[BosCard]

If you’re pulling stats from just the tournament, we’re 25/87 28.7%

As you point out, we’ve taken more 3s than any of the other teams remaining by a lot ~10 more per game. With ND’s zone we’ll probably take more. 

IF we can hit those 3’s...

Regarding Alanna’s quote - it mirrored the way Tara spoke on TV during the game. They didn’t panic, they didn’t pout and give up on defense and rebounding because their shots didn’t fall. And they didn’t stop running the offense, except a bit. I think Tara could have been pulling her hair out trying to figure out which buttons to push but the players kept playing and executing and even though their shots didn’t go in they didn’t give up on their game plan

I really think there is something to the idea that this team "plays down" to the competition.  First, we are very conservative in transition.  Unless there is a wide open layup, we usually pull the ball back out.  Second, our offense is very much a slow down half court offense.  We pass looking for a good shot and usually end up taking a three late in the shot clock.  This is exactly how teams play against us when we are the favorite and they are the underdog.  The slow down game reduces the talent differential because it reduces the number of possessions.  Against most teams where we are more talented, this results in close games and ugly wins.  But, it has also resulted in upsets of Baylor and Oregon.  And against Notre Dame, we are clearly the team that is less offensively talented (I would say that our defense is as good as anyone's).  We definitely don't want to run up and down with them because they will do that much much better.  Instead, our chance to win comes with applying the same slow down strategy that our opponents do to us.  Our goal is to have the winning team score in the 60's.  And yes we will have to shoot the three much better, but we definitely have a shot.  And while against lesser competition our style means we "play down", against better competition our style means we force our more talented opponent to play at our level which gives us a puncher's chance to win.

[BosCard]

If you’re pulling stats from just the tournament, we’re 25/87 28.7%

As you point out, we’ve taken more 3s than any of the other teams remaining by a lot ~10 more per game. With ND’s zone we’ll probably take more. 

IF we can hit those 3’s...

Regarding Alanna’s quote - it mirrored the way Tara spoke on TV during the game. They didn’t panic, they didn’t pout and give up on defense and rebounding because their shots didn’t fall. And they didn’t stop running the offense, except a bit. I think Tara could have been pulling her hair out trying to figure out which buttons to push but the players kept playing and executing and even though their shots didn’t go in they didn’t give up on their game plan

I really think there is something to the idea that this team "plays down" to the competition.  First, we are very conservative in transition.  Unless there is a wide open layup, we usually pull the ball back out.  Second, our offense is very much a slow down half court offense.  We pass looking for a good shot and usually end up taking a three late in the shot clock.  This is exactly how teams play against us when we are the favorite and they are the underdog.  The slow down game reduces the talent differential because it reduces the number of possessions.  Against most teams where we are more talented, this results in close games and ugly wins.  But, it has also resulted in upsets of Baylor and Oregon.  And against Notre Dame, we are clearly the team that is less offensively talented (I would say that our defense is as good as anyone's).  We definitely don't want to run up and down with them because they will do that much much better.  Instead, our chance to win comes with applying the same slow down strategy that our opponents do to us.  Our goal is to have the winning team score in the 60's.  And yes we will have to shoot the three much better, but we definitely have a shot.  And while against lesser competition our style means we "play down", against better competition our style means we force our more talented opponent to play at our level which gives us a puncher's chance to win.