I’m beat. I got home from chess club Friday night, watched Stanford and Colorado on DVR, Lyfted to the airport, and here I am at the Wyndham by Ramada in downtown Spokane. I went to the Wyndham by Ramada at the airport first, but that was wrong. I also learned something about cars that start with a pushbutton: You can lose your keys while the car is in motion.
I have nothing to do Sunday but sit and write in the media workroom at the McCarthey Center (and maintain streaks at Duolingo, Ingress, and PoGo). Gonzaga converted its indoor rowing facility to media space. Am I only media member among hundreds who’s wondering: What the hell is indoor rowing?
Utah has the Huntsman Basketball Facility, next door to the Huntsman arena. What the hell is the basketball facility? Several practice gyms, plus office space? I’m in favor of it being there, so I don’t ask.
But “indoor rowing facility” baffles me.
I had one question for Utah’s coaching staff after the Utes knocked out South Dakota State (Dru Gylten, a star for both schools, cut two jerseys apart to make one of red plus blue, but that’s out of proportion. Should be 80 percent Utah red, 20 percent SDSU blue. She’s working in medicine these days, going back to school for another couple of years, accordingly. A truly great kid, she.).
Freshman forward Reese Ross played some spirited minutes in the first quarter. Coach Roberts said once that she prefers the first quarter for freshmen because they can’t cause irreparable damage that early. For instance, Ross threw one pass to no one on the baseline.
I think of her as a freshman mishap walking, but I wouldn’t label her so unless I also thought she’s a talent worth cultivating. I said the same thing of Oregon State’s freshman guard Kaurova – you never know what spectacular feat she’ll accomplish next, or to which team’s benefit.
Ross subbed out, and assistant coach Freeman gave her a talking to.
Jerise Freeman is a unique person in Utah’s organization. Like director of basketball operations Kendall Rodriguez, Freeman played for Roberts at Pacific, but the big difference is that Kendall was a Roberts recruit, while Jerise was a senior on the team Roberts took on. Somewhere around 2010, I asked Coach which of the Tigers she wished she’d had more time to work with, and the answer was: assistant coach Jerise Freeman.
I had to know what was said. Coach Freeman didn’t remember. I said Reese must remember, because that’s part of her job.
Angling herself defensively was the subject in that exchange, said Ross.
Now I’m glad I opted to DVR a game I attended, because let’s roll tape….
Oh, holy crap, I also recorded UCLA vs. California Baptist, USC vs. TAMCC, and Arizona vs. Syracuse. There truly is nothing like the first weekend of the NCAA basketball tournament, is there?
Reese subbed in with 6:26 left in the first, Utah leading 9-1.
4:47 – There’s her turnover.
4:25 – This must be the play Coach Freeman was talking about. Jackrabbit guard Jenna Hopp (yep, Hopp the Jackrabbit; teamed with Stanford’s Hannah Jump, we’re on to something) made a slight fake right, which Reese bought. She was then angled with the offensive threat, instead of against, and then fouled Hopp for a possible 3-point-play.
In 22 seconds, a turnover plus a foul from behind the shooter. Like I said, a freshman mishap walking. I’d prefer her freshman learning experience extend past Monday. We shall see.