ACC 2024-25 Season

[WBBTakeover]

Miami, a team that was thought to be improved (new coach, freshmen, portal player$), is now 1-7 in the ACC (lost seven straight). They're almost certainly going to miss the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season. Watching them play--they don't look very organized or athletic. Thoughts?

 

[packwrap]

Miami, a team that was thought to be improved (new coach, freshmen, portal player$), is now 1-7 in the ACC (lost seven straight). They're almost certainly going to miss the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season. Watching them play--they don't look very organized or athletic. Thoughts?

Miami is one of the teams I've been following besides UConn. They actually are not as bad as it seems, as the losses almost all within 10 pts, but they have a proven recipe to lose games.

- they are not deep playing only 5 to 6.

- get behind early by 10

- scramble to get back in the game

- fumble away the last 3 minutes with some head scratching decisions.

One more good player/forward and better play in crunch time would have resulted in a different season. To their credit, they still are playing hard.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Miami is one of the teams I've been following besides UConn. They actually are not as bad as it seems, as the losses almost all within 10 pts, but they have a proven recipe to lose games.

- they are not deep playing only 5 to 6.

- get behind early by 10

- scramble to get back in the game

- fumble away the last 3 minutes with some head scratching decisions.

One more good player/forward and better play in crunch time would have resulted in a different season. To their credit, they still are playing hard.

I mostly agree with what you've said.

What I'd add here is that Miami has already played the softer part of their ACC schedule (so those close losses are coming against weaker competition, in theory). They've yet to play ND, Duke, Cal, NC State, and GT (five of the ACC's six ranked teams--they already lost to UNC). They will basically have to win at least eight of their remaining 10 games just to get on the bubble (winning out would likely get them in). That's as close to an impossible task as it gets given their current state.

 

[DallasDomer]

I mostly agree with what you've said.

What I'd add here is that Miami has already played the softer part of their ACC schedule (so those close losses are coming against weaker competition, in theory). They've yet to play ND, Duke, Cal, NC State, and GT (five of the ACC's six ranked teams--they already lost to UNC). They will basically have to win at least eight of their remaining 10 games just to get on the bubble (winning out would likely get them in). That's as close to an impossible task as it gets given their current state.

Look on the bright side! They haven't played Wake yet that should be a win. They have a good chance vs SMU and Stanford but that's about all. Apologies I really haven't watched them this year so I really shouldn't comment but I remember Katie Meier being able to get a win out of thin air, I guess Cullop hasn't figured out her methods yet.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Look on the bright side! They haven't played Wake yet that should be a win. They have a good chance vs SMU and Stanford but that's about all. Apologies I really haven't watched them this year so I really shouldn't comment but I remember Katie Meier being able to get a win out of thin air, I guess Cullop hasn't figured out her methods yet.

I'm not a Miami fan, so their demise doesn't sadden me. I will say that while it's bad now, it could get worse. They are bad enough to lose to Wake, Stanford, and/or SMU.

Given what they did to all-time Duke great Katie Meier, I can't say that I'm not enjoying this slide.

 

[FanInNC]

Duke downs the Jackets.

Florida State steals one on the road against Carolina.

Louisville wins at UVa

NC State hammers the Hokies

Syracuse knocks off Clemson on the road

Wake gets their first conference win of the year over BC.

And Miami gets a win over SMU.

I was at the State game - they came out hot and buried VT early. I think it was 15-6 at the first media time out and VT never got closer. 85-57 final. Azaiah James was feeling it. 25 points on 10-18 from the field, Rivers went 7-11 for 17. Zoe and Hayes both added 12.


Good to see the Heels tumble on down to 7th in the league now with their 3rd conference loss.

 

[DallasDomer]

Duke downs the Jackets.

Florida State steals one on the road against Carolina.

Louisville wins at UVa

NC State hammers the Hokies

Syracuse knocks off Clemson on the road

Wake gets their first conference win of the year over BC.

And Miami gets a win over SMU.

I was at the State game - they came out hot and buried VT early. I think it was 15-6 at the first media time out and VT never got closer. 85-57 final. Azaiah James was feeling it. 25 points on 10-18 from the field, Rivers went 7-11 for 17. Zoe and Hayes both added 12.


Good to see the Heels tumble on down to 7th in the league now with their 3rd conference loss.

I've been sort of hoping Virginia Tech would do better since Megan Duffy took over as head coach. It's a tough job to get a team back in shape to play when a coach and some key players walk away. It looks like they will make the ACC tourney but they'll need help to make the NCAA Tournament.

 

[FanInNC]

I've been sort of hoping Virginia Tech would do better since Megan Duffy took over as head coach. It's a tough job to get a team back in shape to play when a coach and some key players walk away. It looks like they will make the ACC tourney but they'll need help to make the NCAA Tournament.

They have been respectable when you look at their results. No embarrassing losses. The UVa one is the worst obviously, but UVa has a couple of pieces and they are rivals - so not that surprising really. UVa beat them last year with Kenny Brooks at the helm and Amoore running point (I think Kitley was out that game).

The big for VT was in foul trouble all game. If she stayed out of foul trouble maybe it would have been slightly different and more competitive. State’s weakness is in the paint and when she went out there was no threat down there whatsoever.

VT has a couple of decent pieces. But needs more talent IMO.

 

[WBBTakeover]

They have been respectable when you look at their results. No embarrassing losses. The UVa one is the worst obviously, but UVa has a couple of pieces and they are rivals - so not that surprising really. UVa beat them last year with Kenny Brooks at the helm and Amoore running point (I think Kitley was out that game).

The big for VT was in foul trouble all game. If she stayed out of foul trouble maybe it would have been slightly different and more competitive. State’s weakness is in the paint and when she went out there was no threat down there whatsoever.

VT has a couple of decent pieces. But needs more talent IMO.

I agree with much of this. However, Liz Kitley not only played in that game, she scored 20 points (which was slightly below her average). This was the game in which she got injured (and a grown man decided that he would act like a child and blame a student athlete HE COACHED for her own teammate's injury).

Maybe I'm missing something (and this is not directed at you, @FanInNC), but 5-4 in ACC play with a road win over a ranked GT team and a home win over 7-2 Louisville doesn't seem that bad to me, all things considering. Yes, they get blown out by good teams with multiple athletic players--because they don't have any athletes with experience (see below). Yes, the UVA loss was a "bad" one because they're (UVA, that is) underperforming and because they're an in-state rival (note that while UVA has multiple girls from Virginia, VT does not have a single player from Virginia. They have one assistant who was a good player at UVA and one other assistant who coached that player at UVA--15+ years ago). But--they're right in the thick of things for an NCAA berth regardless of what happens to them on Thursday night against ND. They're a bubble team.

5-4 in the ACC with your best players being Rose Micheaux, Carys Baker, Lani White (Utah transfer) and Carleigh Wenzel (all bench players in 2023-24) is not bad. Now, if they were 5-4 in the ACC with Georgia Amoore and Clara Strack, then maybe you need to question Megan Duffy's coaching acumen. But considering she's down a player (sophomore Samiya Suffren, their only athletic player with experience--BARELY) for the season and can only bring freshmen off the bench (two of them are bigs who aren't ready to play minutes in the ACC), she's doing just fine--better than that, actually. If she and the staff is able to get this team into the NCAA Tournament, then they all deserve raises and the program needs to receive at least half of the NIL that their crappy football program currently receives.

 

[DallasDomer]

I had forgotten about the injury controversy but I recall watching the game before. Highlights linked here:

 

[maple]

I haven’t posted much in here since the start of the season but I was at the Syracuse game last Thursday and man they let that upset slip through their fingers.

Talking with fans at the game it feels like there is an off vibe this season. No real cohesion in games, no dynamic scorers like Fair, lacking in toughness. Poor post play. Lack of enthusiasm on the bench. A very disappointing season after last year. Looked like Cuse was on the rise last March but they fell off a cliff early on this season and have not seemed to recover.

 

[DallasDomer]

I haven’t posted much in here since the start of the season but I was at the Syracuse game last Thursday and man they let that upset slip through their fingers.

Talking with fans at the game it feels like there is an off vibe this season. No real cohesion in games, no dynamic scorers like Fair, lacking in toughness. Poor post play. Lack of enthusiasm on the bench. A very disappointing season after last year. Looked like Cuse was on the rise last March but they fell off a cliff early on this season and have not seemed to recover.

Going from a small lead to an 11-0 run against you at the end of a game is a recipe for disaster. From the box score I can't tell if it was great defense or terrible offense at the end but since you were there I refer to your opinion. Obviously Syracuse let NC State get away with an easier win than it looked like it was going to be.

 

[triaddukefan]

Going into the year, I feared that our defense was gonna take a step back. If you listen to the GT coach, my fears have allayed.... Skip to the three minute mark

 

[triaddukefan]

Have been following WCBB for over 40 years (yeah i'm old ) I've never seen a player with a motor like O squared

 

[packwrap]

VT has a couple of decent pieces. But needs more talent IMO.

2 top 100 recruits so far on the way next year. Duffy will find recruiting to the ACC easier than to Marquette.

She has done better with the 'emptied' team than I expected.

As C Creme has pointed out, the teams currently at #66-76 are all terrible this year, so no bubble teams will be completely out of it until conf tourneys.

 

[DallasDomer]

Have been following WCBB for over 40 years (yeah i'm old ) I've never seen a player with a motor like O squared

I don't want to argue because the season is far from over and defense is important but some of Duke's losses are mind boggling. USF 65 Duke 56 for example along with the UNC 53-46 loss. It seems that Duke can be slowed down offensively leading to their four losses.

 

[cancontent]

I don't want to argue because the season is far from over and defense is important but some of Duke's losses are mind boggling. USF 65 Duke 56 for example along with the UNC 53-46 loss. It seems that Duke can be slowed down offensively leading to their four losses.

All teams can have mind boggling losses. Notre Dame had a couple themselves this season. It happens and with a young team like Duke, it can be expected.

They need to work through and learn how to deal with the adversity. It doesn't take away from the fact the team looks to be trending in the right direction with players that are Coach Lawson's recruits versus the program she inherited.

 

[triaddukefan]

I don't want to argue because the season is far from over and defense is important but some of Duke's losses are mind boggling. USF 65 Duke 56 for example along with the UNC 53-46 loss. It seems that Duke can be slowed down offensively leading to their four losses.

South Florida was the only bad loss of the season. Came after the exam break and right after the game the team headed their separate ways for the Christmas break. The Bulls would get grilled if the two teams played again. Chapel Hill..... everyone knows that is a throw out the record book game and was gonna be a slugfest in Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill has a good defense..

 

[WBBTakeover]

DIdn't know what to expect from VT against #3 ND, but a 16-point game (spread was 18.5) ain't that bad.

Carys Baker continues to impress in her true sophomore season. Nice braids, too.

 

[DallasDomer]

DIdn't know what to expect from VT against #3 ND, but a 16-point game (spread was 18.5) ain't that bad.

Carys Baker continues to impress in her true sophomore season. Nice braids, too.

VT started off hitting everything but then slowed down. They gave coach Duffy all they had but not enough and it ended about as expected.

The game began with what I thought was normal officiating, then it looked like the refs were napping, then they started calling everything imaginable. Both teams suffered from trying to adjust to how they were calling. Did anyone else notice this or was it in my head?

Hidalgo went crazy in the second half ending up with 30 points. It seems like ND can score its way to a win no matter what. They just have too many weapons and coach Ivey seems to find different scorers to supplement the team, tonight it was Karlen hitting 3's.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Hannah never ceases to amaze! She covers the ENTIRE court. What a talent!

 

[nwhoopfan]

Anyone have Boston College beating Clemson by 30 on their bingo card today?

 

[WBBTakeover]

Wake is awful (and they shouldn't be, but that's a conversation for another day), but they have two solid 6'3ish posts (Hinds and Cowles) who each have at least one year of eligibility remaining. Interesting.

 

[triaddukefan]

This clip ljust reminds you that these are 18-21 year old kids (young ladies) at the end of the day





Nice Pink Shoes... hopefully they will stomp a few mudholes in Reynolds on Monday night

 

[WBBTakeover]

This clip ljust reminds you that these are 18-21 year old kids (young ladies) at the end of the day





Nice Pink Shoes... hopefully they will stomp a few mudholes in Reynolds on Monday night

Need this win to get into serious discussions for a #2 seed. While the ACC Network analysts are favoring NC State (and they will be wrong, IMO), I know who I'm rocking with tomorrow.

 

[FanInNC]

ESPNs match up predictor says 56% chance Duke wins tomorrow. Warrennolan projects State by 3.

I don’t put a lot of stock in any of that stuff - spreads always seem way off in women’s basketball for some reason.

State needs a hot start. Things can look so easy when James is hitting her shots, but when they don’t fall early State can get itself in a hole and against Duke you don’t wanna be playing catch up.

Should be a great atmosphere- the play for Kay game is always one of the best games to attend all year.

 

[LETTERL]

NC State wins a thriller against Duke, 89-83. NC State led 24-14...then Duke went on a 20-0 run and led by 10+ points for most of the 2nd and 3rd quarters...then NC State got going again. Career high 36 points for Aziaha James.

More importantly...we stay a game behind Notre Dame and own the tie-breaker now against Duke. A gauntlet lies ahead for the Wolfpack Women; this game plus 4 of the next 5 all against ranked teams will let us know where NC State sits in the ACC pecking order.

 

[FanInNC]

Great atmosphere last night and a great game! Unfortunately for triad and Duke the mud hole was only stomped for a 5 minute stretch in the 2nd quarter when Duke went on a 20-0 run…the other 35 minutes the Pack outscored the Devils by 26.

Really impressed with Dukes intensity, as always under Kara. State had 12 first half turnovers, many totally unforced, just mystifying passes to no one in particular. Some real lazy passes and inexplicable moments. I think Dukes pressure played a factor mentally in those moments. Duke dominated the offensive glass in the first half exposing State’s biggest weakness. And Jackson was feeling it from deep, as well as Mair.

The thing about full court pressure is that it speeds a team up. It makes you play fast. You have to make plays off the bounce and can’t get into half court actions easily. For a lot of teams that is an issue for sure. We saw it in the UNC game with Duke where it was a rock fight. Duke gives up 49 a game - so it works! But when a team has guards who can thrive playing fast and create offense off the dribble for themselves, it can backfire. Azaiah James showed that.

She had some careless turnovers and was benched in the first half for a stretch - but she made it happen. Extremely efficient night for her 15-19 from the field, she was able to get whatever she wanted when she got the ball in her hands against a full court stretched out D. I thought Saniya Rivers also had some big time buckets moreso against that set half court D where she went one on one, particularly in the 3rd when State was trying to claw back in it.

And then down the stretch Lorena Awou gave State a boost. She helped neutralize the rebounding of Duke, made things harder for Fournier and played well off the pick and roll game for some big buckets.

I was told to let someone know when State beat someone in the current top 25. Hanging 89 on 61% shooting against a top 10 team who makes their living on defense … does that count ?

 

[cancontent]

Great atmosphere last night and a great game! Unfortunately for triad and Duke the mud hole was only stomped for a 5 minute stretch in the 2nd quarter when Duke went on a 20-0 run…the other 35 minutes the Pack outscored the Devils by 26.

Really impressed with Dukes intensity, as always under Kara. State had 12 first half turnovers, many totally unforced, just mystifying passes to no one in particular. Some real lazy passes and inexplicable moments. I think Dukes pressure played a factor mentally in those moments. Duke dominated the offensive glass in the first half exposing State’s biggest weakness. And Jackson was feeling it from deep, as well as Mair.

The thing about full court pressure is that it speeds a team up. It makes you play fast. You have to make plays off the bounce and can’t get into half court actions easily. For a lot of teams that is an issue for sure. We saw it in the UNC game with Duke where it was a rock fight. Duke gives up 49 a game - so it works! But when a team has guards who can thrive playing fast and create offense off the dribble for themselves, it can backfire. Azaiah James showed that.

She had some careless turnovers and was benched in the first half for a stretch - but she made it happen. Extremely efficient night for her 15-19 from the field, she was able to get whatever she wanted when she got the ball in her hands against a full court stretched out D. I thought Saniya Rivers also had some big time buckets moreso against that set half court D where she went one on one, particularly in the 3rd when State was trying to claw back in it.

And then down the stretch Lorena Awou gave State a boost. She helped neutralize the rebounding of Duke, made things harder for Fournier and played well off the pick and roll game for some big buckets.

I was told to let someone know when State beat someone in the current top 25. Hanging 89 on 61% shooting against a top 10 team who makes their living on defense … does that count ?

Sometimes I wish we could use multiple emojis or reactions to posts. Several points in your reply deserve a like (press causing teams to rush, James and Awou's performance at critical parts of the game). The last paragraph deserves a laughing reaction because that got me chuckling while sipping my coffee

 

[FanInNC]

I'm a State fan, that includes the men's team and State runs a very similar style in men's basketball as to what Kara does with Duke. I see a lot of the pressure defense and unfortunately I see a lot of blow by lay ups because of that pressure at times when watching my Wolfpack men. It's a fun style to watch when it's working, and against more finesse teams or teams that don't like physicality or rely on offensive sets - it wins you games and leads to lots of easy points in transition. But when you play a team with good guards who play well one on one, man it can be frustrating.

The pressure got to State at times, I thought they had some just horrific turnovers in portions of the game. And in that 2 and a half minute stretch to start the 2nd when Wes went to his bench we saw what happened. Duke went on a 14-0 run in 2 minutes of action! Maddie Cox played 2 minutes and had a +/- of -14!!

But a player like Azaiah James or Zoe Brooks and sometimes Saniya Rivers - that type of game can play into their hands. Especially James. She had 36 last night, she had 33 last year against them one game. A large part of why State shot 61% was because they were getting buckets mid range and in. They only made 4 three's all game and scored 89.

I really think Awou can be great down the road. She has the size and athleticism. She's just super raw. If she is posted up, she's likely to travel. She can't make free throws. At this point she can be a liability on offense. But you get her in pick and rolls and on the move and she's pretty darn good. She's obviously not ready yet - but she could be a good one for the Pack down the road.

And that last line is all in fun. I have a lot of respect for Duke's team and they are coming into their own with a lot of young pieces that will only get better this year and even more so in the next couple of years. But...let's not forget who is has been the big bad wolf in the triangle for the last 5 or 6 years.