According to the game notes - ULL is 0-21 in conference play (last win in 2007, against UNT).

They come into the game 4-10 overall, 0-3 in conference. Basically, this will be the battle for the bottom. This is ULL's Head Coach's 3rd year.

Probable Starters
Morris, Nicole 5’6 So
Barnes, Jasmine 5’7 Jr
Gunter, Jamie 5’9 Fr-RS
Bell, Lyndra 5’10 Jr
Johnson, Mercedes 5’11 So

I think we may have a chance (unless we shoot in the wrong basket)... We outsize them at every position although our away record is not that great...

We shall see!

I have to say even though they took a loss... I liked the effort.

I think they played better team ball. I think they moved the ball around better. Things fell apart around the middle of the 2nd half - just not enough composure to recover.

Caitlyn Hawkins started. Broke her scoring drought! Big confidence boost - I'm sure. I think she should have come out during that 10-0 run... there were some silly mistakes and they were forcing the game instead of letting it come to them... but otherwise - great job by the freshman!

I've said all along - how crucial it is to give the bench time on the floor. They are the future and need to be getting game situation minutes to come out of the gate next year in a blaze.

Free throws hurt them. Turnovers killed them.

The way it's looking... this year may be a wash and I hate to say "next year will be better", but I do believe SS has a good core of girls to build around with the freshman class she recruited. ULL only played 1 freshman - and she is a redshirt, so she has been in the system for a year - just didn't get any PT last year. If SS goes out and gets a couple JUCO big bodies for the paint - that can run, make free throws & grab rebounds... they will dominate the SBC. Chemistry will be much better next year once the players understand their roles.

It's going to work out. It will be better. I was inspired tonight by the energy... they looked much better tonight than they have in the past 4 outings.

I like the positivity, I really do. But we did just play(and lose to) a school that had a 21 game league losing streak. It's hard to even find a silver lining in that kind of a loss. I'm still pulling for SS to figure things out, and I never give up on a coach this early.

But the returns aren't great so far.

If they were winning, there would be no need for explanation. As much as I wanted them to win, and this year may be a bust - losing is not the future for this program.

Like I told you - I watch more than the ball going in the hoop. I saw signs last night that gave me definite hope from the younger players. Besides the consistency, turnovers and missed freethrows - what has been missing from this team was "teammwork". Last night they had 13 assists (they average 9). 4 from Hawkins, 4 from Kellum, and 3 from Cuffie - even Godbolt had an assist! And those same four still scored above their average (I know, I know... Hawkins never scored before). But, my point is - they worked TOGETHER. They found open teammates. If the team could play like this consistently and develop the maturity & composure needed to finish an opponent off (which that will come... trust me) this very young team is going to be very domininant in the coming years. They also showed great character after the mid 2nd half meltdown (and they have show spurts of this in other losses), where they scratched their way back (even though they lost).

Why are the assists so important? This is not Men's Basketball. Fundamentally, the women's game is played so much differently from the men's because it's all under the rim. It is important for women to share the ball, take good shots, find open teammates, make the extra pass and have a strong mid-range game. At the elite level (you know, the females that end up in the WNBA), the athletes are so physically and athletically gifted - they usually have many other flaws in their fundamental game - but, have the athleticism (and something within) that allows them to play more like "a man". But everyone else... has to do all the little extra things to get a win.

I don't think it's the end of the losing - for this year. AND I don't think they are anywhere near finished taking their lumps. I also don't think we have stopped making "negative history" - but there is now a light at the end of this tunnel.

This team is VERY YOUNG! There is no Senior Leadership and no D1 Maturity and everyone is expecting them to come out and beat teams that don't play their freshman. They are still learning the system as the coaches are still learning them. I know it sounds like an excuse - but it is legitimate.

SS did not sub-par recruit. If she were in a position that there were 8 players on her team that have played within her system for a couple years - you wouldn't even see the freshmen on the floor. I wouldn't count on next year's freshmen getting that much game time. Not because they're not "good", simply because the college game is so much different from High School. This is about confidence, chemistry, and development.

I wasn't necessarily slamming the effort daReporta. I guess I was more saying that it's probably easier to play as a team(unselfish play etc) against a squad like ULL. I really hope you're right, and I haven't given up on SS yet. If we can improve and be a tough out in the Conference Tourney I'll feel alot better about her tenure here.

Point taken CMJ.

But, those are the things that must be worked on in order to build confidence & chemistry. Having such a hard non-conference schedule was tough and although it pointed out alot of flaws - I'm sure it didn't do much for morale, chemistry & all that goes with it. I think next year, they will be better prepared to handle that level of competition - this year, jumping in feet first... they're really bobbin for air right now. I understand both sides of scheduling those teams... but for a team laden with no D1 experience... they may have jelled better if we had a chance to complete a pass and work on offensive/defensive sets by scheduling a less competitive schedule (just a hind-sight thought).

It's going to get better. I saw what you wrote on gmg... I am not always 100% positive with my posts - but I can see the bigger picture and this team has a nice core of players. I see flashes of why SS got the players she has. Now, they just have to leave the light on.