In Reply to: Trying not to look ahead, but ... posted by lafong on March 08, 2025 at 09:43:24
The key to this team and this season is first and foremost the pace of the game. The mentally tougher team imposes its own preferred pace of the game on its opponents to maximize its chances to win. (That was the primary purpose of John Wooden's full court press in his first NC season - force or lure the opponent into playing faster which gave the edge to his team. It is equally important for this WBB team with Lauren Betts as their most dominant player.)
When we get sped up, we lose leads quickly. When our game is Jones taking quick three point attempts early in the shot clock and Aarnisalo falls in love with those really long lead passes of hers that speeds up our pace of play and takes by far our best weapon - Betts inside - completely out of play. When we play inside out we force defenses to have to pack their players into the paint and that opens up everything for all our players - including three pointers taken in rhythm rather than just jacking them up in solo ball.
Ohio State uses its quickness and press to get opponents into a chaotic game against them, one based on ad lib efforts rather than making sure to play to their strengths. If we fall for that, the outcome may not be to our liking. Especially at Tournament time, mental toughness tends to prevail all other factors at least relatively comparable. The mental toughness to impose one's will on one's opponent. We have to play our game - today and against SC.
Okay, - Watson - go to Jaquez, Barker and Dudley as our primary defender on her but also plan to double her regularly. As HB pointed out, SC has the size to try to defend Betts including the numbers to spread the fouls that come with their strategy around in Marshall, von Oelhoffen (sp?), Iriafen and Watkins playing sniper from off the ball (as her blocks of Betts from behind demonstrate). But at the same time, we are probably best suited of any team in the country to counter THEIR size with Betts, Barker, Dugalic and Gardiner. We need to use that size to our advantage, helping Betts out on offense while impeding Watkins - not allowing her to turn the game into an open shooting practice (yes, no Jones) while still holding Iriafen in check.
But first thing first - impose our will today on Ohio State and then turn the page to SC