Oregon (7) @ South Dakota St - 12/12/18

[Plebe]

Ionescu with a huge 3 to give Oregon a 5-point lead with 1:14 to play.

 

[Plebe]

Sounds like Sabrina is playing like an AA in the closing seconds.

That's exactly what the announcers just said. Sabrina with a huge defensive play, gets the block and recovers the loose ball.

 

[LoTrader]

Looks like UO pulls it out. South Dakota State has played a much tougher OOC schedule than nearly every PAC-12 team.

 

[DefenseBB]

I suspect Oregon will hold on, white knuckles and all, drenched in perspiration with a collective sigh of relief. @Plebe mention that maybe something is distracting the team which in my experience usually starts with the coach. It’s up to him to have them ready and playing free from distractions yet I think he has only added to their angst.
Kelly needs to right himself, right his management style and “coach” the team to let them play to their abilities.

 

[Plebe]

Kinda reminiscent of last year's game where Louisville trailed for most of the game at SDSU before prevailing in the final minutes.

Ionescu and Sabally were just huge in this game. Ionescu finished just shy of a trip-dub with 26-9-8. Sabally finished with 27 despite sitting for more than 10 minutes with foul trouble in the 2nd half.

Hebard started very slow but made some key plays. Boley was ice cold. Freshman Taylor Chavez showed some flashes of brilliance alongside her freshman mistakes.

 

[Plebe]

Looks like UO pulls it out. South Dakota State has played a much tougher OOC schedule than nearly every PAC-12 team.

SDSU has so far played Marquette, FGCU, Central Michigan, Creighton, Baylor, Buffalo, Green Bay, Chattanooga, Drake and Oregon. Their next three games will be relative cupcakes, but SDSU will still finish with a top-10 nonconference SOS.

 

[mbr33ct]

You can sign up for a free 7 day trial... then cancel before 7 days.

I did that to watch a game earlier.... then I forgot to cancel

That will be my strategy going into the UConn vs Cal game on Dec 22nd (PAC-12 Network). I will sign up for FUBO TV and their 7-day trial and cancel within the 7 days...unless my senior moment kicks in during those 7 days and I also forget to cancel!

 

[MSUFan2003]

You have to purchase a separate subscription, separate from your regular cable or satellite package, to get ESPN Plus ($4.99/month).

Thanks for the info.

 

[jennyo70]

I was in Vegas over Thanksgiving as we were playing in the Southpoint Shootout. SDSU played Baylor, the first game, and gave them all they could handle. The game was not decided until the last 2 minutes. IMHO the Jackrabbits are always a very well coached, disciplined team. This is a team that can make some noise in March.

 

[IWearShoes]

Oregon just isn't playing with passion or pride. Giving up uncontested or lightly contested layups and not matching up to the hot shooters. The officiating hasn't done them many favors (except a gifted phantom offensive foul call on a Ionescu acting job), but I'm just not seeing any sense of urgency or emotional commitment.

Is this team straining under the weight of expectations? Are the recently announced NCAA penalties affecting them mentally? Graves really nailed it in his postgame comments after the Michigan State loss, when he said that they're just going through the motions and not playing hungry.

If they come out with no sense of urgency or passion on Tuesday it could be a long night. Not saying that as an MSU fan, just an observation. While they may not always look smooth and efficient, Vic's teams are going to bring effort and passion.

I have a feeling UO will be ready and it'll be a great one.

 

[Orangutan]

For reference, Massey projected a 4-point Oregon win and Oregon won by 8.

I don't think there's anything wrong with Oregon. This is just who they are. Much like ND, they can get in some trouble because they don't have a dominant defense. Over 40 minutes, it's very hard to beat them, but they are going to end up in some shootouts. They'll win most of them and drop a few. They could win a national championship or they could flame out in the sweet 16.

I watched the last quarter and half or so of this game. Ionescu was nails down the stretch and made all the key plays to ice it. No surprise there.

For as big as her reputation is, I expected Hebard to take over the game and she didn't. She played fine but she doesn't have that "Ok, this game is over" mode. At least she didn't last night.

They'll go as far as Sabrina can carry them...which may be very far indeed.

 

[jonson]

For reference, Massey projected a 4-point Oregon win and Oregon won by 8.

I don't think there's anything wrong with Oregon. This is just who they are. Much like ND, they can get in some trouble because they don't have a dominant defense. Over 40 minutes, it's very hard to beat them, but they are going to end up in some shootouts. They'll win most of them and drop a few. They could win a national championship or they could flame out in the sweet 16.

I watched the last quarter and half or so of this game. Ionescu was nails down the stretch and made all the key plays to ice it. No surprise there.

For as big as her reputation is, I expected Hebard to take over the game and she didn't. She played fine but she doesn't have that "Ok, this game is over" mode. At least she didn't last night.

They'll go as far as Sabrina can carry them...which may be very far indeed.

Hebard has not been herself this year--or, perhaps more accurately, the Hebard we saw last year. She has been ill for a few games, but I don't think that's the problem. Graves was quite disappointed with her after the Michigan State fiasco, saying, in effect, that she needs to want the ball and work for it. With the exception of Ionescu, the freshman Chavez and Sabally (much of the time), the team seems to be sleepwalking through too much of too many games, although I suppose the fact that they beat SDS in South Dakota by 8 vs. Baylor beating them by 6 on a neutral court is a hopeful sign. Oregon will never be a good defensive team, but if they play with the energy they showed in the second half against SDS vs. their play in the first half and in the entire game against Michigan State, they will get a lot closer to their potential. Or, to put it another way, Hebard, Boley, and Cazorla need to up their toughness and energy quotients considerably (I'm partially exempting Sabally from this and the freshman Chavez entirely) if the team is going to be the team that some folks, including me, thought it would be.

 

[Orangutan]

Hebard has not been herself this year--or, perhaps more accurately, the Hebard we saw last year. She has been ill for a few games, but I don't think that's the problem. Graves was quite disappointed with her after the Michigan State fiasco, saying, in effect, that she needs to want the ball and work for it. With the exception of Ionescu, the freshman Chavez and Sabally (much of the time), the team seems to be sleepwalking through too much of too many games, although I suppose the fact that they beat SDS at home by 8 vs. Baylor beating them by 6 on a neutral court is a hopeful sign. Oregon will never be a good defensive team, but if they play with the energy they showed in the second half against SDS vs. their play in the first half and in the entire game against Michigan State, they will get a lot closer to their potential. Or, to put it another way, Hebard, Boley, and Cazorla need to up their toughness and energy quotients considerably (I'm partially exempting Sabally from this and the freshman Chavez entirely) if the team is going to be the team that some folks, including me, thought it would be.

Interesting, thanks for the reply. I had the same thought about Hebard, Boley, and Cazorla but I didn't want to paint with too broad a brush based on my limited observation.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Cazorla has been a really good player for Oregon. I expected a big Sr. year for her. She seems somewhat passive and uninvolved so far this year. I think the chemistry is off. Between a handful of players leaving, both graduating and transferring, and one particular new arrival, seems like the pieces aren't quite fitting together so far.

 

[jonson]

Cazorla has been a really good player for Oregon. I expected a big Sr. year for her. She seems somewhat passive and uninvolved so far this year. I think the chemistry is off. Between a handful of players leaving, both graduating and transferring, and one particular new arrival, seems like the pieces aren't quite fitting together so far.

Cazorla has indeed been a fine player (although also a breathtakingly casual one at times), but she's never been very assertive and I don't think it's in her nature to be that. Hebard an even bigger disappointment to me. She was so reliable last year (and even as a freshman) that I assumed that Oregon had two solid building blocks (three, if you include Cazorla) and only needed Sabally to step up to be a better team than last year. Sabally has made strides toward doing just that, but Hebard seems to have gone in the other direction. And although Boley was supposed to be Bando-plus--with the plus being an added presence inside along with the outside shooting, the latter has been very inconsistent and the former too-often non-existent (she had only one rebound against SDS), so much so that I wonder if Oregon might be better (or at least more like last year's team) with the freshman Chavez in the starting lineup instead of Boley. In any case, someone--ideally more than one someone--needs to step up. Ionescu can do a lot, but she can't do it all. And when she tries to, the outcome is usually not a good one.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[nwhoopfan]

Thanks for the highlights video Rocky. Frost Arena in Brookings, SD. Probably a very apt name!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Look at the still of the video above. Never going to understand the tucking the shorts up thing. Requires constant fussing and is a player distraction. You playing for me, you don't have head time for playing with your shorts.

 

[triaddukefan]

That will be my strategy going into the UConn vs Cal game on Dec 22nd (PAC-12 Network). I will sign up for FUBO TV and their 7-day trial and cancel within the 7 days...unless my senior moment kicks in during those 7 days and I also forget to cancel!

Well Im not a senior....... but my memory definitely did lapse.... didnt even think about it until a notification popped up on my phone about my card being charged $5.34. At this rate.... I'll probably just keep it..... at least until the end of the basketball season..... probably can watch some mid-major WCBB and conference tournament action.

 

[Striper69]

Look at the still of the video above. Never going to understand the tucking the shorts up thing. Requires constant fussing and is a player distraction. You playing for me, you don't have head time for playing with your shorts.

Why do they do that?

 

[mbr33ct]

Well Im not a senior.. but my memory definitely did lapse.... didnt even think about it until a notification popped up on my phone about my card being charged $5.34. At this rate.... I'll probably just keep it..... at least until the end of the basketball season..... probably can watch some mid-major WCBB and conference tournament action.

I took another look at the schedule. This Saturday Baylor plays at Stanford on the PAC12 Network and following Saturday UConn at Cal (PAC12 Network). I will activate FUBO TV 7 day trial on Saturday and hopefully it will carry to next Saturday's UConn game and then cancel FUBO TV...worth a try.

 

[MSGRET]

I took another look at the schedule. This Saturday Baylor plays at Stanford on the PAC12 Network and following Saturday UConn at Cal (PAC12 Network). I will activate FUBO TV 7 day trial on Saturday and hopefully it will carry to next Saturday's UConn game and then cancel FUBO TV...worth a try.

I guess I'm a lucky one, my DISH subscription has the PAC12 Network, so I'll watch both of them.