Week 14 - Feb 3 to 9

[BRS24]

Well now. A few less unbeaten in conference play. Iowa certainly had USC's number yesterday. Ten top 25 matchups this week. Conference undefeated added in green, unless they are in a top 25 matchups. Forgive any errors, as I'm running out to coach.

 

[BRS24]

You know the drill. Holding spot for conference/overall rankings after I get home tonight.

 

[visitingcock]

Important week for conference races.

Ohio State’s Cali road trip

Tennessee has UConn and LSU.

ACC contender’s Duke and NC State tonight.

Super Sevens SCar at Texas (part 2)

Big 12 leaders K State vs TCU

It’s gettin’ real now!

 

[FanInNC]

Huge week for the Wolfpack, which is really kicking off one tough month as a whole! Starts tonight with a really good Duke team who has had an entire week off to prepare, but it doesn't get much easier the remainder of the month:

#10 Duke
@#22 FSU
Miami
@#13 UNC-CH
@#17 GT
#3 Notre Dame

Wes Moore and the Pack have built up the resume in order to put themselves in position to make something happen - but now it's go time. State's standard over the last 5ish years has been elevated as a program and in order to meet that standard they need to make some hay in this stretch run. Should be a good atmosphere tonight with the Play for Kay event as a backdrop.

Time for Azaiah James and Saniya Rivers to put the team on their back if it's going to happen

 

[azfan]

Tonight NAU has a 6 pm tip (ESPN plus) against Weber State. I saw the interesting analytic post below which reflected the insight in the preseason by Big Sky coaches and media in selecting Sophie Glancy as player of the year in the Big Sky.

From: Her Hoops Stat Newsletter

Player efficiency rating (PER) is the stat created by John Hollinger to provide a sort of one-stop comparison of basketball players.

There are just 11 players from the Big Sky, Big West, Mountain West, WAC, and WCC who have a PER of at least 30 this season.

I'm sure you all guess who number one. Sophie Glancy is 5 and a backup player for the Grand Canyon Lopes former UNLV Reb Obiazor is 6th

NAU has had some big wins this season. Glancey and her 30.6 PER are big reasons why.

As is fairly typical with players who trend towards the top of PER, she’s another forward. Bigs, who tend to produce higher numbers in both points and rebounds while also getting solid numbers in assists and blocks, dominate the top spots. If they can also grab a steal here and there, all the better.

What does PER tell us about the best mid major players out West

Watching the West: 2024-25 Roundup No. 4

What does PER have to say about the top mid-major players out West?

open.substack.com

 

[azfan]

All Arizona is looking forward to the in-state rivalry clash this Saturday 2:00 down in the dirty t.

The Arizona State University (ASU) women's basketball team has suffered five consecutive losses against the University of Arizona (UA) women's basketball team. This losing streak began on February 13, 2022.

These matchups:

February 13, 2022: UA 62, ASU 58

December 29, 2022: UA 84, ASU 66

January 22, 2023: UA 80, ASU 67

December 17, 2023: UA 91, ASU 52

February 4, 2024: UA 63, ASU 52

This will be the sixth consecutive loss to the kitties and the ninth consecutive loss (longest current losing streak in the Big 12) in the current losing streak on the Devils road to a third consecutive 20 loss season..... can you spell rebuild? Michael Crow evidently can't.

Massey has the rebuilding Natasha Adair squad as a 12-point dog while ESPN gives them a 10% chance of pulling the upset. While in state rivalries can be rather unpredictable I would classify this as very close to a sure thing and give the points. I suspect there will be 8,000 to 9,000 very happy kitty fans in McKale this Saturday to enjoy the festivities. Having attended the loss back in 2022 down in the dirty t I can attest to the enthusiasm and general class of the folks down I-10 as they enjoy what has become a consistent, predictable, classic mismatch.

We all remember the miracle on ice back in 1980 thinking of monumental upsets.

But .... The dirty t is no Lake Placid

Natasha Adair is no Herb Brooks. I have that assessment ringing in my head with the voice of Loophole Lloyd Benson booming out a glaring insight into the obvious.

Rumor has it that Adia Barnes agent will be renegotiating her contract after the victory with the astute financial managers down in Tucson.

Can you say 2 million a year over 5 years?

 

[azfan]

2 pm tip Sat. on ESPN plus the Lancers visit Grand Canyon. I'll be driving down to watch the 20th consecutive victory although I'm not quite as sanguine as the experts who see this as a sure thing.

Cal Baptist is coming off a really impressive road victory over Abilene Christian.

In three of their last four games the Lopes have gotten off to a slow start before hitting the accelerator. That could be a dangerous outcome against the Lancers.

After missing three games in late December 3-point sharpshooter Alyssa Durazo-Frescas
has returned and rounded back into shape going 2-7 and then 4-9 from theeland in her two games back.

So Arizona schools should end up 3-1, with only the rebuilding Sun Devils losing to rival kiddieland while the Lopes and Jacks should win easily.

Oh, the kitties may have a struggle on their hands in Boulder before they return home to scratch the eyes out of Ty, Ice, and the rest of the Devils.

 

[WBBTakeover]

I think that as long as Duke makes it ugly (and keeps it that way), we'll win easily. I don't think that this current group of NC State players (minus maybe Saniya Rivers) wants to and can play ugly. There are no Oluchis or Delaneys on NC State's roster, and I think that makes a difference.

 

[Vowelguy]

Duke on a 17-0 run. I'm picturing @triaddukefan as the panda here:

 

[Blueballer]

Great atmosphere at the NC State / Duke game! Does Deb Antonelli EVER stop talking? Geez. Let the broadcast breath a litle bit.

 

[Centerstream]

OMG...Joe Vaszily and Dee Kantner officiating in the same game...poor Blue Devils and Wolfpack.

 

[Baller29]

 

[WBBTakeover]

Well, that sucked. Coaches and players have to shoulder the blame for that one.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Duke on a 17-0 run. I'm picturing @triaddukefan as the panda here:

You share the power to jinx. Welcome to the club.

 

[cancontent]

Crazy game but what a way to start the week. I feel like I got my steps in from just watching. The pace was insane!

 

[Zanzman]

Well, that sucked. Coaches and players have to shoulder the blame for that one.

Maybe State gets the credit rather than you blaming dukes side

 

[Zanzman]

James was incredible

 

[TAK]

OMG...Joe Vaszily and Dee Kantner officiating in the same game...poor Blue Devils and Wolfpack.

Dee Kantner with a clearly incorrect traveling call on Duke’s Founier with about two minutes to go in the game. Dee apparently did not see that Fournier had not yet caught the ball.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Maybe State gets the credit rather than you blaming dukes side

Maybe I can blame whoever I want and you will deal.

 

[Centerstream]

Dee Kantner with a clearly incorrect traveling call on Duke’s Founier with about two minutes to go in the game. Dee apparently did not see that Fournier had not yet caught the ball.

I also don't know why she called to review the play where a Blue Devil player stepped on the out of bounds stripe when attempting a 3 point shot. The official that made the call had a clear view of it. And if it was for a timing issue, there was no need for it. Did she review every stoppage of play in the last couple of minutes????

 

[cancontent]

I also don't know why she called to review the play where a Blue Devil player stepped on the out of bounds stripe when attempting a 3 point shot. The official that made the call had a clear view of it. And if it was for a timing issue, there was no need for it. Did she review every stoppage of play in the last couple of minutes????

There were plenty of "What the?" type of calls throughout the game. From missed blocking calls, phantom travels and that clock gaffe with 5 minutes to go. Not surprised that review happened at all.

 

[jake0414]

Great atmosphere at the NC State / Duke game! Does Deb Antonelli EVER stop talking? Geez. Let the broadcast breath a litle bit.

I especially appreciated when Antonelli praised James late in the game scoring 36 points on 19 field goals. She meant attempts but it came out short….

 

[azfan]

Weber State much better than their record. NAU wins by 5 Sophie Glancy again demonstrates the high regard she's regarded within the league with another Double-Double.

Taylor Feldman, game high score with 27, picked up her fourth foul one minute into the second half and two minutes later Olivia Moran, starting wing picked up her four so they both sat for the remainder of the quarter. Weber State used this to close the gap but at the beginning of the fourth quarter both players were on the court and remained in for the entirety of the fourth quarter in the 81-76 victory.

Great victory for the Jacks - 317 fans in the Walkup Sky Dome.

 

[packwrap]

Dee Kantner with a clearly incorrect traveling call on Duke’s Founier with about two minutes to go in the game. Dee apparently did not see that Fournier had not yet caught the ball.

Kantner can call you for traveling on your way to check in at the scorers table.