[Del Flame]

According to announcers Pope's foot was on the line on her 3 pointer but refs never looked at it - 1 point loss. Of course foul shooting and TOs our achilles heel all season. Need a point guard with a good FT percentage and ball skills. I'm done. can't wait for next year

The announcers were "positive" that she was on the line. They even talked about her foot being on the purple line, meaning they were very clear that they saw it. However, we played poorly, including every way you described above, but I do wish that shot had been called a 2 pointer (if it was). As it was, GW had the ball with a one point lead and less than a minute to go. If the game had been tied, maybe they would have been a bit "tighter". But, there were so many "ifs" that we had control of, that we didn't take control of.

[Chippy]

I'm wondering if there is a Juco guard that would fit the bill. We will have Emily and Reagan Miller (incoming frosh) at PG next year!? LaKendra, Devon and Brittany at the 2. We will be heavy on 4s and 5s.

[Chippy]

I hope the girls work on their FTs during the off season. A great rebounding team like ours should get to the FT line and make them.

Also you want your point guard to shoot 70-80% since they handle the ball the most a especially in tight games.

[BJWilliams]

This loss certainly hurts...but to address (I think it was Chippy's) post), you cant make an assumption that if we get a point guard that can score we are in the top 25...we MAY get there, but that would also infer the assumption that absolutely nothing else changed player wise this season. You cant assume that with that one change, everything else ends up different. What if (God forbid) Avery gets hurt? or Tolu? We wont mention Devon because she WAS hurt...MAYBE we get one or two games with a scoring point guard...but you cant assume that everything else works out exactly the same way...

[Chris Lang]

http://www2.newsadvance.com/sports/2011 ... ar-903417/

[Cider Jim]

Lang, I'm glad to hear that the LU ladies aren't done playing basketball:

The Flames, thanks to their regular-season Big South championship, earned an automatic berth into the 64-team Women’s NIT field, which will be announced late tonight after the NCAA Tournament selection show. The Flames put in a bid to host the first two rounds of the tournament, and the first game in that scenario would be on Thursday.

[Chippy]

This loss certainly hurts...but to address (I think it was Chippy's) post), you cant make an assumption that if we get a point guard that can score we are in the top 25...we MAY get there, but that would also infer the assumption that absolutely nothing else changed player wise this season. You cant assume that with that one change, everything else ends up different. What if (God forbid) Avery gets hurt? or Tolu? We wont mention Devon because she WAS hurt...MAYBE we get one or two games with a scoring point guard...but you cant assume that everything else works out exactly the same way...

Of course those are factors for every team. And it's not just scoring but ball handling. A good point guard, a leader, a good foul shooter, a good passer, a good ball handler and an offensive threat just will make the team (barring unforseen circumstances) a much better team. Our PGs turn the ball over more than they assist - that's the standard of a good point guard. Amber Mays, not the bets point guard but a good point guard made last years, very young team, better. The team came back with a little more experience so we were expecting a better team. What was missing? I suggest the lack of a quality point guard who can take control when things get a little goofy.

[g-webb1994]

Finally.

I haven't gone to my DVR yet to watch it, I did listen to our poor play-by-play effort on the radio, it seemed to me that both teams really got jobbed on some calls, surprising considering the supposed quality of the crew. Also, did LU not have any timeouts left when you hit that layup with 3 seconds left? That whole last few seconds shocked me.

Too bad our conference RPI as a whole sucks so bad you guys can't get an at-large at least, but that's how it rolls for us little guys of the hoops world. Y'all are young, we are senior-laden, maybe we can have three more classic games next season, but we'll be in rebuild mode for sure. I'm thinking we may get a 15, we had an RPI coming in of around 150 while LU was around 100, as long as we avoid UConn and UT in the first round and not get totally waxed, I'll be pleased.

[Del Flame]

Lang, I'm glad to hear that the LU ladies aren't done playing basketball:

The Flames, thanks to their regular-season Big South championship, earned an automatic berth into the 64-team Women’s NIT field, which will be announced late tonight after the NCAA Tournament selection show. The Flames put in a bid to host the first two rounds of the tournament, and the first game in that scenario would be on Thursday.

Me too. I'll be there if it's a home game!

[jbock13]

Let's be honest though our chances of hosting an NIT game are probably slim...

I know its the NIT. Quit griping, its still BASKETBALL!

[Del Flame]

Finally.

I haven't gone to my DVR yet to watch it, I did listen to our poor play-by-play effort on the radio, it seemed to me that both teams really got jobbed on some calls, surprising considering the supposed quality of the crew. Also, did LU not have any timeouts left when you hit that layup with 3 seconds left? That whole last few seconds shocked me.

Too bad our conference RPI as a whole sucks so bad you guys can't get an at-large at least, but that's how it rolls for us little guys of the hoops world. Y'all are young, we are senior-laden, maybe we can have three more classic games next season, but we'll be in rebuild mode for sure. I'm thinking we may get a 15, we had an RPI coming in of around 150 while LU was around 100, as long as we avoid UConn and UT in the first round and not get totally waxed, I'll be pleased.

I'm very disappointed, obviously, but your team sure came out inspired, especially at the start of the second half. Congratulations!
Right, there weren't any timeouts left at the end, but Jelena didn't feel like she (or anyone else) had a look at a three, so she took the layup and was hoping that we could commit a quick foul. But we never got anywhere near a foul.

[Chippy]

Finally.

I haven't gone to my DVR yet to watch it, I did listen to our poor play-by-play effort on the radio, it seemed to me that both teams really got jobbed on some calls, surprising considering the supposed quality of the crew. Also, did LU not have any timeouts left when you hit that layup with 3 seconds left? That whole last few seconds shocked me.

Too bad our conference RPI as a whole sucks so bad you guys can't get an at-large at least, but that's how it rolls for us little guys of the hoops world. Y'all are young, we are senior-laden, maybe we can have three more classic games next season, but we'll be in rebuild mode for sure. I'm thinking we may get a 15, we had an RPI coming in of around 150 while LU was around 100, as long as we avoid UConn and UT in the first round and not get totally waxed, I'll be pleased.

I'm very disappointed, obviously, but your team sure came out inspired, especially at the start of the second half. Congratulations!
Right, there weren't any timeouts left at the end, but Jelena didn't feel like she (or anyone else) had a look at a three, so she took the layup and was hoping that we could commit a quick foul. But we never got anywhere near a foul.

This is when you foul a player before the inbounds pass - hold the cutter to get a foul call. that was the only play unless you get lucky to get a 5 second call or the inbounds pass goes right to us.

[g-webb1994]

Good luck to y'all in the WNIT...hopefully Green can get your ladies to show up and play inspired ball, unlike our effort last year at UNCC when we had quit and were planning spring break trips.

UVA obviously can't host the WNIT and NCAA simultaneously, so maybe LU can win the bid and host a round or two.

By the way, based on post-game accounts I've read, I will go ahead and apologize for our band yelling "L Who" at y'all after winning. You win with class and lose with class, apparently some of our people didn't get the memo. I've always thought you take the high road, no matter how bitter the rivalry and/or intense the game is, and I wouldn't classify our somewhat budding rivalry on the womens hardwood as bitter.

[Purple Haize]

I'm wondering if there is a Juco guard that would fit the bill. We will have Emily and Reagan Miller (incoming frosh) at PG next year!? LaKendra, Devon and Brittany at the 2. We will be heavy on 4s and 5s.

WHy do you need to go the JUCO route? I know of at least one unsigned PG who would fit the bill from this area. (Think Ivory Latta clone)
IMHO, a lot of this seasons woes can be chalked up to chemistry. Who was the leader on this team? It appeared that even WHEN someone tried to step up, they were either challenged or ignored by their team mates. Team Chemistry is a player issue, not a coaching issue.
I am very happy for Coach Reeves and am sure this was an extra special victory for him and his family. Say what you will but he has now taken two bottom dweller Big South teams all the way to the NCAA. Not bad.

[jbock13]

By the way, based on post-game accounts I've read, I will go ahead and apologize for our band yelling "L Who" at y'all after winning.

After all the creative things I heard, that's about the least offensive. lol.

I don't have a problem with it.

[BJWilliams]

the Lady Runnin Bulldogs draw a 14 seed and face Miami (FL) in the first round

[g-webb1994]

the Lady Runnin Bulldogs draw a 14 seed and face Miami (FL) in the first round

The Hudson twins against the powerful Miami duo of Riquna Williams and Shenise Johnson. Maybe we can keep it interesting for awhile on Sunday. Frankly was shocked at the 14 seed, but maybe the Big South is gaining some respect outside of LU.

[jbock13]

A couple nuggets going into this game (one thanks to our resident scribe): Liberty is 38-0 when playing as the higher seed in the Big South Tournament...and 13-0 in the Big South Championship game having beaten UNC Greensboro, Radford (2x), UNC Asheville (2x), Elon, Gardner-Webb (2x), High Point (2x), Birmingham Southern and Coastal Carolina (2x)

This game is total proof of my points that history doesn't matter in sports

Oh and I'm a history major so I can say that.

[BJWilliams]

History does matter...course its also what you do with it that matters as well as this has shown. If you look at Chris' article about the game (well written as always might I add), the Hudson Sisters were tired of losing to Liberty in the finals as had been the case the last two seasons...so it certainly was in their heads...but instead of folding they used it as motivation and got the job done.

[Chippy]

History does matter...course its also what you do with it that matters as well as this has shown. If you look at Chris' article about the game (well written as always might I add), the Hudson Sisters were tired of losing to Liberty in the finals as had been the case the last two seasons...so it certainly was in their heads...but instead of folding they used it as motivation and got the job done.

Well said!

[BJWilliams]

Go back to the run to the Sweet 16 we had in 2005 as well. If history didnt matter to the team that year, would they have gone out and basically punched Penn State in the mouth? Probably not...we probably lose that game and continue being an above average mid-major and Coach Green is another coach that "cant win the big one". You dont think that the girls on the team that year didnt want to hear anymore about how Liberty "cant win in the NCAA tournament" so they took that and used it as motivation and ended up having one of the greatest postseasons in school history.

[olldflame]

The thing that impressed me most about the Hudsons was their ability to finish contested layups against bigger opponents, a lot of them off balance or requiring "english" to go in. That is a product of mental and physical toughness and a lot of time in the gym. Meanwhile we were missing wide-open, uncontested layups as well as free throws (and we still almost won).

As much credit as Emily gets for the big 3 against HP, it was the wide-open layup early in the second half that she absolutely gagged on after being given a path to the basket wide enough to drive a tractor-trailer which triggered the G-W run which won the game for them. That shot would have tied the game. Instead, they came back and hit a 3, and built the lead from there.

[4everfsu]

The thing that impressed me most about the Hudsons was their ability to finish contested layups against bigger opponents, a lot of them off balance or requiring "english" to go in. That is a product of mental and physical toughness and a lot of time in the gym. Meanwhile we were missing wide-open, uncontested layups as well as free throws (and we still almost won).

As much credit as Emily gets for the big 3 against HP, it was the wide-open layup early in the second half that she absolutely gagged on after being given a path to the basket wide enough to drive a tractor-trailer which triggered the G-W run which won the game for them. That shot would have tied the game. Instead, they came back and hit a 3, and built the lead from there.

Our PGs missed at least three wide open layups in the game that I counted.

[BJWilliams]

Missing layups is the sort of thing that would make me pull my hair out if I was a coach. I remember when I played basketball our coach had us in layup lines until we made 100 in a row. He took them THAT seriously.

[4everfsu]

Missing layups is the sort of thing that would make me pull my hair out if I was a coach. I remember when I played basketball our coach had us in layup lines until we made 100 in a row. He took them THAT seriously.

As a coach I never made my team run suicide drills, I had other better ways of getting my players in shape. After one game when my players were missing layups(uncontested) I made a rule.

Anytime in a game a player missed a layup the entire team ran suicide drills, except for the player(s) who missed the layup(s). That player(s) stood along side me as her team mates ran. Funny how mental prepared the players became to making layups in a game.