[2006alum]

[quote author=Spike link=topic=18680.msg223196#msg223196 date=1517877136]
Why did she play so little in first half?

She had 11 minutes in the first half.  She was 1/4 and 0/2 from three point range.  She was not playing with confidence, was missing some shots and passing up others.  She was taken out as part of Tara's mass substitution to try to get something going in the first half when we so rapidly fell behind, and at first it seemed that DiJonai played well in her place.  She was a completely different player when she came out of the locker room for the second half.
[/quote]

I wonder if that was part of what pushed her into overdrive in the second half? I feel like Geno uses that tactic (benching star players when they're not stepping up) to communicate a message, and more often than not, it works. I believe Pat Summitt also did it back in the day. Maybe there's something to the tough love approach, which Tara doesn't utilize quite as much as some.

[2006alum]

[quote author=Spike link=topic=18680.msg223196#msg223196 date=1517877136]
Why did she play so little in first half?

She had 11 minutes in the first half.  She was 1/4 and 0/2 from three point range.  She was not playing with confidence, was missing some shots and passing up others.  She was taken out as part of Tara's mass substitution to try to get something going in the first half when we so rapidly fell behind, and at first it seemed that DiJonai played well in her place.  She was a completely different player when she came out of the locker room for the second half.
[/quote]

I wonder if that was part of what pushed her into overdrive in the second half? I feel like Geno uses that tactic (benching star players when they're not stepping up) to communicate a message, and more often than not, it works. I believe Pat Summitt also did it back in the day. Maybe there's something to the tough love approach, which Tara doesn't utilize quite as much as some.