My observations:
1) Our worst defensive game of the year. Scoring 42 points in the first half was a very good offensive half, but giving up 42 in a half was really terrible from the defensive perspective, and the second half was better but not great. Having 4 players in foul trouble and one sitting out the game may have contributed to that, but it isn't the whole story. True, Curry's 12 points from free throws might not all have been earned, but her 4/8 three pointers and McIntosh's 3/4 three pointers show a real weakness against the three. We showed that weakness on the mountain trip too. We simply must improve our perimeter defense, or a lot of other teams are going to give us trouble. In the presser Tara said at halftime she talked about defensive intensity and making a better effort. Doesn't sound like they changed the scheme, but they did get somewhat better results.
2) Jones's turnovers have been her weakness consistently since the day she first arrived. We did not have a terrible day for turnovers but she had 7 of them. I don't know what to say about them other than she is consistently, year in and year out, our turnover leader. I wish it weren't so. But she had 5 assists, 10 rebounds, and was fantastically efficient with her shots, not to mention 7/7 free throws. You can't keep her off the floor. In the presser Haley was asked about her turnovers, and she said she sometimes tries to make plays that aren't there, "I think of myself as high risk/high reward, but I need to lower the risk factor" and Tara gently interrupted with "I like that idea." Jones went on to say she needs to work on her passes to bigs, fewer bounce passes, throwing it higher.
3) Nice to see Jordan Hamilton coming on. Northwestern did not run anything like Tara's offense, and it has taken Hamilton time to develop the muscle memory needed to play in it at a fast pace, and it seems she has now succeeded. I imagine we will see more of her in the future. 7 assists to 1 turnover was outstanding. I'd like to see her make more than 1 shot. She was never a top three point shooter at Northwestern, so that may be a bit much to ask, but a mid range jumper or teardrop would look nice in her arsenal. Tara really singled her out for praise at the presser.
4) The balance of offense between the block play of Brink and Belibi and the three point shots of Jump and Lexie (and the high post jumpers of Jones) continues to be the key to our success. When only the inside or the outside dimension of our offense is working then we stagnate. We broke open a tied game in the third on the basis of Brink and Belibi getting the ball low and Jump bombing from long range. Belibi had one of her best games, and she noted that it was partly because Jones was hitting her high post shots which opens up the block.
5) I continue to wonder why we don't see more of Emma-Nnopu. Every time she has played this year, her defense has been fabulous and she has pretty consistently made some shots too--she made a trey. To get just 7 minutes in our worst defensive game of the year does seem odd to me.
6) Jump was fantastic. 5/9 three pointers. I know anything that goes through the hoop counts the same, but the sound her shots made swishing with no rim was amazing. Those shots are worth more than 3 points each in the sense that--coming when they did--they helped to inspire our players and took the edge off Cal's halftime morale.
7) Will be interested to see how we do on Sunday, when presumably Wilson will be back. She took that hard fall on her tailbone last time out. Hopefully she will be back at full speed. Tara as much as said she would be back on Sunday.
1) Our worst defensive game of the year. Scoring 42 points in the first half was a very good offensive half, but giving up 42 in a half was really terrible from the defensive perspective, and the second half was better but not great. Having 4 players in foul trouble and one sitting out the game may have contributed to that, but it isn't the whole story. True, Curry's 12 points from free throws might not all have been earned, but her 4/8 three pointers and McIntosh's 3/4 three pointers show a real weakness against the three. We showed that weakness on the mountain trip too. We simply must improve our perimeter defense, or a lot of other teams are going to give us trouble. In the presser Tara said at halftime she talked about defensive intensity and making a better effort. Doesn't sound like they changed the scheme, but they did get somewhat better results.
2) Jones's turnovers have been her weakness consistently since the day she first arrived. We did not have a terrible day for turnovers but she had 7 of them. I don't know what to say about them other than she is consistently, year in and year out, our turnover leader. I wish it weren't so. But she had 5 assists, 10 rebounds, and was fantastically efficient with her shots, not to mention 7/7 free throws. You can't keep her off the floor. In the presser Haley was asked about her turnovers, and she said she sometimes tries to make plays that aren't there, "I think of myself as high risk/high reward, but I need to lower the risk factor" and Tara gently interrupted with "I like that idea." Jones went on to say she needs to work on her passes to bigs, fewer bounce passes, throwing it higher.
3) Nice to see Jordan Hamilton coming on. Northwestern did not run anything like Tara's offense, and it has taken Hamilton time to develop the muscle memory needed to play in it at a fast pace, and it seems she has now succeeded. I imagine we will see more of her in the future. 7 assists to 1 turnover was outstanding. I'd like to see her make more than 1 shot. She was never a top three point shooter at Northwestern, so that may be a bit much to ask, but a mid range jumper or teardrop would look nice in her arsenal. Tara really singled her out for praise at the presser.
4) The balance of offense between the block play of Brink and Belibi and the three point shots of Jump and Lexie (and the high post jumpers of Jones) continues to be the key to our success. When only the inside or the outside dimension of our offense is working then we stagnate. We broke open a tied game in the third on the basis of Brink and Belibi getting the ball low and Jump bombing from long range. Belibi had one of her best games, and she noted that it was partly because Jones was hitting her high post shots which opens up the block.
5) I continue to wonder why we don't see more of Emma-Nnopu. Every time she has played this year, her defense has been fabulous and she has pretty consistently made some shots too--she made a trey. To get just 7 minutes in our worst defensive game of the year does seem odd to me.
6) Jump was fantastic. 5/9 three pointers. I know anything that goes through the hoop counts the same, but the sound her shots made swishing with no rim was amazing. Those shots are worth more than 3 points each in the sense that--coming when they did--they helped to inspire our players and took the edge off Cal's halftime morale.
7) Will be interested to see how we do on Sunday, when presumably Wilson will be back. She took that hard fall on her tailbone last time out. Hopefully she will be back at full speed. Tara as much as said she would be back on Sunday.