Molly D (Doubtful she'll play) and other Albany 2 Regional Updates heading into the game vs Colorado
- Thread starter Franisdaman
- Start date
Dont get the infatuation with her game versus Affolter getting the time. Particularly at this juncture coming off injury and rusty.
It’s just nice to have another ball handler and shooter if she’s healthy enough to go.
the full text of the tweet:
Just had a good 10-minute conversation with LSU's Hailey Van Lith. Says she recently watched "The Last Dance" to remind herself of the mental edge Jordan had and said she and LSU players have tried to almost invent motivation. Says team feels like underdogs despite being national champs & that team chemistry turned a corner after a Jan. 29 loss to Mississippi State. Team is 12-1 since, with only loss to #1 South Carolina in the SEC Tournament finals. Could face Iowa in Elite 8. Favored by 3.5 over UCLA tomorrow (Noon CT, ABC).
Just had a good 10-minute conversation with LSU's Hailey Van Lith. Says she recently watched "The Last Dance" to remind herself of the mental edge Jordan had and said she and LSU players have tried to almost invent motivation. Says team feels like underdogs despite being national champs & that team chemistry turned a corner after a Jan. 29 loss to Mississippi State. Team is 12-1 since, with only loss to #1 South Carolina in the SEC Tournament finals. Could face Iowa in Elite 8. Favored by 3.5 over UCLA tomorrow (Noon CT, ABC).
Molly's ball handling was sorely missed against WV. She will be a good addition if she's able to go. I'd guess she'd get pretty limited minutes.
Syd is certainly the more capable overall player and can impact the game in more ways than Molly. She is deserving of her minutes and I assume she will continue to start even if Davis is healthy to play. However, their roles on this particular team -- playing alongside the best player in the country -- are very different. We have to remember that our offense runs through Clark and so the pieces around her on the court must be assembled in such a way that she is set up to succeed. Molly playing PG along Clark is part of that.
If Syd were on a different team / it was a different year, it's probably a different story. But when Molly is on the floor alongside Clark, Clark can move about more freely off the ball. That allows her to get into position for better shots. That's because a defender will always be on the ball -- no one is gonna leave Molly alone if she's bringing the ball down the court, especially since she's a great driver and capable shooter. Syd has proven herself as a capable ball handler (and so has Kate) but they simply haven't played PG for us like Molly (and she has played PG for 5 seasons now so she knows that role inside and out). Neither Kate nor Syd should be expected to all of a sudden become a backup PG in March when they've honed their own roles at the 3/4 and play them very well.
With Molly out, Clark is forced to handle the ball more and basically bring the ball down the court 99% of the time -- which has led to significantly more ball pressure on her. I say that certainly has been a contributing part of all of the frustration she feels being triple-teamed and hacked. Furthermore on a team that lives and dies by the 3, it's just good to have more options in case others are cold. And of course having Molly allows Clark to sit, even if just a few minutes. Playing 36 minutes vs 40 minutes can make a huge difference in a long, tight game, especially when there's a quick turnaround between games.
Even if she's not starting / not 100%, having Molly on the floor to either spell Clark, keep the defense honest on the perimeter, and/or open things up for Clark is a good thing. She also rarely makes mistakes / turns the ball over so she isn't really a net-negative in any glaring way (with the exception of her rebounding, perhaps -- but we have quite a few very good rebounders).
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Caitlin Clark has never been here but has a connection to Albany
Iowa star is dating the son of former Siena coach Fran McCaffery
By Mark Singelais
Albany Times-Union
March 28, 2024
Caitlin Clark has been getting publicity often reserved for movie and music superstars. And that includes a boyfriend with a strong Albany connection -- Connor McCaffery.
Connor McCaffery grew up as a ball boy for Siena men’s basketball during the program’s best days under his father, coach Fran McCaffery.
The Saints won 38 straight home games in the building called Pepsi Arena, and then Times Union Center, before the McCafferys left after five seasons for Fran’s new job as head coach at Iowa in 2010.
“I just remember it used to be rocking,” Connor McCaffery recalled Wednesday. “I was pretty young, but I remember going into the arena never really being scared we were going to be leaving with a loss.”
Now called MVP Arena, the atmosphere will be electric again this weekend, largely because Connor McCaffery’s girlfriend is coming to town. You might have heard of her. She’s one of the most popular athletes in America.
Iowa senior guard Caitlin Clark, the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader with 3,830 points, will play Saturday in an NCAA East Regional Sweet 16 game against Colorado in front of an anticipated sellout crowd of more than 14,000. The regional runs Friday through Monday.
Connor McCaffery, 25, won’t be in the building. He’s a team assistant for the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and works in their video room. The Pacers have home games on Friday and Monday, when Iowa could be playing an Elite Eight contest.
McCaffery, who played at Iowa from 2017 through last season. said he’s talked to Clark about the Albany area for her first trip here. Though Clark won’t have much time to look around, McCaffery plans to text Clark’s mother, Anne, with restaurant suggestions.
“I wish I could come, too, and see it live,” Connor McCaffery said. “I think it’s going to be fun. I think she’ll kill it. You know how the people in that region love basketball. They’ll appreciate kind of what she’s able to do and watching those teams. There’s going to be some good games in there.”
McCaffery did attend Clark’s final home game, a second-round win over West Virginia on Monday.
McCaffery and Clark have dated for about a year. She was friends first with Patrick McCaffery, Connor’s younger brother, an Iowa forward who entered the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday.
“We were always friends,” Connor McCaffery said. “She was friends with Patrick. I was friends with her. Our teams hung out together. We had good relationships with the women’s team and we just eventually started hanging out. Really, at first, it was no different than it had ever been. It was just kind of easy how it all worked out, you know.”
McCaffery said they share a competitive nature.
“Some fire, passion, all of those things,” he said. “I would say there’s definitely some similarities there that come out. She’s fierce, and I love it.”
They could be reunited in Indianapolis this summer. The Indiana Fever have the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft April 15 with Clark the presumed top selection.
Clark is a frequent visitor to the McCafferys’ home in the Iowa City area. Fran McCaffery has watched Clark elevate the Iowa women from a successful program to a must-see national brand.
“The level she took everything, not only locally, but nationally, you don’t see that,” McCaffery said. “The closest thing I’ve seen to that is Michael Jordan, which is an incredible comparison, when you think about it. Every road venue she goes to is sold out. Every game here is sold out.”
Playing in front of packed houses, Clark is still averaging a nation-best 31.8 points per game and leading the nation with 181 3-pointers against defenses targeting her.
“She’s being treated like a rock star, but it’s not like she comes out on stage and sings 15 songs,” McCaffery said. “She’s getting double-teamed. She’s getting knocked to the floor. Everything they’re doing to try to stop her and she’s still expected to get 35 every night. That’s really hard to do. And she does it.”
Beyond that, Fran McCaffery said he’s impressed with how Clark has handled the deluge of requests off the court. The McCafferys are constantly asked to pass along items for Clark to autograph and are “protective” of her.
“She’s just a humble person,” Fran McCaffery said. “It’s incredible the demands on her time and, 'Can you sign this, can you sign that.' Everybody wants to meet her. And she’s handled that incredibly well. She’s got a great smile and she’s engaging with people and she stays locked into her craft.”
Connor McCaffery sees his girlfriend on TV in commercials with Jake from State Farm. She’s also a spokesperson for Bose, Gatorade and Nike who earns seven figures in name, image and likeness money, according to ESPN. LeBron James tweeted his congratulations to Clark for breaking the scoring record.
“I feel like I’ve just gotten used to it,” Connor McCaffery said. “We’ve always been friends, so when we’re hanging out, we don’t even think about it. It’s not like it’s a running topic or joke or anything like that. It’s like it’s happening, but you go on and continue to be normal. You don’t make a big deal out of it. Just keep everything for her as normal as it can be because, as we all know, it’s not very normal right now.”
Iowa star is dating the son of former Siena coach Fran McCaffery
By Mark Singelais
Albany Times-Union
March 28, 2024
Caitlin Clark has been getting publicity often reserved for movie and music superstars. And that includes a boyfriend with a strong Albany connection -- Connor McCaffery.
Connor McCaffery grew up as a ball boy for Siena men’s basketball during the program’s best days under his father, coach Fran McCaffery.
The Saints won 38 straight home games in the building called Pepsi Arena, and then Times Union Center, before the McCafferys left after five seasons for Fran’s new job as head coach at Iowa in 2010.
“I just remember it used to be rocking,” Connor McCaffery recalled Wednesday. “I was pretty young, but I remember going into the arena never really being scared we were going to be leaving with a loss.”
Now called MVP Arena, the atmosphere will be electric again this weekend, largely because Connor McCaffery’s girlfriend is coming to town. You might have heard of her. She’s one of the most popular athletes in America.
Iowa senior guard Caitlin Clark, the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader with 3,830 points, will play Saturday in an NCAA East Regional Sweet 16 game against Colorado in front of an anticipated sellout crowd of more than 14,000. The regional runs Friday through Monday.
Connor McCaffery, 25, won’t be in the building. He’s a team assistant for the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and works in their video room. The Pacers have home games on Friday and Monday, when Iowa could be playing an Elite Eight contest.
McCaffery, who played at Iowa from 2017 through last season. said he’s talked to Clark about the Albany area for her first trip here. Though Clark won’t have much time to look around, McCaffery plans to text Clark’s mother, Anne, with restaurant suggestions.
“I wish I could come, too, and see it live,” Connor McCaffery said. “I think it’s going to be fun. I think she’ll kill it. You know how the people in that region love basketball. They’ll appreciate kind of what she’s able to do and watching those teams. There’s going to be some good games in there.”
McCaffery did attend Clark’s final home game, a second-round win over West Virginia on Monday.
McCaffery and Clark have dated for about a year. She was friends first with Patrick McCaffery, Connor’s younger brother, an Iowa forward who entered the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday.
“We were always friends,” Connor McCaffery said. “She was friends with Patrick. I was friends with her. Our teams hung out together. We had good relationships with the women’s team and we just eventually started hanging out. Really, at first, it was no different than it had ever been. It was just kind of easy how it all worked out, you know.”
McCaffery said they share a competitive nature.
“Some fire, passion, all of those things,” he said. “I would say there’s definitely some similarities there that come out. She’s fierce, and I love it.”
They could be reunited in Indianapolis this summer. The Indiana Fever have the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft April 15 with Clark the presumed top selection.
Clark is a frequent visitor to the McCafferys’ home in the Iowa City area. Fran McCaffery has watched Clark elevate the Iowa women from a successful program to a must-see national brand.
“The level she took everything, not only locally, but nationally, you don’t see that,” McCaffery said. “The closest thing I’ve seen to that is Michael Jordan, which is an incredible comparison, when you think about it. Every road venue she goes to is sold out. Every game here is sold out.”
Playing in front of packed houses, Clark is still averaging a nation-best 31.8 points per game and leading the nation with 181 3-pointers against defenses targeting her.
“She’s being treated like a rock star, but it’s not like she comes out on stage and sings 15 songs,” McCaffery said. “She’s getting double-teamed. She’s getting knocked to the floor. Everything they’re doing to try to stop her and she’s still expected to get 35 every night. That’s really hard to do. And she does it.”
Beyond that, Fran McCaffery said he’s impressed with how Clark has handled the deluge of requests off the court. The McCafferys are constantly asked to pass along items for Clark to autograph and are “protective” of her.
“She’s just a humble person,” Fran McCaffery said. “It’s incredible the demands on her time and, 'Can you sign this, can you sign that.' Everybody wants to meet her. And she’s handled that incredibly well. She’s got a great smile and she’s engaging with people and she stays locked into her craft.”
Connor McCaffery sees his girlfriend on TV in commercials with Jake from State Farm. She’s also a spokesperson for Bose, Gatorade and Nike who earns seven figures in name, image and likeness money, according to ESPN. LeBron James tweeted his congratulations to Clark for breaking the scoring record.
“I feel like I’ve just gotten used to it,” Connor McCaffery said. “We’ve always been friends, so when we’re hanging out, we don’t even think about it. It’s not like it’s a running topic or joke or anything like that. It’s like it’s happening, but you go on and continue to be normal. You don’t make a big deal out of it. Just keep everything for her as normal as it can be because, as we all know, it’s not very normal right now.”
Can’t beat a late Summer afternoon cruise on the Coralville ResCaitlin Clark has never been here but has a connection to Albany
Iowa star is dating the son of former Siena coach Fran McCaffery
By Mark Singelais
Albany Times-Union
March 28, 2024
Caitlin Clark has been getting publicity often reserved for movie and music superstars. And that includes a boyfriend with a strong Albany connection -- Connor McCaffery.
Connor McCaffery grew up as a ball boy for Siena men’s basketball during the program’s best days under his father, coach Fran McCaffery.
The Saints won 38 straight home games in the building called Pepsi Arena, and then Times Union Center, before the McCafferys left after five seasons for Fran’s new job as head coach at Iowa in 2010.
“I just remember it used to be rocking,” Connor McCaffery recalled Wednesday. “I was pretty young, but I remember going into the arena never really being scared we were going to be leaving with a loss.”
Now called MVP Arena, the atmosphere will be electric again this weekend, largely because Connor McCaffery’s girlfriend is coming to town. You might have heard of her. She’s one of the most popular athletes in America.
Iowa senior guard Caitlin Clark, the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader with 3,830 points, will play Saturday in an NCAA East Regional Sweet 16 game against Colorado in front of an anticipated sellout crowd of more than 14,000. The regional runs Friday through Monday.
Connor McCaffery, 25, won’t be in the building. He’s a team assistant for the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and works in their video room. The Pacers have home games on Friday and Monday, when Iowa could be playing an Elite Eight contest.
McCaffery, who played at Iowa from 2017 through last season. said he’s talked to Clark about the Albany area for her first trip here. Though Clark won’t have much time to look around, McCaffery plans to text Clark’s mother, Anne, with restaurant suggestions.
“I wish I could come, too, and see it live,” Connor McCaffery said. “I think it’s going to be fun. I think she’ll kill it. You know how the people in that region love basketball. They’ll appreciate kind of what she’s able to do and watching those teams. There’s going to be some good games in there.”
McCaffery did attend Clark’s final home game, a second-round win over West Virginia on Monday.
McCaffery and Clark have dated for about a year. She was friends first with Patrick McCaffery, Connor’s younger brother, an Iowa forward who entered the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday.
“We were always friends,” Connor McCaffery said. “She was friends with Patrick. I was friends with her. Our teams hung out together. We had good relationships with the women’s team and we just eventually started hanging out. Really, at first, it was no different than it had ever been. It was just kind of easy how it all worked out, you know.”
McCaffery said they share a competitive nature.
“Some fire, passion, all of those things,” he said. “I would say there’s definitely some similarities there that come out. She’s fierce, and I love it.”
They could be reunited in Indianapolis this summer. The Indiana Fever have the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft April 15 with Clark the presumed top selection.
Clark is a frequent visitor to the McCafferys’ home in the Iowa City area. Fran McCaffery has watched Clark elevate the Iowa women from a successful program to a must-see national brand.
“The level she took everything, not only locally, but nationally, you don’t see that,” McCaffery said. “The closest thing I’ve seen to that is Michael Jordan, which is an incredible comparison, when you think about it. Every road venue she goes to is sold out. Every game here is sold out.”
Playing in front of packed houses, Clark is still averaging a nation-best 31.8 points per game and leading the nation with 181 3-pointers against defenses targeting her.
“She’s being treated like a rock star, but it’s not like she comes out on stage and sings 15 songs,” McCaffery said. “She’s getting double-teamed. She’s getting knocked to the floor. Everything they’re doing to try to stop her and she’s still expected to get 35 every night. That’s really hard to do. And she does it.”
Beyond that, Fran McCaffery said he’s impressed with how Clark has handled the deluge of requests off the court. The McCafferys are constantly asked to pass along items for Clark to autograph and are “protective” of her.
“She’s just a humble person,” Fran McCaffery said. “It’s incredible the demands on her time and, 'Can you sign this, can you sign that.' Everybody wants to meet her. And she’s handled that incredibly well. She’s got a great smile and she’s engaging with people and she stays locked into her craft.”
Connor McCaffery sees his girlfriend on TV in commercials with Jake from State Farm. She’s also a spokesperson for Bose, Gatorade and Nike who earns seven figures in name, image and likeness money, according to ESPN. LeBron James tweeted his congratulations to Clark for breaking the scoring record.
“I feel like I’ve just gotten used to it,” Connor McCaffery said. “We’ve always been friends, so when we’re hanging out, we don’t even think about it. It’s not like it’s a running topic or joke or anything like that. It’s like it’s happening, but you go on and continue to be normal. You don’t make a big deal out of it. Just keep everything for her as normal as it can be because, as we all know, it’s not very normal right now.”
Colorado is a veteran group; 5 seniors and 2 juniors make up their top 7.
The 5 starters vs Kansas State (and their averages):
Quay Miller..............6'3 Senior; 9 pts, 7.5 reb
Aaronette Vonleh..6'3 Junior, 14 pts, 5.2 reb
Frida Formann........5'11 Senior, 12.5 pts, 2 reb, 2 assists
Maddie Nolan.........5'11 Senior, 6.5 pts, 2.5 reb, 1 assist
Jaylyn Sherrod........5'7 Senior, 12.9 pts, 3 reb, 5 assists
.....................................
2 key players off the bench:
Kindyll Wetta.........5'9 Junior, 6 pts, 3 reb, 4 assists
Tameiya Sadler......5'8 Senior, 5.5 pts, 2 reb, 2 assists
The 5 starters vs Kansas State (and their averages):
Quay Miller..............6'3 Senior; 9 pts, 7.5 reb
Aaronette Vonleh..6'3 Junior, 14 pts, 5.2 reb
Frida Formann........5'11 Senior, 12.5 pts, 2 reb, 2 assists
Maddie Nolan.........5'11 Senior, 6.5 pts, 2.5 reb, 1 assist
Jaylyn Sherrod........5'7 Senior, 12.9 pts, 3 reb, 5 assists
.....................................
2 key players off the bench:
Kindyll Wetta.........5'9 Junior, 6 pts, 3 reb, 4 assists
Tameiya Sadler......5'8 Senior, 5.5 pts, 2 reb, 2 assists
Nice looking Venue.
full text of the tweet:
Colorado's Frida Formann, a 5'11 Senior, averaged 12.5 pts, 2 rebounds and 2 assists this season.
She had 21 points vs. Iowa in last year's Sweet 16.
“We have incredible depth. We're super connected. I think we have so much talent in different positions. We play great defense. We have some super-quick aggressive guards and shooters. We have a little bit of everything and when we truly click I think we’re really hard to face.”
Colorado's Frida Formann, a 5'11 Senior, averaged 12.5 pts, 2 rebounds and 2 assists this season.
She had 21 points vs. Iowa in last year's Sweet 16.
“We have incredible depth. We're super connected. I think we have so much talent in different positions. We play great defense. We have some super-quick aggressive guards and shooters. We have a little bit of everything and when we truly click I think we’re really hard to face.”
Have you seen Molly D play? If so, and you still make this statement, some people might question your basketball acuity.
Having Molly available to handle the ball helps take the pressure off CC. And Molly has shown grit and creativity as well as the ability to hit a key three. Iowa is better if Molly is able to play even 10 or 15 minutes. And it has nothing to do with Affolter, who has been absolutely terrific.
There was some video i saw yesterday of the team exiting the plane in Albany. Molly Davis with a noticable limp. Yeah, wouldn't expect to see her playing this weekend at all. Without some stellar play (and a little luck), may never see her play again.
