Spring Break
Charles Learning Each Game
Women's Basketball Notebook
Pat Parker
Issue date: 1/29/07 Section: Sports
Tina Charles may have stolen the show Saturday night tying a school record for blocked shots and setting a new Big East freshman record for the number of blocked shots in a game, but her youth was apparent to the coaching staff all night.
During the game, assistant head coach Jamelle Elliot was heard yelling at Charles to stay in the lane on defense as she would go out to guard one of the Irish guards that would be driving the lane. When she let this happen, the guard would be free to dump the ball off to a player down in the blocks for an easy lay-up.
Her inexperience at times would also be seen on the offensive end when she would be posting up and she would take the ball too far down in the post and not have any options, but Auriemma realizes it's the youth in her that's taking over at times.
"If you tell Brittany [Hunter] to catch it and turn middle, Brittany will do that," Auriemma said. "Charde [Houston] will turn middle and score or find Brittany. It's just the experience factor and Brittany has the experience, she knows pretty much where everybody is."
Charles can learn a lot from Hunter who Auriemma believes is sometimes un-guardable. He hopes he can give Hunter at least 15 minutes at a minimum a game - Saturday, she only had eight.
"Even though she's playing limited minutes, she has presence on the floor, especially defensively," said Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw. "She did a very good job of doing what she is capable of doing. She was very solid defensively."
Hunter ended the night with 2 blocks and 1 steal.
Free Throws:
The Huskies are shooting 65 percent from the charity stripe, on the season but over the past two games, the Huskies have been improving from the line as they shot 70 percent against DePaul and 75 percent against Notre Dame.
In the game against Notre Dame the Huskies were perfect from the line in the first half, going 8-for-8. That was a main reason the Huskies held a slim six-point lead against the Irish, as the Huskies only shot 37 percent from the floor.
The best free throw shooter on the team is Mel Thomas shooting 92 percent from the line, but she isn't the reason the Huskies percentage has been improving as Charde Houston and Kalana Greene have been stepping up on the line.
Greene, is shooting 65 percent on the season made 10 out of her last 12 from the line and Houston, is shooting 59 percent on the season, has made 12 of her last 18 as well.
Auriemma is happy about their recent success, but knows it's a night-to-night ordeal, as they could be hot one night and cold the next.
Up Next:
The Huskies will go on a Big East road trip which will see them face Cincinnati (12-7, 3-4 Big East) Tuesday and No. 18 Marquette (18-2, 6-1) next Saturday. Marquette is currently second in the Big East standings. Both games can be seen on CPTV.
- Patrick Parker
During the game, assistant head coach Jamelle Elliot was heard yelling at Charles to stay in the lane on defense as she would go out to guard one of the Irish guards that would be driving the lane. When she let this happen, the guard would be free to dump the ball off to a player down in the blocks for an easy lay-up.
Her inexperience at times would also be seen on the offensive end when she would be posting up and she would take the ball too far down in the post and not have any options, but Auriemma realizes it's the youth in her that's taking over at times.
"If you tell Brittany [Hunter] to catch it and turn middle, Brittany will do that," Auriemma said. "Charde [Houston] will turn middle and score or find Brittany. It's just the experience factor and Brittany has the experience, she knows pretty much where everybody is."
Charles can learn a lot from Hunter who Auriemma believes is sometimes un-guardable. He hopes he can give Hunter at least 15 minutes at a minimum a game - Saturday, she only had eight.
"Even though she's playing limited minutes, she has presence on the floor, especially defensively," said Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw. "She did a very good job of doing what she is capable of doing. She was very solid defensively."
Hunter ended the night with 2 blocks and 1 steal.
Free Throws:
The Huskies are shooting 65 percent from the charity stripe, on the season but over the past two games, the Huskies have been improving from the line as they shot 70 percent against DePaul and 75 percent against Notre Dame.
In the game against Notre Dame the Huskies were perfect from the line in the first half, going 8-for-8. That was a main reason the Huskies held a slim six-point lead against the Irish, as the Huskies only shot 37 percent from the floor.
The best free throw shooter on the team is Mel Thomas shooting 92 percent from the line, but she isn't the reason the Huskies percentage has been improving as Charde Houston and Kalana Greene have been stepping up on the line.
Greene, is shooting 65 percent on the season made 10 out of her last 12 from the line and Houston, is shooting 59 percent on the season, has made 12 of her last 18 as well.
Auriemma is happy about their recent success, but knows it's a night-to-night ordeal, as they could be hot one night and cold the next.
Up Next:
The Huskies will go on a Big East road trip which will see them face Cincinnati (12-7, 3-4 Big East) Tuesday and No. 18 Marquette (18-2, 6-1) next Saturday. Marquette is currently second in the Big East standings. Both games can be seen on CPTV.
- Patrick Parker
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