Gophers Basketball Conditioning - How's the Gophers strength and conditiong?

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IMHO I don't think the girls are in as good of shape as they were last year. Last years strength and conditioning coach Ralph, was "everything"! This year the team is sluggish, slower and more winded! They're bodies and arms are not even as muscular and cut as they were last year. Not only that, practices are NOTHING like they were last year....less running (it may have been a relief for the team/girls at first, but look at the long term effect), less weight lifting, less care about pre-game and post-game meals, less care about off season work outs, less care about what the girls are and are not doing and eating during off season....

These are critical and crucial characteristics of a winning basketball team! We're at a point in the season where we need to sit back and look at everything. Yes, even the entire coaching staff!
 
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I’ve been wanting to make this point myself. I have a feeling conditioning isn’t as important to Whalen as it was with Stollings. Lamke may have improved, but that seemed more self-motivated.
 

Under Stollings, playing style drove strength and conditioning. One complimented the other. This season the strength and conditioning coach was the last coach added. Subsequently, I think we have a newly organized staff without a comprehensive plan of attack. I had that concern in May. I don't think it's the major problem but as you say it should be added to the mix.
 

These are all going to be or should be part of the post season forensic analysis of the team performance. It is imperative to bring back what works under Stollings as far as nutrition and strength & conditioning goes.

One thing to take into consideration which is exacerbated by "Ball Like A Boss'" good points, playing man to man defense with a shorter bench without shooters takes a lot more out of the players.

I think there were at least a couple of games where the GOphers had a healthy lead at half time, and then they get beaten in the second half. The players seem to tire out.
 

I understand we are looking for reasons why performance is less than desired but I don’t think it is as simple as add more conditioning. Also, the point about changing to man D requires more energy cannot be overstated. At least we are not talking about how key players are playing too many minutes. I have heard that for years and yet virtually every top women’s college team plays at least two or three players over 30 minutes per game. We are down two of our four best scorers from last year (Carlie and Diva) and they have been replaced by total inexperience. We are hurting for the third and fourth scorers AND we are consequently MUCH easier to defend against. Just ask OSU who put one player inches from Pitts and then doubled Bell in the lane during their 4th quarter run. Our record will not improve until the third, fourth and fifth scorers show up.
 





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