Baylor @ TTech

[ChiBears]

I hope the teams are far less nervous about this game than I am. I think this year is going to be nerve-wracking for us Baylor fans. Our team, when healthy, staying out of foul trouble, and going anything from the perimeter but absolutely ice cold, has the athletes and coaches to be really, really good.

Let one of our playing rotation get hurt or pick up early foul trouble or let our perimeter players not be able to hit the broad side of a barn (to keep other teams from packing it in on the posts) and we could have a very long, long night.

I am anxious to evaluate not only the Lady Bears, but the Lady Raiders, too. I really don't know what to expect from any of the other teams. I think this is the most unsure about how things will shake out in conference that I've ever felt, but of course, it could just be that over the course of the season, I forget how I felt at the beginning.

Right now, my gut feeling is that if Danielle stays out of foul trouble and Angela takes care of the ball, that Morrow and Player will be the difference makers for us tonight. Now, watch that be totally off base, but that's my feeling.

Any Red Raiders want to take a guess what'll be the difference maker for your team?

[mgood1]

I am anxious to evaluate not only the Lady Bears, but the Lady Raiders, too. I really don't know what to expect from any of the other teams.
Ain't that the truth?!
Tech has a whole new team, it seems. There are some extremely good athletes on the Lady Raiders roster. Most of whom, including three of the starting five, have never played a game in the Big 12. And to start 'em with a good Big 12 team like Baylor is kinda scary. I feel like the entire schedule up to this point has been to prepare them for this game. But has it prepared them enough? Don't think for a minute that Tech doesn't have the horses to keep up. What they lack is experience. And we'll just have to wait and see how that plays out.

Oh well, I'm going to shave and brush my teeth and head off to Lubbock.
I'll be the guy in the red shirt. :)

[Scamp]

La. Tech is cradle of Big 12 South coaches

... Baylor’s Kim Mulkey played and coached at the Ruston, La., school; head coaches Gary Blair of Texas A&M, Kristy Curry of Texas Tech and Kurt Budke of Oklahoma State all served as assistants for the Lady Techsters under Hall of Fame coach Leon Barmore; and Texas assistant and former Kentucky head coach Mickie DeMoss was a Lady Techster in the 1970s. ...

http://www.wacotrib.com/sports/content/sports/college/2008/01/09/01092008wachillranks.htmlThat's 5 out of 6. When will Sherri hire a Lady Techster assistant? ;)

[BearLady]

ChiBears and mgood, I share your feelings. Have a small case of butterflies myself, just 'cause it's the tip-off for the conference. But, then again, going into Lubbock, anything can happen. I sure do not underestimate the Lady Raiders.

That being said, I am counting on my Lady Bears to step up. Sure feel better about the game with Danielle slated for action.

BTW, Tech fans, who is 'Rocky'? I've cruised over to Raider Power a couple of times lately and noticed that several posters use that name for someone on the Lady Raiders team. Is it Raquel?

Here's to a good game, even better officiating :D and no injuries!

[Bball Girl]

Rocky is Raquel Christian


Who know which Lady Raider team will show up tonite - the one the scraps after lose balls and rebounds or the one that gets the deer in the headlight look.

No Ryan tonight that I can find - no audio with the video (except the arena arnnouncer) and I really hate watching "GET LOUD" on the video while someone is making a basket :mad:


Gametracker is behind. There seems to be a lot of running up and down the court with not a lot of baskets so far. I think it's 10-9 Baylor with 12:41

[walkaway]

Got Ryan on KCCL (should be online audio available) 98.10 FM.
Sounds like a scramble all over.

[Bball Girl]

I'm not getting sound on Kool 98's site :(

Gametracker says

Baylor 33
Tech 29

at the half

[BearLady]

You're right, BBallGirl. There was a long period when both teams just went end to end, but neither could score.

The refs are letting both teams play. It sounds like a pretty physical game.

[Bball Girl]

Gametracker says 58-49 Baylor 6:53

[BearLady]

Rachel delivers
Guards deliver
Tizzy in the Clutch

Lady Bears win, 72-67. It was a hard-fought game all around.

Jhas got us going early, then Morrow got hot. Each had 19 points, Morrow also had 7 assists. Tizzy once again provided stellar leadership down the stretch by running the point and nailing key free throws.

Make no mistake, this was a close game throughout. The Lady Raiders played tough defense and probably won the battle on the boards. Seemed like we just could not get a call at all.

Melissa Jones, welcome to the Big 12. You did yourself proud tonight with a strong game: 10 points and 9 boards.

And let's also give credit to D Seals. She's a gamer and I believe led all scorers with 22 points and 12 boards.

Whew!

[Guns Up!]

72-67 Baylor

[AngelSong20]

I think I've seen junior high teams hit jump shots with more accuracy. These last two games our ability to make a shot that is not a layup or a post move has been almost nonexistent. Amazing how hard it is to win the game of basketball when you can't make a basket. And even with abysmal shooting, still nearly won it. This team could be quite good if they remember how to shoot the ball again.

[Bball Girl]

Seals 22 pts, 12 rebounds
Morrow 19 pts, 2 rebounds, 7 assists
Player 19 pts, 6 rebounds


Tech could not hit their baskets when it mattered. Moore threw up some prayers that were not answered. Not a pretty sequence to end the game - although I thnk it was Jordan who made a 3 at the end.

At times, it looked like Tech was daring Player and Morrow to shoot - they did and we wish they hadn't.

Competetive game by both teams

23 fouls for Tech (13-17 FT shooting)
15 fouls for Baylor (18-30 FT shooting)

[wildcatfan]

Congrats Bears!

[walkaway]

Hitting free throws matters.

Exciting game.

[ChiBears]

I was worried about Danielle getting in foul trouble...and she did. (bad thing)
I was worried about Tizzy taking care of the ball...and she did. (good thing)
I was worried about our perimeter players hitting the outside shot, and they came through for us when it looked like they mightn't. (thank heavens thing)
My gut said Jhas and Jess M. might be the difference makers for us this game, and while I don't know if I'd say they were difference makers, they sure were the ones who led the way for us.

What I wouldn't have predicted is that we could have been out rebounded and that we could have been as inconsistent at the line as we were and still have won a close game in Lubbock.
There's lots of room for improvement but I'll sure take this one and get out of Lubbock...WHEW!

Now, as for the rest of the games...UH????
KSU beats A&M IN College Station?!!!
OU barely gets by ISU..(though I never feel completely comfortable picking against the Cyclones in Ames)
Even some of the outcomes I predicted surprised me with the way they were played out.

As I said...it's going to be a wild, wild ride this year.

By the way, thanks a lot Wildcats for making A&M mad before they come play us! Think Blair'll have their attention during practice tomorrow?

[Guns Up!]

Exciting game. Baylor kept wanting to give Tech this game, but they wouldn't take it. 60-63 at one point...

Bball Girl Those Lobos are looking real good against Wyoming :)

[Bball Girl]

Tech had 50 boards to Baylor's 36 - wow

Tech made some poor decisions with the ball to the tune of 21 turnovers to Baylor's 15 - but points off turnovers was pretty even.

Congrats to the Bears!

[Bball Girl]

Bball Girl Those Lobos are looking real good against Wyoming :)


Yeah...given how horribly the Lobos have played - I'm amazed. Marsh is having a good game.

[giraffespots]

That Lobo game was on CSTV tonite and I hope it gets replayed later. Anyone know the score/result??

[Bball Girl]

That Lobo game was on CSTV tonite and I hope it gets replayed later. Anyone know the score/result??

Halftime 26-20 New Mexico (610 AM)

[spooky]

Right now, my gut feeling is that if Danielle stays out of foul trouble and Angela takes care of the ball, that Morrow and Player will be the difference makers for us tonight. Now, watch that be totally off base, but that's my feeling.




Nice call, ChiBears!!.. I couldn't listen to the game tonight because of work, and by the time I got in the car, the postgame show must have just ended, so I had to do the nervous wait all the way home, and then turn on the computer to find out the score. Sure seems to take longer to boot up when you're really anxious :) I was pleasantly surprised at the result, as I always am when anything good happens in Lubbock. I was even happier after seeing the other mayhem that went on league-wide.

Player and Morrow hadn't done a whole lot in the scoring column lately, so it was good they showed up. Jhasmin going 3-3 from outside is still amazing to me, since she was 1-10 her first two years. For those who listened, did Danielle's ankle seem to affect her play, or did she just have a tough game?

It also sounds like Melissa Jones had another quiet, solid game. She's not ready to lead the team in scoring just yet, but as a "role player" she's been a godsend this year.

Tech's gonna beat some good teams this year. I'm very happy we got through out first test against them.

[BearLady]

Spooky, Wilson's ankle is still bothering her, as Rick and Lori mentioned that she was still gimpy. However, it was foul trouble that kept her on the bench for most of the first half. By 16:00 left in the first half, she was on the bench with 2 fouls. She played a little more in the second half, but still spent a good portion of time on the bench.

BTW, all of our posts had picked up 2 fouls by the time the end of the first half was approaching, so Kim went with a 5 guard line-up. She said she thinks that's the first time she's ever done that, but the players hung tough and got it to halftime.

Remember a couple of years ago in Lubbock when Sophia and Abi both spent a good portion of the first half on the bench? And who grew up that night? Morrow and Allison.

[ChiBears]

With her laser-like passing ability and her tenaciousness on the boards, Melissa just might end up with a rebound/assist double-double before the year's out.

And I had been grousing in an earlier thread about her passing up open shots and would she have enough confidence then, to take them in conference. Well, did the young lady say, "Take that, ChiBears in Houston," with her timely solo three of the game. It was big, as Tech was really making their last push at us.

It was interesting to hear Coach's take on the post game radio interview. I expected her to be blasting our rebounding effort or talking abour our posts' inability to be effective in the first half due to foul trouble or lamenting our inconsistency at the line (which I really thought might bite us in the behind there at the end).

Instead, she was positive and seemed really just relieved to be leaving Lubbock with a lead. I think that's a real testament to the Lady Raider nation--the players, the coaches, and perhaps most of all, the fans. There are going to be some sad teams leaving Lubbock who were riding high when they came into town. As Spooky stated in earlier post--glad it wasn't us!

[ChiBears]

What was your take on the crowd? It was announced at over 10,000, but I know sometimes season ticket holders don't show.

Was there much of a Baylor contingent? Coach mentioned them on her post game show, but what was your assessment?

In your opinion, are Lady Raider fans as supportive has they have been in the past for Coach Sharp's teams?

I watched the game on Raider streaming video and the crowd looked pretty large and engaged to me, but of course, the camera angles are pretty narrow.

BTW, listened to the Baylor audio, which was behind the video just enough, that usually when the video was showing one Baylor offensive possession, the audio was detailing the offensive possession prior. Talk about a confusing broadcast! Next time I think I'll just suck it up and listen to the home audio too and just replay our Baylor audo the next day...

[mgood1]

What was your take on the crowd? It was announced at over 10,000, but I know sometimes season ticket holders don't show. . . .

I watched the game on Raider streaming video and the crowd looked pretty large and engaged to me, but of course, the camera angles are pretty narrow.
The upper level was not open. I don't know how many it holds. the lower level had an ok crowd. Not packed, but no big gaping empty sections either. I seriously doubt it approached 10K.

In your opinion, are Lady Raider fans as supportive has they have been in the past for Coach Sharp's teams?
No. But people like a winner and the Lady Raiders have had a couple of down years. Last year was their first ever losing season in the Big 12. If they win lots of games, I'm sure the sellout crowds will come back.

Was there much of a Baylor contingent? Coach mentioned them on her post game show, but what was your assessment?
Small but visible and vocal. I saw a group of yellow shirts with a green shirt mixed in here and there right behind the Baylor bench. Call it a dozen, maybe two dozen. And a smaller group of probably 6 to 10 people up behind the goal at the opposite end.

Here's a quote from LevellandFan over on Raider Power:
One thing I was hugely impressed with. The Baylor fans. There was a fair sized group of them, about equal elderly and students. They were very curteous. They stood and clapped for the Little League Southwestern team, they clapped for the Diamond in the Rough girl, they clapped for Michael Crabtree when they announced his selection of the AT&T All American player and were just pretty well mannered. Thanks, Baylor fans!
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?S=188#s=188&f=1652&t=1820069&p=2

[74Bear]

I for one think we were very lucky to get out of Lubbock with a W, especially as bad as we rebounded and shot the ball...

[DblT81]

Dominic Seals is hard to guard, especially if the defender has a bad ankle. Seals had some amazing moves and elevated jump shots that just take your breath away.

Mulkey made a good defensive adjustment at halftime and Tech's guards couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

Tech's help defense left Morrow and Player open too many times and you can't do that with such great scorers. Kudos to those two for stepping up and making Tech pay for their defensive decisions. Anyway, no quit in the Lady Raiders.

On to Missouri.

[Scamp]

This locally-produced (not AP) slideshow ends with a photo of jubilant Lady Bears' fans. :)

http://www.lubbockonline.com/slideshows/01-10LadyRaiderBaylor/

[DblT81]

I've been blogged!!!

http://williamsandhyattblog.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/lady-raider-vs-baylor-thoughts/

Ryan Hyatt is one of my favorites. See people of Hoopscoop?!?! - You should all listen to me-a voice of reason! :p ;) BTW, I paid him to say that. [/sarcasm]

Seriously, thanks to Hyatt for the kind words.

Great game last night. Tech was right there but Baylor made the plays to win. I agree with this
Which brings us to the salient point of the night that Crystal Boles made on the broadcast: Tech made Baylor beat them, Tech didn’t lose the game, but rather forced the Bears to win it by doing things very well that they don’t always do.

[BearLady]

Congrats, DblT81, and thanks for sharing the link!

I too enjoyed reading it.

As I listened to the game last night via the Baylor audio broadcast, at times the USA PA announcer came in LOUD and clear. They were times that reminded me of some earlier almost nightmarish moments when the Lady Bears went up again the Lady Raiders in Lubbock . . . JIIIAAA Perkins! LaToooyyyyaaaa Davis! etc. Last night it was Dominic SEEEAAAALLLLs!

I was sure tired by the time the game ended.;)

[spooky]

Spooky, Wilson's ankle is still bothering her, as Rick and Lori mentioned that she was still gimpy. However, it was foul trouble that kept her on the bench for most of the first half. By 16:00 left in the first half, she was on the bench with 2 fouls. She played a little more in the second half, but still spent a good portion of time on the bench.



I figured she couldn't be close to 100%. Foul trouble notwithstanding, 0 rebounds and 1 block in 17 minutes is not healthy Danielle Wilson basketball. Hopefully things are alittle better by Saturday.


I, too, enjoyed Ryan Hyatt's blog entry. It's amazing how many different prisms there are to look at one basketball game through until you step back and really try.

[spooky]

BTW, all of our posts had picked up 2 fouls by the time the end of the first half was approaching, so Kim went with a 5 guard line-up. She said she thinks that's the first time she's ever done that, but the players hung tough and got it to halftime.



I wouldn't have been too surprised to see the Baylor mens team put 5 guards on the floor based on their team makeup, but I would never have thought that Kim would do it. But necessity dicatates some odd things sometime.

I'm not gonna know what to do with myself if we ever get a roster with more than 10 players on it. :)

[Bball Girl]

Hand grenades....

"You can't fault our effort, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades," Tech head coach Kristy Curry said. "What matters right now is that we have to realize how close we are and that we have a chance to be a good basketball team this year."


That's great teamwork

The duo was a combined 12 of 18 from the field and 6 of 7 from 3-point range, and the former AAU teammates from the Houston area seemed to feed off each other while essentially trading baskets.

"Jess and I have played together for a very long time, since we were sophomores in high school, and this is a dream we both wanted to live," Player said. "Tonight, I know I can always look to Jess for a bucket, and she was hitting them. And she was looking back at me for a bucket, and I knocked a couple down. We're just so used to playing with each other that I know her tendencies and she knows mine."

[tx4OU]

Thanks for the link DblT! Congrats on getting blogged. I enjoy reading Ryan's thoughts.

[Beerman]

DblT,

Sorry I missed you last night....well I didn't really miss you....I was sitting right next to you but didn't know who you were until after you had walked away.

I agree with Ryno about the effort but I haven't seen a whole lot to tell me that the shooting woes can improve much.

So yeah, I'm a little concerned about that going forward.