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Message: [QUOTE="DefenseBB, post: 4837020, member: 7492"] I have been encouraged by our recent efforts to utilize our 3 point guards and our basketball athleticism the way [USER=44]@CL82[/USER] noted above by playing up-tempo/transition basketball. Along that effort Aubrey was our "poster child" as no one epitomized up-tempo/transition basketball more than Aubrey and her ability to operate in the open floor. We also lost a quality defender and rebounder that will be harder to replace. Other than SC and UCLA who have size, shooting and depth, everyone else in the conversations has as many weaknesses or more than we do. So I agree with [USER=1673]@diggerfoot[/USER] that not only were we a NC contender for a final 4 slot, we still are! Let's logically look at the other teams that we have to contend with for a final 4 birth. I have channeled my inner [USER=73]@Tonyc[/USER] with optimism here so bear with me. [B]NC State[/B]-I want a revenge game on a neutral court or better yet in Albany. There is no way this version of UConn loses to the Wolfpack. [B]Iowa[/B]-Yes Ms. Clark IS WONDERFUL but her supporting cast is woeful. Hannah Stuelke is a nice developing player but no match for Aaliyah. We match up well against this team so I say, bring them on! [B]Colorado-[/B]Nice story but other than their opening game win over a dysfunctional LSU team at that time, who have they beat? They do not have elite size nor quickness that can match up with us. [B]Baylor[/B]-they are a worthy Final Four contender except that I am not sold on their coaches "X's and O's" ability in the big game but I still really like our chances against this team as they don't have elite size either. [B]LSU[/B]-this could be a problem match-up for us with both Reese and Morrow at the front court slots and Mikayla Williams to deal with. Hailey Van Lith is a 4th option and Kim does know how to coach so of all the teams 3-11, this is the most dangerous which is not to say I am scared of them, I am not. I am just noting they have righted the ship and have skills and strength where we are weakest. [B]Stanford[/B]-Yes they have Brink and Iriafen but I am not sold on the rest of the team, especially their guards. Would be a good game but I like our up-tempo vs. them. [B]USC[/B]-Linsday Gottlieb is their coach (I don't need to say anything more) [B]Texas[/B]-Losing Harmon was a death blow to them from a NC perspective. They will still make noise but they are no longer elite. [B]Kansas State[/B]-They have Ayoka Lee who is back playing at an AA level but, her conditioning and our transition game are not a good matchup for Jeff Mittie's squad. Bring em on! [B]Utah[/B]-yes they lost their 2nd best player in Gianni Kneepkens but I saw this team in person at Mohegan against SC and Pili as awesome and the rest of this Utes team played as a team and is potentially dangerous. Our up tempo will have a huge advantage over this slow team. Of the remaining schools below us, [B]ND[/B] with the possibility of Miles returning is the only other team I would consider a mild threat. While this board does not like Miles, we must respect her game and how she makes everyone on that team better. Will she be back? [B]Virginia Tech, Indiana[/B] and [B]tOSU [/B]all seem to have other issues going on preventing elite performance that they could turn it around by the NCAAT but we have to wait and see. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach