ND at Maryland tonight

[mhshuskies]

yes, with all the talent she has had, making one final four is pitiful

Similarly. how about nd making to FF but not showing up (0 for 4)!

 

[cohenzone]

All I can say is that if MD can score 80 something against ND, UConn certainly can, we are much more than a one trick pony, and if ND can't hold UConn under 80-, let's just say UConn would have to have the sort of game-long breakdowns on D that they haven't been close to having all year. L'Ville should be able to push us as hard as anyone so far, and that will be the only time during the season that teams will get to see if UConn has any real vulnerability. Baylor pushed us and still lost by double digits on a night when UConn's shooting was off. If UConn can do to Shimmel what it did to Sims, I can't see anyone else picking up enough slack for them to win. ND is maybe,as good as we are in 2 spots and UConn has the edge in the other 3, with nobody that I can see who can match up with Stewart if she plays her best. My test all year is to see how often the better teams give up 70 points to anyone with the assumption that nobody anybody faces the combo of the kind of O and D that UConn throws at them.

 

[ocoandasoc]

I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to Big Monday games the score and who played better at the end of the first half doesn't mean very much.

Maryland ran out of gas with about five minutes left or they probably would have won the game.

 

[John Glass]

Similarly. how about nd making to FF but not showing up (0 for 4)!

did Notre Dame have teams with 4 or 5 WNBA players in their starting line-up like Maryland did ?

 

[triaddukefan]

did Notre Dame have teams with 4 or 5 WNBA players in their starting line-up like Maryland did ?

See... i was gonna pile on about Maryland again... but then i remembered the 2006 title game.... so

 

[msf22b]

I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to Big Monday games the score and who played better at the end of the first half doesn't mean very much.

Maryland ran out of gas with about five minutes left or they probably would have won the game.

There used to be a folk-tale that the old radio announcers of BB used to articulate, perhaps a Marv Albertism
When you make a big charge to overcome a huge lead, sustaining the run to actually win the game is most difficult.
The effort to overcome the deficit is exhausting and in general difficult to sustain.

And then there was the stupid decision to go zone and lose Mabrey in the corner…and I mean lose; no defender within 20 feet.

 

[bbsamjj]

Notre Dame's lack of size and post players was so evident in the 2nd half. What Notre Dame does worst, we do best. Alyssa Thomas had her way in the post, and she's only what, 6 ft 2?

She's also one of the top 5 players in the nation.

 

[triaddukefan]

did Notre Dame have teams with 4 or 5 WNBA players in their starting line-up like Maryland did ?

Imma go ahead and finish my thought.... with all of that talent.. they made just one FF appearance.... and didnt win a ACC regular or tournament title. They got one in 2009... but that was that two woman team of #20 and Marissa Coleman..... but you know the victims in both cases

 

[easttexastrash]

Great game and the type of game that women's basketball needs on national TV.

As I have said, I don't think ND is a clear favorite over the other teams in the top 10. After UCONN, I think there are a lot of match-ups that could go either way.

 

[triaddukefan]

Maryland better shake this loss off quickly.... they have a tough road trip to Raleigh thursday night.... then a trip to Syracuse Sunday.

 

[UcMiami]

Interesting that in the two 'big' games ND has only won two halves - second half against TN and first half against MD - is it the opponent who can't sustain or forgot when the game started, or is it ND having trouble playing 40 minutes themselves?

Also we talk about a short bench and foul worries for Uconn, but ... after Achonwa where does ND go for the post presence? At least with Stef and Stewart, we have Kiah available if either one is in trouble.

 

[Scotter]

Also we talk about a short bench and foul worries for Uconn, but ... after Achonwa where does ND go for the post presence? At least with Stef and Stewart, we have Kiah available if either one is in trouble.

Reimer is a pretty talented post off the bench isn't much of a defensive presence yet, but she can score. It's a weak area compared to UConnm but compared to all the other WCBB's teams Notre Dame has solid depth in the post as evidenced by beating Tennessee and Maryland despite foul trouble.

 

[bballnut90]

I thought that was a really entertaining game. Even though this was a very poor showing in the second half by Notre Dame, I think they might be the only team this season that has the ability to challenge UCONN. Notre Dame passes very well and has a nice mix of slashers, shooters and post players. They shoot 44% from long range, have deadly wings in McBride/Loyd on the wings is deadly and a strong center in Achonwa who will be a tougher matchup for Dolson compared to anyone in the American. They also have a fantastic coach who has won 7 of the last 9 matchups against UCONN (in that time span, against other opponents UCONN is 87-3) and players who will believe they can beat Connecticut.

Notre Dame also excels at getting to the line (over 20+ FTA per game) and UCONN lacks depth this season which could mean potential foul trouble.

On the flip side, UCONN has looked pretty close to untouchable this season and will be the more talented team if they play each other. I also don't see anyone successfully stopping Stewart, and if Achonwa gets into foul trouble then UCONN should have a field day in the paint with Dolson/Stewart/Stokes.

At this point in the year, I think this is the championship matchup that everybody is dying to see.

 

[triaddukefan]

I thought that was a really entertaining game. Even though this was a very poor showing in the second half by Notre Dame, I think they might be the only team this season that has the ability to challenge UCONN. Notre Dame passes very well and has a nice mix of slashers, shooters and post players. They shoot 44% from long range, have deadly wings in McBride/Loyd on the wings is deadly and a strong center in Achonwa who will be a tougher matchup for Dolson compared to anyone in the American. They also have a fantastic coach who has won 7 of the last 9 matchups against UCONN (in that time span, against other opponents UCONN is 87-3) and players who will believe they can beat Connecticut.

Notre Dame also excels at getting to the line (over 20+ FTA per game) and UCONN lacks depth this season which could mean potential foul trouble.

On the flip side, UCONN has looked pretty close to untouchable this season and will be the more talented team if they play each other. I also don't see anyone successfully stopping Stewart, and if Achonwa gets into foul trouble then UCONN should have a field day in the paint with Dolson/Stewart/Stokes.

At this point in the year, I think this is the championship matchup that everybody is dying to see.

Definitely not everybody..... personally Im dreaming of Duke vs South Dakota State in the championship game

 

[pinotbear]

Fear the Rabbit, triad, fear the Rabbit

 

[jsloanjr]

I s not impressed with ND last night. McBride and Lloyd are their 2 key players........The rest feed off them and if they on the bench or playing poorly, the others do, as well......MD has no floor leader in crunch time. #4 for MD made a few shots at the end, but the could not get any stops on defense. Typical MD team.............

 

[pap49cba]

"If it's possible to be disappointed after a (win), I'd say that's how I'm feeling right now," McGraw said. "I thought we completely lost our poise, which is so unusual for us."

"We made some big shots when we had to. We certainly weren't going to get any stops," McGraw said. "That was the only way we were going to win, to outscore them."

 

[EasyEd]

I s not impressed with ND last night. ...

I wasn't impressed with ND's defense, but when I watched their half court offense, I was reminded of UConn. They had a lot of movement which caused defensive breakdowns by MD. ND also has good shooters that you can't afford to leave open. It's too bad about the conference shake-up that stopped UConn and ND playing this year.

 

[Striper69]

Why are we wishing for the Maryland upset??

I feel like a broken record but I don't want to play ND in South Bend for a shot at the FF!

If for any reason ND drops to the second line book your tickets to South Bend because that's where we will be.

I want a ND win to ensure them a #1 seed!

I don't wanna see the Irish until Nashville.

But hey, that's my opinion!

You should get your wish.

 

[Striper69]

All I can say is that if MD can score 80 something against ND, UConn certainly can, we are much more than a one trick pony, and if ND can't hold UConn under 80-, let's just say UConn would have to have the sort of game-long breakdowns on D that they haven't been close to having all year. L'Ville should be able to push us as hard as anyone so far, and that will be the only time during the season that teams will get to see if UConn has any real vulnerability. Baylor pushed us and still lost by double digits on a night when UConn's shooting was off. If UConn can do to Shimmel what it did to Sims, I can't see anyone else picking up enough slack for them to win. ND is maybe,as good as we are in 2 spots and UConn has the edge in the other 3, with nobody that I can see who can match up with Stewart if she plays her best. My test all year is to see how often the better teams give up 70 points to anyone with the assumption that nobody anybody faces the combo of the kind of O and D that UConn throws at them.

I'll be at the Louisville/Rutgers game tonight. I think my front row seat is behind the Card's bench.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'll be interested in how the Notre Dame Duke game goes down at Duke on Sunday. Duke has a chance to get its swag. (note I didn't say "back").

 

[triaddukefan]

I'll be interested in how the Notre Dame Duke game goes down at Duke on Sunday. Duke has a chance to get its swag. (note I didn't say "back").

define swag please

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Swag is baloney, IMO. Only thing that matters is what you do.

Yoda e.g., had no swag...and really, who is better than Yoda.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

define swag please

Not Scientific Wild Assed Guess. Not illicit goods. Not a drapery swag either. Swagger. Swagger.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Swag is baloney, IMO. Only thing that matters is what you do.

Yoda e.g., had no swag...and really, who is better than Yoda.

Yoda had huge swag! Swag is what you carrying inside, not some way off walking or chest beating. In the end the only thing that matters is who you are. If you are a self sotted punk, I don't care what you pull off, you can still sod off.