Week 12 - Jan 20 to 26

[WBBTakeover]

1) I said ‘AND’
2) how many schools lost both the player and the coach at the same time
3) none of the schools you listed rebuilt an entire offense around a single player

It may very well be the coach and Iowa has done worse than I expected but we all may have underestimated the hill they had to climb this year.

1. Doesn't matter. These programs know that they have 4-5 years with a talented player, no matter how special said talent is. You don't pay a coach darn near a million dollars to not have the answers. Said coach should be capable of building a system that is tailored around the current roster. You shouldn't need a Caitlin Clark just to get into the NCAA Tournament given the returnees.
2. While the player certainly can't be replaced (by any other player), the coach in waiting has been waiting six inches to the right of Bluder--for 24 years!!!! Iowa is not a "sister of the poor" program. They have tradition and, most importantly, expectations.
3. That's because (a) they were smart not to do so and (b) they knew how to use the talent they had left.

 

[azfan]

RAINING in Flagstaff against the #1 defense in the Big Sky. Jacks put up 56 in the first half. Going into the 4th 83-59 as NAU is 15-26 from threeland!!!!!!

Everybody scores and when NAU is shooting like this I don't think anyone in conference can hang. In an oddity, no missed FT so far Vandals 14-14 and Jacks 8-8. Oy, Vandals just missed one.

 

[Bone Dog]

It may very well be the coach and Iowa has done worse than I expected but we all may have underestimated the hill they had to climb this year.

There’s been a few bright spots, like the growth of Addison O’Grady as a scorer. In the few games I’ve watched, she looks a lot more confident this season and is producing at a decent clip. I think she’s moving her feet better than ever before, and running the floor really well.

 

[azfan]

A great day for WBB - as Grand Canyon will extend the streak at home, tip at 2pm on ESPN plus. The Huskies on Fox, Lindy's squad on the Mountain West, and the two big AZ schools at 4pm(the rebuild continues) and 6pm(the kitties are mauled by WV)

Final in Flag - 106-76. 17 made threes, everybody eats!

 

[cancontent]

I was shocked by Michigan’s performance against Michigan State. Worst showing from them all year.

Possibly their worst shooting performance all season. When Swords is 1-9 and Hobbs is 3-11 as starters, that's not good, especially when Michigan State shot over 50%.

It was a game up until half time with Michigan leading. The wheels fell off big time during the 3rd quarter.

 

[Baller29]

Kansas St falls to Colorado

 

[nwhoopfan]

I was shocked by Michigan’s performance against Michigan State. Worst showing from them all year.

What happened? I had it on for a few minutes, Michigan was up 3 approaching halftime. Second half must've been a disaster for them.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Maybe worst loss of the day--Washington St. at LMU. What?!

 

[nwhoopfan]

Okay, here's my bold prediction for Saturday: Oklahoma St. will lose to Texas Tech in Lubbock. That's just the kind of season it's been for OSU. Follow up every big win losing to somebody they have absolutely no business losing to.

I reversed jinxed Oklahoma St. You're welcome.

 

[nwhoopfan]

It was close, but Utah got a win over their much disliked rivals BYU on the road in Provo. Gneepkens has been on a tear lately, I don't think she's been getting talked about enough. Setting her career high the previous game w/ 30 or 31, topped it again today w/ 32. Has had a couple almost triple doubles recently.

 

[azfan]

Classic! That's soooooooo Sun Devil.

At home, up by 11 the rebuild tested D coached up by the nice coach and 2021 CAA coach of the year from Delaware .... foul a Cincinnati (one of 33 in the game) 3 point shooter ....wait for it with 0.3 seconds in the third.

Then trailing by 2 with 22 seconds in the game.....miss 2 FT.

Extend the losing streak 73-66.

The rebuild continues! All due to attention to the details.

Does loss 20 this year Feb 26......or appropriately final game of the season at home......against the kitties

Classic

33 fouls, 19 turnovers, give up 16 offensive boards. And waste an 11 point home lead in the second half.

 

[cancontent]

What happened? I had it on for a few minutes, Michigan was up 3 approaching halftime. Second half must've been a disaster for them.

Third quarter 31-12 Michigan State
Fourth quarter 28-13 Michigan State

Michigan State's defence flustered Michigan in the second half. Don't think I've seen Swords this off her game ever. Hobbs also struggled big time as well, which can't happen when she's seen as the leader of this young roster.

 

[newfrontier]

I was shocked by Michigan’s performance against Michigan State. Worst showing from them all year.

That was a beat down of epic proportions in the second half. So much for Michigan's WBB program surpassing Michigan State's WBB program. MSU trailed by 4 points at half-time, only to score the first 15 points of the 3rd quarter (yes 15-0) . MSU went on to score 59 points in the second half, and won by 30 points (and the game was AT Michigan.). UofM is going to get mauled again in a couple weeks at E. Lansing.

 

[packwrap]

I just looked up Iowa's remaining schedule. OUCH! They haven't even played the bulk of their toughest opponents yet!!!!!!

6-12 conference record would be my best guess at this point. They'd probably have to win the B1G Tourney to get an NCAA bid.

Man, I did NOT see this happening to them. What a spiral. Lesson learned: coaching matters.

It really isn't the coaching. They have been in every game they lost. Some poor play in last 3 min of games, and a choice to develop her freshmen I guess could be blamed on Jensen, but that's a stretch.
They just put a good game together against Washington, we'll see how they do down the stretch. You are right though that tourney probably not happening.

 

[Stagnant]

Incredible job by Arizona State snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory!

 

[packwrap]

1. Doesn't matter. These programs know that they have 4-5 years with a talented player, no matter how special said talent is. You don't pay a coach darn near a million dollars to not have the answers. Said coach should be building a system that is tailored around the current roster. You shouldn't need a Caitlin Clark just to get into the NCAA Tournament given the returnees.
2. While the player certainly can't be replaced (by any other player), the coach in waiting has been waiting six inches to the right of Bluder--for 24 years!!!! Iowa is not a "sister of the poor" program. They have tradition and, most importantly, expectations.
3. That's because (a) they were smart not to do so and (b) they knew how to use the talent they had left.

Huh! Watch their games. They play like a well coached team. The Bluder/Jensen plan was to sub transfer Olson in for Clark and develop their freshmen. Olson has been good, but not great and can't carry them or close out games against better opponents.
They also have a good recruit group for next year, including the next 4-5 yr point guard.
You may not like her, but Jensen will at least get a three year leash. Personally, I don't see a Holly Warlick situation here at all.

 

[BigTenGuy]

Other programs have lost generational talents and didn't crater like this. The likes of Tennessee, South Carolina, UConn, etc. were able to make NCAA Tournaments despite losing what some would consider to be generational talents. . . .

This is largely a coaching failure. Jan better get this straightened out or the fallout could be long-lasting.

Completely agree that Jensen has been bad, but comparing Iowa to UConn, Tennessee and South Carolina in terms of the ability to sustain tournament success is absurd, IMO. Iowa under Bluder and Jensen is an under recruiting, developmental program. The other programs you mentioned are recruiting juggernauts, to their credit.

When A’ja Wilson graduated (presume this is one of the generational talents you’re referring to), South Carolina’s team the next season fielded 3 McDonald’s AAs and another top 30 player. Iowa fields a team this year that sometimes eats at McDonald’s. Iowa is unathletic and struggles mightily to create on offense. That was going to be the case even if Coach Bluder was still coaching.

It’s also more than fair to criticize Bluder/Jensen for their limited ability, to date, to up their recruiting game in the wake of CC (a la Terri Moren and IU post Mackenzie Holmes). That’s why some Iowa fans hoped that Jennie Baranczyk would have been offered the job before Jan Jensen. But no one should be shocked by the big step back that Iowa has taken this year.

 

[azfan]

Incredible job by Arizona State snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory!

ikr - the Natasha Adair rebuild continues. Poetic if the 20th loss comes against the kitties in Tempe on the last day of the regular season.

And the kitties are in a scratching mood, taking care of WV down in the dirty t. In addition to her runway gown, Barnes has unleashed the dogs of D and WV is losing badly at McKale. Barnes outfit looks like it was stitched together from those reflectors you buy to put in your car windshield. Kim Mulkey she's not.

Maybe she wears this March March 1 in Tempe to help Adair celebrate the third consecutive 20 loss season and rebuild extraordinaire

 

[nwhoopfan]

Oregon St. lost in OT to Pacific in Stockton...for the second time this season. Some kind of bizarre scheduling thing, they had to give away their home game against Pacific. I do myself a favor and don't bother watching the Beavs. No matter how bad their opponent is, the game will go down to the wire, probably to OT. At this rate they'll probably go to OT against hapless San Diego, who is 0-10 in the WCC.

 

[Stagnant]

On the Iowa discussion. I am amazed by the players that they are bringing in for the Caitlin Clark jersey retirement game. Bjorn, harpring, maybe woliczko. I am amazed that they are in for players like that.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

ikr - the Natasha Adair rebuild continues. Poetic if the 20th loss comes against the kitties in Tempe on the last day of the regular season.

And the kitties are in a scratching mood, taking care of WV down in the dirty t. In addition to her runway gown, Barnes has unleashed the dogs of D and WV is losing badly at McKale. Barnes outfit looks like it was stitched together from those reflectors you buy to put in your car windshield. Kim Mulkey she's not.

Maybe she wears this March March 1 in Tempe to help Adair celebrate the third consecutive 20 loss season and rebuild extraordinaire

Adia's outfits are very fashion forward, probably European. We suspect, but don't know, that she is paid to wear them. They are not usually my taste, but again, they are high fashion as it is defined. Her shoes the other day sell for close to $1000 (and interestingly, we saw someone a couple days ago wearing very distinctive shoes that were the same brand, but $1500 - yikes).

It was a good game. Our defense wasn't bad though afterward Adia pointed out that WV had a play we couldn't defend to save our life, they just didn't run it smoothly. OTH, our offense was very "on". The ref's were not very good, although, West Virginia probably feels they had more to complain about. I don't think either team was thrilled.

 

[packwrap]

Adia's outfits are very fashion forward, probably European. We suspect, but don't know, that she is paid to wear them. They are not usually my taste, but again, they are high fashion as it is defined. Her shoes the other day sell for close to $1000 (and interestingly, we saw someone a couple days ago wearing very distinctive shoes that were the same brand, but $1500 - yikes).

Wow, I may have to tune in just for the shoes. Since 'Sex and the City' ended, I haven't been able to get my fix of Ferragamo, Blahnik and Choo.

 

[cancontent]

Wow, I may have to tune in just for the shoes. Since 'Sex and the City' ended, I haven't been able to get my fix of Ferragamo, Blahnik and Choo.

Isn't another season "And Just Like That" expected to be airing soon? You may be able to satisfy that itch soon enough.

 

[JellyBean]

Do you think Sydney Parrish thought she would ever be back in Eugene again? Well she was, and it wasn't a happy return. Oregon beat Indiana 54-47. Ducks find themselves at 6-3 in the B1G, just barely outside the top 1/3.


Hopefully the Hoosiers won't have the same kind of "get well" game after visiting Eugene that Iowa did.



edit--3 of the top 7 B1G teams are actually Pac 12 teams, including #1 and #2...just sayin'

How about them Ducks!? I was surprised they beat Indiana. Well done, Ducks!

 

[JellyBean]

I was shocked by Michigan’s performance against Michigan State. Worst showing from them all year.

I was surprised that Sword didn't play as well or anymore in the game.