Game Thread: 2023 Women's NCAA Tournament...Round of 16: Lady Vols v Va. Tech...Sat @ 6:30 ESPN2

[VA_VOLFAN]

It ended #1 after playing LSU and SC

I just said the same thing ... welp hopefully that schedule prepared us for a long stay in march

 

[VolBalls33]

I would love another chance at both VTech and UCONN and possibly even Ohio State. Just win both games at home and see what happens.

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

I would love another chance at both VTech and UCONN and possibly even Ohio State. Just win both games at home and see what happens.

i want OSU... not because i'm scared of uconn i want to see Jordy go against her state school again in the tourney and get payback. Also, i wanna see us break that damn press lol

 

[ttharp]

The only thing that makes this a good bracket is no South Carolina. Otherwise, it's a tough bracket. If we win our first two games--and Iowa State just had a nice run in the Big 12 tourney and will be a tough opponent--we'd have to play 1 seed Va. Tech and, then were we to upset the Hokies, 2 seed Connecticut. There's nothing easy about that.

I don’t think VT is a sure bet for the S16 even as a 1 seed. Wouldn’t be surprised to see them go down in Blacksburg.

Either way, I think the team that comes out of Knoxville will advance to the E8.

 

[Max Roguespierre]

Congratulations to the Lady Vols. Honestly, I think they made out like bandits.

Comparing Tennessee's draw to that of number 2 seed Maryland, I don't think that the Terps have it any better.

 

[Ladyvol777]

I knew we would get a 4 because of all the fannies we can put in the seats. They all about money. I know I and some of my friends will buy tickets. I love out match ups. Get to the sweet 16 with no trouble. We should make the elite eight, and a good chance further. As always go Lady Vol's.

 

[37620VOL]

We have a great line to the E8. I don't like how we match up with UConn at all but maybe OSU can take them out.

 

[VolBall09]

We have a great line to the E8. I don't like how we match up with UConn at all but maybe OSU can take them out.

I have them losing to OSU. That’s just the kind of team that can knock them off. They are dangerous from 3 and relentlessly press. IF they meet I could see that press flustering them. Especially if their shots aren’t falling early.

UConn had the shooting night of their season when we played. Since then they had a few games where their shooting was just abysmal.

I like our chances if we meet OSU again, you gotta know this team wants that one back. So long as we win our first two games we have an opportunity to go on a revenge tour to the Final Four. Talk about motivation lol.

 

[VolBall09]

Make it to the Sweet 16 and it’s likely every team we play from that point forward will be an opponent we have already played this season. We could go all the way to the title game without seeing an opponent we haven’t already faced.

That’s a tough schedule y’all. All our losses on the season are hosting save for Gonzaga and MSST.

And we played all 4 1 seeds. Losing to them by an average of 7 points with the worst loss coming to #1 overall seed South Carolina. Get our head right and I like our chances. Hope we play loose, have fun and beat the heck outta some teams.

 

[Fatoldman]

i want OSU... not because i'm scared of uconn i want to see Jordy go against her state school again in the tourney and get payback. Also, i wanna see us break that damn press lol

If we get there we may win but will have a zillion turnovers against their press again

 

[VolBall09]

For the first time in years I also guarantee you nobody is looking at their bracket and jumping up and down to see Tennessee there. There were several seasons teams were salivating knowing we were in their region. Gotta know that feels different this time. Nobody wants to guard Jackson a second time I know that lmao.

Get ‘Em Kea

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

If we get there we may win but will have a zillion turnovers against their press again

a win is a win and if we win with a zillion turnovers that means we figured out a way to beat the press lol

 

[stllvf]

virgtoinia tech has IMO has a much more difficult bracket to host than any other first line and more difficult than many other hosts.

with parity this year we can expect "upsets" whatever that term really means.

 

[SATXVolFan82]

I watched the selection show and I must say…..the Lady Vols had the BEST backdrop with the Lights etc out of all teams showed including energy. IMO *if you haven’t seen it check out their IG page.

 

[glv98]

I watched the selection show and I must say…..the Lady Vols had the BEST backdrop with the Lights etc out of all teams showed including energy. IMO *if you haven’t seen it check out their IG page.

They did have a great set up! They showed St Louis twice but never the LVs. Some of the kids live streamed, and their reaction when they found out they didn't get on was hilarious. They were disbelieving at first, then super pissed that their dancing did not make the show. Took a few mins for them to get to "but we're hosting!" Then they decided quickly it was just more disrespect and they went on and had a great time.

 

[kell7517]

I watched the selection show and I must say…..the Lady Vols had the BEST backdrop with the Lights etc out of all teams showed including energy. IMO *if you haven’t seen it check out their IG page.

Don’t have IG. Link plz?

 

[volnationnj]

2 games at home and being able to go to those games was the best part for me. Considering we were never going to be put into the South Carolina bracket, I view our bracket as relatively difficult to get to the final four.

 

[glv98]

Don’t have IG. Link plz?

Don't need to "have" IG. Just search Lady Vols Instagram on your browser and you can watch.

 

[Raebo]

Probably the best 4 slot to make it to the elite 8. Stephanie Soares had a season ending injury for Iowa State which opens up the inside for our players. Heck, of the 4th seeds, we have the best path that could take us to the finals iMO.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Round of 64, first round: Lady Vols versus Saint Louis

OP updated with this post

WILMINGTON, Del. – For the first time in 18 years of Atlantic 10 Conference membership, the Saint Louis University women's basketball team has reached the final of the A-10 Championship.

The third-seeded Billikens raced to a 21-point first-half lead and survived a furious second-half rally by second-seeded and regular-season co-champion Rhode Island to win 59-56 Saturday afternoon in an A-10 Championship semifinal at CHASE Fieldhouse.

The Billikens (16-17), who have won five straight and 10 of their last 11 games, will face top-seeded and regular-season co-champion Massachusetts (26-5) in Sunday's title game at 11 a.m. Central. ESPNU will televise the contest. The Minutewomen are the defending A-10 tournament champions.

Saint Louis defeated Massachusetts, which eliminated fifth-seeded Richmond 80-60 in its semifinal, 77-75 Feb. 22 at Chaifetz Arena.

Julia Martinez, who nearly pulled off a triple-double in SLU's regular-season loss to Rhode Island, flirted with one again. Martinez posted a game-high-tying 15 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished a game-high eight assists.

Martinez added three steals, the biggest of which came with 12 seconds left on a Rhode Island sideline out-of-bounds play and the Billikens clinging to a 57-56 lead. She was fouled and calmly sank both free throws – completing a 5-of-5 day at the stripe – and a Rhode Island 3-point attempt to tie was off the mark.

Peyton Kennedy posted 15 points and eight rebounds, while Brooke Flowers collected her second double-double in as many tournament games with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds while adding three blocks. In the process, Flowers set the Billikens' single-season rebounds record with 311, surpassing Maddison Gits' previous mark of 308 in the 2017-18 campaign.

Saint Louis earned a 38-16 advantage in points in the paint. The Billikens out-rebounded the Rams 44-42, and although Rhode Island grabbed 19 offensive boards, the Rams managed just 10 second-chance points.

Saint Louis won the opening tip, Flowers scored on the first possession, and the Billikens led throughout. It was 21-6 following a first quarter that saw SLU shoot 53 percent (9-of-17) from the field.

The Billikens scored on three of their first four second-quarter possessions to go on top by 20 points, 26-6. The largest lead was 39-18 before the Bills settled for a 41-24 halftime advantage.

After Martinez scored on the initial third-quarter possession, Rhode Island began chipping away. The Rams scored on four of their first five trips down the floor to narrow the SLU lead to 45-34, and they made it a single-digit game, 50-41, at the end of three.

URI began the final 10 minutes with a 6-0 run to make it a one-possession game, 50-47. The Rams had two possessions to tie but misfired on 3-point attempts both times, and the Billikens capitalized with a Martinez three-point play that doubled the lead, 53-47.

Baskets by Kennedy Calhoun and Martinez restored a four-point lead after Rhode Island twice had sliced it to two. The Rams connected on three of four free throw attempts on their next two possessions following the Martinez bucket, and a SLU offensive foul gave them the ball back with a chance to win.

But Martinez, who earlier in the game took over second place on SLU's career steals list, made her 188th theft in a Billiken uniform and followed with clutch free throws.

 

[FormerLadyVolFan]

St. Louis U. women draw tradition-rich Tennessee in first NCAA Tournament appearance

 

[stllvf]

Trivia re records - once again the LVs have played (also loss) to all four #1 teams as well as three other host teams.
plus going 6-0 (depending how you count LSU's two games) in the tourney.

the opponent for the LVs called SLU last year had their star player transfer to a SEC school. wait-for-it ...... Vandy.

 

[VolBall09]

Reviewing our first round match-up I actually think that was a really good draw for us.

St. Louis comes into the tournament at 17-17 on the season after punching their automatic bid beating UMASS 91-85 in OT.

St. Louis struggled to start the season but started to come along about mid-way through the season. They are playing their best basketball at the moment. They have good size and veteran players but rely heavily on paint scoring. That bodes very well for the lady vols as we are tough to score on in the paint. St. Louis does not shoot the 3 well at all at 27% though they shoot quite a few of them.

We will have to be ready for those long rebounds, something we did a better job with this season against 3 point heavy teams.

They have absolutely nobody that can match Rickea or Horston from a defensive standpoint. So long as we take care of the ball and pound the glass it should not be a close contest. St. Louis played several P5 teams in the non-con and were blown out by teams like Baylor and MIZZOU.

They also start a 5’5” Pg and I would not be surprised to see us invert whoever she is guarding to the block. Even Walker will have a significant size advantage against a player that small.

 

[Rooster1]

I’ve got UT in the final 8 before losing to Uconn. It’s a great bracket for the LV’s. They could definitely beat Uconn if things break right in that game, there is a chance. Jax and Jordy would need to both be at their best and probably Uconn needs a below average shooting game.

 

[DSunAthletics]

I watched the selection show and I must say…..the Lady Vols had the BEST backdrop with the Lights etc out of all teams showed including energy. IMO *if you haven’t seen it check out their IG page.

100% this. Tennessee has all the momentum right now. After coming out with the victory in a physically dominating performance in the 2nd half against a then Top 5 team in the country LSU, the LVs have been the headline of WCBB. Tennessee had South Carolina on the ropes in the SEC title game 33-36 mid-way through the 3rd qtr despite extremely poor one-sided officiating and team fatigue. This talk about a 5 or even 6 seed was just for click-bait. The selection committee didn’t have to look far to lock the LVs in the 4th seed. No other team in the country could’ve loss a dominant post player and all-time shot blocker and play the toughest schedule in the country in the SEC then have a bounce back run to end the season as the LVs. Any bracket as a 4th seed was a good draw for the LVs. This team is led by two WNBA lottery picks. The key is staying healthy. A healthy LVs team will advance to the NCAA championship game. It’s time to dance. Lets go!!