So Maybe She’s Not So Clutch

[nalepin]

Notre Dame didn’t lose because she missed the free throw; they lost because Jackie Young was 1-8 from the field and scored only four points. Kudos to Baylor for stopping ND’s most important player.

Lots of missed opportunities. But like in football, it’s often the kicker that gets blamed for missing the field goal at the end.

 

[willtalk]

Notre Dame was down two with 3.9 seconds left. Ursin was covering AO. Everyone in the arena knew the ball was going to AO. Ursin is powerful but short and AO would have no trouble getting a shot over her. Richards was the better defensive matchup but she had four fouls and more importantly, hurt her leg in the fourth quarter and was gimpy.

McGraw had a decision to make. Go for the win, or go for the tie. She chose the latter. She knew that Baylor was vulnerable, with Cox and Smith out, and Richards and Jackson with four fouls each, plus Richards was gimpy. And Brown had been in for 37 minutes and was probably exhausted. Overtime favored ND. She probably figured the refs would call a foul if AO took it hard to the hole, and she was right. The refs were letting everything go early but were calling it very tight late. And, of course, they are Notre Dame after all.

So AO got the ball and took it to the hole, creating enough contact.

It looked like they were going to overtime.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I am not a big fan of AO based in large part on her conduct against UConn in the game at ND in December. But, I have to admit that she and Mabry played really well and hit shot after shot in the second half. It was a thrilling game, even for UConn fan.

Generally a good post, however, I must at least disagree on one aspect. Perhaps two but still the same subject. DI Di Richards did not have 4 fouls, she fouled out. Di Di is one of the better perimeter defenders in WCBB but she had difficulties with Arika this game. Her length, which is an asset against most guards was a liability in this matchup. She was getting beat off the dribble throughout the game and her attempts to recover is what got her fouled out. Baylors smaller guards actually were more effective against Arika this game. Even before she fouled out Richards often found herself match up against Young against whom she was very effective.

Arika's actions in the Uconn game were not a one-game thing. She has done the same sort of things in other games as well. Not a very likable person to say the least. Combine that with the hype she has gotten and it is no wonder so many people were happy ND lost. I can not remember a time when so many fans from teams not playing were so involved in an outcome. Sort of feel bad for the ND fans. They had to put up with the negative backlash against their team. Their coach certainly didn't help ND's PR either.

 

[jaundicedeye]

Thinking how odd it is that ND’s free throwing went somewhat sour when it was most needed. And the great AO blew the FT that would have given ND a shot at overtime.

Baylor was 2 of 7 on free throws and Notre Dame was 18 of 22. Quite a disparity. How does something like that happen? (tongue in cheek). I do not recall reading anything about that in the ESPN writeups. It would have been a travesty had Baylor lost.

 

[Huskee11]

Generally a good post, however, I must at least disagree on one aspect. Perhaps two but still the same subject. DI Di Richards did not have 4 fouls, she fouled out.

Disagree. It was Smith who fouled out. Richards had four fouls.

Richards went out after a fall in fourth quarter and was favoring her leg a bit after she came back in.

Baylor only played seven. Cox out, Smith out. Team on the floor at the end was Ursin, Landrum, Richards, Brown and Jackson.

 

[Fiftyish]

Baylor was 2 of 7 on free throws and Notre Dame was 18 of 22. Quite a disparity. How does something like that happen? (tongue in cheek). I do not recall reading anything about that in the ESPN writeups. It would have been a travesty had Baylor lost.

As you implied, ND has always had big advantages in the number of free throws per game. Always drove me crazy.
I am thrilled that I will never again see AO and a Mabry in an ND uniform.

 

[ctdad]

Baylor was 2 of 7 on free throws and Notre Dame was 18 of 22. Quite a disparity. How does something like that happen? (tongue in cheek). I do not recall reading anything about that in the ESPN writeups. It would have been a travesty had Baylor lost.

Did you actually watch the game?

1) The FTs were pretty even through 3 quarters.

2) Baylor plays a tough, in your face brand of defense. ND is much more passive (as an ND alum, I would say ridiculously so). It follows that Baylor would be whistled for more fouls. Once Cox went out, ND was able to go at her much less experienced replacements with success. and attack the basket. Baylor was shooting and hitting a lot of wide open jumpers. Hard to get fouled if your defender is 5 feet away from you. Frankly, I'm surprised ND didn't use Vaughn or Patterson to foul Brown more. The stats said she was a good FT shooter bur yesterday she was 0-5 from the FT line.

Bottom line is Baylor was the better team both yesterday and over the course of the season. They played better and frankly, if Cox doesn't go down, Baylor wins the game by 10-15 points.

What can be said for sure is the last 2 finals fours have been great for WBB as a sport. Good close games where the outcomes were in doubt until the very end. Blowouts are great for the fans of your team (no matter who you root for), but they do not give the casual viewer much to look at or stick around for.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

A 1 point loss in the Final game... The National Championship. I would JUST DIE... I wonder how Muffet will ever be able to move on past this. Thinking back to how she was 1 point away from a tie and overtime.... I WOULD JUST DIE! Poor Muffet

 

[uconnell]

I don't care what anyone says or thinks about me but I am so glad that AO missed those shots.

You are not alone.

 

[FedupFred]

11 for 27 in yesterday's game sucks big time.
But she scored 31 one might say.
Sounds like Jewel Loyd #2

 

[mhshuskies]

I'd rather have D or Stewie or Maya or Sue or Rebecca or ....

...Morgan or KML or Tina or Kara or Svet or Shea or Nykesha or Swin or Jennifer or Jamel or Kerry...

 

[ctdad]

11-27 41% . You are right, not great. But it's not like anyone else was really lighting it up for ND.

Looking back to a certain game in January, Collier 6-18, KLS 4-16, Dangerfield 4-18, Walker 3-10.

Maybe Baylor is just really good defensively?

 

[pvdoggy]

11 for 27 in yesterday's game sucks big time.
But she scored 31 one might say.
Sounds like Jewel Loyd #2

I hate ND, but 11 for 27 is not all that bad, about 41%, better than all her teammates except Mabrey at 46%. That's what Lou (my favorite player) shot in the semi. The thing that I don't particularly care for is she took twice as many shots as anybody else, sort of like Harden of the Rockets.

 

[huskyd]

Interesting how one shot can all but wipe away the two that went in and won games. Arike was standing right in front of Muffet when she took those 2 FTs: one missed unintentionally, the other made unintentionally. One finished the scoring and the other finished the game.
When the Irish tuck themselves into bed at night, they'll close their eyes and watch Arike cost them a chance at the NC over and over again.
After the UConn game, Muffet did a jig: well, girl, the jig's up.

 

[huskeynut]

A 1 point loss in the Final game... The National Championship. I would JUST DIE... I wonder how Muffet will ever be able to move on past this. Thinking back to how she was 1 point away from a tie and overtime.... I WOULD JUST DIE! Poor Muffet

It's all Geno's fault!!!!!!

 

[Orangutan]

Interesting how one shot can all but wipe away the two that went in and won games.

Can it, though? I don't think that is at all how it will be perceived when people look back on it years from now.

I don't think it's how most people are looking at it now.

 

[ctdad]

Interesting how one shot can all but wipe away the two that went in and won games. Arike was standing right in front of Muffet when she took those 2 FTs: one missed unintentionally, the other made unintentionally. One finished the scoring and the other finished the game.
When the Irish tuck themselves into bed at night, they'll close their eyes and watch Arike cost them a chance at the NC over and over again.
After the UConn game, Muffet did a jig: well, girl, the jig's up.

Just to set the record state (in an informative way), Muffet was dancing to the Victory Clog, a song played after any Notre Dame win where the band or a pep band is present. Generally, it's danced by selected band members (for football) and/or the cheerleaders.

I do have to admit I have never seen a coach do it and I've been viewing ND athletics since I entered in 1976, although I would not have put it past Digger Phelps back in the day. The optics were weren't the best (and let's face it, if she had been 5 feet to the left, no one would have seen it), but it was NOT dancing on UConn's grave, just a happy exuberant moment for her team And if the Huskies had some similar tradition and Geno participated, I wouldn't care (it does not seem in his nature to do so, but that's neither here nor there).

Many here post about Geno being under Muffet's skin but it's very obvious she has gotten under that of many here. It's all good and part of what makes a rivalry. After all, it's not a rivalry unless both teams and their fan bases care.

 

[BigBird]

Oh, the humanity! (BigBird reaches for hanky...eyes misty...poor Muffet).

 

[uconnell]

Can it, though? I don't think that is at all how it will be perceived when people look back on it years from now.

I don't think it's how most people are looking at it now.

By most people you. Use mean ND fans,
By most
People
you must mean
ND fans.

Edited

 

[jaundicedeye]

Did you actually watch the game?

1) The FTs were pretty even through 3 quarters.

2) Baylor plays a tough, in your face brand of defense. ND is much more passive (as an ND alum, I would say ridiculously so). It follows that Baylor would be whistled for more fouls. Once Cox went out, ND was able to go at her much less experienced replacements with success. and attack the basket. Baylor was shooting and hitting a lot of wide open jumpers. Hard to get fouled if your defender is 5 feet away from you. Frankly, I'm surprised ND didn't use Vaughn or Patterson to foul Brown more. The stats said she was a good FT shooter bur yesterday she was 0-5 from the FT line.

Bottom line is Baylor was the better team both yesterday and over the course of the season. They played better and frankly, if Cox doesn't go down, Baylor wins the game by 10-15 points.

What can be said for sure is the last 2 finals fours have been great for WBB as a sport. Good close games where the outcomes were in doubt until the very end. Blowouts are great for the fans of your team (no matter who you root for), but they do not give the casual viewer much to look at or stick around for.

Yes I did, thank you.
It had four quarters with the score being totaled at the end to determine the winner. No partial credit was given for an apparent evenness of fouls-called at the three-quarter mark.

 

[Carnac]

A 1 point loss in the Final game... The National Championship. I would JUST DIE... I wonder how Muffet will ever be able to move on past this. Thinking back to how she was 1 point away from a tie and overtime.... I WOULD JUST DIE! Poor Muffet

1 point or 25 points. It’s carma!! (or fate). ND was not suppose to win. This is BAYLOR’s year.