Kelsey Plum!!!!!!

[Orangutan]

Taking nothing away from Ms. Plum's accomplishment, which is something to marvel at...but my answer would be no.

Is there any doubt that anyone of the all-time greats you listed couldn't have scored/averaged 30+ points a game during their careers if they'd taken 40-50% of their respective teams' FGAs? Is there any doubt that any of the all-time greats you listed would trade one of their NCAA titles for an individual scoring award?

Washington's offense is all Plum, all the time. And it starts with her bringing the ball up as PG and then deciding whether to make a play or distribute the ball.

She took 28 of the team's 59 FGA's (47%) in her 57 point record breaking performance. The total assists for the team was 6 for the entire game and Plum had ZERO assists (as a guard no less)! The rest of the 10 players on the team (that all saw minutes in the game) combined for 27 points.

When you are shooting 54-44-89, you can shoot as much as you want as far as I'm concerned. Most of the basketball world fetishizes scoring too much. Sometimes here we fetishize assists too much.

True, as a point guard, she is the decision maker controlling her team's offense. Washington scored 84 and shot 49.2%, both very solid numbers. Does it really matter that she got no assists given the end result of 84 points and a W? She shot 67.9%. Her teammates shot 32.3%. Seems to me that taking the lion's share of the shots was a good idea, at least on this night.

 

[1-of-the-6]

Just a little Plum trivia.

Kelsey's great grandfather, on her mother Katie's side, is Arthur B. McBride. McBride was the founder and first owner of the Cleveland professional football team. He attempted to hire the legendary Frank Leahy of Notre Dame as the franchise's first head coach but the deal fell through. His second choice was Paul Brown, the team was then named the Browns, they began play in the All-America Conference before joining the NFL, and the rest is history.

McBride owned the football team for five years. He also owned several taxicab companies in the Cleveland area. Many Browns players drove these cabs during the off-season, the term "Taxi Squad" eventually being coined from this practice. Kelsey's mom Katie actually drove a cab for her grandpa when she was sixteen.

 

[Carnac]

A class move by Stiles. She gladly passed the baton to Plum she's been carrying for 16 years. With at least 6 games (3 conference tournament,& 2 NCAA) remaining for Plum, she could very easily break the 3500 point barrier. Someone will no doubt break THAT record too, but I think it will be awhile. Stiles held it for 16 years. Plum will hold it for a minute or two as well. Here's a look at the current list of career leaders in Division 1 WCBB:

[LINK]

 

[1-of-the-6]

A class move by Stiles. She gladly passed the baton to Plum she's been carrying for 16 years. With at least 6 games (3 conference tournament,& 2 NCAA) remaining for Plum, she could very easily break the 3500 point barrier. Someone will no doubt break THAT record too, but I think it will be awhile. Stiles held it for 16 years. Plum will hold it for a minute or two as well. Here's a look at the current list of career leaders in Division 1 WCBB:

I agree. I don't see Kelsey Mitchell as getting that close. After her, I don't know if there's anyone else on the radar.

 

[Carnac]

In case you didn't know - Former Kansas All-American Lynette Woodard was a four-time All-American who scored more points (3,649) than any other collegiate women’s player.

The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships (see AIAW Champions). Following a one-year overlap in which both organizations staged women's championships in 1982, the AIAW discontinued operation, and most member schools continued their women's athletics programs under the governance of the NCAA. Woodard graduated in 1981. All of her points were scored under the governance of the AIAW. That is why her record of 3649 is not recognized by the NCAA. A record that has stood for 36 years, and has not come close to being broken. Before Plum, Stiles came the closest, but fell 256 points short.Lynette Woodard is only 5'11" tall.

In 1982 the first Division I NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament was held. The NCAA was able to offer incentives, such as payment of transportation costs, to participating members, something the AIAW was not able to do. When former AIAW powerhouses like Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, and Old Dominion decided to participate in the NCAA tournament, the AIAW tournament lost much of its appeal and popularity, and folded.

Lynette Woodard

 

[Plebe]

When you are shooting 54-44-89, you can shoot as much as you want as far as I'm concerned. Most of the basketball world fetishizes scoring too much. Sometimes here we fetishize assists too much.

True, as a point guard, she is the decision maker controlling her team's offense. Washington scored 84 and shot 49.2%, both very solid numbers. Does it really matter that she got no assists given the end result of 84 points and a W? She shot 67.9%. Her teammates shot 32.3%. Seems to me that taking the lion's share of the shots was a good idea, at least on this night.

And anyone who watches the game can see that there were numerous instances when Plum passed to an open teammate who then missed the shot. I believe Hannah Johnson missed one open layup right under the basket off a Plum pass. Assist totals do live and die on whether teammates make shots.

In the larger picture, Plum is averaging almost 5 assists per game this year. So that means that she either scores or assists on more than 40 points per game for her team.

 

[nwhoopfan]

And anyone who watches the game can see that there were numerous instances when Plum passed to an open teammate who then missed the shot. I believe Hannah Johnson missed one open layup right under the basket off a Plum pass. Assist totals do live and die on whether teammates make shots.

Romeo is a 38% 3 point shooter on the season. She was 0-6 behind the arc against Utah, and I think most of those misses were off a pass from Plum.

When I watched a recording of the game, Plum made an entry pass to Osahor. Chantel paused briefly, then pivoted and made one dribble and scored. I'm kinda befuddled how that wasn't credited as an assist to Plum, it should have been.

 

[1-of-the-6]

And anyone who watches the game can see that there were numerous instances when Plum passed to an open teammate who then missed the shot. I believe Hannah Johnson missed one open layup right under the basket off a Plum pass. Assist totals do live and die on whether teammates make shots.

In the larger picture, Plum is averaging almost 5 assists per game this year. So that means that she either scores or assists on more than 40 points per game for her team.

Chantal Osahor has had a terrific year. The freshman guard McDonald has come on lately, but she's just a kid. One other starting player, Natalie Romeo who transferred in from Nebraska as a junior, has for some reason not shot the ball really well. Collier, the other starter, and Johnson, are very poor finishers.

So, the offense runs through Plum and Osahor. If Plum didn't have the ball in her hands as much as she does, Washington would be a .500 team. Maybe worse. She does what she does because she pretty much has to, and she's been very efficient this season.

 

[Plebe]

Romeo is a 38% 3 point shooter on the season. She was 0-6 behind the arc against Utah, and I think most of those misses were off a pass from Plum.

When I watched a recording of the game, Plum made an entry pass to Osahor. Chantel paused briefly, then pivoted and made one dribble and scored. I'm kinda befuddled how that wasn't credited as an assist to Plum, it should have been.

Yeah, it's just a judgment call for whoever's keeping the stats. Lots of gray area there. Did the scorer make their own move to generate the bucket, or did the pass do most of the generating for her?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Natalie Romeo who transferred in from Nebraska as a junior, has for some reason not shot the ball really well.

She has to be the most hot and cold player in the country. Numerous scoreless games, but she has also had games where she hit 10 3's and scored 32 and 7 3's and scored 25. You never know what you are going to get from her.

 

[1-of-the-6]

She has to be the most hot and cold player in the country. Numerous scoreless games, but she has also had games where she hit 10 3's and scored 32 and 7 3's and scored 25. You never know what you are going to get from her.

She was much steadier, and better, at Nebraska last season. 104 made threes at around 45%. She's one of my favorite players, a girl who really loves to run but with Washington is very often just stuck in a corner. If they're going to make a run to the Elite Eight or better, they're going to need her to score a little more.

She's also a really good on-ball defender. I heard one of the announcers mention that Coach Neighbors said that over the course of the season whoever Romeo is guarding is shooting 15%!

 

[nwhoopfan]

She's also a really good on-ball defender. I heard one of the announcers mention that Coach Neighbors said that over the course of the season whoever Romeo is guarding is shooting 15%!

I've heard that several times during game broadcasts. Almost unbelievable. I don't really watch her closely during the course of the games, I should pay more attention on some defensive possessions to see her in action.

I didn't see her at Nebraska at all. This year if she's not taking a spot up 3 point shot, you really don't want her shooting. She needs to knock those down though. Hasn't been very reliable since the 32 point explosion against Cal.

 

[Plebe]

She was much steadier, and better, at Nebraska last season. 104 made threes at around 45%. She's one of my favorite players, a girl who really loves to run but with Washington is very often just stuck in a corner. If they're going to make a run to the Elite Eight or better, they're going to need her to score a little more.

She's also a really good on-ball defender. I heard one of the announcers mention that Coach Neighbors said that over the course of the season whoever Romeo is guarding is shooting 15%!

I found it very surprising that she's that effective as a guard defender because she never assumes anything resembling a defensive stance.

 

[OldAlum]

Nice interview with Plum after the UConn game. A great representative of the game. I will root for her unless they play UConn!

 

[MilfordHusky]

In case you didn't know - Former Kansas All-American Lynette Woodard was a four-time All-American who scored more points (3,649) than any other collegiate women’s player.

The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships (see AIAW Champions). Following a one-year overlap in which both organizations staged women's championships in 1982, the AIAW discontinued operation, and most member schools continued their women's athletics programs under the governance of the NCAA. Woodard graduated in 1981. All of her points were scored under the governance of the AIAW. That is why her record of 3649 is not recognized by the NCAA. A record that has stood for 36 years, and has not come close to being broken. Before Plum, Stiles came the closest, but fell 256 points short.Lynette Woodard is only 5'11" tall.

In 1982 the first Division I NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament was held. The NCAA was able to offer incentives, such as payment of transportation costs, to participating members, something the AIAW was not able to do. When former AIAW powerhouses like Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, and Old Dominion decided to participate in the NCAA tournament, the AIAW tournament lost much of its appeal and popularity, and folded.

Lynette Woodard

A few points on Lynette:

She was a 4-time All-American.

She was the first woman to play for the Globetrotters.

Some think she was the best player ever.

She is considered the best female athlete ever at Kansas and on a par with Gale Sayers.