Thurs. games -- TN and FSU lose; MissSt escapes (merged threads)

[Plebe]

Clemson scores 80 on ND, but Duke can only manage 58



Well as least I was right about something

Notre Dame is a way better team at home than on the road (a lot like Duke in that way). I hope the committee takes notice that ND's toughest 5 opponents (UW, UConn, Duke, Louisville, FSU) all had to play in South Bend. One of the most home-biased schedules I've ever seen. I believe Duke would have beaten Notre Dame in Cameron.

 

[triaddukefan]

Surprised that no one has mentioned South Carolina's bounce back victory over Vanderbilt. How did we ever lose to VANDERBILT

Notre Dame is a way better team at home than on the road. I hope the committee takes notice that ND's toughest 5 opponents (UW, UConn, Duke, Louisville, FSU) all had to play in South Bend. I believe Duke would have beaten Notre Dame in Cameron.

The ACC Tourney should be interesting this year. With FSU losing to UVA...... there is a chance their could be a three way tie for 2nd in the conference if NC State and Duke win out... and FSU loses to ND. I know Duke loses the head to head tiebreaker with both State and FSU... I forget how the tiebreaker works in a 3-way tie.

 

[meyers7]

TN goes down to Bama 65-57

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Notre Dame walloped Clemson! 84-80.

How in the world does Mighty Notre Dame win by just four points against Clemson? Is the ACC pulling it down to the level of the rest? Are they losing motivation?

What's up?

 

[Orangutan]

Clemson scores 80 on ND, but Duke can only manage 58

Versus Duke - Turner 37 min, Westbeld 26 min
Versus Clemson - Turner 19 minutes (foul trouble), Westbeld DNP (ankle)

That's your difference right there.

 

[Orangutan]

Notre Dame plays Syracuse on Sunday 5 PM ESPN2. Should be an interesting game. Saw a Tweet where Syracuse is expecting 10,000 fans at the game. Which would be an attendance record. Maybe that's why Coach Q was still playing his starters and was pressing late in the blowout win over North Carolina.

With the FSU loss, Maryland has definitely moved up to a #2 Seed. Wouldn't surprise me, by Selection Date, Maryland is not a #1 Seed.

10,000? In January they only had 1900 for a game against then #14 Miami. The current record is 4,357 for a game against UConn in 2012. Gonna be quite the marketing job to get 10k in there even on Alumni Weekend.

 

[chrissaran]

Katie Lou didn't shoot well against SC, and UConn still won. It's a team game - emphasis on team.

 

[mhshuskies]

Surprised that no one has mentioned South Carolina's bounce back victory over Vanderbilt. How did we ever lose to VANDERBILT
The ACC Tourney should be interesting this year. With FSU losing to UVA. there is a chance their could be a three way tie for 2nd in the conference if NC State and Duke win out... and FSU loses to ND. I know Duke loses the head to head tiebreaker with both State and FSU... I forget how the tiebreaker works in a 3-way tie.

How did you ever lose to Vandy? You have Coach P and they don't.

 

[Orangutan]

Let me be a little clearer. Against GT ND had 16 assists on 38 made FG's. Tonight, 11/32. Not a good trend. Hopefully against Syracuse this will change. I've said often that to me Muffet is the 2nd best coach in WCBB. I also don't hold the animosity some here have for ND. Against any other team than UConn I actually root for ND. Well, actually I'd root for Dawn against you guys. Otherwise, I've been a fan of Muffet and her program.

Against GT - Turner 33 min, Westbeld 17 min. Against Clemson - Turner 19 min, Westbeld 0. Not a good trend. Westbeld is key to the offense as a passer from the high post. She doesn't get tons of assists but she keeps the offense flowing.

Without Turner and Westbeld, ND's frontcourt options are Nelson and Boley and neither of them is very good in that role (Boley is more of a big wing, Nelson just isn't good). With Westbeld injured, ND really need 30+ min from Turner every night.

It is what it is at this point in the year. If ND has Allen, Mabrey, Turner, Westbeld, and Arike playing big minutes plus a smattering of Young and Boley off the bench, they can be as good as anyone bar UConn and Baylor. There's no margin for error on injuries and foul trouble.

 

[JordyG]

Against GT - Turner 33 min, Westbeld 17 min. Against Clemson - Turner 19 min, Westbeld 0. Not a good trend. Westbeld is key to the offense as a passer from the high post. She doesn't get tons of assists but she keeps the offense flowing.

Without Turner and Westbeld, ND's frontcourt options are Nelson and Boley and neither of them is very good in that role (Boley is more of a big wing, Nelson just isn't good). With Westbeld injured, ND really need 30+ min from Turner every night.

It is what it is at this point in the year. If ND has Allen, Mabrey, Turner, Westbeld, and Arike playing big minutes plus a smattering of Young and Boley off the bench, they can be as good as anyone bar UConn and Baylor. There's no margin for error on injuries and foul trouble.

The baseball player Joe Morgan was once asked on air about prospects and their potential. He said, and I paraphrase, "I don't care about prospects or potential. I care about players". In lieu of sounding repetitive, was is, is. What ain't, ain't. IF the starting 5 you've mention played as a cohesive team, and IF the players on the bench bought into a well executed share the ball mentality and IF that team could remain healthy and IF Turner played like the AA she should be, yeah. Yeah, they could be as good as any team not named UConn or Baylor. That's a lot of "ifs". That potential is probably what makes Muffet's head spin at night. But I don't truck much with potential. I've watched an undermanned UConn team play game after game at a high level this year. Last game I watched a hobbled Nurse, an ineffective Lou and a foul challenged Collier still contribute to a double digit victory over a determined USC team. ND may yet (hopefully) turn the corner, and maybe it will take at Dallas. With this squad as it's currently composed however, I ain't a believer.

 

[Orangutan]

IF the starting 5 you've mention played as a cohesive team, and IF the players on the bench bought into a well executed share the ball mentality and IF that team could remain healthy and IF Turner played like the AA she should be, yeah. Yeah, they could be as good as any team not named UConn or Baylor. That's a lot of "ifs".

See here's where we disagree - I'm saying this starting five can be really good (*at their current level of performance and cohesion*) if they are healthy and not in foul trouble.

I'm glad that UConn has a margin of error and can survive some injuries and poor performances and still be great teams. I'm just saying Notre Dame can't.

By the way, I'm glad Theo Epstein is running the Cubs and not Joe Morgan. Trading big-leaguers for prospects like Addison Russell and Kyle Hendricks is a big reason why the Cubs won the World Series.

 

[triaddukefan]

Could be an interesting matchup tomorrow. I have no idea why FSU has a game on Saturday as opposed to Sunday, but they play at home vs Clemson at 2pm. Very quick turnaround. Notice I said COULD be... not will be

Versus Duke - Turner 37 min, Westbeld 26 min
Versus Clemson - Turner 19 minutes (foul trouble), Westbeld DNP (ankle)

That's your difference right there.

Meh on Westbeld being much of a difference.

 

[magic]

My take on wcbb this season. First , there is uconn. Then there are probably about 10 or 12 teams that on any given day , could beat any of the other 10 or 12 teams. This will make for an even better snd more excoting tournament this year. The commitee's problem is , who do they think can give uconn the best battles in a FF situation ? Does the committee spend more time trying to protect whichever of these " teams " someone is convinced will compete with uconn ? Uconn, should get the " easiest road ", but somehow I sense an extra FF game put in the huskies path. A regional final that could well be a FF game.

 

[donalddoowop]

My take on wcbb this season. First , there is uconn. Then there are probably about 10 or 12 teams that on any given day , could beat any of the other 10 or 12 teams. This will make for an even better snd more excoting tournament this year. The commitee's problem is , who do they think can give uconn the best battles in a FF situation ? Does the committee spend more time trying to protect whichever of these " teams " someone is convinced will compete with uconn ? Uconn, should get the " easiest road ", but somehow I sense an extra FF game put in the huskies path. A regional final that could well be a FF game.

I hope not.