GAME THREAD UW January 15, 12:00 NOON

I feel like the great Rueck teams included multiple shooters or players who would shoot/drive if they had their shot. There were times today if Talia was on the bench when all the fans knew they had to either go into Beers (who made one field goal) or throw up a shot with the clock expiring. Bendu doesn’t shoot — which is fine when she plays with TVO and AJ, but if Mannen is out there too their options are too limited.

I think you might have a Mannen problem. You are right that Schwartz scored a lot (17 points), but who was guarding Stines (17 points) and Daniels (14 points). This was not a Mannen problem, it was a team defense problem. Lay off Mannen.

So Mannen has become the scapegoat for the team's problems. Noelle was 3-5 FG (60%), 2-3 3 pt (67%), 8 points total (and tied with Beers for 2nd highest scorer this game), 3 rebs, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Let's find something else to blame. She may be short, but she can actually play this game no matter what you think.

I have a few thoughts. I don't watch much women's basketball but I've watched parts of maybe six games this year. The first thing that jumped out at me was some of our players were lacking in basic basketball skills . . . eg a jump stop, a short (3-feet-ish) hook, using your off hand for a bounce or two on the dribble. A person could argue even a better three-point stroke fits in this category. I wondered why? My answer is there is not urgency to learn and get better. Where should that urgency originate? I believe it should start with the head coach and be implemented through the assistants.

There are a couple of exceptions but the players coming into OSU are very good. Nearly all of them are four and five-star recruits. Some have left but there is talent here. Recruiting is only a minor problem.

What has changed and is reflected in the changing won/loss record? It's pollyannaish to say the rest of the conference has gotten better. What's changed is the management. During my professional career when I had a project manager that seemed to be lacking, I'd get him/her some help. And this applied to me also when my boss would get me some help. I understood people have their ups and downs and sometimes help is needed. But it also serves as a kick or an eye-opener because if you are getting help instead of giving help it means you are not that valuable.

Barnes needs to get Rueck some help. I don't know what that looks like. But I know if the men's team could go back to around 1987 and revisit some decisions they would. I hope the last three years of the women's team is not the equivalent to 1987 - 1991 for the guys.

Yeah, too many posters are complaining about Mannen and making her somewhat of a scapegoat. But she does play pretty well, makes good decisions, has hit a few shots lately and plays hard on defense.
Yes, she has some physical drawbacks, but she makes up for them to a degree through effort.
The amount of criticism she gets is a little over the top, but I do think it's sparked by the fact that she starts and she played 33 minutes (tied with Yeaney for most) against WSU and 32 today (tied with TVO for second most).
I think fans are really rubbed the wrong way by Rueck giving her so many minutes. It doesn't help that the team is losing and fans see Rueck starting and playing a walk-on so much as if she is the big key for this team's success.

Not totally sure what you're getting at here...do you mean the decision to hire Jimmy Anderson? He didn't start until 89-90. That year the Beavers tied for first in the Pac-10 and made the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. The drought started in 90-91.