I was doing a matchup by position for the SMU game.

SMU is coming in tomorrow with a record of 6-1 (their only loss to Boston College) - which went down to the last minute.

Their typical starting line-up

Gilliam (5-11 Senior)
Elliot (6-2 Soph)
Day (5-10 Junior)
Severin (6-2 Senior)
Samuels (5-4 Senior)

Doesn't look like they go deep with the bench - about a 9 (wo)man rotation. Their freshman play limited minutes.

Maturity and composure will be key to staying "in the game"... SMU depends heavily on their returners - NT does have athleticism and "spunk", so - if that's the team shows up - NT wins by 8 (at least).

I really don't think we have a shot? Hope I'm wrong tho

I think we do... but there will be some factors:

Which BJ shows up.
We take care of the ball.
We out-rebound on both ends.
Godboldt stays out of foul trouble and makes her free throws.
We press and push the whole game.
The team MUST attack the basket and look for contact... getting SMU's bigs in foul trouble will help.
Our best defensive player on the PG and good angles/reads on passes.

If the above is executed... and the stars align - I think we have a shot!

SMU wins as expected, however not by as much as I feared. I think SS is in for another long year. I don't see a lot of talent on this team plus she is already down to eleven players. Based on hype mostly, I expected Calvin, Cuffee and Hughes to be the best newcomers to this team. It now appears that Godbolt holds the most promise. Calvin apparently never showed up. Cuffee is a tweener, a little slow for a guard and too small for the front court. Hughes has talent but is far from the player, SS promoted as better than Amber Jackson.

It is still early, but this team doesn't appear to have many strengths. Starting Hughes at point is hopefully an experiment that will soon end. There are lots of shooting guards but none have been consistent. James looks like the same player she has been throughout her career, all world one game and disappearing the next. The front court lacks size. Godbolt at 6', appears will have to carry much of the load.

All in all SS had a bad recruiting year, despite apparently over-signing. Due to players leaving and a couple not showing up, she has no effective point guard, little inside presence and little depth on the team. Hopefully I have underestimated this team, but I don't see this team doing any better in conference than the last year's team.

GG - I like your observations. I have to disagree on the level of talent. It's there... it's just not being pieced together right.

I do think tonight's "L" falls on the coach though. Leaving certain players in that are jacking up shots, the root to multiple turnovers, and have no intensity (going through the motions) put a BIG hurt on the team at the beginning of the 2nd half. This team has no "go-to" player... someone that just takes over a game. And when a player does emerge, it's not night in - night out kind of play so, we have no consistency. Hard to depend on someone's 19 ppg, when they score 2 pts on the night you need them most.

At the 12 minute mark of the first half, Godboldt, Hughes, Torru, Cuffie, & Burwell/Timms(split some time) were on the floor... that group worked what was turning into a landslide into a 6 point game... The second half, they (original starting 5) come out of the locker room let up 11 points in the first 3 minutes to start the 2nd half... game over. Waiting too long to put fresh bodies in is killing the intensity.

I'm not really sure what the loyalty is to some players - and if you have a weak link - they have to take a seat. Keeping in mind too that SMU only played 1 freshman (for minor minutes)... UNT played against a team that has been playing together for 3-4 years... I'm still not ready to jump ship.

I think keeping in mind that SS is in her 2nd year too (1st with 75% of her team)... I said before - they're going to take some lumps... I think some more teaching is in order, not really sure what you do for on-court chemistry - but the assist column didn't tell me they were playing team ball. Not having a drive & dish PG and help in the post is a big hurt... but, they'll have to improvise (what else can they do at this point).

My thoughts are kind of all over the place tonight - it's late. I'll probably have some better cohesive assessments in the morning.