Lady Gamecocks are
- Thread starter jeff2001
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Can't play UCONN until the game is scheduled...There is no way to know how well we will play...One thing is for sure...This team plays to the level of the competition...We beat MSU with our B- minus game...We just won at Jawja with our C- game...Hopefully Monday they will be interested and focused enough to bring their A game...At some point Coach Staley has to get this team to play to a standard...Right now the defense is getting ferocious like last season..Yet the lack of focus on offense is alarming...The missed layups and free throws are simply inexcusable...Early in the game it was obvious to me they were confused and unsure of the plays they were running...You can't play your best ball when you think too much..They need to simplify, relax and make shots..The play call doesn't matter if you miss layups and free throws..If you make shots any play call looks good
Still, we're content to iso and high low the post, instead of running a smooth offense. At some point, Dawn will have to evolve as a coach into a more fluid, dynamic offense. We will have to, or we won't be winning any national championships.
Coates early fourth foul might have been the best thing to happen all night...The team played faster and free...I have always wondered why they don't push tempo to avoid that packed in defense...As you pointed out with Wilson and Coates in the paint there will always be 3.5 defenders there...At some point, the bigs need to jockey for rebound position..Let the wings shoot early i the clock and get the bleeping rebounds and put them back up...
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this player is the key to better offense...Bring Kaela Davis off the bench...Start Cuevas at 2 and uptempo the freaking ball
this player is the key to better offense...Bring Kaela Davis off the bench...Start Cuevas at 2 and uptempo the freaking ball
Monday night matchup against Tennessee is starting to look tougher. Ucheat is playing some good basketball last couple of games and they should have a lot of confidence after blowing out Florida on the road.
Interesting move by Coach Staley to start Bradshaw at start of 2nd half. Then B. made a bad play a few minutes in to 2nd half and rode the pine...
Offense needs to learn what time the tip off is and come to play.
Interesting move by Coach Staley to start Bradshaw at start of 2nd half. Then B. made a bad play a few minutes in to 2nd half and rode the pine...
Offense needs to learn what time the tip off is and come to play.
Gotta run more motion and have guards attack the lane more. On offense we have become a team with little post movement and simply pass ball around perimeter against zones, which is all we'll likely see going forward. Best way to attack zone is to penetrate and dish, either inside or out for a wide open three. How far we go this year will depend on getting Kaela Davis shooting like she did against Ohio State.
You can't always throw the switch when you want to - and five lackluster minutes against UConn will condemn us to defeat. So, any hope we have of such a monumental victory rests in playing 40 minutes of nearly-perfect basketball.
UT beat Florida by 9 points tonight...I seriously doubt our young ladies will turn in a lethargic uninspired performance vs the Viles at CLA...There are a couple of road games that worry me..Tennessee in Columbia does not...there is a reason they have 7 losses
You are right...Unfortunately our Gamecocks, as great as they are, don't seem to know that...They play to the level of the competition...They even look bored at times...
#Gamecocks stay perfect in SEC play behind @_ajawilson22's double-double and @Graytness_10's big 4th quarter.
: http://bit.ly/2jaeorZ
@GamecockWBB pulls away late for 62-44 win at Georgia (story and photos) #Gamecocks http://bit.ly/2kz6W5L
This is a very good team that I thought at the beginning of the season had a chance to win the NC. They were playing their best ball then. UConn had lost 3 starters were the first three taken in the WBNA and UConn wasn't winning like they usually do.
Fast forward to today and UConn is, well UConn, and our team isn't playing well at all. They play well enough to win. Right now I predict UConn wins the matchup up easily, maybe a 20-25 point margin. If our insistence is to try and pound the ball down low and not open them up from outside, that will be our demise. UConn will not allow that to happen. If Davis, Gray & Cuevos can knock down some outside shots and we don't turn over the ball like we do, we have a chance.
Fast forward to today and UConn is, well UConn, and our team isn't playing well at all. They play well enough to win. Right now I predict UConn wins the matchup up easily, maybe a 20-25 point margin. If our insistence is to try and pound the ball down low and not open them up from outside, that will be our demise. UConn will not allow that to happen. If Davis, Gray & Cuevos can knock down some outside shots and we don't turn over the ball like we do, we have a chance.
The potential to be very good is there, but st the moment we arent playing very good basketball. It's like pulling teeth with our offense. Stagnant, boring, and just lazy. The 4th quarter was better. Is Staley too set in her ways to change?
The way I see it, UCONN is the least important game on the schedule right now. If you win that game, it IS great and it's a national story. If you lose, it doesn't really hurt you at all because you're supposed to lose to UCONN. The more important issue is trying to get a number one seed so you wouldn't have to play UCONN until the Final Four (not that it's a guarantee you get to the Final Four as we learned last year). To get a number one seed, I think USC needs to win out in the regular season (or at the minimum, just one loss and win the regular season title). Let's assume the worst, if USC wins the regular season but loses to MSU in SEC Tourney (which is possible), USC would likely still get number one seed due to RPI with all those games vs ranked teams.
As for the rest of the SEC, I've said it before, Tennessee is good enough to beat USC. They are tough to figure out because they are so hot and cold, but they certainly have plenty of talent and size. They beat Notre Dame and then lost to Auburn. So it is possible for them to beat a top 10 team. They also had a good win over Stanford.
Looking at the rest of the second half of SEC play, you stil have Kentucky twice. UK is "down" a little bit, but they still have enough talent to beat you (especially in Lexington) if you don't show up to play. Texas A&M isn't as strong as year's past either, but still pretty good and USC has to make the long trip to play there. If you USC plays like they did last night vs. Georgia against any of these teams I just mentioned, it could be a loss. USC certainly has the talent to win all of those games as well. Just not a done-deal IMO.
I agree, offense needs better movement, at the very least quicker movement around perimter to free up the bigs that are clogged in the zone. Gray is playing well. Davis needs some shots to go down. I did some math, and she is shooting 17% from three point land in the last 6 games.
Hopefully USC brings its "A-game" vs TN. Go Gamecocks!
As for the rest of the SEC, I've said it before, Tennessee is good enough to beat USC. They are tough to figure out because they are so hot and cold, but they certainly have plenty of talent and size. They beat Notre Dame and then lost to Auburn. So it is possible for them to beat a top 10 team. They also had a good win over Stanford.
Looking at the rest of the second half of SEC play, you stil have Kentucky twice. UK is "down" a little bit, but they still have enough talent to beat you (especially in Lexington) if you don't show up to play. Texas A&M isn't as strong as year's past either, but still pretty good and USC has to make the long trip to play there. If you USC plays like they did last night vs. Georgia against any of these teams I just mentioned, it could be a loss. USC certainly has the talent to win all of those games as well. Just not a done-deal IMO.
I agree, offense needs better movement, at the very least quicker movement around perimter to free up the bigs that are clogged in the zone. Gray is playing well. Davis needs some shots to go down. I did some math, and she is shooting 17% from three point land in the last 6 games.
Hopefully USC brings its "A-game" vs TN. Go Gamecocks!
This is the same thing I'm thinking. Why did Dawn bring the x Vanderbilt coach on staff to help the offense if she was ultimately gonna do things her way? The offense should be better. Dawn has to know this, yet we continue to run the same set play on offense which teams defend well by playing a sagging zone.
As long as Dawn continues to bring in very good players she's a good enough coach to win the SEC regularly, but until she looks in the mirror & understands that "her way" isn't the best way, her teams won't win it all.
I'm afraid the UConn weave may give us fits. They're such a disciplined team and shoot the ball so well.
good post..but we don't need our A game to beat Tennessee...We didn't have our A vs MissSt...I expect we will play well and beat UT handily...But we would all like to see this team play to it's potential and maintain a higher competitive level no matter who we play...They seem bored and lethargic...Maybe winning so many games is making them over confident
I agree with the sentiments that the pound it inside mentality stagnates our offense early...Dawn has go to get over it and understand every opponent spends all of it's preparations trying to keep the ball out of the post and away from A'ja...Freer movement around the perimeter wont free up the paint...Teams aren't stupid..If Aja and Coates are in the paint 4 defenders will be there...You have to pull Coates out along the baseline and spot Aja at the foul line..Common sense says plays fast and ferocious early and pound it inside late...But as a previous poster pointed out Coach Staley is stubborn to a fault
I'm not sure what fans expect from an offense with two centers in the game at the same time. Against LSU, with Wilson injured, the team shot 57% from the field and 42% from the 3 point line. Last night, with Coates on the bench in foul trouble, the offense looked great.
At the same time, we should acknowledge with both Coates and Wilson in the game together in the 1st half, UGA scored 14 points! (and let's also not forget the one game we lost is the the one game we were dominated in the paint. We have been so spoiled by great post play, that we just assume it will always be this way.)
I like what the direction I see Dawn going: limiting Herbert-Harrigan's minutes and going small when she takes out either Wilson or Coates. Give her time to work it out. We're 18-1, after all. That's pretty good.
I don't know why so many of our fans are obsessing over UCONN...Every program wants to beat them...But it wont make or break our season...We need to focus on dominating our conference and earning a number1 seed...Going undefeated in the SEC guarantees us a no1 seed whether we beat UCONN or not...I would rather beat them in the final 4...Yes i want to win the game that's 2 weeks away...I think we can win it...But yes we need to play much better...And no UCONN will not allow us to pound the ball inside
Agree for the most part... consider this though, perhaps the reason USC didn't appeat to have it's A game vs MSU was because MSU is really good and prevents you from playing your A game? Similar to what UCONN has done to teams like Baylor, ND and MD etc.
Anyway, let's face it, we are somewhat spoiled because the last 3-4 years of success has us "demanding" a high level of play every night and we expect/hope it goes on forever (like 11 win seasons in football and World Series appearances in baseball).
Go Gamecocks!
Great post...Also think back to the Ohio St game...2 early phantom fouls on A'ja and team was off and running..Think back to the game at Texas..Coates gets in early foul trouble then A'ja and Gray wrecked the Longhorns...I posted last night the best thing that happened vs Jawja was Coates getting that early 4rth foul...It was a rotten call that backfired on the dawgs
Agree for the most part... consider this though, perhaps the reason USC didn't appeat to have it's A game vs MSU was because MSU is really good and prevents you from playing your A game? Similar to what UCONN has done to teams like Baylor, ND and MD etc.
Anyway, let's face it, we are somewhat spoiled because the last 3-4 years of success has us "demanding" a high level of play every night and we expect/hope it goes on forever (like 11 win seasons in football and World Series appearances in baseball).
Please MSU had nothing to do with our wings missing wide open shots and throwing balls away without pressure...It's the same MSU team we have beaten 9 in a row...We beat this MSU roster 3 times last season and once this season already..
The biggest issue we have right now is Kaela Davis has to make shots...We need her to take shots...But she has to shoot a much higher percentage..Also, instead of always wanting the ball dumped into them..Coates and Wilson can get the ball in the post by fighting for better rebounding position..Jawja and MSU had rebounders getting inside position on them all night..They are too good for that nonsense
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The whole team was just off-kilter last night. At one point Davis, Gray, and Wilson missed a combined seven out of eight free throws. Shots that Wilson usually puts in with ease we're just not falling. The only one who looked comfortable most of the second half was Gray, nobody looked good in the first half.
I think having Bianca on the floor would have helped more in the second half, she is somebody who is not afraid to drive to the basket and get the offense moving at a quicker pace. Dawn tried to quicken the pace having Bradshaw out there some in the second half.
All that being said, I think we win the SEC and the SEC tournament without much problem. I don't see more than one sec loss in the regular season and the tournament is being played in Greenville. That should help in a rematch with Mississippi State.
It would be great if we could give UConn a competitive game; it will probably be the most watched regular-season women's basketball game of all time. But I think the only way we can win, or even stay close, is to have our outside shots going down. There have been some games where that happened against some pretty good teams, but without shooting close to 50% against UConn I don't think we have a chance.
The only way any team can beat us is if we don't make outside shots...That's the question vs UCONN and any great team...This is why i don't understand why our wings are not in the gym jacking up 100s of shots each day...That's why UCONN makes shots...Shooting consistency is always a result of hard work..It doesn't happen naturally...Reggie Miller and Kobe Bryant says they took 500 shots per day no matter what...Miller once hit 75 three pointers in row at a shooting session...If our wings will keep their stroke in sync we will win it all...But they way they brick most nights, A'ja and Coates are being unduly burdened
How do you know they are not? From what I understand they are "gym rats."
As for MSU... I still don't understand why you don't think they're very good or give them credit for making us look bad a times. I thought their defensive pressure was really good. Yes, USC made some unforced errorts, but I also saw their PG takes balls away from Harris and they had a good game plan.
And once again, you're wrong - we only beat MSU twice last year. This is a program that is not the same old MSU. Schaeffer has built it up steadily since he has been there, similar to what Dawn did. The difference between them last year and this year is more experience. Their 6'7" is much better than last year.
Good teams can make other good teams look bad and do things they don't normally do. (See UCONN).
Games are won and lost on one footers. The team that makes the most one foot shot and limits the other team from the most one foot shots wins. That includes post ups, driving the ball and getting fouled and fast break points. You cannot rely on outside shooting, it is too inconsistent
So true. Even the "good" three point shooters in WBB are under 40% from that range, mostly in the mid-30s range. Davis has always been a streaky shooter. Look at her numbers at Ga. Tech - 32% from 3 point range for her career there (29% as a soph). So yes, outside shooting can help loosen up your inside game, but it's not something you can depend on every night. Got to hit the high percentage shots.
I have posted many times that MSU is a great team and very well coached..I just point out the obvious they are not as good as we are..That's why we beat them all the time...They play great defense with tremendous ball pressure..But we miss too many uncontested easy shots....I think MissSt guards are better defenders than ours this year...Although Harris is a better floor general and passer, she is not the on ball defender Sessions was..K Sessions was tremendous on ball defender..Harris will get there in a year or two
A'ja, Cuevas and Gray are the ones in the gym taking shots each day...I hear Tyasha has upped her time in the gym...Kaela Davis is an engineering major and might not have as much time..But don't tell me KD is taking hundreds of shots each day..That is obviously not true...She is too talented to put in the work and shoot so poorly
teams that shoot the 18-20 footers consistently find it easier to get the ball inside for the 1 footers...
The game is still played inside out!!! I have coached high school, AAU and college ball for the last 17 years, some things never change. Another way to get easy one footers that I forgot is offensive rebounding which is all about desire.
You are exactly right...The last 2 games A'ja and Alaina have not done a great job positioning for rebounds..Just standing in the middle of all that traffic hoping a guard can thread the needle is not productive...They need to expect the wings to shoot and get in place to rebound...
Davis is an excellent athlete, but she has never been a consistent outstanding outside shooter. She was 32% from behind the arc in 2 yrs at Ga. Tech... 29% her last year. She's capable of having big nights, but she is going to miss a ton of shots, too. I think she can take over a game if she puts the ball on the floor and goes to the rim to get more chances at the foul line.
Harris is playing very well as a freshman. The kid from MSU is better because of her experience. Saw her pick Harris' pocket. Overall, this USC is team is very good and has potential to go far, but you keep saying "if" when talking about players hitting outside shots. That's not something you can depend on every night - the stats show what kind of shooters they are so don't make excuses and say they would have won by a lot more if they hit open shots... that fact that they miss a lot of open shots tells you their good, but not great.
Hopefully the good TN team doesn't show up on Monday. They've been very good at times this year and very poor other nights.
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anon_n4c0cp5zhdxn7
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We passed the ball around the perimeter due to Georgia's zone with 3 players in/near the lane. Seems like we did exactly what you said except the shots weren't going down early in the game.
It looks to me like she is using some of these games to try different combinations and basically different offenses.
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