Clemson @ Notre Dame - 12/29/19

[eebmg]

The saga of Muffet will continue. Next step is her comparing this bunch to her teams from yester year

 

[Wbbfan1]

How much are the Irish missing Niele Ivey? Would they be getting guard play if Niele was still at Notre Dame? Hard to say, but I always thought Niele was key to Notre Dame's success. Kind of like, how good would Geno be without Chris Dailey? Yes, Geno would still be a great coach, but probably not have 11 Championships without Chris.

Despite signing a good recruiting class for next year, Notre Dame did miss out some higher rated recruits. Would Niele have finished the deal for Notre Dame? BlueAndGold - Notre Dame 2020 Women's Basketball Recruiting Class Ranked No. 3

 

[MainefanSC]

Some people here are dancing and gloating, but I really fail to see how this benefits WCBB

On the other hand; I fail to see how MM's comments on "hiring only women", Comments deriding Geno as well as other players winning awards over ND players, etc, etc "benefit WCBB". Is there a bit of "reap what you sow" happening here? She has players she recruited, she lost players signed by her recruiting, she has refused to "coach up" players vs throwing them under the bus, that she recruited. IMHO, MM has not looked to "benefit WCBB". So, no tears for Muffet, let her wallow in her own surroundings and losses. I do have a bit of sympathy for her players. I am sure they went to ND for the coaching and the betterment of their game. I suspect the last thing they thought they would be experiencing is their coach throwing them to the wolves during a post presser. How they respond at the following practices and games, should be interesting. Maybe they will learn a hard life lesson.

 

[oldude]

I realize that MM doesn’t necessarily give very much credence to male basketball coaches, but perhaps she could learn an important lesson from one male coach who had a little bit of success in his day.

A coach must never forget that he (she) is a leader and not merely a person with authority.
John Wooden

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I just caught up to watching the Clemson-ND game. I don't see what the fuss on this and the McGraw's Bench board is about. ND was outstanding in all phases. They were outstandingly poor at shooting, dribbling, passing, patience, execution, athleticism and defense. The best and most impressive thing for ND was McGraw's demeanor on the bench where she failed to give her best Linda Blair imitation. That however doesn't excuse her poor coaching through today. Yes, at practice they may execute, but their continued failure to execute in games is on Muffet, and no one else.

In all seriousness looking at the game I was surprised to see Brunelle take a mere 6 shots all game. She had a paltry 3 rebounds against an undersized and mediocre Clemson team. Vaughn returned with limited side to side movement and with her acceleration. Every time Walker dribbled up the floor I cringed while waiting for either another bad shot or a turnover. They failed to put a hand in Sprays face until 4 mins. left in the 3rd quarter when they finally figured out she couldn't dribble. Their coverage in the 2/3 zone was so poor they allowed Thornton to score time after time from the elbow...and Clemson didn't even have to use ball movement or fakes to get the elbow entry pass. Thornton often just stood there and waited for the ball. Being a small, short armed team just kills their chances at closing out the passing lanes. Once again their team speed, which is negligible, killed them in transition and in the quarter court. Once again they got out rebounded, this time by a team roughly their size. Once again they showed little to no patience with their sets in the quarter court. Once again their poor passing, poor shooting, and poor decision making on offense was on display, Sniezek or no Sniezek.

Meanwhile the announcers were going on about how the ACC is the best conference in WCBB, as if they couldn't see Louisville struggling again, against an unranked team. At least this time it didn't take 2 OT's to beat them. Anyone with eyeballs can see that the PAC 12 is the best conference overall, although Oregon is really the team I respect, far and well over the others. Sadly, this year is clearly taking years off of Muffet lifespan: her coaching life and her personal one. Some people here are dancing and gloating, but I really fail to see how this benefits WCBB as ND with its poor recruiting will continue to sink further in the ACC. I mean, I don't see great recruiting classes on the horizon for Walz or Wes Moore either. On a good note, with UConn piling up the great recruits it's hard to see how ND has a chance to beat UConn over the next 8 years.

Ivey is gone right? For years she was regarded as the touchey feeley recruiting queen. Did Muffet fall into the trap of only chasing the top 10 ?

 

[mhshuskies]

How much are the Irish missing Niele Ivey? Would they be getting guard play if Niele was still at Notre Dame? Hard to say, but I always thought Niele was key to Notre Dame's success. Kind of like, how good would Geno be without Chris Dailey? Yes, Geno would still be a great coach, but probably not have 11 Championships without Chris.

Despite signing a good recruiting class for next year, Notre Dame did miss out some higher rated recruits. Would Niele have finished the deal for Notre Dame? BlueAndGold - Notre Dame 2020 Women's Basketball Recruiting Class Ranked No. 3

I get where you are going with this, but comparing Niele Ivey to CD is ridiculous!

 

[Gamecockfan77]

are you a betting man?

They're 6-8 and just got blown out on their home floor by one of the worst teams in the ACC.

You think they're finishing .500 in the league?

I do see they don't really draw the most difficult league schedule --- but that should hurt them as much as help them.

When your best win is at Michigan, they're going to need some upsets.

No question McGraw is good though and they have talent so I guess it could happen.

 

[oldude]

They're 6-8 and just got blown out on their home floor by one of the worst teams in the ACC.

You think they're finishing .500 in the league?

I do see they don't really draw the most difficult league schedule --- but that should hurt them as much as help them.

When your best win is at Michigan, they're going to need some upsets.

No question McGraw is good though and they have talent so I guess it could happen.

Uhm...the Irish are 5-8, unless you’re giving them a win over lowly Pitt.....

 

[Plebe]

Uhm...the Irish are 5-8, unless you’re giving them a win over lowly Pitt.....

Or maybe the exhibition win over Guelph? That's Notre Dame's fiercest rivalry now.

 

[biobioprof]

How much are the Irish missing Niele Ivey? Would they be getting guard play if Niele was still at Notre Dame?

Pretty sure Niele doesn't have any eligibility left ...

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Uhm...the Irish are 5-8, unless you’re giving them a win over lowly Pitt.....

Massey has them 6-8. that does include a win over something called Guelph on 12-21, which probably can be disregarded.

 

[msf22b]

A case can be made (and I have been making it) that Niele Ivey
was the real power behind the thrown; that Muffet is lost w/o out her
especially on the recruiting front and on the practice floor.

Muffiet is not particularly pleasant when she wins; when she loses she is
a wicked witch. Even her loyal board (really quite understanding with regard the kids) is
on her for her Hollyesque pressers.
What a remarkably, terrible sport.

About the game:I finally watched the 1st half:
Despite M's assertions, they ran stuff that reminded me of Christmas past,,,
oops, I mean ND past.
They just couldn't finish anything....Why?
Really, not much talent, speed, savvy, athleticism...even fitness (which is under their control).
And the D and rebounding is quite awful.
At least in this game, their shooting was abysmal.

I imagine we've still not hit bottom with this group...
In a way, far more pathetic than even UTenn was
the last few years.

 

[Ex Nutmegger]

Notre Dame doesn’t even show Guelph as a game of any kind on their official schedule. They show themselves at 5-8.

 

[oldude]

Massey has them 6-8. that does include a win over something called Guelph on 12-21, which probably can be disregarded.

Guelph was a designated exhibition game that was moved to December by ND’s request because they ran into trouble scheduling another game before the holiday break. Perhaps Massey is unaware of this fact, but the game should not count towards Massey, RPI or any other WBB rating. In Massey’s defense, it should be noted that while Guelph clearly indicates the ND game as an exhibition on their website, for some reason, ND appears to have overlooked that salient detail on their website....

 

[oldude]

Notre Dame doesn’t even show Guelph as a game of any kind on their official schedule. They show themselves at 5-8.

Actually, while ND correctly shows a record of 5-8 on their website, they continue to show the Guelph game on their schedule with a box score and no clear indication that the game was an exhibition.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Did you watch the postgame video? According to McGraw, there is no talent on the bench. The only place she will guide them is under the bus.

In the presser McGraw intimated that their press did not work against Clemson because they had practiced against walk ons. If I'm a ND walk on am I now inspired to work harder or to walk off?

 

[Shades]

Actually, while ND correctly shows a record of 5-8 on their website, they continue to show the Guelph game on their schedule with a box score and no clear indication that the game was an exhibition.

It was clearly indicated before it was played. I made a game thread for it.

 

[oldude]

In the presser McGraw intimated that their press did not work against Clemson because they had practiced against walk ons. If I'm a ND walk on am I now inspired to work harder or to walk off?

Like many top WBB programs, ND employs a contingent of male practice players on work study programs to provide opposing teams looks. That is unless MM decided that in addition to not hiring male assistant coaches, she will no longer provide work-study assistance to hard working male students.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Clemson's Spray absolutely was on fire from 3 zone. That kind of performance will rattle an opponent. Check it out.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Oh, and this was on the same YouTube page as the above. Just in case Muffet needs something to take her mind off of ND miseries.

 

[DefenseBB]

In the presser McGraw intimated that their press did not work against Clemson because they had practiced against walk ons. If I'm a ND walk on am I now inspired to work harder or to walk off?

I guess she also has a moratorium on "male" practice players?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Like many top WBB programs, ND employs a contingent of male practice players on work study programs to provide opposing teams looks. That is unless MM decided that in addition to not hiring male assistant coaches, she will no longer provide work-study assistance to hard working male students.

Maybe she was trying to get the walk ons some game simulation?

 

[Huskee11]

Hi, Muffet. No Irish jig after this one? Awww.

So let`s throw those injury-faking, head hanging, bad shooting, disappointing, discouraging, offense play ignoring, fight lacking, wait until next yearing, looking good only against walk onning players YOU RECRUITED under the bus. Great look.

Hope Azzi Fudd is soaking it all in.

 

[EricLA]

Well, I'm gonna wait at least a few more weeks before making funeral arrangements. They were missing Sniezek here, which I believe did matter in this game.

Not according to Muffet. Marta would have been a "useful sub off the bench". YIKES!!

 

[rvwsleep]

Come on, Irish...dagger.

They're 6-8 and just got blown out on their home floor by one of the worst teams in the ACC.

You think they're finishing .500 in the league?

I do see they don't really draw the most difficult league schedule --- but that should hurt them as much as help them.

When your best win is at Michigan, they're going to need some upsets.

No question McGraw is good though and they have talent so I guess it could happen.