Shocker WBB 2020-2021 AAC Games

[1972Shocker]

Just watched the replay of the Shockers close loss to USF. I think both teams played hard. I thought the Shocker front court players played especially hard aganst the bigger, deeper USF front court. The Shockers were switching on the USF screens and I thing that seemed pretty effective. I think USF's size and physicality with Asia may have frustrated Asia a bit in the game as this was only her 2nd game of the season in single digits as she was held to 4 points. She had 9 early in the season against South Dakota. Nevertheless Asia battled the bigger USF front court on the boards and led the Shocks with 13 rebounds.

The Shocker player I was most impressed with in this game was Trajata Colbert. She had 13 points on 6-11 from the field and 1-1 from the line and only had 1 turnover and that was probably the hardest I have seen Trajata play. I hope that carries over to next year. Most teams don't have USF's size to deal with.

Mariah McCully had a very good 1st half but couldn't get anything going in the 2nd half.

USF was only 5-26 (19.2%) on three pointers vs 1-11 (9.1%) for the Shocks. Ironically, the one Shockers made 3 pointer was by Ene Adams. Her first of the year on her 4th attempt of the season.

USF was not great from the free throw line hitting 13-20 (65%) but the Shocks only got to the line 6 times knockin down 5 of those attemtps. In a game were made field goals were hard to come by that may have made the difference.

The fact the Shockers were playing their 2nd game in 24 hours made the effort they gave in the game even more impressive. Hopefully, we will see more of that next year. The Shocks do need to develop more quality and depth with their bench.

In his post-game interview the USF coach did not give the Shocks any mention. Basically said he team just played lousy.and missed a lot of open shoots.

[1972Shocker]

The top four teams in the AAC are all through to the semi-finals but all of today's quarterfinals games were relatively competitive: In addition to #1 USF's close call against #9 today's other scores were:

#4 Tulane 83 - #5 Temple 73 (Tulane will play #1 USF)

#3 Houston 73 - #6 East Carolina 63

#2 UCF 53 - #7 Cincinnati 43 (UCF shot 8-21 in this game - not from the field, not 3-pointers, yes 38.1% from the free throw line)

So far the only lower seed to win a game was the #9 Shockers over #8 Tulsa. If both #1 USF and #2 UCF don't play better, maybe much better, tomorrow that may change.

[ShockTalk]

The top four teams in the AAC are all through to the semi-finals but all of today's quarterfinals games were relatively competitive: In addition to #1 USF's close call against #9 today's other scores were:

#4 Tulane 83 - #5 Temple 73 (Tulane will play #1 USF)

#3 Houston 73 - #6 East Carolina 63

#2 UCF 53 - #7 Cincinnati 43 (UCF shot 8-21 in this game - not from the field, not 3-pointers, yes 38.1% from the free throw line)

So far the only lower seed to win a game was the #9 Shockers over #8 Tulsa. If both #1 USF and #2 UCF don't play better, maybe much better, tomorrow that may change.

So, in our #9 / #1 matchup, the 4 point loss was the closest game with all three of the other games being 10 point games and all 6 scores ending with the number 3.

[1972Shocker]

So, in our #9 / #1 matchup, the 4 point loss was the closest game with all three of the other games being 10 point games and all 6 scores ending with the number 3.

Apparently threesomes are becoming a thing.

[1972Shocker]

#1 seed USF wasn't much better today against #4 seed Tulane than they were against the Shocks edging the Green Wave 51-47.

USF was 15-61 (24.6%) from the field against the Shockers and 17-61 (27.9%) against Tulane.

In the 2nd semi-final #2 seed UCF did manage to break 60 points at 61 but that was more than enough to overcome the paltry 39 point output of #3 seed Houston. Houston may have been on the NCAA bubble but this performance may have popped that. Houston probably WNIT bound.

Not exactly been a showcase for AAC women's basketball so far at Dickies Arena. USF and UCF are probably a lock for the NCAA Tournament. Hopefully, they will put on a bit better show in the Championship game Thursday night.

USF defeats UCF 64-54 to win the AAC Tournament and the auto bid. USF led 37-19 at the half. USF pretty much totally relied on their starting 5 who scored all 64 of UCF's points. In fact, 3 starters account for 60 of USF's 64 points. 3 reserves played for USF and went 0-2 from the field. UCF did about the same. 2 of their starters scored 45 of their 54 points. The only got 3 points from a 4th starter and 6 points off the bench.

Shocks were the only lower seeded team to win a game in this tournament and that was a 9 seed over an 8 seed. So I guess this tournament was properly seeded.

[1972Shocker]

The AAC auto qualifier USF is an 8 seed and will play 9 seed Washington State tomorrow in Auston, TX.

UCF, who tied USF for the regular season championship and lost to USF in the AAC Tournament finals, is also in as a 10 seed and will play 7 seed Northwestern on Monday in San Antonio, TX.

In the "Things That Make You Go Hmmm!" category the Valley also got 2 teams into the NCAA Tournamnet although the manner in which it happened is pretty unusual.

Missouri State was the Valley's regular season champ finishing 16-0 (20-2 overall) and with a NET ranking of 20 were pretty much a lock to make the NCAA Tournament. Drake was the runner up at 13-5 (17-12 overall) with a NET ranking of 49.

MIssouri State beat SIU 70-59 in the quarterfinals and were schedule to play 5 seed Bradley, a 62-59 quarterfinal winner over 4 seed UNI in the semis. 2 seed Drake (71-60 winner of 7 seed Valpo) and 6 seed Loyola (a 61-60 winner over 3 seed Illinois State) were scheduled for the other semi-final game.

However, that did not happen.

With the program's participation in the NCAA Tournament at the forefront of the university's decision, Missouri State administrators decided Saturday to withdraw from the remainder of the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Tournament.

"Our top priority is to be able to play in the NCAA Tournament," said Missouri State Director of Athletics Kyle Moats. "Our players lost that opportunity last year with the pandemic and the cancellation of the postseason. We have to ensure that our players and our staff get that opportunity this year."

Each MVC program is required to undergo daily COVID-19 testing for the week preceding and throughout the 2021 MVC Women's Basketball Tournament. Missouri State has not had any positive tests in the seven-day Valley protocol leading up to or during the MVC Tournament.

A single positive result was discovered in Bradley's Tier 1 personnel as part of Friday evening's testing, and subsequent contact tracing revealed that BU has enough available and non-impacted players and bench personnel to compete.

So the 2 seed Drake was advanced to the finals and Bradley and Loyola played on Saturday for the right to face Drake in the Sunday Championship game for the auto bid.

This looked pretty much cooked for Drake at that point but Bradley upset the apple cart a bit by beating Drake on Sunday 78-70 to secure the Valley's auto bid. Drake ended up in the WNIT.

MSU is a 5 seed and will play 12 UC Davis in San Antonio on Sunday and Bradley (16-11, 10-8, #79 in the NET) is an 11 seed and will play 6 seed Texas in San Marcos on Sunday.