WBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Bammer]

Looking forward to the next 2 weeks of conference play.  Everyone should have a much better idea on where their team stands after those games.  A big welcome back to the Generals' Becca Bolton.  She has finished up her fellowship at Duke.

[Bammer]

Predictions on 2 big conference games tomorrow?  I will go with the home teams, W&L over VWC and RC over BC.  Really interested in how BC will match up to RC inside.

[BH2OFan]

I'll say W&L.... and pick-em in Roanoke. Should be a good one-

[Brookland]

My take:
Roanoke will win the rebounding battle.
If BC has 5 more steals than RC or better, and hits 35% or better from 3-pt range, BC wins. Otherwise, RC wins.

[Bammer]

I still believe just like last year that BC goes as far as Burkholder goes.  If RC takes care of the ball, rebounds well then BC must execute a half court offense.  You must make Burkholder pay for overplaying and going for the steals on the wing.  Backdoor cuts can work.  BC guards may be the equalizer in this game.  RC did lose 2 first team all ODAC guards.  It is hard to go against COY Dunnigan and RC at home.  Should be a good contest.

[wmjofva]

Moats Layup Caps Comeback in 65-63 Win over Bridgewater




The Eagles built their lead to as high as 16 points before Jordan Burkholder picked up her fourth foul with 18 minutes left in the game. Bridgewater kept Roanoke at bay, not letting them get within single digits for long.


Mullen led Bridgewater with a career-best 30 points and three steals. She shot a perfect 14-of-14 from the free-throw line, 7-of-14 from the floor. Sarah Boeren came off the bench to finish with seven points and four rebounds. Burkholder, the ODAC leading-scorer, was held to four points, but produced five rebounds while leading the Eagles with five assists and four steals.


Game reports states Roanoke got a lot of 2nd chance points.  Moats scored the last basket on the 3rd attempt.   Size matters and Bridgewater will be affected by lack of size the whole year when playing these big teams.   Jordan must learn that staying on the floor is more important than getting steals, as she is the oil that make the machine run.  Mullen led Bridgewater with a career-best 30 points and three steals. She shot a perfect 14-of-14 from the free-throw line, 7-of-14 from the floor

[BH2OFan]

I still believe just like last year that BC goes as far as Burkholder goes. 

Last night's contest both validates and refutes your statement. BC played equal or (much) better than Roanoke for basically 36 minutes, during which Jordan was on the court for only 14. So they can get it done without her against the best the league has to offer (not disrespecting anyone else by saying that). It seemed like the girls said "OK, we gotta step it up until she's back in the game". But it's a 40 minute game. When she fouled out with about 4 minutes to go is when the Eagles tightened up. Then is was like "uh-oh, she ain't coming back".
Tremendous effort by both clubs- BC running it up like they did and Roanoke's furious comeback. Congrats on the win.
If you would have told me before the game that Jordan plays 14 minutes, scores 4 points and Roanoke needed a last-second bucket from a Tennessee recruit to win I would take it.

[Bammer]

Must have been a great game.  2 questions:
1. Turnovers BC 29 and RC 27 Great defense or sloppy?
2. How did a guard get to shoot 14 free throws?

[BH2OFan]

1. Sloppy (mostly)- the layoff was evident on both sides. Moats was whistled for traveling 4 or 5 times (one was wrong).
2. Takin it to the rack, baby

[wmjofva]

I still believe just like last year that BC goes as far as Burkholder goes. 

Last night's contest both validates and refutes your statement. BC played equal or (much) better than Roanoke for basically 36 minutes, during which Jordan was on the court for only 14. So they can get it done without her against the best the league has to offer (not disrespecting anyone else by saying that). It seemed like the girls said "OK, we gotta step it up until she's back in the game". But it's a 40 minute game. When she fouled out with about 4 minutes to go is when the Eagles tightened up. Then is was like "uh-oh, she ain't coming back".

If you look back at games the last 4 years this is what happens.....Bridgewater plays well as long as they have her or can look over and see her..... It appears Roanoke said..ok we are going to limit her shots...she normally takes 16-20 a game.  This allows other players to get good looks...but Jordan is the key.  It is what it is.  There is nothing wrong with looking to your best player.  It's good a team knows who it's best player is.  In fact as a coach, if the team doesn't know...I tell them.  In key times you want the best player to touch the ball in at least 2 of 3 possessions .

Jordan has had 3 years to learn  how to stay in games.  The first year she lead the league in tech fouls and steals.....I suspect if you check you will find she has fouled out of more games in the four years than any other starter on any other team......hello????any one there???

Great game for the league however!!!

[BH2OFan]

I still believe just like last year that BC goes as far as Burkholder goes. 

It appears Roanoke said..ok we are going to limit her shots...she normally takes 16-20 a game. 

Remember she was only on the floor for 16 minutes due to foul trouble- hard to get off many shots from the bench. Parents who have seen all four years tell me that in the past Roanoke would have sewn that game up by halftime with her on the bench. Roanoke sure missed Mullen on the scouting report.

I haven't been around all of her 4 years but I buy into what you say about learning to stay on the floor.

[2RMCFans]

Looking forward to welcoming the women back to Crenshaw tonight!

Happy New Year to all!

GO JACKETS!!!!

[Bammer]

Big game tonight between the Generals and Maroons.  Could come down to who can keep their bigs out of foul trouble.  Senior Felice Herman has had some good games against Molly Arial so I believe that she will hold her own against Moats.  Gholson is the player that concerns me the most.  Hopefully, Bolton and Wilson will offset her.  Should be a good game and I am picking the Generals by 5.

[wmjofva]

Two foul rule:

Many years ago, a very successful college coach with 4 McDonald All- Americans, one or two on bench, pulled his (no doubt going to NBA) All American when he picked up his 2nd foul in the first half and didn't play again until start of 3rd quarter and replaced with another  McDonald All-American who was on bench.

TV guys commented on how smart that was and everyone from 7th grade to Div I started doing it.  

It's great idea, especially if you have 3 or 4 McDonald All Americans on the team.  However if your Div III or h/s not too sure the replacement is going to fill the hole.  Let's look at what happens.  Player A1 picks up 2nd foul with 10 mins to go in half.  She sits for the next 15-20 mins it takes to play the 10min, then sits 15 min for the half time period.  So she hasn't played in 30-35 mins, the sweat is gone, little flow of the game...doesn't surprise me when the player will pick up the 3rd foul quickly in the 3rd period.  Last year Roanoke was playing RM, the girl guarding Molly picked up two fouls in less than 45 seconds into the game.  Rightfully she was taken out of the game so Roanoke could check to see if the three referees were RM graduates.  However instead of sitting all that time, when Molly went out, they put her back in to get some playing time and stay in the flow, but took her out when Molly came back.   At the end of the game she made key basket that helped Roanoke win at home.

One might start when the very good player is a freshmen and let her play, letting her foul out of a game you are going to win regardless, so she could learn how to play with four fouls.  That's old school.  I have seen so many games lost Div 1,Div111 where the team had a lead...took player out because it's "two foul rule" and lost lead and game because the player never got into the flow of the game.  If I winning the game...large lead in 3rd quarter...(if 20 min half's..I'm talking first 10 mins after the half, then doesn't matter if I foul out in last 5)

Now you do have to take a player out like Roanoke did until the refs and the player calm down.  And some players never learn but I have seen more games lost to this two foul idea than won by it.  

I also love when a player who needs to score or have a good game, is having such a game and it taken out because of this "rule"..even tho you know the team is going to beat the other team by 30 points....I want to prepare the players to play well in the tournament...when it counts...no one remembers that you beat x...team 98-30 in January.

[BH2OFan]

(slinks in after retiring as a lobbyist on the Top 25 Discussion board)

W&L drums BC by 20, 87-67. Generals shot lights out, over 50% overall and 48% from 3 point land. Burkholder fouls out (again) but that wasn't as big a factor as the Roanoke game. The Eagles used too much energy at the start of the second half to cut a double digit halftime deficit to two, and ran out of gas.
Jessica Mullen had quite a week for the Eagles, 30 at Roanoke, 28 vs. Hollins and 19 yesterday. Also a perfect 26-26 at the charity stripe.