IUWBB vs Bowling Green - Friday, 12.22.23 @ 6:00 on BTN

[Class of '66 Old Fart 83,937]

Hope the women saved a few buckets for this game after blistering the nets against Evansville.  Bowling Green (6-3) was beaten Tuesday night by #1 South Carolina 93-62.  One more game on the schedule in 2023 hosting Illinois (5-5) on New Year's Eve at 12:30 pm on BTN.  The Illini have lost their last 3 games and play UTEP tonight their last game before they face us on the 31st.

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[Todd41 715]

Watched the SC - BG game this week.  BG avoided driving the ball against SC and took a lot of threes which made sense given the size differential they faced.  They are good three point shooting team and used a lot of motion to free them up.

They also played a lot of 1-3-1 zone to clog the paint.  They still struggled to contain Kitts (6'2" forward) as they kept giving her room to attack the top of the zone.  Garzon could have some good success if they go with the 1-3-1 against us.

BG is a good team despite getting blown out by Iowa and SC and will provide a good defensive challenge in protecting the three.

Now, SC could have easily won this game by over 50 but backed off the intensity.  Given that BG's coach was an assistant at SC last year, this was a nice gesture.

 

[Stuhoo 79,703]

3 minutes ago, Todd41 said:

Watched the SC - BG game this week.  BG avoided driving the ball against SC and took a lot of threes which made since given the size differential they faced.  They are good three point shooting team and used a lot of motion to free them up.

They also played a lot of 1-3-1 zone to clog the paint.  They still struggled to contain Kitts (6'2" forward) as they kept giving her room to attack the top of the zone.  Garzon could have some good success if they go with the 1-3-1 against us.

BG is a good team despite getting blown out by Iowa and SC and will provide a good defensive challenge in protecting the three.

Now, SC could have easily won this game by over 50 but backed off the intensity.  Given that BG's coach was an assistant at SC last year, this was a nice gesture.

 

A 1-3-1 zone is a true lane clogger. Seems to scream for a big night for Sara Scalia and Yarden.

[LamarCheeks 18,063]

Forgot the game was on, so just tuned in. 

Late in first quarter and Mack is not playing. 

Hoping she's just getting a rest -- rather than something being wrong. 

[LamarCheeks 18,063]

Nevermind. She's in now. 

Must've just been getting a rest. 

[LamarCheeks 18,063]

Hoosiers up 20-6 after 10 minutes 

Scalia: 6 points, 2 assists 

Mack: 4 points, 3 rebounds

CMM and Yarden: 3 points each

Bargesser, Beaumont, Meister, Lamendola each getting a little early PT

[LamarCheeks 18,063]

Scalia torching the nets: three 3s and 15 points with about 7 minutes left in the first half. 

IU 29, BG 10

[LamarCheeks 18,063]

IU 39, BG 19 at halftime -- could've been a bigger lead, but were a tad sloppy at spots there in the 2nd quarter (seven TOs total) 

Scalia: 15 points, 3 rebounds 

CMM: 6 points, 3 assists 

Yarden and Mack with 5 points each 

We shot 51% in the first half; held them to 29%

[Napleshoosier 10,137]

Wow!  End of the 3rd. We kickin @$$ for sure!

[LamarCheeks 18,063]

Scalia is on 

 

8 for 11 from distance for 32 points (believe that's a career high)

[Stuhoo 79,703]

Holy sh!t Sara Scalia is an incredible, extraordinary shooter and one hell of a defender.

Just amazing.

[Todd41 715]

This has been the type of defensive effort that we needed heading into conference play.  We have taken BG completely out of their comfort zone. 

[LamarCheeks 18,063]

We've gone final from B-town: 

IU 84, BG 35 

Nice way to head into the B1G season. 

Scalia: 32 points (11-for-17 from the floor; 8-for-11 from distance)

Mack: 10 points, 6 rebounds

Meister: 8 rebounds 

Had 7 TOs in the first half and finished with 11. Like how we tightened that up.

Excellent defensive effort as well.  

[Class of '66 Old Fart 83,937]

Thanks everyone for the reports especially @LamarCheeks.  

[Stuhoo 79,703]

Worried about our ceiling with Holmes.

To me she is clearly less athletic than pre-injury last year. Mediocre bigs are forcing her into turnovers regularly.

[Todd41 715]

2 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Worried about our ceiling with Holmes.

To me she is clearly less athletic than pre-injury last year. Mediocre bigs are forcing her into turnovers regularly.

Coach talked about Mack post game.  Said she is over thinking the doubles and at other times getting sped up.  Agree with both comments and said as much to the wife during the game.   Hoping the break and maybe a few lessons from Yarden on how to play in chill mode will get her back on track. 

[Todd41 715]

Saw this Note on BG's WBB site that shows our effort on locking down defensively on the 3 ball.

• The Falcons went 0-for-11 from three-point range in the loss at IU, ending a prolific long-range streak. BGSU had made at least one three-pointer in 600 consecutive games, the seventh-longest streak in NCAA Division I women's basketball.

[TheWatShot 13,647]

I wish Kenpom did women's basketball so we could see our defensive efficiency rating after this game. 

[TTT 895]

Some things to like in this game tempered by Bowling Green losing their team captain and leader a minute or so into game.

IU Ladies do have a lot of upside to improve both individually and as a team.  It is an intriguing winter.