Week 18 preview (Mar. 7-13)

[Plebe]

UCF wins their opening game in the AAC tourney 69-54 over Tulsa. Tulsa gave fight until midway through the 3rd quarter before UCF opened it up. A staggering stat is UCF outrebounded Tulsa 50-20.

 

[nwhoopfan]

UNLV vs. Colorado St. about to tip for the Mountain West championship. Assuming it's a one bid league. UNLV hasn't been to the Tourney in 20 years, Lindy La Rocque is doing a nice job there. They won the regular season title.

 

[Plebe]

UNLV vs. Colorado St. about to tip for the Mountain West championship. Assuming it's a one bid league. UNLV hasn't been to the Tourney in 20 years, Lindy La Rocque is doing a nice job there. They won the regular season title.

Definitely a one-bid league. UNLV played only one top 100 opponent, and it was a loss to Texas Tech. They also lost to @azfan 's Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.

I don't get CBSSN anymore, so I'll just have to read the box score.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Whoa. Khayla Rooks is a starter for UNLV. Gotta think she's enjoying this season more than if she'd returned to Washington for her final year of eligibility.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Couple of back and forth games. UNLV pulled away at the end and punched their ticket.

Idaho led most of the game but had an untimely scoring drought at the end, Montana St. advances to face Northern Arizona w/ another bid on the line.

 

[dabears17]

Lindy La Rocque's UNLV team wins Mountain West Championship for first time and is going dancing!

 

[nwhoopfan]

Lindy La Rocque's UNLV team wins Mountain West Championship for first time and is going dancing!

Only 32, second youngest coach in D1 I think I heard. Improved to 41-15 so far in her second year as a HC.

 

[Plebe]

 

[Plebe]

Wow, I thought #3 in the photo looked familiar. And indeed — it's Kiara Jackson, a freshman, whom I saw play brilliantly two years ago in a high school playoff game where her team defeated the team of Sarah Andrews (Baylor) and Hannah Gusters (Baylor to LSU). Here are the posts and highlights on that game in February 2020:

Non-UConn Recruiting Thread

Tennessee fans acting like they just scored a number 1 recruit with this Striplin verbal. Yes, sounds like a solid recruit, but dang.. Ain’t nobody acting like we got the number 1 recruit. SMDH.

the-boneyard.com

Looking at the UNLV's stats, I see that K. Jackson wasn't a starter but averaged over 20 minutes and 6.6 points per game, and was second on her team in assists. Glad to see her and the Lady Rebels doing well.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Wow, I thought #3 in the photo looked familiar. And indeed — it's Kiara Jackson

I think it was her, had a great play in the last minute. UNLV already had a secure lead, but Colorado St. rolled an inbound pass in to try to save clock, she sprinted up and scooped it up and got a lay in. I don't think I've ever seen that before.

 

[LETTERL]

A few comments:

-- Looking forward to tonight's game between UCF and South Florida. First to 45 wins?

-- Nicholls plays Incarnate Word in the opening round of the Southland Tournament today. Probably will end their season, which has been a terrible one. The Lady Colonels enter the game 2-21 on the season. I had high hopes for Nicholls going into the season (6 seniors) but they just haven't been competitive this season.

 

[ochoopsfan]

As the season unfolded I wondered the same thing.

It should be pointed out however that your observation and my suspicion relate to the basketball court. The twins are highly relevant in revenue generation for themselves and marketing their brand.

It appears they're scoring averages, assists per game and minutes player comparable to previous years but the team really didn't do well. I would suspect our friend @ochoopsfan might have insight.

The twins from Gilbert, Az averaged 3 points less per game and 2 rebounds more per game this season over last. The team defense however was noticeably off from last year.

I have only seen Fresno State once this season, cant opine on the twins.

 

[azfan]

Definitely a one-bid league. UNLV played only one top 100 opponent, and it was a loss to Texas Tech. They also lost to @azfan 's Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.

I don't get CBSSN anymore, so I'll just have to read the box score.

The Jacks took UNLV apart in Flagstaff in their third game of the season as they hit 7 of 15 three pointers in a 22-point wire to wire victory. Khiaraca Rasheed was a monster with 24 points and nine boards.

Big Sky honorable mention point guard Regan Schenck had 11 dimes in the contest. Last night Schenck set the single season record for assists for the NAU Lumberjacks.

In another otherwise dismal performance UNLV did hit the offensive boards with a 14 - 4 advantage over the Jacks. This was the only bright spot however in what was a trouncing.

 

[Plebe]

I think it was her, had a great play in the last minute. UNLV already had a secure lead, but Colorado St. rolled an inbound pass in to try to save clock, she sprinted up and scooped it up and got a lay in. I don't think I've ever seen that before.

I was as impressed with her performance of two years ago as I've been of any high school player's (although I really don't watch much HS ball). @Dillon77 rightly pointed out that while she perhaps lacked the elite athleticism and strength to be an upper-tier D1 recruit, she'd likely be a strong mid-major prospect, and all indications from her freshman year at UNLV seem to be bearing that out.

 

[Geew1992]

UIW for the wi!!

 

[Plebe]

A few comments:

-- Looking forward to tonight's game between UCF and South Florida. First to 45 wins?

-- Nicholls plays Incarnate Word in the opening round of the Southland Tournament today. Probably will end their season, which has been a terrible one. The Lady Colonels enter the game 2-21 on the season. I had high hopes for Nicholls going into the season (6 seniors) but they just haven't been competitive this season.

— Scores in the two previous "War on I-4" matchups this season were 67-51 and 54-33 in favor of UCF.

— Nicholls lost to Incarnate Word in the most devastating manner possible. Led by 5 with 13 seconds left. Gave up a 3, missed two free throws, and then gave up another 3 at the buzzer

 

[LETTERL]

 

[Plebe]

I was gonna try to head out to Katy for this game (just outside of Houston, maybe a 25-minute drive for me) but it's a good thing I didn't. I'd be so devastated.

But UIW is having a breakout season, sort of. The Southland is MUCH smaller and weaker this year without SFA, ACU and others, but still, 5th in the conference is an improvement for UIW.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Cal Baptist moves on to the WAC semi finals with an 85-78 win. They will play Grand Canyon tomorrow.

Ane Olaeta with 23 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds and 7 steals, while playing in foul trouble all game.

StatBroadcast Live Stat Feed

stats.statbroadcast.com

 

[Plebe]

OMG, TCU WTH, what a dreadful team. How in the world did they beat A&M.

Round three of UCF-USF set to begin soon.

 

[azfan]

Cal Baptist moves on to the WAC semi finals with an 85-78 win. They will play Grand Canyon tomorrow.

Ane Olaeta with 23 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds and 7 steals, while playing in foul trouble all game.

StatBroadcast Live Stat Feed

stats.statbroadcast.com

Lopes won both games during the regular season. Cal Baptist is rolling so the game tomorrow should be a good one.

A win by the Lancers takes all the pressure off SFA, although I suspect the upset by UTRGV focused the Ladyjacks, regardless of who they face.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I wouldn't want UCF in my bracket. Physical. Tenacious D. Cinderella?

 

[Plebe]

I wouldn't want UCF in my bracket. Physical. Tenacious D. Cinderella?

Creme said with a win today they'll be a 7 seed. He said USF would've moved up from a 10 to a 9 seed with a win, so a loss might be better for the Bulls to avoid the 8/9 game.

That UCF defense just finds another gear and clamps down. South Florida was playing pretty well, the lead went back and forth many times for 3 quarters, and then USF scored a total of 1 point in the first 9 minutes of 4Q.

 

[undersized]

Wow, that UCF/USF was maybe the roughest, most physical game I've watched all season. There was a little extra juju coming from both sides. Not the prettiest game offensively but couldn't ask for better entertainment.

A 4 point lead in rivalry game usually feels like nothing, but once UCF got up 44-40 with multiple minutes to go in the 4Q, the game already felt over in a way. It sounds crazy to say, but the way the game was going, you just knew USF wasn't gonna score two buckets against UCF's defense. Kaba had an epic block on Mununga to disrupt an otherwise very well drawn up baseline out of bounds play that would have brought USF within 2 points.

Depending on who ends up as the 2-seeds, I could definitely see 7-seeded UCF giving LSU and Iowa State some trouble. Maybe even Louisville...

 

[Plebe]

Wow, that UCF/USF was maybe the roughest, most physical game I've watched all season. There was a little extra juju coming from both sides. Not the prettiest game offensively but couldn't ask for better entertainment.

A 4 point lead in rivalry game usually feels like nothing, but once UCF got up 44-40 with multiple minutes to go in the 4Q, the game already felt over in a way. It sounds crazy to say, but the way the game was going, you just knew USF wasn't gonna score two buckets against UCF's defense. Kaba had an epic block on Mununga to disrupt an otherwise very well drawn up baseline out of bounds play that would have brought USF within 2 points.

Depending on who ends up as the 2-seeds, I could definitely see 7-seeded UCF giving LSU and Iowa State some trouble. Maybe even Louisville...

The battles in the post between Kaba/Smith and Mununga/Leverett were just incredibly intense all game long. My lord

AAC POY Diamond Battles shot the ball poorly from the field but somehow she still felt like the difference-maker, along with UCF's team defense, in the fourth frame.