UConn is the #1 team in the nation for a reason.
It was 9-0 before you could blink and Tia subbed 5 for 5 to attempt to stem the tide.
Michelle hit a nice 3 to get the Washington Huskies on the board.
UConn then went on a 10-0 burst and it was 19-3 before the Huskies found any semblance of the flow. They managed to battle back to 18-10 before Tina Charles took control again.
At that point, it was all UConn stretching the halftime lead to 57-24.
Mosiman & McLellan were the bright spots on the offensive end. The final margin was a product of the Huskies struggles from the floor on the offensive end and the flat out athleticism that UConn brings to the table.
I've been saying it all weekend, but if the East Coast Huskies are playing the way they are capable of, there isn't a team in the country within 15 points of them. Period.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Clemson
Overcoming the absence of Heidi McNeill and Mackenzie Argens and shortly to follow, Laura McLellan proved to be too tall a task for the Huskies in this one.
As it was with a post rotation of McLellan, Williams and Young was going to be a tough go from the outset but when Laura went down 3 minutes in, it made the game all the tougher.
Hearing Laura scream and be down on the floor as she was, caused the Hooligans and the Husky Faithful much concern. No disrespect to the other Huskies, but #0 is as tough as they come.
Michelle continued her hot shooting from the SU game in the 1st half of this one but the Huskies seemed to wear down in the 2nd half allowing Clemson to build a solid lead and take the W.
Big, big props to Mollie Williams for a yeoman's effort in playing almost the entire game and doing her utmost with the energy she had.
As it was with a post rotation of McLellan, Williams and Young was going to be a tough go from the outset but when Laura went down 3 minutes in, it made the game all the tougher.
Hearing Laura scream and be down on the floor as she was, caused the Hooligans and the Husky Faithful much concern. No disrespect to the other Huskies, but #0 is as tough as they come.
Michelle continued her hot shooting from the SU game in the 1st half of this one but the Huskies seemed to wear down in the 2nd half allowing Clemson to build a solid lead and take the W.
Big, big props to Mollie Williams for a yeoman's effort in playing almost the entire game and doing her utmost with the energy she had.
Seattle U
Game opens on a nice 10-0 Husky run. Sami opened the scoring with a triple, and the run saw a nice feed from Morty to Sami on the cut to the bucket.
Seattle U got on the board and cut it to 10-4 when there was a nice Hi-Lo play with Mollie & Lo.
Washington controlled much of the early going in this one before Seattle U trimmed it to 6 by the half (34-28).
It bears mentioning that Lo set the hardest pick I've seen in person absolutely laying out the SU point guard. Despite the protestations of some of the SU fans (including my uncle) it was a clean pick, Johnson just didn't see it coming.
Despite the relative closeness of the game at halftime, I knew the game was ours with 3 minutes to go when the RedHawks were all grabbing their shorts.
The Dawgs took control early in the 2nd and were up solidly the rest of the way. Heidi & Mackenzie both went down to injuries in the 2nd half and would prove to be pivotal losses in the contest with Clemson 2 days later.
Seattle U got on the board and cut it to 10-4 when there was a nice Hi-Lo play with Mollie & Lo.
Washington controlled much of the early going in this one before Seattle U trimmed it to 6 by the half (34-28).
It bears mentioning that Lo set the hardest pick I've seen in person absolutely laying out the SU point guard. Despite the protestations of some of the SU fans (including my uncle) it was a clean pick, Johnson just didn't see it coming.
Despite the relative closeness of the game at halftime, I knew the game was ours with 3 minutes to go when the RedHawks were all grabbing their shorts.
The Dawgs took control early in the 2nd and were up solidly the rest of the way. Heidi & Mackenzie both went down to injuries in the 2nd half and would prove to be pivotal losses in the contest with Clemson 2 days later.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Boise State
Coming off a mid-week loss to Weber State, this Sunday matinee with Boise State amounted to nothing less than a must win for the Huskies if they have aspirations of a berth in the field of 64.
To say the performance in the first half was a vast improvement is to put it mildly.
Morton had a nice move leading to a free-throw line jumper to open the scoring.
McLellan continued her strong start with 4 early points.
It was apparent that Kingma's shooting woes from Weber State were a thing of the past with 5 straight points in an early Husky run.
I'm beginning to think that Michelle's best from the outside when she's not completely set. She hit a beautiful catch and shoot triple in the midst of the Husky run that put the game firmly in the Huskies control.
The Huskies were absolutely everywhere on defense in the opening minutes with steals and tips (Whitcomb ended with a game high 7). Kristi had a great tip that led to a Sami lay-in. UW owned the passing lanes and the Broncos never came up with a real answer to the press.
I'd be remiss in my recap of the first half if I didn't mention the bank-shot three at the buzzer that Augustavo hit. It was an unexpected surprise and it brought the Huskies off the bench to celebrate on their way to the locker room.
The 2nd half started with a flourish with a 3 from Sami, and +1 from Laura, and a Kingma trifecta.
After that came a lull, broken with some more nice work on the block from McLellan.
No question about it, the foot came off the gas in the 2nd half with the big lead. You can get away with that against and under-manned Bronco squad but come the Pac-10 season (not to mention UConn and K-State) a 30 point lead will get halved in a hurry if you're not careful.
That said, there were certainly positives aplenty in Sunday's contest. When the UW has the athletic advantage as they did against BSU, they have to press that advantage as much as possible. Quite simply, the Huskies have the ability to run and press teams to death and in order for them to be as succesful as they (and we) would like to be, this must be done.
To say the performance in the first half was a vast improvement is to put it mildly.
Morton had a nice move leading to a free-throw line jumper to open the scoring.
McLellan continued her strong start with 4 early points.
It was apparent that Kingma's shooting woes from Weber State were a thing of the past with 5 straight points in an early Husky run.
I'm beginning to think that Michelle's best from the outside when she's not completely set. She hit a beautiful catch and shoot triple in the midst of the Husky run that put the game firmly in the Huskies control.
The Huskies were absolutely everywhere on defense in the opening minutes with steals and tips (Whitcomb ended with a game high 7). Kristi had a great tip that led to a Sami lay-in. UW owned the passing lanes and the Broncos never came up with a real answer to the press.
I'd be remiss in my recap of the first half if I didn't mention the bank-shot three at the buzzer that Augustavo hit. It was an unexpected surprise and it brought the Huskies off the bench to celebrate on their way to the locker room.
The 2nd half started with a flourish with a 3 from Sami, and +1 from Laura, and a Kingma trifecta.
After that came a lull, broken with some more nice work on the block from McLellan.
No question about it, the foot came off the gas in the 2nd half with the big lead. You can get away with that against and under-manned Bronco squad but come the Pac-10 season (not to mention UConn and K-State) a 30 point lead will get halved in a hurry if you're not careful.
That said, there were certainly positives aplenty in Sunday's contest. When the UW has the athletic advantage as they did against BSU, they have to press that advantage as much as possible. Quite simply, the Huskies have the ability to run and press teams to death and in order for them to be as succesful as they (and we) would like to be, this must be done.
Gonzaga
Well, what is there to say about this one.
The first half performance was while not exemplary was certainly adequate.
That said, what would ultimately be the Huskies undoing showed itself in the 1st period as Gonzaga was able to continue possesions with work on the offensive glass and frustrating the Huskies with the trap.
Laura McLellan showed little after effects from the injury and provided a big scoring punch on the block.
Holding a tournament team to 24 1st half points is a decent defensive effort, albeit one assisted by Gonzaga's ice cold shooting.
The opening stanza of the 2nd half showed very scattered and sloppy play from the Huskies and the first "Line Change" of the season in which the starters were replaced en masse when they allowed Gonzaga a 2nd chance on their opening possesion of the half.
Heidi had a nice night on the glass but she didn't get a lot of help in that area.
Down the stretch, the Bulldogs frustrated and flummoxed Washington with a 3/4 court press and 1/2 court trap that the Huskies seemingly had no answers for. While this Hooligan would have liked to have seen a few more fouls called as the Zag defenders were perhaps a bit over zealous with the traps and making contact with the trapee, the Huskies have to figure out how to break the press and the trap if they are to have success this season.
Ultimately, you aren't gonna win if you turn the ball over 30+ times and lose the rebounding battle to boot.
The first half performance was while not exemplary was certainly adequate.
That said, what would ultimately be the Huskies undoing showed itself in the 1st period as Gonzaga was able to continue possesions with work on the offensive glass and frustrating the Huskies with the trap.
Laura McLellan showed little after effects from the injury and provided a big scoring punch on the block.
Holding a tournament team to 24 1st half points is a decent defensive effort, albeit one assisted by Gonzaga's ice cold shooting.
The opening stanza of the 2nd half showed very scattered and sloppy play from the Huskies and the first "Line Change" of the season in which the starters were replaced en masse when they allowed Gonzaga a 2nd chance on their opening possesion of the half.
Heidi had a nice night on the glass but she didn't get a lot of help in that area.
Down the stretch, the Bulldogs frustrated and flummoxed Washington with a 3/4 court press and 1/2 court trap that the Huskies seemingly had no answers for. While this Hooligan would have liked to have seen a few more fouls called as the Zag defenders were perhaps a bit over zealous with the traps and making contact with the trapee, the Huskies have to figure out how to break the press and the trap if they are to have success this season.
Ultimately, you aren't gonna win if you turn the ball over 30+ times and lose the rebounding battle to boot.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Corban College
I realize it was against Corban College but that was what Husky Basketball should be and has the potential to be this year.
At the risk of saying I told you so, ladies and gentleman .... Kristi Kingma. The kid can flat out play. She's been called the secret weapon, but she's not gonna stay a secret very long. Get used to that pull-up jumper Husky fans, you'll see a lot of it for the next four years.
Mollie Williams also had some nice moments and showed some really good athleticism. That said, Mollie passing out of the paint in the 2nd half led to our first track Coach J-ism of the year "2 Feet in the paint, shoot the ball".
While Kingma was the star of the show on Monday night, the player of the week for the 2 exhibition games goes to Mackenzie Argens. Off the knee injury and not completely 100 %, those are 2 darn impressive performances. The steal and crossover for a breakaway lay-in late in the 1st half is just ridiculous for a post player to be able to pull off. Here's hoping we see some more of that this season. The importance of Argens and McNeill staying healthy and productive can not be stated enough. It is absolutely crucial for the Huskies to have sucess this season. Mackenzie also showed great hustle on a number of occasions, the first of which led directly to a Kingma bucket.
Rozier showed some wheels getting all the way to the cup for a lay-in. I like the athleticism she brings to the PG spot but the speed is only going to be an advantage against certain opponents as Stanford, ASU & Cal all have guards that can run with that kind of speed. That said, I like the different options we've got at the point and they each bring something to the table.
I thought the pressure on D was vastly improved and in particular, thought Sarah Morton did a notable job with on-ball pressure. She also showed off a sweet step-through move on a drive to put 2 points on the board. I know the step-through is a traditional post move but from a PG? Wow.
While we're on the subject of the PGs, I thought Nicole Romeo played a darn good ballgame. She absolutely skied to make a save on an errant pass in the 2nd half. How she got up for that one and came down in control without getting undercut showed great court sense in my humble opinion. I've gone 2 sentences about Romeo and not mentioned shooting. Both triples she hit were from Down Under. I had a good look at both of them and she was a good foot behind the men's line when she put those shots up and both of them resulted in nothing but the bottom of the net. As nice a weapon as it is, the value of Nicole being able to hit that shot from the PG position at the top of the key is that when she's triggering the offense, the defense has to stay honest and guard her out there or she'll take the shot. That extra foot out opens another foot inside the arc in which the offense can use.
What's scary to me (in a good way), is that as good as Kingma, Williams and Romeo looked, according to the recruiting "experts" Liz Lay is better. Given what we've seen from Kingma (who I think will make the All-Pac 10 Freshman team), how good is Liz Lay? If she can get healthy, and we get solid play from the post, things could be a lot of fun this season. If you put Kingma, Whitcomb, Lay on the floor with a post and one of the PGs it's gonna be very interesting to see who the defense keys on. One thing's for sure, it could lead to a lot of easy buckets for the posts because it is exceedingly difficult to contain 3 high caliber players and not leave a gaping hole somewhere. For certain teams in the conference, that task will prove to be impossible.
My first note for the start of the 2nd half was simply "someone made Sami mad" because all of sudden, she was everywhere, knocking down a J from the corner and making a nice drive on the offensive end and being absolutely everywhere on D. Sami absolutely is showing that she can be a go-to player. In games last year and from what we've seen from Kristi so far, they both have the ability and talent to just take over a game.
In any case, I think we're in for a lot of fun this season.
Until Sunday,
The Head Hooligan
At the risk of saying I told you so, ladies and gentleman .... Kristi Kingma. The kid can flat out play. She's been called the secret weapon, but she's not gonna stay a secret very long. Get used to that pull-up jumper Husky fans, you'll see a lot of it for the next four years.
Mollie Williams also had some nice moments and showed some really good athleticism. That said, Mollie passing out of the paint in the 2nd half led to our first track Coach J-ism of the year "2 Feet in the paint, shoot the ball".
While Kingma was the star of the show on Monday night, the player of the week for the 2 exhibition games goes to Mackenzie Argens. Off the knee injury and not completely 100 %, those are 2 darn impressive performances. The steal and crossover for a breakaway lay-in late in the 1st half is just ridiculous for a post player to be able to pull off. Here's hoping we see some more of that this season. The importance of Argens and McNeill staying healthy and productive can not be stated enough. It is absolutely crucial for the Huskies to have sucess this season. Mackenzie also showed great hustle on a number of occasions, the first of which led directly to a Kingma bucket.
Rozier showed some wheels getting all the way to the cup for a lay-in. I like the athleticism she brings to the PG spot but the speed is only going to be an advantage against certain opponents as Stanford, ASU & Cal all have guards that can run with that kind of speed. That said, I like the different options we've got at the point and they each bring something to the table.
I thought the pressure on D was vastly improved and in particular, thought Sarah Morton did a notable job with on-ball pressure. She also showed off a sweet step-through move on a drive to put 2 points on the board. I know the step-through is a traditional post move but from a PG? Wow.
While we're on the subject of the PGs, I thought Nicole Romeo played a darn good ballgame. She absolutely skied to make a save on an errant pass in the 2nd half. How she got up for that one and came down in control without getting undercut showed great court sense in my humble opinion. I've gone 2 sentences about Romeo and not mentioned shooting. Both triples she hit were from Down Under. I had a good look at both of them and she was a good foot behind the men's line when she put those shots up and both of them resulted in nothing but the bottom of the net. As nice a weapon as it is, the value of Nicole being able to hit that shot from the PG position at the top of the key is that when she's triggering the offense, the defense has to stay honest and guard her out there or she'll take the shot. That extra foot out opens another foot inside the arc in which the offense can use.
What's scary to me (in a good way), is that as good as Kingma, Williams and Romeo looked, according to the recruiting "experts" Liz Lay is better. Given what we've seen from Kingma (who I think will make the All-Pac 10 Freshman team), how good is Liz Lay? If she can get healthy, and we get solid play from the post, things could be a lot of fun this season. If you put Kingma, Whitcomb, Lay on the floor with a post and one of the PGs it's gonna be very interesting to see who the defense keys on. One thing's for sure, it could lead to a lot of easy buckets for the posts because it is exceedingly difficult to contain 3 high caliber players and not leave a gaping hole somewhere. For certain teams in the conference, that task will prove to be impossible.
My first note for the start of the 2nd half was simply "someone made Sami mad" because all of sudden, she was everywhere, knocking down a J from the corner and making a nice drive on the offensive end and being absolutely everywhere on D. Sami absolutely is showing that she can be a go-to player. In games last year and from what we've seen from Kristi so far, they both have the ability and talent to just take over a game.
In any case, I think we're in for a lot of fun this season.
Until Sunday,
The Head Hooligan
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Love & Basketball
Yeesh, not often you see an exhibition go to OT.
Pre-game observations:
Mosiman appears to have gone after it in conditioning in a big way.
Morton has added muscle to her base which will be helpful in the physical Pac-10.
A nice start, Young looks to be very active & athletic hitting a nice floater to open the scoring. A nice sequence of ball movement led to Mollie William's first Husky points.
And then it got UGLY. Shot's bouncing off the rims like popcorn. The Huskies were getting good looks, but nothing seemed to be falling. Of most concern was the fact that the Huskies frustration led to defensive lapses that exacerbated the problem.
Argens broke the drought with 4 quick points on consecutive posessions.
Barlow is very active defensively and seems to have an instinctual understanding of perimeter defense and how to use her athleticism and long frame to full advantage.
Augustavo seems to have found her shot again, amazing what a healthy wrist will do in that regard.
Pressure on the defensive end went up late in the half and in some ways it did as advertised in leading to offense.
The 2nd half was a vast improvement offensively but L&B was able to maintain their lead until late in the contest.
Heidi had a great game and if Mackenzie can build on her performance, the Huskies prospects in the post will be in pretty good shape.
The PG play was at best scattered and is an issue that must be addressed if the Huskies are to have success in the 08-09 campaign. From my vantage point, the offense seemed to run best with Mosiman at the point.
Hopefully, the execution on both sides of the floor will show significant improvement against Corban tomorrow night.
Pre-game observations:
Mosiman appears to have gone after it in conditioning in a big way.
Morton has added muscle to her base which will be helpful in the physical Pac-10.
A nice start, Young looks to be very active & athletic hitting a nice floater to open the scoring. A nice sequence of ball movement led to Mollie William's first Husky points.
And then it got UGLY. Shot's bouncing off the rims like popcorn. The Huskies were getting good looks, but nothing seemed to be falling. Of most concern was the fact that the Huskies frustration led to defensive lapses that exacerbated the problem.
Argens broke the drought with 4 quick points on consecutive posessions.
Barlow is very active defensively and seems to have an instinctual understanding of perimeter defense and how to use her athleticism and long frame to full advantage.
Augustavo seems to have found her shot again, amazing what a healthy wrist will do in that regard.
Pressure on the defensive end went up late in the half and in some ways it did as advertised in leading to offense.
The 2nd half was a vast improvement offensively but L&B was able to maintain their lead until late in the contest.
Heidi had a great game and if Mackenzie can build on her performance, the Huskies prospects in the post will be in pretty good shape.
The PG play was at best scattered and is an issue that must be addressed if the Huskies are to have success in the 08-09 campaign. From my vantage point, the offense seemed to run best with Mosiman at the point.
Hopefully, the execution on both sides of the floor will show significant improvement against Corban tomorrow night.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
0-7
33 - 0 currently.
55 yards of offense.
1st home shutout in 32 years.
How much more evidence do you need Woodert?
End it.
This once proud program has been further dismantled by one Ty Willingham.
Be decisive, show the leadership you've been given your respective positions for.
Name Tormey interim coach and start the search in earnest.
No good comes from extending this march that we all know ends with Ty's removal as the HC at Washington.
Take the cloud from over the football program and let the kids move forward.
55 yards of offense.
1st home shutout in 32 years.
How much more evidence do you need Woodert?
End it.
This once proud program has been further dismantled by one Ty Willingham.
Be decisive, show the leadership you've been given your respective positions for.
Name Tormey interim coach and start the search in earnest.
No good comes from extending this march that we all know ends with Ty's removal as the HC at Washington.
Take the cloud from over the football program and let the kids move forward.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
2008-2009 Prognostication
So we're 15 days away from tip-off of the Huskies 2008-2009 campaign and it's time for me to do my annual breakdown of the season.
This year will be as interesting as any season since I've been a fan as we see Tia's system truly take hold, but, there's a number of question marks as we head into the season. Who is going to run the point? Is Romeo as good as her billing out of Australia? Will we be able to get consistent rebounding and scoring out of the post players? Can Kingma and Lay live up to their hype? Can the JCs play needed energy minutes and contribute?
Without further ado, here's how I see the season playing out. (Conference record, Overall record)
Any time I use a #/# in the below, I'm referring to a percent to win/lose in the game in question. I'm not a betting man, so don't worry about that, just using it to provide a little insight into how the season could be better or worse than the final record I come up with.
Gonzaga - L (0-0, 0-1)
The Bulldogs were a tournament team a year ago that held up well against Tennessee during the regular season. Graves is a damn fine coach and this early in the season, I think it's too much to expect with such a young Husky roster to best Gonzaga. I see this as a 65% to lose/ 35% win game. To come out with the win, UW must emphasize the advantage they have athletically over the Bulldogs. This will be a game but I see GU winning but not in blowout fashion.
@ Weber St. - W (0-0, 1-1)
Yes it's a road game and we know how tough early season road games ars on young teams, but frankly, the Huskies should absolutely win this game with the athletic and coaching advantages they have.
Boise St - W (0-0, 2-1)
Yes, I know this was an ugly lost last year. I also know this prediction may be scoffed at by certain former players families, but again the athletic advantage and in particular Kingma and Whitcomb and the home court advantage lead to a Husky W. This one is about 60/40 by my estimation.
Seattle U - W (0-0, 3-1)
There is no way that Washington loses this game. SU is no SPU and the Dawgs should win this one in a big, big way. Look for lots of minutes for the bench as this one should only be a contest for 10 minutes or so.
Clemson - W (0-0, 4-1)
The Tigers won 12 games last year and come from a good conference. A quick glance at their roster shows they are not particularly big and the UW should be able to match them in terms of athleticism. The Huskies just don't lose in the Classic without a significant team as an opponent. This is an 80/20 game.
@ Pepperdine - W (0-0, 5-1)
Yes, I know the Waves clobbered us last year, but that was mostly Daphanie Kennedy who has since graduated. The returning Huskies will no doubt remember the outcome of last year's game and be out for some payback. 75/25
(in Cancun) UConn - L (0-0, 5-2)
Short of UConn being decimated by injuries, there's no real scenarios I see that lead me to believe that the Huskies have a chance in this one. If it's inside 30 points, it'll be a satisfactory effort. Inside 20 will be a damn good effort. Inside 10, and the Huskies will have played a great game. 99.999/.0001. All that said, I am really looking forward to making this trip (with 5 of the Hooligans taking a nice sun break in Mexico in December (myself included)).
(in Cancun) FSU - W (0-0, 6-2)
This is not the same Seminole team that beat Stanford 2 seasons ago. I see the UW learning some big lessons in their contest with UConn and putting them to use against the Seminoles a day later. 50/50
(in Cancun) Northern Colorado - W (0-0, 7-2)
A walkover, plain and simple. NCU doesn't have much size and the UW will be able to truly explode offensively in this one.
Kansas St. - L (0-0, 7-3)
KSU is a very solid program with size and talent from a big conference. This may be this year's Purdue game that the Huskies pull out in dramatic fashion but I see the Wildcats being able to exploit their size advantage and win a tough fought game in Hec-Ed. 65/35
A 7-3 non-con record is nothing to sneeze at, particularly with your top incoming freshman (if one believes Hoopgurlz) out for that portion of the season. If the team gels quickly, the games with GU and KSU could turn to wins and 7-3 could turn to 8-2 or 9-1. If the team struggles, it could very easily turn to 6-4, or 5-5. I choose to be optimistic and think that the UW will be respectable and hold down the fort at home.
Washington State - W (1-0, 8-3)
The Cougars just don't beat the Huskies. The Dawgs have a decided advantage on the sidelines and a decided advantage in terms of team speed. Look for the UW to exploit both in this contest and look forward to the debut of one Liz Lay in this ball game (if the current injury assesment/rehab schedule is accurate).
@ Stanford - L - (1-1, 8-4)
Wiggins is gone, but Ogwumike fills some of that void and Stanford will still be Stanford. Look for the trees to pound the Huskies in the post with a steady diet of Appel, Pederson, Boothe and significant contributions from Harmon and Ogwumike. Also of note in this contest is the first collegiate match-up between Ogwumike and Lay who I think will have some tussles (not fights, just big match-ups against each other) over the next 4 seasons.
@ Cal - L (1-2, 8-5)
To steal a line from Lee Corso, this one will be closer than the experts think but Cal will use the home court advantage and the size advantage in the block to best the Dawgs in this contest. 85/15
Oregon - W (2-2, 9-5)
I honestly think this is Bev Smith's last go around in Eugene and I just don't see the Huskies losing at home given a healthy trio of Whitcomb, Kingma and Lay on the perimeter. The Ducks just don't have the horses to keep pace in this one.
Oregon State - W (3-2, 10-5)
Here again the trio cause problems for an opponent. I think McLellan will also be able to produce a strong scoring and rebounding effort in this one and lead the Dawgs to the win.
@ USC - L (3-3, 10-6)
The LA road trip is always a tough, tough swing and despite the injury issues, the Trojans have the talent and size to hold off the UW in a hard fought ballgame in the Galen Center. For the Huskies to come out with a W in this one it's all about 3 words "Run, Baby Run". If they can run the Trojans ragged, they've got a shot. 65/35
@UCLA - W (4-3, 11-6)
Another Run, Baby Run game, but this time it works. I see Whitcomb having another big game in Pauley and being the key to a crucial Pac-10 road W for the Udub. 55/45
Arizona - W (5-3, 12-6)
I think Butts will do some nice things for the Wildcat program but the talent level just isn't there to compete with the middle and upper tier programs in the Pac. This one could be the Lay coming out party as having 3-4 weeks to get back in the rhythm she very well could put up a big night against the overmatched 'Cats.
Arizona State - L (5-4, 12-7)
Much as it pains me, the Sun Devils are just too deep and big for the UW to be able to pull this one out. The fact that if the UW forces the running game plays right into ASU's style also has an impact on this one. I think ASU takes a step back after this season with the departures of January, Dosty, Lacey, Thompson etc. If anyone will dethrone Stanford this season I'd put my money on ASU because they are just flat out deeper than Cal. 80/20
Cal - L - (5-5, 12-8)
The lack of post depth hurts in this one as Hampton/Walker take advantage of foul trouble and provide good numbers in the post and leat the Golden Bears to a tough win in Seattle. The lack of depth for Cal as a whole may lead to a Husky W in the blueprint of last years victory if Hampton gets in foul trouble. 80/20
Stanford - L (5-6, 12-9)
I just don't see a relatively young Husky team having the size and experience (yet) to upset Stanford. The size that the Trees can just run out there ad nauseum is just devastating and as soon as you start collapsing down to double in the block, Hones et al just bury you from outside.
Another close game, but the Cardinal get the job done. 95/5
@Oregon St. - W (6-6, 13-9)
Yet another example of how important team speed and athleticism are to being successful. The Huskies just flat run the Beavs into the ground and leave Gill with a nice win to break the mini-skid.
@Oregon - W (7-6, 14-9)
Wins are hard to come by for the Huskies at Mac Court but I just have a feeling that the Huskies will find a way to get it done in a close game. 60/40
UCLA - W (8-6, 15-9)
Negate the Bruins size advantage with flat out speed. Run after made baskets, run after misses. O-Board like crazy and win this one. 90/10
USC - W (9-6, 16-9)
See the above game. Just run. 80/20
@ASU - L - (9-7, 16-10)
Quite simply, Wells Fargo is a house of horrors and this year the nightmare continues. 95/5
@Arizona - W - (10-7, 17-10)
Trips to the desert used be a darn near guaranteed 2 L trip. That's all changed, and lately the Huskies have owned Arizona at McKale. That trend continues this year and the Huskies keep the Dance dreams alive with a win in Tucson.
@WSU - W - (11-7, 18-10)
With possible conference tourney seeding implications and hopes of making the tourney, the Huskies absolutely must win this contest. Here again, an athleticism advantage makes the difference and the UW gets win #18.
Final Standings & Records (pre-conf tourney)
1. Stanford (17-1, 29-1) Loss at Cal only blemish
2. California (16-2, 25-3) Losses @ Stanford, ASU
3. ASU (15-3, 24-3) Losses to Stanfordx2, Cal
4. UW (11-7, 18-10) Wins tie-breaker with USC by virtue of 2 wins against UCLA
5. USC (11-7, 20-9) Split with UCLA costs them the 4 seed
6. UCLA (9-9, 18-11) Wins over UOx2, OSUx2, WSUx2, UAx2, USC
7. Oregon State (4-14, 13-16) Wins over UO, UA, WSUx2
8. Arizona (3-15, 9-21) Wins over WSU, UO, OSU
9. Oregon (3-15, 9-20) Wins over WSUx2, OSU
10. WSU (1-17, 8-20) Win over UA
Conf Tourney
Night 1
#7 OSU def. #10 WSU
#9 Oregon def. #8 Arizona
Day 2
#4 UW def. #5 USC
USC with 20 wins has already all but guaranteed a trip to the tourney. UW needs the win to get in and gets it done.
#1 Stanford def. #9 Oregon
#3 ASU def. #6 UCLA
#2 Cal def. #7 OSU
Day 3
#2 Cal def. #4 UW
#1 Stanford def. #3 ASU
Day 4
#1 Stanford def. #2 Cal
All Pac-10 1st Team
Alexis Gray Lawson, G, Cal
Briann January, G, ASU
Nneka Ogwumike, F, Stanford
Devanei Hampton, F, Cal
Jayne Appel, C, Stanford
All Pac-10 2nd Team
JJ Hones, G, Stanford
Sami Whitcomb, G, Washington
Ashley Walker, F, Cal
Lauren Lacey, F, ASU
Kayla Pederson, F, Stanford
Pac-10 Player of the Year
Jayne Appel, Stanford
Freshman of the Year
Nneka Ogwumike, Stanford
Coach of the year
Mark Trakh, USC
Post season
UW sneaks into the tourney, drawing a seed in the 7-10 range and by virtue of playing at home, wins in round 1 before falling in the round of 32.
This year will be as interesting as any season since I've been a fan as we see Tia's system truly take hold, but, there's a number of question marks as we head into the season. Who is going to run the point? Is Romeo as good as her billing out of Australia? Will we be able to get consistent rebounding and scoring out of the post players? Can Kingma and Lay live up to their hype? Can the JCs play needed energy minutes and contribute?
Without further ado, here's how I see the season playing out. (Conference record, Overall record)
Any time I use a #/# in the below, I'm referring to a percent to win/lose in the game in question. I'm not a betting man, so don't worry about that, just using it to provide a little insight into how the season could be better or worse than the final record I come up with.
Gonzaga - L (0-0, 0-1)
The Bulldogs were a tournament team a year ago that held up well against Tennessee during the regular season. Graves is a damn fine coach and this early in the season, I think it's too much to expect with such a young Husky roster to best Gonzaga. I see this as a 65% to lose/ 35% win game. To come out with the win, UW must emphasize the advantage they have athletically over the Bulldogs. This will be a game but I see GU winning but not in blowout fashion.
@ Weber St. - W (0-0, 1-1)
Yes it's a road game and we know how tough early season road games ars on young teams, but frankly, the Huskies should absolutely win this game with the athletic and coaching advantages they have.
Boise St - W (0-0, 2-1)
Yes, I know this was an ugly lost last year. I also know this prediction may be scoffed at by certain former players families, but again the athletic advantage and in particular Kingma and Whitcomb and the home court advantage lead to a Husky W. This one is about 60/40 by my estimation.
Seattle U - W (0-0, 3-1)
There is no way that Washington loses this game. SU is no SPU and the Dawgs should win this one in a big, big way. Look for lots of minutes for the bench as this one should only be a contest for 10 minutes or so.
Clemson - W (0-0, 4-1)
The Tigers won 12 games last year and come from a good conference. A quick glance at their roster shows they are not particularly big and the UW should be able to match them in terms of athleticism. The Huskies just don't lose in the Classic without a significant team as an opponent. This is an 80/20 game.
@ Pepperdine - W (0-0, 5-1)
Yes, I know the Waves clobbered us last year, but that was mostly Daphanie Kennedy who has since graduated. The returning Huskies will no doubt remember the outcome of last year's game and be out for some payback. 75/25
(in Cancun) UConn - L (0-0, 5-2)
Short of UConn being decimated by injuries, there's no real scenarios I see that lead me to believe that the Huskies have a chance in this one. If it's inside 30 points, it'll be a satisfactory effort. Inside 20 will be a damn good effort. Inside 10, and the Huskies will have played a great game. 99.999/.0001. All that said, I am really looking forward to making this trip (with 5 of the Hooligans taking a nice sun break in Mexico in December (myself included)).
(in Cancun) FSU - W (0-0, 6-2)
This is not the same Seminole team that beat Stanford 2 seasons ago. I see the UW learning some big lessons in their contest with UConn and putting them to use against the Seminoles a day later. 50/50
(in Cancun) Northern Colorado - W (0-0, 7-2)
A walkover, plain and simple. NCU doesn't have much size and the UW will be able to truly explode offensively in this one.
Kansas St. - L (0-0, 7-3)
KSU is a very solid program with size and talent from a big conference. This may be this year's Purdue game that the Huskies pull out in dramatic fashion but I see the Wildcats being able to exploit their size advantage and win a tough fought game in Hec-Ed. 65/35
A 7-3 non-con record is nothing to sneeze at, particularly with your top incoming freshman (if one believes Hoopgurlz) out for that portion of the season. If the team gels quickly, the games with GU and KSU could turn to wins and 7-3 could turn to 8-2 or 9-1. If the team struggles, it could very easily turn to 6-4, or 5-5. I choose to be optimistic and think that the UW will be respectable and hold down the fort at home.
Washington State - W (1-0, 8-3)
The Cougars just don't beat the Huskies. The Dawgs have a decided advantage on the sidelines and a decided advantage in terms of team speed. Look for the UW to exploit both in this contest and look forward to the debut of one Liz Lay in this ball game (if the current injury assesment/rehab schedule is accurate).
@ Stanford - L - (1-1, 8-4)
Wiggins is gone, but Ogwumike fills some of that void and Stanford will still be Stanford. Look for the trees to pound the Huskies in the post with a steady diet of Appel, Pederson, Boothe and significant contributions from Harmon and Ogwumike. Also of note in this contest is the first collegiate match-up between Ogwumike and Lay who I think will have some tussles (not fights, just big match-ups against each other) over the next 4 seasons.
@ Cal - L (1-2, 8-5)
To steal a line from Lee Corso, this one will be closer than the experts think but Cal will use the home court advantage and the size advantage in the block to best the Dawgs in this contest. 85/15
Oregon - W (2-2, 9-5)
I honestly think this is Bev Smith's last go around in Eugene and I just don't see the Huskies losing at home given a healthy trio of Whitcomb, Kingma and Lay on the perimeter. The Ducks just don't have the horses to keep pace in this one.
Oregon State - W (3-2, 10-5)
Here again the trio cause problems for an opponent. I think McLellan will also be able to produce a strong scoring and rebounding effort in this one and lead the Dawgs to the win.
@ USC - L (3-3, 10-6)
The LA road trip is always a tough, tough swing and despite the injury issues, the Trojans have the talent and size to hold off the UW in a hard fought ballgame in the Galen Center. For the Huskies to come out with a W in this one it's all about 3 words "Run, Baby Run". If they can run the Trojans ragged, they've got a shot. 65/35
@UCLA - W (4-3, 11-6)
Another Run, Baby Run game, but this time it works. I see Whitcomb having another big game in Pauley and being the key to a crucial Pac-10 road W for the Udub. 55/45
Arizona - W (5-3, 12-6)
I think Butts will do some nice things for the Wildcat program but the talent level just isn't there to compete with the middle and upper tier programs in the Pac. This one could be the Lay coming out party as having 3-4 weeks to get back in the rhythm she very well could put up a big night against the overmatched 'Cats.
Arizona State - L (5-4, 12-7)
Much as it pains me, the Sun Devils are just too deep and big for the UW to be able to pull this one out. The fact that if the UW forces the running game plays right into ASU's style also has an impact on this one. I think ASU takes a step back after this season with the departures of January, Dosty, Lacey, Thompson etc. If anyone will dethrone Stanford this season I'd put my money on ASU because they are just flat out deeper than Cal. 80/20
Cal - L - (5-5, 12-8)
The lack of post depth hurts in this one as Hampton/Walker take advantage of foul trouble and provide good numbers in the post and leat the Golden Bears to a tough win in Seattle. The lack of depth for Cal as a whole may lead to a Husky W in the blueprint of last years victory if Hampton gets in foul trouble. 80/20
Stanford - L (5-6, 12-9)
I just don't see a relatively young Husky team having the size and experience (yet) to upset Stanford. The size that the Trees can just run out there ad nauseum is just devastating and as soon as you start collapsing down to double in the block, Hones et al just bury you from outside.
Another close game, but the Cardinal get the job done. 95/5
@Oregon St. - W (6-6, 13-9)
Yet another example of how important team speed and athleticism are to being successful. The Huskies just flat run the Beavs into the ground and leave Gill with a nice win to break the mini-skid.
@Oregon - W (7-6, 14-9)
Wins are hard to come by for the Huskies at Mac Court but I just have a feeling that the Huskies will find a way to get it done in a close game. 60/40
UCLA - W (8-6, 15-9)
Negate the Bruins size advantage with flat out speed. Run after made baskets, run after misses. O-Board like crazy and win this one. 90/10
USC - W (9-6, 16-9)
See the above game. Just run. 80/20
@ASU - L - (9-7, 16-10)
Quite simply, Wells Fargo is a house of horrors and this year the nightmare continues. 95/5
@Arizona - W - (10-7, 17-10)
Trips to the desert used be a darn near guaranteed 2 L trip. That's all changed, and lately the Huskies have owned Arizona at McKale. That trend continues this year and the Huskies keep the Dance dreams alive with a win in Tucson.
@WSU - W - (11-7, 18-10)
With possible conference tourney seeding implications and hopes of making the tourney, the Huskies absolutely must win this contest. Here again, an athleticism advantage makes the difference and the UW gets win #18.
Final Standings & Records (pre-conf tourney)
1. Stanford (17-1, 29-1) Loss at Cal only blemish
2. California (16-2, 25-3) Losses @ Stanford, ASU
3. ASU (15-3, 24-3) Losses to Stanfordx2, Cal
4. UW (11-7, 18-10) Wins tie-breaker with USC by virtue of 2 wins against UCLA
5. USC (11-7, 20-9) Split with UCLA costs them the 4 seed
6. UCLA (9-9, 18-11) Wins over UOx2, OSUx2, WSUx2, UAx2, USC
7. Oregon State (4-14, 13-16) Wins over UO, UA, WSUx2
8. Arizona (3-15, 9-21) Wins over WSU, UO, OSU
9. Oregon (3-15, 9-20) Wins over WSUx2, OSU
10. WSU (1-17, 8-20) Win over UA
Conf Tourney
Night 1
#7 OSU def. #10 WSU
#9 Oregon def. #8 Arizona
Day 2
#4 UW def. #5 USC
USC with 20 wins has already all but guaranteed a trip to the tourney. UW needs the win to get in and gets it done.
#1 Stanford def. #9 Oregon
#3 ASU def. #6 UCLA
#2 Cal def. #7 OSU
Day 3
#2 Cal def. #4 UW
#1 Stanford def. #3 ASU
Day 4
#1 Stanford def. #2 Cal
All Pac-10 1st Team
Alexis Gray Lawson, G, Cal
Briann January, G, ASU
Nneka Ogwumike, F, Stanford
Devanei Hampton, F, Cal
Jayne Appel, C, Stanford
All Pac-10 2nd Team
JJ Hones, G, Stanford
Sami Whitcomb, G, Washington
Ashley Walker, F, Cal
Lauren Lacey, F, ASU
Kayla Pederson, F, Stanford
Pac-10 Player of the Year
Jayne Appel, Stanford
Freshman of the Year
Nneka Ogwumike, Stanford
Coach of the year
Mark Trakh, USC
Post season
UW sneaks into the tourney, drawing a seed in the 7-10 range and by virtue of playing at home, wins in round 1 before falling in the round of 32.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Bring Back Husky Football
11-28 - Willingham's record at Washington.
1-9. Willingham's record against Washington State, Oregon State and Oregon.
He's cleaned up the Neuheisel mess and for that we owe Tyrone a big thank you but it's time to start winning football games.
How many more yards will the defense give up this year?
Jake Locker has the potential to be the best QB in program history. Wouldn't it be nice if he could actually take the Huskies to a bowl game?
Husky Football was great once.
Husky Stadium was a place to be feared for opponents.
It's time to bring it back and show the current regime the door.
I'm not just going to sit here and snipe at Willingham, here's a list of candidates that bring some good things to the table.
Jim Mora Jr - A longshot, but if the donors pony up the dough, you could swipe him from the Seahawks. He's a defensive minded coach who played for DJ and has described it as his dream job.
Gary Pinkel - Resurrected Missouri and has coached at Washington. Again, it will take serious $ to lure him away from Mizzou.
Brent Venables - OU's defense looked pretty good today didn't it? Could give UW visibility in the mid-west in recruiting with his time at OU.
Chip Kelly - Can you imagine what our offense would do if an actual spread guru was calling the shots?
Norm Chow - Again, another O guru. Plus, it weakens a conference opponent.
Jim Leavitt - Brings the defense. Turned USF into a prominent program in the Big East from nothing at all.
Whether any of the above are the right guy, I don't know. What I do know is that Willingham isn't.
Go DAWGS!
1-9. Willingham's record against Washington State, Oregon State and Oregon.
He's cleaned up the Neuheisel mess and for that we owe Tyrone a big thank you but it's time to start winning football games.
How many more yards will the defense give up this year?
Jake Locker has the potential to be the best QB in program history. Wouldn't it be nice if he could actually take the Huskies to a bowl game?
Husky Football was great once.
Husky Stadium was a place to be feared for opponents.
It's time to bring it back and show the current regime the door.
I'm not just going to sit here and snipe at Willingham, here's a list of candidates that bring some good things to the table.
Jim Mora Jr - A longshot, but if the donors pony up the dough, you could swipe him from the Seahawks. He's a defensive minded coach who played for DJ and has described it as his dream job.
Gary Pinkel - Resurrected Missouri and has coached at Washington. Again, it will take serious $ to lure him away from Mizzou.
Brent Venables - OU's defense looked pretty good today didn't it? Could give UW visibility in the mid-west in recruiting with his time at OU.
Chip Kelly - Can you imagine what our offense would do if an actual spread guru was calling the shots?
Norm Chow - Again, another O guru. Plus, it weakens a conference opponent.
Jim Leavitt - Brings the defense. Turned USF into a prominent program in the Big East from nothing at all.
Whether any of the above are the right guy, I don't know. What I do know is that Willingham isn't.
Go DAWGS!
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