Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2024-25

#22,926
#22,926
Rooster1 said:
The game will be determined by Boston, who dominates in these games.
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If Boston comes out big, then I agree...SC wins handily. Stanford has done a good job on her defensively in the past. She has not shot well against them. We'll see if that continues on Sunday. I think they'll win, but I don't think it will be a cake walk.
 
#22,931
#22,931
Amb3096 said:
Stanford does. I think Brink, Belibi, Pretchel and Betts will challenge them inside. Brink in particular has been a headache for Boston in previous matchups, and Belibi has shown she can score around the bigger SC players. I think the game will be determined by which backcourt shows out.
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It will certainly be interesting:

In the 2021 NCAAT Final Four, Boston was all alone. She was 5-14 in 33 minutes for 11 pts and 16 rebounds. Saxton was a no-show for the game, despite playing in it for 29 minutes. 0 points on only 1 attempt. and only 1 single rebound. Amihere had 6 pts and 6 rebounds in 17 minutes, Beal had 5 pts and 7 rebounds in 39 minutes. For Stanford, Prechtel had 9 pts and 8 rebounds in 24 minutes, and Brink had 6 pts, 6 blocks, and 4 rebounds in 21 minutes. Belibi was a non-factor with 0 pts and 3 rebounds in 11 minutes. What they brought to the table, were their fouls and presence in the paint to crowd Boston and where her down.

The NCAAT game was mostly between the non-posts: Stanford's Jones (24 pts), Lexie Hull (18 pts), and Williams (8 pts), against the Gamecocks' Cooke (25 pts), and Henderson (18 pts). Amihere and Saxton had averaged around 5-6 ppg and 5-6 rpg during the season, but only combined for 6 pts and 7 rebounds vs Stanford, and it wasn't enough. As it was, South Carolina lost by 1 point in that game, and had the ball in their hands with a fair opportunity to win when the game clock ended. But they needed at least one back-up 5 to help Boston, and didn't have it that season.

In the 2021-22 regular-season game, Stanford returned everyone except Williams. Hull (17 pts) and Jones (11 pts) were lesser representatives of themselves, but Belibi (12 pts, 4 reb), Brink (3 pts, 4 reb, 2 blk), and Prechtel (3 pts, 9 reb, 5 blk) gave a better showing collectively, and Jump - who didn't play in the NCAAT game - added 9 pts and 3 reb of her own.

For South Carolina, Henderson (17 pts) equaled her efforts from the NCAAT game, but Cooke (4 pts) struggled. But Boston (18 pts, 11 reb, 5 blk, 4 stl) was a fitter, fresher version of herself, and she got better help from Saxton (7 pts, 10 reb, 2 blk) and regular support from Beal, Amihere, and newcomer Cardoso (combined 13 pts, 8 reb, 3 blks). Boston had better more productive help in the post.

It was STILL a tightly contested game - a 4-pt. win for the Gamecocks, who out-scored the Cardinal by 3 pts in the final period to get there. But the BIGGEST difference between both games, were the turnovers: in the NCAAT game, Henderson and Cooke combined for 8 of the team's 11 turnovers to only 6 team steals , while in the 2nd game, the Gamecocks only had 7 team turnovers, but stole 13 Cardinal balls to go with the 10 shots they blocked, while forcing Stanford into 20 turnovers themselves (they only had 12 in the NCAAT game).

In the NCAAT game, the Gamecocks scored 10 points off those turnovers, compared to Stanford scoring 11 pts off theirs. That 1 point advantage for the Trees stands out like a festering sore thumb, in that game. In the 2nd game, South Carolina scored 26 pts off Stanford turnovers, compared to only 6 pts that Stanford was able to score off of the Gamecocks. Huge difference, with all else being close to similar.

This season, both teams have added size to their team depth. Stanford has a new rising star in Betts, but both Prechtel - who has never been a huge inside presence - and Belibi are barely averaging 10 mpg thus far this season. South Carolina meanwhile have added youngster size in Feagin and Watkins: right now, the Gamecocks' leading scorers #2 through #8 are Boston (13.0 ppg), Cardoso (10.3 ppg), Watkins (10.0 ppg), Feagin (8.0 ppg), Beal (6.7 ppg), Amihere (6.3 ppg), and Saxton (6.0 ppg) - all post players and major rebounders. They all represent the top 7 rebounders on the team, too. Boston has some help now. But the deciding factor may again be in which team plays the toughest perimeter defense, and forces the turnovers. Also playing on the road at Stanford will be a very tough test to pass for the Gamecocks.....
 
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#22,932
#22,932
1reVOLver said:
View attachment 515437
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Iowa has an explosive offense, but they are not known for much defense. Their strategy is simply to out-score opponents and shoot them out of the gym. Of their 7 opponents that were top 25 ranked last season, Iowa went 4-3 against them, and gave up about as many pts per game to them as they themselves scored against them. They had the #2 nationally ranked Scoring Offense last season, and the #306th ranked Scoring Defense (!!!). Looks like more of the same to be expected for this season as well.......
 
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#22,933
#22,933



Slamma Jamma




Watkins joined an exclusive club of women's basketball dunkers that includes Georgeann Wells (West Virginia), Charlotte Smith (North Carolina), Michelle Snow (Tennessee), Sancho Lyttle (Houston), Fran Belibi (Stanford), Candace Parker (Tennessee), Sylvia Fowles (LSU) and Brittney Griner (Baylor).
 
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#22,934
#22,934
Poor Brittany Griner. Literally sent to the salt mines in Siberia. I don't care about politics, weed, basketball or anything else regarding her right now, I just pray for her. She is living out a nightmare and I pray for her strength and endurance.

Although going to Russian prison camp is horrible, US officials say it actually makes negotiating for her easier, since her sentence is settled. Please God let it be so.
 
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#22,936
#22,936
Rooster1 said:



Slamma Jamma




Watkins joined an exclusive club of women's basketball dunkers that includes Georgeann Wells (West Virginia), Charlotte Smith (North Carolina), Michelle Snow (Tennessee), Sancho Lyttle (Houston), Fran Belibi (Stanford), Candace Parker (Tennessee), Sylvia Fowles (LSU) and Brittney Griner (Baylor).
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When did Sylvia dunk in college?
 
#22,940
#22,940
Side note....I watched NCSU for the third time this year. I was expecting Rivers to play a bunch if not start. She does not play a whole lot yet, and when she does she still cannot shoot the basketball. I don't know what has happened to her offense, but she just doesn't have any confidence left. She is even shooting FT's horribly, she was 1-4 the other night. I suppose college ball affects every new player differently, but she looked like a can't miss out of HS.

It's still early, but Watkins looks like one of the top 2-3 players from the most recent class. I rank that class like this so far:

1) Latson-FSU
2)Betts-Stanford
3)Watkins- SC
4) Rice-UCLA
5)Barker-aTm
6) Beers-OregState
 
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#22,943
#22,943
Blueconn said:
Except for teams with transcendent backcourt play. Fudd for now…with fiery Nikka wearing Bird’s old number. Geno has a way of pulling this stuff off.
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Fudd has a hard time getting clean looks versus SC defense. SC bigs feast on the boards versus Uconn. So it is said, so shall it be.
 
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#22,944
#22,944
Rooster1 said:
Side note....I watched NCSU for the third time this year. I was expecting Rivers to play a bunch if not start. She does not play a whole lot yet, and when she does she still cannot shoot the basketball. I don't know what has happened to her offense, but she just doesn't have any confidence left. She is even shooting FT's horribly, she was 1-4 the other night. I suppose college ball affects every new player differently, but she looked like a can't miss out of HS.

It's still early, but Watkins looks like one of the top 2-3 players from the most recent class. I rank that class like this so far:

1) Latson-FSU
2)Betts-Stanford
3)Watkins- SC
4) Rice-UCLA
5)Barker-aTm
6) Beers-OregState
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Good call i was also expecting Rivers to play a bunch if not start. After watching there last game she is stuck behind Madison Hayes it looks like.
 
#22,946
#22,946
Blueconn said:
Except for teams with transcendent backcourt play. Fudd for now…with fiery Nikka wearing Bird’s old number. Geno has a way of pulling this stuff off.
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Here I am mentioning inside play and you bring up guards. Oh, well. I had the same argument last year with posters and we see who won the title. I’ve been saying for years UCONN’s inside game is too weak to win a title and they haven’t won. They won’t win again. However, I do believe y’all are talented enough to get to the title game again, and I wouldn’t mind seeing Geno lose in another title game.
 
#22,947
#22,947
NoBackBoard said:
Here I am mentioning inside play and you bring up guards. Oh, well. I had the same argument last year with posters and we see who won the title. I’ve been saying for years UCONN’s inside game is too weak to win a title and they haven’t won. They won’t win again. However, I do believe y’all are talented enough to get to the title game again, and I wouldn’t mind seeing Geno lose in another title game.
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UConn beat them the previous season purely on the back of Bueckers while the UConn inside game was pretty much a non-factor. The problem for UConn is that the current iteration of SC is so much better than the team they beat 2 years ago. They could have Fudd AND Bueckers and it might still not be enough this year.
 
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#22,948
#22,948
Amb3096 said:
UConn beat them the previous season purely on the back of Bueckers while the UConn inside game was pretty much a non-factor. The problem for UConn is that the current iteration of SC is so much better than the team they beat 2 years ago. They could have Fudd AND Bueckers and it might still not be enough this year.
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They had both Fudd and Bueckers last year and it wasn’t nearly enough, two blowouts, even with Williams, Westbrook and their center ONO. Their current post players aren’t the same caliber as SC’s, that’s where the mismatch is between the two teams. Boston, Cardoso, Feagin, Watkins, Saxton and Amihere go 6 deep on the front line, and they are all quality.

Uconn will likely go 3 guards, a wing and a post against SC when they play, and in that scenario, SC will again dominate the boards and the low post.

Having said that, Stanford does have the front court players to match up with SC, and I expect that game to once again be a very close game as their recent previous matchups have been. Stanford is the team that can match up well with SC and it would not shock me for them to pull it out on their home court, they may even be favored.

You better believe SC will have tight D on Jump around the perimeter, she has been shooting the 3 at at almost 60% so far. Betts is like Watkins, ready to contribute now and she is really really good, future star If not a budding one already.

I think the front court depth for SC will get Stanford in foul trouble again though, so many bigs from SC to throw at the Cardinal bigs and their bigs are foul prone. Haley has been the most dangerous player against SC recently, and that will probably continue, she is hard for SC guards to play defense on, and she is clutch in big games.
 
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