Had a little time on my hands today so I thought I'd pull something together to preview the holiday tournament coming up next weekend. Hate to say it, but I won't be attending. Family is congregating in Miami (yes Florida and yes, you can start hating me now). I'll leave it up to all of you to post comments on the games. I gave my tickets to some elementary school kids who happen to love ISU and our women's team.
Holy Cross
This team sits at 7-2 on the season with wins over teams like Dartmouth, Manhattan, and Quinnipac. OK, so those types of teams might also appear on ISU’s pre-conference schedule from time to time so it doesn’t tell you much. How about if I said that all of their wins and both losses haven’t really been close games? Not helpful right?
This team matches up physically (height) fairly well with our ladies with two players at 6’3†and 6’4†but neither start. They out rebound their opponents by a margin of 7 per game with a large lead on the offensive glass. We’ll have to be prepared for that. They definitely share the ball as four players have more than 20 assists on the season. They shoot free throws about like our men at a 71% rate. That could be a difference maker. Of interesting note, they spread their minutes around. The coach plays ten ladies as all average more than ten minutes per game. Their top players are Scott (6’0†soph forward, 16ppg/9reb) and Smith (5’8†senior guard, 16ppg/3 stealspg).
The only observation I can make from their two losses are that they were held to a poor shooting percentage in both. They had several second chances because, as already noted, they grabbed a bunch of offensive boards. Scott seems to get her points, but the rest of the team is hit or miss.
Forecast: If ISU plays its usual tight defense and aggressive offense this should be a win. Having Seanna and others hitting the glass hard will be a big factor to reduce Holy Cross’ second chances. Getting to the line could be a big factor as it always is for the Sisters.
Saint Louis
The Bilikens are 5-6 overall on the season. They have one comparable in they lost to Northern Iowa 74-65 in Cedar Falls. They have played a tougher overall schedule than Holy Cross having met teams like Missouri and Indiana (both losses). They are 5-1 at home and 0-5 on the road.
Believe it or not, this is a team that might actually be smaller than the Sisters. They only have two players over 6’ and only one - 6’3†Freshman Stipanovich - starts. Ball (13ppg) and Nelson (15ppg) are the two leading scorers. Even on the boards and another average (73%) free throw shooting team.
Forecast: Only way ISU loses this one is if they come out and can’t find the basket with a metal detector. Our inside game (Hal), tight defense, and aggressive rebounding should be enough to seal this one. Another big difference at the free throw line.
William & Mary
The Tribe come in with a 2-7 record with wins against Radford and UMass. For comparison’s sake, Holy Cross beat UMass by 22 as compared to the OT win here.
They have a similar size to them as our ladies with the tallest starter being 6’2†Mathieu. Four ladies are scoring in double figures - Mathieu (14ppg/8 feb), Boone (12ppg), Kerstetter (12ppg), and Tremba (12ppg). You would think that having four double digit scorers (we essentially have five) would result in a better record, but two things stand out. Their opponents shoot a much better percentage from the field and they get out rebounded by a wide margin (16 per game!). Its that last stat that will likely be a huge factor if we play them.
Forecast: Same as St. Louis but you have to add that we bench Hal, Seanna, and another player to be named for the game. Not trying to be disrespectful, but a matchup with the Tribe shouldn’t be close and would give our reserves some valuable playing time.
Holy Cross
This team sits at 7-2 on the season with wins over teams like Dartmouth, Manhattan, and Quinnipac. OK, so those types of teams might also appear on ISU’s pre-conference schedule from time to time so it doesn’t tell you much. How about if I said that all of their wins and both losses haven’t really been close games? Not helpful right?
This team matches up physically (height) fairly well with our ladies with two players at 6’3†and 6’4†but neither start. They out rebound their opponents by a margin of 7 per game with a large lead on the offensive glass. We’ll have to be prepared for that. They definitely share the ball as four players have more than 20 assists on the season. They shoot free throws about like our men at a 71% rate. That could be a difference maker. Of interesting note, they spread their minutes around. The coach plays ten ladies as all average more than ten minutes per game. Their top players are Scott (6’0†soph forward, 16ppg/9reb) and Smith (5’8†senior guard, 16ppg/3 stealspg).
The only observation I can make from their two losses are that they were held to a poor shooting percentage in both. They had several second chances because, as already noted, they grabbed a bunch of offensive boards. Scott seems to get her points, but the rest of the team is hit or miss.
Forecast: If ISU plays its usual tight defense and aggressive offense this should be a win. Having Seanna and others hitting the glass hard will be a big factor to reduce Holy Cross’ second chances. Getting to the line could be a big factor as it always is for the Sisters.
Saint Louis
The Bilikens are 5-6 overall on the season. They have one comparable in they lost to Northern Iowa 74-65 in Cedar Falls. They have played a tougher overall schedule than Holy Cross having met teams like Missouri and Indiana (both losses). They are 5-1 at home and 0-5 on the road.
Believe it or not, this is a team that might actually be smaller than the Sisters. They only have two players over 6’ and only one - 6’3†Freshman Stipanovich - starts. Ball (13ppg) and Nelson (15ppg) are the two leading scorers. Even on the boards and another average (73%) free throw shooting team.
Forecast: Only way ISU loses this one is if they come out and can’t find the basket with a metal detector. Our inside game (Hal), tight defense, and aggressive rebounding should be enough to seal this one. Another big difference at the free throw line.
William & Mary
The Tribe come in with a 2-7 record with wins against Radford and UMass. For comparison’s sake, Holy Cross beat UMass by 22 as compared to the OT win here.
They have a similar size to them as our ladies with the tallest starter being 6’2†Mathieu. Four ladies are scoring in double figures - Mathieu (14ppg/8 feb), Boone (12ppg), Kerstetter (12ppg), and Tremba (12ppg). You would think that having four double digit scorers (we essentially have five) would result in a better record, but two things stand out. Their opponents shoot a much better percentage from the field and they get out rebounded by a wide margin (16 per game!). Its that last stat that will likely be a huge factor if we play them.
Forecast: Same as St. Louis but you have to add that we bench Hal, Seanna, and another player to be named for the game. Not trying to be disrespectful, but a matchup with the Tribe shouldn’t be close and would give our reserves some valuable playing time.
