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Achonwa (merged)

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doggydaddy said:
You think that without Achonwa they can score 80 against the best defense in the country? Really?

I need a word for the opposite of overly optimistic.
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Uh..."underly pessemistic", mebbe?
 
This definitely makes it more difficult for ND and my heart breaks for Natalie, but they are not out of it yet. A lot can happen. Players on the remaining teams could get injured or become ill - heck Diamond went down twice in the last game and is day to day. LSU lost two players during the tournament. No team should think they are invulnerable. UConn could easily have been without KML if her recovery from mono hadn't gone as well as it did - and after watching the two games in Lincoln, I think you would have been in a bit of trouble without her. I just hope everyone remains healthy and for ND fans, that the other players step up. I want to see competitive games.
 
easttexastrash said:
Yes it does. Notre Dame will have NOTHING inside to combat Dolson and Stewart...NOTHING. All UCONN has to do is pound the ball inside and the game will be over.
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But, as people keep pointing out, 2 players can only score so much. Consider the following hypothetical scenario:

Dolson spends a lot of time at the high post, but still does better than her season average: 17 Points
Stewart doesn't play as well as she did in last years tournament, but still hits some clutch jumpers to reach her season average: 19 Points
Moriah: 8 Points
Bria has an off shooting night: 12 Points
Kaleena starts forcing shots a little and ends up 3/9 from three and 2/5 from 2: 15 Points

Total: 71 Points

Loyd has a great night (remember that this is the kid who put up 21 in a half on Baylor): 25 Points
McBride plays like a senior in her last game, including hitting the go-ahead three: 22 Points
Allen: 5 Points
Braker: 5 Points
Reimer: 4 Points
Mabrey gets hot and hits 4 threes: 12 Points

Total: 73 Points

Is the above scenario really that unlikely? Is there any one of those outcomes that seems like that much of a stretch? Before the Achonwa injury, I would have given UConn maybe 70% odds of winning. Now I'd give them 80-85% odds. I think it's a pretty big stretch to say that Notre Dame cannot win.

One thing that I will add though, is that this changes my rooting preferences in tonight's game. I had thought that Louisville had the better odds of winning against Notre Dame, but Thomas' clutch play against Tennessee in combination with one less shot blocker in the post have changed my mind.
 
UConnCat said:
And UConn needs to think about Stanford or UNC.
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Yes, I was beginning to think that I was the only one who was a little worried about Stanford - who are
playing pretty well right now.

I'd feel a bit less nervous if UNC can upset Stanford, but I don't think they will.
 
UConnChapette said:
Just covering the mojo bases here...

There is a little thing of two semi final games before we even go to the "wanted to play/beat them at full strength" scenario. One team, or both, may not win their semifinal game. If that happens the point is moot.

Rest assured, our coaches will be scouting tonight's game and will immediately start on a game plan for the semifinal before they even give ND a thought.
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When I was a young thing back in '58, I was at the finals of the US Championship at Forest Hills on grass.
Near the end of the 5th set of a hard fought match between Aussie's Ashley Cooper and Mal Anderson, Cooper suffered a debilitating
knee injury, possibly an ACL and the match was halted while Cooper tried to determine if he could go on.

He actually could hardly walk, but he won nevertheless.
Anderson lost track of what he had to do to finish and wound up losing to a statuary object
who could neither move nor serve.
It actually affected Anderson's game more than Cooper's

there's a lesson here somewhere.
 
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hoophuskee said:
You could be right but you seem way too over-confident that they'll get there. The other teams have players with high baksetball IQ's too, right? And the other teams will be ready to compete too, right? And since when does just two A/A's autmatically get you into the finals (which you've seemed ot make that jump)? Tina and Maya? You think the 2 ND players are at their level? Griner and Sims couldn't get by Louisville without any a/a's. And most of the whole team from Louisville just once removed from a huge upset is facing two a/a's again.

SO you respect Muffett but not someone like Walz who has gotten to two finals as an underdog? While you respect Muffett dont you respect Geno too in identifying weaknesses of his opponents and exploiting them? It seems like you just want to look at things one way.
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I respect Waltz and his team.

I chose to move ND into championship in this thread because we have played and beaten the Vill 3 times this season. I want Uconn to beat ND for the prize.

I think Loyd is a superior baller and McBride is a warrior. They are better than any of Waltz's players. The supporting ND cast is not. The wild card is freshman post. Will she rise to the challenge?
 
Maryland would be a real problem for ND now. Even a team like Tennessee, with quality bigs, was unable to keep Thomas under control. ND without Achonwa would be easy pickings for her.
 
doggydaddy said:
Louisville and MD have one AA each, but I believe after including the AA's on all three teams, both Louisville and MD have more talent. I'd put Smith, Gibbs, Taylor, Hammond and Jude over Allen, Braker, Mabrey, Reimer and Wright.

It would be a heck of a game.
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I agree with you on S Schimel's suporting cast but Hammond has been in a funk for last two games. If it continues tonight I am not sure they get past Maryland.
 
Robert Wordell said:
I agree with you on S Schimel's suporting cast but Hammond has been in a funk for last two games. If it continues tonight I am not sure they get past Maryland.
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That's May be true, but even on a funk she is more effective than Reiner.
 
rocky rococo said:
Maryland would be a real problem for ND now. Even a team like Tennessee, with quality bigs, was unable to keep Thomas under control. ND without Achonwa would be easy pickings for her.
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I actually think Braker was and will be given Thomas and I believe she can do a good job on her with some help. They will obviously miss having Natalie as the eraser of mistakes on the back line, but how they play Thomas doesn't I think change much. It is how they rebound and guard the other Maryland players that will be an issue.
And against Louisville - the cards have a hard time with fast athletic guards and Loyd I think qualifies. She will need to have a huge game, but she is certainly capable of doing that.
 
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Stanford is a known quantity and UConn has their number. I want the Cardinal to erase the very unpredictable wild card, UNC. It's not conventional wisdom, I'm sure, but with Achonwa out, I make the Tar Heels to be UConn's most dangerous potential foe. They can be awful, but they can also be magnificent. That's what comes of having a young, highly talented but undercoached team. You really don't know what you're going to get on any given night. I'd rather not encounter that in the national semis.
 
Have LLyod and McBride ever combined for 60 points as some find credible?! Post injury last night both Kara and Rebecca said the loss of Achonwa was huge; this from people paid to keep interest alive. Of course, the beauty of college athletics is in part the youth that translates into volatility and unpredictability.
 
UcMiami said:
I actually think Braker was and will be given Thomas and I believe she can do a good job on her with some help. They will obviously miss having Natalie as the eraser of mistakes on the back line, but how they play Thomas doesn't I think change much. It is how they rebound and guard the other Maryland players that will be an issue.
And against Louisville - the cards have a hard time with fast athletic guards and Loyd I think qualifies. She will need to have a huge game, but she is certainly capable of doing that.
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Braker is also foul prone - she can be goaded into stupid fouls. I think that can be exploited and Jeff has enough bigs to test her.
 
Can we PLEASE stop with the "if we beat Nd, when we beat ND"..stuff? There's a little matter of Stanford/NC that must be beaten before we can play ND...IF they can get by Louisville/Maryland...
We're DOOMED!!!!
 
UcMiami said:
I actually think Braker was and will be given Thomas and I believe she can do a good job on her with some help. They will obviously miss having Natalie as the eraser of mistakes on the back line, but how they play Thomas doesn't I think change much. It is how they rebound and guard the other Maryland players that will be an issue.
And against Louisville - the cards have a hard time with fast athletic guards and Loyd I think qualifies. She will need to have a huge game, but she is certainly capable of doing that.
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I'm sure you're right about Braker, they have no other realistic options to deal with Thomas. The second-order effects of Thomas carving them up inside may indeed be the biggest problem for ND.
 
Was a freak injury. She was going up for a lay-up and then You hear her scream and grab the knee
 
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This is an easy question to answer. I still think ND reaches the championship game. They can still beat L'ville and Maryland. Against UCONN they have a very small shot at winning. But hey.......this is why we play the game! I am sure ND isn't throwing in the towel. Achonwa's injury will motivate them
 
Natalie is a tremendous competitor. She added to the game. Best wishes for a full recovery. Notre Dame still has a team that can give anyone fits. Best wishes to them as well.
 
ctdad said:
Achonwa did miss the first 3 games of the season, but only Michigan State would have been considered a decent opponent in those games (ND won by 19).

Braker can handle the passing aspect of what Achinwa gave the Irish. What she can't do is put it on the floor and take it to the hoop from the high post, which is what Achonwa has been doing a lot of in the tournament, especially early in games.

As an ND fan, I have considered UConn a bad matchup for the Irish this year due to the Huskies' size. Without Achonwa, Lloyd and McBride will have to shoot the lights out for the Irish to keep close and I just don't see that happening against UConn's D. Of course, Villanova did beat Georgetown many years ago ...
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Ct dad- you hit the nail on the head - only teams with tall athletic big seam to have slowed us down lately. A tough match up just became monumental. They still prob beat everyone else, with much more difficulty. And beating us wouldn't be impossible.
 
I think the plan for ND doesn't have to change much. They didn't change it after 20'charging calls in the Baylor game.

As mentioned above, I think 50 free throws is the plan. It accomplishes 2 things, score points and put Stewie on the bench. Stewie will have to be very careful or she'll end up playing 25 minutes instead of 35.
 
A short time ago Kara and Rebecca were asked of ND's chances. Kara said "none." To paraphrase Rebecca said "they won't be able to beat UCONN." They can be wrong - but anyhow the discussion is fun.
 
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Kara said that if UConn is upset in the Final Four semis, than ND has a chance to win against Stanford/UNC. But not really against UConn. It's all about the matchups, and right now, without Achonwa, ND doesn't match up well with Dolson and Stewart.
 
rocky rococo said:
Stanford is a known quantity and UConn has their number. I want the Cardinal to erase the very unpredictable wild card, UNC. It's not conventional wisdom, I'm sure, but with Achonwa out, I make the Tar Heels to be UConn's most dangerous potential foe. They can be awful, but they can also be magnificent. That's what comes of having a young, highly talented but undercoached team. You really don't know what you're going to get on any given night. I'd rather not encounter that in the national semis.
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I understand the reflex, but I'd much rather take the chance that a freshman DeShields gets hot than a senior Ogwumike.
 
ndmb said:
I understand the reflex, but I'd much rather take the chance that a freshman DeShields gets hot than a senior Ogwumike.
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Not me - Chiney can only hurt u around the hoop- where she really can't hurt us!!!!
DD is a Maya like threat from everywhere and difficult to guard everywhere.
 
There aren't many opposing players that I can say I really liked. Achonwa was one. Tasha Pointer was another.
 
Last edited:
Four-guard lineup discussed in SBT story with comments from Stephanie White. Of course, a four-guard lineup with Achonwa is much different than a four-guard lineup with Braker/Reimer.

http://www.the-boneyard.com/threads/achonwa-merged.56935/page-3

White thinks that the Irish may shift to a four-guard lineup.

“I like Notre Dame with four guards, because they’re dynamic on the offensive end, and it certainly presents a challenge on the defensive end,” White said. “With the versatility you have with four guards out on the floor, to be able to show a different type of defense, switching, getting out in the passing lanes, creating turnovers … I think what Notre Dame already does on both ends of the floor is a transition four-guard offense.”

McGraw said that the four-guard lineup, with either Michaela Mabrey or Madison Cable starting in place of Achonwa, is a strong consideration. Notre Dame played mostly a four-guard lineup last season to great success, beating Connecticut three times and reaching the Final Four. The four-guard offense would leave senior Ariel Braker, a 6-1 forward, as the probable starting post.
 
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