2022 - 2023 Schedule/Season

DoubleDipper wrote:A slow start by the Pilots, just 10 points in the first quarter, but the 71-56 defeat of the Vikings took away some of the bad taste of the loss to WSU just four days earlier.

I think a more accurate description of the "start" might well be a period during which there were plenty of turnovers, including most particularly, a number of forced passes to the post despite the player in question being covered, some careless/sloppy passing without regard to the position of the defenders, albeit not forced passes, and some general anxiety about ball handling resulting in surprising turnovers. I suspect scoring would have been fine had we cut the turnovers at the start.

Haylee's  performance notably improved point guard scoring. We become a better team with her skills. As the game wore on, I though Meek's play improved too.

I am not sure what this regime desires in its players, but it is sad that PSU had better outside shooters than us. Coach Meek, do us all a favor, recruit someone who can consistently make threes, please. Or, put them in the lineup.

An off the cuff observation, I have yet to see a D1 coach wear heels as long/tall as the PSU coach's heels. Enough about that.

Our league opponents are about to pack the paint and dare our guards to shoot the three--we'll see if the outside shooting improves.

DoubleDipper wrote:If you were looking for an excellent basketball game to watch tonight, you needed to be in the Chiles Center where the Pilots and Toreros had an epic battle with UP coming out on top, 84-81.

There is a history of grinding games between these two teams, but not tonight.  The teams put up a combined total of 119 shots and connected on 62 of them...the difference was the Pilots finally knocked down their 3-pointers, hitting 10-24, while USD was only 2-7.

The game was played at a frenetic pace with both teams employing pressure defense, but as a result, USD turned the ball over only 7 times and the Pilots only 10, which has to be a season low in that category.

It was obvious from the beginning of this game that WCC play had begun, as it was fast, physical, and furious.  

Emme and Alex each scored 19, Maisie put up 16, and it was good to see Haylee back to her special moves to the hoop while scoring 13.  Because of the comments about Mekelle in previous posts, I was more watchful of her performance and time on the bench and can report she was 2-3 from behind the arc and had zero turnovers in 20 minutes of play...and was a very supportive teammate when not in the lineup.

The bad news:  MJ is now in a walking boot and may need surgery for torn ligaments after coming down on a teammate's foot after a jump shot in practice.

Next UP: Always good BYU on Monday in the Chiles Center at 6pm...it will also be televised on the CW.

#23 Gonzaga beat BYU tonight in Spokane, 67-58.

In  addition, the Pilots turnovers were limited in the number of forced pass turnovers into the post, though there were a couple, an improvement over prior outings.

Shearer carried this team at times, easily her best game of the season. At least last night, when she had time to square up, she  was uncanny from behind the arc, going 4 of 5, oh  my.

I thought last night was one of Mekelle Meek's better performances as a Pilot, converting 2 of 3 of her three point attempts, not turning the ball over and making some good passes and playing good defense. She clearly was a positive contributor. No apparent conflict between daughter and father.

One of the refs, perhaps this is a  ccmmon complaint among fans, was calling some prettly ticky tack so-called fouls on SD's drives to the basket--there were "and one" layups undeserving of a foul call. It became difficult to contest a drive with that whistle. Thought she contributed to SD's comeback toward the end of the game with her persistent if you drive to the basket I will call a foul approach.

Kaitu'u needs to work on her layups.

SD's coach has been around a while, but she was ripping into her players in a way that Coach Meek does not. She was  particularly incensed by the failure of the Toreros to box out on rebounds. I heard her curse aloud about the rebounds more than once, perhaps a regular night for the team, though no tears from the players. Between the two coaches it was clear, I suspect, which was the better of the two to play for. It is a competitive line of work for sure with many stressors.

We'll see Monday if coach Meek increases the number of players inserted in the game. Bruno is a loss and for the second year in a row.

Apparent how important the mid range/short jump shots were to the outcome. Thought Shearer and Burnham hit big jumpers when the Pilots needed it. Nice to see them pulling up for the open jump shot rather then driving head long to the basket. Those jumpers will become increasingly important during league play when it appears we will be outsized in the post,  waiting until Cochrance returns.

Not used to this kind of perfforrmance. Enjoyable throughout.

Geezaldinho wrote:I’ll offer a different take.

Before we crow too much about our Pilot team, This version of BYU isn’t a very good team and will struggle to be in the top half of the conference in their final WCC season. They only have 3 D1 wins so far this season.  Some of their spells on the court were pretty painful to watch. They beat Washington State, but it must have been with other players on the court.

There exists a discernable difference between celebrating a win against a team that has regularly beaten us and crowing about our team's prospects. No poster here, aware of the darks days which fill our past, has suggested that Gonzaga or anyone else had better beware. Taking one game at a time is perhaps the best course.

We have been down enough that, to paraphrase a 60s folk song, it looks like up to us. But we have moments well worth celebrating and that is what has been done.

I hope we beat the hell out of the Zags, but I am not crowing about it. This team took an impressive step in the right direction, and the ladies player well, whether that portends future domiant performances we willl see.

Geezaldinho wrote:I’ll offer a different take.

Before we crow too much about our Pilot team, This version of BYU isn’t a very good team and will struggle to be in the top half of the conference in their final WCC season. They only have 3 D1 wins so far this season.  Some of their spells on the court were pretty painful to watch. They beat Washington State, but it must have been with other players on the court.

There exists a discernable difference between celebrating a win against a team that has regularly beaten us and crowing about our team's prospects. No poster here, aware of the darks days which fill our past, has suggested that Gonzaga or anyone else had better beware. Taking one game at a time is perhaps the best course.

We have been down enough that, to paraphrase a 60s folk song, it looks like up to us. But we have moments well worth celebrating and that is what has been done.

I hope we beat the hell out of the Zags, but I am not crowing about it. This team took an impressive step in the right direction, and the ladies player well, whether that portends future domiant performances we willl see.

Just a few notes:

The play of Fowler and Andrews last night makes clear that this program/team will be hurting when those two depart: enjoy it while you can. Fowler manhandled the front line of LMU, seemingly scoring at will. Fowler and her teammates were sufficiently effective in the paint that it lessened the need for threes. That offensive domination in the paint will be difficult to replicate against teams with more skiilled front line players.The team is far more effective offensively when Andrews is at the helm, eight assists in addition to 23 points speaks for itself.

Injuries are catching up to the team. It is difficult enough without Lucy and MJ, the loss of Mckelle showed when Andrews was on the bench. I am not  sure what the nature of her injury may be but hope she returns soon.

Maddi Condron saw the floor for the last few seconds, a rare sighting, good for her.

If these injuries persist, we may need to turn to some talented but as of yet untested freshmen and redshirt freshmen.

Go Pilots.