Posted: Jan 16, 2012
Jeff Speedy, head coach of the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds women's basketball team, said his team has played in a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde fashion in the 2011-12 Atlantic University Sport season. And after stringing together two strong character wins in a row, the Varsity Reds followed the trend, losing 71-63 to Acadia on Saturday at the Richard J. Currie Center.
A late surge closed an 18-point gap, masking an uninspired performance from Speedy's team. However, the head coach is, once again, sent back to his office searching for answers.
'I've been trying for four months and I haven't figured it out yet,' said Speedy, looking for consistency in his players. 'I don't know.' Speedy's frustrations are understandable. He watched his team come from behind on Friday night with one of their best halves of basketball this season to defeat the University of Prince Edward Island 83-61.
However, a lackluster first half against the Axewomen was not accompanied by the rally the Reds' faithful at the Richard J. Currie Center were looking for.
Instead, it was another 20 minutes of suspect defence with an ineffective attack.
'When they going got tough, we turtled and instead of staying together and fighting,' said Speedy.
The only exception came during a brief period early in the fourth quarter when a couple three-pointers from Jordanne Holstein sent the Reds on a short 12-2 run, lessening the blow before Acadia sealed the deal.
Holstein was a lone bright spot, as the fourth-year wing continues to be effective from beyond the arc. Holstein was 5-for-8 from downtown, tying Claire Colborne and Acadia's Kristy Moore for the game high with 17 points.
Still, Speedy is well aware that six minutes of strong play won't do.
'It has to come from them,' he said. 'They should want to be together, and they should want to fight because when they do they have success. It can't be any more black and white than that.
'They got to want to hear it. They got to want to believe it.' The Axewomen took advantage of solo efforts by UNB on the defensive end as well. Emma Russell posted some strong numbers, picking up 17 rebounds and three blocks. However, the defensive squad was exploited for 22 points in the first quarter and another 20 in the third. The Reds were forced to play catch-up from the getgo, and never recovered.
'We didn't fight defensively in the first quarter,' said Speedy. 'If they're getting stops every time, it puts a lot of pressure on your offence to be perfect, and our offence was never going to be perfect.' UNB shot 27.5 per cent from the floor in the first half and 32.4 per cent for the game. The Reds are dead last with a 37.2 field goal percentage this season. With a hot-and-cold offence, getting a timely defensive stop is key.
'You can't stop a team that averages 85 points a game with one or two people being on defensively,' said Speedy. 'If you're giving up 25 lay-up attempts in a half, you're not going to win a basketball game.
'If you're going to take a stance and keep the ball in front of you, you're not going to get stops.' The Reds (3-7) a re still holding on to the final playoff spot with eight points, while Acadia (7-1) moved four points closer to tracking down first place Saint Mary's (9-2).
UNB travels to UPEI (2-8) on Jan. 20 for their only game of the weekend.