Hokies Hoops Central: #8 Lady Hokies (26-4) vs. Louisville (23-10) 1 p.m. ET on ESPN
๐ข๐ป๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ.๐ ยป 1 PM๐บ ยป ESPN๐ ยป https://t.co/5g7aqFtFFv pic.twitter.com/A3yfLXxyjPโ Virginia Tech Women's Basketball (@HokiesWBB) March 5, 2023
ACC Network
Jenn Hildreth (play-by-play)
Debbie Antonelli (analyst)
Angel Gray (sideline)
Other ways to tune in
Virginia Tech Sports Network from @LearfieldAudio
Radio: 100.7 FM (NRV)
Mobile: @HokieSports app
Mobile:@Varsity Network app
๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ฒ pic.twitter.com/G6PT1yfz0Hโ Virginia Tech Women's Basketball (@HokiesWBB) March 5, 2023
Championship Sunday...
The Lady Hokies beat Louisville 81-79 in their sole meeting this season. The Hokies rolled #11 Duke right out of Greensboro 58-37 while Louisville ran over a short-handed Notre Dame squad 64-38. The Hokies allowed less than 10 points in three periods and 12 points in one, allowing the Blue Devils to shoot just 26.8% shooting from the field (and 6.7% from three).
Keep in mind that Notre Dame was missing two starters that combined this season for 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists so about a 40-45 point impact to their regular rotation. Following a 26-point performance against Wake Forest in the quarterfinals, Hailey Van Lith provided Louisville with 15 points as one of four Cardinals to finish with 10 or more points against Notre Dame. Olivia Cochran grabbed eight boards to go along with her 12 points, while Mykasa Robinson again put together an all-around performance with 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
The first time Louisville and the Hokies met up โ Taylor Soule was on fire down low while scoring 24 points as one of four Hokies in double figures. Georgia Amoore struggled shooting on 5-15 from the floor. Louisville was led by 29 points from Hailey Van Lith and 19 from Morgan Jones.
The game was a slugfest down low with Soule eventually fouling out and both starting Louisville forwards and a center off the bench finishing with four fouls each.
The three keys as I see them:
1) Limit Van Lith. The Hokies defense was in a mid-season slump in the last game so holding Van Lith under 20 in this game should be enough. An Lith has a tendency to get defenders off balance and knows how to draw contact. She went 7-7 in the last game at the line.
2) Stay out of early foul trouble and keep your composure. This game will have a higher amount of physical play down low than even Duke and UNC with Olivia Cochran banging up Kitley at every chance.
3) Limit turnovers โ Louisville blew Notre Dame out primarily by forcing early turnovers. They forced thirteen in the first half yesterday.
One other area of concern will be fatigue, Louisville goes 5 deep on its bench while the Hokies tend to use only two or three at most.
๐TUNE IN๐No. 4 @LouisvilleWBB๐โNo. 3 @HokiesWBBโฐ โ1:00 p.m. ET๐ป ESPN#NCAAWBB pic.twitter.com/lWQGjMJzoMโ NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 5, 2023
Louisville Backcourt
Hailey Van Lith
10 JR G 5-7
19.4 Pts, 4.8 Reb, 3.3 Ast
Chrislyn Carr
3 SR G 5-5
10.9 Pts, 2.3 Reb, 2.6 Ast
Morgan Jones
24 SR G 6-2
9.3 Pts, 4.3 Reb, 1.5 Ast
Mykasa Robinson
5 SR G 5-7
5.7 Pts, 4.9 Reb, 4.2 Ast
Merissah Russell
13 JR G 5-11
4.4 Pts, 2.4 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Norika Konno
11 SR G 5-10
2.6 Pts, 1.0 Reb, 1.2 Ast
Louisville Frontcourt
Olivia Cochran
44 JR F 6-3
8.1 Pts, 6.5 Reb, 1.2 Ast
Liz Dixon
22 SR F 6-5
5.1 Pts, 3.7 Reb, 0.5 Ast
Nyla Harris
2 FR F 6-2
4.5 Pts, 3.6 Reb, 0.3 Ast
Josie Williams
40 SR C 6-5
2.8 Pts, 1.8 Reb, 0.4 Ast
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