(01-20-2023, 10:05 PM)81alum Wrote: Well, at the chalk talk we were told that they had been practicing ways to make our offense more productive, although Britney Anderson was very circumspect about not saying what it was. She said hopefully we would see the adjustments working in the game.
With Jump there were a lot of middle screens to get her open in the mid range--that is pretty clearly her adjustment. Did anybody here say we needed the option of making some mid range jumpers? Well, that was the plan. Jump was 3/5 from two and 2/5 from three, mostly in the first half. Utah adjusted and seemed to take that away from her in the second.
I'm not actually sure what we did schematically to spring Brink for 25 points. She hit her one three point attempt but was already being productive long before that. On one play in the first half she was surrounded by 4 Utah players and she got a shot off and got free throws. It wasn't that long ago that free throw shooting was her weakness, but lately she has been on fire from the free throw line, and was 7/8 tonight--with most of the 7 hitting nothing but net. Unfortunately, she also had 6 turnovers and fouled out--with a couple of those 5 fouls being quite questionable. But her fifth came close to the end of the game when it was out of reach for Utah, so it was not consequential.
As for Jones, she was 10/17 for 25 points, and most of those were (wait for it) mid range jumpers. Yes, she had her acrobatic over-the-shoulder layups after the defense loosened up, but she punished Utah for leaving her open around the free throw line. This is what has been missing from her game for a while now, and it was back. Let's hope she keeps doing this for the rest of the year--when Jones hits the mid range at a high percentage she also get more openings for the inside game.
To defend Utah, you have to slow down Pili and prevent her from getting the ball deep in the paint, and you have to defend the three point line. We didn't do so well with Pili, who got 25. I thought Prechtel was our best interior defender on her. Pili did have to work for her points--she was 8/18 and 0/3 from three point territory. But she has a spin move that gets her around taller defenders regularly, as well as a jump shot. She kept the game close for Utah.
We did better defending the three point line, holding them to 5/26, way below their average treys and way below their normal sky-high percentage. This is probably why Emma-Nnopu started--to give us more quickness and defense on the perimeter.
With Lepolo's injury, Nivar got 27 minutes. She had 3 assists and 0 turnovers--Utah never pressed the point guard. Her shooting was off, going 1/7 and hitting her 2 free throws. She seems deadly accurate in practice--my guess is that at some point those shots are going to start falling for her in games and she could become a mainstay for both offense and defense. But not yet. Harriel also came in at point after Nivar picked up 2 fouls, and acquitted herself well, hitting her one shot--a trey.
Belibi and Prechtel both reached double digit minutes but did not add a lot of offense. They each had some outstanding defensive plays--Belibi using her length to disrupt passes and Prechtel bothered a couple of Pili shots.
As a team, we were even with Utah on turnovers. Utah had more rebounds than we did, but this is probably because they shot such a lower percentage than we did--34% to our 49%. As a result, we held Utah to its second lowest point total this year--and it would have been the lowest if they had not hit a meaningless three pointer at the final buzzer.
In short, our offense did show a new wrinkle or two and was much improved, but this game was won with a level of defense that Utah has not seen before. They will get a second change at us--we will have the most difficult road trip of the season on the final weekend of Pac 12 play when we must play Utah and Colorado at elevation, and Utah will have much time to prepare.
Still, overall, I am encouraged. Our players needed this win. I wish Jump had been more successful in the second half--it makes me think that Roberts figured out our wrinkle and shut it down at halftime. But I was especially pleased to see Jones hitting the midrange and radiating smiles all over the court.
(01-20-2023, 10:05 PM)81alum Wrote: Well, at the chalk talk we were told that they had been practicing ways to make our offense more productive, although Britney Anderson was very circumspect about not saying what it was. She said hopefully we would see the adjustments working in the game.
With Jump there were a lot of middle screens to get her open in the mid range--that is pretty clearly her adjustment. Did anybody here say we needed the option of making some mid range jumpers? Well, that was the plan. Jump was 3/5 from two and 2/5 from three, mostly in the first half. Utah adjusted and seemed to take that away from her in the second.
I'm not actually sure what we did schematically to spring Brink for 25 points. She hit her one three point attempt but was already being productive long before that. On one play in the first half she was surrounded by 4 Utah players and she got a shot off and got free throws. It wasn't that long ago that free throw shooting was her weakness, but lately she has been on fire from the free throw line, and was 7/8 tonight--with most of the 7 hitting nothing but net. Unfortunately, she also had 6 turnovers and fouled out--with a couple of those 5 fouls being quite questionable. But her fifth came close to the end of the game when it was out of reach for Utah, so it was not consequential.
As for Jones, she was 10/17 for 25 points, and most of those were (wait for it) mid range jumpers. Yes, she had her acrobatic over-the-shoulder layups after the defense loosened up, but she punished Utah for leaving her open around the free throw line. This is what has been missing from her game for a while now, and it was back. Let's hope she keeps doing this for the rest of the year--when Jones hits the mid range at a high percentage she also get more openings for the inside game.
To defend Utah, you have to slow down Pili and prevent her from getting the ball deep in the paint, and you have to defend the three point line. We didn't do so well with Pili, who got 25. I thought Prechtel was our best interior defender on her. Pili did have to work for her points--she was 8/18 and 0/3 from three point territory. But she has a spin move that gets her around taller defenders regularly, as well as a jump shot. She kept the game close for Utah.
We did better defending the three point line, holding them to 5/26, way below their average treys and way below their normal sky-high percentage. This is probably why Emma-Nnopu started--to give us more quickness and defense on the perimeter.
With Lepolo's injury, Nivar got 27 minutes. She had 3 assists and 0 turnovers--Utah never pressed the point guard. Her shooting was off, going 1/7 and hitting her 2 free throws. She seems deadly accurate in practice--my guess is that at some point those shots are going to start falling for her in games and she could become a mainstay for both offense and defense. But not yet. Harriel also came in at point after Nivar picked up 2 fouls, and acquitted herself well, hitting her one shot--a trey.
Belibi and Prechtel both reached double digit minutes but did not add a lot of offense. They each had some outstanding defensive plays--Belibi using her length to disrupt passes and Prechtel bothered a couple of Pili shots.
As a team, we were even with Utah on turnovers. Utah had more rebounds than we did, but this is probably because they shot such a lower percentage than we did--34% to our 49%. As a result, we held Utah to its second lowest point total this year--and it would have been the lowest if they had not hit a meaningless three pointer at the final buzzer.
In short, our offense did show a new wrinkle or two and was much improved, but this game was won with a level of defense that Utah has not seen before. They will get a second change at us--we will have the most difficult road trip of the season on the final weekend of Pac 12 play when we must play Utah and Colorado at elevation, and Utah will have much time to prepare.
Still, overall, I am encouraged. Our players needed this win. I wish Jump had been more successful in the second half--it makes me think that Roberts figured out our wrinkle and shut it down at halftime. But I was especially pleased to see Jones hitting the midrange and radiating smiles all over the court.
(01-20-2023, 10:36 PM)ceece Wrote: I really don't like the Utah style, I think they play dirty. Physical play is okay, but there were nasty fouls and illegal screens all game long. And the refs seemed to be more interested in keeping the foul numbers even than in accurately calling the game.
(01-20-2023, 10:36 PM)ceece Wrote: I really don't like the Utah style, I think they play dirty. Physical play is okay, but there were nasty fouls and illegal screens all game long. And the refs seemed to be more interested in keeping the foul numbers even than in accurately calling the game.
