We always knew the we don't play championship defense --- Miles and Westbeld are terrible at it. Citron and King (and Prosper when she's in) have the everyplay-on-the-job defenders attitude. With Hannah, when motivated (internally apparently) she is the ultimate menace. But opponents scout, and know to leave Hannah alone (translation: get another ball-handler), and pick on the two weak links. Rivers, by the way, is EXTREMELY basketball smart and cool.
Ivey tried at times this game to cover the holes by using a 1-2-2 type match-up zone with Soni at the top (since she can't trust anyone else (except Prosper) to do it. Still, Westbeld's "little girl soft play" killed that inside, and Miles' sort-of-paying attention left the middle open. Ivey also tried mightily to get Miles off the defensive court by O/D substitution late in regulation, but you can only do that with luck.
This team will win against almost anybody on sheer "WOW" factor, but there will be games where the opponent has smarter people than you and makes 20 straight free throws. Then --- you still might win, but ....
As to NCAA --- my opinion: we're still a one seed, easily. This was a very good opponent AT THEIR HOME. Double overtime.
