Texas @ UConn 11/14/2022

I feel bad that Shaylee has been put under a microscope (myself included). She’s been put in a very difficult position right out of the gate in the first two games of the season on a brand new team against some really tough defenses. She’s obviously a trooper and we’re lucky to have her and I’m really looking forward to when she gets to play more in her natural position.

The game has temporarily been sped up on her out of the blue in the absolute worst part of the season for something like this to happen. It’s a new team trying to gel and get on the same page with a lot of new players (and coaches) and she has had no time to be able to adapt to this unique situation which is unfortunate and unfair but she is persevering. Much respect to her.

We got three really good transfer players and two really good freshmen added to this team and I’m still excited as ever about this season and tonight’s game actually solidified it even more. This a legit solid Top Ten team with a high ceiling.

Cannot wait for when Rori is back 100%, so I can only imagine how much the team is looking to have her back on both ends of the court. As Vic always says “she’s special y’all”.

 

Neither Mwenentanda nor Muhammad looked the LEAST BIT intimidated by the occasion. Their development is going to be key for us this season.

 

I'm team A-Mo all day every day. That said, it doesn't matter how talented you are if you spend more than half the game on the bench in foul trouble. She's got to clean that up.

 

Yep, we lost, but tonight's team didn't look anything like the team that played against Louisiana. There's a road to go, but I am more confident than ever that we're gonna get there.

 

I would hate to think the situation we'd be in right now had Gonzales not elected to transfer to Texas. Her decision came around July 11. Not sure what other options there would have been for Vic had he not won that recruiting battle.

 

Was thinking this same thing. Prior to her commitment, in my mind, Matharu was going to fill that role. And based upon the timing of Matharu's portal entry, it seems she thought that would be part of her role as well. Once Gonzales came in, I think that changed her mind. And speaking of Matharu, I just noticed she didn't show up in the box score of either of Florida's first 2 games.

 

I think she must be waiting to hear about a waiver decision being that this is her second transfer.

 

We'll never know for sure why/when Matharu decided to transfer; but, I just don't think Vic would have been pursuing all of Fields, Morrison, and Gonzales if Matharu hadn't communicated to Vic her plans to leave Texas. Although she announced her intentions after Gonzales signed with Texas, I get the feeling her mind was made up way before then and she was waiting to possibly finish her second summer semester at Texas (in order to remain on scholarship).

 

I’m ready to move on…..with simplification statement. There’s no quit in ANY of the players. When Harmon gets well and the team matures…..look out to other teams.

 

Thankful we had Shaylee and Sonya last night to step up with Rori out.

Thankful last night was only the second game of the season and not an elimination game in the post-season.

 

I think every halfway intelligent coach on our schedule will have as a major part of their game plan GET RORI IN FOUL TROUBLE.

After we won the first game, I posted that we are Top 20 material without Rori, but legitimate elite top 5 material with her. I think I may have overreacted to how lost we looked for much of the Louisiana game, because that was a better than Top 20 performance against UConn. We had a bad stretch where Fudd killed us like we were a bunch of wascawy wabbits, but other than that we hung right with them.

Nevertheless, any coach worth his/her paycheck is going to do everything possible to make Rori sit with foul trouble because we are more vulnerable without her than with her. Gotta' agree with @Moooooo that our lack of point guard depth may come back to bite us on the butt.

 

That would be the case even if they did have quality PG depth. Every coach wants to try to get the opposing teams best players into foul trouble. You just hope that this is more of a blessing in disguise. And that if/when she does get into foul trouble, that they'll do a good job of handling it.

 

Not to sound like a broken record, but the only way to do that is to be able to shoot the ball well from the perimeter consistently.

 

Ok so the coach in me has watched the game 3 times and after calming down we didn’t play terrible. It came down to couple of things that a young team can fix by March. They out rebounded us by 8 and turned us over 2 more times than we did them. On the surface level I think 95% panicked but it wasn’t that bad we won 2 quarters 1st and 4th. We shot the 3 ball pretty well just as good as them if not better Fudd went off. If we wouldn’t have lost her a lil less and locked in a lil more we beat them easy along with we went 10-20 from FT line. If we made a couple more free throws and not fumble on where Fudd was we beat them.

 

Fudd was just in dream world last night and coudnt miss. She may be the best we will see. Defense on her was not bad at all, she was just on fire and thats gonna happen. This team played well. We do need much better 3 pt shooting. Not sure if we have it or not but its a game changer. Seeing those 5 players surround Jones at one point just tells you and by the way she is a game changer in the paint.

 

When was the last time we recruited two front court players of similar quality who made such an impact their freshman year?

I think you have to go back to 2001-2002 with Heather Schreiber and Kala Bowers. Different era, but I think Mwenentanda/Muhammad will surpass Schreiber/Bowers.

 

That would be 2001-2002 for Schreiber and Bowers. I don’t want to say they will be better….very different athleticism and attributes. Tremendous potential. Bowers was a great compliment to her team, and Schreiber could play the 3 or 4, but imo was better at the 4 spot. Schreiber was a scorer and deadly shooter from 3 point land. Bowers was more defense. They both were great players. Amina and Jak are more athletic. Time will tell, but I love what I see.

 

Looks like you quoted me before I made the correction. Also, I copied this to the 2022-2023 Season thread.

All good points. Your comment about their athleticism is what fuels my optimism.