Re: 2022 - 2023 Schedule/Season

by DoubleDipper Wed Feb 22, 2023 11:53 pm

wrv wrote:It may be that Alex is best situated to describe the nature of her play. Note there was no complaint from her that she was in any way singled out by refs or opponents. Alex apparently does not perceive herself as a victim of mistreatment by the refs or the other players, though again there are exceptions which occur.

Talk with her and talk with her coaches sometime...

by Adam Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:25 am

DoubleDipper wrote:The last I heard the women are going to need a bit of luck in Provo and a deeper than normal bench, because as of close to midnight on Wednesday, they are still on the ramp at PDX awaiting deicing before their long flight and long drive to Provo after sitting around at PDX for close to 12 hours due to the snow and ice.

Things only got worse unfortunately. After finally getting airborne, there were fumes in the cabin and an emergency redirect to Boise. After 2am and all were still at that airport waiting for overnight accomm arrangements and another flight tomorrow.

by DoubleDipper Thu Feb 23, 2023 9:12 am

Adam wrote:Things only got worse unfortunately. After finally getting airborne, there were fumes in the cabin and an emergency redirect to Boise. After 2am and all were still at that airport waiting for overnight accomm arrangements and another flight tomorrow.

It is NOT uncommon for there to be some fumes in the aircraft after it has been deiced with Type II propylene glycol, which I assume the team's Delta flight had been bathed in more than once during the interminable ground delay.

The crews that deice the aircraft are trained to avoid getting the fluid in the engine intakes and air conditioning systems, but it inevitably goes there anyway.

It will be interesting to see if the team gets any sleep or gym time prior to tonight's 6pm (PT) game. If not, and considering they are going to be playing at over 4500-foot elevation, the staff may have to finally go to a longer bench. Coach Meek stated that he wanted to avoid further injury to the players heading into the WCC Tournament...if the team plays tonight, the game could be a demonstration of how he intends to do that.

by up7587 Thu Feb 23, 2023 11:13 am

DoubleDipper wrote:The last I heard the women are going to need a bit of luck in Provo and a deeper than normal bench, because as of close to midnight on Wednesday, they are still on the ramp at PDX awaiting deicing before their long flight and long drive to Provo after sitting around at PDX for close to 12 hours due to the snow and ice.

Just tell BYU they can't play, and don't reschedule?

by DoubleDipper Thu Feb 23, 2023 12:10 pm

up7587 wrote:Just tell BYU they can't play, and don't reschedule?

Some things we cannot remember hour-to-hour, but other (bitter) memories hang on for a long time... Evil or Very Mad

by Adam Thu Feb 23, 2023 12:57 pm

It will be interesting to see if the team gets any sleep or gym time prior to tonight's 6pm (PT) game.

Girls mostly slept 5/6am til 12.30pm. Still in Boise. Game being postponed til Monday. Staying another night where they are then flying to SD, playing, then fly back to SLC for BYU.

At least lots of parents got to tick Provo off their bucket list

‍�

by DoubleDipper Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:20 pm

Adam wrote:Girls mostly slept 5/6am til 12.30pm. Still in Boise. Game being postponed til Monday. Staying another night where they are then flying to SD, playing, then fly back to SLC for BYU.

Excellent!!

Playing on Monday, 7 days before they begin play in the WCC Tournament is IMO better than the 9 days off they would have had if they had played their final game of the regular season on Saturday at USD.

by **Rob's Jacket** Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:19 pm

A very reasonable solution to the problem. (Who knew the WCC had it in them?!)

Here's hoping for an uneventful flight to San Diego tomorrow.

by Adam Thu Feb 23, 2023 3:42 pm

Rob's Jacket wrote:A very reasonable solution to the problem. (Who knew the WCC had it in them?!)

Begrudgingly I think. Even middle of today though both Colleges happy with Monday, WCC wanted it played today still. Think it took until it was impossible given flight availability, for WCC to 'agree'.

by Geezaldinho Sat Feb 25, 2023 2:20 pm

Anybody find a stream?

by Adam Sat Feb 25, 2023 2:27 pm

Geezaldinho wrote:Anybody find a stream?

The direct links have been having issues with stadium sports for a few weeks. Can find it always at watchstadium.com/schedule

by **Rob's Jacket** Sat Feb 25, 2023 3:46 pm

Between losses at San Diego State, UC San Diego, and now San Diego, I'd just as soon have the Pilots never go to San Diego again.

by up7587 Mon Feb 27, 2023 5:04 pm

Nice finish to the regular season, in a game that changed nothing for the Pilots, defeating BYU 61-49.

by DoubleDipper Mon Feb 27, 2023 5:11 pm

Rob's Jacket wrote:Between losses at San Diego State, UC San Diego, and now San Diego, I'd just as soon have the Pilots never go to San Diego again.

Nice bounce back today against BYU in Provo, 61-49.

Certainly not the best game by the Pilots, but once again Liana showed how much she has matured as a player by taking the court and dominating when Alex was in foul trouble.

BYU, 9-9, finishes tied for 4th, but will be the #5 seed via the tiebreaker, so the only way UP will see the Cougars again will be if they meet in the Championship game.

(How about BYU's #12 with 24 rebounds today (6 offensive)!!...helped by UP's 33 missed shots and 9 missed free throws.)

by **Rob's Jacket** Mon Feb 27, 2023 5:26 pm

Beating BYU never gets old, and it's especially fun to do it to set a school record for WCC wins. What a season this has been!

We're definitely going to need that version of Liana to show up in the tournament if the Pilots are going to have a shot against San Diego or Gonzaga, in particular.

by DoubleDipper Mon Feb 27, 2023 11:12 pm

Rob's Jacket wrote:Beating BYU never gets old, and it's especially fun to do it to set a school record for WCC wins. What a season this has been!

2022 - 2023 Schedule/Season - Page 7 Scree123

by wrv Tue Feb 28, 2023 8:49 am

A few points--agree entirely with the notion that we need "that version of Liana to show up. . ." She has elevated her game to the point that she at some could be the difference between winning and losing--particularly with teams double and triple teaming Alex.

No MJ Bruno for the BYU game. Not sure why as she dressed. Let's hope no injury.

There was a Cosmo sighting at the game (probably not the same guy) but alas his back up dancers were no where to be found.

by up7587 Tue Feb 28, 2023 9:20 am

I watched much of the game, but missed the first quarter. I didn't miss much. In 10 minutes the Pilots scored 4 baskets. It took 2-1/2 minutes for the first score, and another 3-1/2+ minutes for the second score. Amazingly, that second basket 6+ minutes in tied the score! BYU scored 2 baskets in the first two minutes, and didn't score again until they made 2 free throws seven minutes later, their only other points in the quarter. affraid

by Vegemite Tue Feb 28, 2023 11:22 am

wrv wrote:A few points--agree entirely with the notion that we need "that version of Liana to show up. . ." She has elevated her game to the point that she at some could be the difference between winning and losing--particularly with teams double and triple teaming Alex.

No MJ Bruno for the BYU game. Not sure why as she dressed. Let's hope no injury.

There was a Cosmo sighting at the game (probably not the same guy) but alas his back up dancers were no where to be found.

Could not disagree more with this theme. Unfortunately she is such a defensive liability the net impact is usually negative.

The bigger issue though is the match up with San Diego.

The lack of a Div 1 standard point guard on the roster makes this a very dangerous semi final assuming results fall as expected.

by Adam Tue Feb 28, 2023 2:21 pm

up7587 wrote:I watched much of the game, but missed the first quarter. I didn't miss much. In 10 minutes the Pilots scored 4 baskets. It took 2-1/2 minutes for the first score, and another 3-1/2+ minutes for the second score. Amazingly, that second basket 6+ minutes in tied the score! BYU scored 2 baskets in the first two minutes, and didn't score again until they made 2 free throws seven minutes later, their only other points in the quarter.

It was a very unsightly game, and we were very lucky BYU played some of the worst basketball of their games this season.

by Geezaldinho Thu Mar 02, 2023 4:13 am

Adam wrote:

It was a very unsightly game, and we were very lucky BYU played some of the worst basketball of their games this season.

Well, it was an ugly game, but BYU played worse in the two team’s first encounter this season when they only scored 45 points.
In that encounter Gusten scored once from the field and was “held” to 12 rebounds.
This game she looked like an All American.

by up7587 Wed Mar 08, 2023 2:31 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:As we watched the Pilots fall apart in the second half, I was impressed by the leadership and "take charge" attitude of the WSU floor leaders while the UP squad looked bewildered and were constantly looking to the sidelines for instructions.

All coaches give instructions and often call out plays, but Meek does it to the extreme, IMO.

Practice, practice, practice, and turn the players loose with some guidance and then turn the team loose on the court letting the floor leaders/captains run the show would better serve the team, again, IMO.

While looking for something else early in the thread, I found this post after the Dec. 7th game. It made me smile because I learned from the GU fan board that the Zags lost yesterday because Lisa Fortier stood on the sideline with her arms folded and did nothing to help her team as they imploded. They (well, at least one of them) thought Coach Meek helped his team from the sidelines, and outcoached Fortier with his halftime adjustments.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Laughing

by Adam Wed Mar 08, 2023 3:48 pm

up7587 wrote:
DoubleDipper wrote:As we watched the Pilots fall apart in the second half, I was impressed by the leadership and "take charge" attitude of the WSU floor leaders while the UP squad looked bewildered and were constantly looking to the sidelines for instructions.

All coaches give instructions and often call out plays, but Meek does it to the extreme, IMO.

Practice, practice, practice, and turn the players loose with some guidance and then turn the team loose on the court letting the floor leaders/captains run the show would better serve the team, again, IMO.

While looking for something else early in the thread, I found this post after the Dec. 7th game. It made me smile because I learned from the GU fan board that the Zags lost yesterday because Lisa Fortier stood on the sideline with her arms folded and did nothing to help her team as they imploded. They (well, at least one of them) thought Coach Meek helped his team from the sidelines, and outcoached Fortier with his halftime adjustments.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

The ideal is somewhere in between I think. Intervene to make adjustments is definitely great coaching. Calling out every play even when things are going fine, is where the earlier comments were focused I think. Great coach we have none the less, but its just an area that can definitely help develop players even more than all the ither good stuff does

by wrv Thu Mar 09, 2023 6:30 am

Adam wrote:
up7587 wrote:
DoubleDipper wrote:As we watched the Pilots fall apart in the second half, I was impressed by the leadership and "take charge" attitude of the WSU floor leaders while the UP squad looked bewildered and were constantly looking to the sidelines for instructions.

All coaches give instructions and often call out plays, but Meek does it to the extreme, IMO.

Practice, practice, practice, and turn the players loose with some guidance and then turn the team loose on the court letting the floor leaders/captains run the show would better serve the team, again, IMO.

While looking for something else early in the thread, I found this post after the Dec. 7th game. It made me smile because I learned from the GU fan board that the Zags lost yesterday because Lisa Fortier stood on the sideline with her arms folded and did nothing to help her team as they imploded. They (well, at least one of them) thought Coach Meek helped his team from the sidelines, and outcoached Fortier with his halftime adjustments.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

The ideal is somewhere in between I think. Intervene to make adjustments is definitely great coaching. Calling out every play even when things are going fine, is where the earlier comments were focused I think. Great coach we have none the less, but its just an area that can definitely help develop players even more than all the ither good stuff does

With due respect, we are into some subjective mumbo jumbo here. While it may be that Coach Meeks occassionally over does it, the objective evidence speaks for itself: Coach Meek has won the league championship twice in three years, and no other Pilot basketball coach has, none, and to date during his four years no scholarship player has entered the freely open transfer portal. This objective evidence is arrayed against internet opinions offered by fans of the team, albeit observant and informed fans.

My guess is the Zag fans would take coach Meek over their coach in a heart beat. I went to the Zag board, where the following criticism of their women's bball coach was offered, whom they refer to as CLF:

"After watching CLF standing with her arms crossed watching her team struggle against the press, what a difference watching Mark Few coach the men. Every time up or down the court, Few and his staff are calling out plays, pointing out where they want the players to be, the play to run, etc. There are very few plays that Coach Few is not actively involved in directing the play. Maybe CLF should take some lessons from the coach down the hall if she wants to improve her tournament record; both the WCC and the NCAA." Posted 3/7/23 by ZagDaD.

Sounds as if Few resembles Meek style wise.

While I won't over-simplify this by suggesting "all's well that ends well," I will suggest there is stronger evidence that Meek has gotten it [mostly] right and that he should be lauded. Coach Meek is a good coach, a really good one as far as I can tell, but not above criticism.

BTW, one sage earlier posted on this board that we do not have a D1 point guard: I think that McKelle's performance during the tournament suggests otherwise. She is not at the skill level of Haylee Andrews, but we are a mid-major program. Points as good as Haylee do not grow on trees. But McKelle has established herself at the D1 level, even if more limited. Congrats on the good tournament Mckelle.

This same sage suggested strongly that Lliana is a liability--I continue to disagree.

by DoubleDipper Thu Mar 09, 2023 9:35 am

wrv wrote:BTW, one sage earlier posted on this board that we do not have a D1 point guard: I think that McKelle's performance during the tournament suggests otherwise. She is not at the skill level of Haylee Andrews, but we are a mid-major program. Points as good as Haylee do not grow on trees. But McKelle has established herself at the D1 level, even if more limited. Congrats on the good tournament Mckelle.

Simply put, McKelle outplayed the (voted for) WCC Player of the Year in the Tournament Championship game.

GU's #14 turned the ball over 7 times because of UP's team defense, but it was McKelle who was in her grill the entire game, and when on offense McKelle missed only one shot and and every point she scored was a momentum changer during the second half.

Remember how McKelle broke down in tears and almost inconsolable when Haylee went down earlier in the year? Well, now she is gaining her much need confidence which should only increase going forward.

I spoke with McKelle yesterday at the OSAA Tournament, and sure, she is not the buoyant outgoing team leader Haylee is but give her time...she is up to the task.