[Jskass]

agreed - and Oregon should beat them. Team I feel sorry for is South Carolina, who must be ranked 8th (the last number 2 seed) to get to meet UConn in the Elite Eight. Dawn must be going crazy. We shall see.

[Jskass]

agreed - and Oregon should beat them. Team I feel sorry for is South Carolina, who must be ranked 8th (the last number 2 seed) to get to meet UConn in the Elite Eight. Dawn must be going crazy. We shall see.

[81alum]

Oregon goes down to Notre Dame and the Pac 12 is shut out of the final four.  Hebert and Ionescu played well in their first half and then both went stone cold in the second half.  Ionescu was 9-22 and only 1-4 from three point range.  So she is human after all.

So Louisville eliminates Stanford and Oregon State, Notre Dame eliminates Oregon, Mississippi State eliminates UCLA, Texas eliminates Arizona State, and Virginia eliminated Cal.

UConn looked superhuman again today, handling South Carolina easily.  They will easily handle Notre Dame.  I think Louisville may be the best chance to stop UConn this year, but they have to get past Mississippi State first.

[81alum]

Oregon goes down to Notre Dame and the Pac 12 is shut out of the final four.  Hebert and Ionescu played well in their first half and then both went stone cold in the second half.  Ionescu was 9-22 and only 1-4 from three point range.  So she is human after all.

So Louisville eliminates Stanford and Oregon State, Notre Dame eliminates Oregon, Mississippi State eliminates UCLA, Texas eliminates Arizona State, and Virginia eliminated Cal.

UConn looked superhuman again today, handling South Carolina easily.  They will easily handle Notre Dame.  I think Louisville may be the best chance to stop UConn this year, but they have to get past Mississippi State first.

[BigEasyCard]

So four #1 seeds in the Women's Final Four.  On the other hand, one side of the Men's bracket has a #3 seed playing a #11 seed.

Geaux Cardinal!

[BigEasyCard]

So four #1 seeds in the Women's Final Four.  On the other hand, one side of the Men's bracket has a #3 seed playing a #11 seed.

Geaux Cardinal!

[BobK]

I hope all here appreciate how hard it is to make the Final 4.    As we have 7 of the last 11 years

Meanwhile the McD game is tomorrow at 2 on ESPN 2.  Set your record.  Jenna Brown is playing along with cal and Arizona recruits

[BobK]

I hope all here appreciate how hard it is to make the Final 4.    As we have 7 of the last 11 years

Meanwhile the McD game is tomorrow at 2 on ESPN 2.  Set your record.  Jenna Brown is playing along with cal and Arizona recruits

[oldalum]

NCAA WBB tournament results showed that the Pac-12 conference was pretty strong this year, with 3 top-16 teams that lived up to their seeding in the tournament, and a 6-seed that crashed the elite 8. Just no elite, top-5 teams at the top.

[oldalum]

NCAA WBB tournament results showed that the Pac-12 conference was pretty strong this year, with 3 top-16 teams that lived up to their seeding in the tournament, and a 6-seed that crashed the elite 8. Just no elite, top-5 teams at the top.

[mbdude]

Olivia nelson-ododa dunks (easily) at All American fest

http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/article...enbb:index

[mbdude]

Olivia nelson-ododa dunks (easily) at All American fest

http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/article...enbb:index

[Lorcan]

In non FF news, Cincinnati makes a brobdingnagian splash with the hiring of Michelle Clark-Heard from WKU.

[Lorcan]

In non FF news, Cincinnati makes a brobdingnagian splash with the hiring of Michelle Clark-Heard from WKU.

[2006alum]

Well, the Pac 12 is not faring well.

Well, every team met or exceeded its seeding except Cal, which played without Anigwe. If she'd been out all season, they wouldn't have been a tournament team, so I think that upset was nothing to be ashamed of. And OSU exceeded its seeding and then some, showing that the eye test is a better one than RPI/SOS.

Overall, I think our conference did well, and certainly much better than the average of the past decade. Three teams in the elite 8 and 5 in the sweet sixteen is nothing to shake a stick at. We just were not top-heavy: with the possible exception of Oregon, we didn't have a plausible top 4 team at any point this season, and so I didn't really expect any of the PAC to end up in the Final Four barring a favorable matchup or fluke. I had hoped Oregon might topple Notre Lame since they had a short bench and I think Notre Lame is overrated this season, but unfortunately Ionescu and Hebert decided to lay eggs in the same game. It happens, and they're only sophs. I would be very surprised if they aren't in the final four this time next year. But you've got to tip your hat to the committee: I was surprised Notre Lame got the one seed over Baylor, but the teams proved the committee right.

And I agree- the only team I see toppling UConn is Louisville, which should be an interesting final if Louisville can squeak past Miss. St.

[2006alum]

Well, the Pac 12 is not faring well.

Well, every team met or exceeded its seeding except Cal, which played without Anigwe. If she'd been out all season, they wouldn't have been a tournament team, so I think that upset was nothing to be ashamed of. And OSU exceeded its seeding and then some, showing that the eye test is a better one than RPI/SOS.

Overall, I think our conference did well, and certainly much better than the average of the past decade. Three teams in the elite 8 and 5 in the sweet sixteen is nothing to shake a stick at. We just were not top-heavy: with the possible exception of Oregon, we didn't have a plausible top 4 team at any point this season, and so I didn't really expect any of the PAC to end up in the Final Four barring a favorable matchup or fluke. I had hoped Oregon might topple Notre Lame since they had a short bench and I think Notre Lame is overrated this season, but unfortunately Ionescu and Hebert decided to lay eggs in the same game. It happens, and they're only sophs. I would be very surprised if they aren't in the final four this time next year. But you've got to tip your hat to the committee: I was surprised Notre Lame got the one seed over Baylor, but the teams proved the committee right.

And I agree- the only team I see toppling UConn is Louisville, which should be an interesting final if Louisville can squeak past Miss. St.

[BostonCard]

showing that the eye test is a better one than RPI/SOS.

I don't agree with this take.  Even if you could get universal agreement on the relative merits of each team via the "eye test", the overperformance of one team compared to its RPI doesn't prove anything.  Upsets happen; that's why we play the games.  Last year, UConn was far and away the best team in the country by both RPI and the "eye test", and pretty much every measure you could imagine.  And yet they were beaten in the national semi-final.  That doesn't invalidate the measures; it just shows they are not perfect.

There are well-known issues with the RPI.  Subjective assessment of teams is also a flawed process.  The fact that one of them did better than the other in a single case is meaningless.

BC

[BostonCard]

showing that the eye test is a better one than RPI/SOS.

I don't agree with this take.  Even if you could get universal agreement on the relative merits of each team via the "eye test", the overperformance of one team compared to its RPI doesn't prove anything.  Upsets happen; that's why we play the games.  Last year, UConn was far and away the best team in the country by both RPI and the "eye test", and pretty much every measure you could imagine.  And yet they were beaten in the national semi-final.  That doesn't invalidate the measures; it just shows they are not perfect.

There are well-known issues with the RPI.  Subjective assessment of teams is also a flawed process.  The fact that one of them did better than the other in a single case is meaningless.

BC

[martyup]

The fact that no human or computer can accurately pick the winners is what makes March Madness so exciting.    :)

[martyup]

The fact that no human or computer can accurately pick the winners is what makes March Madness so exciting.    :)

[81alum]

[quote author=81alum link=topic=18879.msg226673#msg226673 date=1522028802]
Well, the Pac 12 is not faring well.

Well, every team met or exceeded its seeding except ןɐɔ, which played without Anigwe. If she'd been out all season, they wouldn't have been a tournament team, so I think that upset was nothing to be ashamed of. And OSU exceeded its seeding and then some, showing that the eye test is a better one than RPI/SOS.

Overall, I think our conference did well, and certainly much better than the average of the past decade. Three teams in the elite 8 and 5 in the sweet sixteen is nothing to shake a stick at. We just were not top-heavy: with the possible exception of Oregon, we didn't have a plausible top 4 team at any point this season, and so I didn't really expect any of the PAC to end up in the Final Four barring a favorable matchup or fluke. I had hoped Oregon might topple Notre Lame since they had a short bench and I think Notre Lame is overrated this season, but unfortunately Ionescu and Hebert decided to lay eggs in the same game. It happens, and they're only sophs. I would be very surprised if they aren't in the final four this time next year. But you've got to tip your hat to the committee: I was surprised Notre Lame got the one seed over Baylor, but the teams proved the committee right.

And I agree- the only team I see toppling UConn is Louisville, which should be an interesting final if Louisville can squeak past Miss. St.
[/quote]

Well, I meant we were not faring well giving the games we were playing.  Yes, overall, our league did quite well compared with its historical record.  I had suspected though that we might have been underrated as a league and that our teams might overperform.  We didn't.  We were rated appropriately as it turned out. 

I really did expect a little more out of Oregon, but they are quite young, and may do better yet next year.  Oregon State is a tough one to figure out going forward--losing a dominant post and gaining a dominant point guard.  They will be a radically different team.  Not necessarily worse, but different with Slocum joining them.

[81alum]

[quote author=81alum link=topic=18879.msg226673#msg226673 date=1522028802]
Well, the Pac 12 is not faring well.

Well, every team met or exceeded its seeding except ןɐɔ, which played without Anigwe. If she'd been out all season, they wouldn't have been a tournament team, so I think that upset was nothing to be ashamed of. And OSU exceeded its seeding and then some, showing that the eye test is a better one than RPI/SOS.

Overall, I think our conference did well, and certainly much better than the average of the past decade. Three teams in the elite 8 and 5 in the sweet sixteen is nothing to shake a stick at. We just were not top-heavy: with the possible exception of Oregon, we didn't have a plausible top 4 team at any point this season, and so I didn't really expect any of the PAC to end up in the Final Four barring a favorable matchup or fluke. I had hoped Oregon might topple Notre Lame since they had a short bench and I think Notre Lame is overrated this season, but unfortunately Ionescu and Hebert decided to lay eggs in the same game. It happens, and they're only sophs. I would be very surprised if they aren't in the final four this time next year. But you've got to tip your hat to the committee: I was surprised Notre Lame got the one seed over Baylor, but the teams proved the committee right.

And I agree- the only team I see toppling UConn is Louisville, which should be an interesting final if Louisville can squeak past Miss. St.
[/quote]

Well, I meant we were not faring well giving the games we were playing.  Yes, overall, our league did quite well compared with its historical record.  I had suspected though that we might have been underrated as a league and that our teams might overperform.  We didn't.  We were rated appropriately as it turned out. 

I really did expect a little more out of Oregon, but they are quite young, and may do better yet next year.  Oregon State is a tough one to figure out going forward--losing a dominant post and gaining a dominant point guard.  They will be a radically different team.  Not necessarily worse, but different with Slocum joining them.

[TheFarm07]

Oregon State is a tough one to figure out going forward--losing a dominant post and gaining a dominant point guard.  They will be a radically different team.  Not necessarily worse, but different with Slocum joining them.

Don’t forget that the Beavers also have 6’9” Andrea Aquino coming in as well as a Top-10 prospect. We could be facing a Griner-like player every year for 4 years along with their bevy of talented guards.

[TheFarm07]

Oregon State is a tough one to figure out going forward--losing a dominant post and gaining a dominant point guard.  They will be a radically different team.  Not necessarily worse, but different with Slocum joining them.

Don’t forget that the Beavers also have 6’9” Andrea Aquino coming in as well as a Top-10 prospect. We could be facing a Griner-like player every year for 4 years along with their bevy of talented guards.

[BobK]

I just saw a video of Aquino.  But from that and the fact her team at a low division  didn’t fare great indicates a project.  Unlike Griner

[BobK]

I just saw a video of Aquino.  But from that and the fact her team at a low division  didn’t fare great indicates a project.  Unlike Griner

[81alum]

Am I deluded, or does it seem harder for posts to adjust to the college game than for guards?  We often see guards playing very effectively before the end of their freshman year, but it seems exceedingly rare for that to happen to posts, the Ogwumikes excepted.  I guess Hebard played quite a lot her freshman year. 

I am hoping that Fingall and Dodson improve a LOT by next year.

[81alum]

Am I deluded, or does it seem harder for posts to adjust to the college game than for guards?  We often see guards playing very effectively before the end of their freshman year, but it seems exceedingly rare for that to happen to posts, the Ogwumikes excepted.  I guess Hebard played quite a lot her freshman year. 

I am hoping that Fingall and Dodson improve a LOT by next year.

[CompSci87]

I think it's just that post-worthy height is relatively rare, and as they say, you can't teach height. So coaches will take on posts who are projects just because that's all they can get. Players with guard size are much more common, and so coaches can be much more selective for existing skills and athletic talent.

[CompSci87]

I think it's just that post-worthy height is relatively rare, and as they say, you can't teach height. So coaches will take on posts who are projects just because that's all they can get. Players with guard size are much more common, and so coaches can be much more selective for existing skills and athletic talent.

[qwerty49]

Maybe there’s some kind of analogy here to football, where freshmen WRs and RBs are often ready to play right away.  In hoops it seems like the really great ones have offensive skills from the get-go, and that learning the “system” in both offense and defense is the only thing holding them back.

[qwerty49]

Maybe there’s some kind of analogy here to football, where freshmen WRs and RBs are often ready to play right away.  In hoops it seems like the really great ones have offensive skills from the get-go, and that learning the “system” in both offense and defense is the only thing holding them back.

[mbdude]

It's interesting that Dodson was such a highly rated recruit without great offensive skills. In travel ball there is  little no teaching but you'd think in high school there would have been some instruction going on

[mbdude]

It's interesting that Dodson was such a highly rated recruit without great offensive skills. In travel ball there is  little no teaching but you'd think in high school there would have been some instruction going on

[BobK]

There are some excellent travel coaches. 
Sopak
Kinnebrew
Chambers
Russ Davis

All but one also coaches HS

Two names I don’t recall Spokane and Portland

And the great Joe Murphy (Mel’s Dad)

[BobK]

There are some excellent travel coaches. 
Sopak
Kinnebrew
Chambers
Russ Davis

All but one also coaches HS

Two names I don’t recall Spokane and Portland

And the great Joe Murphy (Mel’s Dad)

[Jskass]

so we want a recruit who meets these criteria:
1. great grades and AP classes
2. top 10
3. coached by one of those greats
4. very athletic.

Stunning. No wonder we all regret the team who lost to A&M not getting it done.

[Jskass]

so we want a recruit who meets these criteria:
1. great grades and AP classes
2. top 10
3. coached by one of those greats
4. very athletic.

Stunning. No wonder we all regret the team who lost to A&M not getting it done.

[BobK]

I count 10 coached by those I listed above

I was at the Texas A&M game and will forever have night mares

[BobK]

I count 10 coached by those I listed above

I was at the Texas A&M game and will forever have night mares