[PVTree]

NCST clobbering Texas in the first half. They are penetrating even more freely against the horns than they did against us.

[PVTree]

NCST clobbering Texas in the first half. They are penetrating even more freely against the horns than they did against us.

[mbdude]

3 point lines at different distances in Portland. score another fir NCAA

---

end is women's distance, other men

[mbdude]

3 point lines at different distances in Portland. score another fir NCAA

---

end is women's distance, other men

[PVTree]

NCST to the FF. 

It's moot, but I thought we would have had a good shot at beating Texas by stopping Booker from getting to the elbow to take her shots.

Texas was not a three point shooting team, nor were they quick in the backcourt.

[PVTree]

NCST to the FF. 

It's moot, but I thought we would have had a good shot at beating Texas by stopping Booker from getting to the elbow to take her shots.

Texas was not a three point shooting team, nor were they quick in the backcourt.

[WBB fan]

T least Kiki was on the all region team

[WBB fan]

T least Kiki was on the all region team

[triangle2]

Immense respect for Rueck’s restraint. These refs make the PAC-12 contingent look like perfection…

Completely agree. Rueck gets props for keeping his head in the game and not storming the court (which I'm sure is what he wanted to do).

So frustrating to see all of the crap that the refs let Cardoso and the SC bigs get away with. And the ghost fouls on Beers and Gardner made the second half an inevitability.

OSU had a magical season. No one saw this Elite 8 run coming.

[triangle2]

Immense respect for Rueck’s restraint. These refs make the PAC-12 contingent look like perfection…

Completely agree. Rueck gets props for keeping his head in the game and not storming the court (which I'm sure is what he wanted to do).

So frustrating to see all of the crap that the refs let Cardoso and the SC bigs get away with. And the ghost fouls on Beers and Gardner made the second half an inevitability.

OSU had a magical season. No one saw this Elite 8 run coming.

[CompSci87]

3 point lines at different distances in Portland. score another fir NCAA

---

end is women's distance, other men

Which end was Stanford at in the second half?

I'm not trying to blame the loss on that, of course, even if they were at the disadvantage then.

[CompSci87]

3 point lines at different distances in Portland. score another fir NCAA

---

end is women's distance, other men

Which end was Stanford at in the second half?

I'm not trying to blame the loss on that, of course, even if they were at the disadvantage then.

[qwerty49]

3 point lines at different distances in Portland. score another fir NCAA

---

end is women's distance, other men

Which end was Stanford at in the second half?

I'm not trying to blame the loss on that, of course, even if they were at the disadvantage then.

Wow. Just wow. 

There must be a way to blame this on either David Shaw or Larry Scott.

[qwerty49]

3 point lines at different distances in Portland. score another fir NCAA

---

end is women's distance, other men

Which end was Stanford at in the second half?

I'm not trying to blame the loss on that, of course, even if they were at the disadvantage then.

Wow. Just wow. 

There must be a way to blame this on either David Shaw or Larry Scott.

[crackpot]

3 point lines at different distances in Portland. score another fir NCAA

---

end is women's distance, other men

Which end was Stanford at in the second half?

I'm not trying to blame the loss on that, of course, even if they were at the disadvantage then.

Stanford in the second half shot from the shortline, and had its worst quarter of the season. Baylor also had their worst shooting half on that side.  I believe Duke as well.

[crackpot]

3 point lines at different distances in Portland. score another fir NCAA

---

end is women's distance, other men

Which end was Stanford at in the second half?

I'm not trying to blame the loss on that, of course, even if they were at the disadvantage then.

Stanford in the second half shot from the shortline, and had its worst quarter of the season. Baylor also had their worst shooting half on that side.  I believe Duke as well.

[mbdude]

story from ESPN indicates disparity in shooting

3-point lines in Portland 'not the same distance,' NCAA says - ESPN

[mbdude]

story from ESPN indicates disparity in shooting

3-point lines in Portland 'not the same distance,' NCAA says - ESPN

[cardcrimson]

story from ESPN indicates disparity in shooting

3-point lines in Portland 'not the same distance,' NCAA says - ESPN

Interesting that the teams shot worse from the short 3 point line. . ..

[cardcrimson]

story from ESPN indicates disparity in shooting

3-point lines in Portland 'not the same distance,' NCAA says - ESPN

Interesting that the teams shot worse from the short 3 point line. . ..

[TheWildJacko]

story from ESPN indicates disparity in shooting

3-point lines in Portland 'not the same distance,' NCAA says - ESPN

Interesting that the teams shot worse from the short 3 point line. . ..

It makes sense though. You'd expect them to shoot better from the shorter line if they knew if it was shorter, but if they didn't know (and seems like most teams didn't), they'd be calibrating their shots for a longer distance than their actual position, and that would throw things off just as much as if the line were farther away than expected. Absolute distance isn't the problem here, rather difference from expected distance.

ETA: Even if they did know (as in the final game), making the adjustment with effectively zero prep time could be a significant challenge.

[TheWildJacko]

story from ESPN indicates disparity in shooting

3-point lines in Portland 'not the same distance,' NCAA says - ESPN

Interesting that the teams shot worse from the short 3 point line. . ..

It makes sense though. You'd expect them to shoot better from the shorter line if they knew if it was shorter, but if they didn't know (and seems like most teams didn't), they'd be calibrating their shots for a longer distance than their actual position, and that would throw things off just as much as if the line were farther away than expected. Absolute distance isn't the problem here, rather difference from expected distance.

ETA: Even if they did know (as in the final game), making the adjustment with effectively zero prep time could be a significant challenge.

[Leftcoast]

ETA: Even if they did know (as in the final game), making the adjustment with effectively zero prep time could be a significant challenge.

Yes, the wisest in-game adjustment may have been to simply back away to the "correct" distance and shoot from there.

[Leftcoast]

ETA: Even if they did know (as in the final game), making the adjustment with effectively zero prep time could be a significant challenge.

Yes, the wisest in-game adjustment may have been to simply back away to the "correct" distance and shoot from there.

[76lsjumb]

story from ESPN indicates disparity in shooting

3-point lines in Portland 'not the same distance,' NCAA says - ESPN

Interesting that the teams shot worse from the short 3 point line. . ..

It makes sense though. You'd expect them to shoot better from the shorter line if they knew if it was shorter, but if they didn't know (and seems like most teams didn't), they'd be calibrating their shots for a longer distance than their actual position, and that would throw things off just as much as if the line were farther away than expected. Absolute distance isn't the problem here, rather difference from expected distance.

ETA: Even if they did know (as in the final game), making the adjustment with effectively zero prep time could be a significant challenge.

And yet... each team had practiced on the court [presumably both ends] and [at least for the Elite Eight] played a game on the court [definitely both ends] apparently without noticing.  Not exactly "zero prep time," nor, for that matter, evidence that it made such a big difference prior to the final game that anyone made a stink about it.

Also, although I haven't read all of the stories about it, the ones I have read make it sound like the problem was at the top of the key, not all the way around.  Maybe that's not the case, but, if it was, the difference would presumably have diminished as the arc went toward the end line, lessening whatever impact that difference should have caused.

Finally, there's always that old bugaboo so popular with announcers when a team can't throw it in the ocean ... sight lines.

[76lsjumb]

story from ESPN indicates disparity in shooting

3-point lines in Portland 'not the same distance,' NCAA says - ESPN

Interesting that the teams shot worse from the short 3 point line. . ..

It makes sense though. You'd expect them to shoot better from the shorter line if they knew if it was shorter, but if they didn't know (and seems like most teams didn't), they'd be calibrating their shots for a longer distance than their actual position, and that would throw things off just as much as if the line were farther away than expected. Absolute distance isn't the problem here, rather difference from expected distance.

ETA: Even if they did know (as in the final game), making the adjustment with effectively zero prep time could be a significant challenge.

And yet... each team had practiced on the court [presumably both ends] and [at least for the Elite Eight] played a game on the court [definitely both ends] apparently without noticing.  Not exactly "zero prep time," nor, for that matter, evidence that it made such a big difference prior to the final game that anyone made a stink about it.

Also, although I haven't read all of the stories about it, the ones I have read make it sound like the problem was at the top of the key, not all the way around.  Maybe that's not the case, but, if it was, the difference would presumably have diminished as the arc went toward the end line, lessening whatever impact that difference should have caused.

Finally, there's always that old bugaboo so popular with announcers when a team can't throw it in the ocean ... sight lines.

[old spanish trail]

3 point lines at different distances in Portland. score another fir NCAA

---

end is women's distance, other men

Which end was Stanford at in the second half?

I'm not trying to blame the loss on that, of course, even if they were at the disadvantage then.

Stanford in the second half shot from the shortline, and had its worst quarter of the season. Baylor also had their worst shooting half on that side.  I believe Duke as well.

Now, that's fascinating and troubling.

[old spanish trail]

3 point lines at different distances in Portland. score another fir NCAA

---

end is women's distance, other men

Which end was Stanford at in the second half?

I'm not trying to blame the loss on that, of course, even if they were at the disadvantage then.

Stanford in the second half shot from the shortline, and had its worst quarter of the season. Baylor also had their worst shooting half on that side.  I believe Duke as well.

Now, that's fascinating and troubling.

[PVTree]

Caitlin Clark and Iowa bounce Reese, Mulkey, and LSU from the tournament.

Seems like SCar and Iowa are on a collision course.

[PVTree]

Caitlin Clark and Iowa bounce Reese, Mulkey, and LSU from the tournament.

Seems like SCar and Iowa are on a collision course.

[qwerty49]

I hate Mulkey but I wish Reese hadn't been injured -- that really affected the outcome of the game as LSU was up by 4 at the time.  I was really impressed by Reese -- announcers mentioned that she was originally a guard who eventually grew into a post's body.

Interesting that JuJu actually loafs a bit on offense after she passes it in, leaves her team with 4 players playing offense and doesn't seem to expect a touch after she gives it up.

[qwerty49]

I hate Mulkey but I wish Reese hadn't been injured -- that really affected the outcome of the game as LSU was up by 4 at the time.  I was really impressed by Reese -- announcers mentioned that she was originally a guard who eventually grew into a post's body.

Interesting that JuJu actually loafs a bit on offense after she passes it in, leaves her team with 4 players playing offense and doesn't seem to expect a touch after she gives it up.

[MV72018]

Caitlin Clark and Iowa bounce Reese, Mulkey, and LSU from the tournament.

Seems like SCar and Iowa are on a collision course.

Never count out Geno. 

Question: if Geno had the same personnel on his team that Tara had on hers this year, would his team have not gone as far as, gone just as far as, or gone farther than the Cardinal did in the Tournament?

[MV72018]

Caitlin Clark and Iowa bounce Reese, Mulkey, and LSU from the tournament.

Seems like SCar and Iowa are on a collision course.

Never count out Geno. 

Question: if Geno had the same personnel on his team that Tara had on hers this year, would his team have not gone as far as, gone just as far as, or gone farther than the Cardinal did in the Tournament?

[Card10Fan]

Caitlin Clark and Iowa bounce Reese, Mulkey, and LSU from the tournament.

Seems like SCar and Iowa are on a collision course.

Never count out Geno. 

Question: if Geno had the same personnel on his team that Tara had on hers this year, would his team have not gone as far as, gone just as far as, or gone farther than the Cardinal did in the Tournament?

Farther. Simply look at his coaching in the NCAA tourney the last 15 years. They’ve been in the Final 4 all but what, one year. His teams just play with such confidence and composure in March. Tara’s a great coach but Geno is in his own echelon this time of year. Even matchups where you would think UConn has a major disadvantage such as tonight, he finds a way to mitigate that disadvantage and still win.  Our success is largely depending on us having favorable matchups where I think UConn is better at finding their own matchups to maximize regardless of opponent. Plus great guard play wins games and UConn always has great guards.

I thought USC had tons of chances. juju played and looked like a freshman at times. She looked heartbroken at the end.

[Card10Fan]

Caitlin Clark and Iowa bounce Reese, Mulkey, and LSU from the tournament.

Seems like SCar and Iowa are on a collision course.

Never count out Geno. 

Question: if Geno had the same personnel on his team that Tara had on hers this year, would his team have not gone as far as, gone just as far as, or gone farther than the Cardinal did in the Tournament?

Farther. Simply look at his coaching in the NCAA tourney the last 15 years. They’ve been in the Final 4 all but what, one year. His teams just play with such confidence and composure in March. Tara’s a great coach but Geno is in his own echelon this time of year. Even matchups where you would think UConn has a major disadvantage such as tonight, he finds a way to mitigate that disadvantage and still win.  Our success is largely depending on us having favorable matchups where I think UConn is better at finding their own matchups to maximize regardless of opponent. Plus great guard play wins games and UConn always has great guards.

I thought USC had tons of chances. juju played and looked like a freshman at times. She looked heartbroken at the end.

[crackpot]

It was as if $C came with no offensive plan and didn't start playing defense 'til partway through the second half. Where was this team when we were playing 'em?

[crackpot]

It was as if $C came with no offensive plan and didn't start playing defense 'til partway through the second half. Where was this team when we were playing 'em?

[BostonCard]

Paige Beukers: #1 in 2020
Aaliyah Edwards #23 in 2020
Ayanna Patterson: #6 in 2022
Isune Brady: #8 in 2022
Kamorea Arnold: #6 in 2023
Ashlyne Shade: #8 in 2023
Qadance Samuels: #41 in 2023

Nika Muhl is the only player who wasn’t ranked in the top 50 and that’s partly because she came from Croatia.  Two other players that saw playing time tonight were outside the top 10.  Five(!) players were in the top 8 recruits their year.

That’s not throwing shade on Geno; after all he recruited them!  But if we are talking about swapping rosters, then you have to account for the fact that UConn’s roster was stacked, and while Stanford is no pushover, the only two top 10 players we have are #3 in 2020 Cameron Brink, and #7 in 2021 Brooke Demetre.

Hannah Jump was #36 in 2019
Kiki Iriafen was #22 in 2021
Talan Lepolo was #71 in 2022
Elena Bosgana was unranked (but international)

That doesn’t give Tara a pass; after all there were a number of players (including Buekers) who we recruited but couldn’t get to sign (BobK can chime in if she had the grades or not).  But Tara recruited the players we have.

But, if your question is “could Geno have taken the 2023/24 Stanford team past the sweet sixteen”, the answer is not self-evident just because he is taking a UConn team with more star power to the final four.

BC

[BostonCard]

Paige Beukers: #1 in 2020
Aaliyah Edwards #23 in 2020
Ayanna Patterson: #6 in 2022
Isune Brady: #8 in 2022
Kamorea Arnold: #6 in 2023
Ashlyne Shade: #8 in 2023
Qadance Samuels: #41 in 2023

Nika Muhl is the only player who wasn’t ranked in the top 50 and that’s partly because she came from Croatia.  Two other players that saw playing time tonight were outside the top 10.  Five(!) players were in the top 8 recruits their year.

That’s not throwing shade on Geno; after all he recruited them!  But if we are talking about swapping rosters, then you have to account for the fact that UConn’s roster was stacked, and while Stanford is no pushover, the only two top 10 players we have are #3 in 2020 Cameron Brink, and #7 in 2021 Brooke Demetre.

Hannah Jump was #36 in 2019
Kiki Iriafen was #22 in 2021
Talan Lepolo was #71 in 2022
Elena Bosgana was unranked (but international)

That doesn’t give Tara a pass; after all there were a number of players (including Buekers) who we recruited but couldn’t get to sign (BobK can chime in if she had the grades or not).  But Tara recruited the players we have.

But, if your question is “could Geno have taken the 2023/24 Stanford team past the sweet sixteen”, the answer is not self-evident just because he is taking a UConn team with more star power to the final four.

BC