WBB NCAA TOURNEY: Stanford 79 -- Norfolk State 50 - Printable Version

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WBB NCAA TOURNEY: Stanford 79 -- Norfolk State 50 - 81alum - 03-18-2024

Preview: Norfolk State

We take on Norfolk State on Friday, 7pm, in a game which will be televised on ESPN2.

Norfolk State is a public, historically Black university in Norfolk, Virginia, with an undergraduate student population of about 5,000. They, like SJSU and Michigan State, are the Spartans. They play in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conferance (MEAC), which they won this year with a 13-1 conference record, finishing ahead of Howard with a 10-4 record.

This year Norfolk State is 27-5. It does not have a win over a top 100 team, and has only 2 wins over top 200 teams. Among the losses were Wake Forest, Minnesota, and Auburn. Norfolk seems to have dominated most opponents its own size, but lost to every team from a major conference it played. The Minnesota and Auburn losses were by large margins. However, those games were early in the season, so it is unknown how well they might or might not describe today’s Norfolk team. Massey has Norfolk at 141, a bit better than our opponent UC Davis and similar to Hawaii. The NET has them at 164.

Norfolk is not normally a prolific three point shooting team, but they make their fair share—about 6 treys a game at around 32%, and mostly coming from one player (see below.) About 1 in 5 shots is a three point attempt. They get to the line a fair bit and earn around 12 points in free throws a game. This tells me they have players who can take it to the basket in traffic. Roughly half their made baskets were assisted, so not a pass-first team like Gonzaga nor a solo-first team like USC.

Norfolk is led by 5’5” Diamond Johnson, a junior point guard who averages 20 points per game and who has 84 steals on the season, and she leads the team in made threes with 64 of them, hitting at 40%. Johnson missed nearly all of Fall play, but has been starting the last 22 games. If Lepolo is healthy, I expect to see her defending Johnson.

Norfolk’s second leading scorer is 6’1” Kierra Wheeler, a strong junior forward who is averaging 18 points at 55%. After the leading two, Norfolk has 5 players each averaging around 7 points—so stopping Johnson and Wheeler are definitely jobs 1 and 2.

Norfolk is particularly good at stealing the ball, with more than 12 steals per game. I anticipate they will get in the passing lanes and attempt to do what superior teams like USC and Colorado and Arizona actually could do—disrupt our offense by interfering with our passing. Unlike those teams, however, I don’t think they can stop the high-low passes that could feed our bigs. They have four players who are 6’ or taller, but they normally start 5’5”, 6’1”, 5’9”, 5’7”, and 5’8”.

Keys for our success: on offense--avoid turnovers and feed the ball inside. On defense: strong scouting report defense on Johnson and Wheeler without abandoning the other three.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - WBB fan - 03-18-2024

Thanks 81. Yet another very helpful preview. Much appreciated.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - BobK - 03-18-2024

Thank you 81.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - WBB fan - 03-22-2024

Stanford is a 35.5 point favorite tonight. Such odds make me very nervous, especially against a team with a top notch guard.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - qwerty49 - 03-22-2024

(03-22-2024, 10:57 AM)WBB fan Wrote:  Stanford is a 35.5 point favorite tonight. Such odds make me very nervous, especially against a team with a top notch guard.

Very tough spread to bet.  On one hand, they are really small and don't shoot that well from 3.  OTOH they appear to be very quick, which is not our strong suit.  If we get up by 20-25+, you'll see our 3rd string in the rest of the game.  Not likely to increase the margin that much.  Just my guess.

Geno, of course, would not pull his starters until 3 mins left and up by 60.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - M T - 03-22-2024

I agree. Tara is not going to run up the score or risk injuries more than necessary.  20 minutes per starter is my over /under point. She always puts on tbe air brakes about 25 points up.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - martyup - 03-22-2024

Take the points.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - 81alum - 03-22-2024

In the Maryland/Iowa State game opposite ours, Maryland looks awesome, shooting lights out. Defending closely. Rebounding well.  Brenda Freise had them ready.

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76lsjumb - 76lsjumb - 03-22-2024

(03-22-2024, 05:34 PM)81alum Wrote:  In the Maryland/Iowa State game opposite ours, Maryland looks awesome, shooting lights out. Defending closely. Rebounding well.  Brenda Freise had them ready.

Except for blowing their entire double digit lead in the third quarter… :-0

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - WBB fan - 03-22-2024

Let's not follow that example

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - 81alum - 03-22-2024

A completely different game in the 2nd half.  Wow.  Bill Fennaly made brilliant halftime adjustments.  Their big with 39.

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All 12 of our players are warming up.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - martyup - 03-22-2024

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - old spanish trail - 03-22-2024

(03-22-2024, 06:59 PM)martyup Wrote:  

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Dancing dogs are funny.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - martyup - 03-22-2024

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - SkiBum80 - 03-22-2024

Awesome Gifs!
4 min left in 1st qtr we do not look great
Fortunately NS looks kinda nervous and some fouls
But I wouldn’t wanna count on them staying nervous

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - martyup - 03-22-2024

15 points in the first quarter is not going to cut it.  Too many long passes getting picked off.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - old spanish trail - 03-22-2024

Crummy start.

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - martyup - 03-22-2024

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - SkiBum80 - 03-22-2024

At end 1st qtr: wow so not good
I’m sorry but Demetre looks totally lost and bewildered
Not sure why Cam needed a break, no foul trouble, I wonder if winded or Coach T just trying to pace her
Lots of misguided attempted passes into the key, trying to take advantage of height, but instead giving up a turnover

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RE: WBB: Stanford vs. Norfolk State Friday 7pm - BosCard - 03-22-2024

Bosgana, Demetre and Harriel look lost right now.   Like they don’t know what to do. Like they are afraid to make a mistake so they turn the ball over which is the worst mistake because we don’t even get a shot at a rebound.

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