Week 3

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I know you have your feelings, but Barnes got fans excited about Arizona basketball. They were packing the building and they were loud. Diminishing returns, but fans are pretty short sighted if they forget what it was like before she revitalized the program.

Attendance so far is averaging about 5300, down 1000 from last season and way down from a peak of around 7800 during Barnes' tenure. Maybe the fans in Arizona aren't THAT excited about the change?

Some fans aren't. But oddly, on the women's side, only the core fans are sophisticated about women's basketball. It will be shocking to most of them when the Big 12 schedule is much, much less successful. And I'll be shocked if it is anything better than mediocre success.

And I keep reading about the success being when McDonald was here. Well, duh - big stars can be very helpful for winning. I don't think Adia did a good job putting together teams (and possibly developing players and certainly motivating them) but for all that the fact is that many players were quite good and exciting, and she kept a winning record. I don't think she can be judged for this year any more than I think Becky can. The future will tell.

 

[cancontent]

Wonder if she has had second thought? Or does NIL sooth.......

Considering the situation, who really knows? Being dismissed implies there was something going on that could be a behavioral or conduct issue, to me. There's a lot we don't know to say for sure.

 

[azfan]

Considering the situation, who really knows? Being dismissed implies there was something going on that could be a behavioral or conduct issue, to me. There's a lot we don't know to say for sure.

Absolutely.... @KnightBridgeAZ may have more accurate details but I think she was not extended. That's the quiet way of being dismissed I suppose. There's definitely a lot those of us who are common fans don't know. What is clear however is at half the salary they may well have an upgrade.

 

[FanInNC]

Wonder if she has had second thought? Or does NIL sooth.......

Idk what she would be having second thoughts about. She starts and plays 30+ minutes every game. She gets 12-15 shots a game easily.

I think she has the ability to be the best player on the team - I think she also shoulders some of the blame right now. Her defense has been lacking, she makes steals and does things positive because she’s often the best athlete on the court. However her attention to detail and focus has been missing. She has been back doored multiple times, beaten constantly by Saurez against TCU and was struggling against Mbu yesterday to the point of being benched for Maddie Cox and the team moving Tilda to Mbu the rest of the game. Wes didn’t call her by name but did harp on players not buying in fully on the scout and specifically on defense. Based on substitution patterns and in game adjustments being made Pierre, Zoe and Qadance appear to players Wes is having frustrations with in this regard.

Overall I think she’s adjusting to a new environment. From my POV she needs to learn to trust her team mates a bit more. She gets doubled often and too often she forces up a shot or keeps pounding the ball trying to get to a spot. There are capable players around her to help shoulder the load. She did a better job yesterday at times of making that pass when it wasn’t there for her, it led to a made 3 in the corner once. If she does more of that, her offense will come much easier and the team will have better results as well.

 

[FanInNC]

State has joined Duke as riff-raff now.

Right now the team is lacking leadership. Wes even talked about culture after the game and it not being there yet with this group. I think he’s struggling to push the right buttons. He’s been playing the most talented 5 the most, but he suggested that may need to change. IMO the most talented 5 are all a little too laid back. Zam is maybe the exception to that. But Zoe, Pierre, Qadance and Tilda are all either a little too cool out there or too nice. Someone needs to get mad and demand it from their team mates. Who is going to show they hate losing? Who will take pride in shutting down their counterpart on defense?

I wouldn’t be surprised to see more Destiny Lunan and let her work through freshman mistakes as well as more Devyn Quigley and Maddie Cox. I think Wes is looking to send a message to his starters that in order to play and keep your spot you have to want it. Follow the scout. Not freestyle out there but play as a team.

I still think State has the talent and pieces to be in the mix as normal by years end, but a leader or two needs to emerge from that locker room and some pride needs to be instilled.

 

[azfan]

Idk what she would be having second thoughts about. She starts and plays 30+ minutes every game. She gets 12-15 shots a game easily.

I think she has the ability to be the best player on the team - I think she also shoulders some of the blame right now. Her defense has been lacking, she makes steals and does things positive because she’s often the best athlete on the court. However her attention to detail and focus has been missing. She has been back doored multiple times, beaten constantly by Saurez against TCU and was struggling against Mbu yesterday to the point of being benched for Maddie Cox and the team moving Tilda to Mbu the rest of the game. Wes didn’t call her by name but did harp on players not buying in fully on the scout and specifically on defense. Based on substitution patterns and in game adjustments being made Pierre, Zoe and Qadance appear to players Wes is having frustrations with in this regard.

Overall I think she’s adjusting to a new environment. From my POV she needs to learn to trust her team mates a bit more. She gets doubled often and too often she forces up a shot or keeps pounding the ball trying to get to a spot. There are capable players around her to help shoulder the load. She did a better job yesterday at times of making that pass when it wasn’t there for her, it led to a made 3 in the corner once. If she does more of that, her offense will come much easier and the team will have better results as well.

Points well made. I was merely speculating about leaving Vanderbilt, a team that's clearly on the upswing, Shea has successfully created a culture and moving to a team with a rich history that's clearly struggling now may have been a decision that sometimes enters the player's mind

On a personal level I think you're close to on point from Pierre's perspective.

She's demonstrated her skills with a new team that is struggling. History shows that players who excel on teams that don't need expectations can be rewarded at the next level.

As she prepares for the next level she might even be better served on a struggling team that is one in which she has to play a part rather than be the focus

 

[FanInNC]

I don't watch a ton of Vanderbilt so I can't really compare what her role was there last year compared to what it is this year. She has made comments since arriving at State about there being more talent around her and she enjoys playing on a team where there is balance it's not just 1 or 2 players having to do it all. I'm glad she has that perspective, however I think she is still struggling to figure out exactly how to fit into that dynamic. From her interviews she seems very introspective and level headed. I don't know what she's like in the locker room or practice, but I'm certainly hoping this is all growing pains for her and the team and that everyone will be better for it later in the year.

State is a young team, there isn't a Senior on the roster. They are desperately missing the leadership qualities from Madison Hayes, Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James right now. But this team's core has a high ceiling in my mind and Pierre is a big reason for that. In this day and age you can't count on anything, but the entire team could return next year - they have a chance to be really good in time, they gotta figure it out though and right now it's not pretty basketball. But these growing pains are also opportunities for personal growth for the entire roster, Pierre included and hopefully by the end of the journey she and others will be better for it.