11-22-2021, 10:04 AM
We drove 3-4 hours to the game which, as was true for the game in the Hulls' first year, featured a very packed and vocal crowd. One end section had about 20 rows and was full on one side with a band and on the other with students. They were both very engaged in the game with lots of rhythmic chanting, arm waving, and jumping up-and-down. They and the rest of the fans put our usual Maples crowd to shame.
The Hulls had numerous family and fans there including the man next to us who had been an assistant coach on their high school team and showed us his 3-season championship ring their team won (when they lost, I think, one game in 3 years). He was rooting for Stanford, but otherwise it was a very partisan crowd.
The first 12-15 minutes were dreadful. The Zags were playing well and with a lot of tude, and we looked somewhat lost. Maybe the players were tight knowing this would be the Hulls last game in Spokane (unless we get seeded to that regional) and hence wanting to win for them?
Jump and Prechtel made the difference in the 2nd quarter - along with some key defensive stops and steals. And Jump's floater included a very good fake pass to the wing. I thought it was a very impressive move for her.
During the half-time warm-up, Tara walked across the floor to where Prechtel was draining 3 after 3 and talked to her for a good bit. My guess was that she was telling her that if she was open, she should take the 3 (and she did take two early in the 3rd quarter, but from near the bench and both missed).
There was nothing visibly wrong with Jones and she was clearly into the game. As has been said, with better free-throw shooting we would have won easily. But we won without that and without Jones, and we had very balanced scoring: 4 players with 10 or more and Prechtel with 8.
The Hulls had numerous family and fans there including the man next to us who had been an assistant coach on their high school team and showed us his 3-season championship ring their team won (when they lost, I think, one game in 3 years). He was rooting for Stanford, but otherwise it was a very partisan crowd.
The first 12-15 minutes were dreadful. The Zags were playing well and with a lot of tude, and we looked somewhat lost. Maybe the players were tight knowing this would be the Hulls last game in Spokane (unless we get seeded to that regional) and hence wanting to win for them?
Jump and Prechtel made the difference in the 2nd quarter - along with some key defensive stops and steals. And Jump's floater included a very good fake pass to the wing. I thought it was a very impressive move for her.
During the half-time warm-up, Tara walked across the floor to where Prechtel was draining 3 after 3 and talked to her for a good bit. My guess was that she was telling her that if she was open, she should take the 3 (and she did take two early in the 3rd quarter, but from near the bench and both missed).
There was nothing visibly wrong with Jones and she was clearly into the game. As has been said, with better free-throw shooting we would have won easily. But we won without that and without Jones, and we had very balanced scoring: 4 players with 10 or more and Prechtel with 8.