WBB ISU for 1st Place

[Joe Bobcat]

Very proud of the Bobcat women, they fought their hearts out and short of shooting percentages from the field I think they out played ISU. Just now coach Binford is telling a much different story in her post-game interview but I stand by my statement. Oh, and now Payton Ferris is giving a similar critique so I’m way out voted 2-1. To top it off their analysis far out weighs mine, but I’m stubbornly sticking with mine anyway, as a fan that’s my right and as coaches that’s their job. Don’t get me wrong I know there are plenty of things that need to be cleaned up for us to win the next one.
We will win the next one.

[BobcatDel]

We can hang with this team. We just have to shoot it better. ISU is very good but they are beatable.

Agreed! Maybe it was their defense, maybe their maturity, maybe their brand of ball...just got us off. Give it to ISU, they executed their game plan well. Shot 50% for the game and over 40% from arc....you will win a whole lot of games doing that. And our defense was not up to their inside outside game. Yes we can hang with them and I still think we can beat them if we can settle into our game, not be intimidated and maintain our discipline/hustle on D....and as you noted above, shoot over 35%.

But for now I am going to sulk for awhile and think about it.

[Ilikecats]

I agree! Our interior defense was like Swiss cheese. They waltzed into the lane like they were invited to the party. Wasn’t our best game.

[aucat]

Yep, the shooting percentages were WAY different between the two teams. Let's hope that turns around on Saturday.
ISU really did not give us many good looks from 3 and we gave them quite a few wide open looks.

Not our best effort but ISU had a lot to do with that. I hope for a strong rebound on Saturday.

[ilovethecats]

Thought the ladies pressed a bit tonight. Obviously shooting percentage wasn’t good. But I was surprised at the SHOTS they were taking. Lots of forced shots. Especially in the last 6-7 minutes.

Defensively our help defense was 1-2 seconds off. That’s all it takes sometimes. With a team that attacks the basket like ISU, they got to the basket way too easily.

Not to knock on the D too much though because overall I thought they did very well. Incredible ball defense and switching all screens on the perimeter was perfect; until they got to the basket....

Overall I came away impressed with the effort and I like our chances when we play again.

And maybe two more times...

[Catlady]

Happy to see Binford earn a technical. Some of the calls were just awful! I thought the freshmen were cooler under fire than the upperclassmen. Jackson seem to be pressing and absolutely whiffing on defense and we had no answer when they attacked the basket. For the first time since I’ve seen her play at MSU, I thought White wasn’t pressing their defense enough. They did a great job covering Tori because the word is out that White doesn’t have confidence in her 3 PT shot. Realize that she’s a super talented player, but that’s an area to improve her game!

[ilovethecats]

Happy to see Binford earn a technical. Some of the calls were just awful! I thought the freshmen were cooler under fire than the upperclassmen. Jackson seem to be pressing and absolutely whiffing on defense and we had no answer when they attacked the basket. For the first time since I’ve seen her play at MSU, I thought White wasn’t pressing their defense enough. They did a great job covering Tori because the word is out that White doesn’t have confidence in her 3 PT shot. Realize that she’s a super talented player, but that’s an area to improve her game!

Ya the two calls that led to the tech were very bad.

The first one was a textbook screen by Bad Bear above the three point line. You could see it coming a mile away. She didn't move an inch, and the defender guarding the ball got laid out. If I was her I'd be furious at my teammates for not letting me know that screen was waiting for me. That was a crucial play in the game and forced Bad Bear to the bench.

Then the very next possession we get smashed shooting a three and the ref says she travelled before she got drilled. I'm actually surprised Tricia didn't get two techs and ejected after that one.

In the end Big Sky officiating is what it is. Mediocre on their best days.

[BelgradeBobcat]

Happy to see Binford earn a technical. Some of the calls were just awful! I thought the freshmen were cooler under fire than the upperclassmen. Jackson seem to be pressing and absolutely whiffing on defense and we had no answer when they attacked the basket. For the first time since I’ve seen her play at MSU, I thought White wasn’t pressing their defense enough. They did a great job covering Tori because the word is out that White doesn’t have confidence in her 3 PT shot. Realize that she’s a super talented player, but that’s an area to improve her game!

That tech was awesome. I reacted the same way Binford did-except in my living room. I didn't get T'd up, but I did get told to shut-up because I scared the dogs.

I kinda want Darian White to go off like Allen Iverson on them, but she's very, very careful with her shot selection. We shot about 35% and 20% from three last night. White wouldn't do worse than that jacking a few more up-and she would get to the free throw line more-which is always a good thing.
jk

[Bobcat4Ever]

[I wrote this before I read the comments on shooting above, by fans and coaches. It’s a stat problem. Run all the variables through the analysis and you have to play well in other facets of the game to shoot very poorly and stay close, otherwise it’s a blowout.]

Shooting. They shot 50%. We shot 30%. Gotta put it through that little orange thing at the end of the court. We took a few poor shots, but we had a lot of good ones and they just didn’t go down. A 20 percentage-point shooting disadvantage and a game that was always that close tells me we pretty much won the other parts of the game, measurables and intangibles. I’m not nearly as worried about playing ISU again in Bozeman or Boise. Shoot the lights out, team! And the best team will win.

[Bobcat4Ever]

That officiating team I would describe as the “meekest” in the conference. They had their moments.

Am I the only one that did not like the ISU player shooting (and making) a three-pointer with a seven-point lead and a handful of seconds left, after we had backed the defense down? If she had to do that to avoid a shot clock violation, then okay — otherwise it stunk.

[rivercat]

That officiating team I would describe as the “meekest” in the conference. They had their moments.

Am I the only one that did not like the ISU player shooting (and making) a three-pointer with a seven-point lead and a handful of seconds left, after we had backed the defense down? If she had to do that to avoid a shot clock violation, then okay — otherwise it stunk.

If I remember right, there was a 7 sec difference between the game and shot clock.

[tetoncat]

15 or 16 offensive rebounds kept us in it. Can't leave the corner three open. Need to get Tori some open looks

[Joe Bobcat]

Skye Lindsay sighting dressed to play and warming up is the first good news of the day. Let's hope there's much more good news to come.

GO CATS!

[rivercat]

10 minutes to tip off

I have a good feeling about this game. Go Cats!!!

[BelgradeBobcat]

Limardo probably never had to head fake anybody in high school. It's a skill she could use today. Off to another rough start and digging a hole.

[nevadacat]

Am I the only one who thinks we wait a little too long to set up a last shot? Starting the motion with only 7-8 seconds left doesn’t give a lot of chance to open something up.

[BelgradeBobcat]

Am I the only one who thinks we wait a little too long to set up a last shot? Starting the motion with only 7-8 seconds left doesn’t give a lot of chance to open something up.

Yeah-this team has a real knack for getting the last shot...and almost never scores on it.

Scary detail about ISU...they're also really young.

Every time we have a chance to tie or go up we miss and ISU goes down and hits a three. A lot like Thursday.

[BelgradeBobcat]

Martell finally gets a sliver daylight and hits a couple of 3's.
Darian White on the bench with 2 fouls.
Madison Jackson has been a spark with two 3's.
Bobcats finally get a lead!

[nevadacat]

Wow. Looking rough when 4-17. Cats step it up to outscore ISU 33-8 since!

[BelgradeBobcat]

A really nice second quarter led by Madison Jackson get us a nice little 12 point lead at halftime. At one point we were behind 17-4 so we really outscored them by a lot from there. ISU has been bricking a lot of outside shots-but the misses are bouncing long and they're getting a lot of offensive rebounds-kinda the opposite of what happened in Pocatello.