Lady Topper Hoops: Notebook — Lady Toppers Finally Getting into the Groove, Defense Much Improved…
When we last checked in on the Lady Toppers, they were 0–3, getting blitzed by likely NCAA Tournament teams, struggling to stop full on…
When we last checked in on the Lady Toppers, they were 0–3, getting blitzed by likely NCAA Tournament teams, struggling to stop full on layup drills and three point competitions during game play.
Of late, the Lady Toppers have looked much more engaged, showing some grit and getting some stops. All told, the Lady Toppers now stand at 2–6 and have won two of their last four games.
Michelle Clark-Heard’s teams were generally robotic, heartless machines. They were relentless, stifling opponents, outscoring their rivals by huge margins. The Lady Toppers were in nearly every game simply because of their tenacity and inability to feel anything but drive to finish.
Greg Collins’ basketball teams seem to have a different personality. Collins is a laid back guy and his team, so far, has taken on that personality. Offensively, the Lady Toppers are a smooth operation, but defensively, especially the first four games, they have been unequivocally terrible.
That being said, of late, there is quite a bit of hope for the Lady Toppers defensively.
The Week That Was
at Central Michigan, 11/17: CMU wins 108–90
The 0–3 Lady Toppers headed to Mount Pleasant, Michigan, looking for some measure of hope. CMU had an incredible season last year, winning the MAC and rolling through their first two games in the NCAA Tournament in 2017–18. The Chippewas fell to second-seeded Oregon in the Round of 16 to finish 30–5.
Coming off of that incredible season, CMU seems to have picked up where it left off and are currently receiving votes in both polls.
Central started out blitzing the Tops by 14 in the first quarter, 38–24. From that point forward, WKU battled to stay within shouting distance, but the slow start hampered the Lady Toppers’ efforts of really having a puncher’s chance. WKU could not overcome the double digit deficit, never pulling closer than seven at 78–71 in the third quarter. WKU would in fact go on to be outscored 30–19 from that point forward.
Raneem Elgedawy and Dee Givens combined for nearly half of WKU’s points, scoring 43 of the Toppers’ 90. Only Alexis Brewer joined those two in double digits with 12 points off of the bench. On a positive note, WKU’s bench contributed 29 points in the contest, including Sidnee Bopp’s nine points on 4-of-8 shooting.
All told, the story of the game was WKU’s (lack of) defense. After four games, CMU averaged 89 points per game. That’s wonderful for any team, but 108 was the most scored by the Chippewas so far early in the season. If WKU is going to be a team competing for a championship, WKU can’t be giving up 90+ points per game.
vs. Southern Illinois, 11/20: WKU Wins 83–76
Finally back in E.A. Diddle Arena, the Lady Toppers returned to Bowling Green on a mission for a victory. After being starved for even a true sniff of a win in its first four games, WKU dominated much of the game against the Salukis. At the halftime break, Western led 52–33.
However, the Lady Toppers did go ice cold in the second half, only scoring 31 and getting outscored by 12. After shooting over 60% in both quarters of the first half, WKU shot 10–26 (.385) in the second. Western nearly surrendered its huge lead, allowing SIU to come within a possession with 1:45 remaining at 79–76. WKU buckled down and gutted out an 83–76 win after that point, however.
More signs abound that WKU will struggle defensively this year. After leading by 19, WKU could barely get enough stops to stem the tide of a mediocre team from coming back in less than 20 minutes. Perhaps the most alarming statistic was WKU getting outrebounded by 15. However, Western officially got off the schneid, and the value of beating a decent opponent with relative ease had to feel great for a team starving for a victory.
Dee Givens blew the doors off of the gym, shooting 7–of-12 and 6-of-7 from behind the arc. All told, Dee scored 23, again tying her career high, with Elgedawy (18) and Alexis Brewer (10) once again joining as the only other Toppers in double figures.
vs. #9 Oregon State (Vancouver Showcase) 11/22: Oregon State wins 74–60
Frankly, hanging remotely close to a massive Oregon State team is impressive. However, considering last year’s juggernaut could not hold close to Oregon State in the NCAA Tournament, this performance is all the more impressive.
WKU finally showed a true ability to get some stops and execute a game plan. Collins commented in post game interviews that the Lady Toppers planned on stopping the Beavers from deep: “Our game plan was to take away the three-pointer and make them beat us one-on-one to the basket. So consequently we gave up some drives to the basket…but that’s part of the learning process.”
The Lady Toppers battled nearly toe-to-toe with Oregon State. Besides a late second quarter burst, WKU was extremely even with the Beavers. Ultimately, the Tops lost because of rebounding and shooting, but stayed relatively close by making four more threes and forcing five more turnovers.
Frankly, on another night, with that effort and a little more shooting, WKU could have and would have beaten the ninth-ranked OSU squad.
This was far and away Western’s most complete performance, finally showing an ability to compete on a national level. If WKU makes it back to the NCAA Tournament and faces a team like an Oregon State or Louisville, the Lady Toppers should know they can hang with the big girls. Despite the early bangs in the season, WKU is finally rounding into a team that could compete for another Conference USA title.
vs. ETSU 11/23/18: WKU wins 82–68
Finally, after looking hapless on defense, WKU looks respectable. Praise The Lord. I have been sincerely concerned, but you know what? The Tops are going to be OK. Phew! Friday, the Lady Tops took a double digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Treading water between 6 and 20 point margins, the Lady Tops were never truly threatened.
Meral Abdelgawad (16 points, three steals) led the Lady Toppers with 14 first half points. Dee Givens (25 points, seven rebounds, four assists) continues her unbelievable tear, raising her average after nearly a quarter of the season to 19.9 points per game. Raneem Elgedawy (17 points, 11 rebounds, five steals) got her first (and the Toppers’ first) double-double of the season, as well.
vs. Gonzaga 11/24/18: Gonzaga Wins 76–55
Gonzaga is known for its men’s team, but its women’s basketball program is just as bathed in recent tradition as Mark Few’s mighty men. Gonzaga women’s basketball has been around since 1987, but until 2007, Gonzaga had never been a serious threat in the women’s game. Gonzaga has been to the tournament nearly every year in the past 12 years, and has received an at-large bid twice in its history. A win on a neutral court against a sure-fire at-large contender would have been extremely nice for the Lady Tops in plenty of areas.
In this game, Gonzaga came out to take the lead and control the game early, but WKU stayed in it for the rest of the first half. WKU would enter the locker room for the break only down six. The second half was completely different, with the Zags expanding the lead to 17 after the 3rd. Western would succumb by 21. All told, WKU struggled to do much of anything offensively against Gonzaga. However, WKU’s defense continues to impress of late. This marks the fourth game in a row WKU has held its opponent well under 80 points.
Once again, Dee Givens (13 points, five steals) and Raneem Elgedawy (13 points, eight rebounds) continue to be the Topper stars. Alexis Brewer, usually in double digits to start the year, has become cold of late, dropping her season average from 12 or 13 to right at 10 points per game.
Next Time Out
WKU takes on Morgan State November 28 in the friendly confines of Diddle. Morgan State is a program without a winning season since 2011. Certainly a game Western should win, this is an opportunity for the Lady Toppers to get back closer to a .500 record.
Quick Hits
WKU was giving up 101 points per game in its first four games. In its past three, WKU has given up no more than 76 points. From 101 points given up per game, WKU has massively improved its defense to giving up 87.2 points per game.
Dee Givens (19.0 ppg), Raneem Elgedawy (15.9 ppg), and Alexis Brewer (10 ppg) continue to be the Lady Toppers’ consistent offense.
Despite the 2–6 record, WKU’s offense scores over 75 points per contest.
A sign of the lack of defense or effective size, Western is getting outblocked 31–8 on the young season.
10 Lady Toppers average at least ten minutes per game, while only Dee Givens (31.5) averages more than 30.
Dee Givens is averaging over three steals per game.
WKU allows its opponents to shoot 50% from the floor and 37% from behind the arc. In its last three games, WKU has held its opponents well under 50% and held its last two opponents under 20% shooting from behind the arc.
In another hustle stat, WKU is getting dominated on the boards, losing by a full eight and a half rebounds per game. WKU outworked ETSU Saturday, however dominating the Bucs by ten on the boards. Against Gonzaga, the Toppers were utterly destroyed on the backboard, 47–29.
Prior to adding ETSU to its schedule, WKU’s opponents had scored less than 70 points only twice. Perhaps WKU’s defense is not as bad as it seemed at first.