cc66
Postdoc
Posts: 2204
Reg: 10-09-09
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11-22-23 04:46 PM - Post#359570
Women lose 83-81; Collins hits a layup with one second to go, to give Columbia a one pt. lead, but Florida hits a 3 pter at the buzzer for the win.
29 for Hsu, + 18 for Collins and Henderson. The individual totals are less important than the looming evidence that unlike last year, the stars don't seem to be aligned for this year's women team.
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Chet Forte
Postdoc
Posts: 2973
Reg: 03-02-08
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11-22-23 06:30 PM - Post#359582
In response to cc66
I have to disagree with the conclusion that the stars may not be aligned. We have a team which actually has a higher ceiling than last year’s team and is still getting used to playing with each other.
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cc66
Postdoc
Posts: 2204
Reg: 10-09-09
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11-22-23 07:34 PM - Post#359590
In response to Chet Forte
Chet, I dearly hope that you are right, and I am wrong. And maybe things will turn around by January, as MG projected. Nevertheless, I don't remember any game in the last couple of years with a similarly grisly ending, where we go ahead by 1 pt on a layup with a second to go, and then lose on a 3 pter. at the buzzer. It's the sort of game that last year's team would have won, and I fear, perhaps prematurely,what it portends for the rest of the season.
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JDP
Masters Student
Posts: 577
Reg: 11-23-04
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florida
11-22-23 08:17 PM - Post#359591
In response to cc66
While Columbia is not my primary team, I would encourage a glass half full mindset – that even with the graduations, the 2023-24 version is still competing against Top 100 competition. Good teams improve, and come Ivy Madness in Levian and post season, I expect Columbia to be a tough out:
I believe I posted this at some point – below are the notes I wrote last summer – but remember that time and increasing experience is your friend.
Graduating seven seniors who transformed your program and catapulted to new heights is a challenge. Not that one goes 1st to out of Ivy Madness… but relatively speaking with key graduations, also likely not going to improve on your best offensive and defensive year vs. Ivy and National competition .. plus all the intangibles that do not show up in a box score are likely are harder to replace than scoring and are the difference in tight games. Looking at the box score – the Lions need to replace:
• 3719 minutes – 54% of time
• 1401 points – 53% of scoring
• 771 rebounds – 53% of boards
• Nearly 60% of assists and steals and over 70% of blocks
Only two players with over 400 minutes played return … 60% of the new starters and the remainder of the team have played just 947 minutes of college basketball. Hsu will still be dominant, but will she get the ball in as good as a scoring position, or will the double teams she receives be more problematic until her new cast grows into their new roles. [Six] incoming first years and two transfers will help – but none are listed over 6-0 / front court player. My main question will be how soon will they impact the front court defense.
Edited by JDP on 11-22-23 08:18 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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cc66
Postdoc
Posts: 2204
Reg: 10-09-09
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11-22-23 08:59 PM - Post#359595
In response to JDP
Point taken.
After 6 games--20% of the season and a decent sample, the ppg are Hsu 20, Henderson 14, Collins 11, and Weiss 8. Collins and Weiss' averages will probably rise, but as you said, MG seems to have given up on Comesana and Raifu as conventional centers, so the interior defense will have to tighten up if we are to become competitive by March.
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ToothlessTiger
Senior
Posts: 336
Age: 76
Reg: 03-28-15
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11-23-23 10:28 PM - Post#359624
In response to cc66
Do not discount the fact that Ivy Madness will give the Lions 2 home games. Huge advantage!
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SecS3
Junior
Posts: 246
Age: 75
Reg: 03-17-16
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11-24-23 12:10 AM - Post#359628
In response to ToothlessTiger
It should be. Unfortunately, for the Lions it hasn't been much of an advantage vs. Princeton the last few years. They've lost by an average of 21 pts. during the Hsu era. They're going to need a huge, complete turnaround. I think it's critical for them to get the #1 seed or they may not get past Harvard again. But it's way too early to be speculating about those possibilities.
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PeteD
Masters Student
Posts: 556
Loc: California
Reg: 03-13-07
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florida
11-24-23 03:59 AM - Post#359632
In response to SecS3
My glass is half full, but getting the #1 seed would be quite a surprise. Princeton is the clear favorite right now in light of their strong start... taking a highly-ranked UCLA team to the wire at Pauley was impressive.
Griffith will be eager to put that heartbreaker vs Florida in the rear view mirror and get back on the winning track... Northeastern comes to Levien tomorrow night.
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