vs South Dakota State

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sealhall74
Posts: 5770
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:18 pm
Location: Wherever, Windblows

Looking well ahead, if we win out, we are the outright conference champion and tournament one seed. If USD happens to stumble at IUPUI next week and we do likewise against USD at home, WIU along with IUPUI, SDSU, and USD would likely be tied with 12-4 records. I am pretty sure we would be locked into the #4 seed with a 2-4 record against the other three. The other three teams would all have 3-3 records and how they shake out, I am going to have to do some homework. Stay tuned.

Assuming we take care of business against the Dons first, how about just pack a thousand more into Western Hall next Saturday and make it a non-issue?
Embrace the pace of the race.
LocalYokelFan
Posts: 129
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:23 am

Absolutely a fantastic win in front of a fantastic crowd last night. 1,303 seems low, the lower sections were pretty full -- great turnout by the students and they were engaged and loud. I challenge them to do that more often! It's a huge advantage.

A few things on the game, all good for the Lady Leathernecks. Loved how they jumped out on the Jacks. I know they were hyped for this thing to start and to see that they could play at a high level in that kind of charged environment bodes well moving forward.

The came the Jacks in the 2nd Quarter. They played a crazy good 2nd quarter, there's a reason SDSU is 4th in that Mid-Major Top 25 poll and they showed it over the course of that 10 minute stretch.

The more encouraging part, though, was 'Necks didn't roll over coming out of half time. The comeback wasn't a big run by us or collapse by SDSU, it was a hard-nosed, grind-it-out, and claw-back type of half. The other really encouraging thing to see was the subtle adjustments made out of half time. When SDSU switched to zone and made their run in the 2nd quarter, WIU had a tough time getting the ball inside and settled for tough 3s. Coming right out in the 3rd quarter, you could tell the emphasis was to get the ball to the rim. It wasn't pretty at first as the Jack are tough down low, but the tic-for-tak successes down low spaced the floor and created a few more opportunities for big 3s. GREAT ADJUSTMENT by the ladies and the coaches.

About the coaches... Coach Johnston is a tremendous basketball coach, but he didn't do his team any favors down the stretch in this one. Coach Gravina on the other hand gets a HUGE assist on that loose ball time out with 13 seconds left, up by 1. Whether WIU had possession or not, Johnston can't get a technical foul there. They were down by 1 with plenty of time left and an inbound play forthcoming. Set up your defense, pick who you want to foul, and send them to the free throw line with 2 of the biggest free throws of their career. Instead, you spend a timeout arguing why you got a technical, send WIU's best free throw shooter to the line, and take the pressure off of her b/c she knows they still get the ball back.

All-in-all, great game, great win, tremendous entertainment for a Wednesday evening. 2 more to go for that regular season crown...
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

Leathernecks alone in first; snap skid vs. SDSU.

From today's McDonough County Voice:
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/sports/20 ... id-vs-sdsu

Tonight's KHQA-TV-7 Sports will have a follow-up story on last night's dramatic victory.
letsgonecks
Posts: 980
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:19 am

Great win and a fun team to watch.

With the emergence of Braun as a scoring threat, this team is capable of winning NCAA tourney games. Clemens will find herself on some All-American teams, Blumer is a scoring machine and will be a Summit League 1st teamer, Higginbotham can drop 20+ any given night and should be a 2nd teamer, and now Braun being a threat gives them 4 playmakers.

Win the last 2 games and secure at least 1 Summit league tourney victory and this team will be dancing. "Should" move top 20 next week in the mid-major poll (currently only 36 for some reason) after beating #4 SDSU. Win Wednesday and beat mid-major ranked USD #6 and they "should" be top 10. Top 10 should get an invite if they don't win their tourney. #1 Drake is currently ranked 25 in the regular poll, #2 Gonzaga is 30th, #3 GB is 32nd, so gets you well in range of the 64.

Hopefully they win out and the tourney to get a better seed in the dance.
LocalYokelFan
Posts: 129
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:23 am

Love the enthusiasm letsgonecks, but we'll only be in the big dance if we win the Summit League Tourney. As fun and competitive as the Summit WBB has been this year, I doubt it's a 2-bid conference. Our only non-con marquee win is NIU and we have losses to both the tourney teams we played this year (Mizzou and Marquette). Look, I agree we could make a little noise if we run the table and win the Summit Tourney, but I just don't think anything short of that will get us in.

That said, the last 2 regular season games are HUGE. Bonus that they are both at home. Outright win the conference and if you get knocked out of the Summit Tourney, I believe we're guaranteed a spot in the W-NIT -- which that alone would be awesome. Remember USD won the W-NIT last year.
letsgonecks
Posts: 980
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:19 am

You're right local. With 32 auto conference bids and not the extra play-in games like the guys, it would be really tough. We'd have to leap major conference teams currently projected at-large like: Creighton (18-6), West Virginia (18-8) Michigan State (16-9), Auburn (15-11), Temple (20-5), Oregon (17-9), Iowa (15-10), Indiana (17-8), Arizona State (16-9), and LSU (17-8).

Green Bay or Wright State/Horizon, Drake/MVC, or Gonzaga/WC only mid-majors possibly getting at-large if they don't win Conference Tourney.

The resume looks pretty good and could at least get some talk in regards to First and Next Four Out......if they don't win the tourney.

We're sitting at 6 loses and if we win out conference, but lose our second game in the S.T, we'd be at 24-7. Current losses look like this.

8 point lose to 17-8 Milwaukee
3 point lose to 17-9 Missouri
15 (biggest lose) to 19-7 Marquette
14 point lose to 19-7 IUPUI
15 point lose to 19-7 SDSU
4 point lose to 19-7 IUPUI

6 loses against teams combined 91 - 38. Like you said Missouri and Marquette have good tourney shots. If we don't win the tourney IUPUI and SDSU have a good shot and Milwaukee can't be ruled out of their tourney. Could have 7 loses to 3 tourney teams.
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Tere North
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Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:59 pm

letsgonecks wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2017 12:58 pm You're right local. With 32 auto conference bids and not the extra play-in games like the guys, it would be really tough.
But winning the league play guarantees you post-season. Even if you don't win the tourney, season league champ goes to the WNIT.
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

WIU women control destiny for Summit title.

From today's McDonough County Voice:
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/sports/20 ... mmit-title
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

Women’s hoops maintain first place Leathernecks top Jackrabbits in electric win.

From today's Western Courier:
http://westerncourier.com/37707/sports/ ... ctric-win/
OldHare
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Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 10:25 am

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