WBB: GSAC

colincondi · December 01, 2006, 02:05:41 PM

Gotta love the criticizing and second-guessing of the coach who has his team off to a 4-0 start... including winning a tournament and beating a team that the girls were unable to defeat in the regular season last year...

scottiedoug · December 01, 2006, 04:41:23 PM

Colincondi: I was thinking the same thing. I have not seen them play, however.

GottaHaveHeart · December 02, 2006, 12:30:52 AM

They should be 4-0 as GSAC Killer stated earlier. I believe he knows about basketball and Maryville girls program.

Not really criticizing him, but just stating what I have seen and what I feel they need to work on.

Also, they lost to Oglethorpe by 11 last year in the 4th game of season, but beat them by 32 in the tournament. Both squads basically have the same players this year. They had them down by 20 in the first half and 21 with 12 minutes left. They were suppose to beat them.

colincondi · December 02, 2006, 10:09:06 AM

They were supposed to beat them last year in the fourth game of the season, but they didn't. They underachieved that game. This year they played them in the fourth game of the season and won. And though the final last year was only an 11 point loss, it wasn't that close. I'm quite sure Coach Pardue doesn't have in everything that he's going to have in... I doubt any coach in the country does.

scottiedoug · December 02, 2006, 12:31:26 PM

GSAC Killer knows basketball and this team, so I give a lot of weight to his opinions. He also occasionally criticizes Randy Lambert's coaching ideas and tactics. I do not think any coach is immune from criticism and suggestions, including Randy, but it is hard to make a case that Lambert is not a very successful coach and mentor. He has a long record.

Coach Pardue does not have such a record, so we will watch him make his legacy and feel free to offer "observations" as it happens!

scottiedoug · December 03, 2006, 11:11:45 PM

Well I saw the Scots beat Agnes Scott like a drum today and must say they looked pretty good to me. Good defense, good ball movement, not good foul shooting. Mel seemed quicker than last year and she handled the ball well when Beth was not in. Anybody who saw them earlier this year have any comparisons?

GottaHaveHeart · December 04, 2006, 03:00:41 AM

Wasn't able to attend last 2 games vs Wesleyan and Agnes Scott. Alex said both teams were not very good at all. Glad to see some players got some rest (Beth didn't even play vs Wesleyan) and others off the bench got to play some good minutes. Alex said they did work on some new stuff. I believe we are a good team but not sure how good. Still very early in season. Game vs DII CN Wednesday will be a good measuring tool.

Congrats on the 6-0 start Coach and players. Keep working hard and improving!!!!!

GSAC Killer · December 04, 2006, 10:47:13 AM

I don't like the word criticism.. It rubs off as a negative word.. I am not trying to be negative towards the ladies or Coach Pardue. I will always state the obvious.. It is true indeed they beat us last year in game #4 but we beat them by almost 40 at home when it counted the most.. My observation of the team is real simple..
1- No structure within a Half Court Setting ( but hey maybe thats his style)
2- Defense and intensity compared to previous years is not there.
3- Remember the success they are achieving are with Dee's players.. A full evaluation of Coach Pardue can not be done until next year..
4- A coach can't be measured until he has his recruiting class..

Lastly I comment on these message boards because obviously I have enough time at my job to do so.. In no way, shape, or form am I pointing the finger at Coach Pardue and saying if we were there we would be different. He is doing a great job so far.. 6-0 start is pretty dang good... I wish him the best but I do see a lot of weaknesses with what I saw against Ogelthorpe..

I only STATE THE OBVIOUS Colincondi.. Marville Boys are also not that good but Coach Lambert has a track record of turning it around so I give him more slack...

Keep it up ladies!!!6-0 and more to go...............

scottiedoug · December 04, 2006, 11:27:20 AM

So Killer, what you are saying adds up to it being hard if not impossible to evaluate Coach Pardue until he not only recruits people but also has a couple of years with those recruits. Meanwhile, it is fun to watch him work with a group of experienced and strong-willed players who came to MC to play for, and were used to, a very different kind of coach, at least in terms of temperment.

It is still pretty early.

MCScotsFan · December 04, 2006, 08:07:40 PM

Saturday's game was exactly how you read in the DTimes--we seemed to have a hard time playing against a team that was so bad. Everyone who could play did play. I think the score was something like 116 for us so we made a lot of shots and stole the ball a lot.

Beth didn't play because she wasn't there due to a death in her family. Lauren Fleming and Mel took over point.

Sunday's game was much better. Agnes Scot could not buy a basket but they shot a lot. They were much better than Weslyan and much better than they used to be. Our ladies played much better on Sunday than Saturday but I know it is hard to play a team that just doesn't know the game or have the skills.
It is funny that our defense and intensity was mentioned because I had 2 people comment to me on Sunday how they all seemed to playing so much more intense than last year and looked so much quicker go up and down the court. Beth is like lightning and Mel is much faster than last year, no doubt. Munday wasn't feeling well and it showed. She was zapped.

I agree that these are Dee's players so it will take time to see Coach Pardue recruit. Dee was a heck of a recruiter and brought MC some very talented players. I do find it interesting the talk about putting in Rachel and Haley (I believe Robin is hurt and can't play). I am very glad they got to play this weekend (both days). However, last year game after game after game several girls weren't playing-- Kim, Fleming and Weiss come to mind very quickly. Yet this year, Kim is starting and Fleming is getting a lot of playing time. And both of them are doing well. Fleming is regaining her confidence. If she will still to it, I think she'll get better and better. Kim has been playing very good. She played a lot in her freshman year but hardly played at all last year. She has surprised me and while she has a style that is different from the strength and mentality of someone like Mel, she seems to be getting the job done.

The coaching style is as different as night and day. I don't see them as one is better than the other, just different. I do like the explanations(coaching) that Pardue does when he pulls someone out of the game. I think you have to know what you can do better to play better.

Looking forward to CN on Wednesday. I know it will be tough and even tougher after playing those two teams over the weekend.

Go MC Lady Scots!!

scottiedoug · December 05, 2006, 11:54:17 PM

Anything to share from the docs about Alex's health?

GottaHaveHeart · December 06, 2006, 10:10:50 AM

Quote from: scottiedoug on December 05, 2006, 11:54:17 PM
Anything to share from the docs about Alex's health?

Second opinion results were she does have a completely torn ACL and a slight menicus tear. Surgery is scheduled for next Wednesday. She's in pretty good spirits. She had never missed a game from elementary school through high school because of injury or sickness so she is very disappointed about this happening her freshman year in college.

Nice article on the school's athletic website.

scottiedoug · December 07, 2006, 12:04:43 PM

Sorry about the medical news. I get the sense that Alex will do the required rehab and be ready and wiser next year. Make some grades, too.

MCScotsFan · December 07, 2006, 02:12:58 PM

I am sorry to hear about Alex's injury and the need for surgery. I hope she does really well throughout and with rehab. We look forward to having her back on the court next year. I know she will be an asset to this team.

Last night's game at CN--ugh! We seemed to be able to keep up with them til the half and then we ran out of steam. They were too deep. And, as with the men's game, the fouls that were called made you

and the ones that weren't called made you

. But even with better, I think we still would have struggled. We had a hard time making shots and shooting free throws. Mel and Beth played so quick and so hard. Katie took a beating under the goal and was passing the ball back outside instead of shooting? I have no idea what was going on there. I know she was missing a lot under there last night but IMO, so what, keep shooting.

I thought of lack of experience showed last night. There were ladies who just didn't look like they could keep up. Rebounding is killing us. I thought the first half they did a much better job rebounding but the second half ?? .

An observance I had was "if you don't want to be out there playing, why are you playing?" Very frustrating to watch players who are quite capable and look as if they are giving up, don't care, etc. From strictly a fan's POV, get out there and act like you want to play. You're capable and strong and we want to see you do well. "Just Do it!"

GottaHaveHeart · December 07, 2006, 03:09:46 PM

Quote from: scottiedoug on December 07, 2006, 12:04:43 PM
Sorry about the medical news. I get the sense that Alex will do the required rehab and be ready and wiser next year. Make some grades, too.

What do you mean by.."Make some grades, too"..? To my knowledge, her grades are fine, but believe me when I say this, if I find out any different, she wont be playing anything. I'm in control of that. The school or Coach don't have to police her. Academics are first, sports second. Period.

Thanks for the well wishes from all. Her sister went through this her JR year in high school so Alex has a slight clue whats in store.

As for the game last night, I felt we played very well the first half. We should have actually been leading at the half. Last couple of minutes, we had some turnovers and quick shots. Got into a hole with a few turnovers right at the beginning of the second half and they made a run on us. I thought Saxe got beat up, got no calls, which got her gun shy from shooting after she missed some shots she normally would make. Saxe has got to get some help rebounding. This is where losing the Mikels kid hurt. Beth, Mel, and Summer played solid. Fatigue is an issue already. I'm not sure we got kids on the floor who don't want to be out there. Maybe they are trying to play hurt which is affecting there play. I do know we got kids on the bench who want to be out there.

IMO I just wish (1) he would stop trying to full court press. When we got down by 14, he went to it and it killed us. Just down 14 with 12 minutes to go is forever. We just dont have the speed and its wearing us out. (2) recognize when the game is over even if its still time on the clock. Down 20+ with 4 minutes or less to go, pull the plug. Take Beth, Mel, Summer and Saxe out. CN had no starters on the floor at the end and he still had Beth, Mel, and Summer on the floor, pressing full court. Beth and Summer played almost 40 mins, they came out once! Sit them down! Long season Coach.

Overall though, not bad. Score is not an indication. MC is going to be find!