Lady J's: Game 29 vs Wake Forest, Feb. 28 Sun., 2pm (ESPN-3)

[GTJT622]

Game preview courtesy rr.com: http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/022716aaa.html

Game notes: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...o_pdf/2015-16/release/release_20160227aaa.pdf

Interesting note, Nariah Taylor will be honored as part of Senior Day per the Game Notes linked above.

This is simple. Just win. Secure the 7-seed at the A.C.C.T. and likely locks at minimum a WNIT bid.

 

[JacketFan61]

Nariah's been coming to some of the games. I spoke to her back in November and found out she's due to graduate in the spring. I'm glad she will be included tomorrow. Her game was developing and she would have been a big help this season.

 

[GTJT622]

Thanks, mate. I am very pleased that 1) Nariah is graduating (that alone is a helluvan achievement) and 2) Coach Jo and the team is honoring her contributions to the program.

Good luck to Nariah and congrats in advance on getting out.

 

[Buzzforlife]

Can you divulge why she was not on the team this year, please?
She had eligibility and we could have really used her abilities to fill the paint.

 

[JacketFan61]

Medical hardship. Bad knees.

 

[GTJT622]

Looking good so far. Up 21-9 after 1Q.

Lots of different players scoring. Nice to see.

 

[GTJT622]

Helluva run at the end of the 3Q to bust this game back out to a 13-pt lead. Nice!

 

[GTJT622]

Nice win. Nice February.

Seeds for the A.C.C.T. will be...

1. Notre Dame
2. Louisville
3. Syracuse
4. FSU
5. Miami
6. NC State
7. Ga Tech
8. Duke
9. Virginia
10. Wake
11. Va Tech
12. Pitt
13. UNC
14. BC
15. Clemson

Lady J's will play Thursday at 6pm against the Wednesday winner between 10-Wake vs 15-Clemson.

 

[Buzzforlife]

When they introduced Taylor as a Student Mgr. who played 3 years and was put on a Medical Scholarship for this past year, some Band Members were asking each other who is she?

We offered our input as to how highly she was thought of coming out of H.S. in Indiana. Extra weight can put pressure on the knees, body, especially in basketball.

 

[GTJT622]

I truly don't mean this as it may come across as a cheap shot, but it has to be said more as credit to Aaliyah, Rodrekka, Coach Jo and staff, and everyone around the program who has not made any excuses and instead have sucked it up and moved on...

Regular season with Kaela Davis last year: 17-13/7-9

Regular season without Kaela Davis this year: 18-11/8-8

I posted on this board soon after Davis' announcement of her departure from Tech that we won't drop off significantly and may actually wind up better off. I think the team could have used her at times this year obviously, but only if the team was a T-E-A-M...which a year ago we often never looked that way.

Putting that analysis aside, sure wish we had won that game against Northern Iowa down in Cancun right now. 19-10 looks and sounds a lot better than 18-11 given we would have the chance to get to 20 wins at the A.C.C.T. I think we are pretty much a lock to the WNIT considering our record, the ACC may only get 6 teams into the NCAAT and we are the 7-seed. If we defeat Wake (assuming they beat Clemson as they should), it comes down to whether we can beat the beast known as UofL. Beat them to make the A.C.C.T. semifinals and Coach Jo has pulled off one of her best jobs ever as this team is in the NCAAT I think given that scenario. Having said that, we have no wins over top 50 RPI teams this season. Getting one over UofL (albeit unlikely I realize) would do wonders for our resume'.

 

[GTJT622]

A.C.C. Tournament schedule... http://www.theacc.com/news/pairings-set-for-39th-annual-acc-women-s-basketball-tournament-02-28-2016

 

[Buzzforlife]

We probably should have beaten Va. and Indiana, too.

Totally agree with you about Davis, us not being a t e a m last year. Probably the year before that as well.

If you will allow me to look past this most likely MEG coming up, next year looks even better. E.E. can hold the pivot down. Zaire is tough like a nickel steak. The two electrolyte PG's, and the chemistry with Kat, Antonia, should help the newbies adjust.

 

[GTJT622]

WNIT website... http://www.womensnit.com/news/details-announced-for-2016-postseason-wnit

(interesting...does #4 in the picture on the website page look familiar? )

Here's hoping we are a part of the NCAA Tournament selection show on Monday, March 14. If not, the WNIT selections will follow an hour or so after the NCAAT selections are announced. Tech has already qualified at minimum for the WNIT.

 

[Buzzforlife]

Gari?
Her sponsor on Sr. Day was K. Eveland(Volleybees star from the magnificent past). Are we Bonding yet with the new Collier?

 

[GTJT622]

Pretty cool of Kele and Irene to do that. Speaking of Volleybees, we must have lost an assistant coach because there was a job posting last week for an AC for the Volleybees online.

I started to forward it to stech81 to see if he's interested - and now in retirement, he absolutely must be sick of all the honey do lists from his multiple wives - but, I figured he was drunk and didn't want to bother him.

 

[Buzzforlife]

He might be saving himself for football? Fall, November Tuesday for another political football?

We might have another assistant job opening up. Did you know "Bee Stings" in certain countries are the leading cause of perishment?

 

[JacketFan61]

I'm really proud of what this team accomplished this season. They certainly exceeded my hopes and expectations. We lost two of last year's top three scorers and our fourth leading scorer was coming off an ACL tear. Don't get me wrong.. I thought Kaela's departure would prove to be positive in the end. (More on that in a bit). I was just unsure of how her point production would be replaced. Aaliyah Whiteside has answered that call. How does first-team All-ACC sound, Ms. Whiteside? You certainly earned it. She wasn't mentioned as a preseason All-ACC team member and she's proven them all wrong. How many games did she carry the team on her back this season? What tremendous growth she has shown in her four years at Georgia Tech. I'm really going to miss her and Roddreka next season.

The team, too, has shredded the preseason predictions of a #11 finish in the conference. It took a while but players other than Aaliyah are stepping up to put the ball in the bucket. The defense is better than it's been in a while. The team is definitely more of a team this year. I don't want to speak ill of Kaela but I think parents are fair game and I can speak of my experience of sitting near her parents during games. I'm sure everyone associated with the program doesn't miss the disparaging remarks that would be shouted at them by Kaela's mom. Enough said.

The loss to UNI in Cancun certainly leaves a bitter taste that lingers, as does the loss to Virginia. No shame in losing to Indiana (No. 40 RPI rating). Teri Moren has really turned that program around quickly. The Hoosiers were undefeated at home this season. That would have been a quality win had we been able to pull it off. Another missed chance at a quality win was against Miami. Win any of those four and I think a bid to the NCAA is a lock. But an 8-8 record in the ACC usually gets you in. We shall see this season.

Finally, congratulations to Coach Jo on win number 250. Her teams always play better in February. She has this program positioned for much bigger and better things in the years to come. Go Jackets!

 

[GTJT622]

Great stuff as always, JF61. Always love your opinions and inputs.

I thought Aaliyah was the best player on our team 1 season ago and posted it multiple times about this time a year ago. I thought she would have a big year - though, I never thought she'd lead the A.C.C. in scoring nor be a lock for 1st team All-A.C.C. - simply because she was the best player on the team, has the best all-around skill set offensively (can score inside and out and rebounds for garbage points and is a great FT shooter while getting to the line often), and would get a lot of the multitude of shots Kaela took every game.

I think Coach Jo has finally - like CBG with the Men - found the rotation to run with. Gari is a role player at best prior to getting her nose broken. No way she should have been playing 32+ minutes in any game. Nor Katarina only getting single digit minutes. Tilford has really stepped up lately and has taken over as the reliable point guard. She's looking to score now which is making defenses respect her a bit more. She needs to keep doing that. Posted that a few weeks ago. You can't have a PG who is absolutely no threat to score -- finally, it appears CBG has figured that out about the 2 guys who spent way too much time masquerading as point guards on his team for three-fourths of the season as well.

Rodrekka hasn't had the type of senior season as a whole as she'd like, but lately she has started to look like the RR we knew for the first 3 years. I'm glad Guimaraes got some quality minutes this year and she looked to me to be the best of the freshmen this season, but there's no question we are much better with RR and Zaire in the post and Kat occasionally spending time as needed down there.

Like we've all agreed, this is a T-E-A-M now. You can see it in their compassion for one another and body language on the court. Just a shame they didn't have it back in November and December. So, how do they reach their goals? Shock the world and win 2 games in Greensboro. Get to the semifinals of the A.C.C.T. (read: 20 wins, a W over a top 10 team, and a 6-game winning streak) and I think they have a very good shot at making the NCAAT.

 

[JacketFan61]

GTJT622: thanks for the kind words. Just to offer a little insight on Drek and what's she's been dealing with this season.. as soon as she comes to the bench, she is handed a heating pad to put on her lower back before she sits down. Who knows how much a sore back has affected her play... but she's a warrior. I'm glad we will have Elo ready for next year to clean the glass like Drek has always done.

 

[JacketFan61]

FWIW, Charlie Creme's latest Bracketology has only six ACC teams going to the Big Dance. He lists Duke as one of his "first four out" bubble teams. We aren't mentioned. His bracket has every team we lost to except for Virginia. He projects UNI as a #15 seed, getting in by winning the MVC. Indiana is projected as a #10, getting an at-large bid. It appears that with Duke and UNC having down years, those wins aren't getting us much juice. I'd think beating Duke at Cameron would have us on the bubble before them, but ol' Charlie disagrees.

 

[GTJT622]

I think if Duke had not lost Azura Stevens, they'd probably be around 11-5 in the A.C.C. or 10-6 at worst and easily in the NCAAT. Unfortunately for them, they now probably have to win at least 2 games at the A.C.C.T. (same as us) to sniff an at-large bid. They will be pressed to win 1 against the French, but no way in the world they'll beat the Irish in their 2nd game if they advance.