23% from the field. 40% from the line. 0% from 3. Charli 3 shot attempts and fouls out. 20 turnovers. Not a pretty day.
Texas needs to get out of Waco as soon as possible! I'm not even going to speak on that effort because nobody was mentally there. Time to get back to Austin and get ready for TCU.
She is immensely talented....however....like you said, the mental part is perplexing. She does it to herself. I simply don't see her as the #1 pick. If she thinks it's tough against Baylor, etc., the WNBA is tougher and way more physical.....
I suspected this and it's very nice of Kim to offer the gym so we could practice before TCU. I guess it was KA who caused her to act like that when she plays us
I don't get it. I see the dribble drive going east to west, but it doesn't go down hill. They just throw up a one handed brick. They don't even square up to take a real shot. I saw no game plan being executed. Just throw the ball up to one of the best rebounding teams in the country so might as well count everyone of those bad shots as a turnover.
Respectfully disagree. When you have your best player only take 3 shots the entire game that’s not lack of execution, that’s poor planning coming into the game. Had she taken 10-15 and only made 3 then I’d buy that POV. We have a running group text of about 7 coaches with various levels of experience ranging from HS state titles and WBB final 4 game appearances....... and during the game one coach called out “with this game plan Texas will have to hit 8-12 threes to win the game” at the 4:30 mark of the first quarter. That shows how obvious it was that we had the wrong blueprint coming in. Vic is in year one so this is well within the expectation when going up against the best team/coach in the conference, but we’ve got to be honest and clear eyed about the issue so we can fix them moving forward, because it’s almost as off the staff expected BU to play her straight up and that was far from the case. Next game look for Charli to play on the perimeter more and get involved in the dribble drive action and come off a lot more down/cross screens to get some quick pins and easy touches. One positive that I must call out is that our defense was solid. May not feel like it losing by 25 but the team goal was 60 and they hit that. It never wavered except for letting Carrington get loose for two back to back 3’s and giving up too many O boards. This could’ve easily been a 50 point loss if our D had checked out and started to mail it in. Very happy with what I saw on that end of the court.
Collier game would be easier, if we had some guards to help her or even 1 wing. Texas look a mess. Ladies get in the gym and work on your craft.
We shot 25%. A night in a Waco hotel will do that to you. And now they are stuck there. God help us against TCU.
Charli should stay one more year. She has improved tremendously since she was a freshman, but has more work to do to be a top WNBA, IMO. I don't know if it was the game plan, the defense, or her frustration that got the best of her, but something did.
I think you’ll see a rebound against TCU. Smith is the real deal and gives Collier fits with her length. Baylor has length and athleticism better than we do at every position right now. I was disappointed but resigned to our fate midway through quarter 2.
Agreed. In the wnba there will be no easy games like she has had this season. Every game will be against teams/ players like Baylor and Smith. I think her talents will really show under a normal year under Vic and his staff as well as the players we have. Rori, Kyndall and Moore are great passers. One thing about our guards that really makes me cringe is they don't give great entry passes. Ebo and Collier will be open on the block but we seem to never give it to them when they are open but always try to make the pass when they are double teamed. We get too flustered when under pressure.
If Charli chose to leave for the WNBA she’d do just fine. She’ll see 1on1 matchups and once she catches up to the speed of the pro game, she’ll do just fine. Nights like tonight won’t happen because you can’t collapse in the paint like BU did tonight
She will without a doubt adjust to the wnba eventually but she doesn't seem to play well when players of her size and caliber are against her and she is not mentally tough enough yet because as we have all seen all season, when she gets upset it shows in her body language and play. I think one year under a tough coach will be the best option for her. He keeps it real with his players and does not baby them which will only benefit them in the long run.
One of the most misleading things from watching so many games from the angle of the TV cameras or from the stands is the passing angles from guard to post. If you sit courtside you can see how difficult it is for smaller guards to make entry passes. The game just doesn’t look the same as from above. If the defensive player is taller and longer, you generally have to put more air under it. That’s what we are seeing when our short guards try that. If you can’t penetrate to get the defense moving, those entry passes are not there. I fall into that trap LOTS.....yelling “give it to her, give it to her”......and the pass isn’t doable. That’s what we were seeing a lot of today. Notice how easy it was for Richards, the 6 ft, 1 inch point guard for Baylor to make those entry passes over our short guards .....or the skip cross-court. Notice how Doncic....or for us oldsters....Magic Johnson made those look easy. Next year, Harmon will be able to penetrate or knock down the 3 and things will get better. Be patient.
These games where Collier really struggles.....Baylor and Oklahoma State first game and others......gives me hope she decides another year will help her. She will be going up against grown women in the WBNA every game. Her strength, ball handling and passing are all things that could really be important things to improve on with another year. A lot depends on her relationship with staff. If she thinks she is being mishandled coaching wise, she will leave. Her immaturity shows at times. That could be improved upon. It really depends if she wants all those improvements at the college or pro levels. She will get there. It’s how quickly and where she wants it.
Whatever Vic can teach her, a WNBA coach can teach her. If Charli leaves it will be her deciding that a degree isn’t necessary for her career. With her looks and talent, she probably doesn’t need the degree. That’s my guess anyway. Hope I’m wrong.
I knew that after this game the chat was gonna blow up. Bottom line is from a coach stand point Vic game plan shoulda worked. Dribble drive put BU in some tough spots but lack of aggression simply stifled our guards. Someone already mention that the defense held them to the defensive goal. I hope Charlie does go to the W after this year because she is entirely to inconsistent for me but I do adore her game and skill level. The guards simply just didn’t finish with toughness, play aggressive, or meet the moment (come to play). Chevalier did show me some good mins and not in a Malicious way I hope she transfer to a squad where they need her in ways we don’t cause she isn’t going to get her shot here this year with Kyra and/or next year with Rori who is pound for pound right better than both of em.
We had a great game plan: hold Baylor to 60. Mission accomplished. We just forgot the other half of the game plan: score more than 60.
I get it and you make some valid points. However... when things aren't going your way individually and the opponent has taken away your favorite options, you have to WORK HARDER to get involved. Focus on getting on the boards, lock down more on defense, etc. and let the game come to you. I saw none of that.
One of the best ways to feed a post when they've got their defender sealed is with a good, solid, well-timed bounce pass. I don't recall ever seeing us execute one of those.
You’re right brinkj. Unfortunately the bounce pass is fading from the game. Guess like the mid-range offensive game. My fair and biased opinion of that is, it’s not being emphasized or taught now by coaches. There is a lot of variability into what can happen when you try that. Players have to bend over to receive, lots of errant passes off shins and out of bounds and to the opposition. It still has a place in the game but it isn’t a tool I see being used universally in the game anymore. We always taught to use all the tools you have. One of the best places to use is quick and fast about 6” outside the defensive players head. No I am digressing.
And who would back Rori up if she does become the starter as a freshman if Chevalier were to transfer?
I don’t think we know the answer to that right now. I’ve read that Hunter can play the point as well, or, perhaps Lambert comes back for another year!!!
If Lambert returns she would be a great backup PG to have but Harmon will get that spot. She fits Vic's style of play to the nail. Lambert is still adjusting but still a great pg. What I didn’t know is that Hunter is the "go to" scorer for Cy Creek. Harmon is an elite scorer don't get me wrong but Hunter is the player getting in the 30-40 range each night. It's going to be a dog fight for that starting lineup I will say that.
