The slow start was disappointing, but the defensive performance in the first quarter was actually part of Jeff’s game plan. He was not convinced that NW could hit the 3s, but that is precisely what they did early and often.
With that said, the 10 point offensive performance was not part of the game plan, and it does raise questions as to what is going on with this roster. I will say there is absolutely no quit in Jeff and these Cardinal Ladies, as the second, third and fourth quarter defensive effort was unprecedented in Women’s NCAA games. NW scored 25 points in the 1st quarter, but only 28 points in the next 3 quarters.