[81alum]

Texas beat Tennessee 64-53 today and it seemed from the recap that Tennessee had trouble getting the ball inside against Texas' tall frontcourt and then Texas's guards stepped up as well, though DeShields is nursing an injury despite 24 pts and 11 rebounds.

If we upset Texas on their home court, it might be as big news as losing to Santa Clara.

Texas looks very good this year.  We did take them to overtime on our home court last year.  The question is, at this point, are we as good as we were a year ago, after beating UConn and sending Texas to overtime?  Unfortunately, I don't think we are there yet.  We lost Amber and Bonnie, and Kaylee was playing at a higher level a year ago--perhaps because of some undisclosed injury she may have this year.  (I think of all those repetitive stress injuries to feet and shins that get aggravated by overuse.)  Of our freshmen only Alanna seems ready for extensive playtime just yet, and Tara has not thrown her into the fray as a freshman to the same extent she did Kaylee a year ago.  So, we have not quite replaced our losses yet, and we have been struggling to beat average teams.

So, how do we beat Texas, which has very athletics 6'7" and 6'5" posts? 

1) While they are not as tall or athletic, both Purdue and Dayton presented similar problems for Erica--as will many Pac 12 teams.  Basically, Erica must learn to sink those 8-12 foot jumpers at least 50% of the time.  You can see she was trying to do so in the last two games and made one or two per game--but missed twice as many of them as she made.  I was pleased to see her make all her free throws--a similar range.  If she can become deadly from the midrange jumper, she will be so much more versatile and effective against taller players.  She can then crash the boards for her own rebounds.

2) Kaylee needs to get back to her rebounding form of a year ago.  Even if she does not score a point, if she can get into double digit rebounds she can deny those tall Texas posts so many second chance points.

3) Alanna and Kailee can make treys.  When they are on the perimeter they can force the Texas trees to come out to defend them, opening up the middle for drives if they do, draining treys if they don't.  So Alanna can get hot and Kailee can exhibit some self-confidence about making those shots when they are wide open.  I don't think guards in a zone can defend either of them on the perimeter.

4) We can screen to get open threes.  Karlie's range is easily a couple of steps back from the line--it should be easy for her to shoot over the top of one of our own bigs standing on the perimeter.  Purdue was doing that to us yesterday.

If we do all these things, and the planets line up just so.....

[81alum]

Texas beat Tennessee 64-53 today and it seemed from the recap that Tennessee had trouble getting the ball inside against Texas' tall frontcourt and then Texas's guards stepped up as well, though DeShields is nursing an injury despite 24 pts and 11 rebounds.

If we upset Texas on their home court, it might be as big news as losing to Santa Clara.

Texas looks very good this year.  We did take them to overtime on our home court last year.  The question is, at this point, are we as good as we were a year ago, after beating UConn and sending Texas to overtime?  Unfortunately, I don't think we are there yet.  We lost Amber and Bonnie, and Kaylee was playing at a higher level a year ago--perhaps because of some undisclosed injury she may have this year.  (I think of all those repetitive stress injuries to feet and shins that get aggravated by overuse.)  Of our freshmen only Alanna seems ready for extensive playtime just yet, and Tara has not thrown her into the fray as a freshman to the same extent she did Kaylee a year ago.  So, we have not quite replaced our losses yet, and we have been struggling to beat average teams.

So, how do we beat Texas, which has very athletics 6'7" and 6'5" posts? 

1) While they are not as tall or athletic, both Purdue and Dayton presented similar problems for Erica--as will many Pac 12 teams.  Basically, Erica must learn to sink those 8-12 foot jumpers at least 50% of the time.  You can see she was trying to do so in the last two games and made one or two per game--but missed twice as many of them as she made.  I was pleased to see her make all her free throws--a similar range.  If she can become deadly from the midrange jumper, she will be so much more versatile and effective against taller players.  She can then crash the boards for her own rebounds.

2) Kaylee needs to get back to her rebounding form of a year ago.  Even if she does not score a point, if she can get into double digit rebounds she can deny those tall Texas posts so many second chance points.

3) Alanna and Kailee can make treys.  When they are on the perimeter they can force the Texas trees to come out to defend them, opening up the middle for drives if they do, draining treys if they don't.  So Alanna can get hot and Kailee can exhibit some self-confidence about making those shots when they are wide open.  I don't think guards in a zone can defend either of them on the perimeter.

4) We can screen to get open threes.  Karlie's range is easily a couple of steps back from the line--it should be easy for her to shoot over the top of one of our own bigs standing on the perimeter.  Purdue was doing that to us yesterday.

If we do all these things, and the planets line up just so.....