Preview:
Should we win tonight, we will play Oklahoma State, which defeated Wake Forest 84-61 today.
Oklahoma State is led by 6'4" Natasha Mack, reportedly a top 5 WNBA pick this year. She has a very long reach beyond her height--reminds me of Brink in build, or perhaps a taller Mya Hollingshed. She gets the ball down low and has spin moves and accuracy once she does. She also has a decent mid range jumper and used the glass well, even from outside layup range. Wake Forest had no one who could stop her--on some possessions Wake Forest shut her down by doubling her and having both doubles fronting her so she could not get the ball. They pushed her 8 or even 10 feet out and still she would hit jumpers or bank them in. At first they had some success offensively against Mack, but Mack improved as the game went along and in fact has an excellent reputation for defense. Her national leading blocks must have something to do with it. One possible weakness--I noticed by the 3rd quarter that Mack was not really running the floor. Not sure if she was tiring or if the OSU strategy is to keep her back until later in the shot clock.
Mack averages 19 points and 12 rebound per game, and is the national leader with 107 blocks on the year.
Oklahoma State also has Ja'Mee Asberry, a 5'5" redshirt junior who is hitting 42% of her threes, so OSU has some balance. Today they got prolific three point shooting from freshman Lexi Keyes too. OSU likes the inside/out game, so keeping Asberry and Keys covered on the perimeter (Anna Wilson on Asberry sounds perfect) while doubling up Mack sounds like the formula for defensive success. On the other hand, I worry about foul trouble by Brink trying to cover Mack. OSU will be studying our Colorado loss, I am sure, for pointers on how to Mack to have a came like Hollingshed's.
OSU, all in all, seems to me like a very good offensive team, but they do not have 5 players who are all threats, so Tara may be able to devise something interesting to take something away from them. They had 21 assists to propel their 35 baskets, they made 8 of 21 treys. On the other hand, they did not out rebound a shorter and less athletic Wake Forest team, so perhaps there is an opportunity there. Their defense did not seem particularly outstanding but was competent and wore Wake Forest down.
We may need Brink or Belibi to have an outstanding defensive game, and we won't be able to go cold from three point range. In short, Oklahoma State seems to me to be more of a sweet 16 or even elite 8 team than they do a 2nd round team, and we will have our hands full if we get past tonight's matchup.
Should we win tonight, we will play Oklahoma State, which defeated Wake Forest 84-61 today.
Oklahoma State is led by 6'4" Natasha Mack, reportedly a top 5 WNBA pick this year. She has a very long reach beyond her height--reminds me of Brink in build, or perhaps a taller Mya Hollingshed. She gets the ball down low and has spin moves and accuracy once she does. She also has a decent mid range jumper and used the glass well, even from outside layup range. Wake Forest had no one who could stop her--on some possessions Wake Forest shut her down by doubling her and having both doubles fronting her so she could not get the ball. They pushed her 8 or even 10 feet out and still she would hit jumpers or bank them in. At first they had some success offensively against Mack, but Mack improved as the game went along and in fact has an excellent reputation for defense. Her national leading blocks must have something to do with it. One possible weakness--I noticed by the 3rd quarter that Mack was not really running the floor. Not sure if she was tiring or if the OSU strategy is to keep her back until later in the shot clock.
Mack averages 19 points and 12 rebound per game, and is the national leader with 107 blocks on the year.
Oklahoma State also has Ja'Mee Asberry, a 5'5" redshirt junior who is hitting 42% of her threes, so OSU has some balance. Today they got prolific three point shooting from freshman Lexi Keyes too. OSU likes the inside/out game, so keeping Asberry and Keys covered on the perimeter (Anna Wilson on Asberry sounds perfect) while doubling up Mack sounds like the formula for defensive success. On the other hand, I worry about foul trouble by Brink trying to cover Mack. OSU will be studying our Colorado loss, I am sure, for pointers on how to Mack to have a came like Hollingshed's.
OSU, all in all, seems to me like a very good offensive team, but they do not have 5 players who are all threats, so Tara may be able to devise something interesting to take something away from them. They had 21 assists to propel their 35 baskets, they made 8 of 21 treys. On the other hand, they did not out rebound a shorter and less athletic Wake Forest team, so perhaps there is an opportunity there. Their defense did not seem particularly outstanding but was competent and wore Wake Forest down.
We may need Brink or Belibi to have an outstanding defensive game, and we won't be able to go cold from three point range. In short, Oklahoma State seems to me to be more of a sweet 16 or even elite 8 team than they do a 2nd round team, and we will have our hands full if we get past tonight's matchup.