STrib: Generating Offense Is Gopher Focus

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Generating offense is focus as Gophers women prepare to face Indiana

The Gophers' defense responded after blowout losses. Now it's offense's turn to flip a switch.

www.startribune.com

OK

“Getting beat by 25, on our home floor [to Michigan] is never going to be OK here, as long as I’m here,” Whalen said. “And giving up 99 points on the road to Ohio State was not going to be OK. So we really focused on the details, the game plan, the defensive energy. Then we held Michigan State to 36% shooting and 66 points.”

And then the shots have to fall. Guard Jasmine Powell is leading the team in scoring in conference games (12.9). She is also the leading freshman scorer in the Big Ten overall (11.7). She has scored in double figures in nine straight games, but has shot just 9-for-33 in her past two games. Junior Gadiva Hubbard has scored in double figures just once in the past four games and is 4-for-23 in the past three losses. Sara Scalia, third among Big Ten freshman scorers (11.2), is 10-for-33 in her past three games.

 

[CutDownTheNet]

OK, sounds good to me too. But how bout we focus on all aspects in one game.

The Big Ten is so tough (and big) this year, that to win you gotta focus on {generating offense, accurate shooting, executing defense, assists, rebounds, getting steals, not turning the ball over, not fouling}. Did I miss anything?

 

[GringaGopher]

Good list but need to add what Whalen said " defensive energy ". I would say energy in general as we have been sleep walking through many of these losses. The freshman, Powell n Scalia , seem engaged but I have not seen much desire coming out of the Bellows or Hubbard. I know losing Brunson was tough but it does not feel like this team really ever got over losing Pitts.

 

[Shades]

I suppose the heavy minutes and loss of hope for this season are taking a toll.

 

[Katogopher]

No doubt Hubbard needs to get going, her shooting % in conference play has been horrible, looks like she has lost confidence in her shot. I may be wrong here but other than Powell, Adaschk seems to be the most comfortable shooting or at least hitting her shots. Scalia seems to have run into the proverbial freshman wall, her shot has been a little off as well. I do admire Brunson grit, she’s seems to have energy but has to be really beat up the past few weeks.