The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

I’m not sure how many women’s basketball fans on the board but it’s time I admit that I just can’t watch. It’s not the style, it’s the talent imbalance. There are a handful of schools that beat the hell out of all else by 40 points. Not sure of the solution but curious how many posters agree…

(04-27-2023 03:38 AM)blazr Wrote:  I’m not sure how many women’s basketball fans on the board but it’s time I admit that I just can’t watch. It’s not the style, it’s the talent imbalance. There are a handful of schools that beat the hell out of all else by 40 points. Not sure of the solution but curious how many posters agree…

I've noticed over that past couple of years that the team has tried to become more athletic. Last year seemed to be the start of an adjustment in philosphy in that regard until players starting going down with what were essentially season-ending injuries(5, I think). They lost all consistency with players in and out of the lineup. There will need to be much better for the AAC...

That's because very few universities are serious about women's basketball, or women's athletics in general. The sad truth is that most make a minimal investment and only maintain it so that they can comply with Title IX.

I watched the women’s national championship game (living in Iowa, it was pretty much required). It was the 1st women’s game I’ve seen in close to 20 years.
Next one I’ll see will probably be UABs next NCAA tournament game

Over the past 10 years I think it's seven programs that have averaged 5k fans at their home games over that time frame and it drops off pretty quickly once you get beyond those teams. It's getting a little better, but even as recently as last year there were fewer than 10 teams that had over 100k fans attend for the season. If you want to feel like you are in a big time program, you go to one of those schools that is well supported. That creates a pretty wide gulf between the elite programs with stacked rosters and the rest. There is another even wider gulf between the second tier of programs that still average 2-3k in attendance and the vast number of schools who dont even draw 500 fans in arenas often designed to hold 10x that number.

UAB averages under 300 per home game. Neither of the SEC schools in the state average even half what the "big" programs do, but a lot more than 300.

I feel like there are more of a talent difference between the top teams and the rest of the teams in women's basketball than the mens.
You had FDU take down a top rated Iowa team, but I don't think I've watched some of UAB's games, but mainly in the tournament and for the most part we and CUSA are slow. MTSU beat a very good Louisville team earlier in the year, but lost to Colorado by 12 in the tournament, and MTSU was a 28 win team. I don't think any other CUSA team could hang with tournament teams.

But you watch the women's teams in the Final 4, mainly Iowa, LSU, and South Carolina, and they are fast, athletic, and electric.

But I agree, those teams prioritize women's sports so they will get the elite high school recruits and transfers. But with that being said, Denim DeShields looks great and glad she's a freshman. Need to build around her.

Have had Gold cards over the last few years. This season was the first that we made it a priority to be at all women’s home games. It’s pretty unbearable to watch. When you see a guard drive in so far under a basket that she hits the bottom of the backboard on her shots a dozen times per game, it gets frustrating. Might as well label that as a turnover on top of the 12-20 turnovers per game, so realistically you are seeing 30-40 turnovers by your team per game.

I had thought we were built to shoot the 3, but we tried to force it inside where we have no size or touch. As said above, perhaps we are adjusting for what comes in the AAC. Just like with Gaines, it makes you wonder if they make DeShields watch her own film. When she’s good, it’s fun to watch. When it’s bad, you make multiple trips to the restroom just as you would if you were watching women’s wresting.

Even without the injuries, I didn’t think we would’ve had much success. Our personnel didn’t fit
The style of play we were trying to force.

Anyhow, Norton and staff have made half a dozen offers over the last 2 days. 2024 and 2025

The difference I saw in MTSU was fundamentally sound post play, basketball iq, and the ability to free up the perimeter with clean dribble, drive, and dish from their guards.

We’ve had trouble keeping the team together the last couple of years, losing players that seemed destined to fill a bigger role after the player ahead of them graduated. As a result, we’ve continually had some very young teams. Only 2 seniors on last year’s squad & one was a grad transfer. I thought Emily Klaczek would fit nicely into Whitley’s role, but she decided to transfer to Rice. Deshields and Ware were true freshmen last year, and I’m excited about their future. We’ve got one true big, Destinee McGhee (Arkansas transfer), but she tends to get into foul trouble. I’d like to get another big like Zakyia Weathersby, and I think we’d do fine. Also, we need to keep the injury bug away. We had 4 players with season ending injuries last year.

Bottom line, Randy’s a good coach & a very likable guy. It seems he’s changed his recruiting style a little, by recruiting more locally (Southeast, instead of Midwest). Deshields and Ware are very quick, and I think we’ll probably pick up the pace some. The NCAA has made it tougher to transfer, so I think we’ll be more likely to keep the team together and be able to watch them grow together.

Here are the November signees:
https://uabsports.com/news/2022/11/9/wom...-wedemeyer

First signee this month:
https://uabsports.com/news/2023/4/5/wome...-to-roster

Second signee this month:
https://uabsports.com/news/2023/4/6/wome...-to-roster

(04-27-2023 09:46 AM)blazerblazer Wrote:  I feel like there are more of a talent difference between the top teams and the rest of the teams in women's basketball than the mens.
You had FDU take down a top rated Iowa team, but I don't think I've watched some of UAB's games, but mainly in the tournament and for the most part we and CUSA are slow. MTSU beat a very good Louisville team earlier in the year, but lost to Colorado by 12 in the tournament, and MTSU was a 28 win team. I don't think any other CUSA team could hang with tournament teams.

But you watch the women's teams in the Final 4, mainly Iowa, LSU, and South Carolina, and they are fast, athletic, and electric.

But I agree, those teams prioritize women's sports so they will get the elite high school recruits and transfers. But with that being said, Denim DeShields looks great and glad she's a freshman. Need to build around her.

Louisville's star player Hailey Van Lith is transferring to LSU. A Final Four team's star player is transferring to the National Champion.

(04-27-2023 10:02 AM)Marathon Blazer Wrote:  We’ve had trouble keeping the team together the last couple of years, losing players that seemed destined to fill a bigger role after the player ahead of them graduated. As a result, we’ve continually had some very young teams. Only 2 seniors on last year’s squad & one was a grad transfer. I thought Emily Klaczek would fit nicely into Whitley’s role, but she decided to transfer to Rice. Deshields and Ware were true freshmen last year, and I’m excited about their future. We’ve got one true big, Destinee McGhee (Arkansas transfer), but she tends to get into foul trouble. I’d like to get another big like Zakyia Weathersby, and I think we’d do fine. Also, we need to keep the injury bug away. We had 4 players with season ending injuries last year.

Bottom line, Randy’s a good coach & a very likable guy. It seems he’s changed his recruiting style a little, by recruiting more locally (Southeast, instead of Midwest). Deshields and Ware are very quick, and I think we’ll probably pick up the pace some. The NCAA has made it tougher to transfer, so I think we’ll be more likely to keep the team together and be able to watch them grow together.

Is he a good coach though? He is very likable, but how long is he coach before there are any expectations.

Yes he is a good coach.

I've always enjoyed watching our WBB play. when you get close to the court, you really get to see how hard they play. from the 200 level seats, you don't really see how physical they are since they are moving much slower than the men.

its cool when they walk through the stands after the game and you can interact and give them high fives too.

(04-28-2023 10:24 AM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  Yes he is a good coach.

Agree

(04-28-2023 11:12 AM)THE_LEGEND Wrote:  I've always enjoyed watching our WBB play. when you get close to the court, you really get to see how hard they play. from the 200 level seats, you don't really see how physical they are since they are moving much slower than the men.

its cool when they walk through the stands after the game and you can interact and give them high fives too.

+1
I love the women’s game. Randy Norton can certainly coach and does a great job with the program. We would have won 20-plus games last season were it not for five season-ending injuries that began with losing starter Kylee Schneringer early in the season. Three of the other four players who also went down with injuries also had started games.
Equally bad is the fact four of the five injured were 6 feet tall or better. We got down to basically Destinee McGhee and nine guards. It was a tough situation, but we were playing hard-nosed, competitive basketball down the stretch. Better days are ahead!

(04-27-2023 09:53 AM)UABFAN23 Wrote:  Have had Gold cards over the last few years. This season was the first that we made it a priority to be at all women’s home games. It’s pretty unbearable to watch. When you see a guard drive in so far under a basket that she hits the bottom of the backboard on her shots a dozen times per game, it gets frustrating.

I had thought we were built to shoot the 3, but we tried to force it inside where we have no size or touch. As said above, perhaps we are adjusting for what comes in the AAC. Just like with Gaines, it makes you wonder if they make DeShields watch her own film. When she’s good, it’s fun to watch. When it’s bad, you make multiple trips to the restroom just as you would if you were watching women’s wresting.

No player I’ve ever seen hits the bottom of the background dozens of times per game. I don’t think UAB averages that kind of bad shot even once per game. UAB’s level of play is much higher than that exaggeration implies. More people should come to the women’s games and see for themselves.

I’m sorry you don’t like watching women’s basketball. Myself, I can’t get enough of it, be it UAB, college as a whole or the WNBA. I much prefer to watch the women because it’s a more pure game — far less one-on-one play and forcing shots while far more emphasis on fundamentals and teamwork.

As for Denim DeShields, she was third in Conference USA in assists and seventh in assist/turnover ratio while leading UAB in scoring as a true freshman (her game high was 36). Comparing her to Eric Gaines is selling her short. She had a much better season than Gaines while being her team’s full-time starting point guard.

Anyway, my view is that UAB women’s basketball is a far cry from being “unbearable to watch.” I’m excited about the future.

I think we play a fun style — but you can only do so much when you are missing some of your best players and are throwing some young ones out on the floor for larger roles than you expected or that they are probably ready for

(04-29-2023 11:00 AM)1BLZR1 Wrote:  

(04-27-2023 09:53 AM)UABFAN23 Wrote:  Have had Gold cards over the last few years. This season was the first that we made it a priority to be at all women’s home games. It’s pretty unbearable to watch. When you see a guard drive in so far under a basket that she hits the bottom of the backboard on her shots a dozen times per game, it gets frustrating.

I had thought we were built to shoot the 3, but we tried to force it inside where we have no size or touch. As said above, perhaps we are adjusting for what comes in the AAC. Just like with Gaines, it makes you wonder if they make DeShields watch her own film. When she’s good, it’s fun to watch. When it’s bad, you make multiple trips to the restroom just as you would if you were watching women’s wresting.

No player I’ve ever seen hits the bottom of the background dozens of times per game. I don’t think UAB averages that kind of bad shot even once per game. UAB’s level of play is much higher than that exaggeration implies. More people should come to the women’s games and see for themselves.

I’m sorry you don’t like watching women’s basketball. Myself, I can’t get enough of it, be it UAB, college as a whole or the WNBA. I much prefer to watch the women because it’s a more pure game — far less one-on-one play and forcing shots while far more emphasis on fundamentals and teamwork.

As for Denim DeShields, she was third in Conference USA in assists and seventh in assist/turnover ratio while leading UAB in scoring as a true freshman (her game high was 36). Comparing her to Eric Gaines is selling her short. She had a much better season than Gaines while being her team’s full-time starting point guard.

Anyway, my view is that UAB women’s basketball is a far cry from being “unbearable to watch.” I’m excited about the future.

Caption: Say you didn’t watch one game without saying you didn’t watch one game.

A 5’6 guard should not be driving on 6’2-6’4 post players. That’s what randy had her do.

I’m sitting there talking to the AD, asking “I thought we were built for run and gun”. He replied “I did, too.”

We discussed injuries but couldnt understand why we were running Sara, marge, Desiree, and denim out there and NOT just airing it out.

Also, you can pull up any home game and find Denim driving too far under the basket and just throwing up a wild shot that has no chance. I don’t fault her, because she’s trying to make something happen.

That’s on randy.

We’re going into year 11 and Randy really has nothing to show for it and gets a big pass.

He finally got away from recruiting only white girls from Illinois and Iowa.

Some are upset at the current state of baseball in year 2 after our first winning season in forever. Now, we’ve decided that an 11th yr coach is above criticism when he had bad teams with a lot less injuries.

(04-29-2023 12:37 PM)UABFAN23 Wrote:  

(04-29-2023 11:00 AM)1BLZR1 Wrote:  

(04-27-2023 09:53 AM)UABFAN23 Wrote:  Have had Gold cards over the last few years. This season was the first that we made it a priority to be at all women’s home games. It’s pretty unbearable to watch. When you see a guard drive in so far under a basket that she hits the bottom of the backboard on her shots a dozen times per game, it gets frustrating.

I had thought we were built to shoot the 3, but we tried to force it inside where we have no size or touch. As said above, perhaps we are adjusting for what comes in the AAC. Just like with Gaines, it makes you wonder if they make DeShields watch her own film. When she’s good, it’s fun to watch. When it’s bad, you make multiple trips to the restroom just as you would if you were watching women’s wresting.

No player I’ve ever seen hits the bottom of the background dozens of times per game. I don’t think UAB averages that kind of bad shot even once per game. UAB’s level of play is much higher than that exaggeration implies. More people should come to the women’s games and see for themselves.

I’m sorry you don’t like watching women’s basketball. Myself, I can’t get enough of it, be it UAB, college as a whole or the WNBA. I much prefer to watch the women because it’s a more pure game — far less one-on-one play and forcing shots while far more emphasis on fundamentals and teamwork.

As for Denim DeShields, she was third in Conference USA in assists and seventh in assist/turnover ratio while leading UAB in scoring as a true freshman (her game high was 36). Comparing her to Eric Gaines is selling her short. She had a much better season than Gaines while being her team’s full-time starting point guard.

Anyway, my view is that UAB women’s basketball is a far cry from being “unbearable to watch.” I’m excited about the future.

Caption: Say you didn’t watch one game without saying you didn’t watch one game.

A 5’6 guard should not be driving on 6’2-6’4 post players. That’s what randy had her do.

I’m sitting there talking to the AD, asking “I thought we were built for run and gun”. He replied “I did, too.”

We discussed injuries but couldnt understand why we were running Sara, marge, Desiree, and denim out there and NOT just airing it out.

Also, you can pull up any home game and find Denim driving too far under the basket and just throwing up a wild shot that has no chance. I don’t fault her, because she’s trying to make something happen.

That’s on randy.

We’re going into year 11 and Randy really has nothing to show for it and gets a big pass.

He finally got away from recruiting only white girls from Illinois and Iowa.

Some are upset at the current state of baseball in year 2 after our first winning season in forever. Now, we’ve decided that an 11th yr coach is above criticism when he had bad teams with a lot less injuries.

An opening response like that gives off major troll vibes.
If you’ve attended any home games in the past five years, I guarantee you’ve seen me. I’ve missed only two games in that span (because of COVID), and I’ve streamed every single road game. If UAB is playing, I’m watching.

As for Denim driving, do you not remember Miyah Barnes? Denim is far ahead of where Miyah was as a freshman. Miyah drove a lot, and Denim scores a lot that way, too. Her 3-point shot isn’t where it’s going to be yet, but it’s coming along.

Criticize Randy all you like but UAB had three straight 20-win seasons with a regular-season championship in that mix. He also was Conference USA Coach of the Year. Is that nothing? A tourney crown would have been great, but you’re underplaying what’s happened in the past 10 years.

I’m glad you don’t try to make a living as a basketball analyst. You probably better stick to some other sport you enjoy more.