Women dominate Wisc. 72-46

mikewebb68

Senior
Oct 24, 2009
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Yeah, that was a laugher. Wisky, the last place team in the BIG, did surprise us a bit in the beginning, outscoring us 15-7 in the first 7 minutes. But then they did scored for TEN MINUTES, and only scored 2 points the rest of the half (the 2 pts in the second quarter is the closest we have come to a shutout since quarter-play started 3 years ago). It was pretty much over after that, as all 11 healthy players (Abi Scheid, Cortney Shaw, and Lauren Satterwite are all out with injuries) played, including seldom-used Brooke Pikell, the daughter of Rutgers' men's coach Steve Pikell. 9 of our 11 players scored, lead by Pallas with a season-high 21 points to go along with 15 boards for her usual double-double, with Lindsey Pulliam matching her with 21 points of her own. Bryanna Hopkins, who is subbing for Scheid, in the starting lineup, probably had her best game in that capacity, with 7 pts, six assists and 3 boards.

Good to see us take care of business in an emphatic fashion at home,, it was fun to watch! Hopefully we can continue the momentum on the road on Thursday vs. Nebby, a team with whom we are tied with for 5th in the BIG at 4-3. We are 11-7 overall, same as the men, but probably an NCAA team at this point with 3 top-25 wins and a tough, tough noncon schedule. that featured 3 ranked teams.
 

NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
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We are 11-7 overall, same as the men, but probably an NCAA team at this point with 3 top-25 wins and a tough, tough noncon schedule. that featured 3 ranked teams.
And yet, some were suggesting Joe Must Go earlier this season.....LOL!!
 

Pukecat

Redshirt
Sep 30, 2018
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And yet, some were suggesting Joe Must Go earlier this season.....LOL!!

Still think that, sorry. Before you LOL, let’s see how far they go in the conference tourney and NCAAs if they get there. I believe NU WBB has no excuse for failing to be a top 25 team year in and year out.
 

scru

Redshirt
Sep 4, 2005
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24% shooting for Badgers. Yikes! Cats were 1 for 10 from 3...also gets a yikes.

Do new rims and backboards need to break in or something like that? Does a bit of wear, oil, dust, etc on older rims make them softer and more friendly? I'm really beginning to wonder. Seems like everything goes in at Cameron Indoor (Duke) while unless perfect, clanks out at WR. Is it the rims or the talent?
 

mikewebb68

Senior
Oct 24, 2009
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24% shooting for Badgers. Yikes! Cats were 1 for 10 from 3...also gets a yikes.

Do new rims and backboards need to break in or something like that? Does a bit of wear, oil, dust, etc on older rims make them softer and more friendly? I'm really beginning to wonder. Seems like everything goes in at Cameron Indoor (Duke) while unless perfect, clanks out at WR. Is it the rims or the talent?
Our best 3pt shooter, by far, was out with an injury.
 

mikewebb68

Senior
Oct 24, 2009
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Still think that, sorry. Before you LOL, let’s see how far they go in the conference tourney and NCAAs if they get there. I believe NU WBB has no excuse for failing to be a top 25 team year in and year out.
Why do you believe they have no excuse, exactly? There has only been one team in the. BIG who has been top-25 every year, and that is Maryland, and they are new to the conference, so the track record is not. long...
 

Pukecat

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Sep 30, 2018
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Why do you believe they have no excuse, exactly? There has only been one team in the. BIG who has been top-25 every year, and that is Maryland, and they are new to the conference, so the track record is not. long...
We have some clear advantages in the conference. We offer the best overall academics. We have a new arena, will have new facilities. We recruit nationally. You can look at Stanford (weather) and Notre Dame (campus sports culture) and see a few private schools with greater advantages, but not many. We recruit well and compete at a pretty high level in every women’s sport (softball, tennis, golf, lacrosse, field hockey, fencing). I don’t know why volleyball hasn’t gotten up there yet but the coach has not been here long. Joe has been here a while now and isn’t getting younger.
 

mikewebb68

Senior
Oct 24, 2009
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We have some clear advantages in the conference. We offer the best overall academics. We have a new arena, will have new facilities. We recruit nationally. You can look at Stanford (weather) and Notre Dame (campus sports culture) and see a few private schools with greater advantages, but not many. We recruit well and compete at a pretty high level in every women’s sport (softball, tennis, golf, lacrosse, field hockey, fencing). I don’t know why volleyball hasn’t gotten up there yet but the coach has not been here long. Joe has been here a while now and isn’t getting younger.
We've never been a perennial top-25 team, not even when Don was here.
 

Pukecat

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Sep 30, 2018
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We've never been a perennial top-25 team, not even when Don was here.

Yet I never said that. Don’t be that guy, mike. We have no excuse for being anything but a top 25 team. Not even lack of tradition. When you don’t have it, you build it. It’s never an excuse.
 

mikewebb68

Senior
Oct 24, 2009
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Yet I never said that. Don’t be that guy, mike. We have no excuse for being anything but a top 25 team. Not even lack of tradition. When you don’t have it, you build it. It’s never an excuse.
I think your expectations are too high. given that there is no BIG team that has been top-25 year in and year out except for Maryland, who does not have a long track record in the BIG. I believe Joe is doing just fine
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,226
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Still think that, sorry. Before you LOL, let’s see how far they go in the conference tourney and NCAAs if they get there. I believe NU WBB has no excuse for failing to be a top 25 team year in and year out.
There is a thing called injuries and it seems they have at least a couple key ones every year
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,226
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24% shooting for Badgers. Yikes! Cats were 1 for 10 from 3...also gets a yikes.

Do new rims and backboards need to break in or something like that? Does a bit of wear, oil, dust, etc on older rims make them softer and more friendly? I'm really beginning to wonder. Seems like everything goes in at Cameron Indoor (Duke) while unless perfect, clanks out at WR. Is it the rims or the talent?
Yes
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,226
1,074
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We have some clear advantages in the conference. We offer the best overall academics. We have a new arena, will have new facilities. We recruit nationally. You can look at Stanford (weather) and Notre Dame (campus sports culture) and see a few private schools with greater advantages, but not many. We recruit well and compete at a pretty high level in every women’s sport (softball, tennis, golf, lacrosse, field hockey, fencing). I don’t know why volleyball hasn’t gotten up there yet but the coach has not been here long. Joe has been here a while now and isn’t getting younger.
This is the first year for the new arena and prior to this year, we had the worst facilities in the BIG or pretty much anywhere just like the men. Harder academics than any other school in the BIG. In other sports, having top talent locally is a key. I am not sure having to recruit more nationally is any kind of advantage. Basically all those things you suggest we have as advantages are not.
 
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pschatz25

Redshirt
Nov 29, 2005
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And yet, some were suggesting Joe Must Go earlier this season.....LOL!!

Why don't we let the season play out first? Despite injuries and a couple last-second losses they are in good position at the moment. But JM's teams have been prone to losing streaks at the worst time in the past.

Scheid didn't have a boot on at the UW game, so hopefully she's good to go for the next game.
 

NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
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Why don't we let the season play out first? Despite injuries and a couple last-second losses they are in good position at the moment. But JM's teams have been prone to losing streaks at the worst time in the past.

Scheid didn't have a boot on at the UW game, so hopefully she's good to go for the next game.
I think Men's and Women's hoops have the same critical issue: depth and injuries. Both teams have seen seasons crater because of injuries to key players, and it is hard to overcome them. Perhaps with the new facilities both teams can attract more B1G caliber players.
 

Pukecat

Redshirt
Sep 30, 2018
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This is the first year for the new arena and prior to this year, we had the worst facilities in the BIG or pretty much anywhere just like the men. Harder academics than any other school in the BIG. In other sports, having top talent locally is a key. I am not sure having to recruit more nationally is any kind of advantage. Basically all those things you suggest we have as advantages are not.

Right, but Fitz was recruiting off plans for the Fitz Mahal back in 2012, so again, that's no excuse. And now that the arena is done and facilities are on the way, there's no excuse anymore.

As for "harder academics," give me a break. I can't wait until you tell me how easy upper level classes are at IU, OSU, UW, or any Big Ten school. On average we have stronger students in every room, which is in part why our reputation in general is strong. Our reputation isn't what it is because of harder classes.
 

pschatz25

Redshirt
Nov 29, 2005
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I think Men's and Women's hoops have the same critical issue: depth and injuries. Both teams have seen seasons crater because of injuries to key players, and it is hard to overcome them. Perhaps with the new facilities both teams can attract more B1G caliber players.

Based on the imperfect but available metric of number of ESPN top 100 recruits, the women's team hasn't had much trouble attracting B10, or at least well-regarded, talent (and this has been true for years):

Women: 6 (Scheid, Wolf, Hamilton, Pulliam, Wood, PKA)
Men: 3 (Law, Nance, Falzon)