04-01-2012, 08:13 PM
Disappointing to see it end like this, especially with such unusual reffing.
I'm not inclined to blame it on that, though. We couldn't score, and it seems as if our offense too often lets us down when we get to this stage. There hasn't been a really good Stanford freelancer since Candice Wiggins, and a strategy to suck down the shot clock every possession accentuates that weakness. Orrange might yet become that player, but she was overly cautious tonight and telegraphed too many passes. I can't help but wonder whether that cautiousness came from above--that comment about Griner using a 5'7" player as a toothpick from Vanderveer seemed to allude to Orrange directly, and given the history of Vanderveer/point guard conflicts over the years, you wonder whether there's too much fealty to the system. It's a great system for 99% of teams, but if winning a national championship is important, we need to figure out that last little bit.
I'm not inclined to blame it on that, though. We couldn't score, and it seems as if our offense too often lets us down when we get to this stage. There hasn't been a really good Stanford freelancer since Candice Wiggins, and a strategy to suck down the shot clock every possession accentuates that weakness. Orrange might yet become that player, but she was overly cautious tonight and telegraphed too many passes. I can't help but wonder whether that cautiousness came from above--that comment about Griner using a 5'7" player as a toothpick from Vanderveer seemed to allude to Orrange directly, and given the history of Vanderveer/point guard conflicts over the years, you wonder whether there's too much fealty to the system. It's a great system for 99% of teams, but if winning a national championship is important, we need to figure out that last little bit.