This game, for some reason, was very difficult to write about. I'm going to keep comments short and do the "wait and see" for Wednesdays game. Here's why...
I knew going into this game that OSU was a different team at home. They have been consistently tougher there except when teams come that can put a complete game together. This was a "gotcha" game for the sisters. Unfortunately they were "got."
It's not as if the game didnt start out ok. Really, through the first few minutes of the second half things were going as well as one could expect for a team that was leaning heavily on one player. Then the wheels came off and this is the part that kept me in deep thought for the past day. What is it about this team that causes them to go into scoreless funks? Yesterday was even worse. They also went into a defensive funk at the same time. Allowing OSU to go on a run like that was not something I even remotely imagined was possible. We've struggled to score before but our defense held us in the game. This was a total coming apart at the seams.
Here are the problems that i see stemming from this game. First, what are the coaches going to do to try to gain some type of consistent play from this team? I realize much of this is in the players' laps, but this is also a challenge facing our coaches. Second, and this is related to the first, how will three straight games containing periods of offensive lapse impact the psyche of the players? Will they start to tighten up when another team makes a run at them? Finally, and this is a personal concern, did this loss negatively impact their run for an NCAA bid? Some might say that OSU had a strong enough RPI and the loss won't hurt us. My concern is that we absolutely have to gain at minimu a split in the next two games or the conference tournament may hold our ONLY chance of getting in. We are treading on thin ice right now. This week, this final week, has the best of storylines for our ladies. Win and you're in. Lose? I don't want to think about it.
Bottom line? This team is the Jeckyl-Hyde of basketball teams. When all cylinders are clicking, they can literally beat anyone. When they aren't? Anything can happen and often does.
I knew going into this game that OSU was a different team at home. They have been consistently tougher there except when teams come that can put a complete game together. This was a "gotcha" game for the sisters. Unfortunately they were "got."
It's not as if the game didnt start out ok. Really, through the first few minutes of the second half things were going as well as one could expect for a team that was leaning heavily on one player. Then the wheels came off and this is the part that kept me in deep thought for the past day. What is it about this team that causes them to go into scoreless funks? Yesterday was even worse. They also went into a defensive funk at the same time. Allowing OSU to go on a run like that was not something I even remotely imagined was possible. We've struggled to score before but our defense held us in the game. This was a total coming apart at the seams.
Here are the problems that i see stemming from this game. First, what are the coaches going to do to try to gain some type of consistent play from this team? I realize much of this is in the players' laps, but this is also a challenge facing our coaches. Second, and this is related to the first, how will three straight games containing periods of offensive lapse impact the psyche of the players? Will they start to tighten up when another team makes a run at them? Finally, and this is a personal concern, did this loss negatively impact their run for an NCAA bid? Some might say that OSU had a strong enough RPI and the loss won't hurt us. My concern is that we absolutely have to gain at minimu a split in the next two games or the conference tournament may hold our ONLY chance of getting in. We are treading on thin ice right now. This week, this final week, has the best of storylines for our ladies. Win and you're in. Lose? I don't want to think about it.
Bottom line? This team is the Jeckyl-Hyde of basketball teams. When all cylinders are clicking, they can literally beat anyone. When they aren't? Anything can happen and often does.
