As I've mentioned previously in other threads, Coach Jo's teams have been pretty good for the most part in the month of February. Let's take a look at the past 9 seasons...
2015: 4-4
2014: 5-2
2013: 5-2
2012: 6-1
2011: 3-3
2010: 4-3
2009: 4-3
2008: 4-3
2007: 6-2
Tech enters February 3-6 in the A.C.C. and 9th in the standings. Finishing 9th or better is important. Teams finishing 10 thru 15 have to play on Day 1 of the A.C.C.T. while 5 thru 9 don't start until Day 2. Tech has proven it can play with the best team in the A.C.C., Notre Dame.
Looking ahead to the schedule upcoming...
Feb. 4 at Virginia Tech (7pm, ESPN-3): The Hokies are 2-6 in the A.C.C., 89th in the RPI (just 3 spots ahead of the Lady J's), and have lost 4 straight and 6 of their last 7...this is a must-win game for the Lady J's...we've defeated the Hokies each of the last 2 seasons
Feb. 7 at Syracuse (2pm, ESPN-3): The Orange are 5-3 in the A.C.C., 35th in the RPI (an NCAAT team), and will be a much stiffer challenge for us...Tech will be the 3rd game in 6 days for the Orange as they travel to Miami tonight and then host Clemson Thursday night...Tech has lost close games by 5 and by 6 in the 2 games so far since the Orange became members of the A.C.C.
Feb. 11 vs Miami (7pm, ESPN-3): Canes are 6-2 in the A.C.C. (and 18-3 overall), 41st in the RPI (an NCAAT team), and represents a tough opponent the Lady J's get at home...Tech has won 2 of the last 3 against the Canes and will need a huge effort to get a W on Cremins Court, but hopefully some February magic will get going
Feb. 14 vs Clemson (2pm, no streaming I guess): this is an absolute must-win at home as the Tigers are dreadful (though they gave us a very good game at their place a week ago) as they stand at 0-8 in the A.C.C. and 4-17 overall
Feb. 21 at Duke (2pm, no streaming I guess): Blue Devils are 5-3 in the A.C.C. and 16-6 overall, 38th in the RPI (an NCAAT team), and will be a very tough game for the LJ's...we finally broke that awful losing streak last season that went back 2 decades against Duke...while the Devils are good, they are not as elite as they have been in the past...they just fell out of the AP poll a couple of week ago for the first time in 16 years (read: 312 weeks)...though, they've now won 4 straight heading into tonight's home game against #3 Notre Dame
Feb. 25 at Pitt (7pm, ESPN-3): another winnable road game against the Panthers who are 2-7 in the A.C.C. and 10-12 overall
Feb. 28 vs Wake (2pm, ESPN-3): Tech should finish out with a win on Aaliyah and Roddreka's Senior Day against a Deacs team who is 2-7 in the A.C.C. and 11-11 overall
Looking at February, it seems like 4-3 is entirely possible getting us to 7-9 in the A.C.C. and 17-12 overall heading into the A.C.C.T. That would be almost identical to last year when we were 17-13 overall and 7-9 in the conference. We were the 11-seed last year which drew an opening round game at the A.C.C.T. which the Lady J's dominated over Clemson by 27 pts before falling on the 2nd day to 6-seeded Cheaters by 20. Getting to 18 wins and a 18-14 overall record was good enough to get us an invite to the W.N.I.T., which seems possible again in 2016 with a solid February.
The LJ's have played the 58th toughest RPI schedule in the nation currently, though that is weighted down by a weak pre-A.C.C. schedule which is rated 198th nationally in strength (or lack thereof I guess I should say).
If the LJ's could get on a very nice roll in February and go something like 6-1 (very unlikely IMO, but obviously would love to see it), then we are 9-7 heading into the conference tournament and 19-10 overall with a chance to sniff the NCAAT with a win at the A.C.C.T. and getting to 20 wins. Good luck to Coach Jo and the Lady J's. Welcome, February. Time to play our best ball of the season. Yesterday's tight win was a nice lead into the month.
2015: 4-4
2014: 5-2
2013: 5-2
2012: 6-1
2011: 3-3
2010: 4-3
2009: 4-3
2008: 4-3
2007: 6-2
Tech enters February 3-6 in the A.C.C. and 9th in the standings. Finishing 9th or better is important. Teams finishing 10 thru 15 have to play on Day 1 of the A.C.C.T. while 5 thru 9 don't start until Day 2. Tech has proven it can play with the best team in the A.C.C., Notre Dame.
Looking ahead to the schedule upcoming...
Feb. 4 at Virginia Tech (7pm, ESPN-3): The Hokies are 2-6 in the A.C.C., 89th in the RPI (just 3 spots ahead of the Lady J's), and have lost 4 straight and 6 of their last 7...this is a must-win game for the Lady J's...we've defeated the Hokies each of the last 2 seasons
Feb. 7 at Syracuse (2pm, ESPN-3): The Orange are 5-3 in the A.C.C., 35th in the RPI (an NCAAT team), and will be a much stiffer challenge for us...Tech will be the 3rd game in 6 days for the Orange as they travel to Miami tonight and then host Clemson Thursday night...Tech has lost close games by 5 and by 6 in the 2 games so far since the Orange became members of the A.C.C.
Feb. 11 vs Miami (7pm, ESPN-3): Canes are 6-2 in the A.C.C. (and 18-3 overall), 41st in the RPI (an NCAAT team), and represents a tough opponent the Lady J's get at home...Tech has won 2 of the last 3 against the Canes and will need a huge effort to get a W on Cremins Court, but hopefully some February magic will get going
Feb. 14 vs Clemson (2pm, no streaming I guess): this is an absolute must-win at home as the Tigers are dreadful (though they gave us a very good game at their place a week ago) as they stand at 0-8 in the A.C.C. and 4-17 overall
Feb. 21 at Duke (2pm, no streaming I guess): Blue Devils are 5-3 in the A.C.C. and 16-6 overall, 38th in the RPI (an NCAAT team), and will be a very tough game for the LJ's...we finally broke that awful losing streak last season that went back 2 decades against Duke...while the Devils are good, they are not as elite as they have been in the past...they just fell out of the AP poll a couple of week ago for the first time in 16 years (read: 312 weeks)...though, they've now won 4 straight heading into tonight's home game against #3 Notre Dame
Feb. 25 at Pitt (7pm, ESPN-3): another winnable road game against the Panthers who are 2-7 in the A.C.C. and 10-12 overall
Feb. 28 vs Wake (2pm, ESPN-3): Tech should finish out with a win on Aaliyah and Roddreka's Senior Day against a Deacs team who is 2-7 in the A.C.C. and 11-11 overall
Looking at February, it seems like 4-3 is entirely possible getting us to 7-9 in the A.C.C. and 17-12 overall heading into the A.C.C.T. That would be almost identical to last year when we were 17-13 overall and 7-9 in the conference. We were the 11-seed last year which drew an opening round game at the A.C.C.T. which the Lady J's dominated over Clemson by 27 pts before falling on the 2nd day to 6-seeded Cheaters by 20. Getting to 18 wins and a 18-14 overall record was good enough to get us an invite to the W.N.I.T., which seems possible again in 2016 with a solid February.
The LJ's have played the 58th toughest RPI schedule in the nation currently, though that is weighted down by a weak pre-A.C.C. schedule which is rated 198th nationally in strength (or lack thereof I guess I should say).
If the LJ's could get on a very nice roll in February and go something like 6-1 (very unlikely IMO, but obviously would love to see it), then we are 9-7 heading into the conference tournament and 19-10 overall with a chance to sniff the NCAAT with a win at the A.C.C.T. and getting to 20 wins. Good luck to Coach Jo and the Lady J's. Welcome, February. Time to play our best ball of the season. Yesterday's tight win was a nice lead into the month.
