OSU WBB vs UCLA Bruins, January 7, 1pm Pacific

Yes, I would like to see more push back from SR when Beers is getting hammered under the basket and getting no calls. We have got to stop being timid and polite about this. This is year number 2 of this.

Put dom in she is a point machine. Starters at UCLA HAD 4 5ths of their points total our starting line up amounted to 37 points. Coach used to much dribbling br]from talia but no production from her and hunter can pass just as well. Give hunter the reigns. We need the triangle offense or a motion offense where we get better offensive looks. Where was the double screen we used to use at the top of the key for our shooters. Break those kids loose. They forced our guards out of their confort zone this took us out of our rythm. They played smart defense except with beers the stud

after going 0-2 in Los Angeles, RPI all the way up to #21

It would have been nice to get a split in LA but IMO the chances went down significantly when they came up short against USC.
UCLA is obviously a very good team. I don't know if they are truly the second-best in the nation but still.
The Beavers are going to have to figure out how to creat more offense, especially when Beers is on the bench. TVO stepped up at USC but there just wasn't enough today.
But even with the two losses, my belief that this team can do some damage in the Pac-12 hasn't wavered. Got to win at home most of the time and do a little better on the road.

THese were two yardstick games playing competition that we hadn't seen this year, and competition our frosh hadn't seen ever. Pretty darn good performance for a road trip. THere's going to be a lot of teams that go 0-2 in LA this year, and many won't keep it anywhere near that close. I thought we'd have a least one of these games get away from us, and that didn't happen. If this team follows the usual progression, the measurement this weekend provided for the early Pac-12 season leaves me quite hopeful for March.

OSU dribbles too much no matter who has the ball. Donovan is young and handling herself well, but she isn't the "answer" (yet) when facing quality and experience at that position. It is a lot of the same issue with the MBB program. With (1)  or no real instead presence the ball is on the outside far too much, typically being dribbled to move the ball vs the creation of passing lanes with off-ball movement.

Part of the issue with SR's construct is you much have great off ball movement or the defense will take away reversals/ball movement. OSU seems to be stuck on one side of the court too often. Every so often Beers will find an opposite diagonal, but people are just standing/waiting and the passing lanes are very tight. There simply needs to be more off ball movement, being harder to guard especially when the ball goes inside. Simple "exchanges" make the defense turn their head to find movement and open windows. OSU has looked good vs below par defensive teams, but are too stagnant vs better athletes that close down lanes and can get to stationary shooters.

The good news is is more of an OSU issue that can be adjusted than a lack of ability/talent.

Rees is what she is... same as when with Utah. She got a bit too much hype on here due to the quality of the NC competition. She is a backup that can provided some versatile, valuable minutes in that role. But, you can't expect much more, that is not who she is.

I've noticed we get better ball movement with Timea at the high post, and better high post to low post (Raegan) passing.  Ball gets stuck when it comes into Kelsey and Kelsey gets pushed around & knocked off center by even small defenders.  I like Kelsey, but it is time to insert Timea into the starting lineup.  Timea has earned it with her rebounding, passing and shooting.  It's a waste to not have Timea in the starting lineup.