2022-2023 ND Women's Basketball Thread

[IrishLax]

Weird that ND loses on a buzzer beater to Maryland (largely due to questionable officiating) and there’s a ton of consternation but ND destroys UCONN and it’s mostly crickets in here.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Miles is a problem when she's on like today. Westbeld had her best game of the year too. Always good to beat Geno.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Azzi going out dampens the mood, but it's a huge win nonetheless

 

[texbender]

Nice win today, they were in control the whole way. Too may turnovers, but ND has all the parts to have a nice season.

 

[MacIrish75]

Oh, so we BACK back?

 

[stpeteirish]

Very nice to see Westbeld play like her old self. Still not sure if her issues were physical or mental but if she plays like she did today we are a top ten team after all. Miles was also a totally different player than she was vs Maryland, dominant.

 

[laughingirish90]

Weird that ND loses on a buzzer beater to Maryland (largely due to questionable officiating) and there’s a ton of consternation but ND destroys UCONN and it’s mostly crickets in here.

i personally was just too busy after the game to post right away. so many posted here after the MD game because the team just didn't bring it on either side of the floor as they were killed rebounding and were a turnover machine and it probably just pissed everybody off like me and they needed to come here and let off steam about it. Ivey wanted a tougher minded and more physical team today after the MD loss and she got it. Maddie finally showed up today after a poor start to the season and Miles played like an angry player on a mission. if Maddie can play like this the rest of the season and we can limit the turnovers going forward plus rebound like we did in this game then yes this team can be acc champions and have a good shot at the final four

 

[Irish#1]

Weird that ND loses on a buzzer beater to Maryland (largely due to questionable officiating) and there’s a ton of consternation but ND destroys UCONN and it’s mostly crickets in here.

Too busy thinking about bowl matchups. Lol

Good bounce back by the ladies. That kind of a win will help come seating time.

 

[arrowryan]

I thought UCONN would win by 20. Very happy to be wrong.

Maryland got blown out at home to Nebraska today. So that loss is a head scratcher.

All in all, today showed us Ivey knows what she’s doing and has this team headed in the right direction.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Thoughts after finally getting to watch the game:
A. Match-ups often make basketball games. UCONN not nearly as physical a team as MD, so that is still a concern when we meet a physical team. Also, unlike MD, UCONN had no one who just liked to put their head down and rip into the paint --- which we almost never stopped vs MD but didn't have to vs UCONN. So we still have something to prove there. Dara couldn't hit the ocean riding in a rowboat vs MD. She was Normal Dara vs UCONN; similar for Westbeld. Two different opponents allowed ND to be two different NDs.
B. UCONN weirdly had a player who you didn't have to guard along the arc. We could just back off and apply an extra half-man vs drives. Kudos to Ivey for noticing that in film prep. The best Ivey move was to note that the only player UCONN had who could create bunches of points was Azzi Fudd(?) Ivey asked Citron to sacrifice some offense and dedicate her game to mano-a-mano tight shadowing all over the court. (Sonia occasionally got some relief from that from Bransford who, I believe, Ivey has now fully discovered.) Citron completely stopped AF, even before the injury.
C. Ivey must have done some a$$chewing in practice, as everyone seemed playing like they were actual athletes rather than streetball cruisers --- that amazingly included Westbeld, who very early in the game dived in hard for an offensive rebound. She actually looked interested in getting her hands durty.
D. All of that allowed Miles to roll. UCONN amazingly incapable of getting anyone in her way. When Miles is allowed to attack full court, she is All-American as she showed. When pushed around and blocked, she might even be a mess (a la MD.) If future teams play soft with her, we'll probably win every game (if Dara makes half her own shots; we still need that threat for balance.)
E. Once again Sonia played almost the entire game, and she and Bransford had the best +/- scores (unsurprising to me after watching.) Sonia is just a silent great player and KK is becoming a physical terminator. Those two give us a defensive chance.

I'm still worried about the coming physical outfits we'll face --- plenty in the ACC. Sonia and KK are not enough. Maddy MUST add her attitude to theirs, and Watson CAN get there if she improves. One might think that Ebo is natural solution, but even in this game her +/- wasn't that good (although her screening for Miles helps.) She's just too slow and clumsy in the meathouse to have her natural muscle to toughen us up in the ways BASKETBALL needs. If this was football then OK. We need to find someone to play with Citron, Bransford, and Miles when we need Effort Action for several minutes to overcome physical teams. Miles doesn't add much to that other than really good defensive rebounding, but she obviously must be on the court. Who are the other two? Dara will do if there is someone she can guard. But that would mean a willingness to go "small ball" four guards. Who is THE big? Who are TWO Bigs? This is why we must get Westbeld on board, and probably Watson to groove her athleticism into the rest of the team patterns of play.

Some think that the MD game is a headscratching oddity. Not to me. We aren't constructed for that kind of team. There's no Jess Shepherd nor Kat Westbeld not Natalie Ochonwa nor our last year's center (who I go blank on all the time.) These sort of people would put a stop to other people bullying us inside and down the paint. We have NO enforcer of the middle.

I'll think happy. If other teams are dumb enough to not try to simply "go animal" on us, we'll probably beat them all.

 

[irishrb]

Actually disappointed I didn't get a chance to watch the game. Nice write up OMM....Thanks.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Gentlemen, I don't get ACC network here at my "Old Folks Community" so I'll not see a game until late January or later. I'm counting on someone to let me know how the girls are doing as I'll only get the box scores.

 

[BabyIrish]

Here’s my thoughts after attending the game live.
Best game of the season by far especially on the defensive end. They just came ready to play with their grit and determination. I’ve been saying this since last year, I’m still not a fan of our zone defense, especially our 1-3-1. That looked awful. I think we’re better playing man. Rotations seem to slow. I have to disagree because I thought Ebo played well on the defensive end. Even if the +\- was low I think that got deflated a bit at the end when UCONN got some junk points in the last two minutes.

This team will go as far as Westbeld takes us. When she’s a threat both inside and out, there’s nothing Defenses can do to stop us. Citron and Miles are always going to do their thing. One of Watson and Ebo will get you what you need in the post. Mabreys good to make some timely threes. But if our 4 can be a threat everywhere, then that just opens up the lane for the post or Miles/Citron drives. If KK can find an offensive game then the sky’s the limit.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I agree with all of that. The thing with Ebo is how the opponent challenges her. If that opponent is strong enough to just not cave in, then she will also be quicker than Ebo and Ebo gets called for fouls or just can't get to the necessary spot. Plus, and this is fixable in theory, we have had players in the past who do not understand the Ball-you-man concept of off-the-ball defense so as to be able to quickly help out the endangered teammate getting beat. I have not seen good enough understanding/awareness from Ebo about this yet --- I do see glimmerings from Watson. Citron and Bransford are naturals about this. Dara is also aware; she is just too small for most of the shifts if they are not on the arc. Miles needs some advance in this too, but her awareness IQ is so good that she will get there. The posterchild for not getting it last year was Brunelle. The posterchildren FOR getting it were Prohaska and Peoples. A litmus test is whether you ever see a player taking multiple charges. When I see more of our players in successful double-teams and taking charges, I'll feel a lot better about our defense.

To belabor the MD vs UCONN difference: almost no one stepped in on help defense vs MDs CONSTANT forays down the middle to give helpside defense or take a charge. Against UCONN, Ivey got around the problem by having Citron wear Fudd like a shirt, and then see if any other UCONN player wanted to drive --- they didn't.

 

[BabyIrish]

Great points OMM, hoping this is a stepping stone to better overall defensive play as the season goes on. Especially the help defense your referencing.

 

[MacIrish75]

Here’s my thoughts after attending the game live.
Best game of the season by far especially on the defensive end. They just came ready to play with their grit and determination. I’ve been saying this since last year, I’m still not a fan of our zone defense, especially our 1-3-1. That looked awful. I think we’re better playing man. Rotations seem to slow. I have to disagree because I thought Ebo played well on the defensive end. Even if the +\- was low I think that got deflated a bit at the end when UCONN got some junk points in the last two minutes.

This team will go as far as Westbeld takes us. When she’s a threat both inside and out, there’s nothing Defenses can do to stop us. Citron and Miles are always going to do their thing. One of Watson and Ebo will get you what you need in the post. Mabreys good to make some timely threes. But if our 4 can be a threat everywhere, then that just opens up the lane for the post or Miles/Citron drives. If KK can find an offensive game then the sky’s the limit.

Zone defense (unless you’re Jim Boeheim) is so difficult in both M/W CBB because nearly everyone playing is a plus ball handler with adequate court vision. It’s the same reason so few teams employ a consistent full-court press. The players are too good for it to be super impactful.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Muffet was a master (mistress?) of some of this. She would mix "junk" defenses (like box and one or triangle and two or some weird match-ups) with her man-to-mans. Ivey did something like this vs UCONN with Citron's flypaper attention to Fudd. This was not normal m2m as Citron was relieved of responsibility of help defense by design of that tight coverage. I would hope that Ivey learned all of Muffet's "junk" as it usually was a real joy to watch.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Nice win at previously undefeated and #6 Virginia Tech. Miles took over again in the 4th with 10 points and finished a couple assists short of another triple double.

 

[arrowryan]

Ivey & Co got a road win @ previously undefeated #6 Virginia Tech.

As it stands now, every ranked conference matchup for ND will be on the road.

 

[NDGOLDEN]

Impressive win. Completely taking over the 4th quarter. Gonna be a fun year

 

[laughingirish90]

best win of the year for the wbb team in my opinion as it was on the road against a very good VT squad. defense in the 4th was the best i've seen from this team this year also considering the team they were playing. this team will be tough to beat for the acc title if they keep playing defense like this for the rest of the season

 

[stpeteirish]

Miles is something else when she gets rolling. VT had no answer for her.

And shit, were those announcers rooting for tech or what. Its usually not so obvious.

 

[IrishLax]

So basically unblemished this year except for the ref screw job against Maryland (could've played better too but would've closed that game out with tighter and more consistent officiating).

 

[arrowryan]

Also worth noting that 5 star true freshman Cassandra Prosper will be joining the team in January. She’s 6’2” so that’s a big bonus. She’s taking the Olivia Miles route.

 

[laughingirish90]

Also worth noting that 5 star true freshman Cassandra Prosper will be joining the team in January. She’s 6’2” so that’s a big bonus. She’s taking the Olivia Miles route.

if the other players put team and winning a title first and are okay with giving up a few minutes per game for Prosper then this team could be even tougher to beat for the conference title if she can adjust to the college game within a few games

 

[arrowryan]

if the other players put team and winning a title first and are okay with giving up a few minutes per game for Prosper then this team could be even tougher to beat for the conference title if she can adjust to the college game within a few games

Prosper coming in should give Westbeld a much needed breather. They don’t really have another true 4 that plays. Ebo and Watson and strictly 5’s. Similar to Westbeld, Prosper will give Ivey guard like play without giving up any size.

 

[Irish#1]

The ladies are gelling nicely. Understanding that defense wins the road games is a big plus.

 

[stpeteirish]

The ladies are gelling nicely. Understanding that defense wins the road games is a big plus.

Brey should take note. OTOH why bother he’s never going to change

 

[Old Man Mike]

We survived a GREAT Big in the VT ACC-Player-of-the-year 6'6" center.
That's a big deal. She eliminated our ability to get an offensive rebound.
VT also plays almost an Iron-Five, and we beat them in the fourth quarter,
which is also a great sign. Dara had the best +/-. That also seems to me
to indicate a willpower game. (Wish I could see the game, but this is from
the stats sheet.)

 

[Irish#1]

Our ladies rolled today against UVA. Buckets galore.