WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

I think I read somewhere that she is related to the late, great Rick Majerus, although I could be wrong about that.

[Roundball999]

Hard to compare individual players when teams are so different but thought this might be enlightening:

                         Min/gm     FG %     3pt %     FT %     pts/min     reb/min     ast/min     TO/min     Ast/TO     % team scoring     
                         --------     ------      ------      -----      --------     ---------     ---------     --------     -------      -----------------
Knudsen                31.3       .479       .398      .807        .66           .18              .10           .08          1.2               28%
Schoonveld            19.3       .492       .404      .821        .54           .20              .12           .03          3.7               12%

Very hard for me to conclude from this that Knudsen is better, with Schoonveld having slightly better all around stats in most categories when adjusted for minutes played.  Especially in ball control.  But clearly Knudsen is called upon to shoulder a much larger burden of the shots and scoring for her team and she does that very successfully, which also makes her a special player.

[Gregory Sager]

Apples to oranges. Schoonveld has a lot more talent around her, which distorts the numbers (including her minutes played) for comparison purposes.

I'm not taking anything away from Schoonveld, mind you. She was an All-American last year, and she'll for sure be an All-American again this year. She's that good, independent of her team.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Apples to oranges. Schoonveld has a lot more talent around her, which distorts the numbers (including her minutes played) for comparison purposes.

I'm not taking anything away from Schoonveld, mind you. She was an All-American last year, and she'll for sure be an All-American again this year. She's that good, independent of her team.

I agree GS - really hard to compare any Hope player (given the style of play and the minutes played) to players on other teams whose teams have more "traditional" styles of play.  I (as a Hope fan) am very happy that D3hoops and others recognize that and give players like Kenedy and Olivia the recognition they have earned. 

[RogK]

When the sum of the parts is excellent, many of the parts are excellent.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I think it was the second Trine game, Schoonveld made a cross court pass to get an open shot before the defense adjusted that required a vision and strength combination not many of the men's players possess. She whipped that thing so fast and out of nowhere, it sold me on her as Player of the Year.

It's hard to judge those Hope players given the minutes they play, but she's consistently a cut above everyone else, even against the best competition. Maybe the next two weeks changes my mind, but she's one heck of a player.

[GoPerry]

Nobody, including me, is predicting a Millikin win over Hope on their home floor.  I'm simply suggesting that Knudsen is a unique type of talent capable of putting up the sort of offensive #s that can give an otherwise significant underdog on paper a real chance.  Sosa had the quick release and deadly accuracy from three.  But if you could defend her tightly you could neutralize her.  Knudsen is more athletic and is able to create and get her own shot by herself with a pull up jumper from the three point line or closer in the lane.  If she is guardable one on one I have yet to see it.  There really aren't many players like that in the women's game whereas it is pretty common on the men's side.  Even the best ladies still require a good pass to free them up for a clean look or a spot up.

The Big Blue have nothing to lose.  I hope they play that way.  Hildebrand will have the toughest assignment in trying to guard Voskuil without needing help.  Doubling her off of Schoonveld or Majerus is ill advised as they are killer from three.  Bailey Coffman needs a big game.

[iwu70]

GoPerry, I agree with you about Knudsen and her style of play for the women's game.  Truly outstanding off the dribble, on the move, an excellent mid-range game.  I bet Hope really tries to smother her and take her out of all that.  We'll see.  I don't give MU much chance at DeVos, but if all the Big Blue, including Staton and Fox, have good games, they could stay closer. 

I wish the Big Blue well in a very hostile environment. . .  would love to see a big upset but doubt it will happen.

IWU'70

[Roundball999]

I actually see a pretty tight game.  All teams are good at this point. I know Massey makes Hope a strong favorite, but Massey also had Hope by 40 over La Roche in the first round but it was a fairly close game until the 4th.  Same with Marietta.  I don't know much about Millikin but their depth (or lack) might be key.

I don't think Hope will change much on D for Knudsen.  For many years they have played the same defense and it typically takes their players a couple years to really understand how to play it.  They don't seem to change it up for any one opponent or opponent's player, that would disrupt the system.

[iwu70]

Roundball, I take your points, esp. about Hope's defensive "system."  But, given how much of MU's offense flows through Knudsen, they would be crazy not to focus on her in some ways.  MU doesn't have anywhere near the depth or surrounding talent that Hope has.

And, to be honest, HOPE won their first round game by 32 and the second game by 18, so they were hardly close games. 

If MU stays within 15, I'll be surprised.  As I said, of course, I'd love an upset, a close game, and some respect for and a good performance by the CCIW team making it to the second weekend this year.

It will be interesting to see.

'70

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I agree with roundball's take on how Hope will play D.  Hope plays 9 who share pretty even minutes (would be 10, but 6-1 Savannah Feenstra has been out injured for the last few weeks).  Those 9 are all pretty athletic and have good size (only 2 under 5-10 - 5-6 DeSmit and 5-7 Morehouse who is our best 1-1 defender).  That makeup allows them to switch everything, deny passing lanes, and really disrupts the flow of the offense.  Rotating players in and out and keeping them fresh allows the defensive intensity to also be extremely high.  That's the Hope approach that works really well (stop a great player by not allowing them to get the ball), and we are not likely to see them deviate from that.  Honestly, in my opinion their one loss in the last 74 games came in large part to theri offense struggling.

If Millikin can fight through that defense and keep some flow to their offense, they have a chance to make this game very insteresting and even pull off the upset.

[RogK]

Well, I'll just point out that the only proven way to beat Millikin is to score more than they do.
I try to be insightful once each season.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Well, I'll just point out that the only proven way to beat Millikin is to score more than they do.
I try to be insightful once each season.

That is a tried and true approach.  thanks...

[GoPerry]

Well, I'll just point out that the only proven way to beat Millikin is to score more than they do.
I try to be insightful once each season.

The best way to explain things to Rog is more slowly . . .

[RogK]

I resemble that remark.
Farthermore, I'm not as dumb as I look!