OSU vs USC... Women are playing like...

You may be right, but you've been saying that we're not as good as we've been playing all year. At some point though, baseba1111,, when you've only lost 2 games all year and beaten several top 20 teams, and we're in the tail end of the schedule, you have to accept that WE ARE as good as we're playing and we're just better than anyone thought we'd be. Regardless, losing by 20, at home, to the second-to-last placed team in the Pac-12 ain't gonna help, that's for sure!! It will be interesting to see how these girls respond with UCLA coming in on Sunday. Both teams lost to teams they shouldn't have, both teams are gonna be pissed and ultra motivated. Will be a spirited game, no doubt!!

Go Beavs!!

Other teams in the Pac-12 have been scheming on how to beat the Beavers, and we obliged USC with a bad game to help them out. Some observations:

- You aren't going to win many games when your starting backcourt is 8-25
- Or when your front line is 3-11
- Or when you shoot less than 50% on FTs (10 of 21)
- Or when you let your opponent shoot 60% in the first quarter and 67% in the 4th from the field
- Or when you commit 20 turnovers
- Or when a number of your players had very non-productive outings - try a garish outing where one front court player had 1 rebound and 1 assist and no points (despite a trip to the FT line) in 11 minutes.

I was impressed with USC's quickness in their first game against us, and their coaching.
They were trying to do many similar things in LA, just couldn't get it done.

One game a season doesn't make, but #15 UCLA is no picnic either. And with 5 to play and ASU 4 games behind with us holding the tie breaker, we should get a Day 1 bye in the Pac-12 tourney. That said, there was aspects of the game that were maddening:

- The Beavers didn't seem to work on inbounding.
- And if they do manage to get it in, they rely completely on Sydn3y to bring the ball up (even when there are 4-5 opposing players trying to slow her down). We don't punish the press with a quick-hitter break-the-press type of play.
- We pick up our dribble high at the first sign of an opponent, and for extra points of difficulty, do it along the sideline so the opponents gain the sideline as another defender.
- First quarter "lull" after going up 9-2 was a back breaker. A good team will kill you during your "lull" (apparently, so will a "bad" team).
- Memo to Marie: hold the ball high, you are 6'5"!
- We seem to pull million dollar moves driving for a layup, just to spend a dime on the layup itself. I have seen more "clang the ball off the backboard or rim super hard" this year than I can recall in earlier years. And only feed the bigs (who to their credit run the floor hard) if there is some separation down the floor, on plays where the defender is right their their "bring the ball low" tendency hurt us.
- Opposing guard philosophy: do tall, lanky 6'+ guards trump the short but jitterbug quick? I posit a team with jitterbug quick guards will continue to give us fits.
- KTMac - you have a sweet dribble drive and pull up from 8-10 for a jumper - run it til they stop you!
- FT practice for all!
- Kat Tudor really played hard, with purpose, and gave her team a lift. I think she has a very high ceiling as I watch her play. That said, even though Kat will soon displace Jamie Wiesner as the 5th best OSU frosh for 3pt shoots made, I have yet to see her can one before she sets her feet for a tiny second. Those on-the-run 3s will still be there deeper into the shot clock!

Will be interesting to see if we can hang on for the Pac-12 regular season title.
And will be more interesting if the team believes that things on the above list are ones to clean up or live with. Can't argue with 22-2, but there are teams headed our way ready to argue anyway.......

Lets stay out of Day 1 Pac-12 and host the first two rounds successfully.

Go Beavs!!!