The Ladies host the Gardner Webb Runnin' Bulldogs today at 6 PM. The game will be available on the ACC Network extra channel. Play by play Byron Kerr, Analyst Mack McCarthy. Evan Hughes is on the VT Sports Network.
Gardner Webb is 0-3 with losses at Queens, (58-47), at West Georgia (91-68) and at Mercer (61-56). They return 5 players from last year including former Big South Conference player of the year, Anaya Harris, and current starters Amina Gray and Kayla Martin. Martin started the first two games; then did not play against Mercer. Other returning players are Nyla Walker, who has played in all three games and leads the Dawgs with 15 ppg, and Regina Yanez-Enriquez who has not played.
This is the first year for Head Coach Terri Williams, who has a career record of 283-245. Williams was a head coach at Georgetown and Auburn; but she game to GW from Penn State, where she was Associate Head Coach. ESPN thinks the Hokies have a 98.5% chance of winning this game.
Projected starters, according to Hokie Sports, are #2Amina Gray, 5'6"Jr, #3 Makayla Legette 5"7"F, #22 Amira Ofunniyin 6'0" Jr, #24 Jaelyn Acker 5'8" R-Sr and #10 Nyla Walker5'4" Sr. This would be the first start for Walker. #1 Kayla Martin started the first two games and #11 Sara memdez started the last game.
The Ladies should not be challenged tonight. Even Mackie Nelson will be taller than most of the GW players. We should dominate the boards. And GW averages 17 TOs to 11 Assists. GW also may be subject to foul problems; Gray averages 3.3 fouls per game and Ofunnyin averages 3.7. If Martin plays, she averages 3.5. So GW's better players may spend a lot of time on the bench with foul trouble.
GW is shooting 36% overall and 32% from three; and only 53% from the line. There should be a lot of rebounds available for the taller Hokies. Given their size, I'm guessing GW plays a fast-paced game, since they are not tall enough to match up in a half-court offense with most teams. If that is the case we may score a lot of points tonight. Since I predicted a fast-paced game, GW will probably play ball control to keep the score down. Everyone available should get some playing time tonight. If Coach Duffy wants to emulate CMY, we may see some hockey line change type substitutions tonight.
GO HOKIES!
Comments
LETS GO
Hokies!!!
Ofunnyin? I did a triple take on that one, and every time I try to say it, it comes out with drunk Irish accent.
The ladies seem very disjointed compared to the men at this point. 🤔
Still up 16-8, but there doesn't seem to be much flow....
Wenzel and Baker are 2 for 9 and expected to be top scorers
Rest of the team 7 for 12
1 for 11 from 3. Woof Woof
We have a massive size advantage. Go inside and destroy them in the paint.
3-19 now
This has been a really poor 2nd quarter. Instead of opening it up, they have been allowing second chances and alot of points in the paint.
Is there something wrong with that basket?
- my wife
40 to 23 hiding alot of offensive warts. This game should be 50 or 60 to 23.
First possession of second half Hokies shooting another bad 3. Let's show we made no adjustments.
Freelon Double Double
The score might look pretty good, but this team has some stuff to work on I think. Maybe the esteemed Lt. will chime in.
Defensively not a bad evening but they basically had several inches height advantage at every spot on the floor so rebounds came easy and they forced a ton of turnovers.
Offensively though against a team that should have been a clinic in how to run the set plays just wasnt there. Not enough movement without the basketball, poor shot selection, basic positioning issues (especially Carys Baker). Turnovers weren't bad but there were many times they had to fight to keep the ball after making basic execution errors in the dribbling/passing game. This definitely was a game they should have shot close to 60% but instead we saw 37.2% from floor (29/78) and 23.5% from 3 (8/34). Against a team like this and most games in general anything over 25 attempts from outside is concerning.
If it wasnt for the offensive rebounds turning into free throws this game could have been much different. They got 21 points at the line and grabbed 30 offensive boards.
All in all I give it a C-, especially for the 2nd Quarter. Play like they did tonight against two/thirds of the ACC and they get run off the floor.
Freelon was a one woman wrecking crew on rebounds though with 18.
Just read some about the game and Freelon mentioned the men they play against in practice. I was wondering if you knew anything about that, like who those guys are?
Its pretty standard practice to have a practice team. Many times they are Graduate Assistants for either men or women's team. There are also usually just regular students that respond to a tryout and get asked to help out. The GAs actually have teams that play opponent GA teams as well. Its surprisingly organized and they even have a Postseason of their own. Louisville won the Nationsl Championship last year.
Hokies Managers Twitter Handle is @VTMBBManagers
They beat the St Joes managers 85-64 on Tuesday.
https://managergames.org/#:~:text=For%20decades%2C%20prior%20to%20colleg....
Thanks LT.
Brecelj with the trey
Liz Kitley did a great job calling the game, honestly much better than whoever was calling the last game on TV.
they are really missing Sears' shooting.
I'd start Suffren over Daley
Daley shot 6 for 7 last night. Suffren was 6 for 13. Suffren over Nelson I can get behind because they seem to be equals defensively but Suffren creates fastbreaks and turnovers. Nelson did a whole lot of standing around on offense last night. Reminded me of Wabissa Bede.
Not if you're talking about offense.
Suffren is getting only 1.6 ppg more than Daley on only 1.6 mpg more playing time.
They are equal in assists, but Daley is shooting 15% better and 17% better from range. Daley also has fewer turnovers.
Defensively, the argument could be made as Suffren leads the team in steals, though Daley has more blocks.
I think Daley's experience sets the tone to allow Suffren to be more effective when she comes in.
I think Nelson is out there just to limit the turnovers. I'd start Suffren over Daley because she's the best on-ball defender we have and can really disrupt the offensive flow of the opponent. Daley is sound and I'd certainly have her in the basic rotation but I think you take advantage of mismatches when you can and Suffren's speed/quickness is exceptional. She's going to have an advantage in most of her matchups.