CU & TTU

[KSUron]

Whoa! Tech up by three at the half with the game tied a lot. I'm calling for double overtime. I've got a call in to the weather service now ordering up a snow storm for Boulder. Go equality! Go Big XII. Fox is doing a good job with the TV broadcast.

[KSUron]

10:37 to go tied at 47. I like this game!

[KSUron]

End of regulation tied at 63. Jackson has fouled out on questionable call. 16 lead changes! First overtime about to begin.

[schooner2]

Two blown possession calls by the refs in the waning seconds. It's overtime.

And Mandy just hit a 35-footer. Good grief!

[KSUron]

74-69 CU. Good game but I bet TTU feels like Texas did. Its only a good game if you don't care who wins. Ouch on a couple of those calls. To bad both teams couldn't win. Wait what am I saying!

[schooner2]

Wow, CU wins 74-69. Colorado is sole possession of third now I believe, 1 game back of KSU and 1 1/2 back of OU.

[Press]

What a tough loss, but a great effort by both teams. This is not the game that we needed for Jia to be out of her normal flow. She had one of those games where she played wild. Jolee Ayers had a great game and has really stepped up in conference play. CU's veterans didn't let them down and had a great game plan. Bjorkland also was impressive. I hate being in the middle of the pack, but that's reality right now.

I vote that Marsha try a new offense next year. I like the triangle that CU runs. I also think they should have changed up their defense when CU's post players went to town. They didn't even double-team the post player today, which I thought was weird.

Beat Texas!

[unkiemark]

I would guess at this moment there are a lot of upset TT fans. That was a tough game to watch your team lose. At the same time I am not one who will buy the argument that the refs cost the Lady Raiders the game - as could be heard in the background of the TV telecast. It was one of those games that either team could claim was within their reach, and only one or two plays in their team's favor would have changed the outcome.

I was very surprised that Perkins was not a bigger factor in the game. At the same time she played a big part in TT's getting the game into OT as they were dead in the water with about 5 minutes left in the game.

For TT and perhaps the game I would nominate Jolee Ayers as the player of the game. Her 22 points and 16 rebounds were really what kept TT alive much of the time. She had vertiually no help against Hartshorn & Bjorklund and although she didn't give up on the offenseive end even when she was being scored on in bunches. She played well last season in TT's victory in Boulder.

An interesting comment by Ceal Barry after the game was that they didn't want TT to get good looks from three point range. After watching TT defeate Vandy in Dec. she noticed how into the game the crowd got as a result of repeated long range shots. So CU's game plan was build around keeping TT from doing this to them. I believe TT was 2-19 from three point range for the game.

Both teams played great defense and seemed to have a very good understanding of what the other's offense wanted to do. CU is not athletic yet they disrupted TT allafternoon. How about the job Linda Lappe did on Perkins at the end of regulation?

Bjorklund and Hartshorn did what I thought they would as TT chose to put a lot of pressure on CU's guards thus giving the post a lot of one on one.

I don't think it needs to be said, but the key in OT was Nightingales 35 foot trey followed by a steel and layup by Rouiler - that just about did it.

Why was Tech only going for a trey at the end of the OT? That made it too easy for CU to defend.

In addition to Ayers, Casey Jackson really did a job. I was impressed with her tenationsness. There were times when she also kept TT in the game.

CU played okay, but not great. Partially this was due to to TT as the Lady Raiders were really in their face all game - especially with the gaurds. CU can't afford to be outrebounded like they were today - this was a problem earlier in the season.

This may turn out to be CU's biggest road win in about five years - depending on how the rest of the season goes :-). It's their first win over a ranked opponent on the road this season.

And yes, CU is now alone in third in the Big 12, half a game ahead of Baylor.

[Bball Girl]

Jia had the deer in the headlights look most of the game...especially in the last possession.

CU did a good job denying the three. Ayers did a great job inside both on offense and defense. She played solid and tough all game.

White did an excellent job on Nightingale all game...except of course on the backbreaking three Mandy hit from near the half court. Jackson was great too...we really missed her defensive intensity after she fouled out.

The refs did not cost the game...the home crowd always yells. That was probably the play at the end where it looked like a tie ball from my seat, but they said Nightingale has possession & called a timeout before the tie up...the possession arrow belonged to Tech (I think). I don't think I've ever seen Coach Sharp get so upset with a call this season...but I certainly didn't see the angle. But that's wasn't the game...Tech had their chances and didn't take advantage of them.

Coach Sharp was about as frustrated as I've ever seen her...after Tech's last active possession failed, she threw her notecards...never seen her do that before.

I may get some flak for this...but I thought Coach Barry was the difference in the overtime (in addition to Nightingale's trey)...she did an excellent job of subing and kept fresh legs out there. I'm not sure what I wish Coach Sharp had some differently...maybe taken Jia out, put in Ellison...? It seemed like the 4 out look with Ayers and essentially 4 guards wasn't a defensive enough prescence and Ellison had some nice blocks.

It was a good and very exciting game. Colorado is a classy team with a classy coach...if we have to lose at home, I'd rather lose to Colorado than anyone..but much rather not have lost this game.

[unkiemark]

Bball - Great to see your insights to the game from a spectators perspective.

Speaking of classy - I thought that coach Sharp was great after the game was over. She appeared to make a point of shaking all the CU players hands and giving a sincere congratulations to them.

Concerning CU's moves in OT - I think Ceal has more options off the bench then any coach in the conference. They have some great depth this season, as they did last season. You hear a lot about the duo of Hartshorn and Bjorklund, but Fagan, Lappe as well as others have been able to make a difference consistently during the Buffs seven game run.

The one move I would question of Ceal's was having Hartshorn in rather than Bjorklund with two seconds left and the Buffs taking the ball in. Bjorklund is a better scorer, period.

Any thoughts on what was up with Perkins?




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MarkW

[Bball Girl]

Forgot turnovers...Tech had 22 and 14 of those were steals..most of which were goofs under the basket on Tech's part. There were a few that were outright steals. CU had 16 turnovers...and Tech only had 6 steals. That really hurt. We've been 2nd in the league in turnover assist ratio but not today.

Tech seemed hesitant and their ball movement was out of kilter and at times a bit frantic. CU appeared to be more confident moving the ball.

I have no idea what was up with Jia...she certainly played a huge part in the 15-8 run Tech had to force it into overtime. I thought...here we go....the Jia Perkins show begins. But it didn't happen. She seemed out of sorts and really out of sync most of the game.

[elfdenmom]

Tech deserved to lose the game! I have never been so frustrated in my life! Where was all the crisp ball movement we saw early in the year? Where was the motion and effort to get open for the shot. Colorado was constantly in motion, working for the shot and making it when they had to. Tech just stood there and waited for something to happen.

Jolee deserved better! She played her heart out and even shed blood in the Cause.

I have been and am a huge Tech and Marsha Sharp fan, but this was beyond disappointing by both the players and the coaches. Right or wrong Marsha deserved a technical at the end.

[dem]

Originally posted by Press:


I also think they should have changed up their defense when CU's post players went to town. They didn't even double-team the post player today, which I thought was weird.



I thought that they DID double towards the end, when Hartshorn took several really bad shots that went nowhere. I thought she was being unnecessarily impatient -- didn't seem to look around for an outlet.

[swok34]

I watched the game on Fox and the announcers mentioned that the possession arrow pointed towards Colorado in that "time-out" stuff that happened near the end in OT. So, their point was, Texas Tech wouldn't have gained anything except perhaps the "next" possession.

[Press]

Originally posted by elfdenmom:
Tech deserved to lose the game! I have never been so frustrated in my life! Where was all the crisp ball movement we saw early in the year? Where was the motion and effort to get open for the shot. Colorado was constantly in motion, working for the shot and making it when they had to. Tech just stood there and waited for something to happen.

Jolee deserved better! She played her heart out and even shed blood in the Cause.

I have been and am a huge Tech and Marsha Sharp fan, but this was beyond disappointing by both the players and the coaches. Right or wrong Marsha deserved a technical at the end.

Elf, I feel your frustration, but the Marsha's offense is ball movement, versus player movement, thus a lot standing around. This team is one of the worst at standing and it's so frustrating to watch. I hope after this year, Marsha considers revamping her offense more to player motion or even the triangle that CU runs. I just like to see players MOVE!!! Also, until we have two players in the paint that the defense has to respect, our guards will always be covered up and forced to play like they did today.

[This message has been edited by Press (edited 02-03-2002).]

[swok34]

I read over the weekend that Sherri Coale made her team play strictly "motion offense" during the Kansas game. No sets at all. I think that was a great idea, allowing them to play against the game of basketball rather than a team that is 0-10 in conference.

[BenEClone]

I didn't see the game. What kind(s) of defense did CU use?

[Press]

I really enjoy watching the motion offense, it's harder to defend and allows good fundamental things to happen.

[BeBe]

Re: CU's defense.

CU almost always plays strict man-to-man defense. They can be very smothering when they are on and that's what I saw on Fox for much of the game Sunday. I think I have only seen them use some zone for about 10 minutes this year. That was in the ISU game in Boulder.

[DblT81]

I just have a quick minute to say something about Sunday's game. I thought the difference was Colorado's defense. The book is out on Tech and Ceal Barry has it. In the olden days, if you covered Tech's outside players tight, the inside players would go to town, and often did, with the High/Low post game. Tech really misses Pierson and Brown now. ISU let Tech's guards go, initially using various zones, and it cost them. KSU and Colorado showed that if you shut down the outside game, Tech's inside game is not good enough to do it all. Kudo's to Colorado, they played an outstanding game and Barry made all the right moves.

Let me just say that Jolee Ayers played a heck of game. She tried to carry the team and I'm very proud of that girl. And Casey Jackson tried as well, she is just not big enough to convert the hi/lo post offense into consistent points without too many turnovers.

[Bob_Ballew]

I am surprised that Jolee Ayers is not a starter. Tech would not have been in Sunday's game at all without her. She was very impressive!!!

[unkiemark]

I too thought that the difference was CU's defense. And I also agree that TT is missing Pierson on the interior. Without an athletic player on the inside the Buffs were able to concentrate on the guards.

CU played a lot of 2-3 zone in the second half of their game with A&M in an attempt to mitigate A&M's athletacism.



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MarkW

[Bball Girl]

In her radio show tonight, Coach Sharp remarked on how proud she was for Colorado and the players who have been through so much injury wise and glad to see them be so successful this year...course she would have prefered a different outcome.

Her take was that we should have won the game...we had the chances but didn't value each possession enough. She was pretty disconcerted by the lack of something.. Perkins was quoted as saying...I missed my first couple of shots and lost heart after that...Coach Sharp doesn't go for that at all.

She was also disappointed in the crowd which was a bit sparse at first...the student section was pretty empty and it was true it didn't have the electricity that other games have had.

[schooner2]

Originally posted by Bball Girl:
She was also disappointed in the crowd which was a bit sparse at first...the student section was pretty empty and it was true it didn't have the electricity that other games have had.

Noticed that on the TV - quite a few empty seats in the lower sections. I was wondering what was up as well.