B1G Game 3: Gophers Host Maryland (1-3-24)

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They played well enough to win. Was a good match. But you can't make mishaps like that with any Maryland team.
 

Really thought this would be the yearand they were close but too many self inflicted wounds. Whatever Maryland was doing it was frustrating Braun. Not sure what happened but Battle was way off tonight. Good game for Hart, too bad foul trouble hindered her
 

Tough game, had their chances, Big 10 is tough

Big 10 basketball is much tougher then their whole other schedule except UCONN. Looking at Maryland and again out of 7 playing most minutes 1 sophomore, 1 Jr, 1RS- Junior, and others Graduates. You could tell they were older and more experienced. As the Gophers get older and grow, they are going to need to learn to move on offense without the ball, setting picks for cuts, rolling to the hoop. Saw too many times where one dribbling and 4 others standing still looking for the 1 to win the one and one matchup. Tough for younger Battle and Braun to go against the bigger, experienced individuals guarding them. When you watch Iowa really roll, all their players are setting screens,, opening up cuts and also rolling off the screens to the lane and in turn that also opens CC to create her shots. Think Dawn P has to be more creative with the bench to find some rest minutes for others.
 

Katogopher said:
Really thought this would be the yearand they were close but too many self inflicted wounds. Whatever Maryland was doing it was frustrating Braun. Not sure what happened but Battle was way off tonight. Good game for Hart, too bad foul trouble hindered her
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Actually, I think tired trouble hindered Hart. Gophers needed her for more than three or four minutes at a time.
 

The big part of the schedule has arrived. All these matchups, including Maryland, are extra important.

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Nice atmosphere @ the Barn tonight. Kept it close but shooting 7-28 from 3, missing lay ups n TO’s doomed us. Still out of sync on many possessions and ran the shot clock down too low before running their sets. We did out rebound them. Was hoping this was the year but their team foot speed really stood out.
 


There was alot of learning for our women today! Our inexperienced defense rushed to the ball handler as they approached the hoop. Maryland had easy passes to the open player.
Youth not talent cost us a W.
On offense we dribbled into to many double teams only to have our team mates late to help.
As I watched I could only think about how tough our Gophers will be late in the season.
Beat the lesser teams and steal a few from the top teams!
 




Good game. The effort was excellent and they competed well. I felt that they forgot their game plan and tried to run with Maryland, who are much better at running. Once they got out of their more deliberate game, they fell behind.
 


Aesop70 said:
Really do love Battle, but she was a liability tonight.
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Really need to find some rest minutes for Battle. She has a lot on her plate, and is being asked to do too much. It’s early, but her 3-game conference totals are horrendous.
 

This team has made strides. They are good. Shortcomings are disappointing because clearly they can play well enough to beat a team like Maryland.

This is still a young team. Keep moving upward. There is time for development.

And so we will find out about Michigan and Nebraska coming up.

Some of it may be when you play a team. Is their shooting on that night.

With Maryland their 3's were going in early.
 



A good reminder that improvement is not always a steadily rising trajectory. Maryland's perimeter defense seemed to get better and tougher as the game went on. Just watching the number of times the Gophers got knocked off balance showed how tough and physical those Maryland traps were. On the other side, the Gophers were not very physical in fighting over and around the Maryland screens, which resulted in all those open looks.

Offensively, it looked like we started getting frustrated and forcing some stuff. Not playing with-in yourself and staying disciplined. First time I've seen that this season. I attribute much of that to the fact the Gophers are still a pretty young club. As somebody else may have mentioned, the Big Ten is a far tougher deal than most of the non-conference schedule was. In fact, while watching the things that Maryland was obviously concentrating on, I was reminded of how Big Ten scouting and game plans are also better and more thorough than what you deal with in pre-season.

I still like our team, but there is still a long ways to go. Pretty sure the team and the coaching staff is well aware of that, working on it, and will continue to improve.
 


Absolutely we will get better with more experience. Our coach will find ways to have us play more successfully.

But to me the the bottom line is this: We have very little quickness and athleticism. Holloway and Johnson are about it and their skill is years away.

Our offense is not designed to get us open looks or we are unable to execute it as designed to end up with open looks. The majority of Braun's shots are in desperation. Yes, she has to get 20 points for us to have a chance to win but we have to help her get some open looks. Braun has the weight of the world on her to score for this team. GG isn't going to score unless we get her open looks by design and we probably need to add another Braun like offensive player for that to consistently happen.

We need a backup up post pretty badly....on both ends. We need a consistent 2nd best offensive
player. I don't think either of those are on the roster. Certainly the team quickness is not. Other Big Ten teams are quicker and stronger.

100% help if Battle plays better but she has a very, very difficult job as a point guard and she's a sophomore learning what her new coach wants in addition to having to score for us to have a chance. I like Battle.
 

thatjanelpick said:
Anyone else wonder why Braun doesn't drive to the basket more? The best FT shooter in the country should be shooting more of them.
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It sure seems if Hart sets a top of circle screen that Mara could drive down the lane with GG, Heyer and Battle outside of 3 that she'd be able to score, get to the foul line, or kick for an open 3. If they double Mara, Hart can slip to the hoop. Braun you'd think can beat the post defender to the finish on the switch.
But Maryland was switching defenses and I think that also confused us. There wasn't an opportunity spacing wise on many of our possessions that I saw for Mara to drive. It sure seems like it should be an emphasis I don't see that we are trying to exploit it.
 

thatjanelpick said:
Anyone else wonder why Braun doesn't drive to the basket more? The best FT shooter in the country should be shooting more of them.
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She runs into 2 person traps with bigger and older opponents. It is tough. Dawn P is going to have to FIND A WAY to get more help with others wanting to score by moving without the ball. It may take 2,3,4 set screens or rolls off the screens. Would like to see Dawn P trying playing Maggie (little more size, experience, quickness to help Hart on both ends.

Hart - C
Czinano - PF
Heyer - SF
Braun - SG
Battle - PG

This may also help relax GG (still plenty of minutes for her to Sub in at the 2,3 positions which help giving Braun some breathers and still 3 threat. Also like to see more Janay to relieve Battle more often to relieve some of the youth pressure. Janay also adds other elements of driving etc, which forces D to change their looks too. Holloway, Johnson...the more minutes they can get the better in the long run too.
 

007gopherfan said:
She runs into 2 person traps with bigger and older opponents. It is tough. Dawn P is going to have to FIND A WAY to get more help with others wanting to score by moving without the ball. It may take 2,3,4 set screens or rolls off the screens. Would like to see Dawn P trying playing Maggie (little more size, experience, quickness to help Hart on both ends.

Hart - C
Czinano - PF
Heyer - SF
Braun - SG
Battle - PG

This may also help relax GG (still plenty of minutes for her to Sub in at the 2,3 positions which help giving Braun some breathers and still 3 threat. Also like to see more Janay to relieve Battle more often to relieve some of the youth pressure. Janay also adds other elements of driving etc, which forces D to change their looks too. Holloway, Johnson...the more minutes they can get the better in the long run too.
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This team has a solid five. Grochowski is too good of an offensive player to sit more than 3-5 minutes. Playing in the BIG is much different than the non-conference creampuffs. Coach P has the right lineup, just need to eliminate TOs.
 

thatjanelpick said:
Anyone else wonder why Braun doesn't drive to the basket more? The best FT shooter in the country should be shooting more of them.
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Braun takes a bit of a pounding when she drives the lane. Last night, at least twice, she landed awkwardly against the basket support. 40 minutes a game, handling the ball against the press and facing physical double teams takes a toll.
 

Still missing another scoring piece. I have confidence in our coach that she will get it done!!

Also, we look slow compared to the top teams. IMO
 

Not getting a senior guard transfer hurts to calm some of the turnovers
 


Hopefully the recruits Johnson and McKinney are quick. As well as Klick who is injured this year. I think they will help a lot.
 


thatjanelpick said:
Anyone else wonder why Braun doesn't drive to the basket more? The best FT shooter in the country should be shooting more of them.
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That and Braun is a good passer too. Not sure why we don't see more ball movement off those dribble drives. Battle has to start distributing the ball off those dribble drives, she can score but that should be more within the offensive play calls.
 



updated +/-

last night's +/-

Sophie 9
Maggie 0
GG -2
AJ -5
Sanders -5
Battle -7
Mara -8
Mal -10
Nia -12

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60's Guy said:
Absolutely we will get better with more experience. Our coach will find ways to have us play more successfully.

But to me the the bottom line is this: We have very little quickness and athleticism. Holloway and Johnson are about it and their skill is years away.

Our offense is not designed to get us open looks or we are unable to execute it as designed to end up with open looks. The majority of Braun's shots are in desperation. Yes, she has to get 20 points for us to have a chance to win but we have to help her get some open looks. Braun has the weight of the world on her to score for this team. GG isn't going to score unless we get her open looks by design and we probably need to add another Braun like offensive player for that to consistently happen.

We need a backup up post pretty badly....on both ends. We need a consistent 2nd best offensive
player. I don't think either of those are on the roster. Certainly the team quickness is not. Other Big Ten teams are quicker and stronger.

100% help if Battle plays better but she has a very, very difficult job as a point guard and she's a sophomore learning what her new coach wants in addition to having to score for us to have a chance. I like Battle.
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Overall agree in lack of team speed. Battle and Braun are capable of creating their own shots but need help to get open. Need another shooter , post player to give Hart a rest and better conditioning in a few of our players.
 

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