[meos]

(1) This is a defensive gameplan we're going to see a lot more of - tight coverage on the perimeter and passers and a whole lot of traffic in the paint.  And unless Stanford has more players willing and able to do a better job off the dribble, it will work.

Agreed. Interestingly, in the Colorado press conf, Tara said that it was a driver's game, and she told everyone to drive. Which answered the question for me of why Sara and Taylor went plowing into people for charges. The players need to modify coach-speak to fit their skill sets. Fine for Amber to do that; but the other perimeter players should drive until they get to an opening to shoot their shot (or make a pass; but I'd prefer to see them agressive and shooting the ball). When Sara turned the corner on a screen, she had an open easy jumper just inside the free-throw line; but she kept going and charged instead. These are the kinds of drives and shots they need to practice -- pull up for short range shots. Same thing with Ruef; come to a balanced stop facing the basket and shoot her shot (she ends up getting herself twisted up by planting her pivot foot on a stop instead of balancing out with a short two foot jump stop facing the basket before the shot). Little things they can do and practice to be more effective in game situations.
They can drive, just not go too deep (where they can't control their body momentum or contort themselves like Amber). With these refs though, even Amber can get a bad call of someone running under her, while not close to being set defensively.

The team has been improving all year. Sunday's result is really the proof statement on that.
And they can get better still by refining some skills  and play patterns a little bit more.

BTW .. one reason appreciative fans talk about these things, is because we observe these are the kinds of skills and play improvements the team will require [if they want to win]when facing talent that is equal or greater than their own. It is all about finding a way to win, and this team has been growing and getting better at that.

[meos]

(1) This is a defensive gameplan we're going to see a lot more of - tight coverage on the perimeter and passers and a whole lot of traffic in the paint.  And unless Stanford has more players willing and able to do a better job off the dribble, it will work.

Agreed. Interestingly, in the Colorado press conf, Tara said that it was a driver's game, and she told everyone to drive. Which answered the question for me of why Sara and Taylor went plowing into people for charges. The players need to modify coach-speak to fit their skill sets. Fine for Amber to do that; but the other perimeter players should drive until they get to an opening to shoot their shot (or make a pass; but I'd prefer to see them agressive and shooting the ball). When Sara turned the corner on a screen, she had an open easy jumper just inside the free-throw line; but she kept going and charged instead. These are the kinds of drives and shots they need to practice -- pull up for short range shots. Same thing with Ruef; come to a balanced stop facing the basket and shoot her shot (she ends up getting herself twisted up by planting her pivot foot on a stop instead of balancing out with a short two foot jump stop facing the basket before the shot). Little things they can do and practice to be more effective in game situations.
They can drive, just not go too deep (where they can't control their body momentum or contort themselves like Amber). With these refs though, even Amber can get a bad call of someone running under her, while not close to being set defensively.

The team has been improving all year. Sunday's result is really the proof statement on that.
And they can get better still by refining some skills  and play patterns a little bit more.

BTW .. one reason appreciative fans talk about these things, is because we observe these are the kinds of skills and play improvements the team will require [if they want to win]when facing talent that is equal or greater than their own. It is all about finding a way to win, and this team has been growing and getting better at that.