01-14-2022, 10:46 PM
I’m with 81alum—I’ll take high-pressure, high-skill basketball against the South Carolinas of the world any day over a matchup with a Payne-coached Colorado.
I have to admire the Buffs’ grit and hustle; some of the dogged plays that Sherrod and her teammates make are the kind that I cheer for when they’re made by the Hulls. BUT they go a step further in a way that makes these games no fun to watch. I’m not praying for a win so much as I am praying that no one gets hurt (so much for that). I’ve got much less basketball expertise than others on this board, but it seems to me that Colorado really sets the tone for the level of physicality here. And sure, both the Wilson and Sherrod injuries were accidents that could happen in a lot of contexts—landing poorly and being landed on respectively. Still, common sense tells me that odds of injury go way up when bodies hit the floor as often as they do when Colorado ups the physicality ante. Getting the W becomes less about crisp ball movement, smart set pieces, and the kind of “beautiful basketball” our team plays at its best and more about who’s willing to muscle harder and tiptoe riiiight up to the line. I really, really hope that Wilson and Sherrod are ok (although things looked particularly grim for Sherrod). This style of play can come at a high cost to the very real lives and careers of deserving young women.
I will say, despite our ugly first quarter, I was especially proud this of win on an emotional level. It’s been frustrating to see this team get distracted and discombobulated in the third quarter and let their foot off the gas. Not today. They persevered and hopefully proved something to themselves. I’m always surprised when announcers seem surprised that Prechtel comes up big in moments like these; she’s made for them, and I love seeing Tara trust her to step up and deliver. Belibi played some impressive, encouragingly error-free ball when she was on the court. Iriafen made her minutes count and went after the ball without any freshman hesitation. And in a season where I’ve been missing Ki, it was great to see Wilson’s quickness and defensive skill return with impact. Certainly not our best game, but I’m a fan of the heart, resilience, and growth we saw tonight.
Glad we made it out. Wish we didn’t have to do it again (although at least we’ll be at Maples). I also hope our team stays healthy given the number of screaming, inconsistently masked fans in the CU Events Center. On to Utah!
I have to admire the Buffs’ grit and hustle; some of the dogged plays that Sherrod and her teammates make are the kind that I cheer for when they’re made by the Hulls. BUT they go a step further in a way that makes these games no fun to watch. I’m not praying for a win so much as I am praying that no one gets hurt (so much for that). I’ve got much less basketball expertise than others on this board, but it seems to me that Colorado really sets the tone for the level of physicality here. And sure, both the Wilson and Sherrod injuries were accidents that could happen in a lot of contexts—landing poorly and being landed on respectively. Still, common sense tells me that odds of injury go way up when bodies hit the floor as often as they do when Colorado ups the physicality ante. Getting the W becomes less about crisp ball movement, smart set pieces, and the kind of “beautiful basketball” our team plays at its best and more about who’s willing to muscle harder and tiptoe riiiight up to the line. I really, really hope that Wilson and Sherrod are ok (although things looked particularly grim for Sherrod). This style of play can come at a high cost to the very real lives and careers of deserving young women.
I will say, despite our ugly first quarter, I was especially proud this of win on an emotional level. It’s been frustrating to see this team get distracted and discombobulated in the third quarter and let their foot off the gas. Not today. They persevered and hopefully proved something to themselves. I’m always surprised when announcers seem surprised that Prechtel comes up big in moments like these; she’s made for them, and I love seeing Tara trust her to step up and deliver. Belibi played some impressive, encouragingly error-free ball when she was on the court. Iriafen made her minutes count and went after the ball without any freshman hesitation. And in a season where I’ve been missing Ki, it was great to see Wilson’s quickness and defensive skill return with impact. Certainly not our best game, but I’m a fan of the heart, resilience, and growth we saw tonight.
Glad we made it out. Wish we didn’t have to do it again (although at least we’ll be at Maples). I also hope our team stays healthy given the number of screaming, inconsistently masked fans in the CU Events Center. On to Utah!