So Proud of this team

[01Neaggrad02]

I am just so proud that this team has been able to handle the challenges thrown its way. Playing not one but two players down.... One being an AA three point assassin and the other who could be an AA who was amazing last year in the NCAA's and reminds me a lot of Asjha Jones... I mean what can you say but WOW.

They beat #3 Stanford and lost KML in that game, then Tuck after.
They beat #8 Maryland at Maryland without those two and their Bigs in foul trouble
Then the beat #13 Penn State at Penn State, again down two with Hartley returning to rare form and Chong learning from her benching at Maryland.

I am concerned that the last couple of games we have not seen a strong Dolson, whom I love, but I want to see her getting a double double each game. Stokes was great then okay then great then okay then great, then okay.. I want her to be consistent... But overall I am impressed with Stokes.

Stewart... it is early this season, but she needs to be more consistent. If these injuries have taught me anything it is that KML is the superstar that leads this ship and with her out there, Stewart feels more comfortable to do what she needs to do.

The loss of these two players just reinforces what I have been saying all along.. we cannot go with a roster of 9-10 players that are scholarship players. We need to have 12-14 players on this team. IF we can land both Nurse and Wilson that will give us 5 freshmen, 1 sophomore, 3 juniors, 3 seniors, and 2 walk-ons. 12 scholarships and 2 walk-ons.. not bad. It would be nice when KML, Stokes, and Banks leave if we get another class of 4 or 5... these short benches are killer.

 

[UcMiami]

I do think that against highly ranked teams we fans need to recognize that they play defense, have coaches who can game plan and make adjustments and that the team is still getting up to speed. I agree that I want to see Stef getting more than 4 shots in a game and I think she didn't take some opportunities today, and that guards failed to get her the ball when she was in good position. But I also recognize that PSU focused their defense on stopping Dolson and getting after Stewart as well in the second half and that they were clogging the paint in their zone. They also had a lot of height and blocked 8 shots - not something either Stef or Stewie is used to having happen.
So ... I would love to see Stewie go off every night and Stef needs to get more chances from the foul line in, but ... the beauty of Geno's program is the success is dependent on the whole roster and is designed to get the hot hand the ball and it works so well!
And I do expect the offense to get a lot better as the year goes on - Geno will push and prod, improve spacing, work on entry passes and coordinating the outside ball movement with the interior players positioning battles so that when they get open for that one second, the ball is in the right place to make the pass rather than in the process of being rotated to the opposite side.