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BOTH Lady Griz

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Don’t forget that the ladies play at 2:00 pm. You can go onto ESPN+ and watch the first half of the ladies game and switch to the men at 3:00. A full afternoon of basketball.
 
Lots of talent on the team but they don't seem to play together that well, and they don't play fundamental defense. With the addition of Woolley to the coaching staff I was hoping he could influence that blaring weakness. Maybe he is trying, who knows.
Waddington is best player on the team, hope she sticks around.
 
Lady Griz just do not look good at all and are not playing well together. Something is wrong and whatever it is needs fixing quickly or this is going to be a long season
 
I don't want to over-analyze this loss with respect to coaching. Simply put, Montana's shooting stats from its four (4) perimeter players are clear evidence to me:

All shots (perimeter and drives to the bucket): 5 of 14, 3 of 10, 1 of 4, 1 of 5. In total: 10-of-31.
3-pt shooting (almost all clear & open shots): 0 of 4, 3 of 8, 1 of 3, 1 of 4. In total: 5-of-19.

Only one player -- Avery Waddington -- shot at or near a "competitive 40%" for the game. Waddington was 6-for-10 (60%) and led the team with 15 points.

As one of the lucky ones privileged to take "Coaching Basketball" from Jud Heathcote, I still remember him joking about how layups are generally considered to be 90% shots, but that most teams (and players) had to shoot at least 70% of their layups (contested or not) to be able to win games.

Is this a coaching issue?
 
LG seem to have taken quite a step back this year
Holsinger hit paydirt with the Portal last year. This year's Portal additions are pretty much a flop.

We really miss the 3 graduated seniors from last season. All were experienced and steady contributors, and leaders. And much better at the 3 than anyone currently on the team. And, of course, there was Maci Huard as well.

Injuries to our two true bigs really hurts, especially with depth(duh). Izzy can score from the low post, but Idaho showed how she becomes a liability when double teamed. And fitness is an issue with her.

Konig seems to be really struggling. I'm not sure her early season leg injury is still bothering her. She continues to drive to the basket, but those off-the-glass bankers that fell last year are wildly off target. Unfortunately, she has to play major minutes as we don't have a competent sub at PG.

Dani is still a good and valuable player, but she seems to have lost some of her aggressiveness. After she was smacked in the face late last year, she seemed hesitant to go inside and fight for rebounds. This continues this season. She seems comfortable keeping out of the fray and settling for 3-point attempts. Her rebounding this year is way down from what we came to expect last year when she routinely had double figures bounds. She had Foot surgery in the early summer and was in a boot still in late July. I don't if the foot still bothers her, or if losing the summer practicing is a factor.

I think this is a contract year for Holsinger. Until last night I never thought renewal was in question. But if the team continues to perform like they did against Idaho...............??

OH, on a gossipy note! MJ Bruno is engaged to Levi Janacaro.
 
I’m willing to give Holsinger a pass this year. Injuries happen and sometimes you flop in the portal (look at Football this year). Plus I thought it would be tough for them to win the league this year with all the turnover and teams like NAU and the cats returning everybody. I wouldn’t give him a 4 year contract, but I’d probably give him 1-2 and make him prove it next year. I think next year will be a wide open race for the title. We saw where the program is capable of getting to under Holsinger last year. I think he’s earned the benefit of the doubt for now.

I say weather the storm this year, give him a 1-2 year contract, make him prove it, and at that point I think he will. And if he doesn’t then no shame in parting ways next year.
 
Lady Griz just do not look good at all and are not playing well together. Something is wrong and whatever it is needs fixing quickly or this is going to be a long season
Thank you. I only got a chance to watch a little here and there and every time I tuned in, I thought they were having troubles. Got me thinking I was being a snob.

Kept hoping for the usual. When I tune out, teams do well, and when I watch, they do poorly!
 
I don't want to over-analyze this loss with respect to coaching. Simply put, Montana's shooting stats from its four (4) perimeter players are clear evidence to me:

All shots (perimeter and drives to the bucket): 5 of 14, 3 of 10, 1 of 4, 1 of 5. In total: 10-of-31.
3-pt shooting (almost all clear & open shots): 0 of 4, 3 of 8, 1 of 3, 1 of 4. In total: 5-of-19.

Only one player -- Avery Waddington -- shot at or near a "competitive 40%" for the game. Waddington was 6-for-10 (60%) and led the team with 15 points.

As one of the lucky ones privileged to take "Coaching Basketball" from Jud Heathcote, I still remember him joking about how layups are generally considered to be 90% shots, but that most teams (and players) had to shoot at least 70% of their layups (contested or not) to be able to win games.

Is this a coaching issue?
Some great points. I think letting the other team shoot at a 45% clip needs to be addressed as well. If we can't shoot the ball or organize our offense, we better be able to play defense.
 
Holsinger has recruited better than he has coached. His teams take to many 3 pointers, and generally have played poor defense. His one recruiting flaw is his inability to get Montana High School players. Time to move on from Holsinger. Maybe bring in a former player that is up and coming. Is Tinkle ready? I know there are a few others too. Holsinger is fast becoming the Pat Kennedy of Women’s Basketball
 
Holsinger has recruited better than he has coached. His teams take to many 3 pointers, and generally have played poor defense. His one recruiting flaw is his inability to get Montana High School players. Time to move on from Holsinger. Maybe bring in a former player that is up and coming. Is Tinkle ready? I know there are a few others too. Holsinger is fast becoming the Pat Kennedy of Women’s Basketball
"Holsinger is fast becoming the Pat Kennedy of Women’s Basketball" That might be a bit harsh
 
I’m willing to give Holsinger a pass this year. Injuries happen and sometimes you flop in the portal (look at Football this year). Plus I thought it would be tough for them to win the league this year with all the turnover and teams like NAU and the cats returning everybody. I wouldn’t give him a 4 year contract, but I’d probably give him 1-2 and make him prove it next year. I think next year will be a wide open race for the title. We saw where the program is capable of getting to under Holsinger last year. I think he’s earned the benefit of the doubt for now.

I say weather the storm this year, give him a 1-2 year contract, make him prove it, and at that point I think he will. And if he doesn’t then no shame in parting ways next year.
If they renew him, it will very likely be for 3 years. Based on some of the posts on here, that would be way too long.
 
Some great points. I think letting the other team shoot at a 45% clip needs to be addressed as well. If we can't shoot the ball or organize our offense, we better be able to play defense.
I think he needs to make at minimum the semifinal of the conference tourney this year or even make the chipper. They finally won a conference tourney game for the first time in a while last year but he’s had enough time.

In his 4(5?) years here, he’s got one tournament win and even though he’s always talked about playing tough D and being proud of doing it, his teams have been overall pretty bad on D.

Still a long ways to go yet but he’d need to do a heckuva job to earn that renewal.

The university bar may be lower than what the fans are expecting, but it’s time.
 
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I am sn armchair guard--I only played pickup games of basketball so I am far from an expert !!!

Coach Travis and staff are always combing the inner cities for some kids, like Money Williams. So since I am an Laz-Z-Boy Phil Jackson, I would be doing the same for The Lady GRIZ--while many inner- city girls from Seattle and Tacoma, Portland, SF, Oakland and The Bay Area and LA are not going to want to play college basketball for The Lady GRIZ in Missoula, Montana, a few are going to be really interested in getting out of the inner city and coming to Missoula and UM but probably only IF we recruit them !!!

While I am obviously far from an expert, humor me-- I would be hitting the big West Coast cities hard for some recruits that have athleticism, speed, are good students, and want out of the inner city.!!! Compared to our men's basketball 🏀 and football teams, to me The Lady Griz lack athletic diversity and are almost all white girls from Montana and the inland Pacific NW !!! I would love to see some black and brown girls from the Pacific NW and California inner cities added to our roster to make The Lady GRIZ more athletic and competitive--if that means adding an assistant woman coach of color from Seattle, Oakland or LA that can better relate to these inner-city girls and recruit them, I am all for doing so yesterday !!! ( I did go to The Lady GRIZ section on Go GRUZ.com, looked at the pictures of our Lady GRIZ, and there are 8 pictures posted of our14 Lady GRIZ they have listed on the LG roster, and all 8 appear to be white girls.)
 
I am sn armchair guard--I only played pickup games of basketball so I am far from an expert !!!

Coach Travis and staff are always combing the inner cities for some kids, like Money Williams. So since I am an Laz-Z-Boy Phil Jackson, I would be doing the same for The Lady GRIZ--while many inner- city girls from Seattle and Tacoma, Portland, SF, Oakland and The Bay Area and LA are not going to want to play college basketball for The Lady GRIZ in Missoula, Montana, a few are going to be really interested in getting out of the inner city and coming to Missoula and UM but probably only IF we recruit them !!!

While I am obviously far from an expert, humor me-- I would be hitting the big West Coast cities hard for some recruits that have athleticism, speed, are good students, and want out of the inner city.!!! Compared to our men's basketball 🏀 and football teams, to me The Lady Griz lack athletic diversity and are almost all white girls from Montana and the inland Pacific NW !!! I would love to see some black and brown girls from the Pacific NW and California inner cities added to our roster to make The Lady GRIZ more athletic and competitive--if that means adding an assistant woman coach of color from Seattle, Oakland or LA that can better relate to these inner-city girls and recruit them, I am all for doing so yesterday !!! ( I did go to The Lady GRIZ section on Go GRUZ.com, looked at the pictures of our Lady GRIZ, and there are 8 pictures posted of our14 Lady GRIZ they have listed on the LG roster, and all 8 appear to be white girls.)
There are numerous schools with all white players that are very competitive and successful: Creighton and South Dakota State are two that come to mind right away. To recruit kids from those areas (Seattle, Tacoma, PDX, the Bay and LA) you have to have a staff put together to recruit those types. A head coach that can relate to those players.

Holsinger and his staff have focused on a particular type of player that fits his comfort zone from a region that he feels comfortable with.

Our question is whom ever is recruited are they getting developed and better? Are they improving every year or are they staying the same. This would be a question asked of all programs. Do there players improve or stay the same?
 
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