Vic Schaefer pulls off another shocker

[JordyG]

Tbh Stanford is well accustomed to having a target on its back. Two years ago, a #1-ranked Stanford went to Austin and got stunned by a Karen Aston-coached team.

Being ranked #1 then losing and having a target on your back because you're the national championship are two very, very different things.

 

[oldude]

I keep reading that Stanford lost Kianna Williams, which is true. But on the other side of the ledger, Stanford has every other player back from their national championship team, a HOF coach, they were playing at home and Vic lost 3 starters, including his best two players from last season. Folks, this was a serious upset.

 

[SimpleDawg]

I keep reading that Stanford lost Kianna Williams, which is true. But on the other side of the ledger, Stanford has every other player back from their national championship team, a HOF coach, they were playing at home and Vic lost 3 starters, including his best two players from last season. Folks, this was a serious upset.

Main thing is Vic's contributors are always instant emergers. Jackson, Bibby, Howard, Danberry, Matharu. They didn't need much time before they became highlights (in their first year). I dunno about Celeste Taylor or Kyra Lambert, but my eyes tell me that Matharu and Harmon are more impressive players and there's probably actually an upgrade at the guard position for Texas tho they may lose a bit from the frontcourt with the loss of Collier.

 

[Plebe]

Respectfully, I do think UConn fans are a bit delusional when it comes to their perceptions about whether ESPN favors or disfavors them. The reason why that play was shown ad infinitem was because of how enormous it was: a nationally unknown 5'5" David beats the four-time-repeating national champion Goliath with a buzzer beater in the national semifinals. If that's not a play to repeat all season to rep some parity for the women's game (long one of the biggest critiques of the sport), I don't know what is.

Think of if this way: California and Texas are the two largest states in the country, and have four of the top ten media markets in the U.S. Stanford has the most national championships of any school; Texas is tenth all time.

UConn's only non-basketball championships in the past two decades are women's field hockey. IMHO, Husky fans should be thankful they get as much coverage as they get, even of their losses, for a school in a tiny state in a non-existent media market that's mostly a one-sport pony. And I can't help but think it's not a coincidence that ESPN's headquarters is a stone's throw from Storrs.

From where I'm looking, that attention, even of its losses, is looking mighty desirable to me.

But doesn't that undermine your original point? So in fact it is an apples and oranges comparison. I guarantee you that if Stanford had won 6 national titles in the past 12 years, including multiple undefeated seasons and multiple record-breaking win streaks, their losses would be deemed more "newsworthy" by the evil media outlets.

Btw UConn men's basketball won a national title in 2014. Not sure how Stanford's championships in water polo and tennis should move the needle on this issue, but there's that.

 

[TC22]

Vic’s defense is just 40 minutes of pressure, pressure, pressure. His offense is dribble drive, dribble drive, dribble drive. It used to bore me to tears watching it. I thought we were done with Vic and that dribble drive mess. I say this with all due respect to Vic Schaefer. The Gamecocks and MSU used to have some epic battles. Gonna be fun with SC, Texas, LSU and maybe Georgia. Not sure how it’s going to work out with Tennessee, but maybe them too. I’m sure the A&M job will get somebody good. The SEC is getting ready to be really good again.

 

[Plebe]

my point is simply that you'd think a school that won this much would get more (any?) media attention. I'm confident if we were located in Stamford, CT, it'd be an entirely different kind of coverage. And yet UConn gets more ESPN coverage for women's basketball than Stanford gets for all its sports combined.

ESPN televised this game live. On its flagship network. I'm not seeing the conspiracy to ignore.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

You know, these pre-season rankings for Texas were all over the map.

The Big 12 coaches voted Texas second in the conference. Yet, nationally, most rankings had Texas well behind Iowa State and West Virginia. Creme even had the gall to list Texas as a #9 seed in his way too early bracket.

Texas losing 3 starters in Charli Collier, Celeste Taylor, and Kyra Lambert might have led to that, and lots of newcomers to boot.

I had them 18th in my preseason poll. They'll be higher next week.

 

[southie]

Not even remotely surprised that Vic pulled it off. After seeing what he was able to accomplish in season one at Texas even with Covid restrictions, I knew his teams would continue to be dangerous. Especially against a Stanford team that isn't returning it's starting PG and leading scorer. I still think Stanford will be fine and improve but this Texas team was a bad matchup for them this early in the season.

Neither was Texas. Stanford returned 4 starters; Texas returned its least-heralded 2 starters.

 

[bballnut90]

Neither was Texas. Stanford returned 4 starters; Texas returned its least-heralded two 2 starters.

This is what made me roll my eyes all game as the announcers incessantly brought up Kiana Williams graduating but ignored mentioning Texas losing multiple standouts (including the #1 pick in the draft).

 

[UConnCat]

It's a fair question, but he managed to convince a top-10 recruit like Rickea Jackson to move from Detroit to Starkville. And now he has Harmon, Moore and Hunter in this UT freshman class, who by all indications are capable offensive talents.

I know. I hope they enjoy 40 minutes of dribble drive, dribble drive, dribble drive, 3-assist games.

 

[GCKSFN4L]

Neither was Texas. Stanford returned 4 starters; Texas returned its least-heralded two 2 starters.

I hope my post didn't come across as me trying undermine their win. I just know that Vic's relentless defense usually makes it hard for the opposing team's offense to succeed without strong PG play. What Texas did with a lot new pieces was nothing short of incredible but I come to expect it, due to the respect I have for their coach and how he's able to get the most out of his players.

 

[Plebe]

I had them 18th in my preseason poll. They'll be higher next week.

They play next Sunday at Tennessee. A loss there could perhaps limit how high they rise in the rankings (speaking in general, not of your individual choice).

 

[ConwayGmck]

Welp. Everyone is supposed to be happy of the newfound parity in WCBB - of elite talent being shared and spread about to various points on the land. The only TRUE way for "parity" to have any meaning, is for top teams to start falling by the wayside. Not get totally replaced, but not constantly go 40-0 on their seasons. We were wondering if there would be ANY team this season that goes undefeated by the time the championship game is played. This may be the rumblings of the answer.....

 

[southie]

I hope my post didn't come across as me trying undermine their win. I just know that Vic's relentless defense usually makes it hard for the opposing team's offense to succeed without strong PG play. What Texas did with a lot new pieces was nothing short of incredible but I come to expect it, due to the respect I have for their coach and how he's able to get the most out of his players.

It didn't. You were less surprised than I was with the outcome of the game. I didn't think we would win a game at Stanford so early in the season. If it was a month from now, I would have given us a better chance at winning.

 

[jonson]

Well I think both can be true at once: Stanford can be the Empire but the absence of Kiana Williams can nevertheless be our Death Star exhaust port. Damn that former Ole' Miss. (State) rebel coach for knowing how to exploit our Achilles' heel!

To me, offense has not been one of Stanford's strengths for some time now: Tara seems to depend upon defense and (too heavily in my view) a go-to scorer when things get tight. Williams was the latter for the past couple of years now; before that, if I remember correctly, it was Alana Smith and, before Alana, Brittany McPhee. This year's replacement (for Williams)? Jones is the obvious choice, especially given her ceiling and play in last year's tournament, but the Jones we saw today looked to me like the Jones of her freshman year and last year's regular season: not as assertive as one would hope, too many turnovers, etc., etc. Maybe Lexie Hull can fulfill that function, since no one would ever accuse her of being too passive, but she's also inconsistent. In any case, I think one or the other needs to step up if Stanford is to be the team most of us thought they'd be.

 

[LoTrader]

Stanford shot very poorly from 3-pt land today. Had Stanford hit a few more wide-open 3's, probably a different outcome. Not taking anything away from Texas. Long Horns flat out beat Stanford today. I suspect Stanford will fix a few glaring problems from today's game: 1. Better playmaking from the point, 2. Better 3-point shooting, 3. Defending the high ball screen.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

They play next Sunday at Tennessee. A loss there could perhaps limit how high they rise in the rankings (speaking in general, not of your individual choice).

Yes it would considering how Tennessee has looked. Will both teams get out of the 40s? Not so sure.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Brittany Sykes.

They had a player from Syracuse as their go to scorer? Now that's some amazing coaching. McPhee perhaps.

 

[TC22]

Yes it would considering how Tennessee has looked. Will both teams get out of the 40s? Not so sure.

Over/under 100 total points in the game.

 

[southie]

Stanford shot very poorly from 3-pt land today. Had Stanford hit a few more wide-open 3's, probably a different outcome. Not taking anything away from Texas. Long Horns flat out beat Stanford today. I suspect Stanford will fix a few glaring problems from today's game: 1. Better playmaking from the point, 2. Better 3-point shooting, 3. Defending the high ball screen.

For sure. Stanford launched 27 three-pointers today, and 7 of them (most of any player) were by their 6'5 post player Ashton Prechtel. Like seriously? Get yourself down low and use your size and strength to score 2-foot baskets.

 

[ConwayGmck]

They had a player from Syracuse as their go to scorer? Now that's some amazing coaching. McPhee perhaps.

Tara is a hall of fame coach after all.......

 

[nwhoopfan]

For sure. Stanford launched 27 three-pointers today, and 7 of them (most of any player) were by their 6'5 post player Ashton Prechtel. Like seriously? Get yourself down low and use your size and strength to score 2-foot baskets.

Have you not watched Stanford before? Shooting 3's is Prechtel's specialty. They have other post players who can post up. Prechtel pretty much won them the Regional Final against Louisville last year w/ her perimeter shooting.

 

[southie]

Have you not watched Stanford before? Shooting 3's is Prechtel's specialty. They have other post players who can post up. Prechtel pretty much won them the Regional Final against Louisville last year w/ her perimeter shooting.

Did they play today? How'd they do? Texas basically played one post player for extended minutes, and Stanford didn't take advantage of the many mismatches they should have had down low all game long. Texas with 24 points in the paint (only 8 by players over 6'0) to Stanford's 22 points.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Did they play today? How'd they do? Texas basically played one post player for extended minutes, and Stanford didn't take advantage of the many mismatches they should have had down low all game long. Texas with 24 points in the paint (only 8 by players over 6'0) to Stanford's 22 points.

Brink started off drawing fouls, but missed half of her FTs. She disappeared later. Belibi was in there for a while, don't think she did much either. I understand if a player is 6-5 you'd think they should try posting up, but that's not really her strength. They can always go w/ Jerome, a 6-3 player who shoots almost exclusively from deep.

Maybe it's a Pac 12 thing. 6-7 Sedona Prince (I know you know her, from her stop over in Austin) is more of a perimeter than interior player, 6-9 Nancy Mulkey isn't exactly a monster on the block from what I've seen so far.

 

[VA Huskie]

Newsworthy at all is what I'm saying: the defending national champ suffers a rather surprising upset at home and we didn't even get a write-up!

And since 2014 Stanford's won titles in men's golf, men's gymnastics (x2), men's soccer (x3), men's water polo, women's basketball, women's golf, women's soccer (x2), women's swimming (x3), women's tennis (x3), women's volleyball (x3), and women's water polo (x3). We're a lot more than water polo and tennis, and my point is simply that you'd think a school that won this much would get more (any?) media attention. I'm confident if we were located in Stamford, CT, it'd be an entirely different kind of coverage. And yet UConn gets more ESPN coverage for women's basketball than Stanford gets for all its sports combined.

I think thou doth protest a bit too much. No doubt, Stanford has the overall best sports program in the country. I’m a UVA fan and I know that their target is to replicate what Stanford does. But the reality is that most of the sports you mention don’t get national attention. Football and basketball do. Baseball and soccer to a lesser extent.

I don’t know that ESPN being located in CT has anything to do with UConn athletics. And I doubt that Stanford athletics would get appreciably more coverage were Stanford located in CT. The reality is that UConn basketball is unique to the sports world over the past 25 years… and therein lies their publicity.

All that being said, I was surprised to see that Paige’s 34 points got more attention than Stanford’s upset loss. That was wrong.