Players last games.

[UcMiami]

I have seen some posts complaining about coaches leaving seniors on the court in lost games and not giving them their 'moment' especially at home. I don't take that so seriously as different strokes for different folks, and while Geno and some coaches take it very seriously, others don't. So ...
I did however notice sort of pointedly that Muffet needed almost to be prodded to take Skylar out of the semi-final loss last year and didn't really acknowledge her as she headed to the bench.
And this year in the Stanford/PSU game Lucas had to basically beg Washington to get her off the court in the last minute. It was a painful 30 seconds as the camera was focused on Lucas during a stoppage for foul shots.

I sort of wonder if this is a carry over from the ND program and if there is any historic reason - anyone know?

Side note: I like that Geno has used time outs a number of times through the end of the season to help other coaches who did not have a time out left.

 

[Hongster]

I think Muffett was so caught up in the competition she forgot about her seniors, but that just go to show how competitive she is, fight until the end regardless the scores.

 

[AndyCT]

I think Muffett was so caught up in the competition she forgot about her seniors, but that just go to show how competitive she is, fight until the end regardless the scores.

Not so much that she "forgot" as much as I think that given this was the Final Four and that the National Championship had been touted as Notre Dame's to lose after the Baylor debacle, Muffet just wasn't quite ready to concede that the day belonged to Connecticut until it was really over.

And for Skylar, it's also hard for a competitor to realize that there is nothing more that she can do and to walk off the court in a losing cause; it hasn't happened often in South Bend. There's a difficult tradeoff between having that last moment of recognition and realizing that to have that moment is to acknowledge that you will not be National Champion. I don't think, at least in Notre Dame's case, this is any trend.

 

[hussybulldog]

I am not quite sure about this one way or the other. As a senior, would you rather be on the court or on the side at the last minute of your career even if it is a losing battle? If I were a senior player, I would rather be on the court. What kind of moment should it be for a senior?

 

[UcMiami]

I am also not saying it should be one way or another and am OK with a decision one way or another. Just wondered if this was 'the way ND' does it and something Washington then carried to PSU.
And it really was painful watching Lucas who was obviously pretty emotional and kept signaling 'get me out of here' and the bench just ignoring her.

 

[tomcat]

I just think Geno's way (and the way of many others, to be sure) is classy. That's all. Give the player her due. Let the crowd acknowledge what she has meant to them. It just seems right.

 

[Striper69]

I noticed the announcers talking about Lucas too.

The game's over so give the player her due...