Natalie Butler continues to tear it up
- Thread starter Roger G
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She’s much better than I thought
UConnNick
from Vince Lombardi's home town
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Easy to understand. A VERY few players don't react well to Geno's motivation techniques. Geno one of the great coaches of any sport and no issue with him. He has proven process that works. That being said, my opinion is that it didn't work with Nat. No issue with him or her-thrilled she is doing so well.
Plebe
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As weak as the AAC seems alongside UConn, it's still in the upper quartile of all D-I conferences.Competition can't get much weaker than the AAC!
Try watching sometime the MEAC or the Big South or the SWAC or the Northeast Conference. It gives a whole new appreciation for the AAC.
Could not agree more
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So you expect her to be a 1st round pick?
donalddoowop
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For those of you who would like to see Natalie play, George Mason's game with George Washington will be televised on CBSSN, on Sunday, 1-7-18, at 5:00 pm Central Time.
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If WNBA GM's didn't see her play at UConn the last couple of years, yes and she would certainly be drafted,
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Let's assume WNBA GM's were not hiding under a rock.
You said she would certainly be drafted -- I'm sure she would too. But -- do you think she'll be drafted 1st round assuming that the gm's weren't hiding under a rock and saw her play the last two years at UCONN?
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If she continues to dominate the way she is doing now, yes, late first round or early second round. She is a totally different player. That was why Geno wanted her coming out of Georgetown. Had she stayed for her 5th year, no. Absolutely not. Not even close.
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It's a combination. She is certainly trimmer, but getting a lot more minutes against weaker competition is helping. And being the focal point of her team is helping her stats. Nevertheless, if you're leading the nation, no matter where you are playing and who you're playing against, you are doing pretty darn good.
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Most BY’ers are thrilled with Natalie Butler’s great play this year. Count me among them. Today Nat got her 14th consecutive (!) double-double. The George Mason season record for double-doubles is 15. So with 16+ games of Conference play still to come, she’s well on her way to smashing that record to bits. In addition, she’s already 70% of the way to setting a new season rebounding record for the Patriots. In addition, I believe that today’s amazing 28 rebounds broke a 42-year old GM single game record.
On another thread Scoop wrote that “One player can make a big difference”. More than her individual achievements, that’s the kind of difference Natalie Butler is making for George Mason this year.
They haven’t had a winning season or winning Conference record (CAA & A10) in 13 years. They lost their 2nd all-time scorer to graduation in June. Still, they now finished the best OOC record in their history, the longest home winning streak in their history and at 12:3 are well on their way to not only a winning season, but possibly (I’d say probably) the most wins in a season in their history (22+). They’re over halfway there with at least 16 games to go. We’ll soon see how GM handles the likes of Duquesne, Dayton and Fordham but I think this year thanks to Natalie they’re going to have their best season in a long, long time.
It’s great that she’s found a school where her grad school studies dovetail with a basketball team that could really use what she has and what she learned at UConn. What an amazing difference this lovely woman is making at George Mason. Go Nat!
On another thread Scoop wrote that “One player can make a big difference”. More than her individual achievements, that’s the kind of difference Natalie Butler is making for George Mason this year.
They haven’t had a winning season or winning Conference record (CAA & A10) in 13 years. They lost their 2nd all-time scorer to graduation in June. Still, they now finished the best OOC record in their history, the longest home winning streak in their history and at 12:3 are well on their way to not only a winning season, but possibly (I’d say probably) the most wins in a season in their history (22+). They’re over halfway there with at least 16 games to go. We’ll soon see how GM handles the likes of Duquesne, Dayton and Fordham but I think this year thanks to Natalie they’re going to have their best season in a long, long time.
It’s great that she’s found a school where her grad school studies dovetail with a basketball team that could really use what she has and what she learned at UConn. What an amazing difference this lovely woman is making at George Mason. Go Nat!
Plebe
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28 rebounds is a huge number. Way to go Natalie. Thanks for all of those background stats on the GM program.
The A-10 is not a good conference on the whole, but the three teams you mention are probably the front-runners. Here are the Massey rankings:
60. Duquesne
71. Dayton
80. Fordham
114. George Washington
117. George Mason
126. Saint Louis
161. St. Joseph's
212. Davidson
218. Richmond
221. La Salle
222. St. Bonaventure
249. UMass
274. VCU
304. Rhode Island
GM's ranking of #117 is a more than 100-spot improvement over its ranking last year (#229).
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Perhaps her pro prospects will depend on George Mason's getting into the tournament, and then on how she performs in the one or two games GM could play.
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It would matter if it were fifth round. There is none. Very few third rounders even stick with a team, since the league is so small. But she should be taken in the late first round. Then, as you say, the evaluation will take place and she will sink or swim.
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bballnut90
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There are way too many good players ahead of Natalie for her to be a 1st round pick or even a 2nd rounder. If she gets picked, my guess is it will be in the 3rd round. This should be one of the strongest draft classes in years and Butler has great numbers but is playing against dreadful competition. She put up similar numbers her freshman year (13.9 points and 13.4 rebounds) in the same conference, and that didn't translate to success when she played at a better program and faced better competition.
She's now back in that conference and is having similar results, which is great for her, but it doesn't showcase any performances against quality opponents for WNBA GMs to critique since she's playing against bunny teams. The one quality she did play against was Michigan, and she put up 13/9 which is well below her season averages. I'm guessing she's much better than she showed at Connecticut, but I don't think any GM has her on their radar for a top 20 pick.
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Not sure what her goals are but since international basketball may pay more, suspect she will be earning a good living overseas next year. Even in high school, you don't hear about 28 rebound games.
Centerstream
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She was a freshman at Georgetown, in the Big East. GMU is in the A-10.
Plebe
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Just a minor factual correction: Natalie played in the Big East her freshman year and is now in the A-10 (an even weaker conference than the Big East).
Otherwise I agree with your main points. We can cheer Natalie on and celebrate her success while keeping things in perspective. I do think that Natalie, whether she gets drafted or not, will have a chance to play pro ball if she so chooses.
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Also lets not forget Natalie's rebounds per 40 last year was the highest of all UCONN players at 12.43 per 40. Even if you discount this by say 10% to 36 minutes a game (or closer to what she is doing at GM) it is still a very respectable 11.2.
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I have no illusions about Butler ever being a major contributor in the W but there is a good chance she could play some years as a reserve post. There have been several UConn reserves that went on to play significant roles in the W, most recently Chong and Stokes, both of whom were dismissed by many as WNBA longshots at best. Butler is IMO comparable to Ruth Hamblin from Oregon St who plays for Dallas.
Butler averaged 16 min/g last season at UConn. That didn't happen because she stinks. Her biggest flaws were her hands and her inability pass and catch at UConn speed, but she was an effective rebounder and could run the floor and put a body on big opponents. And most importantly she will show up at practice ready to work hard. WNBA coaches like UConn players for that reason.
I expect that Natalie can have a long, profitable and productive career internationally. Posts who are not only tall but also big and in shape aren't as plentiful as guards with slick moves.
Butler averaged 16 min/g last season at UConn. That didn't happen because she stinks. Her biggest flaws were her hands and her inability pass and catch at UConn speed, but she was an effective rebounder and could run the floor and put a body on big opponents. And most importantly she will show up at practice ready to work hard. WNBA coaches like UConn players for that reason.
I expect that Natalie can have a long, profitable and productive career internationally. Posts who are not only tall but also big and in shape aren't as plentiful as guards with slick moves.
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Carnac
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A 28 rebound game is unconscious!
Natalie Butler is to this GM team what Elena Della Donne was to Delaware. When Della Donne was with the Blue Hens, they were competitive, and they dominated their conference. I believe they even made the NCAA tournament. Once she left, they went back to being mediocre, and have not been heard from since. As I commented in another thread, programs like Delaware and George Mason, simply can't compete for the elite or blue chip players that the top 10 programs in Division 1 do.They suffer the same fate as other AAC schools not named UConn or USF do. They can't recruit anyone ranked in the top 100 of a class. Look at the last 2 classes (2016/2017) and see if any of them went to GM or Delaware. I can save you the trouble, they didn't. They have to get the 3rd or 4th best players from various high school teams, JC transfers and those at the end of the bench on your non elite AAU teams.
They are forced to play on an uneven playing field, by trying to do more with less. Look at the talent up and down UConn's bench, and look at the talent on Tulsa's bench. BIG difference. Do you think Megan Walker for one second ever entertained a thought of going to a mid-major?
Butler is the kind of player that George Mason never would have gotten the first time around. They didn't get her the 2nd time around. To say that Butler is the class of the A10 conference right now based on her performance thus far would not be an unfair statement. So, to Natalie Butler I say: You go girl!!!! Enjoy every minute this season has to offer. You deserve it!!
Here's the link to the George Mason WBB official website. [LINK]
There are some upcoming women's games that can be watched through this website.
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bballnut90
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A 28 rebound game is unconscious!
They suffer the same fate as other AAC schools not named UConn or USF do. They can't recruit anyone ranked in the top 100 of a class. Look at the last 2 classes (2016/2017) and see if any of them went to GM or Delaware. I can save you the trouble, they didn't. They have to get the 3rd or 4th best players from various high school teams, and the end of the bench from many AAU teams.
They are forced to play on an uneven playing field, by trying to do more with less. Look at the talent up and down UConn's bench, and look at the talent on Tulsa's bench. BIG difference. Do you think Megan Walker for one second ever entertained a thought of going to a mid-major?
Butler is the kind of player that George Mason never would have gotten the first time around. They didn't get her the 2nd time around. To say that Butler is the class of the A10 conference right now based on her performance thus far would not be an unfair statement. So, to Natalie Butler I say: You go girl!!!! Enjoy every minute this season has to offer. You deserve it!!
Here's the link to the George Mason WBB official website. [LINK]
There are some upcoming women's games that can be watched through this website.
Not an accurate comparison as EDD led Delaware to the Sweet 16 and her last two years they went 31-2 and 32-4.
I mixed up Georgetown and George Washington...thanks for clearing that up. I do think she can find a spot overseas if she wants to continue playing.
Carnac
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My reference to EDD and Delaware was simply that one player can make a huge difference for a team. Everyone knows the story of how EDD wound up at Delaware. Like Butler, it was not her first choice. I'm not suggesting for a moment that Butler will get them or lead them to the tournament. Just that she is making a huge impact on her team, and that they are enjoying the fruits of her labor. How many 30 win seasons has Delaware had since EDD left?
Now..................that said, If by chance George Mason should win their conference tournament, they would qualify for an automatic bid, would they not? It's a little too early to look that far down the road. We'll cross THAT bridge when we come to it. Right now, let's enjoy the games in front of us. The season is already half gone.
Carnac
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Butler will get drafted. Since this will be a deep draft, I suspect she'll go somewhere late in the 2nd, or somewhere in the 3rd round. Especially if a team has a need for a post player. The fact that she has UConn pedigree will also enhance her chances of getting drafted. WNBA coaches love UConn graduates.
Remember, Chong went in the third round and made the cut!! Most players get better after they enter the W. Look at Tiffany Hayes. She's much better now then when she came into the league. So is Kiah Stokes and Saniya Chong. Saniya is burning her league up overseas, and Stokes has turned into a double-double machine lately.
Plebe
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An easy source of confusion. There are multiple "Georges" to sort out in the DC area: Georgetown, George Washington, George Mason
Plebe
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Butler is the kind of player that George Mason never would have gotten the first time around. They didn't get her the 2nd time around. To say that Butler is the class of the A10 conference right now based on her performance thus far would not be an unfair statement. So, to Natalie Butler I say: You go girl!!!! Enjoy every minute this season has to offer. You deserve it!!
Here's the link to the George Mason WBB official website. [LINK]
There are some upcoming women's games that can be watched through this website.
Natalie has of course been a godsend for George Mason, but it should also be acknowledged that another newcomer has also contributed significantly to GM's relative resurgence: Freshman guard Nicole Cardaño-Hillary is averaging 17.3 points per game (just behind Natalie's 18.7 ppg) and nearly 3 steals per game.
GoMason.com - The Official Athletic Site of George Mason University Athletics
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