Vandy makes the WNIT

[HuskyNan]

Link to bracket

https://womensnit.com/services/download_file.ashx?file_location=https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/wnit.sidearmsports.com/documents/2022/3/14/2022_Postseason_WNIT.pdf

 

[DefenseBB]

Thanks Nan! In looking at the Bracket, what's great about the WNIT is all the regional game interest. Rhody has Quinnipiac, Maine and BC as their quad grouping. Marquette has Ball State, So. Illinois and Purdue.
Shea has Murray State, Campbell and Liberty has their quad.

 

[UConnCat]

As a side note, Duke declining the WNIT bid is another example of questionable leadership from Kara. I get she is trying to build an NCAAT program but there are still building blocks you can and should utilize. A good run in the WNIT would benefit the program instead of making you look arrogant by turning it down.

This seems off. Lawson could explain the decision but so far hasn't.

 

[HuskyNan]

Duke women’s basketball ends season after missing NCAA tournament and rejecting NIT bid

Duke's culture is proudly player-led, so it's unsurprising that the decision to voluntarily end its season for the second-straight year would come from the players. Especially given the factors pervading the Blue Devils’ collapse over the past two months, it’s understandable that the team was...

www.dukechronicle.com

 

[triaddukefan]

Let's focus on Vanderbilt and their coach. No need to bring Duke into this discussion. Lawd hamercy

 

[Woof 101]

I wonder if Alexander plays in the WNIT after announcing she's in the portal

No attack but the 4th sentence in the article you quoted from the OP...
Shea Ralph said Monday that forward Brinae Alexander, who entered the transfer portal after the SEC Tournament, would not play in the tournament.
Would have liked to see her stay with the team to the end. Also would have been an asset to the team showing loyalty and showcase her abilities for the teams shopping the portal. To leave before the invite will be a turnoff for some prospective coaches.

 

[bballnut90]

No attack but the 4th sentence in the article you quoted from the OP...
Shea Ralph said Monday that forward Brinae Alexander, who entered the transfer portal after the SEC Tournament, would not play in the tournament.
Would have liked to see her stay with the team to the end. Also would have been an asset to the team showing loyalty and showcase her abilities for the teams shopping the portal. To leave before the invite will be a turnoff for some prospective coaches.

Thanks for pointing that out. And agreed....it would've been nice for her to finish out the season, although I wouldn't be surprised if Ralph didn't want her to play so it gives returning players more opportunity to take on a bigger role in preparation for next year.

 

[Skeets]

Great opportunity for Vandy. Congrats. Very little upside for Duke. If they do good, it's "so what". If they do bad, it really hurts the program. Having said that, great coaches are willing to play anyone, anywhere, anytime.

 

[Bald Husky]

Great opportunity for Vandy. Congrats. Very little upside for Duke. If they do good, it's "so what". If they do bad, it really hurts the program. Having said that, great coaches are willing to play anyone, anywhere, anytime.

It's all about getting tournament experience, especially the freshmen and sophomores who have never been. Kind of an arrogant decision by a coach who seems to think it is all about her and not the development of her players.

 

[bballnut90]

It's all about getting tournament experience, especially the freshmen and sophomores who have never been. Kind of an arrogant decision by a coach who seems to think it is all about her and not the development of her players.

Agree with this. If you're an unestablished young program, treat it was an opportunity to keep playing and develop your players and chemistry. Duke wasn't expected to do much this year so while it wasn't a great season, it wasn't an awful one either. This isnt a situation like if Mississippi State rejected the WNIT a year ago when they grossly underachieved.

 

[Tonyc]

Vanderbilt is one of two teams (Minnesota) below .500 in the NIT. Their defense gives them a chance to win any game they play.

My cousin is a guard at Minnesota and a terrific shooter. Sara Scalia. Her dad sent me a pic of her playing in the backyard with Azzi. She has also played against Paige. Aint that somethin?

 

[HuskyNan]

It's all about getting tournament experience, especially the freshmen and sophomores who have never been. Kind of an arrogant decision by a coach who seems to think it is all about her and not the development of her players.

Read the article I linked. It was a team decision

 

[Forego]

I’m not sure if this is hidden in one of the earlier posts in this thread if so, I apologize. Vandy’s game against Murray State is scheduled for 8 PM on Thursday on SECN+. FYI there is one of those degrees of separation things at work here. Former Murray State player Evelyn Adebayo transferred to UConn a few years ago and probably was coached by Shea. Small world.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Agree with this. If you're an unestablished young program, treat it was an opportunity to keep playing and develop your players and chemistry. Duke wasn't expected to do much this year so while it wasn't a great season, it wasn't an awful one either. This isnt a situation like if Mississippi State rejected the WNIT a year ago when they grossly underachieved.

I remember some coach a few years ago explained to him the best thing about the WNIT bid was that he could run a full practice schedule for two weeks as opposed to shutting down. He said that the extra two weeks would be invaluable going into next season. I though that was a great approach to the nit/wnit that every coach would accept a bid. Guess not.

 

[eebmg]

Read the article I linked. It was a team decision

If it is like most team decisions, it is heavily influenced by what the coach (or maybe higher up?) thinks. The 2 player quotes in the article were 1 positive to play and one on the fence.

 

[DefenseBB]

So my UConn daughter is in Nashville on Spring break with her roommates, wearing their UCONN sweatshirts at Vanderbilt trying to get into the Athletic facility to wish Shea good luck!

Hopefully the campus police don't throw them into the hoosegow.

 

[Stymie]

Watching Vanderbilt men’s in the NIT.
Beautiful facility.
Don’t think Shea is coming back.
( so sorry)

 

[Littlemin]

Duke did the "Right" thing by not going to the WNIT. They didnt belong there and were not playing well for a while.

Duke was 4-9 over the last 13 games and the wins were over Pittsburgh 11-19, (won twice). Clemson 10-21 and Wake Forest 15-16. Plus they barely beat those teams, wins by 3 points twice and 5 points in one of the other games.
Better chance they lose early and it hurts them for the future, then go on a winning streak.

No looks of arrogance by turning WNIT down, looks of smartness to me.

Being afraid to go on the court, field, whatever is never smart, it is the personification of a non-competitor, when the going gets tough and all of that. Duke gives up on the season by turning down a WNIT bid, and blowing a hole through your whole premise, do you think they would have turned down an NCAA bid which they were on the bubble for? No way….smart? I would never play for or advise a player I coached to go play for a coach that made that decision.

 

[Cuango]

I think it’s a big mistake for Kara to turn the WNIT down. Win or lose, it’s an opportunity to expose your team to tournament play and is a chance to practice and play against other teams that would have benefited the whole team. A chance most other teams will not have. I’m pretty flabbergasted that she declined the invitation.

 

[Majic Hands]

Read the article I linked. It was a team decision

Well there you go.
The inmates are running the insane asylum.

 

[Littlemin]

Read the article I linked. It was a team decision

Which IMO was Duke’s and Lawson’s first mistake.
I realize it is a different world but I can’t understand players who don’t want to play; moreover Duke is providing scholarships, they get to earn money repping the school through NIL implementation and THEY get to decide if they want to play or not?
So the team decided to shut down last year when virtually, if not actually, every other team gutted through the season, and this year the team decides they are too good or too spoiled to “lower” themselves to play in a tournament they pretty obviously think is “beneath” them? Brave new way to build a program I guess.

 

[Skeets]

So my UConn daughter is in Nashville on Spring break with her roommates, wearing their UCONN sweatshirts at Vanderbilt trying to get into the Athletic facility to wish Shea good luck!

Hopefully the campus police don't throw them into the hoosegow.

Reminds me of the time my Stony Brook daughter snagged a student ticket for a football game at the Rent. She gets in line at the will call window with all the other Stony Brook people decked out head to foot in UConn garb. Awkward

 

[EdSaid]

Vandy beat Murray State last Thursday 73-47. They play Liberty Monday night at 8:00pm. If they win (they should) they will play the winner of Wake Forest/Middle Tenn. After that it might get tougher, possibly Purdue

 

[EdSaid]

Vanderbilt wins their second game of the NIT, beating Liberty 71-45.

 

[EricLA]

I know this is a bout VAndy, but nice to see SEton Hall and Marquette also both win.