I live too far away, but I wouldn't leave my living room to go watch them throw it to the other team 20x if I lived on 6th St. You're not going to beat Austin High giving them 25 pts off turnovers. One more stat. Matharu - 18 minutes, 5 turnovers, 4 PF Holle - 18 minutes, 0 turnovers, 2 PF
Our team has struggled all season due to our lacking an inside/outside scoring balance. We get no offensive production in the post, which allows opponents to more easily guard our perimeter shooters. I'm sorry but Aliyah Moore has proven to me that she's ready to take on the role of being our go to post player. The way we are running plays for Ebo who rarely finishes right under the basket... we should be running that stuff for Moore. Let her play through her mistakes and continue to get better and better.
Matharu also had an additional steal and one more rebound that Shae and was 3-3 at the line and Hollie 0-2. And Matharu scored 17 points and Hollie 4 with the same number of minutes so it’s not really fair to cherry pick one stat. Also, the seniors take a lot of criticism here during a loss and it’s a shame that so much of what they do doesn’t show up in a stat sheet, but the coaches know it and depend on them for it.
Agree with the Matharu/Holle comparison... but our seniors just aren't getting the job done. Stats don't lie and there aren't that many intangibles in the world that can offset their lack of production. Don't get me wrong, I feel those three are very important to our team. But what I'm saying is that they need to be used in different roles. Each of them brings an element to the game, but are rather limited to each one's respective element. However they lack the necessary versatility of skills to carry the team when needed. What they bring would be much better served as sparks off the bench IMO.
Other players also make mistakes in shot selection and time management, Moooooo. They don't get pulled instantaneously the way Hunter does. We need points. Hunter isn't always hitting, but she has an offensive instinct and ability that many on our team do not have.
Having slept on it - I keep coming back to two things I think doomed this team from a coaching perspective. 1. Starting Warren instead of Matharu then leaving Matharu on the bench as Baylor was scoring at will (off of our turnovers). 2. The bizarre substitutions (and in many cases lack thereof) I think the vast majority of us think Vic is a good coach. Let’s see what lessons he learned Friday night and how he responds Sunday. I said going in splitting the series would be an accomplishment and show progress against a team that has owned us for years.
As @Bobcat mentioned, the absence of Johnnie Harris may be one of the reasons for our inconsistent play. Johnnie was by Vic’s side for the past 15+ years. Elena Lavato was also a long time assistant coach that departed last year. I’m not saying our current coaches aren’t getting the job done, rather there’s an adjustment period when the new staff is getting used to their new roles and Vic’s system (and demands). I like Vic but I can’t imagine he’s a “walk in the park” to work for; especially when things aren’t going well. Hopefully Vic will keep an open mind to new ideas and give a honest evaluation of what’s working and what’s not working. Our team psyche needs a boost and a rebuild.
You have eyes, don't you? I saw 2 games in a row where we didn't seem prepared for the opponent's defensive pressure; result was we had more turnovers in each game than our opponent, especially when trying to make entry passes to the post. I saw 2 games in a row where the opponent not only beat our baseline entry pass pressure, they scored at the other end via long outlet passes or quick ball movement to the open player getting free near the basket. But, yeah, he didn't get outcoached . . .
All I'm telling you is what I see regarding Kyndall's shot selection and how much time was remaining on the shot clock. None of us know what Vic has told her prior to entering the game, or in practices as to which shots he wants her to take, and when. Vic has pulled Rori plenty of times for not running the plays he instructs her to run (based on his comments); perhaps he's also pulled her times for poor shot selection. We've seen him pull other players like Moore and Holle often, even though it leaves us scratching our heads. Perhaps it has to do with not following his instructions. As I stated, I would love to see Hunter play more as she is a fearless outside shooter (compared to some others who pass up those shots). But, Vic made a funny comment a week or so ago on his show on LHN. He said certain players tell him, "but, coach, I was wide open". And, Vic responded, "yeah, there's a reason they LEFT you wide open".
I don't think we can underestimate the loss of the 2 guards from last year - it has made this team even "younger" and learning on the go - 2 more experienced guards would really help the younger ones and our depth would be so much better - the conference and season are a grind - depth is a big component of success
I wasn't saying Holle is a better option, but if Matharu wants more playtime then she needs to be more than a 1 variable player. She needs to earn that PT by not being a foul and turnover machine.
Here's another way to look at last night's game: - we were down 23-15 at the end of the 1st quarter; Matharu played zero minutes - we were down 29-19 at the 7 minute mark in the 2nd quarter; Matharu enters the game - since Baylor won by 12 points, after Matharu entered the game, Baylor outscored us by 2 points And, it's not like Baylor put in a bunch of subs late in the game (as they don't have many). So, folks can form their own opinions, but we lost that game in the first quarter; early turnovers on lazy passes didn't help. We tied at 7-7 after being down 5-0. But, then we find ourselves down 21-9; still no Matharu. Baylor has all the momentum; the home crowd is into it. Erasing a 12 point deficit was going to be difficult. We never led in the game; and, the closest we got was 3 points late in the 3rd quarter.
Has Hunter done anything of note offensively, save for the one game early in which she shot the lights out? I mean, she averages 4.3 points per game and 9.7 minutes played per game. Subtract the one hot performance against a woeful opponent, and what are you left with? Not a whole lot. Edit for precision. Hunter scored 27 points in the opener against New Orleans. She scored a combined 29 points in every remaining game since.
Its kinda hard getting any type of rhythm when you are getting a couple minutes here and there. Its also tough when you get those minutes and you know the first mistake you make you will be pulled and yelled at for it. Then you see others make those same mistakes but are allowed to play on. I hope this isnt one of them but this situation and ones like this is the reason the transfer portal is what it is. I dont know what happens in practice but for a 18/19 year old young person perception and visual can mean alot, especially to family looking on.
I agree Hunter hasn't had a lot of opportunity to get into the flow of a game, for whatever reason. And I know that can frustrate a shooter and affect their accuracy. She has potential, but somewhere between her potential and what she is actually giving the team is a factor or two that is frustrating Vic to no end. I really hope the mutual frustrations do not result in a portal out for her.
Im sorry but I can not ignore the mental aspect of this issue. No 2 persons are the same and clearly this approach is not working for anyone. Let me put this out there so there is no misunderstanding, I am not the coach and I dont know whats happening in practice. But I do see whats happening during the games and no one is benefiting. I am just one person and I dont like this approach.
I have a few thoughts about the last few games and our team in general. 1. Coach demands everyone to play Coach Vic defense FIRST regardless if you can't hit a bucket. I believe coach needs to find balance. There's more than one way to play defense. Lower your butt, keep your hands up, keep them in front of you and move your feet. You don't have to be an aggressive pest to play good D but that's what Vic likes. 2. Mathura is all in her head. I would be too. If she doesn't play "Coach Vic" defense he pulls her and doesn't start her which messes her up mentally. When shes playing Coach vic defense she fouls like crazy because of the aggressive nature of his defense. Once again balance. Teach her how to play good defense without all that crazy aggression. 3. OFFENSE OFFENSE OFFENSE! Get rid of the weave. EVERYONE knows how to defend it (play zone) and our post presence isn't good enough for our guards to pass it to them down low. Plus coach doesn't play the guards who can score. So what's the point of running the weave? Smh 4. Youth. Someone up thread said they would go with youth. Me too. They can't do any worse. 5. And please stop saying we are young. We are not. 3 SENIORS! They should be running the show. Every 3 to 4 games one of them will hit 15+. The problem is we need all of them to hit 15+ in every game. We need 40+ points every game from these three. I don't care how they get them but they need to produce. A guard, small forward and a center. Figure it out! If he's going to play them build the offense around them. Y'all know Coach is going to ride or die with them. Fine but install a offense that works for them. I thought they were going to continue the offense where Warren shot the short jumper from the elbow. That was money but I haven't seen it since the Kstate. Smh. These growing pains suck but we have to go through them to achieve greatness. So I'm putting on my big girl britches and taking the hits as they come. Hopefully coach learned something and we compete and win Sunday. If I was 3 hrs closer I would be there Sunday geared up on my burnt orange.
Good stuff in this post! One more thing I'll add about playing the youth... Our objectives are to win games and get the young players experienced and prepared for the future in the process. Right now we're not doing a consistently good job of either one. At least by playing the youngsters we would be accomplishing ONE of those objectives. I could find some type of comfort in losing if I knew we were preparing the program for future success. Playing the young ones will only make them better and better. The seniors are as good as they are ever going to be. Period. They will have a good game here and there of course. The way this season is going we're not going to compete for a conference championship, and will begin next season inexperienced again. Put them in and let them play through the mistakes.
I've asked this before and I'll ask again. What was our record on 2/5/21? And what was our record against Baylor? Were we happy with either? With Charli moving to the WNBA, 2 guards leaving, we are necessarily reliant on incoming freshmen (and a transfer). We are an inexperienced team. Vic has always said his teams get better toward the end of the season. Let's see what happens.
I see it as you do, Malcolm. To get statistical about it, Kyndall has gotten less minutes than every other player, except for Masudi and Gutierrez. As we know, most of those minutes were in very short chunks of time, like the game a week ago in which Vic stuck her in for the last 20 seconds. If confidence is a factor in shooting, which we all know it is, we can only guess what this experience so far this year has done for her confidence. Maybe there are problems in practice we don't know about. We can only comment on what we have seen.
I know the point of this is to debate.....but bottom line Matharu needs to start so she can have the BU D attention thus opening shoots for someone else. The whole debate of Hunter and her mind or lack thereof, Holle needs more shots cause she getting regular mins now, and Moore or which post is going to show up. 1st. I feel Hunter deserves her shot it’s now or never. We all now that in the NCAA tourn the rotation is going to be super short like maybe 7. So see what she does in extended min and quit ripping her out every mistake before we lose her to the portal cause (Auburn, Kentucky, Tenn, and several others where on her trail hot). I see now Hunter is one of those players who need to get a feel of the game. Hell he gives Warren more than enough slack to. 2nd I believe Holle is great in roll currently. No knock on her but I don’t think she’ will ever be the feature player. She has started to embrace the same role as Cunningham for the men’s team so she right track by her jr year to be THE SPARK. 3rd Moore did show that she wants to be the chick in the paint I stated that ever since Moore got backGatson’s light has been diminishing. No knock on Gatson cause you see flashes of it but it’s up to her to work it out mentally and getting in the gym. I thought that Lattamore showed that she wants to play as well and should get a shot. I know everybody wanna say her frame isn’t ready but a lineup with Moore and Lattamore vs Gatson and Ebo wouldn’t be any worse give or take a rebound cause I know Ebo is a good rebounder when she has her mind made up to be. Plus in this game not only could we not make a free throw or even just a couple of em but we also couldn’t make layups along with nobody but Matharu being able to take (let alone make) a shot outside of 12 ft. If we woulda made some of those I believe we win or only lose by 3-5 pts P.S. if Harmon and Hunter played like the they HS senior year selves we would be a top 6 team hands down.
