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Post by PeoriaBucky on Dec 13, 2023 9:14:39 GMT -5
I'm actually surprised Nebraska vs Pittsburgh is not the nightcap as that match has two #1 seeds (the #1 vs #4) while Wisconsin vs Texas has a #2 seed (#3 vs #7). Is it strictly ESPN's decision? Maybe the rationale is the two most recent national champions in the nightcap . . .  Given the gap between the two games, I don't know if there's a real ratings benefit to either time slot specifically. The early game starts at a lovely primetime 7pm EST but a still the workday 4pm PST. The late game is accessible to all time zones (6:30ish PST) but that 930pm start on the east coast is brutal if it goes five. I thought I heard somewhere that the current NCAA rule is that the #1 overall seed plays in the first match. |
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Post by robtearle on Dec 13, 2023 9:32:07 GMT -5
Regarding "comfortable in chaos":
Back in mid-August before their exhibition match, Sheffield held a 'talk' with season ticket-holders, about the season and the team, etc. And "comfortable in chaos" reminded me of it. Quoting from Rainbow's summary at the time:
"We have in the past been the best in system but we got beat because we weren’t so good out of system. When the setter got on the run we were in trouble.
This year our strength is our physicality and our ability to score OOS. We might not be the best at staying in system, but we will score. In the past we were super dependent on being in system. Now this year we will be good at taking out the garbage."
It's been the plan all along.
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Post by horns1 on Dec 13, 2023 9:40:22 GMT -5
Given the gap between the two games, I don't know if there's a real ratings benefit to either time slot specifically. The early game starts at a lovely primetime 7pm EST but a still the workday 4pm PST. The late game is accessible to all time zones (6:30ish PST) but that 930pm start on the east coast is brutal if it goes five. I thought I heard somewhere that the current NCAA rule is that the #1 overall seed plays in the first match. If that were the case, at the conclusion of the Nebraska match, the final four bracket flashed on ESPNU would have already shown the start time for the Pittsburgh vs Nebraska national semi-final. Instead, the times weren't finalized (so it appeared) until the conclusion of the Stanford/Texas match. |
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Post by bounce22 on Dec 13, 2023 9:44:31 GMT -5
Regarding "comfortable in chaos": Back in mid-August before their exhibition match, Sheffield held a 'talk' with season ticket-holders, about the season and the team, etc. And "comfortable in chaos" reminded me of it. Quoting from Rainbow's summary at the time: "We have in the past been the best in system but we got beat because we weren’t so good out of system. When the setter got on the run we were in trouble. This year our strength is our physicality and our ability to score OOS. We might not be the best at staying in system, but we will score. In the past we were super dependent on being in system. Now this year we will be good at taking out the garbage." It's been the plan all along. It’s much easier to execute the plan with Franklin. She’s definitely POTY and, without her, Wisconsin has little chance. Absolutely love watching her play. She does more with limited follow through than most with a complete swing. Historically not a massive fan of W but I WANT to see her win. |
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Post by eotexas5 on Dec 13, 2023 10:00:49 GMT -5
That's what ESPNU announced at the end of the Texas-Stanford match. I'm actually surprised Nebraska vs Pittsburgh is not the nightcap as that match has two #1 seeds (the #1 vs #4) while Wisconsin vs Texas has a #2 seed (#3 vs #7). Is it strictly ESPN's decision? Maybe the rationale is the two most recent national champions in the nightcap . . . apparently the #1 overall seed has to play first, per Paul Sunderland over the weekend |
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Post by eotexas5 on Dec 13, 2023 10:04:42 GMT -5
They can’t lose a game and win the match? I'm not convinced Texas has the floor defense to withstand the Badger weapons and get out of their own way at the same time. So they could but chances take a hit. The Texas floor defense is actually not bad at all. Our main struggle all season long was dealing with teams that played super fast (see TCU/WSU/KSU). Wisconsin plays doesn't really play that fast, which only helps our main defensive strength (blocking) get in (hopefully) better positions to get touches. The littles and Swindle have really picked it up in the backrow during the tournament, almost night and day from the regular season. I've been really impressed with Barnes as I feel like she's picked it up tremendously. |
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Post by badgerbreath on Dec 13, 2023 10:13:32 GMT -5
Wisconsin is a big and very talented team; I'm still surprised they let that match in Lincoln slip away. Their other 2 losses were on the road without Smrek. I'm actually surprised Wisconsin has not been more dominant in the post-season as they seem so physically imposing. When I look at their last few tourney wins at home, they seem to have at least one set that is closer than I'd expect. And, those sets they lose are very close. Against Oregon, the first two sets they won were by 3 points each; home crowd is good for a couple of points. Perhaps playing Oregon at a neutral site would have pushed that match to 5 sets. vs Miami ( 25-23, 25-15, 25-17) vs Penn State (25-11, 28-30, 25-12, 25-18) vs Oregon ( 25-22, 25-22, 25-27, 25-18) Texas will need Wisconsin to have 2 sub-par sets to stand a chance. Conversely, Texas has not been as consistent or dominant as Wisconsin. We definitely played our best match of the season at Stanford on Saturday night after surviving a match point against Tennessee in the regional semi-final. Texas gets into a flow when they cut down on their service errors as we are an aggressive serving team; that has to happen on Thursday night to pull the upset. Maybe the Team is 'comfortable in chaos'. But to we fans- Yeeesh!I admit - the chaos element is a bit terrifying watching as a fan. But the team is actually quite comfortable playing that scramble style and scoring in transition and the block. It's also true that is what a good floor defense making plays gives you, the opportunity to take what would be an opponent kill and turn it into a point with some effort and creativity. Hammill has done really well in RB D lately. It's also worth mentioning that both PSU and Miami had some dominant hitters and servers, and they can go on runs where they thrive off momentum. We're in the tournament, so to expect them not to take or challenge for sets is a bit unrealistic. The problem with both those teams is that they can't maintain it for a whole match. Oregon was a different bird. That was a straight up battle for three sets and the badgers just wore them out. One of the toughest serving and fastest setting teams we have faced all year. The badgers really had to stretch. If the badgers can't go on a serving run for whatever reason, then the subs become a real problem, though, to be honest, the badgers have done better than I thought they would in that situation. Pukis's experience was the real difference maker in that third set v Oregon. |
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Post by huskerang74 on Dec 13, 2023 10:32:36 GMT -5
if Nebraska gets by Pitt, Nebraska fans have a dilemma: do they root for the conference colleagues (default choice), or being more calculating, root for the team they think Nebraska could more likely beat (which is not the Badgers)? This Nebraska fan is rooting for the Badgers. I don't care if Texas would be easier to beat. I thought Tennessee would take would dehorn the other orange. Then I was trusting that Stanford would prevent a repeat champion. I'm not to the point of Madden, and begging Wisconsin to win - but close. A loss by the Huskers to Wisconsin would be painful but tolerable. A loss to Texas would not be. Of course a win over either would be sweet. This. |
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Post by nederlander on Dec 13, 2023 10:33:20 GMT -5
Barnes has come along as the season progressed. Definitely one of the reasons the team is in the Semis. Good defense, and an asset on the service line. Also seems to be a great teammate. It’s cool to see players get an opportunity from a smaller program, and really contribute. Texas gets lots of ridiculous grief for taking all the transfers it does, but the portal rarely ever gets credited for the opportunities it creates that wouldn’t happen without it.
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Post by SportyBucky on Dec 13, 2023 10:42:56 GMT -5
Barnes has come along as the season progressed. Definitely one of the reasons the team is in the Semis. Good defense, and an asset on the service line. Also seems to be a great teammate. It’s cool to see players get an opportunity from a smaller program, and really contribute. Texas gets lots of ridiculous grief for taking all the transfers it does, but the portal rarely ever gets credited for the opportunities it creates that wouldn’t happen without it. I think this match is won with passing. If GG can hold up, and Wisconsin can serve...well...any target other than Emma...WI will prevail. |
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Post by dbro1970 on Dec 13, 2023 11:26:05 GMT -5
I just need Wenaas to have more kills than she is blocked. She surprised me against Stanford because I 100% thought they were going to block every attempt she had but she held her own. Hopefully she tools off the block tonight 🤞🏽 she can tool the block all she wants to tonight...as long as she doesn't tomorrow in the game. |
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Post by mibadger on Dec 13, 2023 11:45:49 GMT -5
Thanks, I will check that out. Is there a good barn-burner to watch?
Add: Tennessee is the match. For some reason I couldn't find it on ESPN+. Thanks again.
For whatever reason, when I've gone to ESPN+ looking for replays, I have had to sign out and sign back in, and then they appear. ESPN plus and B1G plus especially could both use some work. Some of the video quality on B1G especially is atrocious. |
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Post by 25or624 on Dec 13, 2023 11:58:55 GMT -5
I just need Wenaas to have more kills than she is blocked. She surprised me against Stanford because I 100% thought they were going to block every attempt she had but she held her own. Hopefully she tools off the block tonight 🤞🏽 she can tool the block all she wants to tonight...as long as she doesn't tomorrow in the game. Jenna hasn't seen a block like the Badger block this season [or ever?]. We'll see how she does.
On the flip-side, Wisconsin had the lowest opponent blocks per set in The BIG; 1.45 opponent bps. The NCAA doesn't offer this stat for comparison.
Add it all up and you have the #1 blocking team in NCAA D1 and the toughest team to block in The BIG. I like it.
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Post by mibadger on Dec 13, 2023 12:03:34 GMT -5
Regarding "comfortable in chaos": Back in mid-August before their exhibition match, Sheffield held a 'talk' with season ticket-holders, about the season and the team, etc. And "comfortable in chaos" reminded me of it. Quoting from Rainbow's summary at the time: "We have in the past been the best in system but we got beat because we weren’t so good out of system. When the setter got on the run we were in trouble. This year our strength is our physicality and our ability to score OOS. We might not be the best at staying in system, but we will score. In the past we were super dependent on being in system. Now this year we will be good at taking out the garbage." It's been the plan all along. That’s a great memory. Thanks for reposting that. I think it’s been a great realization by the staff, after having run the system last year, that to win in a 6 - 2 they needed to go all in on their physicality and to get much much better at oos. GG is unbelievable at setting oos and Orzol has improved as the year has gone. They are so good in the back row together. The emergence of Smreks ability to be such a weapon oos was something we had seen almost none of before this season. So now they can reliably go to either pin oos at any time and this really stretches other teams defense. I’m excited for the match. I was much more fearful of Oregon and their speed than I am of Texas but I still think it will take our A game to move on. They provide some explosive plays with Skinner and O’Neal that we will have to ready to match. I think the deciding factors will be the quality of our serves and our bock doing what they are capable of. |
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Post by mibadger on Dec 13, 2023 12:07:44 GMT -5
Barnes has come along as the season progressed. Definitely one of the reasons the team is in the Semis. Good defense, and an asset on the service line. Also seems to be a great teammate. It’s cool to see players get an opportunity from a smaller program, and really contribute. Texas gets lots of ridiculous grief for taking all the transfers it does, but the portal rarely ever gets credited for the opportunities it creates that wouldn’t happen without it. I think this match is won with passing. If GG can hold up, and Wisconsin can serve...well...any target other than Emma...WI will prevail. I’ll bet there has been lots of talk and work this week in practice about staying in your area and about who is responsible for the team between Franklin and GG. GG gets in trouble when she starts reaching too far to the sides. If she stays disciplined she will be more than fine. |
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