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WBB: Stanford 82 Gonzaga 68 - 81alum - 03-16-2018

Preview:

Last time Gonzaga came to Maples was early last season, and many of their key players are back.  Why is that so important?  Because they beat us.  Jill Barta was 8/10 and 3/3 from long distance for 26 points.  McPhee had 22 and McCall 17 but it was not enough.  We were a woeful 3/18 from three point range while they were 8/13, and that was enought to beat us 68-63, for one of our worst losses last season.  The Zags are therefore NOT going to be at all intimidated.  This year they are 27-5, beating Western Illinois days after Western Illinois beat us, for this year's worst loss.  They've also beaten Washington State and they beat USF by 30--a much bigger margin than our win.  They are here because they won their conference.  In short, this is far, far from a typical first round game for us.  I think we need to build a big lead by the end of the 3rd quarter or risk feeding their confidence.

Overview:

Great team rebounding and good shooting by Smith and Williams (the team shot 51%) overcame some sloppy turnovers (18) and swamped a skillful Gonzaga team.  Particularly impressive was our 11/22 three point shooting.

Flow of the game:

This was not a back-and-forth game.  Stanford led from the middle of the first quarter until the end of the game.  That is not to say there were no ups and downs.  The refs figured prominently in this game, and with so many calls Gonzaga benefited from 90% free throw shooting while we struggled with an appalling 55%.  The constant fouls also slowed down the flow of the game and disrupted offensive continuity.

The first quarter started sloppily with a flurry of turnovers.  Alanna seemed to be struggling with her decision making.  She was destined to be our top scorer for the game, but she was not effective in the first quarter.  Within the first minutes she had several turnovers but also a couple of steals.  Others stepped up, however, most especially Kianna Williams and the first quarter ended Stanford 22 Gonzaga 18. 

Our offense was clicking even without Smith, but her shooting touch came alive a few minutes into the second quarter when she drained a trey, and her whole game seemed to turn around.  Our offense put up 25 in that quarter but our defense continued to look a little suspect and surrendered another 18 points.  Gonzaga star Jill Barta was mainly defended by Alanna Smith, and she scored 11 points on 4/9 shooting which seemed as if she had been contained.  But Jessie Loera came from the bench and went 5/5 for 12 to keep the game close.  Meanwhile, Sniezek and Johnson had to sit with foul trouble and the half ended Stanford 47 Gonzaga 36.

The third quarter was much better defensively as we held Gonzaga to 12.  Offensively, we score 18 mainly on the strength of treys by Smith and Williams and Fingall.  I hoped that we could add to that lead early in the 4th so as to get some others players into the game, but this was not to be.  Gonzaga fought very hard and squeezed some points out of Barta and Stockton and Stach before going to the intentional fouling game, which prolonged the inevitable and sent Marta flying to the floor.  In desperation they went to a full court press but we broke it just often enough and closed the game out 82/68.

Performances:

As a team we outscored the Zags in the paint 38-20, outrebounded them 42-27, and outshot them 51% to 41%.  We had 18 turnovers to their 14, but we also had 8 blocks to their 1.

Kiana Williams led our scorers with 21, with 5/8 three point attempts.  She also had a couple of steals and a couple of assists, and shows real signs of maturing and becoming a steadying presence, making baskets at opportune moments when everyone else had gone cold.

Alanna Smith played very well after her tough first quarter, scoring 20 points including 3/6 from three point range.  Her defense of Barta was important and she kept her from going completely off the charts.  Smith was efficient, hitting 8/13 shots.  She grabbed 6 rebounds and had 4 whopping rebounds.  On the other hand, she accumulated 4 fouls and 7 turnovers.

McPhee was not an offensive juggernaut as she become the focus of attention for each opposing team.  She scored 11 on 4/12 shooting but had 11 rebounds, 6 assists (leading the team) and 2 steals--so she had a double/double.  She was very effective without scoring as much as usual.  I did think there was room for her to slash to the basket more than she did.

Carrington came from the bench to score 11 on 4/8 shooting.  She also had 3 fouls and 3 turnovers in 19 minutes, but played (as always) with hustle and had a block, a steal, and a couple of assists.

Sniezek scored 7 points--mainly on free throws--and had 4 assists to 0 turnovers.  She was held to 24 minutes--picking up 2 fouls in the first half--but also sat during parts of the second even though she was not in foul trouble.

Kaylee Johnson was the victim of the weird officiating and fouled out late in the game.  She was an efficient 3/4 shooting and benefited from some excellent interior assists.  3 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal helped round out her stat line.

Fingall and Jerome also played for about 10 minutes each.  Fingall picked up 3 fouls in that short time.  Jerome looked poised and made a three from the corner at a critical juncture. 

Conclusion:

The offense seemed to be clicking--but shooting 11/22 treys certainly helped.  I'm a little concerned about defense.  Florida Gulf Coast has excellent perimeter shooting as well as the ability to drive to the basket--and keeping in front of people has not always been our forte.  Still, I think today was a very solid win over a good team, and this bodes well for our ability to overcome a second mid-major program on Monday.

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - JJJ - 03-16-2018

Some videos on their FB page:

Press conference:
http://www.facebook.com/StanfordWBB/videos/10156314497944885/

Mashup:
http://www.facebook.com/StanfordWBB/videos/10156314978059885/

Selection show reaction (a few days ago):
http//www.facebook.com/StanfordWBB/videos/10156302999624885/

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - 81alum - 03-16-2018

Interesting press conference.  You don't see Tara get emotional  very often, but she clearly cares deeply about Britt and Kaylee.

Confessed that she told Britt earlier in the year that we might not make the NCAAs.  Of course she is proud that we turned things around.

Britt also confirmed that she had a cold during the Pac 12 tourney.  Avoided making it an excuse.

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - 81alum - 03-17-2018

In researching the 16 vs 1 story, I learned that no 15 and no 14 seed has ever won a game in WBB history.  We play a 13 seed today.  Six 13s have won games, the most recent was 2012 when Marist beat Georgia.

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - M T - 03-17-2018

I can't go to the game today so I'm going to depend on broadcast or streaming... with TiVo

Game is starting on ESPN2 now in the south SF bay here.

Dan Hughes & Elise Woodward doing the call.  Not sure that I've heard either call a game before.



Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - TheFarm07 - 03-17-2018

We lead 22-18 after one quarter.

A sloppy start leaving Barta wide open for a 3, which she promptly sinks and then four turnovers, three of them by Alanna.

GU's Rice gets called for 2 early fouls, but Marta also picked up 2 fouls as well and is forced to the bench.

The refs are whistle-happy in the first quarter, we better be careful.

Kiana staying hot from the Pac-12 tournament. DiJonai contributing immediately coming off the bench, joining the 3 barrage as well. Brit making her mark as well with an offensive rebound and put-back.

Defensively, giving up 18 points is worrisome, as we can't just focus on Barta.

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - JJJ - 03-17-2018

Streaming on WatchESPN because ESPN2 is showing anything but our game (Chiney is doing the games at UCLA?!).
#GoCard

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - TheFarm07 - 03-17-2018

We lead 47-36 at half, which is probably our best offensive output at the half all season long, as our offense seems to be clicking well, shooting 50%.

McPhee couldn't convert a nifty in-bound bounce the ball off of the defender's back play into a basket to start off, but we start the second quarter off well as Kiana continues her hot streak and Alanna chips in with a 3 of her own and a drive into a layup.

Brit is off a bit today at 2/8, but her teammates are picking up the slack with Kiana and DiJonai already in double figures and Smith just 1 point away.

Our FT shooting is 5/9, which is not good, though.

Defensively, Barta is 4/9 for 11 pts, but Loera off the bench leads them with a perfect 5/5 for 12 pts.


Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - M T - 03-17-2018

Wow, I hadn't thought about having to score 100.  Despite the announcers' opinions, our D has not been effective enough.
Offense great.

Officials WERE calling it tight, until what should have been the 3rd foul on the tall girl with the purple cotton candy hair.

(I was ready to post something very similar to what TheFarm07 posted after the 1st Q)


Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - mbdude - 03-17-2018

quit fouling them please

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - qwerty49 - 03-17-2018

Wow refs are calling everything.  Zag players out of control still drawing fouls from us.

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - CompSci87 - 03-17-2018

(03-17-2018, 04:31 PM)mbdude link Wrote:  quit fouling them please
Tough when Michael Price and his crew are whistle happy on clean plays.

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - M T - 03-17-2018

(03-17-2018, 04:31 PM)qwerty49 link Wrote:  Wow refs are calling everything.  Zag players out of control still drawing fouls from us.

They're calling Gonzaga fouls on Stanford as well.


Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - CompSci87 - 03-17-2018

The crowd went wild when Price called a charge by Barta. Only her 2nd foul.

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - TheFarm07 - 03-17-2018

We extend the lead and lead 65-48 despite having a third team on the court in the refs.

The third quarter is getting ugly as the refs are getting very whistle-happy, causing disruptions to the flow of the game, which has benefitted Gonzaga. We seemed disjointed by the constant stoppage in plays, plus DiJonai and Kaylee have 3 fouls each plus the Zags are going to the FT line more.

Smith is shooting the ball very well at 7/11 including 3/5 from 3-pt range to lead the team with 17.

Thanks to the refs, the Zags have 14 pts from the FT line, but our defensive shooting percentage is going down as they are shooting below 40% now.

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - BosCard - 03-17-2018

Boy our free throw shooting is pretty horrible

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - martyup - 03-17-2018

Nice win by the Cardinal.  82 points.

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - TheFarm07 - 03-17-2018

We win 82-68 as the fourth quarter degenerated into them fouling us and us making only 1/2 shots every time and them getting a basket on the other hand. I wish we wouldn't take our foot off the gas pedal as we had a period before the fouling started where we had 2 or 3 straight turnovers, making bad decisions and ill-advised passes. I think we think that the opponent is just going to give up, but they shouldn't believe that, because it's one and done and teams are going to fight to keep their season going.

It was nice to see Brewer on the floor at the very end though, especially what she has been through.

Next on Monday is Florida Gulf Coast, a potent 3-pt shooting team, but apparently was able to adapt to Missouri's game plan and drove with success today.

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - mbdude - 03-17-2018

Kiana with 21. 5/8 3 ptrs
Alanna interesting stat line. 20 pts 8 of 13 (3 of 6 3ptrs) 6 rebounds - couple big offensive ones. 2 steals, 4 blks, and 7 to's (3 1st 4 minutes of game, 4 in last qtr)
Brit 4/12 but 11 rebounds 7 assists

Re: WBB: Stanford vs. Gonzaga 2:30 Saturday - TheFarm07 - 03-17-2018

Brit had a quiet game offensively with only 11 pts on 4/12 shooting, but Alanna and Kiana picked up the slack nicely each scoring 20 or more points. Carrington the fourth player in double figures with 11 pts as well.

Concerning is 18 turnovers, including 7 by Alanna herself. Definitely something that she could improve on over the summer.

Also, we were an atrocious 11/20 from the FT line. Not a deciding factor in the game, but as Dan Hughes (the commentator) noted, in a close game, those points are crucial.

Gonzaga shot 41% from the floor, which is pretty mediocre for us in terms of FG percentage defense. We'll need to step that up.