Texas at Stanford-Monday night

Texas (0-0) and Stanford (1-0) meet for the 12th time in the history of the two programs. The Cardinal lead the all-time series between the two teams 6-4. But the Horns will be looking for their third straight win, including second in a row at Maples Pavilion. This will be the opening game of the season for Texas while Stanford comes in after beating Cal Poly 53-55 this past Friday in their season opener. Both teams are ranked in the top 15 in both polls. Texas is #8 in the AP & tied at #6 in the coaches poll. Stanford comes in at #11 (AP) and #10 (Coaches).

Kinda surprised that Karlie Samuelson (# 44, 6-0 Sr. G) did not start against Cal Poly. She started all 35 games last season and average over 30 mpg. Starters were Brianna Roberson (# 10, 5-7 Sr. G); Erica McCall (# 24, 6-3 Sr. F); Kaylee Johnson (# 5, 6-3 Jr. F); Brittany McPhee (# 12, 6-0 Jr. G) and Marta Sniezek (# 13, 5-8 Soph. G). Twelve of the thirteen players on the Cardinal roster played. The only one that did not was Anna Wilson (# 3, 5-9 Fr. G). She suffered a concussion during practice for the McDonald’s All American game this past spring. In August, The Cardinal Sports Report had a short blurb that she was still working through some lingering effects from the concussion. Thee was no report that I could find if that was what kept her out of Friday’s game. Hard to say if she will play Monday. FYI, she is the younger sister of Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.

Senior guard Lili Thompson opted out of playing, although she is still at Stanford and is on track to graduate with her class.

Stanford will bring in five players that hit double figures against Cal Poly, Roberson (16.0 ppg) is at the top. The rest are: McCall (14.0 ppg), Johnson (11.0 ppg), McPhee (10.0 ppg) and Samuelson (10.0 ppg). Three players did all the damage from BTA: Roberson (4-5); Samuelson (2-4) and Mikaela Brewer (# 14, 5-10 Fr. G) who hit 2-2 from BTA. Johnson was the leading rebounding with 8 while several others had four each. Sniezek only scored two points but set the table for her teammates with ten assists. Leading shot blockers were McCall with three and Nadia Fingall (# 4, 6-3 Fr. F) with two. As expected in a blowout, no player played 30+ minutes. Five were in the 20’s: Sniezek (29), Johnson (27), McPhee (25), McCall (25) and Roberson (23).

Texas returns one starter: Brooke (35 starts in 36 games; 31.1 mog); two others with double digit starts: Ariel (14 starts in 27 games; 21.0 mpg) and Brianna Taylor (18 starts in 34 games; 18.6 mpg). Kelsey (6 starts in 36 games; 18.8 mpg) and LaShann (one start in 34 games; 13.2 mpg) are the other players that had starts last season. Tasia (played in 28 games ; 8.9 mpg), Jordan (played in 35 games; 9.4 mpg) and Olamide (played in 18 games; 3.4 mpg) all saw action last season. Those are the returness from last season. Two transfers will play this season: 6-4 twins Khaléann (# 30, RS soph.) and Audrey-Ann (# 31, Jr. JC transfer). Three frosh fill out the roster: Alecia Sutton (# # 1, 5-8 PG), Jada Underwood (# 12, 6-0 G/F) and Joyner Holmes (# 24, 6-3 G/F). Ariel is now wearing # 23 instead of the #24 she wore the last two years.

Horns return two of the three top scorers from last season: Brooke (11.8 pts) and Ariel (11.2 ppg). Kelsey (4.5 rpg) and Brianna (4.3 rpg) were second and third in rebounding. Brooke was second in assists with 89. Brooke was the only player to break 1000 minutes (1119). Kelsey (675 minutes) and Brianna (633 minutes) have the next most minutes among the returnees. Brooke (67-162; 41.4%) and Ariel (21-59; 35.6%) are the top 3pt shooters returning. Brooke led in 3pters made, attempted & percentage. Brianna had a good 3pt % (37.5) but only took eight treys. Kelsey’s 31 shots were second on the team to Imani’s 104. No other player had more than seven blocks. LaShann, averaging only 13+ mpg, led the Horns with 48 steals. Brianna and Brooke with 43 steals each join LaShann as three of the four Horns that had over 40 steals last season.

Projected starters based on the last game: (purely a guess on the Texas starters).
Texas_______________Stanford
Kelsey (6-5)________ Roberson (5-7)
Ariel (5-11)_________ McCall (6-3)
Audrey (6-3)_______ Johnson (6-3)
Brianna (5-9)______ McPhee (6-0)
Brooke (5-4)_______ Sniezek (5-8)

The inside battle is going to intense. Whoever is guarding McCall needs to be aware that she can hit the three. Both teams have multiple bodies to send into that fray. Those perimeter matchups are intriguing. Who will be able to stop the other’s 3pt shooters? Whose fast break will be stalled? Depth should not be an issue for either team although some important depth will be supplied by freshmen on both teams.

Team Stats______________________Texas (0-0)_________Stanford (1-0)
Scoring__________________________-0-________________83
PPG_____________________________-0-_________________83.0
Scoring Margin_________________-0-_________________+28.0
FGs Made-Att___________________-0-_________________34-64
FG Ave/Game Made-Att_________-0-_________________34.0-64.0
FG%____________________________-0-__________________53.1%
2pt Made-Att___________________-0-__________________26-45
2pt FGs Ave/Game Made-Att___-0-__________________26.0-45.0
2pt FG%________________________-0-__________________57.8%
3p FGs Made-Att_______________-0-___________________8-19
3pt Ave/Game Made-Att_______-0-___________________8.0-19.0
3pt FG%_______________________-0-___________________42.1%
FTs Made-Att__________________-0-___________________7-15
FT Ave/Game Made-Att________-0-___________________7.0-15.0
FT %___________________________-0-___________________46.7%
Rebounds_____________________-0-___________________45
RPG___________________________-0-____________________45.0
Reb Margin___________________-0-____________________+8.0
Assists________________________-0-____________________21
APG___________________________-0-___________________21.0
Turnovers_____________________-0-___________________16
TOPG_________________________-0-____________________16.0
TO Margin____________________-0-____________________+1.0
A/TO Ratio____________________-0-____________________1.3
Steals_________________________-0-____________________6
SPG___________________________-0-____________________6.0
Blocks_________________________-0-___________________8
BPG___________________________-0-___________________8.0
Winning Streak_______________-0-____________________1
Home Win Streak_____________-0-___________________1
Home Attendance____________-0-___________________2684
Attendance Ave/Game________-0-___________________1-2684.0

Score by quarters (ave)_____1st_____2nd_____3rd _____4th_____Total
Texas (-0-)____________________-0-_____-0-______-0-______-0-______-0-
Stanford (0-0)________________20.0___18.0_____23.0____22.0_____83.0

I tried to watch the Stanford-Cal Poly game since it was online. The connection from Stanford was horrible. The feed kept freezing up and I had to close that window and reopen it. Only saw a few seconds at a time. Since I can watch videos and other online games without problems, I don’t think the problem was on my end.

At any rate, from what I could watch, Stanford will run as often as we like to do so. They will take the opportunity to launch 3s often. We know about Samuelson who led the PAC 12 in 3pt FG % at 47.3& and was second for the season in 3s made per game at 2.29 pg. But Roberson and frosh Brewer give the Cardinal two other options that the Horns need to be aware of. McCall also demonstrated last season that she can stretch the defense, hitting 39.3% of her treys even though she only took 28 all of last season.

Against a relatively short team, Stanford had trouble controlling the boards. It is going to be interesting to see how they handle the physicality of Texas on the boards. In addition, both teams will need to guard the 3pt line as both have shooters that can drain the open look.

Game time is 7 PM CST (5 PM PST). The game will be on ESPN2. Listen locally on 105.3 FM.

For those that have to watch the game online, WatchESPN will carry the game online.
The link: http://www.espn.com/watchespn/index

LHN video preview of Texas vs Stanford:
http://www.texassports.com/news/201...ord-womens-basketball-preview-nov-7-2016.aspx

 

if interested or have the time, UConn will take on Florida State at 5 PM CST on ESPN2. Both games are part of the 2016 ESPN College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon that begins on Monday, Nov. 14 and runs through Tuesday, Nov. 15. These are the only two women's games on the Marathon schedule.

 

Some tidbits to keep us engaged until Monday night. Looks like we should back off Sniezek as she isnt a scorer and wouldn't be the starter if Thompson hadn't left. And stick tight to Samuelson and Robertson and McCall. Alternately, we could pressure Sniezek as she may not be used to dealing with in your face defense like our guards can bring. She did have 4 turnovers in the first game. Will be fun to see how Aston keeps the ball out of the paint AND out of the hands of their 3 point shooters. This is from the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday.

In Stanford’s final 10 games of last season, Erica McCall averaged 20 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. This season, “Bird” is ready to soar again.
The 6-foot-3 senior is one of four returning starters for head coach Tara VanDerveer’s 31st season on the Farm. The others are wing Karlie Samuelson, forward Kaylee Johnson and point guard Marta Sniezek.
The missing starter for the No. 11 Cardinal is guard Lili Thompson, who led the team in scoring last season but left the team in the offseason, although she is on track to get her degree in June.
VanDerveer won’t discuss Thompson’s departure, but she has unbridled enthusiasm for her team, which adds three McDonald’s All-Americans: guards Dijonai Carrington and Anna Wilson and forward Nadia Fingall.
In 2015-16, the Cardinal went 27-8 overall and 14-4 in the Pac-12. In the Sweet 16, they upset Notre Dame, which enters this season as the No. 1 team in the country.
Stanford still didn’t reach its goals. It was the first year since the conference tournament started in 2002 that the Cardinal failed to win either the regular-season or tournament title. Then they were eliminated in the Elite Eight by Washington. The Huskies and Oregon State gave the Pac-12 two teams in the Final Four for the first time.
Stanford, which reached the Final Four six times from 2008 through ’14, wants to be back in it this season in Dallas. The Cardinal open at home Friday against Cal Poly and host No. 8 Texas on Monday night on national TV.
“We want to be a great rebounding team — not a good rebounding team, a great rebounding team,” VanDerveer said. “We want to be an excellent defensive team and, offensively, a high-execution team.”
Samuelson rejoined practice Tuesday after suffering a hairline fracture of her left forearm six weeks ago. She averaged 47.3 percent on three-point tries last season, third in the nation. Until she returns to top shape, Brittany McPhee will start in her spot. McPhee “has been one of the absolute stars of the preseason,” VanDerveer said.
VanDerveer marvels at Sniezek’s basketball IQ. “She sees things on the court a lot of times before anybody, including me,” VanDerveer said. “She’s our quarterback.”
Backing up Sniezek will be senior Brianna Roberson and Wilson, sister of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson is currently out with an injury from high school ball.
VanDerveer thinks she and the other freshmen — including Canadian sharpshooter Mikaela Brewer — will have a major impact on the team this season. In particular, Carrington (who’s 5-11) should be a force on defense and on the glass. Her father, Darren, played eight years in the NFL as a safety, ending his career with the Raiders.
VanDerveer needs 20 wins to give her 1,000 as a head coach. In 37 previous seasons, counting two years at Idaho and five at Ohio State, she had 980. She has 828 at Stanford.
Top-notch recruiting class: Stanford’s 2017 recruiting class was rated No. 2 in the nation by ESPNW HoopGurlz and No. 6 by Prospects Nation. The group that signed national letters of intent Wednesday consists of wing Maya Dodson of Alpharetta, Ga.; forward Alyssa Jerome of Toronto; wing Estella Moschkau of Mount Horeb, Wis.; and point guard Kiana Williams of San Antonio.
ESPNW HoopGurlz rated Williams and Dodson as the Nos. 8 and 11 prospects in the country, respectively. Dodson won a bronze medal with Team USA at the FIBA U17 World Championship last summer in Zaragoza, Spain.
Outlook
Last season: 27-8, 14-4 Pac-12
Coach: Tara VanDerveer
Key dates
1st game: vs. Cal Poly, 7 p.m. Friday
1st TV game: vs. Texas, 5 p.m. Monday, ESPN2

 

well, that explains why Samuelson didn't start against Cal Poly.

 

some Big 12 games on Monday:

UCLA at Baylor 6:00 p.m. FSSW Plus (seems to be a new pay channel on Spectrum.)

Tulsa at Kansas State 7:00 p.m. ESPN3

Hope they show the BU-UCLA game on the regular FSSW channel. That looks to be a good game. It would be a nice lead to our game at 7 pm.
EDIT: Yeah, nope. Called Spectrum and that is a new channel only available if you switch over to their pricing and not if you stay with the grandfathered status TWC customers got when Spectrum bought out TWC.

 

New to having to watch remotely, having moved out of state. Can one stream the game on ESPN without a TV subscription through a provider, such as Direct TV? Thanks!

 

With the game at 5 pm PM Pacific time, I don't think it will be a sizeable crowd.

 

from reading the homepage for ESPN3/WatchESPN, it does not seem likely, but they don't address that specific question. You can contact them and find out for sure. you can always ask a good friend if they will let you use their sign-in info.
http://www.espn.com/watchespn/index/_/sport/football/channel/espn3

Stanford has not had a big attendance recently, probably since the Ogwumike sisters were playing.

Coming off the upset of #1 UConn, they had a crowd of 3674 for the next game vs Texas. Even the UConn game only had 5367. Their attendance average for 2014-15 was 3780. Last season, it was 2954.

Frankly, I will be surprised if the crowd is over 3000 and that might be because of Texas exes catching a look at our team.

I know we complain about lack of attendance at our games but Stanford is on a level below us.

 

Really looking forward to this game out of all the big WBB games tomorrow.

 

story from the AAS on the team:
http://www.hookem.com/story/texas-women-open-strong-mix-veterans-highly-regarded-freshmen/
They really need a proofreader-got the hashtag wrong. It's #196, not #194.

 

Texassports.com preview:

http://www.texassports.com/news/2016/11/13/no-8-womens-basketball-preview-no-11-stanford.aspx

 

Thanks Babhorn! #HookEm

 

Coach Aston talks Stanford and Rellah Boothe in an interview with Hoopfeed:

http://www.hoopfeed.com/content/201...running-with-tough-non-conference-challenges/

 

We look awful in just about all facets of the game.

Worst thing of all is Coach A's combination of players and substitutions.

 

We can't make Free throw's

 

the substitutions are not the problem. Our mainstays are on the court the most and taking the most shots. Our shooting is the issue, both from the field and the FT line. 38% from the field and14% from the FT line is not very good. I thought our FT shooting at least would be better than last season. So far, not so.

But it is our first game and we are playing like it. Stanford is shooting lights out but are only up by six. Even if we lose, it's too early to worry.

 

We can pull it out we need to finish the play's

 

Sure, if Ariel and Brooke make their free throws, it's only a 1 or 2 point deficit. But, that's the least of our problems. Can't believe our set play to end the half was a designed three point shot by Foman.

 

Way too much dribbling. Too many shots and minutes by Foman and Taylor. Need to let Higgs and Atkins do what they do best. Sutton was in like for 1 minute; wonder if something is up health wise.

 

They can't make their free throws and are taking too many quick bad shots. Also defensively Ariel needs to get out and over screens to contest shots better.

 

McPhee has 18 pts. LaShann is our leading scorer with seven.

 

Where is our post play? Lang did get a few. But the others AG and Holmes didn't show up in the first half.

 

Tasia and Brianna have combined for five shots. Ariel and Brooke have eight shots each and LaShann has seven. Can't see where Tasia and Brianna are taking too many shots.

 

we got to remember that we don't an eraser back there anymore. We got to rotate quicker on D.

 

we don't seem to have an answer for McPhee. If we could shut her down, we would be in good shape. We are getting a lot of odd calls going against us.

 

Perhaps we go zone after this time out? We cant stop the back door cuts

 

Guess not. Then let McPhee drive right down the middle. Change something.

 

They shoot the three too well to go zone. Also Ariel is having a hard time with Mcphee

 

Taylor's two shots were both air balls. Taylor and Foman have more fouls than points.