Survive & Advance : McNeese State : Green Bay : Gonzaga : Uconn

[Astro7]

ESPN analysts think we are playing too fast. I agree. Fast is great when you are under control.

[BP14]

We don't deserve to win this game. Why do we continue to drive to the basket with 4 defenders right there?

[Astro7]

This game has been a microcosm of the season. Some good basketball in the 1st half and some horrific decision making and basketball in the 2nd half

[Astro7]

Good grief! I need to work tomorrow but I need a beer!

[RutRoRaggy]

Survie, and play Gonzaga now, as they took out #3 Miami earlier

Hopefully Gonzaga will not shoot 15 - 17 from the line!

Charity stripe kept Green Bay in this game.

[RutRoRaggy]

Round #1 : 7 - 1 : 87.50%

# 4 Georgia L #13 Marist

Round #2 : ? - ? : W,W,W,L 3 games left 75% so far

# 2 Kentucky W #12 McNeese State W # 7 Green Bay x #11 Gonzaga
# 2 Tennessee W #15 UT - Martin W # 7 DePaul x #11 Kansas / # 3 Delaware winner
# 5 South Carolina W #12 Eastern Michigan W # 4 Purdue x # 1 Stanford
# 5 Louisiana State W #12 San Diego State x # 4 Penn State
# 6 Arkansas W #11 Dayton L # 3 Texas A&M
# 7 Vanderbilt W #10 Middle Tennessee x # 2 Duke
# 9 Florida W # 8 Ohio State x # 1 Baylor

[kyjumper]

Drank  most of a bottle of Cabernet during the game, so I'll make this brief.

The one good thing to take from this, is the coaching staff has some great film to work and teach with during practice this coming week.  I would rather see UK match up against the Zags than Miami, but they are another team in the mold of Green Bay/Delaware/Notre Dame, and that same zone/trap defense is going to be in their faces next week as well.

However...all the criticism aside about tonight's game, they found a way to win (survive) and move on.  I see them making the round of 8 and playing UConn; however I would love to see Penn State come through that half of the bracket.

Thank you Samarie for an unbelievable game tonight and really keeping us in it until the end. 

Congratulations to both the ladies and men's team.  Not many schools have both in the Sweet 16 this year; much to be proud of.

[boonesp]

A win is a win so they are all good now. Obviously turnovers were a killer but they pulled it out with Walker and Snowden. Thought the first half was the best they have looked in weeks, the second half was back to the way they have played lately. Very proud the way they gutted out the win after falling behind so they can go forward with that and now on to the Zags. On a side note, been off the site awhile and things sure got crazy on here.

[Astro7]

Drank  most of a bottle of Cabernet during the game, so I'll make this brief.

I hope it was a good Napa or Sonoma Cab. Games like that one could make some of us reach for good liquid libation to calm down. Either that or meditation and deep breathing exercises.

Glad we pulled it out now I hope they learn something. Go Cats go get some Zags!

[RutRoRaggy]

2 down, and 4 to go!

Downside, 2nd half, turnovers, and letting them come back

Upside, 1st half, Walker, and better shooting

Stats of the game : 58 total turnovers, and Green Bay went a blistering 15 - 17 (88%) from the charity stripe

Senior Watch :
Snowden - (1) 3pt, (4) 2 pt, (2) FT = 13 points - says she went 5-11 from 2pt, but could not find it, error maybe?
Smith - (1) 3pt, (0) 2 pt, (1) FT = 4 points - says she went 1-2 from 2pt, but could not find it, error maybe?
Riley - (0) 3pt, (0) 2 pt, (1) FT = 0 points

[webby33]

Drank  most of a bottle of Cabernet during the game, so I'll make this brief.

Well, I had to hit up my box of Cabernet!  Wow, that game was stressful!  We showed signs of our old selves last night.  Hopefully they will work on passing for the next week.

[Timbo]

   not sure how on earth we can play so well for 22-25 min then look like this?

[Timbo]

well they got themselves back on track and would have to say this is the best they have played in a while.   
Congrats

[webby33]

Great game...looked like our old selves out there tonight.  Most of all more energy, more hands on defense with less fouling, of course hitting the shots makes a big difference, but that's because they moved the ball!  I am so proud of this team tonight!

Hate to say it, but 80%of the time UConn will beat us, but i still believe we can win this game.  Experience and size may be our downfall, but if they play like tonight, hustle and heart will not be....and that is what matters.

[RutRoRaggy]

3 down, and 3 to go!

Downside, 13-22 from charity stripe

Upside, 12-21 from 3pt land

Stats of the game : 4 players in double figures lead by a senior

Senior Watch :
Snowden - (5) 3pt, (1) 2 pt, (0) FT = 17 points
Smith - (0) 3pt, (1) 2 pt, (1) FT = 3 points
Riley - (0) 3pt, (0) 2 pt, (1) FT = 0 points

[Astro7]

I was impressed with how the team played and was very impressed by winning without relying on turnovers to get it done. Gonzaga only had 10 TO's if I remember correctly. Well done.

[RutRoRaggy]

UK picks up their 7th foul at the 13:42 mark, and their 10th at the 9:07 mark

Uconn picks up their 7th foul at the 3:27 mark, and never got 10 in the second half

Now considering the fouls were pretty even - 11 for UK and 11 for Uconn - in the first half, suddenly the tired team (Uconn) is getting no fouls in the second half? And how does that translate to points for Uconn?

18:25       42-46   Kelly Faris made Free Throw. +1
18:25       42-47   Kelly Faris made Free Throw. +2
16:46       45-47   Kelly Faris missed Free Throw.
16:46       45-48   Kelly Faris made Free Throw. +3
15:24       47-51   Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis made Free Throw. +4
15:24       47-52   Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis made Free Throw. +5
14:16       49-52   Bria Hartley missed Free Throw.
14:16       49-53   Bria Hartley made Free Throw. +6
UCONN shoots single bonus
13:42       49-54   Tiffany Hayes made Free Throw. +7
13:42       49-54   Tiffany Hayes missed Free Throw.
13:37       49-55   Tiffany Hayes made Free Throw. +8
13:37       49-56   Tiffany Hayes made Free Throw. +9
10:03       49-59   Bria Hartley made Free Throw. +10
10:03       49-60   Bria Hartley made Free Throw. +11
UCONN shoots double bonus
9:07       52-61   Stefanie Dolson made Free Throw. +12
9:07       52-62   Stefanie Dolson made Free Throw. +13
8:54       52-63   Bria Hartley made Free Throw. +14
8:54       52-64   Bria Hartley made Free Throw. +15
4:38       54-72   Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis made Free Throw. +16
4:38       54-73   Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis made Free Throw. +17
UK shoots single bonus
1:41       58-79   Bria Hartley made Free Throw. +18
1:41       58-80   Bria Hartley made Free Throw. +19

+19 points for Uconn from the charity stripe in the second half, and guess what! The margin of victory was 15 points!

You could clearly see the Uconn team was more tired in the second half (which usually means more fouls) yet UK was getting called early and often in the second half. A TOTAL reversal from how they called the first half. You could see we started playing timid for fear of more fouls. Calling the fouls on us not only allowed Uconn to open up the game, but it allowed them to slow it down to catch their breath. I said it before, and I will say it again, certain coaches and teams get very favorable treatment from the refs. Instead of having an exciting game to draw in a national audience and promote WCBB as a whole, you have the media (I am looking at you ESPN) touting the same schools they have pushed all season in Uconn and Baylor.

Yes, I am ticked off, and yes I am willing to admit my favoritism for UK, but that does not excuse the constant pandering by the media towards 2 - 4 teams when there are other teams in the country who can grow a broader appeal of the sport. If 2 - 4 schools dominate the press year in and year out, is it any wonder they get all the recruits! At least a dozen or two schools are spending the money to increase their WCBB programs, but how can they ever get rewarded if they do not get any positive coverage?



 

[motion12]

Kentucky was the better team and we were about to show it when a pointless substitution early in the second half broke our flow and cost us.  In the first few minutes of the second half we were running good offense, passing it well, and running some good inside out game with Samarie and our perimeter players. When  Kastine hit a 3 to make it 47-45, we had scored our 6th point in three minutes.  Amber, who was running the team well,  made a big steal right after that -- harassed a UConn player and stole the ball. That really got the team fired up and it looked like we were going to break out and take over the game. Then inexplicably, Mitchell pulled Amber from the game at the 17 minute mark, right after her steal. That seemed to break our rhythm and flow on both ends. After breaking up the lineup that scored 6 points in three minutes, we went on to score 3 points in the next 8 minutes. Game over.

[webby33]

I noticed the Amber thing too.  Also, Henderson came in the first half for a few minutes and I thought gave a little spark.  Then, nothing in the second half when we needed just that.