Isn't it great! Ten years ago the PAC12 was pretty good. Now it's tough!! Look at what lies just ahead - December 21 UCLA is ranked #11(out of 351 Division 1 teams). January 1 Arizona is ranked #6. And January 8 Oregon is ranked #7.
And that brings me to the main point of this blog piece. Did you watch the Ducks trample Oregon State last weekend? They were simply sensational! Kelly says this may be the best shooting team he's ever had! And that's saying something. I don't want to tell you what ranking the Ducks deserved this week - but, I will tell you that Stanford had better focus like never before over the next three weeks! For one thing this shooting slump from beyond the arc needs to end.
Taylor Mikesell and Te-Hina Paopao (I know they're not household names yet, but don't let that fool you) went 9 for 13 against the Beavers from beyond the arc. That's 70% if my math serves me. And if they'd kept shooting 3's in the second half, it would have been 18 for 26. The team shot 50% 12 for 24, because Erin Boley (who is one of the best shooters in the nation) was 0 for 2. When she joins the fray - Katy bar the door!
And size! These are some tall Ducks!
#25 Angela Dugalic 6'-4"
#22 Kylee Watson 6'-4"
#10 Arielle Wilson 6'-6"
#32 Sedona Prince 6'-7"
#14 Lydia Giomi 6'-6"
#1 Nyara Sabally 6'-5"
#21 Erin Boley 6'-2"
All I'm saying is that over the next three weeks Stanford will get to play three of the best teams in the nation - it's a lot like the NCAA Tournament, but it all happens in our conference.
You've probably heard that the NCAA plans to have the entire women's tournament in San Antonio and the surrounding area. Just think how many great games we can take in! We should rent a block of rooms on the river. How about a whole floor at the Grand Hyatt?
In my next blog I'll cover the Bruins and the Wildcats, but I must say Mikesell and Paopao took my breath away on Sunday. Man can they shoot! Let's get it together - end this shooting slump - and win these three games against some of the nation's best!
GO CARDINAL!!
Ducks right now are playing more effectively; they look like a machine.
ReplyDeleteOne way to counter a shooting slump is attack the basket consistently.
Larry Bird said there's only one way out of a shooting slump - you have to shoot your way out.
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