WBB Region Final: Baylor 51, Duke 48

[stillcrazie]

What about a little clock management in the last three minutes? Instead of pulling the ball out and running off some time with a five point lead, we take quick, bad shots on three separate possessions? I don't get it.

[Devil Lab]

Good season, but 23% from the floor doesn't get it done. Very tough loss. The good news is we have a good core coming back and the number one recruiting class in the country coming in. Hopefully at least a few of them will be shooters.

[ChrisP]

Major, major CHOKE job! Sorry, I know that's harsh but there is NO way the women should have lost that game. What in the he** was Thomas thinking jacking up that LOOONG 3 when we had the LEAD and plenty of time on the shot clock? Then there was another "shot" she took in the lane where she basically just flung it in the general direction of the rim. What in the WORLD was she thinking? They deserved to lose with that awful decision making in the last 5 minutes.

[Duvall]

Hopefully at least a few of them will be shooters.

I doubt it will make much difference.

[FireOgilvie]

I thought McCallie was supposed to be a good tournament coach.

[Tappan Zee Devil]

This Duke team can't shoot. It appears that shooters are arriving next year

[stillcrazie]

We definitely have some shooters coming in. But why is Joy Cheek jacking up threes in the last minute? This is the worst loss since losing to MD in the finals -- totally unnecessary if we'd had a little poise and a game plan. Even the Baylor coach just said she didn't know how they won this game. You didn't -- we basically gave it to you.

[Duvall]

I thought McCallie was supposed to be a good tournament coach.

What gave you that idea?

[Devil Lab]

I doubt it will make much difference.

It will. They're very close.

[Vincetaylor]

I rarely tune in to women's bball, but after watching that game I really have zero interest in watching it ever again. The end of that game was terrible.

[Devil Lab]

What gave you that idea?

Hmmmmmm... and how has Texas been doing lately?

[FireOgilvie]

What gave you that idea?

I thought that was the draw. She had the reputation for being average at recruiting and basically overachieving with her teams. She made the Final Four at MSU... obviously reputations don't really mean anything.

[Cheshire Bear.]

Congrats on a great season, Duke. Evened it up in hoops this year. We'll attempt to finish the job and you guys better do it on the men's side of things.

[Duvall]

I thought that was the draw. She had the reputation for being average at recruiting and basically overachieving with her teams. She made the Final Four at MSU... obviously reputations don't really mean anything.

A lot of coaches have made Final Fours.

[stillcrazie]

I really enjoyed this team this year. Hate to see it end this way. I wonder if there's any way Coach P works on her game management skills at the end of games before next season. Until the last 3 minutes, this team looked like they believed they were going to win. AND THEY SHOULD HAVE.

Thanks for listening.

[Duvall]

Congrats on a great season, Duke. Evened it up in hoops this year. We'll attempt to finish the job and you guys better do it on the men's side of things.

Congratulations to Baylor. Good luck against UConn.

[Jim3k]

This loss belongs to McCallie -- who apparently has never taught the team how to make a throw-in against a press. There must be thirty different plays that would have worked. Failing to run the baseline on those occasions was a mental mistake, but there seemed to be no plan to deal with the press.

Yeah, the players messed up in a number of ways at the end, too. But end of game management is a McCallie shortcoming -- big time.

[DukeGirl4ever]

I hope this doesn't come off wrong, but does this loss really matter? They had a great season, but what would one more win have done for them (Ok, yes, Final Four is a great honor)? Waiting in the wings will be UCONN. No one has a fighting chance against them except Stanford.

Everyone wants to blame McCallie, but you should have seen the looks she was giving Thomas after the poor clock management. I'm sure that wasn't the game plan; players need to execute. Also, this team has no shooters at all. You can't blame a poor shooting percentage on this loss because they have won games shooting just as poorly. Shot selection was the key...and I think we should have fouled Griner on the play where she put them up one. Make her go to the line and earn it...she was 3 of 8 (I think at one point).

This year wasn't going to be the year...next year we have at least a fighting chance.

Congrats Lady Devils on a great season - I think you overachieved this year, given the personnel!

[DukeGirl4ever]

This loss belongs to McCallie -- who apparently has never taught the team how to make a throw-in against a press.

Ball players should know to protect the ball when there is a press.Thomas HAD to know they were coming but she was lazy with the ball.

I think she is a great player but she made some key mistakes. She will learn from them and I think she will grow tremendously as a player.

[DevilHorns]

I hope this doesn't come off wrong, but does this loss really matter?

Of course it matters! Its a final four! You are right that UCONN will be an overwhelmingly overwhelmingly overwhelming favorite against anybody they play. Its not even close. Its not even plausible that they will lose unless all 5 of their starters come down with some contagious viral enteritis and are stuck in the restroom. Its absurd how much better they are compared to everyone else. Anyone watch UCONN v Duke in Cameron?

But, it would have been definitely great to have a chance against UCONN and show more fight, and obviously it would be great for the experience.