It kills me to say it but.... | The Boneyard

It kills me to say it but....

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pap49cba

pap49cba

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Diggins just may be a DT-type of player who can somehow will her team to victory. It will be fascinating to see how it all plays out.
 
Before the season started a huge number of Boneyarders assured us that ND would not be a top ten team this year. I disagreed vociferously. Most Boneyarders at the time badly underestimated how good ND would be.

Right now a lot of people are making the opposite mistake. ND is a very, very good team. But they are not at the same level as the team that beat Ky and Md by 30 and 26 points respectively. Will that team show up on Sunday? I think so. I hope so. But I could be wrong. What I'm sure of is that if we bring our A game we will win.

When DT willed the team to victory in 2003 and 2004 we were fortunate in that there were not a lot of great teams. The one team with great talent was Duke if I remember correctly (at least in one of those years). But they were not well coached and did not rise to the occasion in big games. All credit for DT for putting the team on her shoulders and taking advantage. But she didn't have to play against a team playing the way UConn played in Bridgeport.
 
Suebird10fan said:
Before the season started a huge number of Boneyarders assured us that ND would not be a top ten team this year. I disagreed vociferously. Most Boneyarders at the time badly underestimated how good ND would be.
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I was one of them. They have really surprised me this year.
 
Suebird10fan said:
Before the season started a huge number of Boneyarders assured us that ND would not be a top ten team this year. I disagreed vociferously. Most Boneyarders at the time badly underestimated how good ND would be.

Right now a lot of people are making the opposite mistake. ND is a very, very good team. But they are not at the same level as the team that beat Ky and Md by 30 and 26 points respectively. Will that team show up on Sunday? I think so. I hope so. But I could be wrong. What I'm sure of is that if we bring our A game we will win.

When DT willed the team to victory in 2003 and 2004 we were fortunate in that there were not a lot of great teams. The one team with great talent was Duke if I remember correctly (at least in one of those years). But they were not well coached and did not rise to the occasion in big games. All credit for DT for putting the team on her shoulders and taking advantage. But she didn't have to play against a team playing the way UConn played in Bridgeport.
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I think you forgot UTenn there, the team that UConn played in both of those finals and was a better team than the Alana Beard take-a-dive-and-rack-up-a-foul Devils. Just because UConn won both finals behind a DT who always got pissy at the thought of losing to the Vols does not mean that Pat wasn't doing a strong job those years. Texas was also very strong at the end of 2003, and in some ways looked like a better team than UConn.

Good omen: UConn is undefeated on April 7th. Okay it was just one game, but they beat one of this year's FF members for the NC in 2009 on that date.
 
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pap49cba said:
Diggins just may be a DT-type of player who can somehow will her team to victory. It will be fascinating to see how it all plays out.
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She may be a lot of things... but Diana she is not

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For the record I wrote "may be", not "is".

Detailed below is a list of all those who predicted ND would be 35-1 this year and would end up winning 7 of the last 8 games against Uconn:
 
Diana's third championship just proved how great a player she was. Her other teams had stars, but her last year's team was a borderline top 20 team without her. They had no business winning that championship but she took them on her back and made everyone around her better. She was someone that stats alone could not describe. She was incredible.
 
There is not a close comparison in basketball skills between Diana and Skylar, but there is a close resemblance in personality and team leadership. And ... there is a close resemblance in how opponents' fans react. Reaction to Skylar on this board reminds me of reaction to DT on The Summitt.
 
If Skylar wins the National Championship this year...that will be quite an extraordinary accomplishment...not up there with Diana's multiple championships, perhaps, but excellent all the same. What she's done so far this year certainly indicates her value to the two prior ND teams that made the NC game even if they weren't wins. And I don't think losing this semi-final, should she lose it, invalidates the great season she and Notre Dame have had. The winner of this next game will have to be very special, indeed!
 
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DanDar said:
Diana's third championship just proved how great a player she was. Her other teams had stars, but her last year's team was a borderline top 20 team without her. They had no business winning that championship but she took them on her back and made everyone around her better. She was someone that stats alone could not describe. She was incredible.
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OneTrickPony said:
If Skylar wins the National Championship this year...that will be quite an extraordinary accomplishment...not up there with Diana's multiple championships, perhaps, but excellent all the same. What she's done so far this year certainly indicates her value to the two prior ND teams that made the NC game even if they weren't wins. And I don't think losing this semi-final, should she lose it, invalidates the great season she and Notre Dame have had. The winner of this next game will have to be very special, indeed!
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Apples and oranges....In the first post, it is noted that Diana took a supposed top 20 team on her back and brought home the championship. She made everyone better.

Post #2 says that ND winning with Diggins will be extraordinary accomplishment. Well, anyone who wins it all is extraordinary. Diggins, however is not surrounded by a such a team as Diana. She has Jewell Loyd and McBride for starters, one of whom has had her best games against UConn. Diggins doesn't go about setting up her players to be better either. They win, but they don't win like Diana.
 
katiecrum1992 said:
Technically 0-2. We'll see what happens Sunday.
I'm pretty sure the Louisville-Cal game will be close too.
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Freshman year she went 4-14 from the field as her #2 Irish lost to OK in the Sweet 16. That doesn't count for some reason?
 
DanDar said:
Diana's third championship just proved how great a player she was. Her other teams had stars, but her last year's team was a borderline top 20 team without her. They had no business winning that championship but she took them on her back and made everyone around her better. She was someone that stats alone could not describe. She was incredible.
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well her last two championships were the same roster...... so basically it would be her 2nd title where she proved how great she was, not the 3rd.
 
DobbsRover2 said:
Just because UConn won both finals behind a DT who always got pissy at the thought of losing to the Vols does not mean that Pat wasn't doing a strong job those years.
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She got to the finals and that ain't hay. But she had the stronger team both years and lost. And that one game where Kelly Schumacher beat her just slew me. Do you think Schuey develops into the player she became at UT? I don't think she even gets on to the court.
 
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RadyLady said:
Diggins doesn't go about setting up her players to be better either. They win, but they don't win like Diana.
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Diggins absolutely goes about setting up her teammates, that's a big part of Notrre Dame's success against UConn. They've actually out passed UConn including Diggins creating easy opportunities for her teammates.
 
During the Kentucky game I notice something and your post inspired me to go back and take a look. Yes, there were lots of steals and layups, but the assist to basket ratio was rather UConn-esque: 12 on 29 baskets. Not good or bad -- and observation (and probably 'cause MoJeff discovered her quick).
 
To me what ND has understood better than most when playing us is ou passing preferences and patterns and repeatedly jumped our passes in those passing lanes.
 
Icebear said:
To me what ND has understood better than most when playing us is ou passing preferences and patterns and repeatedly jumped our passes in those passing lanes.
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Sounds then like Geno needs a few new wrinkles in the playbook to confuse the Irish. Maybe if he throws a UTenn scheme at ND they will be so befuddled they'll collapse. Also maybe change up the defense more during the game to throw them off balance. Gotta do something new while still relying on the old strengths.
 
DobbsRover2 said:
Sounds then like Geno needs a few new wrinkles in the playbook to confuse the Irish. Maybe if he throws a UTenn scheme at ND they will be so befuddled they'll collapse. Also maybe change up the defense more during the game to throw them off balance. Gotta do something new while still relying on the old strengths.
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Exactly, and, also, double check the passing lane before releasing the ball and go to option 2 or three. Geno has said that UCONN doesn't run plays they run a system that teaches option. Use some of the other options and if you make mistakes make sure they do not lead to breakaways and easy buckets.
 
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Icebear said:
To me what ND has understood better than most when playing us is ou passing preferences and patterns and repeatedly jumped our passes in those passing lanes.
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Not just that, but more importantly (IMO) they are able to pressure the perimeter like no other team we face, so that it's harder for us to make good entry passes, and the passes we *can* make are either 1) weak--and easier to pick off--or 2) steered to spots that they are only too happy to see the ball go. IOW they don't just jump the lanes; many times they alter them considerably.

As Cat has mentioned a number of times, the real key for us is making ND pay for this pressure. To date, we haven't been able to do that. There are a number of things you can try, and I'm sure Geno and Shea are focusing on them big time in the lead up to Sunday. Our guards have to avoid/anticipate traps and do a better job of getting past the initial perimeter D via the dribble when needed. Far too often, we have let them play 'offense' on defense by bringing pressure to us. We can't have that. We need to dictate on our end of the floor.
 
VAMike23 said:
Not just that, but more importantly (IMO) they are able to pressure the perimeter like no other team we face, so that it's harder for us to make good entry passes, and the passes we *can* make are either 1) weak--and easier to pick off--or 2) steered to spots that they are only too happy to see the ball go. IOW they don't just jump the lanes; many times they alter them considerably.

As Cat has mentioned a number of times, the real key for us is making ND pay for this pressure. To date, we haven't been able to do that. There are a number of things you can try, and I'm sure Geno and Shea are focusing on them big time in the lead up to Sunday. Our guards have to avoid/anticipate traps and do a better job of getting past the initial perimeter D via the dribble when needed. Far too often, we have let them play 'offense' on defense by bringing pressure to us. We can't have that. We need to dictate on our end of the floor.
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"they are able to pressure the perimeter like no other team we face, so that it's harder for us to make good entry passes,"

Spot on.
 
One of the ways to break pressure is not simply to cross the mid court line but to immediately penetrate the defense while crossing it. The worst thing one can do is cross it and stop creating the mid court line as another sideline. By penetrating all the way into at least the top of the key you force the defense to suddenly implode having to chase. That collapse can frequently result in a spot up opportunity somewhere when now kicking back out against the onrushing D.
 
VAMike23 said:
Not just that, but more importantly (IMO) they are able to pressure the perimeter like no other team we face, so that it's harder for us to make good entry passes, and the passes we *can* make are either 1) weak--and easier to pick off--or 2) steered to spots that they are only too happy to see the ball go. IOW they don't just jump the lanes; many times they alter them considerably.

As Cat has mentioned a number of times, the real key for us is making ND pay for this pressure. To date, we haven't been able to do that. There are a number of things you can try, and I'm sure Geno and Shea are focusing on them big time in the lead up to Sunday. Our guards have to avoid/anticipate traps and do a better job of getting past the initial perimeter D via the dribble when needed. Far too often, we have let them play 'offense' on defense by bringing pressure to us. We can't have that. We need to dictate on our end of the floor.
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Agree on failing to anticipate ND's traps. ND's guards have pretty good size and UConn's guards just have not been able to pass over the traps or dribble through them. The best way to beat pressure is to attack it. I thought UConn eventually did that against Kentucky after being flustered for the first few minutes. Also, Diggins is not a great on ball defender. Good, confident guards can drive by her as Alexis Jones showed the other night. What she is great at is stripping the ball, either straight on or her patented (and never called) swipe from behind. She is very strong and has unbelievably quick hands. UConn really does need a confident and aggressive Bria Hartley.
 
Icebear said:
One of the ways to break pressure is not simply to cross the mid court line but to immediately penetrate the defense while crossing it. The worst thing one can do is cross it and stop creating the mid court line as another sideline. By penetrating all the way into at least the top of the key you force the defense to suddenly implode having to chase. That collapse can frequently result in a spot up opportunity somewhere when now kicking back out against the onrushing D.
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That's a good point - often times if we don't have a transition opportunity going, our player with the ball will bring it across midcourt and then pause at a very high position, looking to initiate the offense, or pass the ball to the wing -- who is also at a very high point on the court.
 
Charley Creme has us beating Louisville for the Nat. Championship, whatever that's worth.

We must attack that pressure. They have very good hands, and tip a lot of balls. We must be careful with our dribble and our passing. Ithink the Kentucky game was good for us. They have very quick hands and press you hard the entire game. Moriah scared me at first, but I came away a true believer.

Notre Dame has not played against the UCONN team that beat Kentucky and Maryland. If we make shots and everyone gets involved...I just don't see them staying with us. We must believe ! We must dictate. If they punch us, we must punch back harder. Get the transitiopn game going, and do not let up ! Attack, attack, attack ! GO UCONN GO !
 
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