For Natalie Butler fans

[SVCBeercats]

Hopefully these were not already posted. Game replays are in third post below.

 

[SVCBeercats]

 

[SVCBeercats]

For replays of George Mason games:

1. Go to Looking Back at George Mason's Magical Final Four Run in 2006 - Atlantic10.com
2. From the tabs above the video window select GAME REPLAYS
3. Page down to green lettering GAME REPLAYS
   
4. From the ALL SPORTS pop up menu select WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
5. Below you will find replays of George Mason women's basketball games

 

[Los24]

She really is a great person. I saw other videos in the past and a hard work ethic was instilled by her family early on. Nice to see her success, hear her expression of gratitude and overall humbleness... Much luck rest of the season to her!

 

[CocoHusky]

Nat looks in great shape and like she's having tons of fun, so happy for her!

 

[shizam]

Like to see Huskies who are only going to have limited time move on and have fun being key players on new squads.

Everyone’s a winner.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I watched those videos and a big smile just crept onto this old mug. Very happy for Natalie.

 

[enigmatic]

I'm proud of Nat and happy for her success at George Mason. No doubt she took what she learned at UCONN and applied it this season so far. I really hope a WNBA team takes a chance with her in the draft.

 

[Roger G]

She looked more confidant in these videos than I had ever seen her.

 

[oldude]

I note that in the most recent SNY Geno show where he talked about transfers, he was very supportive of players who worked hard, gave it their best shot, but eventually decide to transfer when it’s clear they’re not going to get a lot of PT at UConn. During that segment they were showing highlights of Nat at UConn.

I’m delighted that it’s all worked out for Nat, although there are times this season when it would sure be nice to have Nat’s big body in the paint to match up with opposing post players.

 

[SVCBeercats]

I’m delighted that it’s all worked out for Nat, although there are times this season when it would sure be nice to have Nat’s big body in the paint to match up with opposing post players.

I am happy for Natalie. However, when I heard she was transferring; I was of two minds. I knew teams with big bigs who are thicker than Z would be a problem and like you thought she would be a big help controlling them.

 

[eebmg]

I note that in the most recent SNY Geno show where he talked about transfers, he was very supportive of players who worked hard, gave it their best shot, but eventually decide to transfer when it’s clear they’re not going to get a lot of PT at UConn. During that segment they were showing highlights of Nat at UConn.

I’m delighted that it’s all worked out for Nat, although there are times this season when it would sure be nice to have Nat’s big body in the paint to match up with opposing post players.

I had noticed that to and was thinking of commenting on it. It is clear, Natalie left on very good terms. It was a combination of things that made the decision imho a true no brainer. With Z playing, Natalie would probably still be playing mop up duty. I could also imagine concerns that having Butler play meaningful minutes during the handful of physical games where Z may be out muscled would be hindering Z's development in handling those situations. She landed in the greatest place for her and we need to figure out creative ways to handle elite front courts with the players we have.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Nat is so very likeable.

 

[BroadwayVa]

She looked more confidant in these videos than I had ever seen her.

I would think it's hard to not show confidence when you a logging multiple double doubles, your team and coach think you are the best thing they found since ice cream. ADD to this--she is studying the field she wants to study. We tend forget Natalie is an extremely intelligent person as well as a BB player.

 

[MSGRET]

I would think it's hard to not show confidence when you a logging multiple double doubles, your team and coach think you are the best thing they found since ice cream. ADD to this--she is studying the field she wants to study. We tend forget Natalie is an extremely intelligent person as well as a BB player.

Correct, she stated that UConn discontinued her masters course last year and George Mason had the course.

 

[jaundicedeye]

I'm proud of Nat and happy for her success at George Mason. No doubt she took what she learned at UCONN and applied it this season so far. I really hope a WNBA team takes a chance with her in the draft.

I am confident she will and have believed it all along. She checks all the boxes for a coach looking for a post player. Her time at UCONN doesn't hurt her, either.

 

[shizam]

I am confident she will have believed it all along. She checks all the boxes for a coach looking for a post player. Her time at UCONN doesn't hurt her, either.

Terrific point which I tend to forget...any experience at UConn is a plus when WNBA execs look at a player. Half the darn league is UConn (I exagerrate)

 

[CocoHusky]

I had noticed that to and was thinking of commenting on it. It is clear, Natalie left on very good terms. It was a combination of things that made the decision imho a true no brainer. With Z playing, Natalie would probably still be playing mop up duty. I could also imagine concerns that having Butler play meaningful minutes during the handful of physical games where Z may be out muscled would be hindering Z's development in handling those situations. She landed in the greatest place for her and we need to figure out creative ways to handle elite front courts with the players we have.

Couple of issue with that line of thinking regarding Natalie not being at UCONN. Z herself is not starting and is therefore often relegated to at least some mop up minutes. Also don't think it was the presence of Z that deterred Natalie as much as it was the potential of a healthy Batouly.
Instead of just working through those physical situations in games (I do agree that Z needs to) Z could be working through those physical situations everyday in practice against Natalie.
Natalie being still at UCONN would give Geno one more tool that he could use effectively against larger front lines. This is a tool Geno has used effectively before, against Baylor (21 Mins) and against Texas (26 Mins) of Nat. I wish Nat well but I wish she was still at UCONN.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Couple of issue with that line of thinking regarding Natalie not being at UCONN. Z herself is not starting and is therefore often relegated to at least some mop up minutes. Also don't think it was the presence of Z that deterred Natalie as much as it was the potential of a healthy Batouly.
Instead of just working through those physical situations in games (I do agree that Z needs to) Z could be working through those physical situations everyday in practice against Natalie.
Natalie being still at UCONN would give Geno one more tool that he could use effectively against larger front lines. This is a tool Geno has used effectively before, against Baylor (21 Mins) and against Texas (26 Mins) of Nat. I wish Nat well but I wish she was still at UCONN.

Great analysis---the incidental things I tend to forget--that had the potential to fix many of the current woes Geno finds with this team. Yes Natalie did, in many big games, give Geno the option of sitting Napheesa or Gabby (at times with no choice). \
I have no Idea who asked who to transfer--but what you are suggesting that it was all Natalie--I tend to agree. Using your analysis it is apparent Geno would very much would have liked Natalie to stay. I'm not sure which of 3 options caused Natilie to depart. Those would have Been, Azura, Batouly, or Uconn dropping her course of choice. I lean toward the last choice.
Coco--just great analytical skills- I not only learned from them but saw the transfer differently, thanks.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Couple of issue with that line of thinking regarding Natalie not being at UCONN. Z herself is not starting and is therefore often relegated to at least some mop up minutes. Also don't think it was the presence of Z that deterred Natalie as much as it was the potential of a healthy Batouly.
Instead of just working through those physical situations in games (I do agree that Z needs to) Z could be working through those physical situations everyday in practice against Natalie.
Natalie being still at UCONN would give Geno one more tool that he could use effectively against larger front lines. This is a tool Geno has used effectively before, against Baylor (21 Mins) and against Texas (26 Mins) of Nat. I wish Nat well but I wish she was still at UCONN.

Yep. Imagine being able to counter Baylor's bigs with a 6-5/6-6 Butler-Z combo to go along with a 6-3 KLS? It would be like a few years ago when Geno wanted to go big and could bring out Stewie (6-4), Kiah (6-3), and Stef (6-5).

 

[CocoHusky]

Yep. Imagine being able to counter Baylor's bigs with a 6-5/6-6 Butler-Z combo to go along with a 6-3 KLS? It would be like a few years ago when Geno wanted to go big and could bring out Stewie (6-4), Kiah (6-3), and Stef (6-5).

Added bonus of your scenario of going big is you could free up Gabby to be an additional perimeter defender. Whaoo Nelleie!!!!

 

[Charles T]

Also glad for Nat, esp that she's playing free of injuries. But her fab stats are on a Geo Mason team whose RPI is 96 and strength of schedule is 267 [of 349 ranked teams...the bottom quartile]. And does it matter? On Jan 7 vs Geo Washington, RPI 112, sos 43] Jen Rizzotti's team limited her touches. Hurrah for Nat's 78% shooting vs GW that day but she took just nine shots and GW won by 10. The RPI and sos are not perfect metrics but they do seem to make a difference.

 

[dtbtbtb]

If Butler would have stayed, I doubt she would have averaged more than 10 min. Per game becouse of Z. Being in front of her as a front court player from the bench and if Z and Butler would play together it would have hurt Z's development as inside player. So, IMO it was best for Butler that she transferred after getting great learning at UConn for few years and can have such a dominant senior season!

 

[Plebe]

George Mason lost at home today to Fordham, 67-62.

Natalie posted 14 points (including 8 of 9 from the FT line) and a whopping 20 rebounds in the losing effort.

G'Mrice Davis, another contender for A-10 player of the year, had 18 points and 14 rebounds for Fordham.

With the loss, GMU falls into a three-way tie for 4th place with Saint Louis and St. Joseph's, each of whom is 5-3. Leading the conference standings are two undefeated teams in Dayton and Duquesne, followed closely by one-loss Fordham.

 

[Roger G]

Natalie's twenty-first consecutive double double gives her a tie for fourth longest streak of consecutive double doubles in NCAA history. There aren't a whole lot of players who could do that or they would have done it somewhere at some program. If it didn't take a good player to do it, it would have been done by more than four others.