Texas @ Stanford 11/14

I love this team’s buy-in. What a tremendous rush from watching the huddle on court at end of game. Did you see the look on the player’s faces? That is what most want to feel in team games. One important thing I noticed was Matharu’s step back shots. She uses that with much confidence to get shooting space. NBA and men’s college game.....you see that a lot. Not so much in women’s. I would think more will use it over time. The two biggest offensive changes in the game in decades is the step back and the euro step. Warren used a beautiful euro step in the game. As far as rotations, I don’t think anything will change for Tennessee or other tough games. JAT and Warren set the tone and culture of this team. Matharu is tremendous and a wonderful change of pace and instant offense. Congrats to every player, regardless if they played or how much, it was a team win.
 
Article from Stanford WBB with a few quotes from Vanderveer and Lexie Hull.

“We just weren’t gritty enough down the stretch,” Hall of Fame Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “... I hope that this game gets everyone’s attention.”

"I think the full-court defense the pressure kind of got us out of whack," VanDerveer said.

“Obviously losing is not fun but I think that there’s a lot that we can learn from it, and especially knowing areas that we need to improve are definitely areas that we saw exposed today,” Hull said. “... I think later on in the season we’ll look back on this game as a blessing in disguise as much as we don’t like it right now.”

Cardinal Falls to Texas - Stanford University Athletics
 
A couple of Monday morning coffee and toast thoughts as I try to get this old body moving....to play golf by noon. Breanna Turner’s comment about playing FOR Texas WBB and the full court pressure and being gassed......that style of play isn’t for everybody. There will be some top players that will shy away from coming to Texas because it will be so tough. That’s ok. There are other teams that will allow them to rest on D and play offense. Cant do that for Schaefer. Make no mistake.....the player’s notice the style of play and how much they will have to put into it. Second....the upcoming teams hate playing Texas WBB. No space to do anything, no time to rest, constant pressure everehere with quickness and physicality, turnovers, no passing lanes, no inbounds options, relentless, no easy plays, and your coach yelling at you to handle it. Who wants to play against that. Nobody. If your team doesn’t have a couple of dominant, quick, ball handling guards in great shape, you are in trouble and hate the upcoming game. The fans of Tennessee are already stressing out about that. I’m stressing out sitting in my lazy boy, just thinking that I might have to face that pressure. So I hope the message gets out to Cunningham and other talented, needed players that if you can handle that type of game....there is a place for you on Schaefer’s team. If not, good luck.
 
LutherIsMyDog said:
Article from Stanford WBB with a few quotes from Vanderveer and Lexie Hull.

“We just weren’t gritty enough down the stretch,” Hall of Fame Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “... I hope that this game gets everyone’s attention.”

"I think the full-court defense the pressure kind of got us out of whack," VanDerveer said.

“Obviously losing is not fun but I think that there’s a lot that we can learn from it, and especially knowing areas that we need to improve are definitely areas that we saw exposed today,” Hull said. “... I think later on in the season we’ll look back on this game as a blessing in disguise as much as we don’t like it right now.”

Cardinal Falls to Texas - Stanford University Athletics
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Tara VanDerveer is all class.
 
I have not always agreed with VanDeVeer, generally because of her storied success. However there is no denying her class. I also noted that she acknowledged that in the tournament last year, they never had to play Texas’ style. Texas’ style is why Schaefer has problems getting non-conference marquee games to Austin. Others don’t want to play against them and that style. It also is why Schaefer’s teams have so much success in the tournament. There is no duplicating his style in practice, and most other teams have never play against it during the season. The upcoming Aggy game will be interesting as they do have great guards. Blair and Schaefer against each other.....no surprises in strategy. Two classy coaches playing last game against each other.
 
I think the only games ESPN should be allowed to telecast is Stanford and UConn. They, or at least the announcers last night, obviously do not care about any other teams. OK, that being said, I watched Tara V’s post game press conference. Over and over she said “We lost our point guard; We didn’t have a point guard; No point guard to steady the ship, etc.” and I thought whose fault is that? Did they not recruit point guards over time in anticipation of Williams graduation? But she was right. Their players looked out of place, hesitant and unsure for most of the game.
 
justabbfan said:
I think the only games ESPN should be allowed to telecast is Stanford and UConn. They, or at least the announcers last night, obviously do not care about any other teams. OK, that being said, I watched Tara V’s post game press conference. Over and over she said “We lost our point guard; We didn’t have a point guard; No point guard to steady the ship, etc.” and I thought whose fault is that? Did they not recruit point guards over time in anticipation of Williams graduation? But she was right. Their players looked out of place, hesitant and unsure for most of the game.
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Agreed! Listening to her press she gave very little credit to Texas for their loss. I’m sitting like your PG isn’t coming back, move on! IMO they got beat, straight up. She even mentioned lack of experience etc etc. Give credit where credit is due; Texas, an even more inexperienced squad showed up and smack y’all in the face. It happens. :hookem::hookem:
 
As good as Hayley Jones is.....she’s not a point guard. She is good enough at it that Texas backed off once she got the inbounds pass full court. She had 5 turnovers. She’ll do fine against most teams but Stanford has to find a point guard answer to go all the way this year. Just another example of why point guard is so crucial. UCONN has one in Bueckers, Iowa has Clark, Texas has Harmon. I’ll take 4 years of Harmon all day long. She’ll have a few less than all-world games but....just WOW!
 
I am a much bigger fan of Tara than Skeletor-in-a-garish-pant-suit or Geno but Texas lost a grad transfer PG, the #1 overall pick and one of the most versatile long guards in college basketball. Replacing them are 2 true freshmen and a rough-and-tumble ‘overachiever’ with an extensive injury history as well as starting a sophomore who only played in 11 games as a freshman.
 
DFW_Horn said:
I am a much bigger fan of Tara than Skeletor-in-a-garish-pant-suit or Geno but Texas lost a grad transfer PG, the #1 overall pick and one of the most versatile long guards in college basketball. Replacing them are 2 true freshmen and a rough-and-tumble ‘overachiever’ with an extensive injury history as well as starting a sophomore who only played in 11 games as a freshman.
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Agreed. And not having an adequate replacement for when Williams graduated is on Tara. She's recruited well everywhere else and shouldn't have a problem finding a quality PG.
 
512HornsUp said:
Agreed! Listening to her press she gave very little credit to Texas for their loss. I’m sitting like your PG isn’t coming back, move on! IMO they got beat, straight up. She even mentioned lack of experience etc etc. Give credit where credit is due; Texas, an even more inexperienced squad showed up and smack y’all in the face. It happens. :hookem::hookem:
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Yup! We smacked the sh_t out of them and no excuse Tara could make would justify the defending national champs less only one player getting their asses handed to them on their own home floor by a bunch of young, talented underclassmen... Mostly frosh and sophs. Face it Tara... you thought we were going to be deer in headlights and when we weren't, you didn't know what hit you. Outplayed and outcoached. PERIOD.
 
Just fyi, the entire game is now posted on YouTube. I didn’t extend my recording long enough to catch the ending so I’m happy to get to watch it even after the fact.
 
Jacob Johnson said:

out of all the post game conferences this has to be my favorite. Aliyah and Rori are very well spoken and just represent Texas will such grace and fire at the same time.
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WOW - I freaking love this press conference!!!

If you're a young recruit (or a parent), THIS is the biggest selling point. This brand of basketball isn't for everyone (and that's totally fine), but if you see this and you're interested in Texas, this HAS to move the needle for you some. Well done!
 
Jacob Johnson said:

out of all the post game conferences this has to be my favorite. Aliyah and Rori are very well spoken and just represent Texas will such grace and fire at the same time.
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Must’ve been a Stanford reporter that kept asking Vic about the sideline - she even brought it up to Tara in the Stanford presser.
 
DFW_Horn said:
Must’ve been a Stanford reporter that kept asking Vic about the sideline - she even brought it up to Tara in the Stanford presser.
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She said she was from the associated press and it was bothering me the way she kept asking throughout the entire conference. Vic is an animated coach and we love him for it but she tried to make it seem as if he was wrong for doing so.
 
Jacob Johnson said:
She said she was from the associated press and it was bothering me the way she kept asking throughout the entire conference. Vic is an animated coach and we love him for it but she tried to make it seem as if he was wrong for doing so.
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It would bother me if Vic was like Sulkey Mulkey always whining and hysterical that the refs had robbed her of something… but Vic is simply coaching his team. Like he said, he’s in the fight with them. I like it. And I like how Vic responded to her “I’m not a bad guy. I know the rules. “. LOL
 
He has said before that if you score and then let the other team score, you're not helping the team. Perhaps their roommate can counsel them.
 
Every press conference gets better. What’s not to like about Schaefer. Worth every penny.....and more. The refs give you leeway on staying in the box, if you’re simply coaching your team. If you’re yipping at the refs constantly......you’ll be on the bench quickly.
 
Moooooo said:
What I'd like to see going forward:

- more ball screens for Rori. Her jump shot is pure, and it comes in the soft spots of the zone defense. She doesn't need to drive it all the way to the basket and get blocked, unless the lane is wide open.

- less dribbling from Audrey; she doesn't have the best handles. She is best at moving without the ball; would be great at being the recipient of back door passes. Needs to take more shots from beyond the arc as she has a beautiful stroke. Don't think she needs to drive the lane against the bigs so much and get her shot blocked.

- if we are gonna run a dribble drive weave offense, it needs to be when three true guards (Rori, Ashley, Joanne, Kyndall, and Aliyah Matharu) are on the court; don't want to see it run when Audrey is in the lineup

- improved offense (duh). More passing and less dribbling (especially from Warren and Moore). Rotate the ball more and eventually someone will be wide open to take an uncontested shot.
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With a player as talented with the ball in her hands and as quick as Rori is you typically don’t want to run too many ball screens for them and bring over that extra defender. That gives the defense the option to switch, hedge or trap that screen and take the ball out of her hand completely. Vic has it right by letting her just take her defender 1 on 1 off the bounce. Not very many people in the country can stay in front of her in that scenario.
 
Sangre Naranjada said:
Is that all?
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Exactly what I said. Baylor may be undefeated but it’s quite obvious they miss Mulkey. They play Maryland soon and I don’t see that game being close but I could be wrong but based on what I’ve seen thus far, Baylor may not be first, second, or third in the big 12. Texas, Iowa state, Oklahoma, and Kansas state have looked better to me so far but it’s still early so time will tell.
 
Stanford coach was a little less gracious than I thought. She talked more about what her team didn’t do and what they are missing and what they need to get better at. Rightfully so. She mentioned beating Mississippi State previously and they can play against that style. She still thinks they should have won. Only at the end did she give Texas any real credit. I don’t know what happened to recruiting that they didn’t get a great point guard this year. They did sign a good one for next year. It’s ok for Texas to feel a little slighted. Perhaps there’s another meeting at the end of the year. Both teams will be better then. Nice to see Stanford WBB a little uncomfortable. Really put a damper on their championship celebration. Good.
 
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