Official Lady Zags vs Ole Miss Thread

[ZagDad84]

Go ahead, it’s your turn Zagdad. Who are you going to criticize now? Should we just get rid of everyone and start over? Maybe you have eligibility left? Oh you’re probably not eligible as your probably a male. Or maybe you can get out of your armchair and coach. Sorry, just gets a little old with all your criticism. Maybe supportive for a change would be awesome.

You know, I see you have been a member for 8 years and have a total of 95 posts. I really am honored that you have chosen to use one of your extremely rare posts to call me out. I would be happy to have a discussion with you on any topic of the Lady Zags, but your posting history indicates you, more than likely, would not read or respond to another post.

Funny how many times over the years I have started posts (probably in the hundreds) congratulating the program, team, individual players and coaches on their recognized accomplishments, and those posts tend to get forgotten or ignored by the haters.

Thank you joining our little posting group and here is your participation ribbon. Please feel free to wear it proudly.

Oh, what about today's game? I honestly can't say as I have not watched it yet as work got in the way, but I did record it. Knowing the result, maybe I will or maybe I won't but by the looks of it, there is plenty of blame to go around and you certainly don't need me to point it out..

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

C'mon dude. Not gonna find a more genuine booster of GU women's basketball than ZD. And, unlike some here, he's been in it for the long haul. He's critical when the criticism has been deserved, (almost exclusively of the coaching) never belittles the players, and has single-handedly sustained interest in this forum when no one would step up to carry the mantle. Most of the time, in my view, he's been a little too optimistic about the program.

So, trying to figure where you're coming from. Maybe you could schedule a visit here more than once a season. After a crushing defeat might not be the best time to show up. Maybe then your message might carry even an ounce of credibility.

Thanks for the support UP.

I will take my crow medium, with a habenaro chili sauce.

ZagDad

[AirborneJag]

As difficult as it is to accept sometimes these games just happen. No rhyme or reason, they just do. Pretty certain none of the Lady Zags or the coaching staff woke up and said, this is a really good day to suck, nor is it a lack of preparation. And this year’s Men’s tournament has driven home that point sharply.

I’m with ZagLaw - it was a great and memorable season by the Lady Zags. They are a credit to themselves, their community and to the University. They are fine young women and this loss will sting and stay with them for a very long time. And you can be sure the coaching staff will feel it as well.

[Zaglaw]

I'll defend ZD - he gives us thoughtful analysis and while I don't always agree with him, particularly when it comes to Coach, I don't find his perspective annoying or grating. He has a different view than I do frequently, but that's allowed on a forum.

[GonzaGAW]

- ouch, that hurt to watch. zags simply overpowered and taken completely out of their game plan and comfort zone.............except for vonny, she seems to be the only player who can maintain her level of skill no matter who the opponent.

- bitter taste yes, but the sweet was a wonderful overall season. well done ladies. look forward to rooting you on next year.

[pony]

Watching Wash. State women. They (Florida GC) have a starting guard that wanted to attend Gonzaga.

Early in the year I thought this year's team was the most talented and deepest ever. Guess that why they call in March Madness

[seacatfan]

Watching Wash. State women. They (Florida GC) have a starting guard that wanted to attend Gonzaga.

Early in the year I thought this year's team was the most talented and deepest ever. Guess that why they call in March Madness

While Ethridge has done a very good job at Washington St., she is about to fall to 0-3 in Tourney games. Somehow whatever they do that makes them such a difficult match up for Pac 12 opponents doesn't seem to translate to the Big Dance.

[bigblahla]

Ouch... is this a glimpse at what's to come with the rumored move for all sports to the Big 12... it was like watching a whole team of Yvonne's... Ole Miss so physically dominate... IMO only Callie and Yvonne have physiques to compete in such a game...

This is one of my fav Las Zagas TEAMS and that was an azz kicking in the first degree.... officiating in the SEC a lot different than in the WCC, pretty obvious just as CLF pointed out in the presser...

Listening to Yvonne she gets it... Ladies get your bodies in shape, hit the weights, lose some body fat, add some muscle... take the beating you just received and use it to motivate your personal growth as players... it can only help you and make the TEAM better...

Sad the Ladies got thumped... I doubt any of them want to experience this feeling again... all in all it was a fun ride and I'm proud of this bunch and very much looking forward to next season...

Thanks Ladies, CLF and Staff....

Just my opinion...
Go!! Las Zagas!!!

[zags_basketball]

I have always been a silent reader, but had to sign up for an account to come in in support of ZD for his genuine and thoughtful analysis and support of Zags women team. His criticism comes with great supporting analysis and observations and to me, is much needed.

While I love our Zags women team and still trust they are a talented group of players, it's in the hand of the coaches to be able to bring this program forward, and back to national map. They needs better opponents to develop their NET, while we keep saying we don't know how the formula exactly works, it's not too hard to tell how teams that don't do well this year like Oregon still have way higher NET than Gonzaga women.

Worth noting, next year, we are anticipating a high number of graduations (pretty much 6 out of the 7 players core roster right now, unless Yvonne or KK decides to stay for one more year). It's our best chance of flourishing at the bigger stage (March Madness) in might be a few years to come. With that in mind, I wholeheartedly pray for a great final season for our wonderful players.

[ZagDad84]

Welcome to the board zags_basketball. Don't be a stranger.

Thank you for the support.

ZagDad

[SkipZag]

Come on…. You guys are being way too nice to ZD. Will be impossible to debate him.

Next year will be interesting…

Go Zags!!

[ZagDad84]

I will simply ride the fence on the yesterday's game with Ole Miss.

Louisville, Stanford and Tennessee have taller, quicker and more physical players than Ole Miss. While Gonzaga played Louisville, for the most part, with their complete team, K-Lee missed most of the Tennessee game and Maud missed some of the Tennessee game and we won both games. We played Stanford with a total of 7 players and stayed right with them for 3 quarters until the Lady Zags ran out of gas in the 4th quarter. We did not get out muscled, out hustled, etc. by any of these teams.

Where did this team go?

The team on the court yesterday against Ole Miss, was not the Gonzaga team that played and beat Louisville and Tennessee and went toe to toe for 3 quarters against Stanford.

An absolutely tremendous season overcoming an untold number of obstacles, was not capped off in the way that was expected from this team, The Portland game in the WCC championship and the game against Ole Miss were two of the worst games played by the Lady Zags all season. The coaching staff and the team have 7-1/2 months to figure out what went wrong and what they are going to do to fix it. Losing is not the issue but knowing you did not leave it all out on the court, is the bad taste that simply will not go away until next year.

It is going to be a very long off-season for everybody; coaching staff, players and the fans.

ZagDad

[Zag Swagger]

Well #%@! That really hurts. This team has looked so sharp this season, sorry the ride had to end so soon. Thankful for the season, will have more to add later, still trying to digest.

[ZagDad84]

From the Spokesman-Review:

Gonzaga women look forward after disheartening NCAA Tournament loss to Ole Miss
March 18, 2023
By Jim Allen

Everyone talked about the nation’s top 3-point shooting team going 1 for 17. That was bad enough, but GU had a season-low seven assists and got only six points from its bench.

Ejim was the Zags’ only consistent offensive threat, hitting 8 of 14 shots on the way to a game-high 19 points. The rest of the team was 9 for 44 from the field.

Gonzaga’s biggest run the entire game was four points.

The situation was just as dire when Ole Miss had the ball. The Zags forced just eight turnovers and gave up a season-high 24 offensive rebounds.

“I feel like if anything it was definitely felt on the boards, especially, just having to compete with them,” Ejim said. “I feel like that’s where most of their physicality was that we were not able to overcome a lot of the time.

“And I feel like that bled into, once they got those rebounds, they felt that they could be more physical on offense, on defense, like, pressuring us. So, I feel … a lot of it started with … the rebounds and then obviously brought them energy and carried into the rest of their game.”

For Truong, the problem was simpler.

“I got some open shots, but they just weren’t falling today,” she said dispassionately.

Meanwhile, Fortier ran the emotional gamut: tears when she discussed the team’s ability to overcome injury and win 28 games; frustration at allowing Ole Miss to “dictate the pace and tempo of the game”; and a shrug when asked about the difference in quality between the West Coast and Southeastern conferences.

“San Diego is physical. BYU is physical. Portland is physical,” Fortier said.

But she allowed that “the conference prepares you for certain things, I don’t know that it necessarily prepares us for the NCAA Tournament.”

At that point, the Zags had no choice but to look forward – to a veteran roster next year and a chance to make another run.

“We can already start, like, tomorrow or whenever we get back on the court or getting your body right, getting your mental right … whatever that matters in your life, whatever it takes to get better as a basketball player in order to contribute to this team,” Ejim said.

Fortier took a coach’s view of the challenge moving forward – and she should, because the Zags have won just two NCAA Tournament games in the past eight seasons.

“We are talking about a lot of things that we can try to build on from this year,” she said. “I think that it’s on-the-court stuff, it’s off-the-court stuff, it’s leadership stuff. It’s so many things.

“We have so many options, and I think if they have the same attitude they took this year going into next season, which there will be different challenges, then we are going to again be a hard out.

“We weren’t really a hard out today, unfortunately.”

You can read the entire article here: Gonzaga women look forward after disheartening NCAA Tournament loss to Ole Miss | The Spokesman-Review

ZagDad