UCLA vs Mississippi St - 3/25/18

[MSSportsGuy]

I will always have room in my heart for Fanning. Her teams were a bit out of control, but MSU WBB was absolutely abysmal before she arrived.

She did well overall. The Thomas-Fambrough-White years were solid and there were some great teams at UT, LSU, Georgia and Vanderbilt during that time. I will be honest I never thought I would see the day where MSU women's basketball would be in the top 3 or 4 teams in the country.

 

[Plebe]

The difference in this game was McCowan. She stayed out of foul trouble, and played within her self, stayed in her lane and did not try to do too much. Congratulations to Vic Schaefer and his team. Louisville vs Mississippi State Friday should be a good one. I think MS wins this one unless Louisville can figure out a way to neutralize McCowan.

What's amazing is that she actually had a bad (for her) shooting night: 7 of 15. But she rebounded a lot of her own misses, and when you get 21 rebounds it makes up for a lot of missed shots.

 

[Shades]

 

[iri10]

The difference in this game was McCowan. She stayed out of foul trouble, and played within her self, stayed in her lane and did not try to do too much. Congratulations to Vic Schaefer and his team. Louisville vs Mississippi State Friday should be a good one. I think MS wins this one unless Louisville can figure out a way to neutralize McCowan.

I figure MSSt is most likely to win that game. That said, Walz isn't unfamiliar with tackling a team with a really big post...

(of course, it helps to shoot lights out from 3 when you're doing it)

 

[RockyMTblue2]

But, according to Dawn, he's going to help SC tomorrow?

Confusing ain't it.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

They can beat Louisville. That game has a chance to be a classic however it goes.

How many muggers does Jeff have to throw at McG?

 

[bballnut90]

McCowan has shown this weekend that any list that left her out of the Top 15 players in the country is simply wrong.

Top 10*

I’d put her over Kalani Brown if I picked teams today. I think Kalani Is a better player and more polished, but it’s hard to argue she’s had a better season than McCowan IMO.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Don't lose any sleep over it. NOT going to happen.

Yep, it will be SC/Louisville!

 

[BigBird]

[QUOTE=" Walz isn't unfamiliar with tackling a team with a really big post...

Tackling? Yes. Ms. Griner remembers, I’m sure.

 

[bballnut90]

How many muggers does Jeff have to throw at McG?

For being pretty soft spoken, McCowan doesn’t put up with chippy stuff. Twice this year I’ve seen her shove someone away or basically slap hands away when she was getting mugged. In the Final Four, I wouldn’t be surprised if something happens after Jeff instructs his players to be extra physical with her, and after that the refs will call the game more tightly.

McCowan’s presence on the court is essential though. She’s normally very good about staying out of foul trouble, but her foul trouble really hurt against SC in the SEC tournament. If she picks up 2 quick ones, Mississippi State may have an uphill battle ahead.

 

[GoDawgs4]

I am sure Louisville will try to bait her into a foul or two but hopefully she will not fall for their trickery.

I did not know Louisville played USCe in the SECT finale.

 

[IWearShoes]

For being pretty soft spoken, McCowan doesn’t put up with chippy stuff. Twice this year I’ve seen her shove someone away or basically slap hands away when she was getting mugged. In the Final Four, I wouldn’t be surprised if something happens after Jeff instructs his players to be extra physical with her, and after that the refs will call the game more tightly.

McCowan’s presence on the court is essential though. She’s normally very good about staying out of foul trouble, but that really hurt Louisville against SC in the SEC tournament. If she picks up 2 quick ones, Mississippi State may have an uphill battle ahead.

It's pretty simple at this point. MSU has to have McCowan on the court a lot to win in the Final Four. They can beat a lot of teams without her, but not the ones we are about to face. She's been really good about not getting pointless fouls with rare exception. Those early fouls vs SC were not smart and she admitted it later. Glad it happened when it did.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I am sure Louisville will try to bait her into a foul or two but hopefully she will not fall for their trickery.

I did not know Louisville played USCe in the SECT finale.

That's right; we played MSUs.

 

[jonson]

They did play hard, but they did not play well. UCLA had the right team and the right game plan to beat Mississippi State tonight. But they couldn't make shots and couldn't rebound. And they couldn't avoid fouling late in the game, which alone was enough to undo their comeback effort. Lots of technique and execution points for them to learn from the film on this one.

To me, this game was vintage UCLA. They play hard, are very athletic, and have some extraordinary talent on the team, but they don't execute in the half court very well, don't have reliable outside shooting, and can have difficulty finishing in general. As a result, they depend upon turning over their opponents and circus shots by Canada for a considerable amount of their scoring. When that's working, they are very successful and can mount some amazing comebacks. But it also makes them vulnerable whenever the turnovers aren't happening, or happening frequently enough, and Canada's shots aren't dropping.

 

[DefenseBB]

This has been a really good game. Impressed with UCLA all around. They really played hard.

Congratulations! You guys looked good, hitting on all cylinders and stymied the UCLA offense while getting solid performances from everybody! McCowans size was was too much for even the versatile Billings.

Should be a good game with Louisville. I think we got to see a glimpse of how Louisville May handle McCowen by how they handled Gulich.

 

[IWearShoes]

Congratulations! You guys looked good, hitting on all cylinders and stymied the UCLA offense while getting solid performances from everybody! McCowans size was was too much for even the versatile Billings.

Should be a good game with Louisville. I think we got to see a glimpse of how Louisville Mary handle McCowen by how they handled Gulich.

Thank you, excited for them. This may well be the best two year run by any team in MSU history, all sports. The Final Four is shaping up to be pretty epic. Nothing but 1's and 2's left.

 

[Hoopz]

It’ll be interesting to see how McCowan handles Fuehring’s defense. She’s been pretty tough lately.

 

[TitleTown]

MSU played as well as they could last night. They are definitely a handful when McCowan stays on the floor and Vivians and Schaefer are hitting from outside.

 

[the Q]

Thank you, excited for them. This may well be the best two year run by any team in MSU history, all sports. The Final Four is shaping up to be pretty epic. Nothing but 1's and 2's left.

I'd have to check MSU's storied baseball history before signing off on that.

Polk was an amazing baseball coach.

 

[augustaTC]

View attachment 30086

Vic and his girls...they seem to really adore him. Perhaps because it's so clearly mutual.

 

[IWearShoes]

I'd have to check MSU's storied baseball history before signing off on that.

Polk was an amazing baseball coach.

Thanks for the baseball shout out. Lots of great teams, players and CWS and NCAA tourneys, but never a two year run finishing 2nd and at worst 4th. And never a NC (which may surprise some). In fact MSU has never won a team NC in anything. Quite a few individual NC's in track, but no team NC's.

 

[the Q]

Thanks for the baseball shout out. Lots of great teams, players and CWS and NCAA tourneys, but never a two year run finishing 2nd and at worst 4th. And never a NC (which may surprise some). In fact MSU has never won a team NC in anything. Quite a few individual NC's in track, but no team NC's.

To be fair, baseball is entirely different.

The CWS is baseball's version of the FF.

But I'm floored that they never won a title.

And, while not entirely relevant here, Polk's Baseball Playbook is probably the best baseball coaching book ever written.

I also have a MSU CWS hat given to me by a player on the local collegiate summer league team when I was an intern there while in college. Nice kid.

 

[mhshuskies]

UCLA cut it to 6 but then just couldn't get stops. Miss State executed exceptionally well in the last 5 minutes.

By the end of the first quarter it just felt like MS was in control of the game and little doubt they would win.

 

[mhshuskies]

Tackling? Yes. Ms. Griner remembers, I’m sure.

That was a mugging where a basketball game broke out!

 

[Kevin G]

Top 10*

I’d put her over Kalani Brown if I picked teams today. I think Kalani Is a better player and more polished, but it’s hard to argue she’s had a better season than McCowan IMO.

I agree. Miss St (McGowan) also played against better teams since Miss St had a tougher nonconference and some may argue a tougher conference than Baylor (Brown). I am very impressed with McGowan.

 

[IWearShoes]

To be fair, baseball is entirely different.

The CWS is baseball's version of the FF.

But I'm floored that they never won a title.

And, while not entirely relevant here, Polk's Baseball Playbook is probably the best baseball coaching book ever written.

I also have a MSU CWS hat given to me by a player on the local collegiate summer league team when I was an intern there while in college. Nice kid.

Wow, a Polk's Baseball Playbook reference. Very impressive. That things 40 years old. Is it still used extensively by coaches?

 

[the Q]

Wow, a Polk's Baseball Playbook reference. Very impressive. That things 40 years old. Is it still used extensively by coaches?

Basically.

Great books are timeless.

 

[wbball novice]

I think Antonelli said "Onion ring" instead of Onyenweare

For the record, I re-watched the 2nd half of the Miss State game this morning on ESPNU and she really did say it ca. 8:45 4Q during a FT clock stoppage. Still one of the best games of the tourney so far.

 

[mbr33ct]

For the record, I re-watched the 2nd half of the Miss State game this morning on ESPNU and she really did say it ca. 8:45 4Q during a FT clock stoppage. Still one of the best games of the tourney so far.

Just for the record Antonelli was not at this game.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Just so there is no doubt about what an absolute miserable ***** I am, my favorite memories of Gail all have her looking like this:

She broke on the rock that is Geno. Now, some dookie has to come out and show the heart break shot video, which is fair.