POLL: #2 Stanford at #1 S. Carolina TUESDAY

[GCKSFN4L]

I have been really impressed with Henderson all year. I'm not sure if its the Americup experience, but she just playing with a certain level of maturity this year. I remember last year before one of the tournament games, Coach Staley said she was telling her to be more aggressive, and that one of the reasons she was not that aggressive in a particular game was because she didn't shoot well in shootaround. Which prompted a huge eye roll from Staley.lol. I just feel she's way past that. Dare I say the best pure point guard in the nation right now.

In any event, Stanford is really good and I think will continue to improve as the season goes on. So many players are playing different roles and being relied on more. I think they are starting to figure out roles and rotations. Their stars just have to just play a little more like stars. But they can definitely compete for a title again. Also I'm glad Belibi had a great game. She's so talented, Stanford has to get her some minutes, and opportunities where she can just roll to the rim and use her athleticism.

I always thought Henderson often gets overlooked, especially outside the SC fanbase. She had to follow the huge footsteps of a 4 year starter in Ty Harris and she's done admirable job, especially considering that last year as Junior was her first year running the point. Not surprised by her performance, she's learned and improved her game and often gets lost in the dominance of Boston and flashiness of Cooke but Henderson is the real deal as well.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I always thought Henderson often gets overlooked, especially outside the SC fanbase. She had to follow the huge footsteps of a 4 year starter in Ty Harris and she's done admirable job, especially considering that last year as Junior was her first year running the point. Not surprised by her performance, she's learned and improved her game and often gets lost in the dominance of Boston and flashiness of Cooke but Henderson is the real deal as well.

I think Henderson should have been 1st team SEC last year rather than Cooke.

Getting Cooke straight though is imperative if Dawn isn't going to play but 6 or 7 in tight games. Granted no one was giving her much in the first half off the bench.

 

[Plebe]

whatever the game is over. The best team wins obviously. Nice play for 1 half of basketball Stanford.

You're really all over the place. Settle.

 

[SCGamecock]

You get that we are barely trying right? We spotted you a 14 point lead at the half and you still couldn't win. Get bent over!!

dude, relax.

 

[SCGamecock]

It's never any less amazing how Dawn's point guards improve over the years.. Henderson is playing on another level right now. We saw the same growth in Harris a few years ago. Makes me excited for Johnson who is already VERY good at passing/decision making.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

dude, relax.

Many have tried. lol. Good luck.

 

[SCspur]

It sounds like sour grapes when you say things like “home cooking” when the refs were terrible both ways and SC came back down 18.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

SC 70 Stanford 57. They aren't saying it, but SC is out for blood. They knew they let last year's NC get away from them. They got better this year, and Stanford got worse. I'd be surprised if it's still a contest midway through the 3rd.

That hurt the Gamecocks in the 1st quarter as Stanford was loose as a goose and the Gamecocks were too wound up. I've been to probably a thousand Gamecock MBB and WBB games in my life and the 3rd quarter was magical tonight.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I expect a close game in the high 50s to low 60s. Both of these offenses have prolonged offensive stalls in a game. I would not play Brink at Center ...at least not all game or she won't be in long. I'd play a zone if I'm Stanford for periods at a time or a box and 1 to put pressure on SC at the PG position. Even if Henny returns...she won't be 100% and Amihere at PG has to be exposed against a top 5 team. Boston is going to get her points. Stanford only wins if they can make Cooke a perimeter shooter and keep SC off the O boards. And no offense to Beale, but when she's in the game...I can't figure out why teams don't sag off and just leave her open. This is a home game for SC...so they win 65-59. Iriafen had a nice game against TN. Can she contribute here?

Off by 2 points. Total rebounds Stanford was +2. Offensive rebounds ...SC+9. And Stanford should have played more zone to stop Henderson streaking by Hull. SC took SEVENTEEN more shot attempts (73-56) that negated Stanford shooting higher percentages....by a lot. Stanford needs to remedy ball security before March. They use Jones, but that tales her out of scoring position and shot attempts. She only took EIGHT shots in 35 minutes!

 

[Gamecockfan77]

That hurt the Gamecocks in the 1st quarter as Stanford was loose as a goose and the Gamecocks were too wound up. I've been to probably a thousand Gamecock MBB and WBB games in my life and the 3rd quarter was magical tonight.

I missed two or three men's games in my four years of undergrad and one was the comeback win over Cincinnati.
That one was so much more gradual, but probably the closest comparison. Watching it on tape after the fact, it never really seemed like Carolina would win until all of a sudden they did.

This time the lead evaporated pretty quickly and early.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Off by 2 points. Total rebounds Stanford was +2. Offensive rebounds ...SC+9. And Stanford should have played more zone to stop Henderson streaking by Hull. SC took SEVENTEEN more shot attempts (73-56) that negated Stanford shooting higher percentages....by a lot. Stanford needs to remedy ball security before March. They use Jones, but that tales her out of scoring position and shot attempts. She only took EIGHT shots in 35 minutes!

Oh man, ESPN had it 40-40. Oh well.

 

[GoChips20]

Henderson the clear player of the game.

Congrats to Stanford on outrebounding SC. That didn’t happen in a single game last year and I wouldn’t have thought it would happen this year. If you’re going to take out the Gamecocks, you’ve got to come even on the boards or find a way to get ahead.

Prechtel is such an enigma to me — not in terms of talent and performance, but in terms of usage. What is the thought process behind her only playing 21 minutes? Those five blocks all seemed to come early. She’s an impactful player (isn’t that right, Louisville?)

Boston didn’t have a great shooting game and probably never will against Stanford. Tara dreams and schemes to stop her.

These teams sure seem to stuff the daylights out of each other. The last two meetups have had about 40 blocks, no exaggeration.

I honestly felt at halftime like SC was going to get back in the game, but I’m admittedly shocked that Stanford gave up an 18-point lead.

SC got way more out of Saxton (10/7/2) than they did in the Final Four (0/1/0) and that may have been the difference.

The fact that Henderson isn’t more broadly discussed as a potential top 6 or 7 pick in the W draft at this point is ridiculous to me.

All in all, much respect to a tough Stanford team who gave us everything we could handle and is very much a threat to repeat (not that anyone should have been doubting that).

South Carolina’s offense needs a lot of work. They might go undefeated from here but I’m apprehensive about their odds of taking out everyone in the NCAAT gauntlet without improved efficiency on that end of the floor.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Pretty sure Lexie Hull has the patent. She's allowed to push, grab, kick the ball, foul the shooter.

Lexie had 2 fouls in the first half and Boston had 0. What was your point exactly?


edit--Boston ended the game w/ 1 PF, in 38 minutes. I saw at least 4 in the first half alone. She is in a league of her own when it comes to the refs somehow never seeing any of the fouls she is committing.

 

[Drew8]

Thriller of a game. Stanford's offense looked really impressive; I thought their early threes might be daggers. South Carolina showed that they can weather a storm and get the win.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

This was another great game to watch with some great play from both sides overall.

SC has the depth UConn was hoping to have (and still could if everyone gets healthy) and right now is the favorite to win. They aren't unbeatable but don't have a lot of weaknesses.

Stanford is also quite good but their lack of a point guard is glaring in the games I've watched. They will win quite a few and could be at the FF with their talent but it's obvious they don't have that steadying force to control the tempo. Brink is a better player than she has shown against UT and SC but needs to pick it up.

Henderson was the difference maker. The officiating had some interesting calls but the fact is Stanford held a huge lead and lost it thanks to the pressure by SC and their variety of weapons.

It was a great way to wrap up a pre holiday schedule. I will give Dawn credit for as tough a schedule as I've seen in recent memory.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Lexie had 2 fouls in the first half and Boston had 0. What was your point exactly?


edit--Boston ended the game w/ 1 PF, in 38 minutes. I saw at least 4 in the first half alone. She is in a league of her own when it comes to the refs somehow never seeing any of the fouls she is committing.

Pretty weak. You generally have done better than this.

 

[cancontent]

We got a great game last night on national television. Maybe the refereeing was inconsistent, for both teams, but let's not let that take away from what I thought was an entertaining match up that I wish we could see more often.

 

[455Rocket]

Lexie had 2 fouls in the first half and Boston had 0. What was your point exactly?


edit--Boston ended the game w/ 1 PF, in 38 minutes. I saw at least 4 in the first half alone. She is in a league of her own when it comes to the refs somehow never seeing any of the fouls she is committing.

How about how she changes pivot feet at the high post and never gets called for traveling? How about how they stopped the game for her to get up?

 

[TheFarmFan]

It sounds like sour grapes when you say things like “home cooking” when the refs were terrible both ways and SC came back down 18.

Well when the ESPN front page headline is "S. Carolina wins 1-2 showdown with record rally," and just about everyone I've spoken too thought the reffing was fairly favorable to S. Carolina, you'll have to excuse me if my grapes were a bit sour minutes after the game ended.

All credit to S Carolina, and Stanford needs to deal with reffing that mildly favors the home team when they play away, because that's a common phenomenon in sports - it's well documented, not some sort of conspiracy on my part. Nor is it why Stanford lost.

Working on turning those sour grapes into wine, but give me another day.

 

[LoTrader]

Those are the 2 best teams in NCAA Women's basketball (right now). What I can't believe is that it was Brink who took the shot in the final seconds, after having a nothing burger game. Stanford had much better choices. Won't surprise me if these 2 teams meet again this season!

 

[jumpstart]

Henderson the clear player of the game.

Congrats to Stanford on outrebounding SC. That didn’t happen in a single game last year and I wouldn’t have thought it would happen this year. If you’re going to take out the Gamecocks, you’ve got to come even on the boards or find a way to get ahead.

Prechtel is such an enigma to me — not in terms of talent and performance, but in terms of usage. What is the thought process behind her only playing 21 minutes? Those five blocks all seemed to come early. She’s an impactful player (isn’t that right, Louisville?)

Boston didn’t have a great shooting game and probably never will against Stanford. Tara dreams and schemes to stop her.

These teams sure seem to stuff the daylights out of each other. The last two meetups have had about 40 blocks, no exaggeration.

I honestly felt at halftime like SC was going to get back in the game, but I’m admittedly shocked that Stanford gave up an 18-point lead.

SC got way more out of Saxton (10/7/2) than they did in the Final Four (0/1/0) and that may have been the difference.

The fact that Henderson isn’t more broadly discussed as a potential top 6 or 7 pick in the W draft at this point is ridiculous to me.

All in all, much respect to a tough Stanford team who gave us everything we could handle and is very much a threat to repeat (not that anyone should have been doubting that).

South Carolina’s offense needs a lot of work. They might go undefeated from here but I’m apprehensive about their odds of taking out everyone in the NCAAT gauntlet without improved efficiency on that end of the floor.

She is mentioned in the draft... WNBA mock draft: Who will the Washington Mystics select at No. 1 overall?

 

[JstVisiting]

The last team to whup 'em was Oregon's super team in 2019-2020

It’s a shame that team was denied the opportunity to play for a national title game appearance.

 

[bbsamjj]

@TheFarmFan when is Haley Jones going to realize that no one can guard her? Or remember how she played in last year's Final Four?

 

[cancontent]

When did Maryland play Stanford at home this season or are you referring to another game between the teams? I thought their game this season was in the Bahamas during Thanksgiving.

 

[GoCardinal]

It is fair to comment on the lack of foul calls on Boston, and the hacking in general her team does. Stanford should have won this game, but we have conference play to work on the PG situation. We'll be fine.