Wednesday night smaller crowd, but damn we were loud! So much fun tonight. Great game for the Horns! .
Really happy to see this team continue to improve and get better at both ends of the court. I thought our offensive ball movement against their 2-3 zone was the best I've seen us execute the last 2 years (or longer); like Vic says, the game is easier when you are knocking down shots, and Audrey was the best example of that finding her spots from inside their zone defense. We turned the ball over more than I thought we would, but perhaps that was because everyone was trying to be unselfish and make the extra pass; or could have been because of their length. On defense, the game plan was what I thought it would be. Staying out of foul trouble was key, and that was the case most of the night. Lauren Ebo is so valuable against an elite Center like Lee; really hope she comes back for another season as her build and experience are not easy to find (even in the transfer portal).
I wish the refs would call every game like that. Sad to see Ebo foul out, but for the most part whistles stayed quiet. Made for a much more exciting game.
A lot of us were worrying about Lee. She got some points, but was not a factor in the game. I didn't watch the previous game so don't know how she got the 61, but tonight she just looked like a center who was struggling to get touches. Are we that much better at defense than ou?
This was a complete team win. Audrey stood out but everyone participated. Ebo was better than I expected. Vic had them ready. Was good to see Shae, but not sure why we didn't see Latasha. Bottom line, we controlled this game for the duration. Who's next?
1. I'm not sure if you could see it, but at one point near the end of the game, Vic (as usual out on the court) actually grabbed Rori and re-directed her in another direction. I think it was for in inbound pass and he wanted her in another spot. I don't I've ever seen a coach do that during a game. But I guess since the ball hadn't been inbounded, the play hadn't actually started 2. It was very unusual that Vic was vocally upset at the team when on defense. He constant was yelling at them or waving his hand in frustration while we were defending. Like our players were constantly out of position, yet we played really good defense? 3. I think Audrey has more gas for the game when she's brought in off the bench instead of starting. Thus, her ball handling has become a bit better 4. Gaston, with the ball with a lot of hands grabbing at her is always a disaster and she turns it over 5. Rori had another ball she dribbled out into a turnover, without the other player poking it out of her control 6. Some KSU fans bought tickets right behind us in the middle of Longhorn country and they were remarking, 'WOW, they're playing us TIGHT" 7. I wonder if it's insulting to bring in players like Hunter to kill off the last 20 seconds or so of the game? 8. Ebo really getting after those rebounds lately!
I didn’t expect to see Lattimore unless several bigs got in foul trouble. She’s not strong or heavy enough yet to handle the likes of Lee in my opinion. Not a good matchup for her. I’m anxious to see how her offseason strength & conditioning go for next season
I had to watch later on tape, but it was worth it. Our defense works perfectly against a not real athletic team. Warren and Ebo were the players of the game, with Allen-Taylor right up there too. I love Rori of course, but I wish she would get her shot back (like at Stanford). If only we could make free throws. No reason to beat a dead horse, but I would still like to see more of Hunter. Don't think we will, though. It's hard to forget that 27 points in 14 minutes.
Actually a lot of Vic’s yelling on defense are words of encouragement or reminders about hands up, positioning etc. Someone that has seats close enough to hear him reported on that awhile back if memory serves. I’ve actually heard some of those encouraging words as I sit directly across court from the bench. But sure, he’s never happy if the opponent gets a basket
Let me put it this way: OU scored an impressive 93 points against Oregon… and still lost. Oregon averages 75. That’s how bad their defense is. They are allowing 78 points in conference games.
Actually, I’m not sure what he did was legal. The ball was definitely in play. Harmon had brought the ball down the court and passed to JAT. While JAT was dribbling Harmon begins to run right and Vic grabs her jersey and pulls her back and then pushes her left. It was crazy and hilarious. Less than a minute to play.
Watch Matharu's face at 8 min. 45 sec. into the post game press conference, "It's better to bring in a vine-ripe tomato than a green one" in reference to Audrey Warren coming off the bench as an experienced senior player.
Agree, it was a live play and Rori was going to go into the corner but Vic wanted Rori to handle the ball and JAT to go into the corner.
Vic was most upset when Texas would score a basket and Deyona Gaston or Matharu would forget whom they're defending to immediately go into full-court press. But Vic kept his jacket on all game.
I think Vic used the 61 point game and all the hoopla around Lee….to say…..”she’s not going to get the opportunity against MY players”. You could just see that competitiveness in him…..and mirrored in the intensity of his players. What a fun game. If you are on the good side. On the KState side…..I imagine they hated every second of the pressure.
Warren was simply magical in the short corner against the zone. As well as flashing into the middle. And quick release. And she had a real good pass out of the middle to Ebo down low. Now THAT’S how to attack a 3-2 zone that is pressing the outside. She has the purest shot on the team. We’ll miss her experience and shooting next year.
More stuff about the game, I noticed a change in the way the offense was running. When going weaving in towards the basket, the players backed off quickly if there wasn't much going there and QUICKLY passed the ball to another player instead of trying to decide if they should try shooting it. And then when they passed it, it seems they're employing a new high arch pass and successfully(!) receiving said pass.
I think we'd all like to see more of players like Lattimore, Hunter, etc. This game was one that required total commitment to a very specific game plan to maintain control of the game throughout. In this situation the coach has to play a rotation that is capable of doing and sustaining that. Notice how soon he went to Shae Holle off the bench? That's because she was capable of executing the game plan. Some of our younger players are just not quite there YET.... but they'll get there. Vic wouldn't have recruited them if he thought otherwise. We had no real security until very late in the game. KSU cut the lead to 11 there in the fourth quarter with about three or four minutes left if I recall correctly. At that point there is still plenty of time for things to go awry, especially against a team as good both offensively and defensively as KSU. A couple of trips down the floor without scoring combined with defensive mistakes and you could've potentially been looking at a five point ball game. I think Vic did a really good job with his substitution patterns last night. I agree it was really fun to watch the players buy into his game plan and enjoy it. What he demands defensively is NOT easy. Again, very well-coached and well-played team win. *Special shout-out to Lauren Ebo with that GROWN WOMAN style of post play!
At the moment, my first thought was that was the easiest shot she had all night; and she missed it! Stats say she was 8-9 shooting. But, as I was re-watching some of the game, she did launch a half-court shot to end the 3rd quarter (that was close to going in the basket); does that not count as an attempted shot?
I was going off the stat sheet that said 8-9 and 0-0 3-point shots. I believe the broadcast team did as well. So I guess not I don’t remember if she launched before time ran out It was amusing to me that Audrey was so hot that even her missed shot turned into extra points
Agree x 2
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