This has been one of the best Pac 12 seasons I can remember. Every game is a blood bath. And lots of close games. before this weekend we didn't win many of the close games but things changed this weekend.

Lindsey deserves some credit. She out coached the Arizona coach yesterday when she went to a zone in the second half and they couldn't solve it. I've never liked her zones but this one worked.

Second, in both games we showed a lot of grit. That is important if you want to win the tough ones.

Third, Recee hit a lot of big shots. We seemed to never know who to go to in the stretch but everyone at the game knew who was going to do it and she did.

Over the course of the season, Lindsey made some moves that this board didn't like. Starting with Recee. She was playing point, looking slow, turning over the ball a lot and not shooting well. And everyone said hav e some one else play the point. But she stood by Renee. When we finished a long road trip, those of us who were there noticed Recee had come back a little slimmer with a little more quickness as she had gotten in shape. She continued to improve as the season progressed till she had some huge games down the stretch.

The other person who started out slowly was Brown. She couldn't make a layup the first 5 games and was shooting the 3 at a terrible average. But she had shot 37.5% the year before so I figured she would have to improve. And she did. She is our second most athletic player . And she started to play some great defense.

I thought all year we were a good offensive team but our defense was in the tank. Especially the 3 point defense. We were last in the league but over the last 8 games the following happened.

UCLA 41.2%
USC 18.8%
OSU 29.4%
Oregon 46.4%
Stanford 21.7%
Stanford 40.00%
ASU 26.7%
Arizona 35%

Each of these teams shot below their season average against us. We still gave up the two's but we improved on our weakest link.


Right now we seem to have 5 people who can shoot the three. We never seem to have all of them hot on the same night. But we are getting closer. I wonder if we are peaking.

It is hard to get a bead on what is happening. Cal went thru the most difficult part of their schedule recently. But every ten in the Pac 12 is going thru this. Arizona and ASU had to come here and then finish the season against Oregon and OSU. We finish against Wash and WSU.

Last I would like to say that I stayed for the senior Day ceremony at the end of the day. Lindsey cried the entire time. I brought my office manage to the game and she didn't know Lindsey and she cried all thru the introduction of the players. One thing you could see is there is not a coach in the league who has that rapport with their players. Too bad more fans couldn't have been there to wish the seniors their day.

Hope we don't go flat up north would rather not play USC in the Pac 12 tourney. They are a good team that has lost some close games.

That's a good assessment. Any time a team can come back from five straight losses and right the ship against tough opponents to whom they have previously lost, it shows amazing character and deserves respect. All in all, 9-9 will be an OK finish after the way the season started. Now the real success of the team this season can be judged by how well we play in the upcoming tournaments.

Very good observations, wvit. I couldn't agree more.

wvitbear said:

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This has been one of the best Pac 12 seasons I can remember. Every game is a blood bath. And lots of close games. before this weekend we didn't win many of the close games but things changed this weekend.

Lindsey deserves some credit. She out coached the Arizona coach yesterday when she went to a zone in the second half and they couldn't solve it. I've never liked her zones but this one worked.

Second, in both games we showed a lot of grit. That is important if you want to win the tough ones.

Third, Recee hit a lot of big shots. We seemed to never know who to go to in the stretch but everyone at the game knew who was going to do it and she did.

Over the course of the season, Lindsey made some moves that this board didn't like. Starting with Recee. She was playing point, looking slow, turning over the ball a lot and not shooting well. And everyone said hav e some one else play the point. But she stood by Renee. When we finished a long road trip, those of us who were there noticed Recee had come back a little slimmer with a little more quickness as she had gotten in shape. She continued to improve as the season progressed till she had some huge games down the stretch.

The other person who started out slowly was Brown. She couldn't make a layup the first 5 games and was shooting the 3 at a terrible average. But she had shot 37.5% the year before so I figured she would have to improve. And she did. She is our second most athletic player . And she started to play some great defense.

I thought all year we were a good offensive team but our defense was in the tank. Especially the 3 point defense. We were last in the league but over the last 8 games the following happened.

UCLA 41.2%
USC 18.8%
OSU 29.4%
Oregon 46.4%
Stanford 21.7%
Stanford 40.00%
ASU 26.7%
Arizona 35%

Each of these teams shot below their season average against us. We still gave up the two's but we improved on our weakest link.


Right now we seem to have 5 people who can shoot the three. We never seem to have all of them hot on the same night. But we are getting closer. I wonder if we are peaking.

It is hard to get a bead on what is happening. Cal went thru the most difficult part of their schedule recently. But every ten in the Pac 12 is going thru this. Arizona and ASU had to come here and then finish the season against Oregon and OSU. We finish against Wash and WSU.

Last I would like to say that I stayed for the senior Day ceremony at the end of the day. Lindsey cried the entire time. I brought my office manage to the game and she didn't know Lindsey and she cried all thru the introduction of the players. One thing you could see is there is not a coach in the league who has that rapport with their players. Too bad more fans couldn't have been there to wish the seniors their day.

Hope we don't go flat up north would rather not play USC in the Pac 12 tourney. They are a good team that has lost some close games.

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The Pac tourney on the women's side could be a blood bath. Lot of teams with upset potential (including Cal). I like that that Cal's recent run has been done with defensive improvement. Gottlieb always has been good with players and Cal stakeholders (very good fit for Cal). Criticism has been more on the coaching side with the team underperforming vs. talent level and good assistant staff, often due to sloppy play and tactical mistakes. Also there has been criticism that her recruiting often has gaps either in years or positions. I know several posters have suggested it is time for LG to move on, but she deserves some slack, based on several factors, not the least of which is that the conference is now loaded. Reverse of the guys where it is at an all time low.

wvit

thanks for the great post

agree that we have won some close ones, after losing so many heartbreakers earlier. I still hate to think how we lost to ucla

I also appreciate your thoughts on recee. she came in with the rep of a scorer and PG, but she didn't show the scoring early, and had way too many turnovers for a PG. But now she is my fav player to watch. She has come up huge in so many games, including both games this week. I love her crafty ball handling, and her intensity of the court. You can see her fire and confidence. By the way, if you meet her you can see instantly her big personality.

but it was your D stats that surprised me. I've been down on the Bears' defense all year, especially when the opponent had small/quick guards like AZ's mcdonalds and UCLAs PG. We just can't seem to do anything to slow them down. It was our switch to zone that finally got her out of her rhythm

yesterday's game was one of the best basketball games I've ever attended. Coming back from 19 down might be a Cal WBB record (don't know), but it was a crazy comeback, with so many big plays, and then to get to OT, and then win it on senior game was just a storybook ending. The post-game ceremony was so much more fun and happy, where as a blow out loss (like we were heading to), or even a close loss would have been so bitter sweet.

p.s. so many big plays, but the one I keep thinking about was CJ's dive at the end of regulation to get the possession. I think that was the key play to get the win. hope she is doing ok.

wvitbear said:

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Lindsey deserves some credit. She out coached the Arizona coach yesterday when she went to a zone in the second half and they couldn't solve it. I've never liked her zones but this one worked.

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Lindsay gave credit to Charmin Smith for suggesting the switch to a zone after misses. Give Lindsay credit for trying it out and the players for executing. They did as good a job of closing on the three point shooters and staying in front of the super quick McDonald as could be expected in the second half.

I too will remember CK's dive more than anything.

One thing about McDonald, you can tell she spent a year with Plum in Washington as she likes to dive into the defensive player and draw a folk. They did call one charging foul but she launches into players when they are retreating and she gets to the line. Sort of like James Harden from the Rockets in the NBA.

wvitbear said:

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I too will remember CK's dive more than anything.

One thing about McDonald, you can tell she spent a year with Plum in Washington as she likes to dive into the defensive player and draw a folk. They did call one charging foul but she launches into players when they are retreating and she gets to the line. Sort of like James Harden from the Rockets in the NBA.

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CJ spent a long time on the floor, contemplating her injury and they cleaned up a good amount of blood from the floor, so I figured it had to be chipped or dislodged teeth. I chipped a tooth in a middle school game after being tripped from behind on a fast break.

Anigwe was backpedaling away from McDondald as fast as she could when she got called for her 5th foul on minor contact, totally initiated by McDonald. That's a rule at all basketball levels that I despise. If the offensive player is making a normal move to try and score and the defender causes contact it should be a foul. If the offensive player diverts his or her course, making the shot harder, just to draw contact it shouldn't be a foul on the defender. The rule makers favor scoring over good play.

wvitbear said:

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I too will remember CK's dive more than anything.

One thing about McDonald, you can tell she spent a year with Plum in Washington as she likes to dive into the defensive player and draw a folk. They did call one charging foul but she launches into players when they are retreating and she gets to the line. Sort of like James Harden from the Rockets in the NBA.

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McDonals also like to hop on her final step. Feet don't always land together. She gets away with a lot of travels because of her quickness and reputation. Bailed out on many off-balance out of control drives. But she is a very dynamic athlete who also makes a lot of on-balance in-control drives. Refs got to call her on the other ones though.