Pac 12 Conference Outlook

[nwhoopfan]

Oregon St. led most of the way but takes a brutal loss at Cal. Stick a fork in their season.

 

[Figurehead]

Oregon St. led most of the way but takes a brutal loss at Cal. Stick a fork in their season.

We saw the last five minutes after the Oregon game. Weird choice to have Yeaney taking the last shot for OSU. I told many fans I know that CAL is better than their record. That was a damaging loss in the NET rankings. Got to at least split the road games.

 

[nwhoopfan]

We saw the last five minutes after the Oregon game. Weird choice to have Yeaney taking the last shot for OSU. I told many fans I know that CAL is better than their record. That was a damaging loss in the NET rankings. Got to at least split the road games.

Somebody has to take a shot. Would you put it in TVO's hands? I don't think she made a shot after the first quarter. She had a miserable weekend in the Bay Area. Gardiner only got 6 shots up, and one of those was a desperation toss on an inbound play w/ 1 second left. I just have no idea what the direction of the team is at this point.

 

[dabears17]

Cal is on the edge of putting it together. 4 of their 8 conference losses are by less than 10 points. I’m hoping Charmin’s contract gets extended.

Oregon State can’t close out games. 3 conference losses by 3 or less points and 3 more by 8 or less points.

Washington State and Oregon State records are worse than they should be due to Leger-Walker and Gardiner not being available for several games.

 

[CompSci87]

A little off-topic...but I really enjoy the on-air announcing duo of Ann Schatz (I think that's her name) and Mary Murphy. There's a good chemistry between the two of them. They have become one of my favorite announcing pairs in WCBB.

And, of course, I like good old Joan Bonvicini but I'm in the minority on that, I gather.

They emote too much for me. Schatz does it too much for a play by play announcer, and then when Murphy gets a few words in edgewise, she does it even more.

 

[CompSci87]

Ann Schatz is a wonderful announcer. Used to call the Big East Tournament before she went to the PAC12 Network. Very entertaining.

Now, bear in mind I don't watch much PAC12 on TV - we got SlingTV so we could watch Arizona away games, mostly, and I don't care for the way it seems to work. In any case, I haven't seen Mary Murphy that much, but again, in the day, she called NY LIberty games as well as some of the west coast games for either ESPN or maybe Fox. I didn't mind her then.

Yeah, I like Joan. Every Arizona fan likes Joan. She is actually knowledgeable as far as it goes, but she is an Arizona homer. Only saw her on the call once this year.

I heard that the color commentator last night was Charlie Turner Thorne - I couldn't confirm, I sit next to the opposite end of the announcers table and there were some University VIP's sitting behind the table between me and the TV folks so I couldn't see who was there. If yes - did anyone watch? Was she any good?

CTT has been excellent as a commentator. Fresh off many years of coaching and very familiar with the Pac-12. You can learn a good deal from listening to her.

I have to add on Schatz that she provides good information. Just a bit over the top with rah rah.

 

[CompSci87]

This game is awful. Both teams shooting horribly.

Bringing over my halftime joke from the Cardboard, FWIW:

Maples is a construction site today. Stanford has been piling up blocks, plus both teams laid plenty of bricks.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I agree about Schatz. She isn't my least favorite announcer, but definitely not my favorite. When the camera is on her, she does this odd thing where her whole torso leans forward when she's emphasizing a point. She does it A LOT.

 

[Figurehead]

First time in all the years I have been following Oregon that I have seen the fan base starting to ask the questions and get a little grumpy about Graves. If he mentions in another post game interview that he "needs to start coaching better" I am going to scream clear to Conn.
A little bit of push back in the social media circles

Never would see several tweets like the responses here.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Arizona really has not done anything to capilitze that final run.

Yes, they have. The quality of player being recruited is phenomenal. We have 2 freshman actually getting minutes and 2 of our 3 recruits are playing in the McDonalds All American Game. The third is on our bench.

Part of the problem is what so many predicted - you have a bunch of disparate players from different prior schools thrown together. They play well together, but they each think they can solve all problems. Adia has said this is an issue previously, I thought it was fixed, wrong again.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Can't wait to see Adia Barnes press conference. Low key I think she'll throw her team under the bus.

I don't know what she had to say, haven't seen it yet, but I will tell you that in the first quarter they were not doing something they were supposed to do. Her husband was visibly embarrassed and she yelled that if they didn't do (whatever it was) again they would sit the rest of the game she didn't care who it was.

Arizona's biggest problem isn't the coaching, although I don't get why players sometimes ignore what she directs them to do (you can see this in the game). It never goes well on the court when they do. That said, I do think she overcoaches - on the other hand, the players (as she has said in the past) are all so individually talented that they think they can do it all. What I see from my on-court seat is that some of them don't shoot very well.

 

[socal613ws]

Yes, they have. The quality of player being recruited is phenomenal. We have 2 freshman actually getting minutes and 2 of our 3 recruits are playing in the McDonalds All American Game. The third is on our bench.

Part of the problem is what so many predicted - you have a bunch of disparate players from different prior schools thrown together. They play well together, but they each think they can solve all problems. Adia has said this is an issue previously, I thought it was fixed, wrong again.

Nnaji I think was going there eitehr way, her brother Zeke played there.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Nnaji I think was going there eitehr way, her brother Zeke played there.

Possibly. Arizona was so very, very bad under Adia's predecessor and it took a number of years to build up a team. Very talented. Her and Gilbert are showing it, Clark get's less opportunity although she has played well, I gather she needs work on some parts of her game.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Can't wait to see Adia Barnes press conference. Low key I think she'll throw her team under the bus.

I hope you watched it. I happen to agree with everything she said - I saw the celebrations when they didn't get back on defense. But she wasn't blaming anyone, really. She is really a very positive coach.

As she said, we just don't always play as well as we might, then players get down on themselves, and as I've said, they all think they can solve the scoring.

Perhaps, her admitted inability to get them as motivated and focused as they need to be is a question of being too much of a player's coach. She said stuff that goes on in practice would have earned her 20 suicides. But they don't do that anymore.

In the tape of the conference that I saw, Gilbert (one of the players made available) talked about needing to take pride in defense, there was also a mention by Madison Conner, the other player, about a lack of communication on defense.

 

[jdote33]

Can't wait to see Adia Barnes press conference. Low key I think she'll throw her team under the bus.

Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I like Coach Barnes and watch a lot of her pressers because she's pretty open. I've just noticed she offers a lot of 'back in my day...' and ' this young generation...' type critiques.
For the most part she was spot on and even said she was accountable for the loss.

 

[Jorislove]

Oregon St. led most of the way but takes a brutal loss at Cal. Stick a fork in their season.

They traded the rest of their career season for this moment

 

[Jorislove]

First time in all the years I have been following Oregon that I have seen the fan base starting to ask the questions and get a little grumpy about Graves. If he mentions in another post game interview that he "needs to start coaching better" I am going to scream clear to Conn.
A little bit of push back in the social media circles

Never would see several tweets like the responses here.

Again, Oregon is still struggling to recover from their roster problems that imploded for the last few years.
Damage was pretty bad.
But also without Mark Campbell I don't know if Kelly can ever recruit a TRUE top player again.

 

[dabears17]

They traded the rest of their season for this moment

I was impressed with Mannen’s effort during the Stanford game. Looks like she is a redshirt junior so will be around at least one more year.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I was impressed with Mannen’s effort during the Stanford game. Looks like she is a redshirt junior so will be around at least one more year.

I don't think Jump appreciated Mannen much during the game. Had a fairly poor game. Bounced back well against Oregon. Many OSU fans are concerned about Mannen's lack of offensive production, but she does get after it on defense.

 

[LoTrader]

I don't think Jump appreciated Mannen much during the game. Had a fairly poor game. Bounced back well against Oregon. Many OSU fans are concerned about Mannen's lack of offensive production, but she does get after it on defense.

Have to give Mannen a lot of credit for her hustle and defensive effort (and defensive results). However, Mannen is not an offensive threat by any measure. OSU needs true Point Guards, and offensive threats on the wing. Ideally, Mannen would be in a reserve role because we couldn't keep another (much taller) guard/wing off the floor. OSU has a solid core of BIGs for the next two years, and must refocus on building their PG and Wings.

 

[Figurehead]

Again, Oregon is still struggling to recover from their roster problems that imploded for the last few years.
Damage was pretty bad.
But also without Mark Campbell I don't know if Kelly can ever recruit a TRUE top player again.

Can't say I disagree with that at all. I have seen more negative comments from fans about him this year than with the last 10 years combined. Would like to see Mark have a fair shot at that job sometime in the future.

 

[Floridaduck]

While I have not given up on the Oregon Ducks chances to finish with a Top 16 and home court first round (yet), it is certainly put up or shut up time.

The next 8 games are each winnable with 4 at home (CO, UT, AZ, ASU) and 4 on the road (USC, UCLA, WA, WSU). Not to say they will, though. 7-1, 6-2, 4-4, 2-6....who knows?

Keys: shoot +45% FG, +38% 3pt, maintain good a/to (7th in ncaa) and rebounding (15th), defend, defend, defend.

(wanted to get this in before they (may) break my heart by losing another game on home court tonight and/or Sunday)

 

[JellyBean]

While I have not given up on the Oregon Ducks chances to finish with a Top 16 and home court first round (yet), it is certainly put up or shut up time.

The next 8 games are each winnable with 4 at home (CO, UT, AZ, ASU) and 4 on the road (USC, UCLA, WA, WSU). Not to say they will, though. 7-1, 6-2, 4-4, 2-6....who knows?

Keys: shoot +45% FG, +38% 3pt, maintain good a/to (7th in ncaa) and rebounding (15th), defend, defend, defend.

(wanted to get this in before they (may) break my heart by losing another game on home court tonight and/or Sunday)

Yeah. I am rooting for the Ducks to finish the regular season on a good note, but they got some tough but winnable games coming up. Tonight, they should be able to beat Colorado. Sunday against Utah, another tough one but winnable. Then USC (the original) game next Friday.

 

[dabears17]

Oregon State is taking the #7 team in the country to OT. They must be an underrated team.

I'm getting deja vue all over again. Wasn't LSU-Georgia tied at 66-66 at the end of regulation?

 

[nwhoopfan]

OSU is hard to figure. They seem to play very much to the level of their competition. A couple good wins, some very close losses to highly rated teams, then some inexplicable losses to bottom feeders from the conference. I think they are better than their record indicates? Hard to know w/ this team though.