Just looking at the scores (79-55 Delaware on Saturday, then 77-64 Blue Hens on Sunday), you could make a decent argument that it was an unsuccessful weekend for the Tribe (4-5, 1-3 CAA), who were looking to prove their competitiveness with the top half of the CAA. But there were plenty of other storylines to parse besides that top-line evaluation. Whether obvious (see Wagner, Sydney) or a little more under-the-radar, here are a couple things we saw this weekend.
Wagner, Sydney
Big Red continues to amaze. (The team calls Sydney Wagner that, and now we do too.) Saturday’s 11-point performance was an off-game by her lofty standards, and the team felt the effects – William and Mary was unable to keep up with Delaware’s offense. But Sunday was masterful. Wagner poured in 31 points on 9-of-21 shooting, including 7-of-14 (!) from behind the arc while playing all 40 minutes. Even better, she turned the ball over just once. Dare I say, her Sunday performance was downright Hodgsonian?
Nah, but really. Last year, Eva Hodgson averaged 20.7 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.4 turnovers. So far this year, Wagner is putting up 20.9 points, 2.3 assists, and 3.3 turnovers. While I’d argue Hodgson had a more well-rounded, better overall season than Wagner is having so far, Hodgson also had a more proven supporting cast around her. Either way, we’re splitting hairs. (On a related note: we’ve heard the rumors that Hodgson is possibly exploring a transfer, but can you imagine Wagner and Hodgson sharing a backcourt next season? Sheeeeeeeeeesh.)
Foul Trouble
Time and time again, fouls have been a cudgel for the Tribe. The issue reared its ugly head again on Sunday. In the 13-point defeat at the hands of the Blue Hens, W&M committed 32 personal fouls. Thirty-two! Delaware was in the bonus less than half of the way into the first quarter, and that set the tone for the contest. Overall, the Blue Hens shot 44 free throws, compared to just 26 for the College. Had Delaware shot the same number of free throws as the Tribe at the percentage they did on Sunday, that’s 13 fewer points – enough to wipe out the margin of victory. W&M plays aggressive defense, but if we want to compete with some of the best teams in the conference, we can’t shoot ourselves in the foot by committing stupid fouls. (And don’t get me started on turnovers.)
Secondary Scoring
Obviously, Wagner impressed this weekend, as she has for the bulk of the season. But, as we’ve said on the blog and on the podcast, the Tribe needs other players to step up and contribute as well in order to lighten the load on Wagner. We saw flashes of where that scoring could come from this weekend, even in a pair of losses.
The Tribe got blown out Saturday, but Chaniqwa Gilliam and Rebekah Frisby-Smith both stepped up and contributed double-digits. Gilliam, who has started most of the year, and Frisby-Smith, a freshman forward who’s getting the most time of the newcomers, both posted career-highs – Gilliam with 12 and Frisby-Smith with 10 off the bench. Sunday, it was Bailey Eichner hitting her career high with 12 points. That’s gonna be the formula for Tribe wins the rest of the way: Wagner goes off, a couple of other players step up to contribute secondary scoring, and the defense locks down. Saturday, they got one of those three conditions. Sunday, they got one and a half (Eichner was the only non-Wagner player in double-digits).
Delaware is Legit
Watching Sunday’s game (and not Saturday’s, since FloSports did not stream it due to technical difficulties), one thing was clear: The Delaware Blue Hens (now 7-1, including 4-0 in the conference) are a legitimate threat in the CAA. The supporting cast is consistent and they play decent defense, but the biggest reason why they might be in the title hunt is Jasmine Dickey. In my estimation, Dickey is the best all-around player in the conference. She’s second in the CAA in points per game (23.1), fourth in rebounds (8.4), and is a shut-down defensive player too. She’s just the most physically dominating player on the floor, but also has touch from 18 feet and in. I can’t wait to see what a team like James Madison, one of the most athletic in the conference, does to defend her.