[M T]

Agreed, although I find it hard to root against UCONN this year given the amount of injuries they’ve faced.

Then root against them because the UConn coach could have the pick of almost any HS WBB players and any transfers, but he wound up only having 10 on the roster, about 7 that he cared to play, and then two were injured.  (7 players average at least 22.7min/game.  3 players average 10.2 min/game or less.)    If he chooses to overwork his players, that's on his head.

[M T]

Agreed, although I find it hard to root against UCONN this year given the amount of injuries they’ve faced.

Then root against them because the UConn coach could have the pick of almost any HS WBB players and any transfers, but he wound up only having 10 on the roster, about 7 that he cared to play, and then two were injured.  (7 players average at least 22.7min/game.  3 players average 10.2 min/game or less.)    If he chooses to overwork his players, that's on his head.

[BillBradley]

The only team I don't like in our draw is Gonzaga.  I just don't like playing teams we've already played. They were down a player or two back in early Dec if I recall and I still thought they were pretty good.  We should handle them at home, but I'd rather play someone new who would be more intimidated by us. 

Assuming we get there, I do like Iowa as our elite 8 game. Just think we match up really well against them. They are small, don't defend very well (117th in the country according to Massey and give up almost 80 ppg on the road), and aren't overly athletic. We struggle against really good defensive teams (e.g. according to Massey, UCLA 24th, Washington 13th, Colorado 12th, USC 7th, So Car 1st), but that's not them. Clark is obviously great and we won't be able to stop her, but as a team they haven't played against many defenses like ours. Czinano is good too, but I don't see her getting her average of 17 against us.

I also agree w/81 and others that it would be a great opportunity to knock off So Car in the FF after having a bunch of days to prep. Wouldn't a Stanford - UConn final be great? :>

Go Card!

[BillBradley]

The only team I don't like in our draw is Gonzaga.  I just don't like playing teams we've already played. They were down a player or two back in early Dec if I recall and I still thought they were pretty good.  We should handle them at home, but I'd rather play someone new who would be more intimidated by us. 

Assuming we get there, I do like Iowa as our elite 8 game. Just think we match up really well against them. They are small, don't defend very well (117th in the country according to Massey and give up almost 80 ppg on the road), and aren't overly athletic. We struggle against really good defensive teams (e.g. according to Massey, UCLA 24th, Washington 13th, Colorado 12th, USC 7th, So Car 1st), but that's not them. Clark is obviously great and we won't be able to stop her, but as a team they haven't played against many defenses like ours. Czinano is good too, but I don't see her getting her average of 17 against us.

I also agree w/81 and others that it would be a great opportunity to knock off So Car in the FF after having a bunch of days to prep. Wouldn't a Stanford - UConn final be great? :>

Go Card!

[Jskass]

In Boston now so really want to go to Storrs w a UVM shirt. Though Seattle will be great!
Just noticed in Stanford’s video about NCAA that Ashten was not in the Stanford clothing so hope not an injury or related reason — maybe just a tight schedule for another obligation!

[Jskass]

In Boston now so really want to go to Storrs w a UVM shirt. Though Seattle will be great!
Just noticed in Stanford’s video about NCAA that Ashten was not in the Stanford clothing so hope not an injury or related reason — maybe just a tight schedule for another obligation!

[Baez87]

Welcome to the post-season. Our Stanford team is about to join the best women’s basketball teams in the country for a game of wills. All of these players and teams have had ups and downs — close games, periods of not scoring, defensive letdowns, stars that didn’t shine, and disappointments. But what makes a champion is taking the good with the bad, showing determination, study and preparation, hard work, and a winning spirit. 
My household will be sending fans to Seattle and to Dallas, if the stars align. And we will bring home a championship like we did in San Antonio, if a shooting star comes our way. I have confidence that we have a team with the grit and the heart to win the next six games. I will be yelling as loud as I can. I’m sure our players will be playing as hard as they can play. From here forward a lot depends on subtle touches of the ball, the angle that the shot hits the rim, whether a player is in the right place at the right time, how one wakes up in the morning and plays the game, how the game is called,… That’s the lure of the game for me, and it always has been. 
The results are uncertain, it’s a binary game of win or lose, sometimes it's close or down to the wire, sometimes it’s a commanding win, sometimes it’s balletic, sometimes it’s a scrum,… It’s the uncertainty that make it exciting, gets the heart to pump, brings out the sweat, or makes us yell and cheer.
Bring it on! I will enjoy each fading minute of each game. Win or lose (and I never align myself with losing), I will be enjoying or agonizing in each moment, but I promise to be there giving my support and respect to our wonderful group of young women who put their bodies, mind, and hearts into a game that we all love. Expectations I cannot control, but I can guarantee my support to our team until the final buzzer sounds! 
Let the excitement begin!

[Baez87]

Welcome to the post-season. Our Stanford team is about to join the best women’s basketball teams in the country for a game of wills. All of these players and teams have had ups and downs — close games, periods of not scoring, defensive letdowns, stars that didn’t shine, and disappointments. But what makes a champion is taking the good with the bad, showing determination, study and preparation, hard work, and a winning spirit. 
My household will be sending fans to Seattle and to Dallas, if the stars align. And we will bring home a championship like we did in San Antonio, if a shooting star comes our way. I have confidence that we have a team with the grit and the heart to win the next six games. I will be yelling as loud as I can. I’m sure our players will be playing as hard as they can play. From here forward a lot depends on subtle touches of the ball, the angle that the shot hits the rim, whether a player is in the right place at the right time, how one wakes up in the morning and plays the game, how the game is called,… That’s the lure of the game for me, and it always has been. 
The results are uncertain, it’s a binary game of win or lose, sometimes it's close or down to the wire, sometimes it’s a commanding win, sometimes it’s balletic, sometimes it’s a scrum,… It’s the uncertainty that make it exciting, gets the heart to pump, brings out the sweat, or makes us yell and cheer.
Bring it on! I will enjoy each fading minute of each game. Win or lose (and I never align myself with losing), I will be enjoying or agonizing in each moment, but I promise to be there giving my support and respect to our wonderful group of young women who put their bodies, mind, and hearts into a game that we all love. Expectations I cannot control, but I can guarantee my support to our team until the final buzzer sounds! 
Let the excitement begin!

[old spanish trail]

Excellent, Baez.

[old spanish trail]

Excellent, Baez.

[M T]

Wonderful, Baez. A true fan. The only thing I’d add is that support will continue past the final buzzer.  

I wonder if any other set of “fans” espoused that their team should have had a lower seed than the committee gave them?

[M T]

Wonderful, Baez. A true fan. The only thing I’d add is that support will continue past the final buzzer.  

I wonder if any other set of “fans” espoused that their team should have had a lower seed than the committee gave them?

[OCcardinal]

If the committee is like AP voters and they grant Iowa bonus points for momentum, then Iowa will be a #1 seed. But I personally think Iowa started too far behind. Similarly, I think Stanford started too far ahead to drop from the 1 seed spot. Moreover, Stanford had one of the toughest, if not THE toughest, schedule for the final month of the season and yet still finished with 4 top 25 wins (3 on the road) in that month. Iowa finished the last month with 4 top 25 wins too but none on the road (they lost their two top-25 road games in that time).  In the last 4 weeks Iowa's NET ranking rose from 8th to 6th.  Stanford's went from 4th to...4th.

Called it.  And I think it's worth mentioning that Iowa won the Big 10 tournament last year too, and went on to lose to a 10-seed in the second round.

[OCcardinal]

If the committee is like AP voters and they grant Iowa bonus points for momentum, then Iowa will be a #1 seed. But I personally think Iowa started too far behind. Similarly, I think Stanford started too far ahead to drop from the 1 seed spot. Moreover, Stanford had one of the toughest, if not THE toughest, schedule for the final month of the season and yet still finished with 4 top 25 wins (3 on the road) in that month. Iowa finished the last month with 4 top 25 wins too but none on the road (they lost their two top-25 road games in that time).  In the last 4 weeks Iowa's NET ranking rose from 8th to 6th.  Stanford's went from 4th to...4th.

Called it.  And I think it's worth mentioning that Iowa won the Big 10 tournament last year too, and went on to lose to a 10-seed in the second round.

[Baez87]

The only thing I’d add is that support will continue past the final buzzer.  

Good point! I’m with you on that.

[Baez87]

The only thing I’d add is that support will continue past the final buzzer.  

Good point! I’m with you on that.

[Spiny_Norman]

I was looking at season stats. During the non-conference part of the season, numerous different players led Stanford in scoring for individual games. Since the start of the conference games, here are Stanford's leading scorers by game:
Brink 9
Jones 7
Jump 3
Emma-Nnopu 1

Rebounding leaders by game in conference:
Brink 11
Jones 9

Assist leaders by game in conference:
Jones 12
Brink 5
Lepolo 2
Nivar 1


It looks like Stanford will advance as far as Jones and Brink can carry them. I wonder if some of the younger players on the team are reluctant to try to step up in close games, instead deferring to Brink and Jones.

[Spiny_Norman]

I was looking at season stats. During the non-conference part of the season, numerous different players led Stanford in scoring for individual games. Since the start of the conference games, here are Stanford's leading scorers by game:
Brink 9
Jones 7
Jump 3
Emma-Nnopu 1

Rebounding leaders by game in conference:
Brink 11
Jones 9

Assist leaders by game in conference:
Jones 12
Brink 5
Lepolo 2
Nivar 1


It looks like Stanford will advance as far as Jones and Brink can carry them. I wonder if some of the younger players on the team are reluctant to try to step up in close games, instead deferring to Brink and Jones.

[martyup]

Join our group in the ESPN WBB Bracket Challenge.  Group name "Tara's Fourth at Stanford"

https://fantasy.espn.com/tournament-chal...=clipboard

[martyup]

Join our group in the ESPN WBB Bracket Challenge.  Group name "Tara's Fourth at Stanford"

https://fantasy.espn.com/tournament-chal...=clipboard

[petersalas]

Erica McCall also has one and is giving away prizes:

https://twitter.com/birdstheword_24/stat...QaSyTEUwgA

Join our group in the ESPN WBB Bracket Challenge.  Group name "Tara's Fourth at Stanford"

https://fantasy.espn.com/tournament-chal...=clipboard

[petersalas]

Erica McCall also has one and is giving away prizes:

https://twitter.com/birdstheword_24/stat...QaSyTEUwgA

Join our group in the ESPN WBB Bracket Challenge.  Group name "Tara's Fourth at Stanford"

https://fantasy.espn.com/tournament-chal...=clipboard

[ca245]

It looks like Stanford will advance as far as Jones and Brink can carry them. I wonder if some of the younger players on the team are reluctant to try to step up in close games, instead deferring to Brink and Jones.

I was wondering the same thing. I crunched some numbers and came away with the same impression you did. 
I broke down scoring in the 4th quarter and OT of our non-blowout P12 games and compared against the results for the entire season. For the season, Brink accounted for 19.5% of our total scoring but 25.9% of our 4Q+ scoring in tight P12 games. For Jones, the difference was even greater: 17.5% of our total scoring for the season, but 31.8% in the 4Q or OT of tight P12 games.
So it does seem that, late in tight games, we have been relying much more on Brink and Jones for our scoring, either by design or due to deference by the other players.

[ca245]

It looks like Stanford will advance as far as Jones and Brink can carry them. I wonder if some of the younger players on the team are reluctant to try to step up in close games, instead deferring to Brink and Jones.

I was wondering the same thing. I crunched some numbers and came away with the same impression you did. 
I broke down scoring in the 4th quarter and OT of our non-blowout P12 games and compared against the results for the entire season. For the season, Brink accounted for 19.5% of our total scoring but 25.9% of our 4Q+ scoring in tight P12 games. For Jones, the difference was even greater: 17.5% of our total scoring for the season, but 31.8% in the 4Q or OT of tight P12 games.
So it does seem that, late in tight games, we have been relying much more on Brink and Jones for our scoring, either by design or due to deference by the other players.

[old spanish trail]

It looks like Stanford will advance as far as Jones and Brink can carry them. I wonder if some of the younger players on the team are reluctant to try to step up in close games, instead deferring to Brink and Jones.

I was wondering the same thing. I crunched some numbers and came away with the same impression you did. 
I broke down scoring in the 4th quarter and OT of our non-blowout P12 games and compared against the results for the entire season. For the season, Brink accounted for 19.5% of our total scoring but 25.9% of our 4Q+ scoring in tight P12 games. For Jones, the difference was even greater: 17.5% of our total scoring for the season, but 31.8% in the 4Q or OT of tight P12 games.
So it does seem that, late in tight games, we have been relying much more on Brink and Jones for our scoring, either by design or due to deference by the other players.

I'd think "by design". They get it done.

[old spanish trail]

It looks like Stanford will advance as far as Jones and Brink can carry them. I wonder if some of the younger players on the team are reluctant to try to step up in close games, instead deferring to Brink and Jones.

I was wondering the same thing. I crunched some numbers and came away with the same impression you did. 
I broke down scoring in the 4th quarter and OT of our non-blowout P12 games and compared against the results for the entire season. For the season, Brink accounted for 19.5% of our total scoring but 25.9% of our 4Q+ scoring in tight P12 games. For Jones, the difference was even greater: 17.5% of our total scoring for the season, but 31.8% in the 4Q or OT of tight P12 games.
So it does seem that, late in tight games, we have been relying much more on Brink and Jones for our scoring, either by design or due to deference by the other players.

I'd think "by design". They get it done.

[TheFarm07]

ESPN has their top 25 players in the tournament and has Brink coming in at #3 and Jones ranked at #12: https://www.espn.com/womens-college-bask...ch-madness

No surprise that Clark tops the list, Boston is at #2 with Brink, Indiana's Mackenzie Holmes and Angel Reese of LSU rounding out the top five.

There are just two other Pac-12 players:

10. Alissa Pili (Utah)
25. Charlisse Leger-Walker (Washington State)

[TheFarm07]

ESPN has their top 25 players in the tournament and has Brink coming in at #3 and Jones ranked at #12: https://www.espn.com/womens-college-bask...ch-madness

No surprise that Clark tops the list, Boston is at #2 with Brink, Indiana's Mackenzie Holmes and Angel Reese of LSU rounding out the top five.

There are just two other Pac-12 players:

10. Alissa Pili (Utah)
25. Charlisse Leger-Walker (Washington State)

[PVTree]

Elena Delle Donne picks us for the final four along with SCar and Indiana. She's leaning towards Yukon as the fourth team.

https://www.insider.com/march-madness-el...ent-2023-3

[PVTree]

Elena Delle Donne picks us for the final four along with SCar and Indiana. She's leaning towards Yukon as the fourth team.

https://www.insider.com/march-madness-el...ent-2023-3

[WBB fan]

ESPN analyst predictions for the brackets, region by region. For Seattle 4, they have all top 4 seeds getting to Oz, but predicting that Iowa will take down Stanford in the elite eight, if Stanford even gets that far.

https://www.espn.com/womens-college-bask...redictions

And from this morning's SF Chron, article about Jump and her importance to Stanford

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/colle...count=Nw==

[WBB fan]

ESPN analyst predictions for the brackets, region by region. For Seattle 4, they have all top 4 seeds getting to Oz, but predicting that Iowa will take down Stanford in the elite eight, if Stanford even gets that far.

https://www.espn.com/womens-college-bask...redictions

And from this morning's SF Chron, article about Jump and her importance to Stanford

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/colle...count=Nw==

[Spike]

Vegas knows best: we are #3 at 9:1 after So. Car. and UConn.

[Spike]

Vegas knows best: we are #3 at 9:1 after So. Car. and UConn.

[Jskass]

so Indiana and VT will have chips on their shoulders!

[Jskass]

so Indiana and VT will have chips on their shoulders!

[WBB fan]

Vegas knows best: we are #3 at 9:1 after So. Car. and UConn.

Hate to say it about Vegas knows best, but not always. I think Vegas still has a limited grasp on wbb. They had us a 9.5 favorite over UCLA in the Pac-12 tournament

[WBB fan]

Vegas knows best: we are #3 at 9:1 after So. Car. and UConn.

Hate to say it about Vegas knows best, but not always. I think Vegas still has a limited grasp on wbb. They had us a 9.5 favorite over UCLA in the Pac-12 tournament

[martyup]

Vegas knows best: we are #3 at 9:1 after So. Car. and UConn.

Hate to say it about Vegas knows best, but not always. I think Vegas still has a limited grasp on wbb. They had us a 9.5 favorite over UCLA in the Pac-12 tournament

Yes, and we led by as much as 16 points and had a 10 point lead at the start of the 4th.  Pretty hard to predict that our defense would give up 29 points in the 4th.

[martyup]

Vegas knows best: we are #3 at 9:1 after So. Car. and UConn.

Hate to say it about Vegas knows best, but not always. I think Vegas still has a limited grasp on wbb. They had us a 9.5 favorite over UCLA in the Pac-12 tournament

Yes, and we led by as much as 16 points and had a 10 point lead at the start of the 4th.  Pretty hard to predict that our defense would give up 29 points in the 4th.