A Guest Column this week as FBC Member Sue Bair looks at the teams in the San Diego Regional. Thanks to Sue for this insight into our opponents and sharing it on our Site.
NCAA First Round, Saturday March 21st at approximately 7:30 PM in San Diego
Opponent – #15 seeded UC Santa Barbara
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos are 22-9 overall and 15-1 in the Big West conference. They made the NCAA tournament by winning their conference tournament and earning the automatic bid. Former Cal assistant Lindsay Gottlieb was named Big West Coach of the Year in her first season as the head coach of the Gauchos.
UCSB has a Sagarin ranking of #102. They are 1-1 against Sagarin top 50 teams and have played no games against top 25 teams. The Gauchos are a very experienced team; they start 4 seniors. The Gauchos do not pack much offensive punch, however, and tend to play close games. They average 60.2 points and give up an average of 54.9. UCSB shoots 41.7% and allows opponents to shoot 34.4%. By contrast Stanford scores 76.0 points per game on 47.4% shooting and gives up 55.2 points per game on 34.8% shooting. The Gauchos out-rebound their opponents 38.2 to 33.4. They do not take particularly good care of the ball and have a negative assist to turnover ratio. The Gauchos are not very big, although they do have size and experience inside in 6’ 4” Sr C Jenna Green. Against Stanford, they will be at a serious size disadvantage at almost every position. This season UCSB played 3 Pac-10 teams and lost all three games: Arizona 54-47 in November, USC 62-53 in November, and Oregon State 70-51 in late February.
Best win: Gonzaga
Worst losses: Harvard, CSU Bakersfield, Pacific
Probably UCSB starters:
Sr G Lauren Pedersen (5’ 10”) – 13.0 ppg, 34.1% shooting, 32.1% three-point shooting, 5.1 rpg, 4.2 apg, 3.3 TOs
Sr C Jenna Green (6’ 4”) – 11.4 ppg, 54.0% shooting, 5.9 rpg, 1.9 blocks
Sr G Sha’Rae Gibbons (5’ 7”) – 8.1 ppg, 41.8%, 35.6% threes
So F Margaret Johnson (5’ 11”) – 3.6 ppg, 55.4%
Sr G-F Whitney Warren (5’ 8”) – 5.3 ppg, 46.8%
Reserves:
Jr G-F Jordan Franey (6’) – 6.4 ppg, 41.3%, 4.4 rpg
Fr G Emilie Johnson (5’ 6”) – 6.1 ppg, 34.5%, 39.2% threes
Sr F-C Kat Suderman (6’ 4”) – 3.9 ppg, 40%, 2.8 rpg
So G-F Christine Spencer (6’ 1”) – 2.9 ppg, 35.4%
NCAA second round, Monday March 23rd in San Diego
Possible Opponent – #7 seeded DePaul Blue Demons
The DePaul Blue Demons received an at-large bid after finishing 23-9 overall and 10-6 (tied with 2 others for 4th) in the tough Big East conference. Doug Bruno is the head coach. DePaul went 6-4 in their last 10 games. They bowed out of the Big East tournament in the quarterfinals to #16 (USA Today/ESPN poll) Pittsburgh.
The Blue Demons have a Sagarin ranking of #26 and went 2-6 against the Sagarin top 25 and 3-8 against the Sagarin top 50. They have a balanced attack featuring the inside play of 6’ 3” Sr F Natasha Williams (14.2 ppg) and the outside play of 5’ 10” Jr G Deirdre Naughton (15.5 ppg). DePaul scores an average of 71.3 points and gives up an average of 62.6. They shoot 42.6% to their opponents’ 38.6%. They are not a particularly good three-point shooting team (31.3%) or rebounding team (rebounding margin is only +2.4). Naughton and G Sam Quigley take around 5 three-pointers a game apiece but they do not hit that many (30.5% and 35.3% respectively). The Blue Demons do take good care of the ball (A/T ratio = 1.1 and 14.7 turnovers per game).
DePaul plays in the Big East so they are no strangers to top competition. In conference the Blue Demons lost to #1 Connecticut 77-62, #7 Louisville 78-60, #20 Notre Dame 86-62 and 62-59, unranked Villanova, and unranked South Florida. They did beat Rutgers 60-58 and #16 Pittsburgh 69-62. In non-conference games they lost to #23 Tennessee and unranked New Mexico. DePaul does not appear to be a very deep team but unlike the other two teams in Stanford’s bracket in San Diego, they have balance, size, and plenty of experience against top opponents.
Best wins: #16 Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Florida
Worst loss: Mew Mexico
Probable DePaul starters:
Jr G Deidre Naughton (5’ 10”) – 15.5 ppg, 37% shooting, 30.5% threes, 5.1 rpg, 4.5 apg, 2.8 TO
Sr F Natasha Williams (6’ 3”) – 14.2 ppg, 61.6%, 6.7 rpg, 1.3 blocks
Fr F Keisha Hampton (6’ 2”) – 10.5 ppg, 41.2%, 32.1% threes, 4.7 rpg
So G Sam Quigley (5’ 6”) – 10.2 ppg, 40.4%, 35.3% threes, 3.6 apg, 2.2 TOs
So F Felicia Chester (6’ 3”) – 7.2 ppg, 52%, 5.8 rpg, 1.2 blocks
Reserves:
Jr G China Threatt (5’ 9”) – 5.3 ppg, 34.1%, 30.5% threes
Sr F Erin Cattell (6’ 1) – 3.0 ppg
Possible Opponent – #10 seeded San Diego State Aztecs
The San Diego State Aztecs are a young team coached by former Stanford strength and conditioning coach (2004-05) Beth Burns. The Aztecs’ record is 23-7 overall and 13-3 in the Mountain West Conference. They came in second to Utah in the Mountain West tournament but claimed an NCAA bid as an at-large team.
The Aztecs have a Sagarin ranking of #53. They did not play a difficult schedule and out of 3 games against top 50 teams, they won only one, but it was a whooper – an upset of then #4 Texas by a score of 60-55 in San Diego in late December. Since then Texas has struggled to 11 losses, so the win is not quite what it was cracked up to be at the time, but Texas is still a top 25 team and that victory is by far the Aztecs’ best.
San Diego State scores 64.6 points per game on 42.6% shooting and allows 57.4 points per game on 38.3% shooting. They shoot 32.4% from three-point range but for a guard-oriented team (they start 3 guards), they do not shoot all that many threes. Stanford has made 201 threes while the Aztecs have made 143. The Aztecs have been out-rebounded by an average of 2.5 rebounds per game. They do have quick guards including Jene Morris, who played for Cal as a freshman and then transferred, and they get a lot of steals. They have only one player with size who sees much playing time, 6’ 4” C Paris Johnson, who goes for 14.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Only one other regular tops six feet.
It may seem daunting to play any opponent on their home court and San Diego State has been great at home this season and did beat a ranked team there, but the Aztecs are not a particularly good shooting team, have little size or depth to combat all the bigs Stanford can throw at them, and don’t rebound very well. If given the choice between playing the Aztecs on their home court or a more balanced DePaul team that has been through the wars in a major conference, I’d take the Aztecs and my chances on the home court edge. The Card have dealt with quick guards before. Just ask Camille LeNoir of USC.
Best wins: Texas, New Mexico, Utah, TCU, BYU
Worst loss: San Diego
Probable San Diego State starters:
Jr G Jene Morris (5’ 9”) – 15.5 ppg, 41.6%, 31.7% threes, 2.4 apg, 2.9 TOs, 3.2 steals
So C Paris Johnson (6’ 4”) – 14.0 ppg, 53.8%, 8.5 rpg, 3.1 blocks
Jr G Quenese Davis (5’ 9”) – 11.4 ppg, 37.8%, 34.5% threes, 4.1 rpg, 6.0 Apg, 4.1 TOs, 2.5 steals
Jr F Jennifer Layton-Bailes (6’ 1”) – 9.3 ppg, 48.8%, 32.6% threes, 5.1 rpg
So G Coco Davis (5’ 9”) – 4.2 ppg, 29.6%, 3.7 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.6 TOs, 1.4 steals
Reserves:
Jr G Jerica Williams (5’ 8”) – 4.9 ppg, 37.2%, 38.9% threes
Sr G LaSandra Dixon (5’ 7”)
Conclusions: My theory is when in doubt feel better facing smaller conference teams than BCS types because the latter have had plenty of experience playing top-level opponents and generally have more size and better athletes. By that theory, Stanford should prefer to face San Diego State in the second round, and by the seedings they should prefer the same.
March 19, 2009
March 10, 2009
Nine in a Row
Well another fantastic season in the books and we begin Friday in our quest for the Pac 10 Tournament Title, then the Big Dance.
With Cal losing to ASU and Stanford beating ASU, Stanford’s margin is suddenly 2 games. With Cal and ASU tied for 2nd/3rd. The big surprise was Oregon State defeating both USC and UCLA to move into a tie for 4th/5th in the Conference.
Here is the Pac 10 Tournament Schedule.
Pac-10 Tournament
Thu. - Sun., Mar. 12-15, Galen Center (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Looks like only Saturday and Sunday are on TV.
Thu., Mar. 12
1 #7 Oregon vs. #10 Washington 6:00 PM PT
2 #8 Washington State vs. #9 Arizona 8:15 PM PT
Fri., Mar. 13
3 #3 Arizona State vs. #6 USC 11:00 AM PT
4 #2 California vs. Game 1 Winner 1:15 PM PT
5 #1 Stanford vs. Game 2 Winner 5:00 PM PT
6 #4 UCLA vs. #5 Oregon State 7:15 PM PT
Sat., Mar. 14
7 Semifinal #1 6:00 PM PT
8 Semifinal #2 8:30 PM PT
Sun., Mar. 15
9 Championship Game 6:00 PM PT
My AWARD TIME:
Bob’s Frosh of the Year: Jazmine Perkins, WSU.
Bob’s All Frosh Team:
Perkins,
Nneka Ogwumike, Stanford,
Briana Gilbreath, USC,
Atonye Nyingifa, UCLA
April Cook, WSU
Bob’s Coach of the Year: Tara, 17-1, # 2 in the country, ‘nuff said.
Bob’s Player of the Year: Jayne Appel, Stanford. Who scored 29 points in the biggest game of the Year? On the final Day? When her team needed her to play the game of her life? All while ASU ran four 6-3 or taller post players at her.
All Pac 10 Team:
Appel, Stanford
Ashley Walker, Cal
Ify Ibekwe, Arizona
Briann January, ASU
Camille LeNoir, USC
Kayla Pederson, Stanford
Doreena Campbell, UCLA
Alexis Gray-Lawson, Cal
Brittany Davis, Oregon State
Jeanette Pohlen, Stanford
Honorable Mention:
Dymond Simon, ASU
Jill “The Trill” Harmon, Stanford
Micaela Cocks, Oregon
Jazmine Perkins, WSU
Sami Whitcomb, Washington
Most Improved: Jeanette Pohlen Stanford. Switches to the Point and still makes 71 Three’s with a number of games to go. Jeanette is currently tied for 9th place for most Three’s in a single Stanford season.
On to LA.
With Cal losing to ASU and Stanford beating ASU, Stanford’s margin is suddenly 2 games. With Cal and ASU tied for 2nd/3rd. The big surprise was Oregon State defeating both USC and UCLA to move into a tie for 4th/5th in the Conference.
Here is the Pac 10 Tournament Schedule.
Pac-10 Tournament
Thu. - Sun., Mar. 12-15, Galen Center (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Looks like only Saturday and Sunday are on TV.
Thu., Mar. 12
1 #7 Oregon vs. #10 Washington 6:00 PM PT
2 #8 Washington State vs. #9 Arizona 8:15 PM PT
Fri., Mar. 13
3 #3 Arizona State vs. #6 USC 11:00 AM PT
4 #2 California vs. Game 1 Winner 1:15 PM PT
5 #1 Stanford vs. Game 2 Winner 5:00 PM PT
6 #4 UCLA vs. #5 Oregon State 7:15 PM PT
Sat., Mar. 14
7 Semifinal #1 6:00 PM PT
8 Semifinal #2 8:30 PM PT
Sun., Mar. 15
9 Championship Game 6:00 PM PT
My AWARD TIME:
Bob’s Frosh of the Year: Jazmine Perkins, WSU.
Bob’s All Frosh Team:
Perkins,
Nneka Ogwumike, Stanford,
Briana Gilbreath, USC,
Atonye Nyingifa, UCLA
April Cook, WSU
Bob’s Coach of the Year: Tara, 17-1, # 2 in the country, ‘nuff said.
Bob’s Player of the Year: Jayne Appel, Stanford. Who scored 29 points in the biggest game of the Year? On the final Day? When her team needed her to play the game of her life? All while ASU ran four 6-3 or taller post players at her.
All Pac 10 Team:
Appel, Stanford
Ashley Walker, Cal
Ify Ibekwe, Arizona
Briann January, ASU
Camille LeNoir, USC
Kayla Pederson, Stanford
Doreena Campbell, UCLA
Alexis Gray-Lawson, Cal
Brittany Davis, Oregon State
Jeanette Pohlen, Stanford
Honorable Mention:
Dymond Simon, ASU
Jill “The Trill” Harmon, Stanford
Micaela Cocks, Oregon
Jazmine Perkins, WSU
Sami Whitcomb, Washington
Most Improved: Jeanette Pohlen Stanford. Switches to the Point and still makes 71 Three’s with a number of games to go. Jeanette is currently tied for 9th place for most Three’s in a single Stanford season.
On to LA.
March 3, 2009
Stanford moves into First Place.
Stanford finds itself alone in first place, one game ahead of both Cal and ASU. Three teams now playing for both the Conference Championship and the # 1 seed in the Pac 10 Tournament.
A word about the Tournament, OK a couple of numbers and more words. 900 or so cared enough to attend each of the two games at USC’s Galen Center. What in the word was the Pac 10 thinking? Maybe that 4,000 in San Jose was too many fans? Now we can get it down to less than 2,000? Crazy.
1. Stanford 24-4, 15-1: Beat UCLA 69-58. Kayla Pederson with 20 points and 7 rebounds and 3 of 5 from three. Jeanette Pohlen was 4 of 5 from three and scored 19 points. Jayne Appel had 5 assists and with Kayla, 3 blocked shots.
Beat USC 85-74 with 65 points from our 4 post players. Pederson and Appel scored 20apiece, Nneka 17 and Boothe 8. Stanford out rebounded USC 41-26.
Next Games: March 5 Arizona, March 7 ASU, TV
2. Cal, 23-4, 14-2: Beat USC 66-64. Alexis Gray-Lawson was 4 for 6 from three and scored 22 points. Ashley Walker had 12 points on 1 for 10 shooting, 13 rebounds, but 8 turnovers.
Lost to UCLA 71-56. Gray-Lawson went down with a knee sprain in the first half and at half time the score was 30-27, UCLA. Ashley Walker had 17 points and 11 rebounds and went over 2,000 points for her career. Devanei Hampton scored 11 points and went over 1,500 points for her career. Cal was plagued again by turnovers with 22.
Next Games: March 5 ASU, March 7 Arizona
2. Arizona State, 22-6, 14-2: Beat Washington 55-32, holding the Huskies to 8 first half points. Danielle Orsillo had 10 points, Lauren Lacey 9 rebounds.
Beat Washington State 77-35, holding two Pac 10 teams in the 30’s for the weekend. Dymond Simon scored 17 points and Becca Tobin had 9 points and 9 rebounds.
Next Games: March 5 at Cal, March 7 at Stanford, TV
4. USC, 14-13, 8-8: Lost to Cal 66-64. USC had 26 turnovers and still that was one less than Cal. Nadia Parker had 13 points, Camille LeNoir had 12 points.
Lost to Stanford 85-74. LeNoir led the way with 17 points, 9 assists and 4 steals. Nadia Parker added 15 points.
Next Games: March 5 at Oregon State, March 7 at Oregon
4. UCLA, 17-10, 8-8: Lost to Stanford 69-58. Darxia Morris scored 18 points to led the Bruins. Moniquee Alexander was tough on defense inside and had 8 rebounds. Doreena Campbell was held to 4 points, but did have 5 assists.
Beat Cal 71-56. Erica Tukiainen scored a career high 25 points on 11 for 16 from the floor including 3 for 5 for three. Morris added 18 points. UCLA shot 49% and out rebounded Cal by 9. Monquiee Alexander and Tierra Henderson were suspended prior to the game. I believe Alexander will be back and Henderson not. Yes it was to be Sr Day for Henderson.
Next Games: March 5 at Oregon, March 7 at Oregon State
6. Oregon State, 17-10, 7-9: Beat Oregon 70-41. Brittany Davis scored 21 points and Talisa Rhea 18 to lead the Beavers. They had only 10 team turnovers and shot 51%for the game.
Next Games: March 5 USC, March 7 UCLA
7. Oregon, 9-18, 5-11: Lost to Oregon State 70-41. The Ducks shot 15% in the
2nd half, had 20 turnovers and were out rebounded by 11.
Next Games: March 5 UCLA, March 7 USC
8. Arizona, 11-16, 4-12: Lost to Washington State 63-56. Ify Ibewke missed the game with a knee injury. Beatrice Bofia scored 11 points and had 12 rebounds. Amina Njonkou scored 16 points. The Wildcats shot only 30%.
Beat Washington 72-62. Ibewke also missed this game, but three frosh came up big. Courtney Clements scored 22 points followed by fellow frosh Reiko Thomas and Malia Nahinu with 13 points. Nahinu added 6 rebounds in only 16 minutes.
Next Games: March 5 at Stanford, March 7 at Cal
9. Washington State, 11-17, 4-13: Beat Arizona 63-56. Danielle LeNoir scored 15 points. Jazmine Perkins and April Cook each scored 12 and Cook had 5 assists.
Lost to ASU 77-35. April Cook scored 13 points. The Cougars committed 28 turnovers.
Next Games: March 6 Washington, TV
10. Washington, 6-21, 2-15: Lost to ASU 55-32, scoring only 8 first half points. The Huskies did have 11 steals.
Lost to Arizona 72-62. Laura McLennan scored 16 points on 8 of 9 shooting. WSU had 14 steals. MacKenzie Argens had 12 points and 6 rebounds and fouled out in 17 minutes.
Next Games: March 6 at Washington State, TV
A word about the Tournament, OK a couple of numbers and more words. 900 or so cared enough to attend each of the two games at USC’s Galen Center. What in the word was the Pac 10 thinking? Maybe that 4,000 in San Jose was too many fans? Now we can get it down to less than 2,000? Crazy.
1. Stanford 24-4, 15-1: Beat UCLA 69-58. Kayla Pederson with 20 points and 7 rebounds and 3 of 5 from three. Jeanette Pohlen was 4 of 5 from three and scored 19 points. Jayne Appel had 5 assists and with Kayla, 3 blocked shots.
Beat USC 85-74 with 65 points from our 4 post players. Pederson and Appel scored 20apiece, Nneka 17 and Boothe 8. Stanford out rebounded USC 41-26.
Next Games: March 5 Arizona, March 7 ASU, TV
2. Cal, 23-4, 14-2: Beat USC 66-64. Alexis Gray-Lawson was 4 for 6 from three and scored 22 points. Ashley Walker had 12 points on 1 for 10 shooting, 13 rebounds, but 8 turnovers.
Lost to UCLA 71-56. Gray-Lawson went down with a knee sprain in the first half and at half time the score was 30-27, UCLA. Ashley Walker had 17 points and 11 rebounds and went over 2,000 points for her career. Devanei Hampton scored 11 points and went over 1,500 points for her career. Cal was plagued again by turnovers with 22.
Next Games: March 5 ASU, March 7 Arizona
2. Arizona State, 22-6, 14-2: Beat Washington 55-32, holding the Huskies to 8 first half points. Danielle Orsillo had 10 points, Lauren Lacey 9 rebounds.
Beat Washington State 77-35, holding two Pac 10 teams in the 30’s for the weekend. Dymond Simon scored 17 points and Becca Tobin had 9 points and 9 rebounds.
Next Games: March 5 at Cal, March 7 at Stanford, TV
4. USC, 14-13, 8-8: Lost to Cal 66-64. USC had 26 turnovers and still that was one less than Cal. Nadia Parker had 13 points, Camille LeNoir had 12 points.
Lost to Stanford 85-74. LeNoir led the way with 17 points, 9 assists and 4 steals. Nadia Parker added 15 points.
Next Games: March 5 at Oregon State, March 7 at Oregon
4. UCLA, 17-10, 8-8: Lost to Stanford 69-58. Darxia Morris scored 18 points to led the Bruins. Moniquee Alexander was tough on defense inside and had 8 rebounds. Doreena Campbell was held to 4 points, but did have 5 assists.
Beat Cal 71-56. Erica Tukiainen scored a career high 25 points on 11 for 16 from the floor including 3 for 5 for three. Morris added 18 points. UCLA shot 49% and out rebounded Cal by 9. Monquiee Alexander and Tierra Henderson were suspended prior to the game. I believe Alexander will be back and Henderson not. Yes it was to be Sr Day for Henderson.
Next Games: March 5 at Oregon, March 7 at Oregon State
6. Oregon State, 17-10, 7-9: Beat Oregon 70-41. Brittany Davis scored 21 points and Talisa Rhea 18 to lead the Beavers. They had only 10 team turnovers and shot 51%for the game.
Next Games: March 5 USC, March 7 UCLA
7. Oregon, 9-18, 5-11: Lost to Oregon State 70-41. The Ducks shot 15% in the
2nd half, had 20 turnovers and were out rebounded by 11.
Next Games: March 5 UCLA, March 7 USC
8. Arizona, 11-16, 4-12: Lost to Washington State 63-56. Ify Ibewke missed the game with a knee injury. Beatrice Bofia scored 11 points and had 12 rebounds. Amina Njonkou scored 16 points. The Wildcats shot only 30%.
Beat Washington 72-62. Ibewke also missed this game, but three frosh came up big. Courtney Clements scored 22 points followed by fellow frosh Reiko Thomas and Malia Nahinu with 13 points. Nahinu added 6 rebounds in only 16 minutes.
Next Games: March 5 at Stanford, March 7 at Cal
9. Washington State, 11-17, 4-13: Beat Arizona 63-56. Danielle LeNoir scored 15 points. Jazmine Perkins and April Cook each scored 12 and Cook had 5 assists.
Lost to ASU 77-35. April Cook scored 13 points. The Cougars committed 28 turnovers.
Next Games: March 6 Washington, TV
10. Washington, 6-21, 2-15: Lost to ASU 55-32, scoring only 8 first half points. The Huskies did have 11 steals.
Lost to Arizona 72-62. Laura McLennan scored 16 points on 8 of 9 shooting. WSU had 14 steals. MacKenzie Argens had 12 points and 6 rebounds and fouled out in 17 minutes.
Next Games: March 6 at Washington State, TV
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