FWST: Three takeaways as No. 17 TCU women’s basketball cruises to a season-opening win

[TopFrog]

Three takeaways as No. 17 TCU women’s basketball cruises to a season-opening win​

Steven Johnson

The No. 17-ranked TCU women’s basketball team got off to a roaring start with an 82-43 win over North Carolina A&T in its season opener Thursday at Schollmaier Arena.

“It’s just nice to get that first one done and get out there and compete,” coach Mark Campbell said. “With how many new players we have, the freshmen and the portal additions, Donovyn Hunter’s our only returning starter from a year ago, I’m really proud of this group.”

It was the first look at a new-look TCU team that only returned four players from last year’s Elite Eight squad. Led by Notre Dame transfer and preseason All-American guard Olivia Miles, the Horned Frogs made a strong first impression with a deep, defensive-minded roster.

The opening five minutes offered a glimpse of what the Horned Frogs could eventually be, as Miles started the game with a straight-line drive to the basket for a layup. TCU then forced a turnover using a new full-court press defense.

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Full article link: https://www.newsbreak.com/fort-wort...-s-basketball-cruises-to-a-season-opening-win

 

[namollec]

Good win.
Team can improve on turnovers.
I figure they were the results of the team still working on their passing game.

 

[JogginFrog]

I only saw the highlights, but between that and the box, here's what I noticed.

1. Tallest team in the NCAA took more than half its shots from outside the arc, and made 31% (0.94 points per shot). Inside, they averaged 1.27 pps. I like an inside-outside combo, but the goal is efficiency. Frogs are already missing Conner. Miles and Bigby are the only ones who have shown they can make 35%+ over a season, and everyone else was 6 for 26. That's better than the men vs. UNO, but it's not good, and there's nothing to suggest that it was an aberration. So, I hope we see more fake-to-drive from everyone else. Suarez has a good instinct for that--and she also made a couple from deep.

2. If they can't get defenses to respect the 3, I could see the Frogs experimenting with playing two bigs. It's one thing to deal with Miles and a 6-7 player in the pick-and-roll. It's another to have a second 6-7 player roaming the baseline. And if that leaves your 3 working to contain Bielefeld or Suarez on the elbow, you've got matchup problems.

3. O. Miles with 6 assists and 5 turnovers. That ratio won't get her what she wants out of the season, unless she's building a reel of passes-so-amazing-that-my-teammates-weren't-ready-for-them. Last year her assist-to-turnover ratio was 2.32. She needs to surpass HVL's 1.79 from last season, and in OOC, I would expect the ratio to be well over 2.

Glad the Frogs had the game in control early, to get minutes for everybody. But there's work to do.

 

[helcap]

I watched the whole game and regarding three point shooting the Frogs started out 1-11 in the first quarter. Went 10-24 the rest of the way. Whether that was an anomaly or indicative of their shooting only time will tell.

Miles got two turnovers early on violations for carrying the ball just dribbling up the court. Announcers said that was a point of emphasis for the officials this season. (they called one on NC A&T also.)