[2006alum]

I haven't been able to stream any games, so the last one I saw was Texas, where Jones was our leading scorer. After that, she had her triple double against Portland. Then she sat out in Spokane while seemingly looking healthy. So I wonder if she has a case of the "yips" - what Simone Biles had. In basketball, that's not fatal, so you can try to shoot your way out of it. That might explain why Tara is leaving her in when under ordinary circumstances she should be pulled. And why Tara is almost asserting that she's doing fine, when she clearly isn't. And it might explain the vague allusion in the ESPN power rankings to Brewer's essay and Jones sitting out the Gonzaga game. Or maybe a relative is sick. Or something else along those lines. But it seems like something that happened recently.

I will say that not just this year, but in general, I think Tara is a bit too quick to pull players after a single mistake, and I think she sometimes cares overly much about defensive assignments/matchups vs. offensive firepower / getting an offensive groove going. But then again, she has three championships and I have none. That said, I do think anything less than 5-8 minutes a game for a player is essentially useful. No time to get in a groove or build confidence.

And one thing is certain: we have far more talent on the court than either Indiana or USF had, so there's clearly some sort of miasma that's set in. And I actually think it might be recent, because honestly, the team looked joyous and like they were ready to pick up where they left off in their exhibition and against Morgan State. Ever since the Texas game, it sounds like we have been tight, nervous, and out of sync.

Maybe everyone should read the Inner Game of Tennis. The team needs to find its Self 2. Ideally by noon tomorrow.

[2006alum]

I haven't been able to stream any games, so the last one I saw was Texas, where Jones was our leading scorer. After that, she had her triple double against Portland. Then she sat out in Spokane while seemingly looking healthy. So I wonder if she has a case of the "yips" - what Simone Biles had. In basketball, that's not fatal, so you can try to shoot your way out of it. That might explain why Tara is leaving her in when under ordinary circumstances she should be pulled. And why Tara is almost asserting that she's doing fine, when she clearly isn't. And it might explain the vague allusion in the ESPN power rankings to Brewer's essay and Jones sitting out the Gonzaga game. Or maybe a relative is sick. Or something else along those lines. But it seems like something that happened recently.

I will say that not just this year, but in general, I think Tara is a bit too quick to pull players after a single mistake, and I think she sometimes cares overly much about defensive assignments/matchups vs. offensive firepower / getting an offensive groove going. But then again, she has three championships and I have none. That said, I do think anything less than 5-8 minutes a game for a player is essentially useful. No time to get in a groove or build confidence.

And one thing is certain: we have far more talent on the court than either Indiana or USF had, so there's clearly some sort of miasma that's set in. And I actually think it might be recent, because honestly, the team looked joyous and like they were ready to pick up where they left off in their exhibition and against Morgan State. Ever since the Texas game, it sounds like we have been tight, nervous, and out of sync.

Maybe everyone should read the Inner Game of Tennis. The team needs to find its Self 2. Ideally by noon tomorrow.