Cal vs. Miami: WNIT Championship Game Thread
by norcalnick on Apr 3, 2010 3:00 AM PDT
in California Golden Bears Men's Basketball
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Time: 11:00 AM PST
TV: CBS College Sports
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With their 37th game of the season and 3rd and final senior day the Cal women's basketball season will finally come to a close today against the Miami Hurricanes (22-13). The Bears and Hurricanes have both breezed through the WNIT relatively unchallenged, but the two teams have ridden very different strengths to the final. While Cal has found success focusing on defense and rebounding, Miami has been winning behind two elite scorers and impressive three point shooting - they've averaged nine made 3 pointers in the last four games!
The Hurricanes sport an ugly looking 4-10 ACC conference record, but that record is a bit deceptive. The Hurricanes lost four overtime games and five other games by seven points or less. Swing four out of nine of those games and the Hurricanes are 8-6 and almost certainly in the NCAAs. Miami appears to be an impressively unlucky team that has turned things around in the WNIT.
Cal's defensive game plan will start and end with sophomores Riquna Williams and Shenise Johnson. They average 19.6 and 19.0 points per game, and based on what I heard when I listened to their game against Michigan they're willing to shoot the ball from just about anywhere. Williams in particular shoots tons of three pointers - she has more 3 point attempts than every Hurricane but one has total attempts. Her 35% rate from downtown isn't especially scary, but she's been shooting better in the WNIT and Cal needs to keep her from getting hot. Despite being a forward Johnson does more ball handling and is a more versatile player. She leads the team in rebounds, assists and steals and will be an extremely difficult defensive assignment for whoever Coach Boyle picks for the role.
| eFG% | opp eFG% | ORB% | opp ORB% | TOV% | opp TOV% | FTA/FGA | opp FTA/FGA | |
| Cal | 43.2 | 42.7 | 43.4 | 33.4 | 18.5 | 20.1 | 33.0 | 27.1 |
| Miami | 46.4 | 43.4 | 39.1 | 35.7 | 18.4 | 22.9 | 33.0 | 30.2 |
The stats indicate a pretty evenly matched game. As always Cal's opponent has a sizable advantage shooting the ball and the Bears are a better rebounding team. Miami's defense is solid in terms of opponent eFG%, but the Hurricanes really excel at forcing turnovers - their opponents average over 20 a game.
So with all of this info here are various matchups, thoughts, and keys to the game:
-The big key will obviously be containing Williams and Johnson. Of Miami's other threats, Diane Barnes scores 9.7 a game and shoots a high percentage. After that are a bunch of players that aren't the best shooters - in the range of 41-42 eFG%. Every shot not taken by Williams, Johnson or Barnes is a victory for the Bears.
-Cal has a slight but significant height advantage pretty much across the board. There's no particular reason to suspect that Cal's rebounding advantage will evaporate.
-Miami's ability to force turnovers concerns me. The Bears have had much better ball security in the 2nd half of the season, and this game will be the final test of that improvement. If you ignore the insane traveling fiasco against ISU the Bears have taken care of the ball very well in each game in the WNIT except for UC Davis - not coincidentally the closest Cal came to losing.
-The not so secret advantage? Miami has to fly about 3,000 miles to play a road game. The Hurricanes aren't unfamiliar with the road - they've taken trips to the west coast and northeast already this year and their last two NIT games have been on the road. That's tough.
Go Bears!
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Things are looking grim on the streaming front… :(
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Maybe PRD will come to the rescue.
… If not, I suppose we’ll have to imagine it from the gametracker. =/
PRD TO THE RESCUE!
http://www.justin.tv/prd74_2#r=KGXtJ4o~
:D
by tjalorak on Apr 3, 2010 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
That guy rules.
Cal Football: I loved them once and they broke my heart. Let that be a lesson to you. Never love anything.
by CalBandGreat on Apr 3, 2010 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions
Go Bears!
Read my Cal blog: http://since59.blogspot.com/ Go Bears!
Welcome to the home, Ryan Verdugo. Do me proud with your sweet left arm! Also, keep up your undefeated streak. Don't change that 5-0 record!
Where’s CGB at? I don’t see no stinkin’ sign.
by daveman on Apr 3, 2010 11:06 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Yeah, I didn’t see any stinkin’ sign either. So much for a meet-up :-/
"atomsareenough—cleaning up CGB one day at a time until we finally get that press pass." - Berkelium97
by atomsareenough on Apr 3, 2010 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Go Cal!
Go Pac-10!
Hope Alexis G-W goes off again today!
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
Go Beavs!
Yes
That was her.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Apr 3, 2010 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions
Someone called the other coach
“Death Stare” Meier. I sort of see why now. That black hair really gives her a severe look.
Good D an rebounding to start the game so far. Nice intensity.
by daveman on Apr 3, 2010 11:10 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Beautiful pass inside
in to an open post player. Love the stream but I can’t tell numbers for who’s passing to whom.
Ugh
We’ve missed a few open shots that should have gone down.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Apr 3, 2010 11:12 AM PDT reply actions
So has Miami though.
And they’ve gotten some open looks.
Key Difference
We’ve gotten toward the rim and took one just above the foul line. On the other hand, Miami is launching three-point field goals.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Apr 3, 2010 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions
Cal owns the boards!
Miami starts 0-12, Cal up 9-0 at the first timeout!
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
Go Beavs!
5 minutes in and Miami hasn’t scored. They look a little stunned to me.
by daveman on Apr 3, 2010 11:15 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Just joining in...
Wow, Cal with a hot start…
This PRD individual is clutch…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Go Bears !!!!
Hey, didn’t we beat a school from Miami in a bowl game a couple years ago????
Whose the “Pain Train” on the Women’s BBall team????
I'd like to smell the Roses before I die.
Same university.
Hrmmm… no idea about Pain Train. I think our kids are pretty nice although Lexi can take over a game.
Wow.
Huge jump by Brandon. Sad it didn’t go in on the putback.
Boo.
Shots not falling for us although we’re getting good rebounds.
9-2 Cal.
Boyle is dressed to the nines today. Black pencil skirt, black stockings and high heel black leather boots. She wants to win today.
by daveman on Apr 3, 2010 11:22 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
What's up with Cal allowing all these drives?
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Their PF (??) seems to be taking ours off the dribble.
I think they’re faster than us.
Perhaps stronger guards as well...
I haven’t been able to watch much ACC this year…
Jeez…another And1 for Williams..
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Wow
Nothing is going our way anymore.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Apr 3, 2010 11:27 AM PDT reply actions
14-2 Miami run.
Someone wake up the Bears.
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
Unreal
Miami is on a 16-2 run now. I have no words.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Apr 3, 2010 11:28 AM PDT reply actions
Random note from the NCAA Final Four...
Oklahoma’s Danielle Robinson’s had Cal at the top of her list…
If you haven’t seen her play… the thought of her and Alexis Gray-Lawson together in one frontcourt is frightening…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Hey
We actually recruited and had Jene Morris in our squad. (Then she left for SDSU :( )
Imagine AGL and Morris! =/
Yeah, I heard about that… what happened there?
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Eliza Pierre is great..
Adding post moves to her game…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
I hope she works on a jumper though
in the summer. People don’t defend her on the perimeter.
Damn
That rebound was ours.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Apr 3, 2010 11:38 AM PDT reply actions
12-0 Cal run
But A G-L might have tweaked her ankle with that explosive move.
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
The full court press defense has made a huge difference.
by daveman on Apr 3, 2010 11:39 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
I think Pierre’s +/- is something like +12 this game. They’ve had a big run when she’s been in the game.
by daveman on Apr 3, 2010 11:40 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
I notice those drives have ended…
And she’s running point much better now…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Aw
That’s an unfortunate travel.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Apr 3, 2010 11:41 AM PDT reply actions
Solid first half after the lull
It seems that Boyle made some nice adjustments to stop Miami’s drives…
Pierre was a big part of that.
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
35-23 Bears at the half
If Cal can control the Miami runs in the second half, their speed should carry them.
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
Anybody see this supposed CGB section?
Or know where norcalnick set up?
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Nope.
But then again, they’re only showing one side of the arena. It’s possible they’re on the other side.
Not a great production,
as far as limited number of cameras, and some very long shots, but at least there is national coverage of the game.
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
I got a text that they were on the Bench.
Cal Football: I loved them once and they broke my heart. Let that be a lesson to you. Never love anything.
by CalBandGreat on Apr 3, 2010 12:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Alright, let’s own this second half!
by daveman on Apr 3, 2010 12:08 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
E-P gets her shot blocked,
but gets it back and scores anyway. Already above her average. Good day to have one of her best days.
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
Stallworth getting going...
Power, yes…
But very, very nice footwork on the block…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
How on earth did Stallworth get from the block to getting a transition steal so quick...?
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Full court press on us
makes me worry. I mean we can handle it really well sometimes and then sometimes … we can’t!
If you don't like Pierre's fight, you might not like basketball..
Even with people laying off her she’s attacking hard and making things happen…
I’ll be patient with the jumpshot…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Oh I really like her. Great defense and she's learning
when to drive and when to pass. Much less jitters too. I just think the jump shot will really help expand her game and force people to defend her on the perimeter which should make driving easier too.
Cal has others who can take jumpers
And a three makes it a 15 point lead!
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
off a great cross-court look by Pierre…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Yup. Pierre is really settling into the PG role.
I do hope that if we pull away pretty decisively that Vital gets a chance to come in and play for a minute or so before being pulled for an ovation…
How many teams have won both a NIT and WNIT?
That Geno Carlisle Cal men’s team was fun too…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
I think Lexi’s ready to take over here.
by daveman on Apr 3, 2010 12:34 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
The one thing that concerned me about Stallworth early in the season...
is that she would sort of start one post move and have trouble switching to a second move when she was initially stopped…
She is not only more decisive now, but she’s doing an amazing job of going from a first move to a second depending on the defense… especially for a frosh
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
It's that osmosis
from those post players across the bay. That or our post coach has been doing some great work.
I joke with a friend from Menlo Park that San Jose/Palo Alto/Menlo is not the “real” Bay Area… :)
So I’ll go with the post coach theory…
But you look at Stallworth compared to Brandon and Caldwell and her development has been even more rapid…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
She started at a higher level too, no?
It seems like she always had the moves. She just wasn’t sure about how to use them together effectively and that just comes with experience.
In contrast, Brandon and Caldwell are gifted athletes who are still putting together the moves.
The aribitrary standard (established by three people from Berkeley)
…is that a city must be inside the BART radius to be considered the Bay Area. lol
Perhaps this is why none of us went to Stanford. ;)
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Stallworth now with 19 points
Cal lead reached 18.
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
Pierre is coming up big
How many assists does she have now?
Williams is remarkable...
That was very good D by AGL..and she managed to get the shot off anyway…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
67-55 Cal.
>_> C’mon… let’s maintain our nice comfortable lead of 12 or so.
Miami within 66-57 with 4 minutes left
No time to get sloppy!
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
Another Cal turnover
Bears will need to make some passes and free throws down the stretch.
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
AGL needs to take over...
(WNBA scouts are watching)
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Dear Miami,
You need to double Stallworth at this point, freshman or not.
She is destroying you inside.
Later.
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Did Miami give up?
Some of our starters are coming out.
Sure looked like it
But.. then she fouls and takes timeouts..
So… ?
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Yeah. That seemed sort of odd.
Boyle had to put our starters back in.
Stallworth scores
as the shot clock runs out! 11 pt. lead with 2:30 to go. And then a three pointer!
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
Back to a 15 point lead with a minute left
Bears answered a Miami run once again.
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
This is good for the Pac-10's rep, I'd say..
UCLA took down NC State in the tourney, Cal beats Miami…
Seeing as how people considered the ACC the much stronger conference, the Pac-10’s post-season performance should be encouraging…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Nice to be able to take a lead
that allows you to pull seniors to a standing ovation.
Bears win 73-61!
Andy Wooldridge, andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
BuildingTheDam.Com
Go Beavs!
All of our seniors
got a chance to shine today. Vital and Greif played great in their time and AGL was AGL. :)
Congrats Cal!
Great season!
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
REVEL!
Also, I’m looking forward to the game reports from the CGB contingent at the game.
Good game, great way to end the season for the Bears. DeNesha was unstoppable, and pretty much everyone seemed to put in a solid game. Miami had real trouble getting some shots to fall till late in the second half.
"atomsareenough—cleaning up CGB one day at a time until we finally get that press pass." - Berkelium97
Congrats to Coach Boyle on winning a Ben Braun National Championship!
but seriously, this young, talented core of players will make some noise in the big dance the next couple of years.
Oh, bliss and joy!
BearBloke and I managed to snag the last decent sightlines in Haas, and our emotions pretty much tallied with those of the CBG bloggers’ down the stretch. (Occasionally thanking the basketball gods that we didn’t have to listen to those damned ISU announcers this time!) The trouble with having followed the Bears for a decade or so is a tendency to remember the days when they couldn’t finish and would blow a solid lead during the last quarter.
Note that DeNesha is on the all-tournament team and Lexi, of course, is MVP. And do I remember correctly that there were five freshman on the floor the last 30 seconds? The torch passes and all that (sighs and sniffles among some of us). Now if only Lexi gets drafted by L.A. or, preferably, Seattle. Imagine Ashley and Dev doing the old high-low off the Storm bench, with Lexi in the back court!
Whatever. It’s all good right now. Time to stash more sparkly stuff in the fridge.
We need to start a "Draft Lexi" email campaign for the Storm...
They could also draft Jene Morris (who transferred from Cal)…
Hmmm… but Seattlites complain about all the Californians migrating North, so maybe this isn’t a good marketing campaign… ;)
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
This team is going to be really good next year.
There, I said it.
Go Bears!
Praise be to Boyle!
Cal Football: I loved them once and they broke my heart. Let that be a lesson to you. Never love anything.
BTW
Why is there no 10-second rule for women’s basketball?
"atomsareenough—cleaning up CGB one day at a time until we finally get that press pass." - Berkelium97
My guess would be that you don’t need one with a 30-second shot clock.
So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!
I think it would improve the game.
"atomsareenough—cleaning up CGB one day at a time until we finally get that press pass." - Berkelium97
by atomsareenough on Apr 3, 2010 7:29 PM PDT up reply actions
There is one in the W.
Actually I think it’s 8 seconds and a 24 second clock.
But none in college, true.
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Golden Bears Football Schedule
| Fresno St. | Sat 09/03 | W 36 - 21 |
@
Colorado
|
Sat 09/10 | W 36 - 33 |
| Presbyterian | Sat 09/17 | W 63 - 12 |
|
@
Washington
|
Sat 09/24 | L 23 - 31 |
|
@
Oregon
|
Thu 10/06 | L 15 - 43 |
|
USC
|
Thu 10/13 | L 9 - 30 |
|
Utah
|
Sat 10/22 | W 34 - 10 |
|
@
UCLA
|
Sat 10/29 | L 14 - 31 |
|
Washington St.
|
Sat 11/05 | W 30 - 7 |
|
Oregon St.
|
Sat 11/12 | W 23 - 6 |
|
@
Stanford
|
Sat 11/19 | L 28 - 31 |
|
@
Arizona St.
|
Fri 11/25 | W 47 - 38 |
|
@
Texas
|
Wed 12/28 | L 10 - 21 |
Pacific-12 Conference Standings
(updated 1.2.2012 at 11:12 PM PST)
| North | Conf | Overall | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
|
Oregon Ducks
|
8 | 1 | 12 | 2 |
|
Stanford Cardinal
|
8 | 1 | 11 | 2 |
|
Washington Huskies
|
5 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
|
California Golden Bears
|
4 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
|
Oregon St. Beavers
|
3 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
|
Washington St. Cougars
|
2 | 7 | 4 | 8 |
| South | Conf | Overall | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
|
USC Trojans
|
7 | 2 | 10 | 2 |
|
UCLA Bruins
|
5 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
|
Utah Utes
|
4 | 5 | 8 | 5 |
|
Arizona St. Sun Devils
|
4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|
Arizona Wildcats
|
2 | 7 | 4 | 8 |
|
Colorado Buffaloes
|
2 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
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