Post-game comment by Cal's coach

[choochoo]

At this point I'm not sure how up-to-date the NCAA record book is because it is missing some stuff from last year, but FWIW Novosel's 18 appears to have beaten the old record by UTenn's Bridget Gordon by 1. She finished 1 short of the FTA record of 21 held most recently by KSU's Nicole Ohlde and Harvard's Allison Feaster in that famous game back in 1998.

Novosel averaged more that 1 FTA every 2 minutes, which is sick, but her 90% success rate was one of the better efforts ever. Drake's Lori Bauman went 16-16 in the first tourney back in 1982.

FWIW, I can recall a love fest between Uconn and The Vols where somewhere around 58 fouls were called. Don't know if it was ncaa's or regular season but it was extremely badly officiated both ways.

 

[Frank]

JMHO:
the best thing to do with Diggins is to rotate some good defenders on her the entire game, never leave her, and get chippy....she's got an attitude, and she pouts. At times you see it impact her team.

Excellent Point, different defenders, different attacks , hence she cannot get into a rhythm with any one person. Full court pressure from the first whistle and use a large bench to give plenty of rest.

Because somehow the call seems only available on one end of the court. If Geno sees it happening he will respond strongly and quickly like he did in the Big East tourney. That put an end to it in a hurry. I still think he should invite the Archbishop to sit behind the UConn bench.

This gave me a good visual (I can see the bishop now waving his finger back and forth to the refs on Geno’s head nod) made me laugh......

 

[Tidepool]

Not to be lost in all this is that Cal. turned out to be a very good team. All season, I'd sort of been pooh-pooh'ing Stanford's record because it was 'only" playing Pac12 teams. I think Cal showed (and Gonzaga is showing) that there are some good teams out west, though (as I should have realized, from living in the SF Bay area for 30 years) not much on the radar of East Coasters. Muffet predicts Cal. to be a top 10 team next season. Their coach seems pretty classy.

 

[Kibitzer]

The complaints about referees' inconsistency (in re ND) seem misplaced. It seems to me that they were remarkably consistent in the Cal-ND game. They consistently gave Novosel all the calls and kept her at the FT line throughout the game.That is just bad and biased officiating, but not inconsistent.

Someone suggested more Jewish referees. Bad idea. The game would take forever to play because the three refs would have to huddle-up after almost every call to argue with one another about it.

 

[UConnCat]

One poster noted yesterday that Muffett should be embarassed. My question is: Does Muffet encourage it or merely condone it? It is getting them wins; I doubt that she has any complaints.

I would think Muffet encourages it; she'd be crazy not to. Good things happen when Notre Dame's big guards get in to the lane: a made basket, a foul or both. ND's guards are certainly capable perimeter shooters, but most coaches would prefer to force ND into taking perimeter shots. ND scores more points and gets opponents in foul trouble when Diggins, Novasel etc get in to the lane and create contact and shots (+ fouls) for themselves or for Peters. Give ND's guards credit for being willing to get into the lane and accept the physical contact. There aren't a lot of guards who have the body or the will to do that. It's up to opponents to figure out ways to keep them out of the lane, take charges or not commit fouls. Opposing coaches also need to raise the issue with the media before playing ND (like Geno has done).

 

[ScarlettB]

How about a big round of applause for referees Sue Blauch, Michael Price and Gina Cross on their historic NCAA record setting assists performance!

Cal actually finished in 3rd place last night on FTA: ND-33, Novosel-20, Cal-14!!!

Interestingly enough Sue Blauch was one of the refs in our game against ND at the RAC and the game was called differently. Novasel was called for 2 charges right off the bat, only scored 6 points and one of those was a 3 pt. shot. She only got to the foul line once. I think the home court is often a big influence on the refs. ND was able to adapt in that game, they shot more 3's and did not get to the line significantly more than RU, but might not be able to do so against a team like UConn. I think that is some of what we saw in the Big East Championship game, which was essentially a home game for UConn (no offense intended by that statement) and was called more evenly.

 

[Icebear]

I would think Muffet encourages it; she'd be crazy not to. Good things happen when Notre Dame's big guards get in to the lane: a made basket, a foul or both. ND's guards are certainly capable perimeter shooters, but most coaches would prefer to force ND into taking perimeter shots. ND scores more points and gets opponents in foul trouble when Diggins, Novasel etc get in to the lane and create contact and shots (+ fouls) for themselves or for Peters. Give ND's guards credit for being willing to get into the lane and accept the physical contact. There aren't a lot of guards who have the body or the will to do that. It's up to opponents to figure out ways to keep them out of the lane, take charges or not commit fouls. Opposing coaches also need to raise the issue with the media before playing ND (like Geno has done).

This is exactly correct. One cannot wait until the game one must place it in the officials' minds from the get go.

 

[cferraro04]

Did ND's approach of taking the ball into the lane for academy award performances begin or accelerate in the Final Four last year, or has it been this bad for a couple of years? When Stef got in foul trouble, they took the ball into the lane last year and, per Geno, forced the refs to make calls.

They are a good team, and Novosel is a good shooter, but the bogus calls are the difference between a good (top 10) team and elite (top 4) team. It is bad basketball and and bad officiating. One poster noted yesterday that Muffett should be embarassed. My question is: Does Muffet encourage it or merely condone it? It is getting them wins; I doubt that she has any complaints.

My concern would be is she already training the next generation of body throwers ie., McBride and Turner or does it end with Novosel and Diggins. The whole strategy reminds me of my little league coach telling me when I was ten years old to step in front of the ball so I could take a base for being hit with the ball. You also have to watch Peters who has gotten quite adept at flopping. Touch her with any part of your body and she flies through the air and lands on the floor...it is ridiculous. I understand gamesmanship and selling the foul but some of her flops are legendary and take the art to a whole new level. When Geno said he had some surprises to show in the last game of the Big East Tourney when we played ND for the third time...I actually thought he had told the team to flop everytime they were touched...he didn't but it was in my mind.

 

[Scotter]

The opponent still has to be disciplined enough to not foul so that the ref has the option of not calling the foul. Notre Dame's guards were flailing around, but Cal wasn't playing disciplined enough to avoid the falls. There were plenty of times where Cal was a step slow or hacked late with just enough contact to create foul calls. The other team has to help the refs too.

 

[cohenzone]

Clearly, the answer is the need for more Jewish and Protestant officals.

Oy vey as if my people didn't have enough tzurris, some minister has to vish this on us. He must be the dybbuk himself. Vell, ve von't be doink any Shabbos games, so that leaves you, Iceberg, to handle the Saturday chores.

 

[pap49cba]

It's hard not to 'foul' when the opposing player is launching herself into you. The ND players don't accept contact, they too often initiate the contact.

 

[Icebear]

Don't worry, cohen, not all your people keep kosher. BTW, I live in Mifllintown, PA where along with the rabbi we goyim produce Empire Kosher chickens.

 

[cohenzone]

Ice - You gots to spell Kosher correctly. And 2 comments, don't tell the rabbi, but some of us Cohanim even watch hoops on Shabbos and that he should try to get the damn price down on them there Empire birds. They must feed them Arabian oil.

 

[Icebear]

Ice - You gots to spell Kosher correctly. And 2 comments, don't tell the rabbi, but some of us Cohanim even watch hoops on Shabbos and that he should try to get the damn price down on them there Empire birds. They must feed them Arabian oil.

No, its spelled like those watches you buy in downtown NYC. You knows the Roleks.

 

[Bestiarius]

Exactly, it hurts a team twice because the opponent goes to the line and it puts defenders in foul trouble when it is called continually.

.. Or maybe Geno needs to bring some local nuns, priests and the Bishop to the game to sit behind the UConn bench.

Won't work against ND. They go straight to the Vatican.

 

[neutral_site]

Somebody mentioned UT/UConn??

Back when I followed UT more, I'd get SO aggravated at the reffing, period!! I tuned int to watch the Vols beat the Huskies....not to be jobbed, and not to have the Huskies hamstrung. I wanted good basketball!!!

The refs, would always, ALWAYS tag the bigs with ticky-tack fouls. After that, it largely went to homer-town reffing.

Another big disappointment was a Jayne Appel game with UT...both her and UT's big were non-factors, both getting horrible nothing calls.

 

[neutral_site]

The really awful part of the Cal game??

Cal's posts were dominant players when given a chance to play. Peters got away with murder, but even that can be tolerated if the bigs get their touches.

The reality is those bigs drew a lot of fouls not called, such as holds, over-the-backs, and arm-slaps.

 

[Timeout]

I supposed the refs are going to have a difficult time deciding against Notre Dame's next opponent, the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure. Maybe, with school president Sister Margaret Carney, helping work the side lines. Should ND and UC meet up for a 4th time, it may help UConn if the Huskies changed their name to the St. Genos. Anyway, in Geno and in Geno's mouth we trust. With the Cal game, we have others, the viewers, see for themselves. We have a witness, we aren't crazy after all.

 

[Icebear]

Won't work against ND. They go straight to the Vatican.

But Geno is one of the Luminatti.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Walz from Louisville had perhaps even more to complain about. The UL-MD game was a real home job.

Glad I am not the only one with that impression of the UL-MD game.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Reminds me when they won their first NCAA championship. For the first 3 years they most often called a walk on Ruth Reilly when she went to take a shot. Senior year they gave her a pass. What happened to Cal. in regards to the ref's calls is exactly what occurred to us. They got ref-erized.

I like the post, but I hate the reminder. It was beyond frustrating [sic] to watch her get away with it time and time again and draw a foul to boot!

 

[Wonkster]

But Geno is one of the Luminatti.

Does Geno park his Luminatti next to his Bugatti?
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[mr006]

Anyone know if the coaches have any say in ref selection? I was reading the CIAC HS tourney rules; sounds like there is a process where coaches can put in their two cents as to who is recommended to ref the games, and who they would not recommend. Or is this handled solely by the NCAA?

Of course, still cannot guarantee that once the game starts, a ref won't get caught up in the home town excitement, but it might keep the more blatant abusers out of the games, and give the others something else to keep in mind.

 

[speedoo]

Glad I am not the only one with that impression of the UL-MD game.

Ditto. L'ville wins that game on a neutral court, with fair officiating.

 

[pap49cba]

Ditto. L'ville wins that game on a neutral court, with fair officiating.

The biggest weakness in the women's tournament is allowing teams to play on their home courts. I understand why it's done but that doesn't make it right or fair.