West Virginia Preview
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you, but WVU plays more players on a regular basis than anyone else in the league. There are NINE players averaging at least 15 minutes per game. While that provides the starters rest and keeps them fresh (only Bussie averages close to 30 minutes per) do they actually produce?
When it comes to scoring, four of the starting five account for the preponderance of points. The sixth player, Taylor Palmer comes off the bench and averages nearly 12 points per game. That’s huge. The remainder of those that see time all chip in something…typically in the 3-4 point per game range.
What stands out to me is not the offensive production of this team. They average around 78 points per game which is pretty good (ISU averages 79). Defensively they only give up 59 as compared to the Sisters’ 57. Something will have to give here. Probably like the OSU game neither team will live up to its offensive averages. Something will have to bend here and I can only imagine that WVU is salivating over how OSU stopped the Sisters.
Defensively you can expect a lot more of what we saw versus OSU. They will defend the perimeter and will double Hal every chance they get. If the officials let them play rough they will play rough. That is exactly how they beat the ladies in Hilton last year. They let their reserves physically beat the crap out of our team and then put fresh starters in to close the game. It worked. If the officials are calling things normally (for this season) then I give a slight advantage to ISU.
The one thing that WVU isn’t known for is three point shooting. Like OSU they like to do their damage inside. Not that they won’t put it up, but outside of Holmes (35%) they haven’t shot the three particularly well this season. But even their stats far exceed the abnormal 18% that ISU shot against OSU.
Tough rebounding team and of special interest, WVU has gotten to the line far more than the Sisters have. They don’t shoot it quite as well, but they are averaging 28 free throws per game. Also of interest…most of the girls that foul out of games for WVU are reserves. Paint a picture?
All of this should point to a hard driving inside game. If ISU actually performs on offense like normal I expect a tightly fought game. If the ISU defense can also perform at a normal level (i.e. Kidd not getting 4 fouls in 11 minutes with no other production and the ladies clearing the glass and thereby limiting second chance opportunities) I would slightly favor our ladies. In either case expect a very tough one.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you, but WVU plays more players on a regular basis than anyone else in the league. There are NINE players averaging at least 15 minutes per game. While that provides the starters rest and keeps them fresh (only Bussie averages close to 30 minutes per) do they actually produce?
When it comes to scoring, four of the starting five account for the preponderance of points. The sixth player, Taylor Palmer comes off the bench and averages nearly 12 points per game. That’s huge. The remainder of those that see time all chip in something…typically in the 3-4 point per game range.
What stands out to me is not the offensive production of this team. They average around 78 points per game which is pretty good (ISU averages 79). Defensively they only give up 59 as compared to the Sisters’ 57. Something will have to give here. Probably like the OSU game neither team will live up to its offensive averages. Something will have to bend here and I can only imagine that WVU is salivating over how OSU stopped the Sisters.
Defensively you can expect a lot more of what we saw versus OSU. They will defend the perimeter and will double Hal every chance they get. If the officials let them play rough they will play rough. That is exactly how they beat the ladies in Hilton last year. They let their reserves physically beat the crap out of our team and then put fresh starters in to close the game. It worked. If the officials are calling things normally (for this season) then I give a slight advantage to ISU.
The one thing that WVU isn’t known for is three point shooting. Like OSU they like to do their damage inside. Not that they won’t put it up, but outside of Holmes (35%) they haven’t shot the three particularly well this season. But even their stats far exceed the abnormal 18% that ISU shot against OSU.
Tough rebounding team and of special interest, WVU has gotten to the line far more than the Sisters have. They don’t shoot it quite as well, but they are averaging 28 free throws per game. Also of interest…most of the girls that foul out of games for WVU are reserves. Paint a picture?
All of this should point to a hard driving inside game. If ISU actually performs on offense like normal I expect a tightly fought game. If the ISU defense can also perform at a normal level (i.e. Kidd not getting 4 fouls in 11 minutes with no other production and the ladies clearing the glass and thereby limiting second chance opportunities) I would slightly favor our ladies. In either case expect a very tough one.
