The #5 Ladies travel to Notre Dame today to face the #17 Irish. The game will be on ESPN at 7 PM. The Hokies have locked up the ACC season championship and the #1 seed in the ACC tournament. Notre Dame is in a four-way tie for third with Louisville, NC State and Florida State, all at 11-5. Syracuse is currently second at 13-4. I don't want to try to figure out all the possibilities, but this game is important to Notre Dame.
The Irish have 6' 3" senior(Jr elegibility) Maddie Westbeld and 6' 4" senior(Jr elegibility) Kylee Watson; so they will have someone nearly as tall as Kitley on the floor most of the time. But the biggest threat is 5' 6" freshman Hannah Hidalgo. She has consistently won freshman of the week honors this year and is in the discussion for player of the year. In their last 3 games, they have only 7 players have played significant minutes and in their last game only used 6.
Notre Dame is 21-6, 11-5 in the ACC. All of their losses are to teams that are currently in the top 25 or receiving votes. They are currently on a 3 game winning streak with road wins at Duke and BC to go with a home win against Clemson. Their most recent loss was to NC State at home on Feb 15.
As mentioned above Hidalgo is a scoring machine. She is averaging nearly 24 points and 6 rebounds per game and she draws a lot of fouls. She shoots well from three and is great at driving to the hoop. I don't know if we have anyone who can stay with her. Coach Brooks may try to zone against them to try to slow down her drives.
In addition to Hidalgo, Westbeld and Citron score in double digits. All of the starters except Watson will step out and hit a three. Watson, 2.6 fouls per game, Hidalgo, 2.8 and Westbeld, 3.0, can all potentially have foul problems; and with the short bench, fouls could be a big factor. On our side, we may have foul trouble trying to stay with Hidalgo.
I think we are the better team; but this is going to be a tough game.
Gotta go. Busy day today.
LET'S GO HOKIES!
Comments
LETS GOOOOOOOO!
HOKIES!!!!!!
Isn't Marshall 6'-5" and averaging 19 minutes per game? Seems like they will put some height on the floor to slow down Kitley. Count me nervous.
I don't know why; but Marshall did not play in their last game.
According to the spreadsheet, HomebrewHokie08 is cousins with Maddie Westbeld. I hope he was blowing up her phone all night so she plays today on little rest. You know, in the interest of fair competition.
I was not and she did the family proud unfortunately
Not sure it matters in a one off game, but Hidalgo over the past 2 weeks has cooled a bit. In her last five games she is shooting just 30% from the floor. While shes 34% from beyond the arc on the season, over those last five games she is shooting just 17% (only made 4 threes). Shes only made 9 threes the entire month of February.
She's still been dynamic in other areas (assists/steals), but if we can keep her under 20 tonight an Georgia and Kitley play remotely close to how they have been the past two weeks, I feel good about our chances.
It's a long damn season for a freshman to play as many minutes as she has. She's unquestionably one of the most talented freshmen in the country, but I agree she's "slowing down" relatively speaking. Hopefully King works her over like a rented mule and she runs out of gas early.
I think the key will be limiting turnovers. Hidalgo is a steal machine. It will be imperative to make crisp passes, and Georgia will need to avoid trying to over dribble one-on-one against Hidalgo. Notre Dame will be hungry, and we have a road trip to UVA looming over us. Win tonight, and we clinch the regular season title outright. Hopefully that's enough motivation to keep us focused and playing well. I said a couple of weeks ago that we needed to go a minimum of 1-1 in the road games at Louisville and at Notre Dame. Going 2-0 would be the chef's kiss on this stretch run. We shall see
Also, for motivation, as ltrepeter said below, win out and we have a real expectation of a #1 seed in the NCAA. Dodging the rest of the #1 seeds until the Final Four will be really nice. While I believe on our best night we can go blow for blow with any of them, I'll still be crossing my fingers and hoping someone not in our bracket pulls the upset.
Extra bit of motivation with Texas losing, Hokies primed to move into Top 4 in polls with a win. Hate cheering for Ohio State this week but probably best for our rankings.
First off, this reminds me of the video prior to the @Duke game. No bueno.
Second, I'm ok with cheering for anOSU if it means cheering against Little Miss Armbar. So, yeah, go Bucknuts!
Third, I can smell the 1 seed. I'm sure the team is well aware that they ahve to win out to lock it down, but I hope it doesn't overwhelm them. One game at a time. Tonight, just beat Notre Lame.
Haven't had time to check it out, but a guy just told me Iowa hit 22 3 pointers last night. Yikes.
As a team, they were 22-39. Clark was 8-14 from beyond the arc. They had one guard off the bench shoot 5-7 from 3 point for 15 points in only 13 minutes of play. That's some serious contribution from the bench. However, I don't know how good Minnesota is so this could be a case of the 90s chicago bulls vs little sister of the poor.
Hopefully they are in a bracket with USC so we don't have to play them both.
I would absolutely love that, but you know the committee will find a reason to put them on the opposite side of the bracket.
Minnesota is 5-12 in conference play. 56% is highest allowed on the season but they have allowed over 40% in seven games. 46% was the previous high allowed. On the whole conference opponents shooting 38% which is no good.
As long as bucknuts aren't what you're smelling...
I'm not gonna say I told you so, but gorrammit I freaking told you so.
What I was smelling was not the #1 seed. It was the pile of #2 the refs served up last night and we chowed down on.
Big players make big plays in big games. It's time to step up and be who we are. The target on our back is on our back for a reason. I'm sure the girls know what this game means and how it can ultimately have a huge impact on their goals for the entire season. It's time to start putting away the teams that we are better than and playing better collectively than we have up until this point. It's time for everyone on the roster to up their game and play beyond what they think they're capable of individually. Winning at a high level doesn't just happen. We gotta go fucking do it because we're better than they are. It's time.
Don't Forget the ACC Career Points Record Watch:
1. Alana Beard - Duke - 2687 points
2. Liz Kitley - Virginia Tech - 2677 points
....
50. Jen Hoover - Wake Forest - 1728 points
51. Janelle Bailey - UNC - 1724 points
52. Stefanie Murphy - Boston College - 1722 points
53. Georgia Amoore - 1716 points.
edit. and other records:
5. DeMya Walker - UVA - 330 career blocks
6. Liz Kitley - Virginia Tech - 323 career blocks
5. Kelly Hughes - Boston College - 322 career 3 pointers
6. Brianna Butler - Syracuse - 320 career 3s
7. Jennifer Howard - NC State - 315 career 3s
8. Georgia Amoore - Virginia Tech 313 career 3s
Points Produced
20. Brianna Turner - Notre Dame - 1822
21. Georgia Amoore - Virginia Tech - 1804
Bold of you to assume Georgia can chalk up 971 points tonight. Challenge accepted!
More, just that she can break into the top 50.
Next year, however....
I see what you did there.
One more year, one more year!
Might be hard for Kitley to pull those 7 blocks in the regular season left.
naw dawg. She just has to get a triple double tonight points/rebounds/blocks and she's set. It's science.
I believe those stats count post season too
Hidalgo is solidly in the discussion for who is going to finish second to Kitley for ACC Player of the Year.
Hidalgo had to eat locusts in order to finish the race.
Now that is a pull.
My mind resides in the obscure regions of the universe.
Let 'er buck
Hokies are the top 2-seed going into tonight.
I like those brackets if they stay where they are. Just win baby.
They can't. UCLA and Stanford can't both win out.
Plus Iowa might knock out Ohio State.
Maybe Oregon State takes out Stanford tonight, then Stanford wins the Pac12.
You'd see us as the #2 overall seed, behind SoCar, iff we win out.
Oregon St has a tough job as apparently they are missing one of their top players with a broken nose
Refs letting em play so far tonight....I guess that's good when you're on the road?
Man....Hidalgo is quick....on O and D.....
need to work on our boxing out for the rebounds
Great to see the ladies pull a primetime ESPN coverage. They pay a fun brand of basketball!
Not gonna be so good if we get smoked like we are right now.
These guys are smothering us on defense right now we have to find a way to spread them out
That last "three" was a two. Both toes on the line.
I saw that as well.
Ladies missing layups is no bueno
Six missed now.
Ekh got grabbed on bumped three times before her "travel". Kenny pissed
Yup.
Just got home and turned the game on. Feels like ND is making everything and we are missing everything.
They're hounding us on defense and we're rushing out sets and shots a bit.
it does feel that way.
It's because I was watching, sorry yall. Happens when I watch the guys team too. I'll turn it off now so we can mount a come back
They finally call a moving screen, but it's against us😡
Looks like we ran into a tidal wave tonight. Have to get it down to a 5 to 10 point lead by halftime!
REBOUND THE BASKETBALL!!!
And make layups.
Gotta find a way to slow hidalgo down on both O and D
Ekh took a terrible fucking angle there
That foul on Summiel was ridiculous.
going scoreless in the second quarter was not on my bingo card
Kitley is totally rattled.
What these refs are letting ND's D do on the court is ridiculous
Kitley is getting mugged without the ball.
Brooks complained about the non-calls and the refs called three straight fouls on us.
Feels like a little home cooking going on here. Our shooting isn't helping us though.
There is a LOT of home cooking.
Hate whistles that come after the ball is rebounded
The worst
We always seem to give up the halftime bucket
Very flat-footed zone on that last possession. Almost like they thought it was halftime when Ekh made the 3.
Absolutely huge to get it back to 8 at the half. That coulda really got away from us.
A whole lot of shots they usually make just didn't fall hopefully the second half will return to our regularly scheduled programming.
Much better finish to the quarter than the start. We got it under 10, now let's settle down and play our game. LET'S GO!!
HOKIES!
We got to get over this habit of just having a horrible 2nd quarter. Luckily we normally fire it up in the 3rd and 4th.
We looked a little but on cruise control the first half. Hopefully they step on the gas the second half, and ND runs out of gas since they came out blasting. Not saying I want the ladies to push a reckless pace, but rather get aggressive staying in position on defense and get a lot better movement on offense to give Amoore more options to dish the ball or take the shot when the double team drops off.
Well shit...
We need to start driving the lane hard on O
Is it legal to just push people like that off the ball? Like they're doing to kitley?
No but the TV announcers sure are applauding her for playing tough
This girl Maddie guarding kitley has her hands all over her wwwith and without the ball
Amoore's ego is getting the best of her and our team.
Amoore got us to this level. I'll take her shooting anything she wants all day.
Like that
Baker off the bench with a nice 3!
EKH!!!
Let's go!!!
HOKIES!
The inequity of the calls in the paint is glaring
We have got to get kitley success in the post.
Amoore getting way too cute
Hidalgo getting the Clark treatment
I still don't understand basketball fouls.
I do understand the mario getting a coin cha-ching free throw sound as annoying as all get out.
Probably because of how much the officiating varies game to game in the ACC. The only consistent thing is their inconsistencies.
Hidalgo got away with an elbow to Kings chest there at the end
She was channeling her inner Caitlin.
Ekh 5-8 and 2-3 from deep for 12 points
Maybe we need to keep working to her if they're taking kitley out....which it seems they are set on doing
Amoore missed her eighth layup just now
Yet she's leading the team with 16 cause nobody else is really taking it to ND. Kitleys missed like 8 too.
Hidalgo just walked TWICE but nope bucket
Just walked again
Yup
Can't call anything on the freshman of the year.
Yet the 2-time ACC POY and 4-week straight POW gets no calls
Ekh can't even raise her arms, no foul.
Ekh got absolutely mugged
Seemed like ekh got straight up tackled
Seemed likeekh got straight up tackledUgh. That one hurt.
Toes on the line again but they won't review it.
Unless the refs start magically calling fouls to give us points and time back, I am not hopeful...
Tough team to play on the road. Great environment up there in South Bend. To add, our ladies do not handle a physical team very well at all.
I had to turn it off a few minutes ago. Too eerily similar to the recent away games for the men. Too eerily similar to how we got bent over the bench by LSU last year. Not a good look going into the tournament season. Hope they take it as a good wake-up call and prepare better for the last game at Virginia.
This review was ridiculous. If it takes you seven minutes it's time for a review clock limit. I think they got it right but it should never take that long.
Amoore doing her very best Pedulla impression tongiht.
Don't understand the shade on Amoore tonight....this was a team loss and she led the team with 20 points. Sometimes it's not your day.
She had 20 points on 7-24 shooting. They somehow only put two turnovers on her but it was at least six or seven. It can be both.
Yeah, we were doing better when everyone else was shooting
I wanna play em again on a neutral court in the ACCT. Kitley had a rough night and was bottled up inside. Hidalgo is a helluva player though.
It's alright y'all. We've had 10 wins since our last loss. loluva, 3 in the ACCT and 6 in the NCAAT and we will have 10 straight again. LET'S GO!!
I dig it.
HOKIES!!
This game was atrocious. Officiating looked like a cooked match from the start. Once it set in we couldn't get a fair-normal call we pressed and got off our game.
Could never get over the hump. We would get within 6 and their little Kobe Bryant chick with a chip on her shoulder would bury a 3 or steal the ball. Where did they get that gnat, and why can't we find one of those?
When Amoore is on her game, we have one of those. Unfortunately, when she's not she's more reminiscent of allen iverson going 21/42, scoting the most points, but at a huge cost.
21/42 would have been great. It's when it's 7/24 that the wheels come off. Hitting 50% of her missed layups last night would have put us squarely in the game. (She missed 9 or 10)
TBF beyond Georgia, we have some guard prospects/commits that are pretty hyped. I feel like Suphrin's potential in the future is being slept on, but people are pretty excited about Mackenzie Nelson.
Actually Nelson probably will be second fiddle to Lexi Blue but next year Nelson may get more run with having been in Kenny's system a year but Amoore's decision plays the biggest impact.
Notre Dame next year though will be better than this year with the return of Olivia Miles. Having Miles and Hidalgo together may be a straight lethal combo.
Miles last season averaged 15ppg/7.3rpg/6.9apg.
I think they will have the best back court in the country next year if they can learn to play together. Miles was a beast.
I felt bad about this game all day and when I was driving home from work thought it might almost be good to reset our "streak" before the win or go home starts
Those poor poor wahoos. Liz is going to have to drop a 50 burger on them to keep her weekly average up.
This was the game I was most worried about of our last five games. Hidalgo is GOOD.
Yes, she is GOOD. And ACC refs are BAD.
On a better note, at least we're the clear ACC regular season winner. Thanks NC State!