USD @ Denver | Monday Jan 23 | 7PM | $stream$

[kiyoat]

No free streaming or ESPN+ options for this one, unfortunately.  Monday make-up games can be nice (for fans), as there is less going on to compete for eyeballs.  Unless, of course, you are fired up to watch a replay of the 2022 ACC football championship game at 6PM.  I'll be listening via the Varsity App (get it if you haven't already)

For the team, maybe not as nice.  I don't know if we were en route to Denver when the scheduled game was cancelled on Thursday, but either way that's a lot of travel for them, and a quick turnaround from a physical matchup in Omaha.

And there is the issue of our shortened bench.  By my count we have 6 players out indefinably with injury, and one playing injured (Hansen).  We only have 14 on the roster as it is, so that leaves 8 playing, or 7 mostly healthy players:

player	ht	pos	MIN (ave)	MIN (v UNO)
M Guebert	5-8	G	33.3	37*
G Larkins	5-9	G	30.5	35*
A Hempe	6-0	F	25.8	29
N A-Ambrosi	5-8	G	21.8	27
C Carson	6-1	G	18.8	10
M Hansen	6-0	F	16.4	11*
C Duffney	5-10	F	16.9	33*
W Demers	6-1	C	15.1	18*

* = starter

So we now have our 2023 version of a "big three" (minutes-wise) in Guebert, Larkins and Duffney.  Two of them are sophomores, and when our freshman center is on the bench we are playing "small".... but it can still work.  Duffney is showing to be a versatile tool as a quick "stretch 4".  Larkins is an all-conference-level scorer.  Guebert is our only veteran on the floor right now, and she IS a steady and smart player, if a little slower and less dynamic than Larkins.

And if Demers can keep progressing, and learning to stay out of foul trouble (not an easy thing when you are a center in this league everyone is gunning for, ask Hannah), -- then she is the physical force we need in the paint.

We just need to stop with the injuries.  Seriously.  None more injuries.

[MD]

Short bench at altitude would be the first concern that pops into my little brain. What this Hayden's injury? Long term? We can't be far off from open tryouts.

Here's the 3's falling and the injury bug finally leaving us alone.

[90yote]

Jan 23, 2023 11:17:16 GMT -6 MD said:

Short bench at altitude would be the first concern that pops into my little brain. What this Hayden's injury? Long term? We can't be far off from open tryouts.

Here's the 3's falling and the injury bug finally leaving us alone.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has heard this, but I've heard that adding a volleyball player is at least "under consideration." This has been done before.

[kiyoat]

Jan 23, 2023 11:26:05 GMT -6 90yote said:

Jan 23, 2023 11:17:16 GMT -6 MD said:

Short bench at altitude would be the first concern that pops into my little brain. What this Hayden's injury? Long term? We can't be far off from open tryouts.

Here's the 3's falling and the injury bug finally leaving us alone.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has heard this, but I've heard that adding a volleyball player is at least "under consideration." This has been done before.

I think the most recent IIRC was Kelsey Biltoft in 2017 (Dawn's first season).

Kamryn Farris was a standout BB player in HS, setting her school records in career points and rebounds.  And she's 5-11.  I'm sure there are lots of other examples of BB/VB athletes on the VB team, too.

[kiyoat]

[yotenation]

Listening the the radio broadcast. Yotes lead 30-20 at half. Duffney with 13. She is proving herself to be a player. Larkins filling up the stat sheet as usual with 8 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.

Hard to judge the defense without watching but sounds like a solid effort on that end. The score seems to indicate that for sure.

[kiyoat]

Three Yotes with 4 fouls, with 4 minutes still in the game. Wow. That’s one way to play a team with a short bench.

[90yote]

Gutty victory. Great work on the boards. They allowed seven two-point field goals.

[Men's League Waterboy]

I have not watched either of the last two games but Larkins and Duffney seem to really be developing something.

If Demers can keep coming along, people start getting healthy and a recruit or two hit the future is going to be just fine.

[marco]

plus if the injured players come back which sounds like they will as she is planning on a 15 women roster

[kiyoat]

Jan 24, 2023 13:35:48 GMT -6 marco said:

plus if the injured players come back which sounds like they will as she is planning on a 15 women roster

That would be something, getting Pep, Grange and Ugofsky back. I know we had room for two extra scholarships next season, but maybe Jeniah played too many games to get a medical redshirt? If it’s possible it will happen. Our athletic admin staff have had lots of success getting extra years of eligibility for WBB players in the recent past.

[yotenation]

I know this is not what we have become used to from the women's team. But putting aside that game in Brookings that went completely sideways, it does seem like this team is making progress. 6-3 in the Summit isn't too bad considering the losses from last year's roster and the rash of injuries.

Larkins is pretty special and is still getting better.

Duffney has come along nicely. She's obviously not a true post but she has been surprisingly effective when they gonsmall. She has a knack for scoring.

Guebert is nothing special but is steady.

Demers continues to make progress. She has a lot of tools with her size and strength. Still needs to learn to stay away from dumb fouls but that's not surprising for a post players her age.

Hansen has shown flashes but is inconsistent and has recently been hampered by an injury.

Hempe sometimes struggles in the defensive end but she has some scoring ability.

Carson has great length and seems to be making some progress. I feel like she will grow as a player as she continues to gain confidence

NAA plays hard and can be pesky on defense. I hope she continues to gain some confidence in the offensive end.

Ugofsky is a warrior who has really tried to battle through that injury. Not sure if or when she will be back. I assume even if she plays she will continue to be limited.

Haydon hasn't shown much and is now injured.

Grange looked to be a pretty well rounded player before the early injury.

Mazurek, Peplowski, Bergstrom haven't played.

The only silver lining to the injuries is we have some young women getting some very valuable experience. If they continue to grow and the injured players come back next year and we get some contributions from what looks to be a promising recruiting class, the future will be just fine.

Considering all that has happened in a very difficult rebuilding/transition year, I think we should be pretty pleased with the direction of this squad. We knew there would be some real ups and downs but the progress is pretty obvious.

[yotenation]

Jan 24, 2023 16:25:04 GMT -6 @bballfreak said:

The SDSU game was a train wreck for the ladies, but I have to give them credit, they have shaken that off and put a couple pretty good performances together since. They have the will, they need the means. The coaching staff has realized that they have no choice but to use their limited bench and teach these young ladies that they have the skills, but need the confidence. Some of them need to be pushed out of their comfort zone. Slowing the game down, taking their time to set up the plays has been an effective approach. Their defense is improving, there seems to be more speed and urgency to transition and get on their person. They seem to be communicating better and playing as a team. A humiliating loss was perhaps good for this group.

They cycled through the league the first time, now if they can knock off Western and NDSU the second go around, that might light a fire in their shorts for a better than expected down hill run. It would be fun to see these girls give the bunnies an unexpected scare the next run!!

I'm impressed with how far the coaches have come with Demers, she has a lot to learn yet, but she is developing right along. She is quickly learning what the expectations are at this level. She is so strong leg wise that she is like a loaded truck and is having trouble with contact when in motion. Smaller floppers don't help either lol.

With a kid as strong as Demers, it's a delicate balance. You want her to use her strength and be aggressive but avoid foul trouble. Tough ask when she is still learning and adjusting to this level. And I expect she will continue to find some flippers. Everybody we play knows she is our only true post and will look to get her in foul trouble. I don't know when Mazurek is supposed to return but she would add some needed size to the rotation.

[Men's League Waterboy]

Demers is obviously a smart kid. As she gets more reps and starts to know and feel where the double/help is coming from she’s going to be pretty good to great depending on her feel for the game.

[90yote]

Im still pretty thrilled about this weekend sweep. I was thinking that beating those two teams shouldn't necessarily make me feel that way, but in the context of all the turnover and injuries, it kind of does! That was a real nice bounce back for both staff and players. Omaha and Denver are still not upper-half Summit teams, but they are improved. SDSU trailed by 7 in Omaha with a minute left in the first half. They had a comfortable lead in Denver at half but the Pios cut it to five halfway through the 4Q.

Looking at the rest of the season, the Yotes should be expected to win the two games this weekend, but their lack of depth means you can't pencil in anything. Then comes perhaps their toughest two weeks - a trip to ND and then home against the Jacks. ND schools have not lost at home all year, so we shouldn't expect much more than 8-6 after those three games. Winning three of the remaining four puts them at 11-7. That should be good for 4th. Maybe 3rd?

It does appear they will only have eight players for a while. I've heard that we should not expect anyone who is currently not playing to play the rest of the season, with the exception of Haydon. And that eight includes Hansen, who is playing through a knee issue.