What Was Staley's Thinking For Last Play

[todbo]

7/16 free throws is a coaching error. Is So Car were 60% from the foul line, Muffet's final shot strategy would have been under discussion.

 

[CocoHusky]

Missed free throws lost the game for SoCar, but when I watch SoCar players during the game they seem to be "winging it" most of the time! They play an undisciplined brand of BB, IMHO! You watch Geno Auriemma players and to a lesser effect The Muffett players and you get the sense that situations have been gone over in practice until everyone is on the same page! It's great to give the ball too your star G but she should have been given guidance of one or two things to look for etc. You don't WING IT with 7.5 seconds left in the game! Geno wouldn't leave MoJeff out on an island! She'd have options she could set up! Penetrate then Inside to Stewie or Tuck, outside to KML..for example!
Other coaches that use the WING IT style are: Brenda Frese, McCallie, Hatchell, etc.
That's what makes Geno such a great coach, he leaves nothing to chance!

Completely agree. The other point of view is that UCONN rarely finds itself in a situation where the game comes down to the last possession. Think of Stanford this year and ask yourself if Geno deserved as much criticism as Dawn is getting here. The were multiple defensive and offensive breakdowns by UCONN in that loss which should lead to some justifiable criticism of the coaching but as Geno said, "sometimes the other guy was just better".

 

[Sky ball]

Classic OVERCOACHING..CALL NO TIMEOUT.let em play...their best player had the ball and the Def was not set..then Staley calls timeout and def gets set. Sometimes, most, at the end game Helter Skelter, just let em play but no..I am the smarter than life coach!

 

[Papa33]

Completely agree. The other point of view is that UCONN rarely finds itself in a situation where the game comes down to the last possession. Think of Stanford this year and ask yourself if Geno deserved as much criticism as Dawn is getting here. The were multiple defensive and offensive breakdowns by UCONN in that loss which should lead to some justifiable criticism of the coaching but as Geno said, "sometimes the other guy was just better".

Although I can recall far too many occasions when UConn, facing end-of-half and end-of-game countdowns, simply could not execute a play drawn up for the occasion, I see SoCar's problems with their last possession as entirely consistent with their overall, game-long offensive execution. On many possessions, guards dribbled side to side, side to side, while their bigs did little movement up or down or across the lane, and even less screening. Compare to UConn's constant screening and player movement in all compass directions, which makes it hard to cover them, until someone gets open. So "make something happen" doesn't seem like a comprehensive or effective offensive strategy.

 

[DobbsRover2]

USCar lived with bad FT shooting all year as they ranked 215th in nation at 67.4%, and they shot 69% in the regionals. So they had won all year despite their problems at the FT line, but last night it cost them.

 

[Orangutan]

What was the intended play? Did she explain herself post-game? Some says the Irish defense of the play was terrific. I saw 4 other SC players essentially standing around, with no effort to draw the defense out if the plan was to drive to the hoop and lay it in or draw the foul. There was no visible effort to set a screen. Mitchell's effort to pass the ball looked like an ill timed improvisation. It looked like she was suppose to catch and fire, giving an offensive rebound possibility as a 2d chance. So, what happened there?

Just watched it again.

First, Coates screens but she sort of slips it, doesn't stop Huffman at all. Westbeld still hedges while Loyd sinks into the lane to guard the pass. There's a brief passing window before Westbeld gets back to Coates, but Mitchell missed it.

Then going the other way, Wilson set a very good screen. Stopped Huffman in her tracks and when Loyd switched onto Mitchell it left Wilson wide open at the foul line, but Mitchell wasn't looking for the pass. By the time she realized Jewell was pinning her to the sideline, Huffman recovered to block the attempted pass and then she was completely trapped.

The play was obvious but it may have still worked if Mitchell wasn't dead set on taking the last shot. She's an all-American and she's made that shot before, though, so it's hard to fault her too much.

 

[bleeckerhusky]

Never, never going to understand the thinking behind Coates and Wilson not starting. Never heard Staley give a rational explanation for it.

Her explanation was that she wanted to be loyal to the starters from last year's team, who had accomplished so much (last year). But when it comes down to the semi-final game, I think that loyalty became stubbornness. Incidently, she usually inserts Coates and Wilson at the 16 minute mark, i.e., the first 4 minute TO, not the 10 minute mark that was suggested above. Still, in a one-point game, four additional minutes of Coates and Wilson could have been the difference. Also, as pointed above, Coates started the second half.

 

[CCinCT]

Who are we to question Dawn's thinking ? After all she has played basketball at the highest level and seen things that other coaches haven't seen !

 

[cferraro04]

R: How so? She brought the team back from multiple double digit deficits and lost by 1 point. Dawn didn't bring the team back from multiple double digit deficits...her team did...in fact the very players she had on the bench had to come in and dig out of the hole the starters put them in...a pattern that has been consistent throughout the year...Dawn knew it...she had been lucky enough throughout the year that it didn't catch up with her...unfortunately the semi-finals is not where you want something like that to catch up with you.
R: Dawn figured it out well enough to get to final four and you want her to change the substitution in the National Semi-Final game? Many coaches shorten their bench for the post season and certainly by the time they get to a final four...they go with their best horses. Dawn was stubborn to a fault and regardless of how it is spun...it cost her the game.

C: In the first half this substitution strategy gave ND 14 points (17-3). In the second half it gave ND 8 points that is a 22 point hole that did not have to be overcome had the substitution pattern been different. R: I ‘m not sure how you are equating substitution to point differential. If you are using + & - then your numbers are drastically wrong. SC was in a double digit deficit until Cuevas came in and started running the offense. Mitchell was MIA- More on that later. I am simply saying that by leaving Coates and Wilson on the bench in the first half the starters fell behind by 14; in the second half with just Wilson on the bench the deficit was only 8...together that was a 22 point hole that Coates and Wilson had to make up...Cuevas came in made a few plays then she was horrific...turning over the ball, playing out of control and making bad on court decisions...Staley was frustrated with her but IMHO she waited too long to pull her.

C: C'mon, ND only won by a point...just think what it would have been like if Dawn had gone with here best horses the entire way. Keeping Wilson on the bench for the first 10 minutes of the game has always been a source of confusion for me. R: Who did you want Dawn to take out of the get to get Wilson in the game? Who does she replace when she comes in??? Elementary actually...

C: Also, allowing Cuevas to turn the ball over as many times as she did and to dribble as much as she did in a semi-final game was also unacceptable. R: Cuevas had 3 assists and 3 Turnovers in 20 Minutes of play. Dawn will live with the good and the Bad from Cuevas. The good was she brought them back from a double digit difference while many starters were MIA. 3 assists and 3 turnovers that lead to 3 baskets on the other end is a zero...an "0fer" Cuevas didn't really help the cause...do I think that she will be a good point guard...absolutely with Dawn's experience and with Dawn pushing her no doubt...but unfortunately she wasn't ready for the big stage yet .

C: Dawn needs to understand that there a few coaches in the game who are deserving of respect and Muffet is one of them...to not think that Muffet would anticipate the ball not being in Mitchell's hands. R: So if I understand you correctly Dawn disrespected Muffet by giving the ball to her best player? How is that disrespect? That is the ultimate sign of respect for the player and the opponent. I think there would be far more people ripping Dawn if she gave the ball to anyone besides Mitchell. When ND was down & game on the line they gave the ball to Loyd-ND’s best player, so was that Muffet disrespecting Dawn? I think you are overthinking this one...I think the disrespect I am referring to has to do with Dawn underestimating Muffet's ability to anticipate in that situation, at the end of the game with 13 seconds left what her strategy would be...and she should have had an option B... The obvious being the twin towers under the basket with Brianna Turner on the bench...I'm just sayin'

C: Staley is an former All American three time Olympic Champion All Everything point guard... Sorry, I just expected better....especially after all I have been hearing since the post season began is what a great coach Staley is and she might be but in this instance she was out-coached. R: If the instance you are talking about was the last play of the game then yes I agree that on that last play Muffet outcoached Dawn. Finally!!! And, you think that Muffet's coaching superiority was exclusive to the final 13 seconds...really? Dawn’s last win (FSU) in this tournament was against the WCBB coach of the year and the game you are speaking of was a 1 point loss to WCBB coach of the year from last season. Dawn is doing all right as a coach IMO.[/QUOTE] I am not talking about Dawn's ability to coach...I am talking about Dawn's inability to coach adequately against Muffet in the Semi-final game. There is a difference in reference if you want to be objective.

 

[cferraro04]

Her explanation was that she wanted to be loyal to the starters from last year's team, who had accomplished so much (last year). But when it comes down to the semi-final game, I think that loyalty became stubbornness. Incidently, she usually inserts Coates and Wilson at the 16 minute mark, i.e., the first 4 minute TO, not the 10 minute mark that was suggested above. Really, well let's just take a look at the post season substitution pattern of Dawn Staley in regards to both Coates and Wilson.

Arkansas - 1st half: Wilson 12:02 mark; Coates 12:02 mark; 2nd half: Wilson 13:55 mark; Coates - 13:55 mark

LSU - 1st half: Wilson 16:23 mark; Coates 16:23 mark; 2nd half: Wilson 12:18 mark; Coates - Started the 2nd half

Tenn - 1st half: Wilson 10:24 mark; Coates 10:24 mark; 2nd half: Wilson 11:43 mark; Coates - 15:27 mark

Savanna - 1st half: Wilson 15:39 mark; Coates 15:39 mark; 2nd half: Wilson 14:34 mark; Coates - 14:34 mark

Syracuse - 1st half: Wilson 11:41 mark; Coates 13:56 mark: 2nd half: Wilson 11:39 mark; Coates 14:13 mark

North Carolina - 1st half: Wilson 16:06 mark; Coates 16:06 mark; 2nd half: Wilson 14:18 mark; Coates 16:04 mark

Florida State - 1st half: Wilson 15:06 mark; Coates 15:06 mark; 2nd half: Wilson 9:32 mark; Coates 16:38 mark

Notre Dame - 1st half: Wilson 14:30 mark; Coates 15:32 mark; 2nd half; Wilson 15:30 mark; Coates - started

 

[Huskies Rule]

-Regardless of exactly how many minutes they played and when they were subbed out, I don't think there's any legitimate question that Rozier and Ibiam did not deserve to start ahead of Alaina Coates and AP All-America A'ja Wilson. Dozier averaged 4 ppg and 1 reb.pg while Ibiam averaged 6 ppg and 3.7 rebounds. Only plausible explanation I can imagine is like Bleeckerhusky said, loyalty to the kids who accomplished so much to get the program to where it is now (and giving the senior Ibiam the 'honor' of starting). Loyalty is an admirable trait, but here it might have gotten in the way of winning. We'll never know for sure, but perhaps SC would not have found itself in such a huge hole right out of the gate had Coates and AA Wilson started.

-But having seen Coates and the AA Wilson late in several games this year, I have to throw this out there - they both sure appeared to have issues with conditioning/stamina. In the semis and during the season. They were clearly slowing down and not getting up and down the floor quickly late in games. Maybe that's another reason Staley had them on the bench early- to limit their minutes, hopefully conserving their energy for crunch time.

 

[CocoHusky]

.........

I am of a certain age where bold text is hard on the eyes. Please use it selectively as in for emphasis of a specific point and not for an entire post.
C: Dawn didn't bring the team back from multiple double digit deficits...her team did.R: So Muffet didn’t win the game then her players did right?
C: A pattern that has been consistent throughout the year: R: This is inaccurate by any standard. South Carolina had single digit come from behind wins this year against Syracuse, Duke, Kentucky, Tennessee, UNC, & FSU that is a pattern of success not failure.
C: Many coaches shorten their bench for the post season and certainly by the time they get to a final four...they go with their best horses. Dawn was stubborn to a fault and regardless of how it is spun...it cost her the game.R: Just to clarify did you want her to shorten the bench or lengthen it? Coates and Wilson are bench players and you have stated you wanted them to play more that would be lengthen the bench no?

C: I am simply saying that by leaving Coates and Wilson on the bench in the first half the starters fell behind by 14; in the second half with just Wilson on the bench the deficit was only 8...together that was a 22 point hole that Coates and Wilson had to make up...Cuevas came in made a few plays then she was horrific...turning over the ball, playing out of control and making bad on court decisions...Staley was frustrated with her but IMHO she waited too long to pull her.R: I have never seen or heard of any logical analysis other than + & - that would attribute a TEAM’s entire deficit to a single player(s) NOT being in the game. Your assumption that Coates and Wilson would make up any deficit is exactly that- Your assumption.

C: Who did you want Dawn to take out of the get to get Wilson in the game? Who does she replace when she comes in??? Elementary actually. R: Specifically, Dawn’s rotation all year has been to substitute Wilson and Coates as a tandem to replace Ibiam and Welch in the first half circa the 14:00 mark. In the second half the rotation is Wilson and Cuevas as the tandem replacing one of the post players. I take it you disagree with Dawn’s rotation?

C: 3 assists and 3 turnovers that lead to 3 baskets on the other end is a zero...an "0fer" Cuevas didn't really help the cause...do I think that she will be a good point guard...absolutely with Dawn's experience and with Dawn pushing her no doubt...but unfortunately she wasn't ready for the big stage yet .R: Please go watch the game on line or read the game transcript. Cuevas came into the game to a 12 point deficit and SC had a total of 3 points. Score was 3 to 15. When her 1st rotation was up the deficit was 3. Score was 22 to 25. If you want to bury Cuevas for anything you can bury her for bad shooting (1:8) but she gave the team a pulse when they badly needed one. Your statement: “3 turnovers that lead to 3 baskets on the other end” is absolutely false. Cuevas 3 turnovers lead to ZERO points off turnovers. Nada, Zip, Zilch! You can verify that here: http://espn.go.com/ncw/playbyplay?gameId=400787891&period=1

C: I think you are overthinking this one...I think the disrespect I am referring to has to do with Dawn underestimating Muffet's ability to anticipate in that situation, at the end of the game with 13 seconds left what her strategy would be...and she should have had an option B... The obvious being the twin towers under the basket with Brianna Turner on the bench. R: That is not disrespect IMO. That is one coach out foxing another, happens all the time. FYI the set that South Carolina was in is called Horns. That set always has options if executed properly. Option one is for the ball handler to turn the corner. Option two is if the defender goes over the screen then the ball side big should be rolling to the basket. The full options are diagramed here. http://www.coachesclipboard.net/HornsOffense.html. I’d give ND credit for defending the play “perfectly” twice not blame Dawn for not having a Plan B. I know SC was in this set because Dawn said so at her postgame press conference. Do you think Dawn had the team in the wrong set?
C: Finally!!! And, you think that Muffet's coaching superiority was exclusive to the final 13 seconds...really? R: Muffet was better in the last 13 seconds, the last 13 seconds of the game were decisive. Both coaches had good & bad moments during the game, It was a 1 point game with 2 lead changes in last minute at the end that came down to the last shot. How anyone can discern “coaching superiority” for either coach is puzzling to me.
C: I am not talking about Dawn's ability to coach...I am talking about Dawn's inability to coach adequately against Muffet in the Semi-final game. There is a difference in reference if you want to be objective. R: These unsubstantiated quotes of yours don’t sound objective IMO:
A:Dawn was out-coached plain and simple.
B: In my opinion Coach Staley had all season to be able to figure out that So. Carolina plays best with Coates and Wilson in the game.
C: Just think what it would have been like if Dawn had gone with her best horses the entire way.
D: Dawn needs to understand that there a few coaches in the game who are deserving of respect and Muffet.
E: Staley is a former All American three time Olympic Champion All Everything point guard... Sorry, I just expected better.
F: But in this instance she (Dawn) was out-coached and her own personal coaching performance was sub-par.
G:Dawn didn't bring the team back from multiple double digit deficits...her team did.
H:Dawn knew it...she had been lucky enough throughout the year that it didn't catch up with her.
I: Dawn was stubborn to a fault and regardless of how it is spun...it cost her the game.
J: I think the disrespect I am referring to has to do with Dawn underestimating Muffet's ability to anticipate in that situation.
K: She (Dawn) should have had an option B.
L: And, you think that Muffet's coaching superiority was exclusive to the final 13 seconds...really?
M:I am talking about Dawn's inability to coach adequately against Muffet in the Semi-final game.
N. Staley was frustrated with her but IMHO she waited too long to pull her.
Your quotes imply that Dawn is incompetent & Muffet is superior. I disagree. Coates and Wilson are good players but to also imply that they could overcome a 22 point team deficit against a quality team like ND is preposterous.

 

[CocoHusky]

-Regardless of exactly how many minutes they played and when they were subbed out, I don't think there's any legitimate question that Rozier and Ibiam did not deserve to start ahead of Alaina Coates and AP All-America A'ja Wilson.

I agree, but not strongly. For an established programs ND, UCONN, and even maybe Duke no issue best player starts. But in SC's situation I can see rewarding the Seniors/Upperclassmen with starting positions as a reward for getting the program to the point of attracting the number 1 recruit. Don't forget UCONN had Kiah starting ahead of Morgan this year briefly.