03-02-2022, 12:08 AM
(03-01-2022, 03:57 PM)winflop Wrote:(03-01-2022, 03:32 PM)Spiny_Norman Wrote: I wish they were playing this well against a stronger field. Iron sharpens iron. The better fields are in other parts of the country, but Stanford seems to prefer playing closer to home. They only play one spring tournament out of California and that will be in Phoenix. Then Pac 12s at Eugene CC, regionals at Stanford and NCAAs in Scottsdale.
I think your comment really misses the mark Norman. Take a look at the competition in their previous 4 tournaments:
- Lamkin Inviational (Feb 2022), 9 Top 25 teams
- Pac-12 Preview (Nov 2021), 6 Top 25s
- Stanford Intercollegiate (Oct 2021), 6 Top 25s
- Windy City Collegiate Challenge (Oct 2021), 8 Top 25s
With six regionals, on average there will be four top 25 teams at each. So 4 of the 6 events they've played have fields that are at least as tough as what they will face in NCAA regionals.
Also, as far as playing only on the West Coast (except for Chicago), NCAA regionals are at home and the finals are in Arizona. I'd say staying near home is a pretty good plan
I was only commenting on the spring schedule and was mainly thinking of the Gunrock tournament (only one other top 25 team, #25 BYU) and the upcoming Juli Inkster Invitational which had no ranked teams in the field last year.
However I fully trust Coach Walker to have the team ready to peak in May when it really counts.
"We have an unwritten rule around here not to do anything stupid."
-Casey Jacobsen, Feb 3, 2000