CSNbbs

Let's Get Ready for the Main Event!!!

I went on record as saying this game could be an equivalent to a James vs Curry showdown. ODU Jennie Simms vs Hampton’s Malia Tate-DeFretias. Stat wise this isn’t Malia’s best season but the two time MEAC player of the year is still having a great season overall. Keep in mind though that Hampton has played a tough schedule and defenses are geared toward Malia at all times.

16.6 ppg, 5.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.8 SPG, 32.4 FG%, 26.8 3P%, 63.6 FT%, 34.5 mpg

One could spend all day talking about how good Jennie Simms is. This year she is having her best season yet.

PPG- 26.4 (number two in the nation, behind Kesley Plum of Washington averaging 31.0 ppg)
RPG- 8.7
APG- 3.3
SPG- 1.6
BPG- 0.9
FG- 48.0 % Averages 8.7 baskets a game
3P%- 36.6% Averages 2.1 threes a game
FT%- 80.0% Averages 6.9 free throws a game.

She is having a career high in ppgs, rpgs, and spg. Her averages for field goals, threes, and free throws are all career high. It’s impressive her improvement at the FT line this year. Coming in she was a career 71.1 shooter. All those extra free throws are making a difference in her points per game.

Pirates schedule so far. RPI: .5731 SOS: 38

@ Northwestern L 48-67 Record: 9-1 RPI: 42
@ Iowa L 51-84 Record: 8-3 RPI: 44
@ NC State L 56-81 Record: 8-2 RPI: 58

Hall of Fame Challenge
@ South Carolina L 38-92 Record: 7-1 RPI: 4
Vs Saint Peter’s W 71-42 Record: 2-8 RPI: 255
Vs Maine W 58-49 Record: 5-5 RPI: 101
Vs LaFayette W 58-55 Record: 1-10 RPI: 299

@ JMU L 50-71 Record: 5-3 RPI: 137
Vs Temple W 71-65 Record: 5-3 RPI: 63
Vs Richmond W 72-45 Record: 4-5 RPI: 266
@ ODU Record: 4-3 RPI: 130

This is a pretty challenging schedule for the Pirates. They are battle tested. And ODU hasn’t played in over a week. Hampton played Thursday, so the LM might have some rust due to exams.

The Pirates are coached by David Six, who is entering his eight season and is the longest tenured coach in program history. Six is very familiar with the area. He was stationed at Langley Air Force in Hampton, VA when he was in the Air Force. He was coach of the Hampton High School where he led the team to the state title in 2007. His name was mentioned among fans as a possible candidate to replace Coach Larry. He is a three time MEAC Coach of the Year.

Starting Five
#31 Kaylah Lupoe 6’2” Jr F 9.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.3 apg, 1.6 bpg, 47.4 FG%, 53.1 FT%, 28.9 mpg
#0 Malia Tate-Defreitas 5’8” Sr G see above
#3 Georgianna Gilbeaux 5’5” Sr G 1.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.0 spg, 40.0 FG%, 25.5 mpg
#4 Jephany Brown 6’0” Jr F/G 6.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 1.9 spg, 27.1 FG%, 5.3 3P%, 72.2 FT%, 23.5 mpg
#33 Chanel Green 5’4” Rd Sr G 1.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.9 apg, 1.1 apg, 27.3 FG%, 50.0 FT%, 14.6 mpg
Top Bench
#10 K’lynn Willis 5’3” So G 5.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.0 apg, 24.3 FG%, 26.3 3P%, 70.0 FT%, 13.6 mpg
#02 Monnazjea Finney-Smith 6’1” Jr G/F 8.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.0 spg, 36.3 FG%, 36.0 3P%, 72.7 FT%, 27.0 mpg

Finney-Smith is a graduate of Wilson High School and her brother was former men’s basketball player Ben Finney. She has another brother named Dorian Finney-Smith who is a rookie with the Dallas Mavericks. She played at VCU before transferring.

Malia and Monnazjea are the three point threats on the team. Lupoe is aggressive with offensive rebounding. And they like to run they are on the floor.

...........HU.......ODU
PPG…....57.3.....68.3
OPPG…..65.1.....64.1
FG%.....33.1.....43.1
3P%.....26.3.....27.6
3PMG…..4.0......4.1
FT%......60.5.....69.6
FTMG…...12.1....12.4
RPG…….37.3......43.1
ORPG…..46.3.....36.1
APG……..9.6.......14.0
TPG……..15.3......17.1
SPG……..9.8........7.1
BPG……..3.8........5.1
Ast/TO ratio
HU: 0.6 ODU: 0.8

Out of all the local games with VA ties, this game excites me the most. Not just because of Simms and Malia. Those are two players who can light up the scoreboard. But it’s really the supporting cast that will decide this game. And Finney-Smith is a really good player that KB wanted to sign out of high school. Yes this would be a good game for ODU to win. But KB needs to win this game for herself….

Although I haven't read anything, I still think that this might be the game where Carley Brew suites up for the LM. The ODU academic year (first part) is over with meaning she has sat out a full year. So don't be surprised if the JMU transfer makes an appearance on the court today.

And finally….thanks to the ODU website…(the write ups are improved over last season)

http://www.odusports.com/ViewArticle.dbm...=211362200

TRACKING SIMMS ON THE ALL-TIME SCORING LIST
1. Anne Donovan (1979-83), 2,719
12. Adrienne Goodson (1984-88), 1,574
13. Okeisha Howard (1999-03), 1,565
14. TJ Jordan (2004-08), 1,525
15. Jennie Simms (2014-present), 1,505

Simms will pass three point shooter TJ Jordan with 21 points.

Excellent write up as usual. Thanks

Lady Monarchs win 61-58, nice win.

For a team that doesn't shoot from the outside well, Hampton went off tonight. Holy cow, 9 3s! That's what kept them in the game, as well as the LMs 13 turnovers to 5. Took the LMs a while to get going on the boards, but once they did, they ran away with it. Jennie Simms was unreal with, I believe 28 points and 17 rebounds.

Simms took complete control of the game in the second half. At the end of the first half she had 6 points, 9 boards. She played the entire second half, scoring 22 points in 20 minutes with 8 boards. At one point I was wondering if she might get into that rare air of 20 rebounds in a game. 22 out of ODU's 36 second half points were all Simms. (And she had an assist too) As great as Jennie was though, it was the rest of the team stepping up that made the difference. Oigbokie scoring 7 points in the first half, Smith going 3-for-4 from the three point line (which is big for this team), freshman Manaya Jones with 6 rebounds in the second half. They are playing better as a team and building confidence. You can see it on the floor.

The refs. The refs get a copy of the game so they can watch it for mistakes. I hope that they do....lots of blown calls....or calls that should have been called that weren't....yikes.

The decision to let fans sit in the premium court side seats was interesting. Hopefully the team got a boost from it. I liked what ODU did though by using that space.

Next game against Syracuse. The team that lost to UCONN in the national championship game from last season. When KB was being interviewed her attitude was "bring it". Let's see what she has planned.

The refs were really bad. I think Mayana Jones could be really good. I hope she continues to develop. Oigbokie seems to be getting better. She started the year not nearly the player she was before her injury. I have hope to see her back to preinjury form soon. The LMs have a big, long, difficult road trip ahead.