freshmen in the starting lineup of Top 25 teams, so I don’t think she “needs to be” coming off the bench.

Donovan is an undersized post player who doesn’t shoot threes and isn’t nearly as productive as, say, a Liatu King for example.

I’ve watched plenty of Duke games and I’d say they look a lot better with Fournier (or Wood) to complement Delaney Thomas.

There are plenty of good freshmen starting, but Toby doesn't need to be one of them. There's an even better freshman forward than her who has started ONE game this season (you can figure out who that is). There's a freshman guard in this conference who hasn't started a game and is considered to be just as good as, if not better than, Toby. In fact, she's won ACC Freshman of the Week more than Toby has.

Starting as a freshman means very little in the grand scheme of things. A'ja Wilson started ONE game as a freshman. Breanna Stewart started 13. Why anyone would care about a freshman starting from Day 1 is beyond me. And no, I'm not saying that Toby is the next A'ja or Stewie (she's not that good and isn't going to be that good). I'm just providing perspective.

Jadyn Donovan plays great defense (which is a must if you want to play for Coach Kara). Toby does not play great defense. Thus, one starts and one comes off the bench. [Sophomore] Jadyn isn't [grad student] Liatu King--yet. Doesn't mean she can't become that. But she has provided consistency in what she brings--toughness and defense.

What Duke needs alongside Delaney is consistency (since she's the model of consistency). Donovan is that. Fournier is not. It's not hard to see why one starts and the other does not. The "start Toby" crowd is awfully loud after a game like Virginia Tech or Cal but go radio silent after she no-shows against South Carolina (while her freshman forward counterpart for SC was all over the court making play after play), forces the issue against UVA (getting blocked repeatedly until she figures out that there are other tall people on the court), or plays timid against UNC.

 

[cancontent]

I am guilty of saying she should be starting over Donovan.

There are plenty of good Freshmen in the starting lineup of Top 25 teams, so I don’t think she “needs to be” coming off the bench.

Donovan is an undersized post player who doesn’t shoot threes and isn’t nearly as productive as, say, a Liatu King for example.

I’ve watched plenty of Duke games and I’d say they look a lot better with Fournier (or Wood) to complement Delaney Thomas.

Nothing wrong with the idea of Toby starting. It's totally possible that they could operate better. Personally, I hope the move is made because she's ready versus hype, which I highly doubt Coach Lawson cares about. It could be a matter of time that she becomes a starter this season.