The 6-2 Hokies host the 8-1 Florida Gators today at 5 PM in the ACC/SEC challenge. So far the ACC is 1-6 in the challenge with only Syracuse beating Auburn. The game will be on ESPN2 with Tom Werme an Steffi Soreson. Evan Hughes will be on the Hokie Sports network. The Hokies are 2.5 point favorites and the matchup predictor is 56.4% for the Hokies.
First up for Orion86, stats for VT:
Stealing from 07Hokie:
The Hokies open this frame with the ACC/SEC Challenge, hosting Florida (40). This is a Q2 matchup, which could easily become a Q1 matchup by the end of the year. The Gators are led in scoring by 2nd in the nation's So G Liv McGill's 26.3 ppg and 6-4 guard Me'Arah O'Neal's 15.8 ppg, and Jr G Laila Reynolds' 14.2 ppg. These are the high volume shooters, as each take between 10 and 20 shots per game. As a team, they take about 20 shots from beyond the arc per game, hitting about 5 per game. With their size, they don't need to be taking deep shots, as the aforementioned O'Neal is one of three starters 6-3 or taller. Weirdly, their 6-4 C, Caterina Piatti, is only pulling down 4.2 rebounds per game and has no blocks. Being tall, they do have a tendency to be plundered consistently. However, this also means they, too, are efficient in the steals department.
I don't think I can add anything to that analysis. Here are the stats:
I will add that the Gators are not particularly efficient from three. They shoot a lot from beyond the arc(20+ shots per game) but they only make 25.6%. They are better overall shooting 45.4%. They do outrebound their opponents by 6 per game, as they should with their height. They average 13.3 assist and 14.9 turnovers per game.
Here is a table I stole from the Florida website:
It shows we are pretty evenly matched. However, the Hokies have not been shooting as good as their historical averages. If Wenzel and Baker can shoot a little closer to their potential, the Hokies should do well.
LET'S GO HOKIES!
Comments
Five pm tip pisses me off. I have a parking pass for a lot that won't be empty from students and faculty that park their during the day. A 6 pm tip off is a crap shoot getting into that parking lot.
I hope the ladies play angry and throttle Florida. But the ref's have been so blatant for the SEC this entire challenge it isn't funny.
All about the TV rotations to broadcast as many challenge games as possible
There are three 9pm starts.
LSU at Duke
Notre Dame at Ole Miss
Cal at Mizzou
Got to slow down McGill. MacKenzie Nelson will likely be her shadow. Both are smaller but faster. Hopefully Nelson stays out of foul trouble so McGill doesn't get a free run at the end.
As mentioned, we need the ladies to hew toward their averages, but also need to keep in mind that that has been against preseason teams. I worry about our chances in the ACC with the shooting I've been seeing. Early days, though, I know.
Completely agree. Poor shot selection. Reluctant to go to the rim. Imagine how much tougher that will be against ACC post players.
Super physical game so far. One of Florida bigs already with 3 fouls at 7 minutes in 2nd quarter
Girl from Florida grabbed Nelson's ankle to pull her to the floor after she poked it away and would have had easy path to basket but ref was watching ball and not contact. Florida got ball back no whistle
34 all at halftime
Nelson D was critical but Duffy keeps putting Wenzel on McGill and McGill feasting. 19 points.
Nelson is a great defensive player.
McGill is better than every other player on the floor.... why not just deny her the ball and see if the other four can beat you? Back in my day we would play the 'ol box and one.
Wow refs are letting UF get away with a he'll of alot of contact. The backwards head butt called a travel should have been looked at for a Technical.
Ghost call on Mackey
That had us screaming in the stands.
Duffy insisting Wenzel cover McGill is going to lose us this game.
Who is our second player wearing the black mask sitting on the bench?
Sophie Swanson
UF gone over the back multiple times now no call to lead to extra Florida possessions
How is that Gator ball? McGill threw it off side of backboard and it went out
Wenzel and layups are hard to watch...never seen many be able to drive so easily to rim and then botch it at the shot
Done it twice more and realized her problem is where she keeps the ball on her launch step. Its always below her waist so allows defenders to alter her shot trying to get it higher.
Close game but Hokies again shooting below 40% from floor. Florida hitting 49%
Wenzel a ghastly 1-9
Petersen 1-6
What the hell was Suffren doing there at the end. Zero situational awareness
5 seconds left and doesn't even get ball to midcourt and would have been a turnover anyway.
McGill doing whatever she wants.
Trent appears to be having a good game
Better efficiency than all but Freelon and Baker.
Daley gets whistled for trying to get around a moving screen
Fucking ridiculous call. Block all day.
Edit: made up for it with an equally bad call
Should have been a block no doubt, especially on review but they can't change it
How many times are they going to let over the back go uncalled?
Probably as many times as they do in the men's games.
I don't think over the back is a foul anymore! /s
That was slick by Wenzel to take that foul
Huge McGill fouling out
Go Hokies!
LETS GO!!!
HOKIES!!!
Hokies Win...suck it SEC
Hokies 2 - SEC 0
I like VT domination over the SEC! We will need this in the very near future.
Carys Baker with the double-double. 23 pts, 10 rebs
FAM!
And Wenzel with double digit "oh, Carleigh" moments, haha.
Absolutely...but she did draw a critical offensive foul on McGill at the end.
This is great news! That is a solid win!
The Good:
1. Baker Double-Double
2. 73% from the line.
3. Anniya Trent with 7 points on 3/3 shooting and 5 rebounds in 16 minutes.
4. Held 7 Florida players to 5 or less points
5. Created 22 turnovers to 16 given up
6. Won the rebounding game
7. Won the Damn Game
The Bad
1. Wenzel, Nelson and Daley a combined 9/35 from the floor
2. Kayl Petersen another forgettable night. 1/6 in 12 minutes with 3 rebounds
3. Allowed McGill to do pretty much whatever she wanted to finish with 30 and the Hokies were fortunate she didnt shoot well.(although it was 2% less than her season average)
McGill did have 10 turnovers, so she gave plenty back to us.
And five fouls. To be fair, she is a great player (better than Hidalgo imo) and made shots that defied physics.
The one where she was falling and about a foot off the floor and somehow flicked it up to roll over the edge of the rim was unreal.
Nobody else can stop her either, but we beat her regardless. Works for me.
Thx dmh!
I think Trent is going to develop into a very good player
FAM!