Syracuse Game

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ncbears
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RedlessWardrobe said:

With all the skill Lulu has, she still has no willingness to take an 8 foot wide open shot in the middle of the key. Part of this issue has to be on Charmin. Watching all season nothing has changed



The announcers said Cal was the "share bears" and Smith has been an advocate of not taking a good shot if there us a better one. So all season Bears have passed up good shots even if there was not yet a better one.
ncbears
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Schroeder71 said:

I have not watched the game yet. I recorded it on my dvr. Why did Naya Ojukwu play only 3 minutes? She scored 25 points in 24 minutes last time. Taylor Barnes was the other major factor in this loss. She scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the triple OT loss. Today, she was invisible with one basket and a single rebound in 19 minutes. The team really missed the offensive contributions of these two tonight.

Women's Basketball vs Syracuse on 1/15/2026 - Box Score - California Golden Bears Athletics


Because she could not handle Uche. That does not answer why she could not play alongside Walket. In first half, there seemed to be missed rebounds that Ojukwu would have fought for.
RedlessWardrobe
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ncbears said:

RedlessWardrobe said:

With all the skill Lulu has, she still has no willingness to take an 8 foot wide open shot in the middle of the key. Part of this issue has to be on Charmin. Watching all season nothing has changed



The announcers said Cal was the "share bears" and Smith has been an advocate of not taking a good shot if there us a better one. So all season Bears have passed up good shots even if there was not yet a better one.

No no no. An open look from 8 feet out needs to be taken almost every time. Quite often when this occurs with Lulu she ends up passing the ball back to the point and the offense has to restart with little time left on the shot clock. This is about player development, always working on anything that will improve a player's overall game. Throughout the season I see these types of issues with individual players on our team, and I have to admit, I am very doubtful if they are being addressed by the coaching staff.
ncbears
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RedlessWardrobe said:

ncbears said:

RedlessWardrobe said:

With all the skill Lulu has, she still has no willingness to take an 8 foot wide open shot in the middle of the key. Part of this issue has to be on Charmin. Watching all season nothing has changed





The announcers said Cal was the "share bears" and Smith has been an advocate of not taking a good shot if there us a better one. So all season Bears have passed up good shots even if there was not yet a better one.

No no no. An open look from 8 feet out needs to be taken almost every time. Quite often when this occurs with Lulu she ends up passing the ball back to the point and the offense has to restart with little time left on the shot clock. This is about player development, always working on anything that will improve a player's overall game. Throughout the season I see these types of issues with individual players on our team, and I have to admit, I am very doubtful if they are being addressed by the coaching staff.


Im agreeing with you! But passing up those shots was what they thought Coach Smith instructed them to do. I dont think it is a player issue - it is a coaching philosophy issue. Sure, pass it if there actually is a better shot, but Bears passed up good shots when a better shot did not exist
blungld
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I could not believe how time after time a Cal player would drive into the lane and force pass in congestion rather than take the open layup or pull up they had. It was like they drive into the paint as a fake completely committed to dishing off. This late in the season they should not be so mechanical. Syracuse was the better team, but I think we would have won the game if you take away those unforced turnovers and assume you make about 50% of those shots (and the extra fouls drawn). Just really poor execution, smarts, and confidence.
Shocky1
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https://instagr.am/p/DVhTjJsESRW
syracuse orange 70
california golden bears 59

in the last matchup between these 2 teams force of nature/energy naya ojuwku scored a remarkable 25 points in only 24 minutes, she is a nightmare matchup that is almost unguardable by opposing acc 4s & 3s (tho she often fouls out when played outta position as an undersized 5)

so does coach charmin start her this time??

**** no, naya plays 3 minutes & a tired non enthusiastic bears predictably get their azzs handed to them with the worn out starters wildly missing jumpers with fatigued legs

honestly this is a poorly coached team by a head coach whose ceiling is one good year (last season) in almost a decade although the excuses are plentiful...just like justin wilcox, charmin smith is a good person but an introverted personality (which impacts her ability to fundraise nil dollars/help grow the fanbase) who is a below average gameday coach who bizarrely got her contract extended to the end of the decade (just like knowlton & wilcox) by worthless bureaucrat & evil as **** jennifer simon-o'neil

and that's a shame

RedlessWardrobe
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ncbears said:

RedlessWardrobe said:

ncbears said:

RedlessWardrobe said:

With all the skill Lulu has, she still has no willingness to take an 8 foot wide open shot in the middle of the key. Part of this issue has to be on Charmin. Watching all season nothing has changed





The announcers said Cal was the "share bears" and Smith has been an advocate of not taking a good shot if there us a better one. So all season Bears have passed up good shots even if there was not yet a better one.

No no no. An open look from 8 feet out needs to be taken almost every time. Quite often when this occurs with Lulu she ends up passing the ball back to the point and the offense has to restart with little time left on the shot clock. This is about player development, always working on anything that will improve a player's overall game. Throughout the season I see these types of issues with individual players on our team, and I have to admit, I am very doubtful if they are being addressed by the coaching staff.


Im agreeing with you! But passing up those shots was what they thought Coach Smith instructed them to do. I dont think it is a player issue - it is a coaching philosophy issue. Sure, pass it if there actually is a better shot, but Bears passed up good shots when a better shot did not exist

I appreciate your agreement. But honestly regardless of what an announcer says, I don't believe that much of this is based on these players following what the coach says, but rather a split second decision a player makes based on their style of play. I realize that I'm only basing this on my own opinion, but I've watched Lulu play for three seasons and her lack of ability to stop and shoot a mid range shot is something she has never developed. I do not possess the coaching ability of Charmin Smith, but if I'm working with Lulu I would be emphasizing strongly that this is something she needs to work on for the benefit of both Lulu AND the team. I'm not exaggerating, Lulu's inability to stop and shoot a mid range shot occurs every single game. I just feel that this is inexcusable.




annarborbear
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Looking at the small picture, TO's are always there, and we have to be really hot on three's to overcome it.

Looking at the big picture, it is one NCAA appearance in seven years.

ncbears
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It's not the just the announcers. Smith has said that her philosophy is to pass up a good shot when there is a better shot. The announcers were just giving voice to what Smith coaches the team to do. It's not just Twidale - it's Sheppard and Maul and Morris and Walker and Donez and, well, the whole team.

But, yeah, Twidale would be more deadly if she had that midrange shot - well, lots of players would be better scorers if they had that shot. She can drive (sometimes), she can shoot from deep, but it's very difficult to defend someone that you can chase off the three point line into a drive into the paint but who can stops and pops. But, you're right that Twidale does not do that because either it's not developed or it's been discouraged.
Didn't Krimili have the step back shot last year? I don't know why Twidale didn't try to model her game off Krimili.
annarborbear
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I think that Lulu needs to get some objective advice on a potential pro career. I am sure that a knowledgeable adviser would tell her that she will be able to make a lot more money if she develops that mid-range shot.
smh
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no cigar, swing and a miss, but *damn* coaches team sure pushed a quality opponent going down the stretch # as good as it gets
BearBint
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I remember Alexis Gray-Lawson's mid-range jump-shot ability, and her noting, 20 years ago, that people didn't expect that in a WBB player.
"Don't get distracted, myself. Don't get distracted." Self-talk from a young relative
GATC
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RedlessWardrobe said:

ncbears said:

RedlessWardrobe said:

ncbears said:

RedlessWardrobe said:

With all the skill Lulu has, she still has no willingness to take an 8 foot wide open shot in the middle of the key. Part of this issue has to be on Charmin. Watching all season nothing has changed





The announcers said Cal was the "share bears" and Smith has been an advocate of not taking a good shot if there us a better one. So all season Bears have passed up good shots even if there was not yet a better one.

No no no. An open look from 8 feet out needs to be taken almost every time. Quite often when this occurs with Lulu she ends up passing the ball back to the point and the offense has to restart with little time left on the shot clock. This is about player development, always working on anything that will improve a player's overall game. Throughout the season I see these types of issues with individual players on our team, and I have to admit, I am very doubtful if they are being addressed by the coaching staff.


Im agreeing with you! But passing up those shots was what they thought Coach Smith instructed them to do. I dont think it is a player issue - it is a coaching philosophy issue. Sure, pass it if there actually is a better shot, but Bears passed up good shots when a better shot did not exist

I appreciate your agreement. But honestly regardless of what an announcer says, I don't believe that much of this is based on these players following what the coach says, but rather a split second decision a player makes based on their style of play. I realize that I'm only basing this on my own opinion, but I've watched Lulu play for three seasons and her lack of ability to stop and shoot a mid range shot is something she has never developed. I do not possess the coaching ability of Charmin Smith, but if I'm working with Lulu I would be emphasizing strongly that this is something she needs to work on for the benefit of both Lulu AND the team. I'm not exaggerating, Lulu's inability to stop and shoot a mid range shot occurs every single game. I just feel that this is inexcusable.






She started using the euro step last year and she recently developed the hesitation and fake, hopefully she will develop the pull up next.
smh
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BearBint said:

I remember Alexis Gray-Lawson's mid-range jump-shot ability, and her noting, 20 years ago, that people didn't expect that in a WBB player.

two second search turned up this, from wikipedia..
In 2020 Gray-Lawson was named the Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School girls head varsity coach.[citation needed]

ooops, dinner calls, nighty night all.
CalFanatic
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That first quarter was one of the worse quarters of basketball i've seen us play.
PenBear
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Lulu shoots a set shot from the chest level. At the midrange where there is congestion the same type of shot will be easily contested or blocked. She needs to develop a floater with a quicker release at the midrange.
RedlessWardrobe
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PenBear said:

Lulu shoots a set shot from the chest level. At the midrange where there is congestion the same type of shot will be easily contested or blocked. She needs to develop a floater with a quicker release at the midrange.

I will agree with you half way on this one. While a floater would be a good tool, there are times when Lulu stops in the key and doesn't even look at the basket. Almost every time she kills her dribble there she almost always turns her back to the basket and looks to kick the ball out, instead of taking a wide open shot from 8 to 10 feet which is nothing more than a short free throw. I have seen this occur repeatedly all season and if this is by Charmin's design then as a guy who's watched basketball for 60 years I have a problem with it.
SFCALBear72
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RedlessWardrobe said:

PenBear said:

Lulu shoots a set shot from the chest level. At the midrange where there is congestion the same type of shot will be easily contested or blocked. She needs to develop a floater with a quicker release at the midrange.

I will agree with you half way on this one. While a floater would be a good tool, there are times when Lulu stops in the key and doesn't even look at the basket. Almost every time she kills her dribble there she almost always turns her back to the basket and looks to kick the ball out, instead of taking a wide open shot from 8 to 10 feet which is nothing more than a short free throw. I have seen this occur repeatedly all season and if this is by Charmin's design then as a guy who's watched basketball for 60 years I have a problem with it.

Why don't you send Charmin a letter or an email expressing your concerns. Be sure to tell her that your critique of the best player on this team who plays 40 minutes night in and night out is based upon "60 years of watching basketball". That surely beats her experience as a head coach or assistant under Tara and Lindsay. Not.
blungld
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SFCALBear72 said:

RedlessWardrobe said:

PenBear said:

Lulu shoots a set shot from the chest level. At the midrange where there is congestion the same type of shot will be easily contested or blocked. She needs to develop a floater with a quicker release at the midrange.

I will agree with you half way on this one. While a floater would be a good tool, there are times when Lulu stops in the key and doesn't even look at the basket. Almost every time she kills her dribble there she almost always turns her back to the basket and looks to kick the ball out, instead of taking a wide open shot from 8 to 10 feet which is nothing more than a short free throw. I have seen this occur repeatedly all season and if this is by Charmin's design then as a guy who's watched basketball for 60 years I have a problem with it.

Why don't you send Charmin a letter or an email expressing your concerns. Be sure to tell her that your critique of the best player on this team who plays 40 minutes night in and night out is based upon "60 years of watching basketball". That surely beats her experience as a head coach or assistant under Tara and Lindsay. Not.

I am not sure why you responded in that way. His description of Lulu picking up her dribble in the paint and not looking at the basket is 100% accurate. He didn't say that coaches don't know this he wondered if this was by design and if so he questioned the strategy and execution. Are we not allowed to observe player/coach strength and weakness on the board? Is that not what fans do? Nothing said was mean spirited or inaccurate.
SFCALBear72
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Because this was his second "Charmin reference". Yesterday, it was

RedlessWardrobe said:

With all the skill Lulu has, she still has no willingness to take an 8 foot wide open shot in the middle of the key. Part of this issue has to be on Charmin. Watching all season nothing has changed
RedlessWardrobe
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SFCALBear72 said:

Because this was his second "Charmin reference". Yesterday, it was

RedlessWardrobe said:

With all the skill Lulu has, she still has no willingness to take an 8 foot wide open shot in the middle of the key. Part of this issue has to be on Charmin. Watching all season nothing has changed

Last time I checked this was an opinion forum. Your cynicism is very sad. Is there now a rule that says a poster can't refer to the same subject more than once?

I made a statement, someone responded to it, so I responded to the response. In general, that's how this board works.

Also, if you have read through this board quite often I have said that I have respect for Charmin. She is a coach, I am not. But if you have watched games all year and can't see what I am specifically talking about when it comes to Lulu's inability to develop a short range shot, then it's on you. It doesn't matter if she is our "best player" or that "she plays 40 minutes a game", every player has room for improvement. And much of that depends on the coach. I'm sorry I brought up that I have watched this game for 60 years, it really doesn't matter. Any fan with some ability to observe basketball would be able to notice what I'm referring to (see blu&gold above.) Maybe you don't see this issue, but I am sure that many fans here do. Certainly I do.

wvitbear
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Clarendon said in the telecast that the midrange jumper is a lost art. she herself was the queen of the 8 foot jump shot. I'm for it and believe in Clarendon.
SFCALBear72
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RedlessWardrobe said:

SFCALBear72 said:

Because this was his second "Charmin reference". Yesterday, it was

RedlessWardrobe said:

With all the skill Lulu has, she still has no willingness to take an 8 foot wide open shot in the middle of the key. Part of this issue has to be on Charmin. Watching all season nothing has changed

Last time I checked this was an opinion forum. Your cynicism is very sad. Is there now a rule that says a poster can't refer to the same subject more than once?

I made a statement, someone responded to it, so I responded to the response. In general, that's how this board works.

Also, if you have read through this board quite often I have said that I have respect for Charmin. She is a coach, I am not. But if you have watched games all year and can't see what I am specifically talking about when it comes to Lulu's inability to develop a short range shot, then it's on you. It doesn't matter if she is our "best player" or that "she plays 40 minutes a game", every player has room for improvement. And much of that depends on the coach. I'm sorry I brought up that I have watched this game for 60 years, it really doesn't matter. Any fan with some ability to observe basketball would be able to notice what I'm referring to (see blu&gold above.) Maybe you don't see this issue, but I am sure that many fans here do. Certainly I do.



I apologize.

I guess I'm feeling a "frustration and disappointment hangover" from yesterday's game.
annarborbear
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Charmin should be beyond criticism. We are not paying her enough money that she should ever be criticized, And she has one of the best records in all of college basketball.
CalWSportsFan
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annarborbear said:

Charmin should be beyond criticism. We are not paying her enough money that she should ever be criticized, And she has one of the best records in all of college basketball.

Well, Charmin as of 2024 was 54th on this old list (March of 24 when the Pac-12 was on its last legs)....meanwhile, why was Cori Close only ranked 28th? https://sportsdata.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/womens-basketball/coach I guess the numbers are pretty out of date but... still worth looking at what D1 coaches are paid relative to one another...Meanwhile, from another list as of 2026 (only includes top ten): https://www.sportscasting.com/news/top-10-highest-paid-womens-college-basketball-coaches-in-cur_year/

1
Dawn Staley
South Carolina
$4.0M
2
Kim Mulkey
LSU
$3.36M
3
Geno Auriemma
UConn
$3.33M
4
Vic Schaefer
Texas
$2.30M
5
Brenda Frese
Maryland
$1.88M
6
Jeff Walz
Louisville
$1.75M
7
Joni Taylor
Texas A&M
$1.50M
8
Kenny Brooks
Kentucky
$1.30M
9
Teri Moren
Indiana
$1.25M
10
Adia Barnes
SMU
$1.20M

Get a load of number 10!!!....guess SMU has bucks to burn eh?
Meanwhile, I like Charmin as our coach and think she did a good job filling out the roster via the portal, a sad neccesity these days. Onward and upward Bears.
RedlessWardrobe
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SFCALBear72 said:


I apologize.

I guess I'm feeling a "frustration and disappointment hangover" from yesterday's game.

Apology accepted. Like you I am frustrated as well. It's not so much about losing, it's just hoping you can see the team play up to its abilities, and sometimes potential. I just think this team could be better, and I think I'm being objective about it. Anyway, let's hope for some WBIT wins.
HoopDreams
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PenBear said:

Lulu shoots a set shot from the chest level. At the midrange where there is congestion the same type of shot will be easily contested or blocked. She needs to develop a floater with a quicker release at the midrange.

agree, and actually if you want to talk about her shooting form, I've noticed for a long time that Lulu leans in when she shoots from 3. I think that results in her needing a little more space to get her shot off. If you watch (for example) Maul, she has a much more vertical shot.

Not saying Lulu isn't a great shooter ... she is, but I think she still can improve her long range shooting more, and the offseason is the time to do that as you don't want to mess with a good shooter's form regardless.
blungld
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I think the WBB underperformed this year. Not by much, just perhaps by 2 games. In particular that loss to Missouri, with a bad (truly unforgivable turnover) really made the tournament chase tough from the beginning not only because it was a key OOC loss but because it cemented a turnover problem and not always playing smart that would haunt them.

At the start of the season, I would have thought they were maybe a .500 team. But as the team played a few games, the individual talent was much better than I thought it would be. The team mostly played with good effort, and did improve over the year, but never could shake the pattern of forced passes, missed layups, needing one more productive big (I don't know why Naya did not get significant minutes at the 4), and costly mistakes at key moments (Lulu for all the good she brings, and it is A LOT, did not demonstrate the bball IQ and leadership I thought she would at some really crucial moments).

Overall, it was a fun season and great group to cheer for--so close to reaching their potential but did not IMHO. I hope the team sticks together and is able to add another talented big or 2 or 3. Lulu can be All ACC next year. Maul and Barnes could possibly be second team. Lola and Naya are really solid players with upside too. Puff has a bright future. And I think Sheppard could be a second team All American by the time she graduates. We just need a quality 4 & 5...(big ask) and to keep this group together.
RedlessWardrobe
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blungld said:

I think the WBB underperformed this year. Not by much, just perhaps by 2 games. In particular that loss to Missouri, with a bad (truly unforgivable turnover) really made the tournament chase tough from the beginning not only because it was a key OOC loss but because it cemented a turnover problem and not always playing smart that would haunt them.

At the start of the season, I would have thought they were maybe a .500 team. But as the team played a few games, the individual talent was much better than I thought it would be. The team mostly played with good effort, and did improve over the year, but never could shake the pattern of forced passes, missed layups, needing one more productive big (I don't know why Naya did not get significant minutes at the 4), and costly mistakes at key moments (Lulu for all the good she brings, and it is A LOT, did not demonstrate the bball IQ and leadership I thought she would at some really crucial moments).

Overall, it was a fun season and great group to cheer for--so close to reaching their potential but did not IMHO. I hope the team sticks together and is able to add another talented big or 2 or 3. Lulu can be All ACC next year. Maul and Barnes could possibly be second team. Lola and Naya are really solid players with upside too. Puff has a bright future. And I think Sheppard could be a second team All American by the time she graduates. We just need a quality 4 & 5...(big ask) and to keep this group together.

Good points about what Lulu needs to do. In the case of Mjracle, she really needs to refine her game around the basket. Too often she can beat a player off of the dribble, but fail to convert it into the basket. For starters, she needs to work on using her left hand under the hoop when its needed. Notice that even when she comes near the hoop on the left side, she almost always goes up with her right. Would love to see her come up with a teardrop shot to improve her scoring ability. And of course we really need to go out and find a solid 5, and a suitable backup.
annarborbear
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According to the website Transparent California, Charmin's total compensation - salary and benefits - was $711,663 in 2024. And that number has likely gone up with her latest contract extension

For that meager amount of money, I am surprised that she is even required to show up for work every day.

https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/2024/university-of-california/charmin-smith/
SFCALBear72
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Syracuse v. Louisville today.

Syracuse on opposite side of low scoring 1st quarter, down 21-8 to Louisville with 2 minutes to go.
BearBint
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33-45 at the half: https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401851193

Am cheering on Syracuse.
"Don't get distracted, myself. Don't get distracted." Self-talk from a young relative
SFCALBear72
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BearBint said:

33-45 at the half: https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401851193

Am cheering on Syracuse.

Me too.
Shocky1
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annarborbear said:

According to the website Transparent California, Charmin's total compensation - salary and benefits - was $711,663 in 2024. And that number has likely gone up with her latest contract extension

For that meager amount of money, I am surprised that she is even required to show up for work every day.

https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/2024/university-of-california/charmin-smith/

for a career sub .300 conference winning record coach
stu
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Over .500 in the last 3 seasons.
 
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