Week 7 - Dec 16 to 22

[Plebe]

No surprises as the Sun devils remain winless on the road and are on cruise control for another 20 loss season.

To be fair, some teams haven't even played a true road game yet. Tennessee is just one example.

I thought ASU looked slightly (emphasis on slightly) improved in their wins over Oregon State and SMU in the Briann January classic. Not great measuring sticks, I know, but you take your Ws where you can get them.

The losses to Coppin State, UC Davis and San Fran are, well, troubling even if they were on the road. The game at hellishly horrible Houston will be THE golden opportunitiy to get off the road game schneid.

 

[Plebe]

Arizona state lost again??? Why do I keep trusting them?

What on earth would have prompted you to ever trust them in the first place?

 

[Stagnant]

A new fan?

Never seen them play in person over the last three seasons?

They are to be trusted but to lose and to play badly while they lose.

Adair is a fine person and was a competent mid major coach. She's just way over her head. This was obvious midway through her first 20 loss season two and a half years ago. Not a game goes by that doesn't confirm that she's a very nice person and in way, way over her head.

No, I am a season ticket holder. I was hoping to see some improvement this year. I guess I will be attending games mostly to see the other teams. ‍

 

[BruinGold]

"No Lauren Betts today. Precautionary, minor lower leg injury."

x.com

x.com

For what it's worth, she looked fine walking around the court.

Her absence really transformed the Bruins from a great team to merely a pretty good team. Also, the game felt like it was "garbage time" from the opening tip. There were several "novel" lineups involving the freshmen, Timea Gardiner noticeably appeared to have a minutes limit (which might have been going on already, but the rotation was deep enough that it wasn't that evident), and players sometimes looked a bit confused as to what their role was.

Coach Close commented that the game plan went out the window due to poor execution (lots of missed shots, defensive breakdowns, etc.). Frankly, the opportunity to make the players "uncomfortable", particularly the freshmen, was probably a long term positive.

 

[TheFarmFan]

To be fair, some teams haven't even played a true road game yet. Tennessee is just one example.

I thought ASU looked slightly (emphasis on slightly) improved in their wins over Oregon State and SMU in the Briann January classic. Not great measuring sticks, I know, but you take your Ws where you can get them.

The losses to Coppin State, UC Davis and San Fran are, well, troubling even if they were on the road. The game at hellishly horrible Houston will be THE golden opportunitiy to get off the road game schneid.

ASU took 71 shots and had 3 assists. Is that a record? Holy moly... Wow that's bad.

 

[Lorcan]

A new fan?

Never seen them play in person over the last three seasons?

They are to be trusted but to lose and to play badly while they lose.

Adair is a fine person and was a competent mid major coach. She's just way over her head. This was obvious midway through her first 20 loss season two and a half years ago. Not a game goes by that doesn't confirm that she's a very nice person and in way, way over her head.

For Adair, I think it was always going to be a puzzling jump to start trying to recruit out west after establishing yourself back east as a decent mid-major coach. Honestly, just a puzzling move from her at that juncture.

 

[Plebe]

ASU took 71 shots and had 3 assists. Is that a record? Holy moly... Wow that's bad.

And committed 29 fouls! That's not easy to do with only 8 players.

San Fran shot 28% FG and only 2-19 from 3, but hit 83% of their THIRTY-FIVE free throw attempts.

 

[azfan]

My takeaway is that the Sun Devils haven't

As for the Sun Devils, they're just happy they have UCF, SMU, Cincy, and Houston in their conference this year to potentially get some wins in conference play as opposed to the tough as nails conference they ditched.

The Sun Devils as currently coached and constructed might be able to beat Houston in a close game that will be played in Houston and the Sun Devils continue to be winless on the road so a team nearly as bad as ASU will have a chance. Man that's going to be a real doozy of the game to watch huh? Interesting tidbit CTTs last game as head coach was in the 2022 WNIT - a lost to Houston. In their history ASU has played Houston twice, both losses. This year could make it the trifecta.

That should be their only win in conference as they really have no prayer against UCF or Cincinnati. Given their road record I wouldn't bet on ASU in Central Florida against UCF unless you get 30 points. Even then....

They do host 7-2 Cincinnati in Tempe. Cincinnati is not a very good road team. So there is a 20 or 30% chance the Sun Devils might win that one.

If SMU, a member of the ACC, is your signature win it speaks volumes about your program.

So best case is the Sun Devils can get conference wins against the hapless Cougars and maybe, maybe (ok, no way) Cincinnati.

Yes the Pac 12 was tough. But the Sun Devils would be at the bottom of the West Coast Conference, the Mountain West conference, or for that matter the Summit League.

 

[azfan]

No, I am a season ticket holder. I was hoping to see some improvement this year. I guess I will be attending games mostly to see the other teams. ‍

You are to be saluted

As an ASU alum class of 78 I held my season tickets through the first year of the Adair disaster.

It's unbearable to watch particularly having had the chance to watch CTT over the years. I have so many fond memories of the teams and Turner Thorne's coaching

I have season tickets to Grand Canyon and NAU both programs coached by superlative coaches. Night and day from the nightmare that regularly and disturbingly on display in the former Wells Fargo Arena.

 

[nwhoopfan]

To play devil's advocate, Charmin Smith's tenure at Cal started off almost as badly as Adair's. She doesn't actually have a 20 loss campaign, but 19 in her first season and year 2 was mercifully cut short at 1-16. That undoubtedly would've ended in way over 20 losses if they had played a normal number of games.


That being said, I can't really see Adair turning things around at this point.

 

[azfan]

For Adair, I think it was always going to be a puzzling jump to start trying to recruit out west after establishing yourself back east as a decent mid-major coach. Honestly, just a puzzling move from her at that juncture.

Diplomatic.

It was an idiotic hire one that no one in their right mind would have considered to be a positive one. A mid major coach from the mid Atlantic region with zero ties to the West Coast and an inability to recruit the transfer portal

The disaster was confirmed midway through that first 20 loss season that the nice person hired from Delaware was in way, way over her head. Now as the program consistently, inevitably, painfully staggers to its third 20 loss performance one needs to ask how long?

How long?

Responsibility or more clearly the criminal irresponsibility of the athletic department is to be faulted. No change after last year and I can guarantee you at the conclusion of this season there will be bungling. Oh, bungling that will make the hiring of Adair look like a smooth move.

 

[azfan]

That being said, I can't really see Adair turning things around at this point.

No one does

 

[Plebe]

Yes the Pac 12 was tough. But the Sun Devils would be at the bottom of the West Coast Conference, the Mountain West conference, or for that matter the Summit League.

Bottom of the WCC? Au contraire mon frère. ASU has a win over former Pac-12 powerhouse and current WCC chum Oregon State, giving the Sun Devils an illustrious 1-0 record over former Pac-12 foes.

ASU also has a win over perennial Summit League stalwart and one-time WNIT champion South Dakota.

See, it just takes a little spin to turn that frown upside down

 

[nwhoopfan]

What?! Chicago St. lost by 2 in OT to Loyola of Chicago. Ramblers are 7-4. How in the world was this game close? Loyola barely avoided massive embarrassment.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Hey, watch your mouth disparaging Houston! They rolled past Mississippi Valley St. 98-40 today..

 

[azfan]

ASU took 71 shots and had 3 assists. Is that a record? Holy moly... Wow that's bad.

As you recall in the loss to U Davis ASU had three times as many turnovers as assists.

There are any number of reasons to damn a coach but a consistent and clear lack of effective ball movement, sharing the basket, inability to play defense, lazy fouling, and basic lack of bb IQ reveals a coach inept or incapable of coaching up players that she brought to the program.

Yes bad, consistently bad as you look at last year's, 20 lost season and the 20 loss season prior.

No regression here in Tempe merely a real consistent ineptitude.

 

[azfan]

Hey, watch your mouth disparaging Houston! They rolled past Mississippi Valley St. 98-40 today..

Roll! On their way to defeating ASU in Houston on January 4th to remain undefeated against the Sun Devils.

 

[azfan]

And committed 29 fouls! That's not easy to do with only 8 players.

San Fran shot 28% FG and only 2-19 from 3, but hit 83% of their THIRTY-FIVE free throw attempts.

The sign of a horrible defensive team. Horrible defense in terms of construction, coaching, and execution.

Dons had 58 rebounds 20 on the offensive glass. This is a 3-6 West Coast Conference team. If you're a coach in the Pac-12 and then the Big 12 if you can't recruit superior athletes to these conferences you do not deserve to have a P4 job.

Kudos to the Dons and to U Davis..... They are to be commended although to be clear it's not a big deal to beat ASU, in women's basketball. Now football might be a different story......

 

[azfan]

Bottom of the WCC? Au contraire mon frère. ASU has a win over former Pac-12 powerhouse and current WCC chum Oregon State, giving the Sun Devils an illustrious 1-0 record over former Pac-12 foes.

ASU also has a win over perennial Summit League stalwart and one-time WNIT champion South Dakota.

See, it just takes a little spin to turn that frown upside down

Ikr

Beavers 3-7

SD 4-8

Quad 1?

Maybe the committee will value deeply when the big dance comes.

 

[Plebe]

What?! Chicago St. lost by 2 in OT to Loyola of Chicago. Ramblers are 7-4. How in the world was this game close? Loyola barely avoided massive embarrassment.

This is a @triaddukefan -certified record-book-throwing contest if there ever was one. Private Catholic institution against the not-so-well-funded crosstown urban public commuter HBCU

 

[triaddukefan]

What?! Chicago St. lost by 2 in OT to Loyola of Chicago. Ramblers are 7-4. How in the world was this game close? Loyola barely avoided massive embarrassment.

Loyola of Chicago vs Chicago State... Why was this game close?

Haven't I taught this board anything?

 

[TheFarmFan]

The sign of a horrible defensive team. Horrible defense in terms of construction, coaching, and execution.

Dons had 58 rebounds 20 on the offensive glass. This is a 3-6 West Coast Conference team. If you're a coach in the Pac-12 and then the Big 12 if you can't recruit superior athletes to these conferences you do not deserve to have a P4 job.

Kudos to the Dons and to U Davis..... They are to be commended although to be clear it's not a big deal to beat ASU, in women's basketball. Now football might be a different story......

A lot of rebounding is effort. I think ASU probably has superior athletes who are neither coached nor motivated to box out and crash the glass.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Anybody having issues w/ ESPN+ lately? Various games I've tried watching, the feed cuts out constantly and the pixels get totally scrambled. It's unwatchable. Really frustrating.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Prince is out with illness. Early on TCU is electing to go with a 5 guard lineup. Tina Langley would approve, but I don't think it's a very good idea.

 

[CalWBBfan]

A new fan?

Never seen them play in person over the last three seasons?

They are to be trusted but to lose and to play badly while they lose.

Adair is a fine person and was a competent mid major coach. She's just way over her head. This was obvious midway through her first 20 loss season two and a half years ago. Not a game goes by that doesn't confirm that she's a very nice person and in way, way over her head.

I always used to fear ASU when they came to town....CTT had 'em playing with such energy, subbing players in like it was a hockey game and some clutch shooters. Sorry to see the program suffering at the moment. Hopefully things will turn around at some point? Maybe next year?