The Pitt women play the Chattanooga Mocs on Saturday at 11 am. Here's a bit of a scouting report on the Mocs (short for Mockingbirds).
It looks like the women have a formidable opponent. The Mocs have won 25 in a row and just don't lose very often.
They are 29-3 this season with impressive wins against Tennessee and Stanford - and losses to only ND, USF, and Arky State. Winning is nothing new for them, in each of the previous two seasons they were 29 and 4. Yikes.
Now they do play in the Southern Conference, but still, those are impressive numbers. Last season they lost in the first round of the NCAAs to Syracuse by 6 points. Syracuse was a good team. The previous year the Mocs lost in the first
round to Nebraska by 14 points. Can Pitt keep the Mocs from advancing past the 1st round this time?
Per game, the Mocs average 6 three-pointers; 13 turnovers, 14 assists and 9 steals. (Pitt's averages are 6,14,15, and 7.)
Pitt will match-up with them sizewise, and even have a bit of an advantage. The Mocs most dominant
player is Jasmine Joyner, who is 6-2 (and the Mocs only player over 6-foot). She must be a leaper because she averages an
impressive 6 blocks per game. She also averages 12 points (shooting an impressive 53%) and 8 rebounds. Pitt can counter her with either Monica Wignot or Stasha Carey.
The Mocs next most effective players are Chelsey Shumbert, a 5-4 guard; and Keiana Gilbert, a 5-11 guard/forward. They average 12 and 11 points per game, respectively. Pitt could counter these players with Brianna Kiesel (5-7) and Yacine Diop (5-10).
The Mocs' point guard is Alicia Payne, who is a 5-9 junior. She may be guarded by Aysia Bugg (5-7) and Chelsea Welch (5-9); Payne averages 5 points per game.
Other key players for the Mocs are KaVonne Towns (5-10) who averages 9 points and Aryanna Gilbert (5-9), who averages 8 points. Shumpert and Towns shoot 3-pointers at about a 37% success rate.
A concern that jumps out at me is that the presence of an effective shot-blocker may limit one of Pitt's offensive strengths, which is Kiesel driving to the hoop. Kiesel may have to go more to a pull-up jumper game, unless she can get some screening down low.
This may be a game where Cora McManus sees more time, because she would match up favorably against the other Mocs forwards and could be effective offensively - but you have to worry about her trying to guard quicker players.
Sagarin has the Mocs rated as No. 40 to Pitt's No. 42. The Mocs strength of schedule is only 177 versus Pitt's 31. The Mocs were 2 and 2 versus Sagarin top 50 teams while the Panthers were 4 and 9.
Should be an interesting game. Pitt can win this game if they play like they were playing earlier in the season. The
combo of Carey and Wignot should be tough for the Mocs to handle down low -- (if they go up strong and "finish" their shots, which has been a problem lately). But Pitt will need to have a decent jump-shot game going - and hopefully Kiesel, Potvin, and Wignot will hit some threes.
Go Pitt.
This post was edited on 3/19 11:04 AM by MajorMajors
It looks like the women have a formidable opponent. The Mocs have won 25 in a row and just don't lose very often.
They are 29-3 this season with impressive wins against Tennessee and Stanford - and losses to only ND, USF, and Arky State. Winning is nothing new for them, in each of the previous two seasons they were 29 and 4. Yikes.
Now they do play in the Southern Conference, but still, those are impressive numbers. Last season they lost in the first round of the NCAAs to Syracuse by 6 points. Syracuse was a good team. The previous year the Mocs lost in the first
round to Nebraska by 14 points. Can Pitt keep the Mocs from advancing past the 1st round this time?
Per game, the Mocs average 6 three-pointers; 13 turnovers, 14 assists and 9 steals. (Pitt's averages are 6,14,15, and 7.)
Pitt will match-up with them sizewise, and even have a bit of an advantage. The Mocs most dominant
player is Jasmine Joyner, who is 6-2 (and the Mocs only player over 6-foot). She must be a leaper because she averages an
impressive 6 blocks per game. She also averages 12 points (shooting an impressive 53%) and 8 rebounds. Pitt can counter her with either Monica Wignot or Stasha Carey.
The Mocs next most effective players are Chelsey Shumbert, a 5-4 guard; and Keiana Gilbert, a 5-11 guard/forward. They average 12 and 11 points per game, respectively. Pitt could counter these players with Brianna Kiesel (5-7) and Yacine Diop (5-10).
The Mocs' point guard is Alicia Payne, who is a 5-9 junior. She may be guarded by Aysia Bugg (5-7) and Chelsea Welch (5-9); Payne averages 5 points per game.
Other key players for the Mocs are KaVonne Towns (5-10) who averages 9 points and Aryanna Gilbert (5-9), who averages 8 points. Shumpert and Towns shoot 3-pointers at about a 37% success rate.
A concern that jumps out at me is that the presence of an effective shot-blocker may limit one of Pitt's offensive strengths, which is Kiesel driving to the hoop. Kiesel may have to go more to a pull-up jumper game, unless she can get some screening down low.
This may be a game where Cora McManus sees more time, because she would match up favorably against the other Mocs forwards and could be effective offensively - but you have to worry about her trying to guard quicker players.
Sagarin has the Mocs rated as No. 40 to Pitt's No. 42. The Mocs strength of schedule is only 177 versus Pitt's 31. The Mocs were 2 and 2 versus Sagarin top 50 teams while the Panthers were 4 and 9.
Should be an interesting game. Pitt can win this game if they play like they were playing earlier in the season. The
combo of Carey and Wignot should be tough for the Mocs to handle down low -- (if they go up strong and "finish" their shots, which has been a problem lately). But Pitt will need to have a decent jump-shot game going - and hopefully Kiesel, Potvin, and Wignot will hit some threes.
Go Pitt.
This post was edited on 3/19 11:04 AM by MajorMajors
