Texas is undefeated going into the South Point Shootout at Las Vegas this Thanksgiving weekend. And averaging a whopping 105 points and 8.3 treys per game. Horns are ranked #2 in the AP and #4 in the coaches polls. Neither LSU (2-2) nor Washington (1-2) are ranked. Series records versus the two teams that the Horns will face in the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout: LSU and Washington. Versus the LSU Tigers, the series is tied at 4-4. After starting off with a loss to LSU in March of 1977, Texas won the next two games on March 1980 and January of 1988. The next three games went 2-1 to LSU with the Tigers winning two at home and Texas winning the middle game in Austin. Those games occurred in December 1988, November 2001 and December 2002. The two teams next met twice in the NCAAs, with Texas winning on April 01, 2003 and LSU carrying the day on March 27m 2004. The series has been dormant since. Versus Washington, Texas has a losing record of 2-3. The teams have not lost on their home courts nor have they met on a neutral court. The teams first met in Seattle on December 1988. The other games happened in November 1989 (Austin), January 1992 (Seattle), December 1996 (Austin) and December 1997 (Seattle). TEXAS LONGHORNS The Horns are led in scoring by four players: Ariel (15.0 ppg), Brooke (13.7 ppg), LaShann (11.7 ppg) and Jada (11.0 ppg). Outstanding from BTA are Ariel (5-5), Brooke (6-12), Alecia (4-5) and Jada (3-6). Destiny’s 14 attempts lead the team. Horns got a nice balance of three point shooters in the starting lineup and coming off the bench. As a team, Texas is hitting 36.8% of their 3pters. Texas is making only 66.7% of their FTs. Five players are making over 70% of their FTs. Brooke is a perfect 3-3. LaShann is tied with Jada for the most FTs attempted with 11 each. LaShann has connected on 10 of her FTs (90.9%). Jada has hit 8-11 (72.7%). Ariel has made 4-5 for 80.0%. Audrey-Ann is at 5-7 from the FT line for 71.4%). Horns have an impressive plus 23 rpg edge over their opponents. It’s a team effort. No one is grabbing more than Rellah’s 5.7 rpg. Ariel and Jatarie each adds 5.0 rpg. Four others average between 4.0 and 4.7 rpg. Brooke and Ariel lead the way in assists 16 and 11, respectively. Rellah has four blocks, Khaléann three and Ariel two. Seven others have one block apiece. Ariel is the only Horn with double digit steals with 11. Brooke has five; Jada four and Khaléann three steals. Texas has had the same starting five in all three games so far: Ariel, Brooke, LaShann, Jatarie and Audrey-Ann. Like last season, Brooke leads the way in mpg. Unlike last season’s 33.8 mpg, she is only averaging 21.0 mpg. Ariel is next with 19.0 mpg. All thirteen players have seen action in all three games so far with 12.7 mpg being least time seen by a player. Just as an FYI, Rellah leads the team in rpg and blocks averaging only 12.7 mpg.
LSU TIGERS LSU is coming off a win versus Nicholls that evens their record at 2-2. They have lost to South Florida and Norther Colorado and won against Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls. Chloe Jackson (#0, 5-9 Jr. G) and Raigyne Louis (#11, 5-10 Sr. G) have been named to the preseason watch lists of the 2018 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (top shooting guard) and 2018 Cheryl Miller Award (top small forward) respectively. Lewis also was selected to the preseason SEC first team. Louis has scored in double digits in 20 consecutive games going into the game versus Texas. The Tigers bring three players that average double digit scoring averages. Louis leads the way at 16.3 ppg. Next is Jackson at 13.8 ppg. The third player is Ayana Mitchel (#5, 6-2 Soph. F) who is scoring at a 10.3 ppg clip. Jackson has taken the most treys with 12 but has only made 2 (16.7%). Louis’ 25% from BTA tops the team in 3pt shooting percentage. She has connected on one of four 3pters. Other players that are taking their shots from BTA include Dekeriya Patterson (#10, 5-9 Fr. G) who has made 1-8; Jailin Cherry (#30, 5-9 Fr. G) who is 1-7 and Khayla Pointer (#3, 5-7 Fr. G) at 1-5. Both Louis and Mitchell have now exceeded 20 FT attempts. Louis has hit 18-28 (64.3%) while Mitchell has made 9-21 (42.9%). In addition to leading the team is scoring, Louis is tied for the lead in rebounding with Mitchell as each is averaging 7.0 rpg. Raven Farley (#4, 6-4 Fr. F) is next at 5.3 rpg. Faustine Aifuwa (#24, 6-5 Fr. C) and Jackson are tied at 4.8 rpg. Louis leads the team in a third category with 19 assists. Pointer is the only other Tiger with double digit assists with 13. LSU has 14 blocks (3.5 bpg) in four games. Tatum Neubert (#44, 6-2 Jr. F) and Aifuwa are tied for the lead with three blocks each. Louis, Jackson and Mitchell have started all four games for LSU. Six others have shared the starts at the other two positions. For the last game versus Nicholls, Pointer and Farley started along side Louis, Jackson and Mitchell. Jackson (34.3 mpg), Louis (29.8 mpg) and Pointer (22.5 mpg) are the only ones averaging at least 20 mpg. Seven others average in the teens in mpg. Patterson averages just under eight mpg while Yasmine Bidikuindila (#15, 6-6 Soph. C) has only seen action in one game to date. Starting lineups based on prior game starting lineups. LSU is the first team this season that can match the Horns’ post height. I haven’t seen LSU play so I am not sure of how quick or fast their posts are. But they do have five players ranging from 6-6 to 6-2 to throw in the fray. The Tigers’ backcourt problem in being able to hit threes will cause them problems. As will the difficulty in making FTs. Our guards have been more productive from inside the arc and from BTA. For LSU, the question will be whether they can slow down the Texas offense while scoring themselves. For Texas, the backcourt duo of Louis and Jackson will be the main problem. They are responsible for a third of LSU’s scoring. LaShann and Ariel will probably first up in defending those two. Texas is going to run into another team that likes to slow the game down. LSU is also a poor shooting team although they do take care of the ball. How LSU is able to handle the Texas full court press will be a big part of how competitive this game turns out to be. LSU takes advantage of their roster as almost everyone on their squad averages double digit minutes. Fatigue should not be an issue for either team. One of the major problems for LSU will be stopping the Texas 3pter. Horns are taking about a quarter of their shots from BTA and hitting a very solid 36.8%. I find it hard to see a Texas loss as focused as the team has been in their three previous games. Tipoff is at 5:30 PM on Friday, Nov. 24. Don’t forget to check out the live streaming link provided by Moooooo & Rexy. The info is at the end of this preview.
WASHINGTON HUSKIES The Washington Huskies are 1-2 this season, coming off a Sweet Sixteen run last season. The Huskies lost Kelsey Plum, Chantel Osahor and two other seniors. Natalie Romeo, expected to start this season, is out due to a season ending injury. The Huskies lost 77% of their scoring and five of their top six scorers. Washington also has a new head coach, Jody Wynn, who comes over after eight seasons at Long Beach State. She will have Washington playing an up tempo style offense with a pressing defense. The Huskies have three players in double digit scoring: Kierra Collier (#11, 5-6 Fr. G) who is averaging 15.0 ppg coming off the bench, Amber Melgoza (#4, 5-10 Soph. G) at 13.0 ppg and Khayla Rooks (#22, 6-1 Fr. F) who is putting 11.0 ppg. Jenna Moser (#24, 5-6 Sr. G) is just off double digits with an average of 9.3 ppg. Almost half of the FGs taken by Washington come from BTA. All of the eleven of the player that have seen action have taken at least two 3s. At the top of the list are Moser (8-20, 40%), Melgoza (7-19, 36.8%), Mai-Loni Henson (#3, 6-1 Soph. F) at 3 of 11 (27.3%) and Rooks (5-10, 50%). Rooks (8-8), Collier (5-5), Melgoza (4-4) and Fapou Semebene (#2, 6-1 Fr. F) who has made the only FT she has attempted to join the other three in having a perfect 100% from the FT line. Henson is at 8 of 12 to lead the team in FTs made (tied with Rooks) and attempted. Semebene leads the Huskies in rebounding with a 7.3 rpg average. Melgoza is second at 6.3 rpg. Henson (4.3 rpg) and Rooks (4.0 rpg) are next. Collier and Moser are tied at 3.0 apg. Every player averages at least half an assist per game. Melgoza’s two blocks represent half of the team’s total of four. Ten of the eleven players average at least 15 mpg with Moser’s 31.0 mpg topping the team. Mackenzie Wieburg (#42, 5-9 Sr, G) is at 8.7 mpg. The rest are between 15 and 28 mpg. Moser, Melgoz, Semebene and Rooks have started all three games for the Huskies. Alexis Griggsby (5-9 Fr. G) started the last game against Ohio State. Wieburg started in that fifth spot in the first game while Missy Peterson (#44, 5-11 Fr. G) got the start in game two. Starting lineups based on prior game starting lineups. Washington is small in the post with the tallest player to play so fat being only 6-1. Deja Strother (#34, 6-5 Jr. C) and GiGi Garcia (#32, 6-2 RS F) were to supply the height and toughness inside. Garcia was lost for the second year in a row to a knee injury. Strother has not seen action in the first three actions as she is out indefinitely due to an injury. Perhaps she will be available for the Las Vegas tournament. Horns will get another chance to work on their halfcourt game against a smaller opponent who likes to slow the game down a bit compared to the Horns’ preferred fast break style. Stats for Texas and Washington do not include the game each will play before they face off on Saturday. Horns should win this game, especially with the huge advantage they will enjoy inside, even if Strother plays. But Washington did give Ohio State a close game, only losing by nine points. TOs (22) and inability to get to the FT line (10-11 to OSU’s 15-22) contributed to the loss, even with the Huskies winning the rebounding battle. Horns should win this game, but can’t afford to take the win for granted. They will need to come out strong and not let up. The game starts at 3:15 PM on Saturday, Nov. 25. Thanks to Moooooo and Rexy who found a link to watch the games online. Check out either thread: “Anyone going to Vegas” and “Link for livestream to watch Vegas games” on Hornfans. http://www.texassports.com/news/2017/11/21/video-womens-basketball-south-point-shootout-preview.aspx Holy smokes!! Lots of hoops action going on in Vegas this weekend. It has already started with two men’s tournaments. https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/basketball/5-tournaments-highlight-holiday-hoops-week-in-las-vegas/
We won but I thought we were a bit shakey with and without the ball. i can't wait to read Babhorn's report
It's hard to watch two games at once. Men's team did great. Sorry they didn't get the win. The LSU game was too close for comfort. I didn't expect them to be that good. From my sketchy look at the game, it looked like we won the offensive game mostly in the paint? Jatarie and Audrey did well (I think). I wanted to see Rellah at least for a couple of minutes, but didn't happen. I guess she and Chasity are still being stubborn. Good experience for us to have to play mostly a half-court game. Maybe someone watched the game more closely than me and can say what happened. Missing Joyner.
We had a 20 point lead in the fourth quarter. Not sure what the catalyst was but LSU shifted into another gear. We didn't match their intensity and our defense was not good at the end. I felt like we controlled the game from the tip. However, we didn't really deliver the knock out punch we could have early on. The story remains the same for this team...Turnovers. We have to get better at the mental side, I saw way too many stupid turnovers early on. LSU was not that good defensively to even cause turnovers.
We’ll have to do better than that. Just one more rebound than LSU and 23 turnovers. Am shocked to see only 12 pts from the bench including 4 from Sutton who played 24 mins and went 0-5 from the three. Were the starters on the bench at the end? I didn’t notice. LSU scored almost half their total points in the 4th quarter. What the?
Nope - 4 of the 5 starters were on the floor all or most of the 4th. With 1 minute to play: Brooke, Ariel, Lashann, Sug and Audrey-Ann.
Well 4 rebounds and 4 assists meant Sug was contributing in other ways but we need her shot back. 2-8 and a miss from the line isn’t like her especially when 5 of the eight were long misses.
Someone wrote on livestream that Rellah didn't play yesterday. I know she didn't play, but thought I saw her on the bench. Maybe not. I'm concerned.
It sure looks like Rellah on the bench in street clothes. Everyone else has played. I have no idea what the issue with Rellah is. Hopefully something minor. We're certainly going to need her before Joyner gets back. AA sure tries hard, but she tries to hard for her level of athletic ability.
Some of the Texas football players have been sick over the past two weeks. Maybe Rellah is sick. As Run Pincher mentioned, hopefully it's something minor.
I don't know but Rellah's body language is terrible. Doesn't seem happy or supportive at all. I'm kinda concerned. Someone who is there needs to post something positive just to reassure me..lol
That's the same way I interpreted it. It did not appear that she felt good. Maybe we'll get a report from some folks who went to Las Vegas.
She seemed fine at dinner the night before. (Really fun dinner at one of the hotels with players and fans.) Hopefully it was something minor.
