ChooseORLose
Call me Calos
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5 units Baylor Lady Bears -2
Well, this is it. 2 seed Baylor comes in favored tonight over 1 seed Michigan St. Both teams have overcome great odds and doubters but now try to prove that they belong. Making this a big 5 unit play tonight, as this is the last play of the season. I really like Baylor tonight, especially with what Coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson brings to the table. She has turned around a program that went 7-20 the season before she took over and transformed it into a Big 12 regular season and conference champion. She is not one to hide her emotions as evident in the Elite 8 victory over UNC. Late in the game, with a large double digit lead, Mulkey-Robertson had tears in her eyes, because she was showing her team that they need to keep fighting until the game is over. That kind of leadership from a coach is what truly wins championships. The Lady Bears play with heart and emotion, but more importantly with athleticism. MSU also has heart and are strong willed bunch, as they showed coming back from 16 points to win by 4. But they lack the athleticism that they may need to defeat Baylor. While they managed to get this far on what they have, it's been that matchup zone, that has won their games. It is tough to bet against a team with 4 starters in double figures, but it's their depth that worries me. MSU plays with a 6 man rotation, mainly running with guards. JR forward Liz Shimek (6'1) and SR center Kelli Roehrig (6'4) are the only real bigs on the team, so if they get in foul trouble the responsibility will fall on freshman center Laura Hall. Hall is averaging 6 minutes per game with 1.1 points and 1.6 rebounds. Not looking good, especially when Baylor has 4 forwards on their roster with at least 20 minutes per game. This game, as they all do, will come down to rebounding. Both teams rely heavily on offensive boards and while MSU is bigger I'll give the nod to Baylor with their depth. Sophia Young and Steffanie Blackmon will have to give their usual performance, especially Blackmon who only put up 7 points against LSU. But it will be the guard play for Baylor that will have to step up. With the zone that the Spartans will bring, it is crucial that the Lady Bears protect the ball and hit some early threes. Chelsea Whitaker has shown that she can protect the rock, but Chemeka Scott will need to regain that shooting touch. After going 0-9 from behind the arc in the early rounds of the tournament, she lit up UNC with 4-8 performance only to go 1-3 with 7 points against LSU. Regardless, sophomore Emily Niemann came up big in the last game with 14 points. This seems to be the case with Baylor all year. They may not have the four starters in double digit scoring, like MSU, but you never know who is going to step up on any given night. MSU is 22-0 when they have four players in double figures. Kristen Haynie will get her looks and should have great night. It's imperative, though, that Baylor control that low post game and attack the basket whenever possible to get MSU's bigs in foul trouble. If they can do that they have a good chance at taking home the victory. A side note, the last time two teams making their first trip to the Final Four was in 1993, with Texas Tech beating Ohio St. Like tonight, a matchup between a Big 12 school and a Big 10, with Big 12 team taking the trophy.
Well, this is it. 2 seed Baylor comes in favored tonight over 1 seed Michigan St. Both teams have overcome great odds and doubters but now try to prove that they belong. Making this a big 5 unit play tonight, as this is the last play of the season. I really like Baylor tonight, especially with what Coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson brings to the table. She has turned around a program that went 7-20 the season before she took over and transformed it into a Big 12 regular season and conference champion. She is not one to hide her emotions as evident in the Elite 8 victory over UNC. Late in the game, with a large double digit lead, Mulkey-Robertson had tears in her eyes, because she was showing her team that they need to keep fighting until the game is over. That kind of leadership from a coach is what truly wins championships. The Lady Bears play with heart and emotion, but more importantly with athleticism. MSU also has heart and are strong willed bunch, as they showed coming back from 16 points to win by 4. But they lack the athleticism that they may need to defeat Baylor. While they managed to get this far on what they have, it's been that matchup zone, that has won their games. It is tough to bet against a team with 4 starters in double figures, but it's their depth that worries me. MSU plays with a 6 man rotation, mainly running with guards. JR forward Liz Shimek (6'1) and SR center Kelli Roehrig (6'4) are the only real bigs on the team, so if they get in foul trouble the responsibility will fall on freshman center Laura Hall. Hall is averaging 6 minutes per game with 1.1 points and 1.6 rebounds. Not looking good, especially when Baylor has 4 forwards on their roster with at least 20 minutes per game. This game, as they all do, will come down to rebounding. Both teams rely heavily on offensive boards and while MSU is bigger I'll give the nod to Baylor with their depth. Sophia Young and Steffanie Blackmon will have to give their usual performance, especially Blackmon who only put up 7 points against LSU. But it will be the guard play for Baylor that will have to step up. With the zone that the Spartans will bring, it is crucial that the Lady Bears protect the ball and hit some early threes. Chelsea Whitaker has shown that she can protect the rock, but Chemeka Scott will need to regain that shooting touch. After going 0-9 from behind the arc in the early rounds of the tournament, she lit up UNC with 4-8 performance only to go 1-3 with 7 points against LSU. Regardless, sophomore Emily Niemann came up big in the last game with 14 points. This seems to be the case with Baylor all year. They may not have the four starters in double digit scoring, like MSU, but you never know who is going to step up on any given night. MSU is 22-0 when they have four players in double figures. Kristen Haynie will get her looks and should have great night. It's imperative, though, that Baylor control that low post game and attack the basket whenever possible to get MSU's bigs in foul trouble. If they can do that they have a good chance at taking home the victory. A side note, the last time two teams making their first trip to the Final Four was in 1993, with Texas Tech beating Ohio St. Like tonight, a matchup between a Big 12 school and a Big 10, with Big 12 team taking the trophy.
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