NCAA & WNIT FINAL FOUR PREDICTIONS

[redsteve]

My predictions...make fun of them if you wish (I bet the farm on this)...maybe

 

NCAA tourney

 

1. Iowa vs So Carolina ...... South Carolina's defense will prevail and beat Iowa     (this year may be Iowa's best chance to win it all)

2. LSU vs Virginia Tech......See this as a toss up, but predict LSU....maybe

 

FINALS     South Carolina over either LSU or Virginia Tech

WNIT     

 

Kansas to win it all (we had our chance)

[HUD]

5 minutes ago, redsteve said:

My predictions...make fun of them if you wish (I bet the farm on this)...maybe

 

NCAA tourney

WNIT     

 

Kansas to win it all (we had our chance)

In NCAA I am pulling for Virginia Tech as I don't like Mulkey.  As for the WNIT if we would have had Haiby or if the game would have been played at Nebraska we would have won.  I rewatched the game twice and it was closer then the final score.  Missed bunnies and free throws cost us as well.  We have been the only team in the WNIT so far to have played Kansas a close game. 

[Red Don]

On 3/31/2023 at 10:26 AM, redsteve said:

My predictions...make fun of them if you wish (I bet the farm on this).

 

WNIT     

 

Kansas to win it all (we had our chance)

 

On 3/31/2023 at 10:37 AM, HUD said:

In NCAA I am pulling for Virginia Tech as I don't like Mulkey.  As for the WNIT if we would have had Haiby or if the game would have been played at Nebraska we would have won.  I rewatched the game twice and it was closer then the final score.  Missed bunnies and free throws cost us as well.  We have been the only team in the WNIT so far to have played Kansas a close game. 

 

 

Watched Kansas Blow-by Washington 61-36 (Attendance: 7,229), in the WNIT Semi-finals, on their way to the Championship game vs Columbia. (Kansas will have played all Five games at Home).

After beating us 64-55 (Phog Attendance: 3,730), Kansas put away Arkansas 78-64 (Attendance: 4,806) on the way.

I can't help but think that could have been Nebraska. While we never led in the game, they weren't able to put us away either. We were within striking distance the whole game; and that without the services of Sam Haiby, injured in the Northern Iowa game (PBA Attendance: 6,478), or for that matter, Alison Weidner, who incurred a season-ending injury in our prior game vs Kansas.

Might the outcome have been different had we played @ PBA.

 

EDIT:  Kansas WBB wins the NIT!

 

A lot closer game than I'd thought (still can't help but think it couldda been us )

Edited April 2, 2023 by Red Don

[Cazzie22]

I don’t see anyone stopping South Carolina but I hope Iowa gives them a test.  Virginia Tech would be someone new to the scene. 
 

Columbia must be decent to get to the Finals but KU should prevail.  

[All About the Corn]

Well it’s Iowa and LSU in the final. Clark is on level not seen in the the women’s game. 

Edited April 1, 2023 by All About the Corn

[Neb Nets]

2 minutes ago, All About the Corn said:

Well it’s Iowa and LSU in the final. Clark is on level not seen in the the women’s game. 

Yep. Said it in another thread, I’ll say it again: thank heavens Clark doesn’t have a little sister coming up who would go to Iowa and torch us for 4 years. 

[Cazzie22]

Congratulations to Iowa. It shows it can be done. 

[Neb Nets]

3 hours ago, Cazzie22 said:

Congratulations to Iowa. It shows it can be done. 

It shows it can be done?  I mean, sure, all you need is a guard who is probably the greatest pure scorer that the women’s game has ever seen!  

[Tom Jones]

Here is an AMAZING statistic from the Iowa victory over SoCar.  Total rebounds: Iowa - 25 and SoCar 49.  Offensive rebounds: Iowa - 5 and SoCar 26!  TWENTY SIX offensive rebounds!  I doubt i have ever seen a team get out rebounded two to one and still win. 

[redsteve]

Not withstanding Clark....

 

That game kind of shows a team that is organized, plays together, and adjusts as the game goes along...VS a team that has relied on high level skilled players, and "big" bigs, to offset the lack of real designed offensive (and defensive) schemes. Never looked like they ran a designed play all night. 

 

Their 6-7 big stayed at the very bottom of the key the whole game, and with Iowa's triple team,  SC couldn;t get the ball in to her....they never adjusted.

 

Iowa was kind of the opposite. They have played together (starters) along time, and watching a few of Iowa's game in a row.... saw the same plays ran over and over. (game to game) Everyone on Iowa's team knew where everyone else was pretty consistently.  Few turnovers, lots of assists.

Probably knew they were going to be out rebounded so planned accordingly.

 

So Car, surprisingly had very few 3 and short 15 ft shooters, and for the most part their offensive game was within 5 feet from the basket. Made them pretty much predictable. Iowa had put together a triple team defense in that same zone. It gave SoCar fits all night. They never even attempted to change. Don't know who on Iowa's staff put that together, but it pretty much won the game for them. Although Iowa did get away with a lot of fouls, hammering So Car at the basket.  Refs let them play apparently. 

 

So now expect the same kind of game, and see Iowa probably wining it all.  LSU doesn't have the same level of skilled players as So Carolina. But they are a little different style team than So Carolina. Maybe have a bit more diverse offense. 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by redsteve

[huskerfrank]

I think Bluder gets to use the exact same defensive strategy vs LSU that she did vs South Carolina. Four players in the paint defending the post and drives, and trying to block out and rebound as best they can. She will invite them to shoot 3's and do what they can to limit Reese, who only takes layups, from killing them just like she did to Boston. 

 

Clark whines too much, but she has proven she is the best player in the country by quite a bit.

 

[redsteve]

One more thing....listen in LSU

 

I noticed that when Clark drives to the basket.....right side (75% of the time maybe), she does it a lot when bringing the ball down the floor. (or from a 1/2 court corner)  The rest of the Iowa offense clears out the lane and moves away from the basket...taking the defenders with them....then Clark hits the gas straight to the basket,,,,the defender is a step behind and it's all over.

Got lots of points off that. 

 

She'll also sweep around the top of the key. Going to the right side, from the left... hits a lay up.  She hits it lots of ways.

 

She does travel a lot when pivoting..got called maybe once last night, and she travels a lot going off the dribble. Picks up both feet when moving off the stand still.  She's the star now....so a no call

 

One  more ....man, they are all whinners. I didn't travel.... I didn't foul...they fouled me !     They're worse than I am.

[Norm Peterson]

I despise Dawn Staley more than I don't like Iowa, so I'm happy for the Hawks getting to the finals.

[12dozen]

Not a Staley fan either.  Couldn't believe I was pulling for Iowa.  I do think the South Carolina players represented themselves well.  LSU and their coach, not so much.  Hate to say it, but I will be pulling for the the Hawks two games in a row.  Who'da thunk it.

Edited April 2, 2023 by 12dozen

[HUD]

2 hours ago, Norm Peterson said:

I despise Dawn Staley more than I don't like Iowa, so I'm happy for the Hawks getting to the finals.

She hasn't been my favorite in the past but boy after comments from her today she really dropped in likability.  What a sore loser.  LSU players are grumbling as well about how Iowa disrespected S. Carolina's out side shooters.  Sounds to me tomorrows game may be pretty charged up.  Hope the refs are in control.

[NUtball]

I didn't watch either game, but if the stats I saw were correct, it looked like S.C. absolutely shat their drawers in the shooting department.  Since defense to Iowa is like sunlight to vampires, I'm going to assume S.C. just totally sucked and Iowa got a bit lucky with a probably better team having a bad game.  Curious to hear from others if the bad shooting was due to anything Iowa did or if it was just bad shooting.  Addendum: just saw redsteve's post above about their defensive strategy.  Still kind of sounds like S.C. just missed a buttload of shots.

 

I don't care for S.C. or Staley, but there's no way in Hades I would ever cheer for Iowa, especially with its current roster chock full of whiney little !@$&^%@#$'s.  It would truly be a dark day if they win a NC, but I fully expect it to happen.  With the media hype and buildup that Clark is getting, I fully expect the Three Blind Mice to be at least subliminally affected and she will spend most of the game at the FT line to pad her stats and complete the media-desired result.  I suspect that will probably be the major difference in the game.

[redsteve]

NCAA Championship game today.......

 

So does Iowa use the same defense retiple team defense today?  Or ?   (Surprising win by Iowa by playing real defense....now that's a shocker) Credit to Iowa's staff...it worked)

 

And what will Mulkey do with their offense? Does she expect the So Car in the paint triple team like Iowa used Fri, or something else. 

 

LSU will have the advantage of seeing the triple team thing....they have seen what it can do. LSU's offense is different than So Car. LSU's bigs are pretty mobile and don't just stay by the basket. May be harder to defend against. LSU's scheme isn't like So Car in the respect the big will just stand by the basket. 

 

Look for LSU to try to prove a point...you can't do to us what you did to So Car. Let's see what  Mulkey has in mind after watching the So Car game.

 

This is going to be interesting. Don't think I'm ready to crown Iowa just yet.

[huskerfrank]

LSU wasn't even on the court for the anthem.....hope they blown out big time.

[Neb Nets]

WTH is Kim Mulkey wearing? 

[Neb Nets]

Has the city of Omaha ever pursued the NCAA WBB Final Four? They should - plenty of downtown hotel rooms to accommodate the event and the arena certainly holds enough people. Just surprised that Omaha has never hosted this event. Would be a big time get for the city. 

[Red Don]

Looks like it's going be a rock-fight, lots of physicality (and fouls),  27-22 LSU at the end of 1 Qtr of Play.

Edited April 2, 2023 by Red Don

[redsteve]

Refs are calling everything ..even  light touches...a little crazy.     Iowa is getting called for stuff they usually get away with.

[Fastbreaker]

12 minutes ago, redsteve said:

Refs are calling everything ..even  light touches...a little crazy.     Iowa is getting called for stuff they usually get away with.

Both coaches are going to blow a gasket before this is over.

[redsteve]

Clark and Chizno (whatever) are both with 2 fouls in 1St half.  

 

LSU is shooting the eyes out of the basket...wow  

 

Mulkey ...clown suit...geeeze

Edited April 2, 2023 by redsteve

[Red Don]

59-42 LSU @ the Half!