It is going to be a battle.  Expecting close to 10,000 fans at McHale Center and Greg Hansen, normally a rational columnist, is helping whip them into a frenzy.  It borders on irresponsible IMO.  

 

Kelly Graves is a large man, maybe 6 feet 6 inches, pushing 300 pounds, a former basketball player for the New Mexico Lobos who plowed Idaho potato fields to make ends meet at the beginning of his coaching career.

 

By any measure, he can be an intimidating figure in women’s college basketball.

 

A year ago, I watched on ESPN as Graves was assessed two technical fouls against Arizona — one during a 57-41 loss in Tucson and another in a 79-59 blowout loss at Oregon. He was a menacing figure. On the TV screen, he came off as a bully, a latter-day Bob Knight.

 

Greg Hansen: Expect 'Scarywood' in McKale when Kelly Graves Takes on UA, Wildcats Fans on Friday in Tucson.com

 

So Adia Barnes is portrayed as the "good-guy" here, and Graves is the bad guy?  Is it going to even be safe for Coach Graves to be there?  He will be considered "against" women?

 

This is not good...

The menacing figure Arizona should be worried about is Nyara Sabally.

This is going to be a big test for our Lady Ducks. Instead of things calming down they've picked up in hostility. Getting through the early minutes is going to be even more important. 

Could the Ducks bait the Wildcats into silly fouls because they are so fired up?  Should Graves accelerate the intensity by stomping and yelling?  No cussing, but getting the Arizona team out of their head?

 

Or would this fuel them with anger and hurt Oregon?  Some interesting tactical items to address that if played correctly--could help the Ducks?

 

And thanks to McDuck for finding and posting this article.  Thanks to EVERYONE that posts articles!

Calling it irresponsible journalism seems kind. Maybe we should borrow a tactic from the Wannabes up north and defuse the hostility with a little humor!

 

 

It's hard, but credit must be given to Washington for the Groucho Mask's, and that they then won the game. 

 

Man, I must have missed that game when he was menacing. 

Let's hope Sedona shows up for this game. Her last two games were pretty much uninspiring.

 

Against USC = 15 minutes, 2 points, 5 rebounds

Against ASU = 19 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds

I am wondering about injury to Sedona, as she has looked....slow at times?  Guards quickly turn the corner on her and get the foul...

Let's break this down. Adia Barnes is intimidated by one thing, and one thing only.

 

Winning Percentage     Overall               Pac-12

 

Kelly Graves                         73%                  66%

 

Adia Barnes                         60%                  45%

 

I can agree Kelly Grave's teams beat women at a much higher rate than Adia's teams. Kelly Graves also recruits and develops great women student athletes at a better clip than Adia.

On 2/4/2022 at 10:19 AM, John Charles said:

Calling it irresponsible journalism seems kind. Maybe we should borrow a tactic from the Wannabes up north and defuse the hostility with a little humor!

 

 

     It might help defuse things a bit, but at the very least, it’d be hilarious if Kelly showed up at the game with a pair of those on. Don’t take it seriously! Don’t let a bulletin board media clown affect your focus.

Edited February 4, 20223 yr by Washington Waddler
spelling

I can see the headlines in the Arizona Daily Star now "Oregon's Coach Graves (team) Beats (other team's) Women!

Watching the Lady Ducks games and replays on Pac 12 Network shows that Coach Graves:

 

1. Remains sitting on the end of the bench most all game time (usually with his legs crossed);

2. He rarely stands during the game but does with the team during time outs and then sits when play begins.

 

In the Arizona game in Eugene, he did stand during the 4 quarter come back, facing the Duck players on defense, taking a defensive position with his hands up, ala Chanaya Pinto. He was exhorting team to play defense.

 

The replays do not show him facing the Arizona coach or mouthing to her during or after the game.

It does show her standing and arguing with officials multiple times during the game.

 

I know of no college coach giving opposing coach the finger at games end. Aida Barnes did at last year's NCAA semifinals to Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma and this year to Oregon coach Kelly Graves. 

 

 

   

 

 

By many accounts the name he is accused of calling Adia Barnes is an apt description.

Just saw Paopao taking some practice shots, a great smile on her face. The camera showed a lot of empty seats. Arizona was calling for 12,000, looks more like 1200. 

The crowd has filled up, but not overly hostile for now. 

A drive by Sabally gets the Ducks their first lead at 3:41in the 1st quarter, a free throw makes it 9-6 Oregon.

Arizona leads after the first quarter, 14-11. 

Sabally 3-5 in first qtr for seven points. Rest of team is 2-9.

9 turnovers for Oregon, 3 for Arizona, 6:56 in the 2nd quarter.

12 TO's now. The nemesis of Grave's teams

30-24 Arizona at halftime. If Oregon can clean up the turnovers, they can win this. 

Halftime. Sabally 4-8, rest of team 4-13.

Those 12 turnovers led to 14 points for Zona.

So far McHale Center sounds like a library compared to the MATT for Sabrina, Satou and Ruthie's games. 

Oregon down by 6 at halftime, -8 in points off turnovers. 14-6

Arizona's pressure D has taken Oregon off their game; TO's and missed shots. 

Officiating is very one sided in 3rd quarter.  Ditch the zone defense!  It's not working today.

Edited February 5, 20223 yr by DuckIt

Through Q3 Arizona 51 to Oregon 35

As the announcers told us, the Ducks were down 17 in the game at the MATT. That was a miraculous comeback, not expecting it this time. 

That's the second hook with the elbow that Zona got away with in the last 7 mins.

It was 18-18., and it wasn't wire to wire, Oregon did lead, 9-6. 

On 2/4/2022 at 8:48 PM, 30Duck said:

It was 18-18. 

Yep, the last time the game was tied @ 6:56 in the second quarter.

 

Ducks were outscored 45-30 over the remainder of the game.

 

Wonder what is up with Sedona. Another disappearing act with 2 points, 0 rebounds,  in 17 minutes.

Edited February 5, 20223 yr by ICamel

On 2/4/2022 at 8:55 PM, 30Duck said:

So far McHale Center sounds like a library compared to the MATT for Sabrina, Satou and Ruthie's games. 

Nah, I was there and thought it was plenty loud, especially in the second half.

So Graves is an intimidating ,300#ish, menacing giant of a man?

 

I got a bridge to sell ya...

On 2/4/2022 at 10:40 PM, Otis Day said:

On 2/4/2022 at 7:55 PM, 30Duck said:

 

Nah, I was there and thought it was plenty loud, especially in the second half.

Thanks for the in-person input.