The Ladies open their NCAA Tournament play today at 3:30 against Marshall. The Hokies are 24-7 and 15-0 at home. Marshall is 26-6 and 12-5 on the road.
Marshall has not yet played a top 25 team this year; we have played several. However we ended the season losing 3 of our last 4 games. Marshall is on a 10 game winning streak.. In our one common opponent, they lost to Wake Forest by 7 and we beat Wake by 9. So by the transitive property of sports scores, we should win by 16. The Wise Guys think we will win by 10.5.
The rosters show a big advantage to us in height. Their tallest player is 6'1". Except for Amoore, everyone who plays regularly for us is 6' or taller.
Marshall runs a fast paced offense and a full court defense even on missed shots. They play a lot of players and substitute freely to keep their players fresh. If we don't have this game under control by the fourth quarter, fatigue may be an issue for us.. Like the Hokies, the Thundering Herd shoots a lot of threes. We average 9 made threes per game; they average 10.8. They have attempted 1013 threes this season to our 801. Defending at the arc is going to be important in this game. 44.5% of their shots are from beyond the arc; we shoot 41.5% of our shots from deep. Marshall averages 71 shots per game to our 62. They achieve this high rate of shots by playing aggressive defense with the full court press all game; but they also average 16 offensive rebounds per game. Typically only the shooter stays back while the rest of the team crashes the offensive boards. Blocking our on defense will be important. They don't worry too much about fouls from their aggressive play because they play so many players; 12 players play at least 11 min/game; no one plays over 30 minutes and only two players average over 25 minutes.
Stats for both teams:
Marshall
Virginia Tech
Marshall scores 86.4 ppg and allows 71.2; we score 74.8 and allow 61.7. This game is going to be a battle of contrasting styles. Marshall wants to run and we play a more methodical game. They can't run if we don't miss or if we can be more aggressive on the offensive boards. We cannot afford to let their aggressive defense force into to turnovers.
With Kitley, I think this would have been an easy tune-up to get back into playing shape after the long layoff. Without Kitley, this should still be a win; but it may be a closer game than we are comfortable with. And if we get into the fourth quarter with a close game, I will be very concerned about fatigue. They are probably going to play twice as many players as we do. Hopefully the big advantage we have in height can mitigate their aggressive approach to the offensive boards to cut down on their second chance opportunities.
I think we are going to need some players to step up. Amoore can't carry the entire load. Ekh and King need to make some shots. And Clara Strack could have a very big game if they can get the ball to her where she can shoot before the double team arrives. Strack could also be a big factor if she can find the open shooter and we can make our threes.
LET'S GO HOKIES!
Comments
Let's Go!!!!
HOKIES!!!!
HOKEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!!!
Awww, nuts. Can't drink all day unless you start in the morning...I believe I will. Here's to all y'all and them that likes us. Everybody else can fuck off!
Strack and Summiel are going to be key players in this. Ehk and King have to SCORE.
Would love to see a full Strack Attack!!
LET'S GO!!
LETS GO HOKIE LADIES!
Cheering in spirit from the sunny island of Vieques, Puerto Rico 🇵🇷.......85 deg and a light breeze with a 100 percent chance of Pina coladas!
Might get a chance to watch some of the replay later tonight-
Sweet! Are you gonna probe around the island? (Ummm,.... phrasing...)
We sure did!
Louisville throwing their game away.
Threw away an 18 point lead
Go Blue!
Strack Attack!!
Georgia has been able to break the press so far and find Strack. Definitely bodes well 🙏
After 8 minutes of gameplay, we've hit as many FT as they've scored points.
Terrible end to this quarter. Turnover, lost rebound, and nearly another TO. And a travel
Their player was laying on Stracks lower legs causing that turnover. Turns into foul and 3 points.
We're clearing trying to rest Georgia as much as possible this quarter, but it's hurt our scoring here by a ton.
Not sure it is resting Georgia as much as they basically called back to back fouls on her.
Totally missed one of those fouls
So sloppy at end
Why do we always go away from what was working and play a slow dragging game? The inside/outside of Armoore and Strack was overwhelming them. Do more, please.
Wenzel can't pass like Amoore and Amoore on bench with two fouls
Time for a Kenny Brown conversation?
Pretty much all of their starters with points and no fouls, their bench plenty of fouls and no points.
King and Ekh already scored more than their last 3? games combined!
Getting outrebounded by Minnie mice is ridiculous
STRACKATTACK
STRACK ATTACK!!!!!
Wow, girls put on a clinic on how to end the 2nd quarter. 7 pt lead to 17 point lead.
Strongest 2nd Quarter in a couple months and without Amoore
Ekh has 6 points. She had been a ZERO in the past three games combined. King has already exceeded her average over those last three games (3,8,6).
The WORST part about Liz not playing is the commentators constantly comparing her and Strack and yet there has been NO mention of Raven
Man, Marshall reckless out there and kinda wore themselves out by late in the 2nd.
Need to come out and break their wills to start the 3rd. Also, I have the sound off cause I'm working, why was Amoore sitting so much?
she had 2 fouls real quick.
When Ekh is on, she is Ekhcellent
Georgia 😍
Leave no doubt
Wow that's a crazy stat. Marshall has 14 more shots but losing by 28
They went close to 7 minutes without scoring if I remember correctly but they were still throwing it at the rim the whole time.
Marshall already resolving to dirty fouls
Marshall putting Kyle Filitripski on the court
I couldn't believe they had a player foul out in the third. We have been in the bonus with at least four minutes left in each quarter.
Marshall really showing that they did not actually play against any good teams this year.
Honestly just sit Georgia so she doesn't get injured. Chippy
Announcers saying the same thing. Marshall playing dirty, don't risk her.
Rose having a solid game
Very glad for her. She sat for most of the ACC play.
she sat for the last 2 months before kitley went out
EKH!!
Strack and Wenzel in double figures in a tournament game.
This could really be a good preview for next years team. Only 7 points for King and Amoore. Everybody else can come back next year.
Ekh with 19 through 3.
A lot of good takeaways so far. Ekh busted her slump. Strack is confident. Wenzel is improving and Rose got some solid minutes. And Cassell is JUMPIN
Sports is so fun when your team is dominating!
We scored more in the 3Q (36) than they have in the game (34). Holy crap.
Please for the love get all the starters out of the game. Please!
We don't have enough players to do that.
Then at least get Amore, Strack, and King out
at this point, grab some fans from the front row...
Beamer could use some reps
Could get most off and at this point drop the walk ons in. Put Suffren, Baker, Wenzel, Micheaux and a walk on.
Do we have any walkons?
Gabby Brooks unless she is redshirting
The two weeks to prep for this game are a sign of just how good a coach Kenny is.
Only really concerning thing in this game is allowing 19 offensive rebounds. Can not do that against Baylor assuming they win.
Think part of that comes from them shooting 40 threes and big bounces back to the perimeter
Some but there were plenty by 5'5 guards in the paint.
How many of their offensive rebounds were either bad bounces or them ripping the ball out of our hands. I saw quite a few of the latter.
At least six were the latter and thats concerning. Marshall wasnt able to capitalize but Baylor will if it continues.
43 point win in a tournament game without Kitley and Amoore only scoring 9