The Women's STATEMENT!!!

[crapgame44]

We fired the proverbial shot across the bow yesterday against UT! We made a huge STATEMENT yesterday. Anybody in the know on womens college basketball is now aware the the Gators have broken out and are heading for the top. As EastTNgator has pointed out numerous times it will be next season when UF explodes. All the pieces are just about in place. Yesterday, if George was not injured halfway through and we had the additional strength available of Cooper, Dimaite and Peoples (and Mercer shot just a little better) it most likely would have been a 10 point win for UF. Not to mention we handed them the game by missing 2 consecutive foul shots at the very end. The Lady Vols wont be the last good team we rattle or beat.


Read more: http://www.gatorcountry.com/swampgas...#ixzz2Hz11cGO2

[missourigator]

I will play the devil's advocate here! Morale victories don't count towards the "big dance." We are 10-5, with NO significant wins. Unless we beat a ranked team and win all those we are suppose to, we are going to the NIT. Last year we went to the NCAA's. This is Butler's 5th yr. and according to USA Today's rankings, we are still the 4th or 5th best team in the State of Florida. Every year I read, next year is the year. If she doesn't win next year then we might think of a change. Has the team gotten better? The answer is of course, YES! But we are now just at high mediocrity instead of low. Instead of being in the bottom 4 in the SEC, we are in the bottom 8. We need something to gets us out of this rut.

[tommyuf21]

With only one senior, after losing 3 starters from last year, we are already as good, if not better than last year.

I'd say that this is progress. In the span of a few short years, Peck destroyed all of the good Carol Ross did. It is not easy to rebuild a program in the SEC when you have UT to contend with every year.

You don't get to elite status in this sport, unless you are willing to give a coach some time. Simply expecting to be elite, doesn't make it so.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by missourigator

I will play the devil's advocate here! Morale victories don't count towards the "big dance." We are 10-5, with NO significant wins. Unless we beat a ranked team and win all those we are suppose to, we are going to the NIT. Last year we went to the NCAA's. This is Butler's 5th yr. and according to USA Today's rankings, we are still the 4th or 5th best team in the State of Florida. Every year I read, next year is the year. If she doesn't win next year then we might think of a change. Has the team gotten better? The answer is of course, YES! But we are now just at high mediocrity instead of low. Instead of being in the bottom 4 in the SEC, we are in the bottom 8. We need something to gets us out of this rut.

If you're going to come in here and trash the program, at least get the record right.

[gatorbogey]

Originally Posted by crapgame44

We fired the proverbial shot across the bow yesterday against UT! We made a huge STATEMENT yesterday. Anybody in the know on womens college basketball is now aware the the Gators have broken out and are heading for the top. As EastTNgator has pointed out numerous times it will be next season when UF explodes. All the pieces are just about in place. Yesterday, if George was not injured halfway through and we had the additional strength available of Cooper, Dimaite and Peoples (and Mercer shot just a little better) it most likely would have been a 10 point win for UF. Not to mention we handed them the game by missing 2 consecutive foul shots at the very end. The Lady Vols wont be the last good team we rattle or beat.


Read more: http://www.gatorcountry.com/swampgas...#ixzz2Hz11cGO2

i like it!

need folks to get more involved. follow the women. attend a game or two. this coming weekend would be good if you're in town for the men's game saturday vs missouri, stay over to watch the women vs s. carolina on sunday.

[missourigator]

True, we are 13-5 but what else was I wrong about? I am not trashing the program. I am trying to be realistic. The University of Florida does not get excited about moral victories. BILly D. turned the program around in 3 yrs.

[gulfgator]

When I saw the title of this thread, I was pumped, then went to the scoreboard and I must say I felt a bit deflated. A scrappy effort, but also lost opportunity at home.

[tupacbiff]

Do we have the tallest player?

[G2MGA]

Our RPI is 36 and we have beaten two top 50 RPI teams (Pacific and CMU). Regardless of whether you think of those as sexy wins, we would be in the NCAA tournament if the field was selected today with a similar seed to last year.

For what it's worth, the RPIs/Massey Ratings of the top 5 programs is the state as of today are:
FSU - 14/25
UF - 36/41
MIA - 39/36
FGCU - 62/75
USF - 69/60

As of today, we are clearly the 2nd or 3rd best team in the state in a "rebuilding year". BTW, the USA Today/Coaches poll is updated on Tuesdays, so is a week out-of-date.

And if you want to compare us with the best team in the state this year, perhaps you'd be well served to peruse their coach's year-by-year progress (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sue_Semrau). In her first seven seasons, they made they post-season twice (NCAAs once), but since they've gone to the NCAAs 7 of the last 8 years. Butler took over this program in a similar state of disarray and has us on a more impressive trajectory.

[crapgame44]

Originally Posted by gulfgator

When I saw the title of this thread, I was pumped, then went to the scoreboard and I must say I felt a bit deflated. A scrappy effort, but also lost opportunity at home.

Well I guess you have not been following the program the last few years. To have played this well against a program like UT and with such a young team and more big time commitments next season only means progress in the future. Try to look at the whole picture not just a little sliver.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by missourigator

True, we are 13-5 but what else was I wrong about? I am not trashing the program. I am trying to be realistic. The University of Florida does not get excited about moral victories. BILly D. turned the program around in 3 yrs.

You cannot compare mens and women's programs. They are two completely different animals.

In Men's hoops, you can find two or three outstanding HS players (like Dupay, Miller & Haslam), coach them up and be in the Sweet 16. That's all it takes to get up and running.

Women's programs are all 4 year players and there are not as many top notch women's players. It's just the way it is. Maybe in 20 years or so, there will be more Griners and you'll have more than three or four programs capable of winning a title. It's certainly not that way now.

[oxymoron]

I think Coach Butler is doing a good job and is on the verge of having a strong program. Better attendance would be very helpful for recruiting. Women's basketball has always been UF's weakest program. I think Jeremy Foley is going to be patient as there's no quick fix and progress is being made.

[CASontag]

It was a good effort for the Gators. When George went down, I was like "crap"! But Bonds kept the Gators in the game and they had a chance to win it if they could have just made some critical free throws down the stretch. The main thing I noticed is the Gators transition defense was very bad (the announcers kept mentioning it and it was pretty obvious) . It seemed way too often when the Gators would score a bucket Tennessee would push the ball down the court and get a relatively easy basket. That's got to be deflating and needs to be shored up. But this is a relatively young team so they'll hopefully get better on the defensive end. Also I was pleased to see Needles make a nice contribution in an SEC game and Bonds was terrific. Mercer's play was also very effective down the stretch so it was good to see such poise by a freshman. McIntyre was effective but needs to get in better position to defend the basket at times. Moss was good as well though she made some poor choices in her shot selection at times. The Gators just need to work on transition defense and some better shot selection and they'll do fine this year. Onward and upward :-)

[tommyuf21]

The 2011-2012 team had five seniors (4 of which started, 1 was usually first off the bench). The ceiling for those players was 20-13 (8-8) and 2nd round NCAA tourney loss to Griner and Baylor.

I know its still early, but I think its fair to say that this team is poised to equal their record at worst. Last year's teams ceiling is this year's teams starting point.

Then, you look at who is showing up next year. There's a lot to be excited about. At our worst, we've been respectable and our best is yet to come. Thankfully, Foley knows that things are going well and moving forward and (unlike some) won't pull the plug on a coach that isn't getting there "fast" enough.

[gatorbogey]

i think you have to do things incrementally. that's the way to build something that's sustainable in the long run. you build the entire program in parallel - that includes the team, the fanbase, the program as a whole.

[Juggernautz]

Amanda is doing an admirable job, imho.

[malscott]

Well. here's to continued success. Go Gators...

[gulfgator]

Originally Posted by crapgame44

Well I guess you have not been following the program the last few years. To have played this well against a program like UT and with such a young team and more big time commitments next season only means progress in the future. Try to look at the whole picture not just a little sliver.

I understand your point, and I do realize this would have been a huge win in the context of the womens program. My point was simply that words have meaning and to me, "STATEMENT!!!" does not mean a close loss, especially in a season UF has already had very good wins on the road and have showed they were good enough to beat UT.

[swampgas44]

Originally Posted by CASontag

It was a good effort for the Gators. When George went down, I was like "crap"! But Bonds kept the Gators in the game and they had a chance to win it if they could have just made some critical free throws down the stretch. The main thing I noticed is the Gators transition defense was very bad (the announcers kept mentioning it and it was pretty obvious) . It seemed way too often when the Gators would score a bucket Tennessee would push the ball down the court and get a relatively easy basket. That's got to be deflating and needs to be shored up. But this is a relatively young team so they'll hopefully get better on the defensive end. Also I was pleased to see Needles make a nice contribution in an SEC game and Bonds was terrific. Mercer's play was also very effective down the stretch so it was good to see such poise by a freshman. McIntyre was effective but needs to get in better position to defend the basket at times. Moss was good as well though she made some poor choices in her shot selection at times. The Gators just need to work on transition defense and some better shot selection and they'll do fine this year. Onward and upward :-)

Spot on analysis! Rep to you...

[GboroGator]

Statement will be made when the beat UT or UK. A UK program that has turned things around faster than UF over the same time period and was in the same shape program wise.