Wake Forest @ Notre Dame - 1/14/21

[Shades]

Notre Dame, IN - 4:00 PM ET
TV: ACC Network (Sam Ravech, Monica McNutt)

Video stream:
Wake Forest vs. Notre Dame (W Basketball) | Watch ESPN (tvpli)

Audio:

https://www.radio.com/notredamewomensbasketball/listen?utm_source=All&utm_campaign=Notre%20Dame&utm_medium=NCAA%20Basketball&_branch_match_id=634511295895110555

Live stats:

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[DefenseBB]

I don't want to say this is a must win for both programs but jeesh, ND needs to show something and WF finally can assert an authority play of whose program is better at the moment.

 

[LETTERL]

I really like Jen Hoover and want her to succeed at Wake Forest. This is the best team she's had. Hopefully, Raca, Conti and Morra can put Wake over the top for what would be a big road win for this team.

 

[triaddukefan]

I don't normally root for Baptists... but I will in this game.

 

[DefenseBB]

I don't normally root for Baptists... but I will in this game.

Really? What is your ranking of religious denomination? Lutheran, Episcopalian, Congregational, Baptist, Catholic?

 

[DefenseBB]

I really like Jen Hoover and want her to succeed at Wake Forest. This is the best team she's had. Hopefully, Raca, Conti and Morra can put Wake over the top for what would be a big road win for this team.

She's in year 9, having never finished higher than 9th and has been to 2 WNIT post-season births...that's a pretty long leash she's been on. I would hope she could do something, anything....

 

[triaddukefan]

Really? What is your ranking of religious denomination? Lutheran, Episcopalian, Congregational, Baptist, Catholic?

Methodists, Presbyterians..... gap.... the rest of the protestants... gap .. the others. Honorable mention to the House of Prayer for All People. If you want a good home style soul food meal.... if you are in a city and come across one of these... they ALWAYS have a kitchen that serves at least lunch and dinner.. and sometimes breakfast.

 

[Lorcan]

As I’m not aware of an Episcopal College at the D1 Level, everyone should just adopt the Kenyon Lords and Ladies if you like a winner. The Lords won something like 34 consecutive national championships in a row in the pool. That, or you could just remember that Kenyon beat Ohio State in football in.....1896.

 

[eebmg]

ND up 35-23 at half. Wake Forest just does not move on offense. And ND had quite a few 4 leaf clover shots including a Maddy Westbeld 3pt shot from 30' at the halftime buzzer

 

[Shades]

47-40 ND with 4:20 left in third

 

[triaddukefan]

Wake Forest and VPI always let me down

 

[DefenseBB]

So...at what point is not being in Basketball shape as a reason Brunelle's playing minutes are limited to the fact that maybe she's not good enough for quality minutes making the team better happens? Only 18 minutes of the 36 played today....

 

[DefenseBB]

ND with 76-72 with 14seconds left and ND ball

 

[LETTERL]

Darn.

 

[eebmg]

ND with 76-72 with 14seconds left and ND ball

Wake Forrest was sloppier than ND down the stretch. Westbeld good 2nd half. Career high 25pts

 

[DefenseBB]

Wake Forrest was sloppier than ND down the stretch. Westbeld good 2nd half. Career high 25pts

Yes, correct on all counts, other than that Joyner Holmes impersonation of dribbling the ball all the way up court for a pathetic drive with 2 minutes left and turning the ball over, Maddie played a heck of a game.

 

[DefenseBB]

BTW, Alasia Hayes with only 3 minutes of game time. I wonder if I see Middle Tennessee in the future...?

 

[dtbtbtb]

it seems like the ACC got 2 really good teams (Louisville and NC St.) and below them it is anybody's game on any given day

 

[Dillon77]

Yes, correct on all counts, other than that Joyner Holmes impersonation of dribbling the ball all the way up court for a pathetic drive with 2 minutes left and turning the ball over, Maddie played a heck of a game.

Hey, I just got over from the Bench.
+ for the Irish. Maddy. Maddy. Maddy. 👍 👍 That's it. Just kidding, but not by all that much. Mik Vaughn is slowly rounding into form and she was the only other player in double figures for the Irish. The other positive was the flaming redhead, Abby Prohaska, who scored 8, had 7 assists and a handful of rebounds.

Even after the BC debacle, ND was not ready for the extended zone pressure Wake put from late 3rd quarter on. Pressure was not that difficult but heads go down and dribble away, followed by wild passes. Westbeld made some good passes and stepped out for a three that was critical. Whew.

 

[DefenseBB]

@Dillon77 What’s up with Brunelle?

 

[Sched234]

@Dillon77 What’s up with Brunelle?

Dillon will have a better answer than I, but I think the college Brunelle is not going to be the player she was projected to be leaving high school. And look, that happens—nothing is guaranteed—and she seems to have a great attitude in any case.

For starters, I think she’s closer to 6’1 than 6’2, and when you’re already giving up inches on the interior, that matters. Her interior and driving games don’t seem overly developed, so she’s relegated to the shooting specialist role. The only problem with that is she doesn’t shoot particularly well.

I think that if she builds muscle/strength, she has potential to be an All-ACC wing. I don’t see much WNBA potential at the current juncture, but she has 2.5 years left. It’s not like she needs to be ready today (although ND would benefit greatly if she was).

We’ll see what happens.

 

[Dillon77]

@Dillon77 What’s up with Brunelle?

Dillon will have a better answer than I, but I think the college Brunelle is not going to be the player she was projected to be leaving high school. And look, that happens—nothing is guaranteed—and she seems to have a great attitude in any case.

For starters, I think she’s closer to 6’1 than 6’2, and when you’re already giving up inches on the interior, that matters. Her interior and driving games don’t seem overly developed, so she’s relegated to the shooting specialist role. The only problem with that is she doesn’t shoot particularly well.

I think that if she builds muscle/strength, she has potential to be an All-ACC wing. I don’t see much WNBA potential at the current juncture, but she has 2.5 years left. It’s not like she needs to be ready today (although ND would benefit greatly if she was).

We’ll see what happens.

Boy, that's a question that make's The Bench squirm.
I'm not sure if it's any one thing, but could be a case of the sum being worse when you put many things together. Here goes:

• This heretofore unknown injury that she was recovering from since over the summer and up to practice. Not a lot has been brought up about it, but could it have been that serious to have...
• made Sam, quite frankly, not look game ready., even now?

She just looks a step slower on the open court, a reaction slower when trying to grab a loose ball, not as dynamic on a box out or reacting to a baseline move.

• Plus, Destinee Walker bonked her in the BC game with her forearm and Sam's now wearing a mask over her (broken?) nose. She looked very sluggish yesterday and her facial expressions indicate she's laboring.
• Um, where does she play? In all fairness to her, Sam's been playing here, there and everywhere in her time at ND; in part, because the one true center -- Mik Vaughn -- is hurt more often than not. And now, she's got to figure out where she goes and fellow wing Maddy Westbeld goes.
• While some elements of an offense look somewhat familiar, the jury is still out on what Niele's basic offense is. Last year, Sam often got the ball around the 8-ft. mark where she actually developed a nice turnaround or fadeaway jumper. Not this year. Maddy gets that ball...and justifiably so.
• Strange thing is, she's shooting 50% from the field and 44% from three, which most people would jump at, but save for the Miami game, she just hasn't been a force. In fact, she was a liability against Wake yesterday with misdirected passes and bad positioning on defense. Abby Prohaska, the 5'10 flaming redheaded overachiever, was more effective.

- I'm hoping this is a case of a player who has just started a race 50 yards behind without being in shape and can't catch up. But I'm (more than) a bit concerned by that "step late and/or off" on-court behavior.

- Maybe, she can emulate Westbeld's no-nonsense approach and work ethic to be a force in the ACC. Next year, incoming point guard Olivia Miles could make a statue look good with her passes, so Sam will get the ball in an open area to wing it. Hopefully -- knock on wood - Vaughn and Nat Marshall can man the post while Maddy W. holds down the "low forward" area, so Sam can be an efficient shooting wing....probably only.

 

[noirwestern]

Watch clips of her high school play and you can tell she's dealing with something that's slowing her down now. Typically you don't get slower after graduation, well, not anytime soon at least, and her reactions are noticeably slower than they were. She seems inclined to soldier on so no drop off in commitment but gotta think there's a bum hip or back in the mix here. We'll never know but hopefully it can be dealt with and she takes off like you were hoping she would. Not a domer but like to see good things happening for the kids across the board.