Its funny that the girls started playing defense when it was almost too late, 7 down, but here they came, playing good defense. We all know they can, so whose fault is it that they don't for a full 40 minutes? I suspect they have been told to hold their hands straight in the air and not foul because they don't have the bench, but I do think that is the wrong tactic. If they were taught how to perform tight basic defense, and how to properly challenge a shot, they would be much better defenders and rarely foul. I started learning to hold my hands straight up in Jr. High. In high school, I was taught to bend my knees, keep my back straight, and my hands in their face. By college, if you didn't already know those fundamentals, you still could be taught. Regardless, the good coaches I had, none would have allowed you to get away with playing sorry defense. You can't always make all your shots, but you can play good defense every time, and every time, that makes it hard for your opponent to score. I have noticed the Baylor boys have stopped playing real good defense ever since Vallanova. I guess they have already arrived and don't need to, just like the girls.

BleacherBum95 said:

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Smith's draft stock definitely experiencing a Bear market recently.......

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She had 30 the other night. Some nights the ball just doesn't fall, and for whatever reason, you can't get in rhythm. Smith would have to have a total collapse to not be a top-five pick. She has had to do too many things. Egbo could really open things up for her.

Smith is one of the things on this team I do not worry about. Just a bad shooting game tonight. She still had 15 points and 10 rebounds on her worst outing of the year.

In her radio interview CNCwas very critical of the lousy defensive performance of the Baylor guards against KU, that KU ran the "pistol" play repeatedly and the Bear guards didn't adjust. So she sees it and isn't happy. We will see next Wednesday if there is improvement . She also said there will always be a game when your best player has a bad offensive game, and Smith had hers today thIs made the offensive production of Andrews and Asberry all the more crucial. But these women were down by 5 and clawed back to take and secure the lead, so there is plenty to like about this Bear team. I'll say it again league play will be a minefield this season. I predict the conference champions will have at least 3 losses.

In past games when we'd play Taylor Robertson, I used to think she is so unathletic, just don't let her shoot a spot up 3 and she can't hurt you. This team lets her go 5-5. I guess I'm just realizing what a massive step down this is from Moon, DiDi, Cox and other great defenders. We really don't have one right now.

For a very average FT shooting team, those last 4 were HUGE!!!

Congratulations to CNC and the Baylor WBB team on the win today. What looked to be another close loss to a good team ended up being a close win that we gutted out in the last minute.

bawitdaball said:

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Criticizing the work CNC has done to this point doesn't make one a hater. Just a realist. She has the pressure to preform with a solid group of players. The players she is putting on the court are 2x as good as Kansas' roster. That game should not be close. She can implement her system, but she has to work with what she has. She isn't doing a good job of that yet.

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With the exception of Smith, Kim didn't leave a boat load of elite players or a core as strong as previous teams. She knew there would be a dramatic drop off because the talent level is not where it use to be.

I think Nicki is doing the best she can given the circumstances she walked into. She has gotten more out of Sarah Andrews than the last staff ever could.

Quote:

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In her radio interview CNCwas very critical of the lousy defensive performance of the Baylor guards against KU, that KU ran the "pistol" play repeatedly and the Bear guards didn't adjust. So she sees it and isn't happy. We will see next Wednesday if there is improvement . She also said there will always be a game when your best player has a bad offensive game, and Smith had hers today thIs made the offensive production of Andrews and Asberry all the more crucial. But these women were down by 5 and clawed back to take and secure the lead, so there is plenty to like about this Bear team. I'll say it again league play will be a minefield this season. I predict the conference champions will have at least 3 losses.

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If her team's defensive play was "lousy" today, they are simply a product of what she has been putting on the floor. The blame starts with her, not the team. They have been "lousy" on defense for all season. Had they been playing good defense, they would most likely be undefeated today.

Using superlatives like 'best' player, even if true, is probably not the best way she could have put it, IMO. She has personally elevated Smith to the "best" player in the country, also probably not the best things to have done. The girls seem to be getting so dependent on the "best" player in the country, why and how should they perform when they are not needed. It wasn't Smith who made the winning shot, but one of the lesser peons on the team. Just an observation. Smith is much needed but no one is going to lay down because she is on the team, and besides, she can't win it all alone.

I don't agree this is any tougher league that it has been in the past,. We almost lost to KU, but glad to have squeaked it out. If this D doesn't get up to snuff soon, we will be lucky to win 50% in Conference.

FOR.SURE.

Close game glad we pull it out Lots to work on. Hope we can adjust to this new system. Defense have been a concern It will take some time to build this new system Bears forever keep fighting bears. Sic em

no-one said:

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Quote:

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In her radio interview CNCwas very critical of the lousy defensive performance of the Baylor guards against KU, that KU ran the "pistol" play repeatedly and the Bear guards didn't adjust. So she sees it and isn't happy. We will see next Wednesday if there is improvement . She also said there will always be a game when your best player has a bad offensive game, and Smith had hers today thIs made the offensive production of Andrews and Asberry all the more crucial. But these women were down by 5 and clawed back to take and secure the lead, so there is plenty to like about this Bear team. I'll say it again league play will be a minefield this season. I predict the conference champions will have at least 3 losses.

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If her team's defensive play was "lousy" today, they are simply a product of what she has been putting on the floor. The blame starts with her, not the team. They have been "lousy" on defense for all season. Had they been playing good defense, they would most likely be undefeated today.

Using superlatives like 'best' player, even if true, is probably not the best way she could have put it, IMO. She has personally elevated Smith to the "best" player in the country, also probably not the best things to have done. The girls seem to be getting so dependent on the "best" player in the country, why and how should they perform when they are not needed. It wasn't Smith who made the winning shot, but one of the lesser peons on the team. Just an observation. Smith is much needed but no one is going to lay down because she is on the team, and besides, she can't win it all alone.

I don't agree this is any tougher league that it has been in the past,. We almost lost to KU, but glad to have squeaked it out. If this D doesn't get up to snuff soon, we will be lucky to win 50% in Conference.

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And this Kansas team was 11-2 coming into today with a win over Texas.

sicem45 said:

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bawitdaball said:

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Criticizing the work CNC has done to this point doesn't make one a hater. Just a realist. She has the pressure to preform with a solid group of players. The players she is putting on the court are 2x as good as Kansas' roster. That game should not be close. She can implement her system, but she has to work with what she has. She isn't doing a good job of that yet.

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With the exception of Smith, Kim didn't leave a boat load of elite players or a core as strong as previous teams. She knew there would be a dramatic drop off because the talent level is not where it use to be.

I think Nicki is doing the best she can given the circumstances she walked into. She has gotten more out of Sarah Andrews than the last staff ever could.

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Sic em, Why don't you just make one huge post on every WBB thread that you Hate every single thing about the former coach and staff and everything bad that happens this team is because of that; and that you love everything about the new coach and staff and that anything good that happens to this team is because of that. Basically, this is the gist of every post you have ever made since you started posting a few months ago.

lookin4awin said:

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Sic em, Why don't you just make one huge post on every WBB thread that you Hate every single thing about the former coach and staff and everything bad that happens this team is because of that; and that you love everything about the new coach and staff and that anything good that happens to this team is because of that. Basically, this is the gist of every post you have ever made since you started posting a few months ago.

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Kim did GREAT things at Baylor that I am forever grateful. But if you can't see the recruiting slipping and the downward projection given our last few classes, I don't know what to tell you. She got lazy towards the end recruiting wise. She became extremely reliant on the portal. She was highly disrecptpful and fought with her bosses routinely and thinks the world revolved around her. That type of attitude is not a good one. She isn't god, not everyone should be kissing her butt.

Nicki walked into a tough situation. Limited roster depth and not having the players to run her system. She signed an ELITE class (something that we havent done the last 4 years). Kim is doing well at LSU right now but she is also riding a team full of super seniors. They doesn't have any top recruits coming in after. They will be lucky to field a winning team next season. Baylor has a bright future ahead with championships to see, lots of history. Baylor is going to be fine in the end. I appreciate what Kim did for Baylor WBB but it was time to move on. Nicki is an up and coming coach and everyone who knows basketball in the community knows it.

Nicki will be an elite coach, just give her time.

hitmanmw said:

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In past games when we'd play Taylor Robertson, I used to think she is so unathletic, just don't let her shoot a spot up 3 and she can't hurt you. This team lets her go 5-5. I guess I'm just realizing what a massive step down this is from Moon, DiDi, Cox and other great defenders. We really don't have one right now.

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I think this year is an extension of the UConn game last year that shows how valuable and outstanding Didi was on the court. Yes, we don't have anyone like her now, very few teams do. But in that UConn game when she went down the team was completely different. Losing her to graduation was going to be a big hole to attempt to fill for this team for this season regardless of the off-season events.

One of those 5 was in transition perhaps on a turnover. That leaves 4 shots in the entire game. Not very many shots takenperhaps that indicates the defense was trying to deny the ball going to her? Go listen to CNC's post game interview from radio broadcast…if it is available.

Kim had some rough edges. She didn't kowtow to anyone, but she supported Baylor as hard as she could . And all she did was win, win, win.....without a hint of impropriety. CNC may turn out to be a very successful coach but there is no way in hell she will ever come close to Mulkey's success. It's just not possible. If I'm wrong it will take at least 10 years to prove it. CNC may be great but she is following a woman's basketball legend.

I really do not get talking about a former coach on a game thread. I mean what is the point?

She's the former coach

Well said and I watched today's game and she was not there. Let's get behind the players and the coaches we have.

sicem45 said:

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bawitdaball said:

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Criticizing the work CNC has done to this point doesn't make one a hater. Just a realist. She has the pressure to preform with a solid group of players. The players she is putting on the court are 2x as good as Kansas' roster. That game should not be close. She can implement her system, but she has to work with what she has. She isn't doing a good job of that yet.

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With the exception of Smith, Kim didn't leave a boat load of elite players or a core as strong as previous teams. She knew there would be a dramatic drop off because the talent level is not where it use to be.

I think Nicki is doing the best she can given the circumstances she walked into. She has gotten more out of Sarah Andrews than the last staff ever could.

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She was playing behind talented seniors in moon, carrington and Richards! Obviously she wasn't going to get much playing time!

I do both

Rah, Rah, Rah. You've got a lot of cleaning up to do!

There are threads constantly about former coach Matt Rhule,and he was not here near as long at KM. A lot of people were also pissed when he left. There are threads about him being on the hot seat with his current team on the football board right now. Do you feel that those posters and responders are somehow unfaithful to Aranda? Why the double standard?

Yes there are threads about Rhule and currently a long one on the mainpage re his struggles in Carolina but not nearly the number of threads there as we have re CKM. Almost every thread here about wbb play devolves into CKM vs CNC. It is tiring and has made this forum difficult to read.

Rhule was only at Baylor for 3 years and after his first year we knew he was looking to leave.

Matt has been gone what two full years? I am sure Mulkey chatter will die down at that stage. What KM does is also a little more interesting in that she is coaching another D-1 Power 5 team that is slightly ahead of in the polls and we could potentially play in the tourney. She additionally coaches two of our former players, and for a while a third in Ursin, one of our most popular players ever. I was mainly answering the prior post who seems to think it odd there would be interest in a former coach. I think it would be odd not to. Care to count the Art Briles posts since he left. But, that, like Mulkey is a situation that sets itself apart from the standard former coach situation. I agree.

Reverend said:

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Kim had some rough edges. She didn't kowtow to anyone, but she supported Baylor as hard as she could . And all she did was win, win, win.....without a hint of impropriety. CNC may turn out to be a very successful coach but there is no way in hell she will ever come close to Mulkey's success. It's just not possible. If I'm wrong it will take at least 10 years to prove it. CNC may be great but she is following a woman's basketball legend.

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This.

I am glad to move on from Kim Mulkey, but saying that CNC will "surpass" her legendary status discredits what she did to turn Baylor around at a time of controversy and consistent losing. I think CNC will do fine here, but let's not compare her to one of the best coaches in women's basketball history without her proving it herself

There are few posters saying CNC will surpass what CKM did.

I understand your reasoning and you have good points, it is still tiring that we cannot discuss wbb without getting into a coaching comparison contest. Hope you are right about time lessening wounds.

1. I don't see those in game threads but perhaps I am wrong.
2. I acknowledge that Rhule and Mulkey did good things for Baylor. No double standard from me.

Dcheetah said:

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I understand your reasoning and you have good points, it is still tiring that we cannot discuss wbb without getting into a coaching comparison contest. Hope you are right about time lessening wounds.

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You understand WHOSE reasoning? Please quote the post you're referring to so everyone else will understand what you're saying. Thanks

You lost me Reverend. Not sure what your point is.

If you look at the blue highlight bar, it says that Dcheetah was replying to a post that I had made. At least it does on my screen. Not sure if that bar goes to everyone?

So rest of team is not bright enough to know who best player is?

Paraphrased, but in post game CNC said that rest of team watches Smith so she was glad they won when Smith had an off day.

This may surprise you but college players do not always execute what they are told. Not like CNC has a deep bench to turn to.

Let's start with this one:


BleacherBum95 2:55p
Still concerned with the overall offensive scheme CNC has. Just feel it will not work for the deep run.

Setting up your half-court offense with your post(s) out on the 3 pt arc just has never won many championships at the college level. Just pay attention and watch for the position Smith and/or Egbo start Baylor's half-court offense.

Also, driving looking to kick it out to the 3 arc will not work for the deep run either.

Those are pro-level type schemes.

Baylor has (arguably) the best post in D-I right now and I simply believe that (for big success) CNC is misusing the talent that she has....for the sake of putting in "her scheme".

Not to bring it back to CKM yet again, but I GUARANTEE you that CKM would have Smith/Egbo setting up on the blocks EVERY time down the court and have the scheme's first option looking to get it down low to them EVERY time. And the Lady Bears W/L record would be much better at this point of the season as well.

Sic'em

Even poster recognizes that they are bringing up
What they think CKM would do.