Cal Women's Basketball At Arizona State Preview + Gamethread
by norcalnick on Feb 4, 2012 11:30 AM PST
in California Golden Bears Women's Basketball
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PrintWhen: 1:00 pm PT
Video Stream: Fox Sports Arizona
Audio Stream: Cal Bears All-Access
Gametracker
I was worried we wouldn't be able to watch one of the biggest games left in the season, but evidently Fox Sports Arizona is coming up huge for us! Only two more road games before the Pac-12 network!
Maybe catching last place Arizona in between huge games with Stanford and Arizona St. was a formula for a let-down, but the bottom line is that Cal survived, which preserves much of the excitement fans should have for today’s game against the 3rd place, 15-6 (6-4) Sun Devils.
It’s tough to overstate how important this game is. For one thing, it’s arguably Cal’s toughest non-Stanford game left on the schedule. If Cal wins they move up to 8-3 in the Pac-12 with a favorable schedule left. This game is the first of just three more road games on the schedule, and a trip to Oregon isn’t especially intimidating. Win and 2nd place in the conference looks likely. Lose and Cal falls back into the jumble with ASU, USC and UCLA. Gaining separation from the pack is a key to securing a solid NCAA seed
My main concern (for the first time this year!) is depth and energy. Cal played an exhausting game against Stanford on Saturday, then played an exhausting game against Arizona on Thursday, and they did it with Gennifer Brandon sick. Five players had to play 29 minutes or more and if Gennifer isn’t able to play her usual minutes we might have a very tired team on our hands.
Here’s what you need to know about ASU: they’re slow, they’re deep and they play great defense. They have ten players that average 10 minutes a game or more, they rotate players in and out of the lineup constantly, and they grind the game to a halt with a deliberate offense and a defense that stops teams from running. Their best player is a Brandon (Kimberly), who leads the team in scoring and rebounding – though it’s worth noting that she only scored 11 total points in three games against Cal last year.
Tempo Free Preview
Our computer overlords (Sagarin) predict: Cal by 0.93. This game is basically a toss-up.
|
Category |
Cal Ranking |
ASU Ranking |
Advantage |
|
Cal eFG% v. ASU Def eFG% |
132 |
6 |
AA |
|
Cal Def eFG% v. ASU eFG% |
76 |
158 |
C |
|
Cal TO% v. ASU Def TO% |
92 |
61 |
A |
|
Cal Def TO% v. ASU TO% |
228 |
153 |
A |
|
Cal Reb% v. ASU Reb% |
2 |
99 |
C |
|
Cal FTR v. ASU Opp FTR |
151 |
185 |
C |
|
Cal Opp FTR v. ASU FTR |
114 |
299 |
CC |
|
Cal O-PPP v. ASU D-PPP |
50 |
15 |
A |
|
Cal D-PPP v. ASU O-PPP |
57 |
168 |
CC |
Number one scary stat: Teams do not shoot well against Arizona St., and Cal’s poor performances have come when they just can’t find a way to get the ball to go through the hoop. Cal will really have to focus on calm offensive execution and good shot selection tonight.
Number one less scary stat: pretty much every ASU offensive stat. They don’t shoot particularly well, they’re prone to turnovers and they never shoot free throws.
This game is probably going to be a defensive struggle, and the game will likely come down to rebounds. Over the last two years Arizona St. has been one of the few Pac-12 teams that can hang with Cal on the boards. But while Cal has become an even better rebounding team this year, the Sun Devils have somewhat regressed. That slight advantage might be just what Cal needs to escape Tempe with a huge win.
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Nope, radio waaaay ahead of the stream
But we’re up 6-0 already!
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
What a great start!
9-2 Bears, we’re getting inside at will, and our press has already bothered the Devils. We’re even hitting our FTs!
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
11-9 Bears.
ASU hitting their jumpers to cut the deficit. I think 4 Cal players have already scored
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Aaaaaaand down to 11-9. Gave 'em some open looks.
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
It’s been twitchy. That and the loooong replays of ASU baskets while Cal is on offense is frustrating.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
I need gametracker to start working
I think Cal has drawn 4 or 5 fouls and ASU hasn’t drawn any.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Frustrating that ASU seemingly can't miss their jumpers.
18-14 ASU.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Gametracker stuck on preview stats.
Am reduced to ESPN’s boxscore.
Damn those 3s!
Tasteless breast references from sorority girls!
Never change, ASU
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Eliza did not foul!
Do your cobra thing, Eliza.
28-24 Devils
Not as much defense in this game as one would expect.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Man ASU's defense is fantastic when they're only up two.
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
Brittany scores 6 in a row
ASU announcers: ‘why isn’t she involving her teammates?!?’
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Are they hoping the CalGals are listening to them
and have been just longing for this advice?
Finally Talia's back!
Why has she been off so long?
YES TALIA!
Dives for the ball, Lindsay rewards her with a banked in 3!
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
It's the only way to keep big sisters
in line. (Always worked for me, at least.)
The ASU coach was the head coach of the Sac State men’s team, says Dave Lewis. Who knew?
CGB: The Strangest Blog
No. But according to Dave Lewis, the ASU coached them when they were making the transition from D II to D I, so that’s a pretty tough assignment. One of Sac State’s big problems, apparently, is that they play in a tiny little gym that only holds about 1,000 fans, which really prevents them from attracting quality players or much fan support — since almost no one could go to their games, even if they wanted to.
CGB: The Strangest Blog
Along with B.B.'s help.
(How does one describe Boyd in a nickname?)
Stats here:
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncw/boxscore?gameId=320350009
since Gametracker can’t be bothered. Palo Alto is up by 20 at half-time.
And now I’ve lost the Cal audio stream, so I can’t listen to the halftime show. Technology!
CGB: The Strangest Blog
I refreshed and got it back. This has been a very refreshing afternoon, so far.
CGB: The Strangest Blog
Great defense on that first possession
More of that please!
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
There's no way Blackwell can keep up with Gen.
As long as that matchup is on the floor they need to go to it over and over.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Stanfurd is totally blowing out Arizona, 63-35 midway through the second half.
CGB: The Strangest Blog
I love that the ads on the ASU arena big screen include: “Got a DUI? Need an interlock?”
CGB: The Strangest Blog
What's an interlock?
An interlocutory something or other? Are DUIs so frequent in those parts that everyone understands these terms? (Rhetorical question.)
Teams trading turnovers
Game has turned ugly all of a sudden.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
NICK! DAVE LEWIS JUST MENTIONED YOU! HE SAID THAT THE NICKNAME “RAINBOW SHERBERT” COMES “COURTESY OF NORCALNICK”!!!
CGB: The Strangest Blog
by CalBear81 on Feb 4, 2012 2:28 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
That’s really nice of him, but I’m 99% sure I heard him use that first!
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Well, he said he wanted to give credit where credit was due, so clearly he thinks he got it from you.
CGB: The Strangest Blog
<3 Dave Lewis
How mysterious. Anybody else want to claim that?
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
LAYSHIA!
More, more!
Bennett fouled our Reshanda; “What?! Poor little Reshanda!” says BearBloke.
That's a rough swing
Unforced turnover, ASU 3. Bears up 2 now.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Phew, thanks for that freebie ASU
These last few minutes will test our hearts again, methinks.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
They do stick around,
I’ll grant them that. But that is all.
Go, big girls!
YES GRAY
Thank goodness we got a basket on that possession, because Talia was hacked right on the arm on the previous shot.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
I like that.
We can howl that at ASU next time they come to Haas.
Dave? Dave?
Why they're not fouling Boyd is beyond me
I feel like we’re getting really lucky – ASU isn’t playing smart down the stretch.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Brittany AGAIN!
I’m mentioning her in my will, and she’s getting both our (tall) grandkids.
I have a (quite tall) stepdaughter
in reserve.
When the hell is B.B.
going to be named POW?
At the end, I kept having nightmarish flashbacks to the game at Haas last year! Thank god we won this one!
CGB: The Strangest Blog
If we can sweep at home next weekend
we’ll have a two game gap on every other team in the conference.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
Gosh, I feel better.
Like I’m actually breathing again.
That was definitely stressful. Especially coming after Thursday night’s stresser. But winning these tough games has got to be good for the team.
CGB: The Strangest Blog
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