Lady Zags vs USD Toreros

[ZagDad84]

If you are planning to attend tomorrow's Lady Zag vs USD Toreros game, please consider helping the Lady Zags support Catholic Charities by bringing in hygiene items to the game to be donated to Catholic Charities.

The items the Lady Zags are looking for include items such as soap, shampoo, razors, body wash, deodorant, toothbrush, tooth paste, shaving cream, feminine hygiene products and more.

Thank you for your consideration.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/ZagWBB

ZagDad

[SkipZag]

Thanks ZD...

Go Zags!!

[upan8th]

Appreciate the call, ZD. Zag Bball a perfect venue for charitable giving in Spokane. Thanks for pointing it out.

[upan8th]

Game not available on WCC network down here on the border (so far). Score? Buhler? Anyone?

[ZagDad84]

I could not get the video or stats link on GoZags to work.

I went directly to wccsports.com and loaded the video link from there and it worked. I am using the ESPN link for stats here: https://www.espn.com/womens-college-...meId/401367885

Halftime score: GU 35 USD 30.

GU with 10 turnovers at half. USD playing a lot of pressure defense and GU is not handling well. A lot like the Portland game.

GU shooting well overall at 46.4% (USD=34.5%) but not so good from 3 at 26.7% (USD=75%). GU has already launched 15 3s while USD has limited it to 4 threes at half. USD is showing a little more muscle than the zags even though the zags are leading the rebounding by 20-18 but USD has gotten way too many o-boards at 7. USD has too many points off turnovers and 2nd chance points. Zags could be up by double digits if they would hang onto the ball and work on the rebounding.

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

Missed most of the 3rd quarter as video link keeps locking up. Resorting to listening to radio and stats link.

Zags up 46-41 at end of 3rd.

USD has shot 14 free throws while GU has shot 7.

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

Zags quit tripping over their own feet long enough to hit their free throws down the stretch.

Zags win 76 - 66.

Zags still having trouble getting the ball in from out of bounds, need to get this fixed coach. Zags win rebounding battle 40-35 but let San Diego get 15 o-boards leading to way too many 2nd chance points or fouls by the Lady Zags. Zags need to ramp up the intensity under the hoop if they want to contend for the conference championship. The zags need to be the most physical team outworking, the opposition under the boards. Has not been that way so far in conference season even though the ladies are winning the board battle.

Good win Zags.

ZagDad

[upan8th]

Appreciate the succinct wrap-up ZD. We fans on the periphery salute you! (& welcome you back).

[ZagDad84]

Lest anybody get the wrong impression, anytime you score 76 points shooting relatively pedestrian numbers (43.4% & 28.6%), don't dominate the boards and turnover margin and have 17 turnovers yourself, the ladies played a pretty good offensive game.

As a fan (and as a coach) you hope to see improvement from game to game. While the Lady Zags are not consistently making the same errors, a couple or three times a game, somebody(ies) does a real head scratcher. Those head scratchers certainly contributed to and could have directly led to 3 of the lady zags 4 losses this year. The margin for error to make the NCAA tournament and winning the WCC conference and tourney championship this year is very small, and these head scratchers can (and will ultimately) lead to another loss that Gonzaga cannot afford. Coach Fortier (CLF) and staff need to fix these items before the next game with Portland to keep the Lady Zags on track:

- Melody (MK), your senior leader, fouling a shooter on a 3 point shot at the end of the game, when USD needed to score with the clock stopped. Why?
- On the inbounds plays, why are you passing the ball to a Truong in the corner where she can be easily double teamed?
- How come nobody is coming back to the ball, when the person throwing the inbounds pass is having trouble? Portland almost killed GU with pressure in the last game.
- How many players have to be guarding a GU post player before the Zag guards won't try a pass to the post? If the post is double or triple teamed, somebody else is open.
- GU post players have to get inside position for offense and defense. MK and YE usually do a very good job on this. AV and EH need to work harder at this.
- Two issues: One, get back on defense before the fast break gets you and second, make sure somebody stays up near the top of the key to cover the ball handler. No open 3s.
- Get out to cover the 3 point shooter. The "Hope they miss" defense does not work against good 3 point shooters (BYU and Portland particularly).

When AV simply got torched by the USD post off the dribble and she could not get a rebound against the much smaller player, Coach Fortier pulled her very quickly and got Yvonne in almost immediately. If the player match-up is not in your favor, don't wait, make the change immediately. Keep trying when other match-ups are available, but when they don't work, be prepared to make the change quickly. No need to let the opposition take advantage of a player match-up in their favor. For the most part, I think CLF did a good job with her player substitutions yesterday. Good job Coach.

ZagDad

[Cavebear33]

In Saturday's game, I was surprised to see Bree only getting 4 minutes of playing time, in which she hit a three. She was wide open a couple of other times but never got the ball. After her 14 minutes, and 14 points against Pacific, including 4 for 4 from the three point line, I would have thought she'd get more playing time than what she saw against San Diego.

[SkipZag]

Was not able to make the game but recorded it on SWX

Interesting game...

I too liked how CLF matched up the players. But like Cavebear, not sure why Bree only played four minutes... specially after hitting a nice 3 and has the length for D. Then she rides the pine for the second half.

I thought the foul shooting at the end of the game was the game winner... it was great. We have talked many times about the importance of the foul shot.
And for MK's three point foul... big mistake but had to laugh when the player hit the ground after the shot with no body contact at all... good acting.

I think this season, in the WCC, is going to be interest... in who and when we play. It will be anything but normal... sadly for the players.

Lets make sure and let them know we are with them.

Go Zags!!

[ZagDad84]

I too liked how CLF matched up the players. But like Cavebear, not sure why Bree only played four minutes... specially after hitting a nice 3 and has the length for D. Then she rides the pine for the second half.

If I had to guess, I would say it probably had to do with USD's press defense and their propensity of getting steals and turnovers combined with Bree's issue with turnovers. The vast majority of her turnovers occur while she is dribbling the ball. Bree, at times, looks a little out of control when dribbling the ball, particularly in traffic. An iffy ball handler going against a team that prides itself on getting steals and turnovers is not a good matchup.

That being said, I would like to see CLF, play Bree more at the 3 instead of the 2 to reduce her need to dribble while still giving her time on the court. There is no doubt that Bree will give us more offense than Abby and her additional height will give the opposing teams something else to think about.

ZagDad

[SkipZag]

Agree that Bree at the 1/2 would not have been good... but at the 3 relieving AC during the game would have been a good chess move. Make SD figure out how to handle her....
Bree was feeling it and when you saw her hit the 3, well then SD is now trying to figure out how to defend her. It's a... take it to SD move.
And congrats to Bree for winning the WCC Freshman of the week... with really only one game.

I hope we are able to put some folks in the stands with a midweek 4:00 game... just another hit for the team. Can you say "backseat"

Go Zags!!

[ZagDad84]

I hope we are able to put some folks in the stands with a midweek 4:00 game... just another hit for the team. Can you say "backseat"

I think Thursday's game schedule is all about the $$.

The Mbb game has been picked up by the CBS Sports Network, so I am sure the start time was dictated by them.

If the Mbb game was not going to be televised ($$) and was not a rescheduled, already sold-out game, it would have been fun to have a matinee game and fill the entire Kennel (instead of just 1200) with students.

ZagDad

[Zag Swagger]

First of all let me thank the mods and Section 116 for helping me get logged back into my account. I have been locked out for a while and couldn’t figure out how to get back in. For those who can’t make the 4:00 tip time but would like to watch later GU shared this link on Twitter. https://wccsports.com/watch/?sid=474797