Game Thread- Women's Basketball at #21 Cal- 8:00 PM MT

[AztecBuff]

The Buffs try to get their 1st Pac 12 win of the year against a tough Cal team this evening at 7:00 PT/ 8:00 MT, as they start a hard 4 game stretch on the road- in No. Cal this weekend and Arizona next weekend. Hopefully some local alums can make it to one or more of the games to support the team.

From official preview article- http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=210620822
"
THE GAME: The University of Colorado will play their first Pac-12 Conference road games this weekend. The Buffaloes’ four-game trip begins on Friday, Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. MT when they face the California Bears at Haas Pavilion.

BROADCAST: Friday’s game is scheduled to air live on the Pac-12 Mountain and Pac-12 Bay Area channels. Krista Blunk will have the call alongside Mary Murphy. The game will also be available on KVCU 1190 AM with Cory Lopez and USA Basketball’s Carol Callan.
...

ABOUT CALIFORNIA: The California Golden Bears are 9-4 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-12 after falling at then No. 17 Arizona State, 57-49 and Arizona 57-52 in the opening weekend of conference play. The Golden Bears, ranked No. 21 in the AP poll and receiving votes in the USA Today Sports WBCA poll, had won four straight before its latest two-game slide. They are averaging 77.3 points per game, fourth-most in the Pac-12 and shooting 38.2 percent from the field. Cal allows 68.9 points per game and opponents are shooting 38.3 percent against the Bears’ defense.

Four Bears are averaging double-figures in scoring with freshman forward Kristine Anigwe leading Cal and is second in the Pac-12 at 21.9 points per game, while leading the conference (fourth in the nation) at 63.3 percent shooting from the floor. She also leads the Bears with 9.5 rebounds per game. Junior forward Courtney Range is second behind Anigwe with 14.8 points and 6.5 rebounds. Sophomore guard Mikayla Cowling and freshman guard Asha Thomas round out Cal’s top four scorers at 13.2 and 10.8 points, respectively.

Lindsay Gottlieb is in her fifth season at California with a record of 103-34 and owns a 159-73 career mark over seven-plus years.
"

TV/ video stream- On Pac 12 networks (Mountain and Bay Area channels), and also available online at http://pac-12.com/live?network=P12MTN for those whose cable/ satellite subscription includes Pac 12 Network online access.

Link to link to Free live audio of radio broadcast (also on radio at KKZN 760 AM) - http://www.cubuffs.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?type=live&db_oem_id=600

Possible links to link to Live Stats - http://www.calbears.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30100&ATCLID=210276804

 

[AztecBuff]

Like many, I'll be at the Keg this evening, so won't be able to watch the Women Buffs, but best of wishes to the team!

Note- Per Brian Howell at the Daily Camera-

(There's also an article he wrote at http://www.buffzone.com/buffzonetop...ens-basketball-jamee-swan-battles-back-injury that goes into more detail on Ms. Swan, as well as what the Buffs are doing to get into the win column.)

In addition to (mainly) being a possible huge loss to the Buff's of their leading scorer and rebounder if Ms. Swan can't play, the Buffs could also just start having problems keeping 5 fresh players on the court if there's much foul trouble, as they'll only have 9 players in uniform if Ms. Swan can't play. (And, of course, I think most of us have seen how Pac officials can be, so (bogus/ head scratching) foul problems are ALWAYS a possibility no matter what any player does or doesn't do.)

 

[buffgal]

Even though Cal is 0-2 in the Pac, they are an excellent team. It will be a miracle if CU beats them. A true miracle, especially if Swan can't go.

 

[buffgal]

Swan isn't going to play and I don't see her on the bench. She's telling me on Twitter that they have this! #GoBuffs

 

[Jens1893]

This team looks like a dumpster fire. They had a stretch of 15+ minutes with no points.

 

[pwbuffan]

This team looks like a dumpster fire. They had a stretch of 15+ minutes with no points.

You are being polite this is terrible. Lappe needs to be gone ASAP.

 

[buffgal]

Even without Swan, this is so bad I can't watch any more. Will be lucky to score 40 points. Yikes. Sunday will be worse unless Tara ensures she wins and takes it easy on them. Cal is doing the same thing, but they only have 9 players suited up also.

Yes, Lappe needs to go now.

 

[Buffnik]

That's disgusting

 

[89BUFF89]

See ya Linda

 

[DBT]

That's disgusting

They must be practicing with the men's team.

 

[buffgal]

Totally disgusting.

After Smith's 3, the Buffs went 18:47 without a point - including all 10 minutes of the second quarter. During that stretch, the Buffs went 0-for-16 from the floor and committed 15 turnovers.

from Brian Howell

Rick George, I'd love to see that performance review you write on Lappe. Please get us a coach.

 

[Jens1893]

What went wrong with Lappe and her team in the last few years, buffgal? The trajectory is worrying. She´s gone from 25 to 19 to 15 wins and probably won´t even reach that this year.

 

[MarkW]

Firing Lappe right now won't change a thing for this season. The Buffs don't have enough talent to compete in this conference and that's the main issue right now. Yes Jamee is a terrific player and Leonard and Robinson - especially Leonard are good freshmen, but compared to the talent on the opposition in the Pac12 they aren't going to be competitive on a regular basis.

 

[Buffballer]

Firing Lappe right now won't change a thing for this season. The Buffs don't have enough talent to compete in this conference and that's the main issue right now. Yes Jamee is a terrific player and Leonard and Robinson - especially Leonard are good freshmen, but compared to the talent on the opposition in the Pac12 they aren't going to be competitive on a regular basis.

Not sure which way to go; do you make a change in an effort to "stop the bleeding" and maybe keep the freshman from leaving or do you stay the course. Not sure which is the lesser of two evils.

 

[DBT]

Not sure which way to go; do you make a change in an effort to "stop the bleeding" and maybe keep the freshman from leaving or do you stay the course. Not sure which is the lesser of two evils.

First, you have to figure Rick George isn't happy and is considering all options. He seems to be a pretty savvy decision maker to me. With the volleyball change, it's almost as if he'd decided on a replacement before he let Kritza go. So, I'd bet he's looking at candidates already if, indeed, he has decided to make a change. A real interesting aspect of that is if he is including Barry in the decision or not. I'm not sure how much allegiance she has to Lappe. Would she be able to disassociate herself from personal relationships?

 

[Buffballer]

First, you have to figure Rick George isn't happy and is considering all options. He seems to be a pretty savvy decision maker to me. With the volleyball change, it's almost as if he'd decided on a replacement before he let Kritza go. So, I'd bet he's looking at candidates already if, indeed, he has decided to make a change. A real interesting aspect of that is if he is including Berry in the decision or not. I'm not sure how much allegiance she has to Lappe. Would she be able to disassociate herself from personal relationships?

George strikes me as I guy who will own these types of decisions, particularly in light of Berry's last few decision outcomes. Real question is when not if.

 

[buffgal]

What went wrong with Lappe and her team in the last few years, buffgal? The trajectory is worrying. She´s gone from 25 to 19 to 15 wins and probably won´t even reach that this year.

IMO, poor recruiting and, for reasons I don't know, too many assistant coaches leaving. This year, two players left, Arielle Roberson, who she was counting on, and the player from Germany did not return. She gave an interview that said basketball at CU was not fun. I think she was also not interested in being a student athlete and having all of her time controlled by a coach.

This team, as I've said before, will be lucky to win a game in the Pac 12 and it makes me said.

Lappe is a Ceal Barry/Mike Bohn hire, but mostly Barry. I hope George will do the right thing and fire Lappe and make his own hire without putting Barry in charge.

I think Barry has a lot of allegiance to Lappe and the question is can she protect her? Under Bohn, I think the answer was yes. Under George, I hope the answer is no. I hope he is already scouting replacements and brings in somebody who can keep Leonard and Robinson. Due to injury, we don't what Monica Burich can do.

I think Lappe has a year left on her contract, if I understand what I found correctly. Is it better to pay her to just please go away and find somebody to right the ship? I hope the answer is yes. Leonard and Ellis won't stick around and shouldn't stick around for their own good if Lappe is here another year. I heard during a game that Leonard visited CU 32 times before committing. How Lappe convinced her to come is beyond me.

I'd really like to know why so many assistants have left. I know Jenny Barancyzk went to Drake for her dream job. She is righting the ship at Drake. I also know LaTonya Watson had agreed to help Lappe get started and then wanted to be closer to her family. The others, who knows why they left. Jonas Chatterton did a lateral move, yet called it an opportunity he couldn't pass up. Why?

 

[buffgal]

Not sure which way to go; do you make a change in an effort to "stop the bleeding" and maybe keep the freshman from leaving or do you stay the course. Not sure which is the lesser of two evils.

I hope George sits Lappe down when the team returns from the Bay area and tells her the handwriting is on the wall.