Column on Oregon's Loss to Stanford | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Column on Oregon's Loss to Stanford

oldude

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I don't think a game when Ionescu was a freshman and Oregon an 11 seed playing UCONN in the Elite 8 on the East Coast (and right after beating Maryland) is really a very fair measuring stick. I likewise believe that "all too often" is an overstatement. But, that said, I agree that this is the downside of Ionescu's competitiveness. Getting things "just right" is a challenge for any very talented player, and at any level, and doing so in game after game is imo always a work in progress with inevitable failures along the way. To me, Oregon is at its best when she scores around her average and takes 15 shots or so. That was certainly not the case in the Pac 12 tournament final, and in the game with UCLA as well. (Graves's UCLA postgame comment about "shots I couldn't believe" was, I think, clearly aimed in her direction.). But, ideally anyway, this will be lesson going forward, as was, presumably, Notre Dame's loss to Louisville in last year's ACC final.
Good points all. I had one other thought about Ionescu. While Ionescu will likely win all of the national awards as the best pg, she really might be better as a 2-guard, where her attacking and scoring mentality might be better suited. MJ was a guard and the greatest player of all time, but he never played pg. We may have to wait to test out my theory until Ionescu turns pro, hopefully with a team that has a solid pg already on the roster.
 
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I don't usually disagree with you but, I believe you are wrong in saying Stanford's play against Oregon would not have beaten many in the AAC. What team would it not have beaten? Any team playing a terrible game would not have beaten Oregon, imo. Maybe not Stanford's best game but not a terrible one.

Of course I was wrong. I was using exaggeration to indicate how bad I thought Stanford played and Won. However, on that one given night USF with a full load may have taken them. I believe both teams are much better than that game showed.
Thanks, I don't pretend to always be right, or wrong. Keep up letting me know when I missed the mark. Thanks.
 
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Maybe I misread your first post. The game Oregon beat Stanford by 40 in Maples, sure that was a poor effort, the Cardinal would've lost to a lot of teams that day. If you are referring to the Pac 12 Tournament final, I strongly disagree with you.
Maybe I misread your first post. The game Oregon beat Stanford by 40 in Maples, sure that was a poor effort, the Cardinal would've lost to a lot of teams that day. If you are referring to the Pac 12 Tournament final, I strongly disagree with you.
I'm not sure you are disagreeing to my statement AAC teams would beat them or the acknowledge of an error in judgement and saying it was hyperbole (BS)
https://the-boneyard.com/threads/O
If you disagree with either you are more than right. ON that championship night, Stanford was bad that night --USF with a full team may have beaten them. The rest, without UC, could not beat that team (maybe?). Thanks I appreciate varying and different opinions--thats why I'm so different.
 
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Good points all. I had one other thought about Ionescu. While Ionescu will likely win all of the national awards as the best pg, she really might be better as a 2-guard, where her attacking and scoring mentality might be better suited. MJ was a guard and the greatest player of all time, but he never played pg. We may have to wait to test out my theory until Ionescu turns pro, hopefully with a team that has a solid pg already on the roster.
MJ was not a PG? She IS the best PG in the world, and will prove it when she takes over the USA/Olympics from Sue. (pulling your leg)
I read MJ --Moriah Jefferson, old 23 no longer enters the brain.
 
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I won't read the article referenced in this thread. The article is written by John Canzano, of the Oregonian? If so, he is a $)DLG*!!!!. I don't care what team, player, coach, etc. John Canzano writes about, his entire goal is to be alarming. He thinks he is the straw that stirs the drink. I'm surprised a single coach, or player, in the state of Oregon will speak to him. I don't know many who like the guy, and, I know many who know longer subscribe to the Oregonian because of this POS. BTW, I'm not even a UO fan, but I still won't read his trash.
 
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MJ was not a PG? She IS the best PG in the world, and will prove it when she takes over the USA/Olympics from Sue. (pulling your leg)
I read MJ --Moriah Jefferson, old 23 no longer enters the brain.
I think MJ=Michael Jordan in this particular post.
 

nwhoopfan

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I'm not sure you are disagreeing to my statement AAC teams would beat them or the acknowledge of an error in judgement and saying it was hyperbole (BS)
https://the-boneyard.com/threads/O
If you disagree with either you are more than right. ON that championship night, Stanford was bad that night --USF with a full team may have beaten them. The rest, without UC, could not beat that team (maybe?). Thanks I appreciate varying and different opinions--thats why I'm so different.

The Pac 12 Championship game was ugly, but I thought it was mostly due to two good teams who know each other very well slugging it out. I think much of Oregon's struggles were due to Stanford's defense, and some vice versa. Stanford doesn't press or trap usually, they don't force a ton of turnovers, but they play really solid scouting report defense and take away what you want to do. It's been that way for years. Oregon came into the game averaging in the mid 80's, had just scored 88 (in OT) the night before, Stanford held them to 30 points below their average. I gotta think if they could do that to Oregon's offense, they would've held some AAC teams under 50 points. If you can do that, your offense doesn't have to be pretty. Not to mention many AAC teams would probably struggle to handle the trio of Smith, Carrington and Williams. Sometimes Stanford gets almost no scoring outside of their Big 3, but it's usually enough having those 3 carry them.
 

triaddukefan

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The Pac 12 Championship game was ugly, but I thought it was mostly due to two good teams who know each other very well slugging it out. I think much of Oregon's struggles were due to Stanford's defense, and some vice versa. Stanford doesn't press or trap usually, they don't force a ton of turnovers, but they play really solid scouting report defense and take away what you want to do. It's been that way for years. Oregon came into the game averaging in the mid 80's, had just scored 88 (in OT) the night before, Stanford held them to 30 points below their average. I gotta think if they could do that to Oregon's offense, they would've held some AAC teams under 50 points. If you can do that, your offense doesn't have to be pretty. Not to mention many AAC teams would probably struggle to handle the trio of Smith, Carrington and Williams. Sometimes Stanford gets almost no scoring outside of their Big 3, but it's usually enough having those 3 carry them.

3 games in 3 days might have something to do with it.... maybe?
 
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The Pac 12 Championship game was ugly, but I thought it was mostly due to two good teams who know each other very well slugging it out. I think much of Oregon's struggles were due to Stanford's defense, and some vice versa. Stanford doesn't press or trap usually, they don't force a ton of turnovers, but they play really solid scouting report defense and take away what you want to do. It's been that way for years. Oregon came into the game averaging in the mid 80's, had just scored 88 (in OT) the night before, Stanford held them to 30 points below their average. I gotta think if they could do that to Oregon's offense, they would've held some AAC teams under 50 points. If you can do that, your offense doesn't have to be pretty. Not to mention many AAC teams would probably struggle to handle the trio of Smith, Carrington and Williams. Sometimes Stanford gets almost no scoring outside of their Big 3, but it's usually enough having those 3 carry them.
I have watched a ton of Stanford games but none that I remember against Oregon or Oregon st. My expectation from Tara's teams is precision, not of the Uconn kind but they usually have a flow to their games.
I liked that they both battled in the final seconds. But earlier there were long periods, it seemed, that neither side could find the rim. Ugly is expected from the UCF's .
 

JoePgh

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I will admit that I haven't watched a ton of Ionescu's games, but I have watched enough to form the impression that she has difficulty guarding quick opponents, and her own ability to drive to the hoop against competent defenders is limited. She is an excellent shooter and passer, and obviously has an extremely competitive motor.

But still, given her apparent shortcomings in speed and quickness on both sides of the ball, how does she qualify as NPOY or as the #1 overall WNBA draft pick?
 

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