Tulsa vs UCF Women's Basketball 11am

[TU4ever2]

Ok as always a ESPN+ game and on 93.5 the Jet on Iheartradio app.

After today Tulsa will be the only AAC team to have played all four likely tournament teams from the AAC. Tulane is on the outside at the moment but as they finish out fattening up their record they should barring an upset slide in. Houston is just hanging in there and UCF is comfortably in, while USF is fighting for a top 3 seed.

In fact Tulsa has one "bad" loss, at Memphis and one good win at OSU.
Temple looks bad, but they are likely to finish fifth and in the NIT bid range.

We have two games left versus WSU of which only one is likely to be played, missed out on SMU entirely. We still have one game with Cincy left. Looking at the year and record overall it's more meh.

We aren't really losing games we should win, but we aren't winning games we shouldn't either. Tulsa was picked last and likely to finish 6th/7th (Haith like) with the Temple sweep leaving them with no chance at 5th. It reminds me of the off season before we tied for the conference championship last year for the men. Except Tulsa women losses have been close games that have turned into getting run over, I don't remember that sort of struggle for the men.

If Mossman is fired there is little to complain about, if she is kept I could understand why. The current young talent looks good, most of those players come with personal connections to Mossman. All three freshman will be solid to very good players at this level. Lascay has developed well. Our biggest weakness is post and while I don't think you ever turn down a mayberry, especially two, it is a choice Mossman made and the consequences are hers.

Game is at UCF so I will be syncing up the aud

 

[TU4ever2]

Tulsa comes out and looks partially asleep. Bit disjointed, we are still not shooting well. We came out in our zone and have rebounded and defended well out of it Wyvette played 5mins with one shoe, need to be more aggressive on offense in general and on offensive rebounds in particular. It seems we only have three people on the bench available right now.

1Q 3:05
Tulsa 7
UCF 4

 

[TU4ever2]

First quarter ends with Wyvette getting spooked by a quick trap and making a bad pass. Tulsa defense is strong though and UCF can't get a shot off last five seconds or show. UCF defense started to give Tulsa issues, but the ladies were patient and moved the ball well last two possesions getting good shots. Shooting slightly better so far, the girls have gotten very good at the zone and working as a unit.

2Q 10:00
Tulsa 12
UCF 7

 

[TU4ever2]

Terrible call on a charge. UCF has switched to a 3-2 aggressive zone, Tulsa will need to use fakes and back cuts. The refs are allowing both teams to be physically so offense will be about getting separation and space. UCF with a lay up off a turnover and a nice inside out 3 pointer to tie the game. Both Mayberrys are driving more than they have been a good sign as they are digging into those soft spots, both have earned and 1s.

2Q 6:18
Tulsa 17
UCF 14

 

[TU4ever2]

Bittle comes in and does her thing. Girl is a player. UCF is being really frustrated by Tulsa's zone. It's a bit soft on the perimeter and then collapses on the post where Tulsa is fronting and doubling on the back ball side. UCF is going over the top to the weak side on a little lob pass that drops into that mid post. Tulsa has no backside help because UCF is using a double post. It isn't particularly hurting Tulsa but it is letting UCF get the ball to their bigs.

2Q 4:25
Tulsa 20
UCF 2+

 

[TU4ever2]

Last half of the second quarter UCF uses their height to keep balls alive, get rebounds and some kick outs for shots. Tulsa is still doing decent on rebounding, but the margin will likely continue to grow as UCF is really crashing them. Wyvette finishes half 10 pts and 5 rebounds including a couple offensive rebounds from following her shots. Had a couple freshman mistakes at the end of each quarter that become turnovers for UCF to get the last shot. UCF's 3-2 zone is causing trouble. Tulsa needs to attack the gaps and then pass, they got better at it but still weren't consistent at it. Shooting is slightly better.

Halftime
Tulsa 22
UCF 25

Edit: Tulsa winning paint points 10-8, it's been drives and cuts and really should be even better as Tulsa has missed two bunnies and had a couple good pass go off hands. This is important, if Tulsa is close on point scoring they should be able to really use their perimeter players to attack.

 

[TU4ever2]

Tulsa has gone to a tight switching man now and it has slowed down UCF and lead to some turnovers created by great help support cutting off outlets. Lascay has got it going now and UCF is the one complaining about game physicality although the refs have been consistent. Tulsa started not attacking the zone and got some ugly turnovers, last couple mins much better at driving or faking the drive with a jab step and then passing.

2Q 5:40
Tulsa 29
UCF 29

Update:
2Q 4:36 (media time out)
Tulsa 29
UCF 31

 

[TU4ever2]

I will say this, that UCF staff has some great Xs and Os. Just watching how UCF is now attacking the defenses shows a great deal of understanding on where they have advantage. I watched a screen down for a player to switch ball side, screen for the ball handler. Pass to the baseline player off the screen who drove the lane, picked up a screen from a big and then across the paint to curl off another screen and get a nice little shot. Beautiful way to break down how we have been playing the post to get the same shot by a different player.

Tulsa no slouch either and I have seen this all season but Mossman has a couple nice little drawn up plays. Lascay is in foul trouble now with four. We finish how we started but an entertaining quarter. So........


SPOILER WARNING!!!!!!! UPSET ALERT

4Q 10:00
Tulsa 37
UCF 40

 

[TU4ever2]

Tulsa much better on offense now, they are getting as trap out of the zone, rotating the ball out and attacking the gap direct behind the tap and getting good shots off it. UCF is struggling to get shots and having to bang the boards to get points. Tulsa pushing, Mia is fire right now including a ridiculous catch, hand in the face, as shot clock hits zero, smoother than butter release for the 3. UCF on the ropes, Bittle gets a terrible call on a charge that Moutry legit turned into an and 1. Bittle and Lascay both with 4 no one else in the whole game in foul trouble. Tulsa is shooting good again and it is most definitely a game. Girls playing great, short handed, after a rough stretch, on the road. Girls got heart.

4Q 4:24
Tulsa 47
UCF 49

Tulsa uses full court out of time out, slows down UCF, get a turnover out of the half court d

 

[TU4ever2]

Bittle and Mia taking over, Bittle gets a drive and the drops a dime for Moutry to get the and 1 again, missed free throw. Tie game.

Moutry with a block out of no where to get the shot clock violation. Tulsa ball, attack the trap, bottle with the assist to Moutry again Tulsa lead!!!!!!!

UCF with a drive to finally break down the d and a bucket to tie. Tulsa turnover by Wyvette, they get a Turnover and a lay up. 6/7 this quarter for TU and shooting 47% overall for the game. Against the 4th best fg% team in the country.

4Q 1:45
Tulsa 51
UCF 53

 

[TU4ever2]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SUPER SPOILER ALERT

2PT GAME 50.7 SECONDS LEFT




!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TU4ever2]

Pretty sure UCF travelled but the basket counts. Clock correction, Tulsa is in place to foul and send UCF to the line if they need to. Tulsa ball down 2

4Q 51.8
Tulsa 51
UCF 53

 

[TU4ever2]

Damn, Tulsa fingertips away from a great play. UCF calls time outs after the ball gets away from Moutry from Lewis. Ball advanced to the half court line, UCF generally good ft shooters.

4Q 38.6
Tulsa 51
UCF 53

UCF ball

Tulsa will play it out for the stop 8 second difference. UCF misses, Tulsa with a great block out at every spot, ball out of bounds to Tulsa. Ball will go to half court.

4Q 7.1
Tulsa 51
UCF 53

Tulsa ball, Tulsa possesion Arrow, I expect UCF to foul as they can run some clock and not put Tulsa on the line, they have two to give. Tulsa though has great guards, they will definitely try and shoot if fouled.

Let's go girls, I see Bittle and Mia off screens for a shot with someone diving to the basket for the easy dump option.

 

[TU4ever2]

Wyvettes shot is off the rim bouncing a couple times. Not sure I agree with putting the ball in the freshman's hands to finish the game that way. It wasn't bad but Wyvettes weakest part of her game is the playing off screens. She missed Bittle popping free at the top of the key and didn't attack off the second screen. Still she got a little floater she is definitely capable of making. It didn't drop. This was by far the best complete game I have got to see from them this year.

Tulsa is usually pretty tight lipped about injury stuff, but we are missing a ton of people most of whom I can't find anything about so I am assuming it is covid and contact tracing. If so (wyvette missed some time and just came back) that may explain some of the fourth quarter collapses.

Being fair as Bla pointed out last game this is not a single game/season issue as this has been something we have seen from Mossman teams.

This sort of competitiveness is where I expect our team, we are young and lack size, but other than USF we should be able to compete with the other three top teams and win more than our fair share of the middle ones. The Memphis loss this year shouldn't have happened for example.

Mossman after the game talked about the last play, it was set for Wyvette off the double screen, she wanted a better drive but thought the shot was solid and just didn't fall. Looking at the stats really the size was the likely deciding factor for UCF to get out with that win, they cashed in on rebounds just enough. Tulsa did win the fourth quarter 16/15.

Final
Tulsa 53
UCF 55