UT v. ND WBB

[Donjuan 16]

Hmm guess you havent watched much girls basketball in your life. I realize ND has Turner inside but Tennesee had 10+ simple lay ups, players should make. In the past ND had this same problem. My evidence Devereaux Peters, for a 6 4 player struggled with lay ups. Also, more evidence Reimer was a top 4 out of high school, Gatorade player of the year if I'm not mistaken. There's no reason why she can't average 15-20 a game, and 5+ rebounds. If somehow she dominates the rest of the year, I'll shut my trap but this won't happen.

 

Reimer doesn't have to average that on this team and won't. Her role is not to be the best on the team like she was in high school. Her role is to not force things since ND has options all over the place but to simply take what's there. Turner was also the GPOTY and the consensus number one but Jewel is still ND's number one option. This ain't high school.

 

And your "evidence" is Peters missing layups? That doesn't even make sense. I'm talking about Tennessee rushing their layups due to Turner blocking most of everything her way. Peters has nothing to do with this team and offers up zero "evidence" to support your thought process regarding this team. Key words, THIS TEAM.

 

Nothing seems "wide" open when you know a shot blocker's hanging around somewhere. I doubt she influenced every single miss, but I'd like to think Turner simply being in the game probably hurried some of them. ND could have very well won by 20+ if they had guarded Tenn's desperation three-point attempts from the ten minute mark in.

[irishrush 60]

TN was throwing their paint shots up there hard, too, I am assuming anticipating contact or a block. They missed hard on a lot of the chippies.

[JayPfromSB 0]

Hmm guess you havent watched much girls basketball in your life. I realize ND has Turner inside but Tennesee had 10+ simple lay ups, players should make. In the past ND had this same problem. My evidence Devereaux Peters, for a 6 4 player struggled with lay ups. Also, more evidence Reimer was a top 4 out of high school, Gatorade player of the year if I'm not mistaken. There's no reason why she can't average 15-20 a game, and 5+ rebounds. If somehow she dominates the rest of the year, I'll shut my trap but this won't happen.

 

I was reading this at work, and I considered staying quiet, but I had to say something.

 

I'm going to assume that you haven't played basketball competitively, nor have you played against a female player. First off, a simple layup is one that is completely uncontested...no defenders in the way or running you down, no one rotating over to try to block the shot. Now think about how many times that actually happens in a game. Next to never? Exactly. Every time you go up, you don't know who will contest the shot and how they will contest it. So the majority of shots are contested...not simple, as you say.

 

Oh...and your example...Devereaux Peters? She shot 55% for her career at ND. That's a high percentage, if you know basketball stats.

 

Saying that success in high school equals success in college is insane. Following that logic, every kid who scores 28-30 in high school should easily go on to score 15-20 in college, right? But that isn't the case. Roles change....kids who were scorers in HS may be asked to be defenders, rebounders, or facilitators. The competition gets better...where a kid may have been the big dog on a team, now they're on a team with 11-12 players who are just as good as them, if not better. And the routine changes...where before, a kid went to school all day, had a couple of practices a week and 2 games, now they have class. Study hall. Film sessions. Practice. Traveling to and from games. Strategy sessions. And they still have to work out and shoot more on their own. Did I mention that they may have a shot coach telling them that their form is busted and they're trying to unlearn the habits that got them a scholarship in the first place, or a conditioning coach who is telling them they need to be thinner than they've ever been in their life? But nope...success is easy and a given, allegedly.

 

And before you go bagging on Reimer, how about this: Mercedes Russell of Tennessee was the #1 player in Reimer's class. Averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds her senior year in high school. Last year in college? 6 points and 5 rebounds. Russell is out this year with foot injuries, but I've seen her play in person a couple of times. The girl is a beast.

 

So since you don't know women's basketball, please stay away from the subject. And before you try to test my credentials on women's basketball, I've been watching it for the last 16 years or so. I've been heavily immersed in it for the past 6 years...ever since my daughter started playing club basketball. I'm at HS and college women's games all the time. I know a current WNBA player...not a sub, a starter...played her, and got my butt kicked. I know a handful of current D-1 players. Heck, I even know a former ND player who played for Muffet 8 years ago. So I think I might know a wee bit more about the women's game than you.

[Morgandonor 30]

I've gotten into both from my love for all things ND and I have two young girls that I am coaching in basketball. It really is good fundamental basketball and watching the games is a good way to teach them how to play.

I've seen the team play up close. They would whoop some grown men easily.

 

Not buying this. They play good fundamental basketball... women and mens basketball are 2 different levels I could see them beating some grown men that have never picked up a basketball. But talent for talent it would never happen. Hello I would go as far to say that the top 10 high school boys teams would crush the number 1 college girls team in the country. They are good at their level. Let's just leave it at that.

[irishrush 60]

I would agree a top 10 boys HS team would beat them. The boys are just too physical and athletic. I said they would whip some old has beens like me.

[JayPfromSB 0]

Not buying this. They play good fundamental basketball... women and mens basketball are 2 different levels I could see them beating some grown men that have never picked up a basketball. But talent for talent it would never happen. Hello I would go as far to say that the top 10 high school boys teams would crush the number 1 college girls team in the country. They are good at their level. Let's just leave it at that.

 

Let's not, just because your reasoning is so insane. You do know that most college women's teams practice daily against guys who played HS ball and beat the crap out of them, right? I'm not talking about old men...it's 18-23 year old guys who are attending the same school and played basketball in high school...some who had offers to play ball at lower level colleges. The practice of practicing against boys has flowed down to high school as well. My daughter practices against boys every practice, and every one of the boys she plays against were skill position players on the varsity football team or were cut from the varsity basketball team because of their class and positional needs, so athletically, not slouches.

 

You think a top 10 boys high school team could crush South Carolina or UConn? You really need to get out and see some more boys and girls games in person if you think that's the case.

[Donjuan 16]

Sorry Jay, but an athletic high school boys team would swat almost every other shot. The jumping and just pure athleticism isn't even close. Boys have guards Turner's size playing guard. Now tell me who's in the womens game would able to defend against that, not to mention, a real 'big' down low?

[JayPfromSB 0]

Sorry Jay, but an athletic high school boys team would swat almost every other shot. The jumping and just pure athleticism isn't even close. Boys have guards Turner's size playing guard. Now tell me who's in the womens game would able to defend against that, not to mention, a real 'big' down low?

 

I would 100% buy that if athleticism meant everything in basketball. It doesn't. I would also buy it if every player was just too dense to adjust to shot blockers. They're not. Athleticism in basketball can be negated by fundamentals and making the athletic players think instead of react.

 

The mismatches that you're banking on for the men becomes a favorable matchup for the women as well. Take UConn. Would Brianna Stewart struggle to defend a 6'10 big? More than likely that would be an iso matchup all day and UConn would have to trap and double team. But flip the script and iso Stewart on that same 6'10 big in space. Advantage Stewart and that big is screaming for help. And you can't just say "oh, I'll have someone else defend Stewart". It's not like you can run that big off the court once he scores. He's going to have to defend someone that's an unfavorable matchup.

[Donjuan 16]

Lol. A 6'10" guy is going to have a hard time defending Stewy? What world do you live in? In all respect, you're really out of touch when it comes to comparing the two. First of all, ever hear of zone defense? That negates the whole having a big trying to defend the 3 point shot. Second of all, Stewy would have forwards guarding her and guards who are her height and taller. But you're right, bball can be neutralized somewhat with expert fundamentals. Bob Knight type fundamentals. Head fakes, shot fakes, great picks, moving without the ball, backcuts, flexcuts, seals, hedges, superior weakside rebounding position...etc. But having said all of that, not even that would close the gap between the guys and the girls. A male "big" (6'5" and above) would body and swat the crap out of Stewy every time. Her only prayer would be to shoot 3 pointers all day in which case they'd simply put an athletic big on her like Auguste and he'd shut her down.

 

These girls are still great basketball players though, you just can't compare them to the men. It's not fair to them. Bigger, faster, stronger. Female bodies don't hold up as well, either...

[irishrush 60]

I saw our girls scrimmage this fall. They played who I can only assume were the boys walk ons. The girls got beat pretty badly. There was one kid who was 6'5" or so who was blocking everything inside. The other guys were all 6' ish guards who were just way too quick and physical.

 

This was early in the practice season and our girls probably weren't in tip top form, but they really could not stay with these guys - mostly due to the lack of inside game.

 

I would assume that these boys were all top players in high school if they were selected to be the walk ons.

[Donjuan 16]

I saw our girls scrimmage this fall. They played who I can only assume were the boys walk ons. The girls got beat pretty badly. There was one kid who was 6'5" or so who was blocking everything inside. The other guys were all 6' ish guards who were just way too quick and physical.

 

This was early in the practice season and our girls probably weren't in tip top form, but they really could not stay with these guys - mostly due to the lack of inside game.

 

I would assume that these boys were all top players in high school if they were selected to be the walk ons.

 

[drops mic] lol. Thanks, Rush! No knock on the girls, just reality of the situation.

[Morgandonor 30]

Let's not, just because your reasoning is so insane. You do know that most college women's teams practice daily against guys who played HS ball and beat the crap out of them, right? I'm not talking about old men...it's 18-23 year old guys who are attending the same school and played basketball in high school...some who had offers to play ball at lower level colleges. The practice of practicing against boys has flowed down to high school as well. My daughter practices against boys every practice, and every one of the boys she plays against were skill position players on the varsity football team or were cut from the varsity basketball team because of their class and positional needs, so athletically, not slouches.

 

You think a top 10 boys high school team could crush South Carolina or UConn? You really need to get out and see some more boys and girls games in person if you think that's the case.

 

Lmao...I am done. I have played a lot b-ball in my life never caught a whippen from the girls team. Let's move on. Athletes are called athletes because there athletic. It has a lot to do with game. Being athletic that is.