2024-2025 WBB Team (2022-present)
- Thread starter TN-Gamecock
- Start date
It is a pleasure to read everyone’s posts. This is a wonderful team. With our significantly longer bench, with a degree of fortune (no bad luck where everything goes wonky, injuries, etc) we should win it all. Save for a couple of “no-call” officiating errors against Stanford, and Covid the year before, the young ladies could be playing to make it three in a row, and everyone who follows WBB knows it. AB is a generational talent, and the crew she plays with are outstanding. And Dawn? Nothing needs to be said. She’s the best in the business right now and in her prime!
UT pummeled by UCONN. That is four crappy games in a row for them. Their D has been horrendous, giving up almost 80 ppg in that stretch
I wish there was no winner in that one.
First look at UK
SAD.
We have won 14 out of the last 15.
They used to be a good program but are now on the precipice of oblivion. Only 11 players on the roster. Blair Green out for the season and Robyn Benton has missed the last five. Nine players 3 or 4 of them are not really SEC caliber.
They don’t shoot well, 2 or 3 pointers. Do not rebound well, and don’t really have enough bodies to press and play their hallmark pressure D.
Howard is 38.5 minutes in SEC play. Massengill 36, Edwards 31.5, Walker 28 and Hunt 26. Bench plays sparingly and out of necessity.
But they have Howard and we will get their best shot. It won’t be enough. Win by 20 maybe more.
SAD.
We have won 14 out of the last 15.
They used to be a good program but are now on the precipice of oblivion. Only 11 players on the roster. Blair Green out for the season and Robyn Benton has missed the last five. Nine players 3 or 4 of them are not really SEC caliber.
They don’t shoot well, 2 or 3 pointers. Do not rebound well, and don’t really have enough bodies to press and play their hallmark pressure D.
Howard is 38.5 minutes in SEC play. Massengill 36, Edwards 31.5, Walker 28 and Hunt 26. Bench plays sparingly and out of necessity.
But they have Howard and we will get their best shot. It won’t be enough. Win by 20 maybe more.
Some weekly stats updates
I will say it again, you are watching the best D Dawn has put on the court here. It is hands down the best D in the country and will rank in at least the top 5 defenses over the last decade.
Enjoy it
National rankings
#1 Blocked shots
#1 Blocked shots per game
#1 Opponents fg% 32.4 and under 30% for the last 7 games
#1 Rebound margin 18pg over 3 rebs better than
Second place
#3 Rebounds per game
#2Def rebounds per game
#10Off rebounds per game. We are rebounding a mind boggling 48% of our misses
#5 opponents points per game 51.5 and over the last 7 games it is 46ppg
We are holding opponents to 28% on 3pt shooting
One last stat. Our 5 bigs are shooting 312-571 for 54.6%
I will say it again, you are watching the best D Dawn has put on the court here. It is hands down the best D in the country and will rank in at least the top 5 defenses over the last decade.
Enjoy it
National rankings
#1 Blocked shots
#1 Blocked shots per game
#1 Opponents fg% 32.4 and under 30% for the last 7 games
#1 Rebound margin 18pg over 3 rebs better than
Second place
#3 Rebounds per game
#2Def rebounds per game
#10Off rebounds per game. We are rebounding a mind boggling 48% of our misses
#5 opponents points per game 51.5 and over the last 7 games it is 46ppg
We are holding opponents to 28% on 3pt shooting
One last stat. Our 5 bigs are shooting 312-571 for 54.6%
Yeah, the 51.5 ppg given up is ridiculous when you compare our schedule to the other team's in the top 5. And, like you say, the defense keeps getting better.
There are some posters who consistently complain about the lack of outside shooting and the number of turnovers. One way to fix that is to play Destiny Littleton more...BUT Bree Hall and Saniya Rivers are one of the main reasons our defense continues to improve. I think both players' offensive games have improved as they've been rewarded with more playing time.
I believe it's safe to say that this team is better than last year's team at this point. The emergence of Hall and Rivers have given the team additional big wing defenders that were lacking last season (especially in the tournament after Lele went down). Also, Cardoso, while she has struggled at times, is clearly a better option than anyone we had last year as a 4th big. For that matter, so is Feagin.
Man, it's been a rough season for them. I don't think they are as bad as their record indicates. Edwards was suspended for 4 games and Benton out for 5. They really can't afford to have anyone out. With those two players, they gave us a semi-competitive game in Columbia.
Edwards was back against A&M. I'm not sure about Benton's status. I would be somewhat nervous about this game as a trap it wasn't for the presence of Beal and Hall. They have a healthy competition going on about who can be the best shutdown defender. No better way to measure yourself than against Rhyne Howard. If we can keep her in check without doubling, that will force Howard's teammates to step up.
If Benton doesn’t play, the quality on their bench is nonexistent. Edwards cannot really play aggressive D against Boston for fear of foul trouble. I mean do you really want Owens or Leveretter defending Boston? This has the distinct possibility of getting way ugly.
Gotta keep everybody vertical and I think we will be OK.
Vertical and happy.
Folks like Cardoso have to know coming in that they will likely see less of the court during games. Therefore, there must be something else that makes Columbia desirable (could be negatives in Syracuse - even weather, positives in Columbia, or a combination).
Would love to see Matthew Mitchell back as their coach...That dude could coach as well as being the best dressed on the sideline...
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Did I miss something? Its being reported Cardoso and Amihere are not playing against Kentucky and Georgia. They will be playing for the respective country's in the FIBA tournament.
Yeah. I remember that now. This time kinda caught me off guard announcing that 24 hrs before the Kentucky game. Seems to me Boston really needs to stay out of foul trouble these next couple games.
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Another Double Double on the way. 4 more to the record!! Were pulling for ya girl.
They cover their classes through remote learning. LA did this when she was gone for a week during her freshman season and she still was an All SEC academic award winner.
Anyone know why Kentucky is playing at memorial coliseum instead of rupp where the men play? Maybe this is normal but I was surprised.
Rupp is a civic facility that charges UK rent. If it were used more frequently, I presume the rent would be higher and their WBB program couldn't cover their share of it - plus it would occupy the arena a larger percentage of the time. Using Memorial Coliseum obviates any such issues. https://www.courier-journal.com/sto...mes-university-kentucky-rupp-arena/497125001/ I'm not certain what partnerships the university has with respect to Colonial Life Arena, other than the naming rights agreement and a third party that handles ticketing for many of the events held there.
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I had no idea rupp wasn’t a university owned arena.
colonial life is owned by the university right? And they just use it for other events to help cover the debt and expense of owning it.
The University owns Colonial Life Arena and contracts Spectra to manage it (book events, handle ticketing, etc.) That's according to the info I can find online.
Dawn sat the starters for most of the fourth quarter. Then Ky made a run and cut it to 7 before she could get them back in With 1:58 to go. Game over Even though time on the clock.
Missed free throws were a problem again tonight..
Horrible tonight but we have a Free throw pct of 68% in conference play.
https://gamecocksonline.com/documents/2021/11/9/SC_Stats.pdf?path=wbball
Sometimes I get so frustrated/angry with Coach Dawn Staley. We absolutely own UK for 3 quarters and she empties the bench in the fourth quarter and a blowout ends up looking like a competitive close game.
I know she is playing the long game and in the long run it benefits us. It gives the bench tough experience you just can’t get from practice and It saves legs. But.....ARRRGHHHH
I Thought I was going to go insane listening Rucco and Lobo slobber all over Rhyne Howard and her 15 point 4th quarter. Asking why Howard and UK didn’t play like this in the first three quarters?
Let me tell you why. She scored 15 meaningless points against the bench in a game that was already decided.
Why did she score only 6 points in the first 3 quarters? Because Brea Beal was in her shorts
Making the presumptive #1 pick in the WNBA draft her b*
The fact that Brea has not made all SEC D the last two seasons is criminal. Her 6 pts and 6 rpg are gravy. She does not get enough credit
Thank you for listening to this unsolicited rant.
As you were Gamecocks!
Looking ahead to Georgia:
* The Dawgs come back in the 4th quarter was WITHOUT Jenna Staiti. They were -17 last night when she was on the floor. She only had 4 rebounds while UGA was -18 on the boards. LSU took advantage of her defensively by involving her in the pick-and-roll. She seemed wear her down, FAST. She looked winded every time the SECN showed a close up. She scored 8 and 4 points in the last two losses. UGA is going to need more from her against Carolina.
* Georgia is best when either Barker or Richardson has a big game scoring at the 3. Last night it was Richardson with 17 down the stetch. It will be key for Beal/Hall/Lele to shut them down. When Barker/Richardson aren't scoring, the UGA offense isn't nearly as good. Besides Barker/Richardson, Q Morrison is the only Bulldog who even attempts 3's. South Carolina leads the nation in defending the two point shot. A team doesn't have to shoot the 3 like Stanford or Mizzou to beat us, but it helps.
* I guess I should state the obvious: Aliyah Boston needs to stay out of foul trouble. For the first time all season, Carolina will face a team with more big bodies than we have. Recently, Feagin has been trying to do too much and ends up turning the ball over. Hopefully against Georgia she'll let the game come to her more. We primarily need her to grab some defensive boards when Boston is out. Anything else she gives us is gravy.
* Every SEC road game Carolina has played this season has been a grind. I don't expect this one to be any different. The team is going to have to scrap like they did when they beat LSU without Cardoso and Amihere.
* The Dawgs come back in the 4th quarter was WITHOUT Jenna Staiti. They were -17 last night when she was on the floor. She only had 4 rebounds while UGA was -18 on the boards. LSU took advantage of her defensively by involving her in the pick-and-roll. She seemed wear her down, FAST. She looked winded every time the SECN showed a close up. She scored 8 and 4 points in the last two losses. UGA is going to need more from her against Carolina.
* Georgia is best when either Barker or Richardson has a big game scoring at the 3. Last night it was Richardson with 17 down the stetch. It will be key for Beal/Hall/Lele to shut them down. When Barker/Richardson aren't scoring, the UGA offense isn't nearly as good. Besides Barker/Richardson, Q Morrison is the only Bulldog who even attempts 3's. South Carolina leads the nation in defending the two point shot. A team doesn't have to shoot the 3 like Stanford or Mizzou to beat us, but it helps.
* I guess I should state the obvious: Aliyah Boston needs to stay out of foul trouble. For the first time all season, Carolina will face a team with more big bodies than we have. Recently, Feagin has been trying to do too much and ends up turning the ball over. Hopefully against Georgia she'll let the game come to her more. We primarily need her to grab some defensive boards when Boston is out. Anything else she gives us is gravy.
* Every SEC road game Carolina has played this season has been a grind. I don't expect this one to be any different. The team is going to have to scrap like they did when they beat LSU without Cardoso and Amihere.
Don't disagree at all. But just feels kind of surreal, UGA is a different beast above Kentucky basketball. I thought the UK women were pretty darn strong..
Yeah, Dawn empties the bench. I guess that's just who she is. I don't always like it either. I think playing Feagin playing primarily with Wesolek and Thompson hasn't helped her development. Now we need Feagin to step up and she might not be ready.
Sometimes I get so frustrated/angry with Coach Dawn Staley. We absolutely own UK for 3 quarters and she empties the bench in the fourth quarter and a blowout ends up looking like a competitive close game.
I know she is playing the long game and in the long run it benefits us. It gives the bench tough experience you just can’t get from practice and It saves legs. But.....ARRRGHHHH
I Thought I was going to go insane listening Rucco and Lobo slobber all over Rhyne Howard and her 15 point 4th quarter. Asking why Howard and UK didn’t play like this in the first three quarters?
Let me tell you why. She scored 15 meaningless points against the bench in a game that was already decided.
Why did she score only 6 points in the first 3 quarters? Because Brea Beal was in her shorts
Making the presumptive #1 pick in the WNBA draft her b*
The fact that Brea has not made all SEC D the last two seasons is criminal. Her 6 pts and 6 rpg are gravy. She does not get enough credit
Thank you for listening to this unsolicited rant.
As you were Gamecocks!
But some fans could upset if we don't play EVERYONE on the bench when we have a big lead. IMO, we're trying to win a championship. That's the first priority.
They are not as bad as their record indicates. That's the first time UK has had Benton and Edwards playing together in a while. Several games they played without both.