Game Thread: 2023 Women's NCAA Tournament...Round of 16: Lady Vols v Va. Tech...Sat @ 6:30 ESPN2

#1,177
#1,177
glv98 said:
How much fun was Sara having? Just glad she didn't throw out her back or punch Justine in the face with her celebration. RJ noticed and approved. Not sure if she approved the reply about her new "Strawberry Shortcake Hair":


Also shout out to B Rice for calling it a block "into the second row". Second row of cheerleaders, but a little hyperbole is good on radio!
Click to expand...



When Franklin had that block. Puckett's reaction was epic!
 
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#1,178
#1,178
To beat VT, make Amoore play D and get in foul trouble. SDSU played them tough. Do the same for Kelty. Push her off the blocks and force her away from the basket. Drive at the basket and get her in foul trouble. Puckett, Hollingshed, Darby, Striplin, and some others need to contribute with some big shots preferably 3s. Hollingshed needs to have a big game (10-15 points and about the same number of rebounds) to make Kelty's life hard the entire game.
 
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#1,179
#1,179
No. 4 seed Tennessee (25-11) continues its 41st-straight NCAA Tournament journey, facing No. 1 seed Virginia Tech (29-4) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. PT (6:30 p.m. ET) in a Seattle 3 Regional Semifinal game at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. The winner of that matchup will meet the victor of Saturday's other semifinal contest (1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET/ABC) between No. 2 seed UConn (31-5) and No. 3 seed Ohio State (27-7). The Seattle 3 Regional Final on Monday is scheduled for 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET). The TV designation will be announced later.
NCAA-BEST 36TH APPEARANCE IN SWEET 16
  • UT has advanced to the NCAA Regional round for the 36th occasion, owning a 28-7 mark in the Sweet 16.
  • The 36 trips stand as a record for the NCAA women's tournament.
  • The only seasons UT did not make the regional level were in 2009 and from 2017 to 2021. UT lost its opening round contest as a No. 5 seed to No. 12 Ball State in Bowling Green, Ky., in 2009. No. 5 seed UT lost its second-round game at No. 4 seed Louisville in 2017. No. 3 seed UT lost its second-round game to No. 6 seed Oregon State in Knoxville in 2018. No. 11 seed Tennessee fell to No. 6 seed UCLA in the first round at College Park, Md., in 2019. No. 3 seed UT dropped a 70-55 second-round decision to No. 6 seed Michigan in 2021 in San Antonio, Texas.
  • The Lady Vols have made the Sweet 16 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2015 and 2016.
  • Kellie Harper has guided her third team to the Sweet 16, taking UT the past two seasons and Missouri St. in 2018-19. Graduate Jasmine Franklin was on that MSU team.
  • At the regional round, UT has made its way to the Elite Eight 28 times, posting an 18-10 record in that phase.
  • UT has advanced to 18 NCAA Final Fours and won eight of them (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008), ranking second to UConn.
  • Tennessee has finished second in the nation five times and third on five more occasions.
WE PLAYED HALF OF THE REMAINING FIELD

  • Tennessee's well-documented most-difficult schedule in the country put it in the path of many of the nation's best teams, including six of the AP Poll's final top 10.
  • The Lady Vols, in fact, have played eight members of the NCAA Sweet 16 and all of the tourney's No. 1 seeds.
  • The three teams with the Big Orange in the Seattle 3 Region were all 2022-23 opponents.
  • Kellie Harper's squad has a 3-7 against the remaining teams in the field, with victories over LSU, Ole Miss and Colorado.
  • Tennessee dropped a Dec. 4 home battle with Virginia Tech, 59-56, with Rickea Jackson, Jillian Hollingshead and Jasmine Frankin all out for that contest. Tamari Key played her final game of the season vs. the Hokies before being sidelined for medical reasons. She held Elizabeth Kitley to six points on 3-of-13 shooting.
  • UT fell to the two teams on the other side of the Seattle 3 bracket, losing the season opener at Ohio State on Nov. 8, 87-75, after a disastrous third quarter, and suffering an 84-67 setback to UConn on the strength of 26 points from Lou Lopez Senechal on Jan. 26.
  • The Lady Vols, of course, are joined by three fellow SEC teams in the Sweet 16, including South Carolina, LSU and Ole Miss. UT is 2-3 vs. these squads.
  • The other two teams are Colorado, which UT beat in Knoxville by 18 on Nov. 25 (69-51), and UCLA, which hit 16 three-pointers to run away from a still-developing Lady Vols squad at the Battle 4 Atlantis on Nov. 20 (80-63).
38TH SEASON WITH 25 WINS
  • Tennessee has reached a pair of victory plateaus this season, dating back to 1974.
  • With the win over Toledo in the NCAA Second Round, the Lady Vols hit the 25-win target for the 38th time.
  • Kellie Harper also tied her career best win tally for a season with that outcome, giving her back-to-back 25-win campaigns at Tennessee in 2022-21 and 2022-23 and four total for her career.
  • Harper also won 25 contests at Missouri State in 2018-19 en route to a Sweet 16 and at Western Carolina in 2007-08.
  • The regular-season finale triumph at Kentucky gave the Big Orange a 20-win campaign for the 46th time.
  • It marked Tennessee's third 20-win season in Kellie Harper's four years as head coach (10th in her career), with the 2020-21 total of 17 wins impacted by several COVID-related game cancelations that no doubt would have pushed the Lady Vols to 20 victories.
LADY VOL ODDS & ENDS

  • HORSTON EQUALS HER COACH: With 452 career assists, Jordan Horston has tied Kellie (Jolly) Harper's No. 7 total of 452 during her time at UT from 1995-99.
  • DARBY CLIMBING 3s LISTS: Tess Darby now has 70 3-pointers in 2022-23 and is No. 9 on the UT season list. Her 126 career threes are seven away from the UT top 10.
  • KEA NEARING CHARITY TOP 10: Rickea Jackson is four free throws away from joining UT's season free throws made top 10. She enters the Va. Tech game with 137.
  • A-LIST SENIOR SCORER: Rickea Jackson's 19.3 ppg. ranks No. 5 all-time for a UT senior behind Trish Roberts (29.9), Chamique Holdsclaw (21.3), Bridgette Gordon (20.4) and Cindy Brogdon (20.1).
  • ONLY TWO LIKE 'EM: Jordan Horston (1,428/727/529) and Alexis Hornbuckle (1,333/740/503 from 2004-08) are the only Lady Vols to surpass 1,000 pts., 700 rebs. and 400 asts. in a career.
  • DROPPING 90+ BACK-TO-BACK: The Lady Vols' 95 points vs. Saint Louis and 94 vs. Toledo marked UT's first back-to-back 90+ efforts in postseason play since scoring 97 on Radford and Ohio State in the 1996 NCAA First and Second Rounds.
  • POINTS ON THE FLY: UT outscored its last two foes, 44-8, on fastbreak points.
  • DROPPING 20 IN A FRAME: After scoring 20+ points in three different quarters vs. Saint Louis and Toledo, UT has tallied 20 or more in 64 of 144 quarters this season, including 19 times in the past 36 periods.
  • TAKING AND MAKING THREES: The Lady Vols have shot 613 three-pointers and made 195 of them this season, with those numbers ranking No. 5 and No. 6 all-time in program history.
  • MORE SECURE WITH THE BALL: UT is averaging 11.0 turnovers over its last three games, down 4.2 from its season average of 15.2.
  • POTENT POSTSEASON PAIR: Rickea Jackson (21.4, 6.4) and Jordan Horston (17.6, 8.4) are combining for 39.0 of the Lady Vols' 79.2 ppg. and 14.4 of their 42.0 rpg. in postseason play (NCAA/SEC).
  • JORDY & 'KEA DROPPIN' 20: Jordan Horston and Rickea Jackson have recorded 17 and 16 20-point scoring performances during their time at Tennessee, ranking No. 8 and 9 on school career lists. Jackson's 16 such games in 2022-23 also rate as the ninth-best mark in a single season.
  • JOJO STEPPING UP: In NCAA Tournament play, Jordan Walker is averaging 10.0 ppg., 5.5 rpg. and 3.0 apg. while shooting 47 percent from the field.
  • JP FINDING HER RANGE: Jasmine Powell had 12 points and hit two of three treys vs. Toledo and is averaging 8.5 ppg. and shooting 85.7 on FGs, 75.0 on 3FGs and 100.0 on free throws in NCAA play.
  • BALANCED LINEUP: In addition to Jasmine Powell in NCAA play, Jillian Hollingshead (8.5 ppg.), Sara Puckett (7.5 ppg.), Tess Darby (7.5 ppg.), Jasmine Franklin (6.0 ppg., 7.0 rpg.) and Karoline Striplin and Kaiya Wynn (5.0 ppg.) have been steady contributors.
LOOKING BACK AT THE TOLEDO GAME

  • No. 24/RV Tennessee snapped Toledo's 17-game win streak to advance to its 36th NCAA Sweet 16, defeating the Rockets in Thompson-Boling Arena on Monday night in the tournament's second round, 94-47.
  • Five players were in double digits for No. 4 seed UT (25-11, 13-3 SEC), with sophomores Sara Puckett and Jillian Hollingshead leading the scoring with 13 each. Seniors Rickea Jackson and Jasmine Powell turned in 12, and classmate Jordan Horston posted 10. Graduate Jasmine Franklin added a game-high 10 rebounds.
  • Quinesha Lockett was the top scorer for No. 12 seed Toledo (29-5, 16-2 MAC) with 19 points, as the Big Orange kept everyone else in check and earned back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Regional Semifinals for the first time since 2015 and 2016.
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE

  • The Lady Vols held Toledo to just 47 points, which is the fewest UT has allowed in an NCAA contest since 2014 when they held Northwestern State to 46.
  • Toledo came into the match averaging 73.8 ppg. and hadn't scored fewer than 50 points since being held to 41 against Duke on Nov. 20.
SARA BUCKETTS

  • After going without a 3-pointer since hitting one against Vanderbilt on Feb. 12, Sara Puckett went a perfect three of three from behind the arc against the Rockets.
  • It marked the third time this season she hit three or more treys. Her 13 points were the most since she fired in 17 at Missouri on Jan. 22.
50-POINT FIRST HALF

  • The Lady Vols put up an impressive 50 points in the first half against the Rockets, the most scored in an NCAA Tournament game by the Lady Vols since the 2011 postseason, when Tennessee tallied 55 first-half points versus Stetson en route to a 99-34 win in the NCAA First Round on March 19, 2011.
HOT 3-POINT SHOOTING

  • Tennessee shot 50 percent from beyond the arc against the Rockets, the best 3-point percentage in an NCAA Tournament game since 2014, when the Lady Vols shot 50 percent from deep against St. John's en route to a 67-51 victory on March 24.
  • Seven different Lady Vols combined to hit 11 threes Monday night, marking the third time this season UT has racked up 10 or more treys.
A LOOK AT THE HOKIES

  • Va. Tech features four players scoring in double figures, led by 6-6 two-time ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley (18.2 ppg./10.8 rpg.).
  • Other double-figure scorers include Georgia Amoore (15.7), Taylor Soule (11.3) and Kayana Traylor (10.8).
  • Amoore paces VT with 106 3-pointers and 169 assists, while Kayla King (7.9 ppg.) has hit 71 treys.
VIRGINIA TECH'S LAST GAME

  • Behind four Hokies in double figures, Virginia Tech defeated South Dakota State, 72-60, in the second round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in Blacksburg on March 19.
  • With the win, the Hokies (29-4) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second time in VT history (1999) and earned their program-record 29th victory of the season.
  • Georgia Amoore drained a career-high seven treys on her way to a game-high 21 points, while Elizabeth Kitley notched her 21st double-double with 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
UT/VT NOTES

  • Tennessee leads the all-time series over the Hokies, 8-3, including 3-2 in Knoxville, 4-1 in Blacksburg and 1-0 at neutral sites.
  • Kellie Harper is 5-2 all-time vs. the Hokies as a head coach, including a loss in 2007 while at Western Carolina, four victories as head of the program at NC State in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and a win in 2021 and loss in 2023 while at UT.
  • Harper played in a Tennessee win over Virginia Tech on March 20, 1999, as the #2/2-ranked Lady Vols prevailed over the #13/15 Hokies, 68-52, in the NCAA Sweet 16 at Greensboro, N.C.
  • In that contest, 13,204 fans were on hand as UT legend Chamique Holdsclaw went over 3,000 career points.
  • Tennessee is 112-31 vs. schools in the ACC, including 17-7 in the NCAA Tournament. UT is 1-0 vs. the Hokies in NCAA play.
LAST TIME WE MET

  • Senior Jordan Horston recorded her second double-double of the season on Dec. 4, as RV/RV Tennessee battled No. 9/9 Virginia Tech down to the wire in a nail-biter before coming up short in Thompson-Boling Arena, 59-56, in the 2022 Jimmy V Women's Classic.
  • The Lady Vols (4-5), who were playing without senior Rickea Jackson, graduate Jasmine Franklin and sophomore Jillian Hollingshead, were led by Horston who finished with a game-high 26 points, 11 rebounds and two steals. Senior Tamari Key, in her last game of 2022-23 before a medical issue sidelined her, contributed 11 points and held VT star Elizabeth Kitley to six points on 3-of-13 shooting, marking her second straight season of limiting the outstanding post player.
  • Four Hokies (8-0) scored in double figures, with Kayana Traylor leading the effort with 18. Cayla King turned in 11 points and Georgia Amoore and D'asia Gregg each finished with 10.
 
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#1,182
#1,182
Orange-Cake-with-Zesty-Cream-Cheese-Frosting-5.jpg
 
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#1,184
#1,184
Vols2015 said:
Women's Sweet 16 picks, predictions and breakout players
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From this webpage:
Women's Sweet 16 picks, predictions and breakout players

For the first time in a quarter-century, the Sweet 16 of the 2023 women's NCAA tournament will include just two No. 1 seeds: South Carolina, the defending champion in pursuit of a perfect season, and Virginia Tech, which hopes to make the program's first women's Final Four. And for the first time ever, there are just two regional sites: Greenville 1 and 2 in South Carolina, and Seattle 3 and 4.
Some things are very familiar, though, such as UConn -- the No. 2 seed in Seattle 3 -- going for a 15th consecutive Final Four appearance. The Huskies are probably the healthiest they've been all season, at just the right time, including the return of star sophomore guard Azzi Fudd.
No. 1 seeds Stanford and Indiana were upset on their home courts in the second round, which means No. 8 seed Ole Miss is making its first appearance in the regional semifinals since 2007, and No. 9 seed Miami its first since 1992.
Iowa's Caitlin Clark and South Carolina's Aliyah Boston continue their campaigns for national player of the year, but both are much more concerned about their teams advancing. South Carolina is seeking its third consecutive Final Four appearance and fifth overall, while Iowa seeks its second appearance but first since 1993.
Games begin in both cities on Friday, with two regional finals on Sunday and two on Monday. All games will be televised on ESPN networks or streamed via the ESPN App.
Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and M.A. Voepel look ahead to the weekend's action and predict the winner of each game of the Sweet 16.

What's the best game of the regional semifinals?

Creme: According to the Vegas odds, Virginia Tech and Tennessee is a coin flip, and I think it will be the most competitive game. It's difficult to envision a scenario in which either team is able to pull away from the other.
Any doubt about the Hokies' chances to make a Final Four typically rests on their lack of experience in these moments. But that shouldn't be a factor here. Tennessee reached the Sweet 16 a year ago, but Jordan Walker and Tess Darby were the only players on the roster who played a significant role in that loss to Louisville. Jordan Horston was hurt. Rickea Jackson was in the transfer portal. Sara Puckett and Karoline Striplin were mainly role players. Virginia Tech shouldn't be any more overwhelmed than the Lady Vols.

Eakin Howard/Getty ImagesSweet 16 picks
(9) Miami vs. (4) Villanova
Greenville 2: Friday (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Andrea Adelson: Miami
Charlie Creme: Villanova
Kevin Pelton: Villanova
Alexa Philippou: Villanova
M.A. Voepel: Miami
(3) LSU vs. (2) Utah
Greenville 2: Friday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Adelson: LSU
Creme: LSU
Pelton: LSU
Philippou: LSU
Voepel: LSU
(6) Colorado vs. (2) Iowa
Seattle 4: Friday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Adelson: Iowa
Creme: Iowa
Pelton: Iowa
Philippou: Iowa
Voepel: Iowa
(8) Ole Miss vs. (5) Louisville

Seattle 4: Friday (10 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Adelson: Louisville
Creme: Louisville
Pelton: Ole Miss
Philippou: Louisville
Voepel: Louisville
(3) Notre Dame vs. (2) Maryland
Greenville 1: Saturday (11:30 a.m. ET, ESPN)
Adelson: Maryland
Creme: Maryland
Pelton: Maryland
Philippou: Maryland
Voepel: Maryland
(4) UCLA vs. (1) South Carolina
Greenville 1: Saturday (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Adelson: South Carolina
Creme: South Carolina
Pelton: South Carolina
Philippou: South Carolina
Voepel: South Carolina
(3) Ohio State vs. (2) UConn
Seattle 3: Saturday (4 p.m. ET, ABC)
Adelson: UConn
Creme: UConn
Pelton: UConn
Philippou: UConn
Voepel: UConn
(4) Tennessee vs. (1) Virginia Tech
Seattle 3: Saturday (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Adelson: Tennessee
Creme: Virginia Tech
Pelton: Tennessee
Philippou: Virginia Tech
Voepel: Tennessee

Ranking the top 25 players in the women's Sweet 16
Welcome to the Sweet 16 of the 2023 women's NCAA tournament -- and to our latest iteration of the top 25 players remaining in the field. Due to stunning upsets in the first weekend, we bid adieu to some of the game's biggest names. Farewell to the likes of Cameron Brink, Mackenzie Holmes and Ashley Joens, among the stars whose seasons have ended.
So many departures allowed for new players to make their way into ESPN's ranking for the first time in a while. So welcome back, Azzi Fudd, the UConn sophomore who looked to be closer to her usual self on Monday versus Baylor, and Hailey Van Lith, who earned her spot once more after tearing it up for Louisville in the first weekend.
And then there are those who break into our list for the first time ever, such as Maryland's Shyanne Sellers and Ohio State's Cotie McMahon, youngsters who have been impressive in the NCAA tournament, along with Colorado's Jaylyn Sherrod and Ole Miss' Angel Baker, seniors who helped their teams orchestrate big upsets.
ESPN's Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and M.A. Voepel rank their top 25 players heading into the regional semifinals, which open Friday and will be played in Seattle and Grenville, South Carolina.
(Note: Notre Dame star Olivia Miles is not included, as she has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury.)

i
9. Rickea Jackson, Tennessee
F | 6-foot-2 | senior | Previous: 11
2022-23 stats: 19.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.5 APG
Both Tennessee and Jackson have looked sharp this postseason. Jackson totaled 77 points and 23 rebounds in the SEC tournament, and she tallied 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Lady Vols cruised through the first two rounds, crushing Saint Louis and Toledo. It will be intriguing to see how Jackson does in the Sweet 16 vs. Virginia Tech. In the Lady Vols' 59-56 loss to the Hokies in December, Jackson didn't play in what was deemed a coach's decision. But she has started every game since Jan. 22 for Tennessee. -- Voepel
play
1:09
Lady Vols cruise to Sweet Sixteen with win over Toledo
Tennessee spreads the offense around as five players score in double figures with stout defense to advance past the Rockets, 94-47.

i
16. Jordan Horston, Tennessee
G | 6-foot-2 | senior | Previous: 20
2022-23 stats: 15.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.5 SPG
Through so many ups and downs in Knoxville over the past few seasons, Horston has been a constant. She and Jackson have formed a 1-2 punch that has continued to evolve after the Lady Vols began the season 2-4. Her ballhandling skills, length and athleticism make Horston an equal threat to start a fast break or finish one. Her 21 points led the way for Tennessee in the first round against Saint Louis. The Lady Vols have trailed for a total of just 32 seconds in two games. -- Creme
 
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#1,186
#1,186
I believe the most critical aspect of ALL of our games going forward is which three officials will be named to call each one. We can hope the games are called well, or at least evenly, but nobody's going to bet the farm that'll happen.

I'm nervous about it because bad officiating can turn a good game plan to mush pretty quickly.
 
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#1,187
#1,187
lvocd said:
I believe the most critical aspect of ALL of our games going forward is which three officials will be named to call each one. We can hope the games are called well, or at least evenly, but nobody's going to bet the farm that'll happen.

I'm nervous about it because bad officiating can turn a good game plan to mush pretty quickly.
Click to expand...
I was once told,
"..as a coach it is up to you to keep the refs from getting bored and creating drama"
 
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#1,191
#1,191
Hoosier said:
Today, Charlie the Cremer says, " Georgia Amoore will outdo Jackson as the best bucket-getter on the court, and Virginia Tech will move on to the regional final. "

I wouldn't bet on it, personally.
GO LADY VOLS!
Click to expand...

I mean, it COULD happen for Amoore and VT but, like you, I wouldn't bet on it.

Medical researchers in the field of human respiration should study Charlie Creme to find out what it is in his DNA that allows him to breathe normally even though his head is perpetually up Geno Auriemma's @ss.
 
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#1,199
#1,199
Hoosier said:
Today, Charlie the Cremer says, "Georgia Amoore will outdo Jackson as the best bucket-getter on the court, and Virginia Tech will move on to the regional final."

I wouldn't bet on it, personally.
GO LADY VOLS!
Click to expand...

Oh wow, so he did. I want to bold that one and repeat it if you don't mind-

"Georgia Amoore will outdo Jackson as the best bucket-getter on the court,"

Creme has been ignoring Tennessee all season. I don't know who pissed in his cornflakes, but he doesn't seem to think a thing about UT or its team. His attitude about the Lady Vols has been completely dismissive.

I've joked about it a few times already, but his taking three minutes out of the first half of the Tennessee-LSU SECT game to talk about LSU's chances against South Carolina in the next round was insulting to Tennessee.
 
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#1,200
#1,200
Coach Jumper said:
Coach Jumper: 80-71
@J-Dog 1313 86-59
@Only1COJ 70-68
@knoxvol52 72-58
@Rons1989 74-57
@ladyvol 78-70
Click to expand...

TN: 74
VT: 58

Keeping VT under 60 will be huge. I don’t think they have anyone who can guard both Horston and Jackson. Tess Darby spotting up for 3s. Stripling and Puckett shooting 3s, and what about Franklin down low, with the uprising Hollingshead extended her play to the 3 point shot.
 
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