Miami’s WBB hosts WKU on 12/7 at Millett. Miami is coming off a big upset of power conference B12 member UC at UC, in overtime. Miami is now 6-3 having already played Purdue, UC, Washington State. Miami has 4 players averaging in double figures points per game and Amber Tretter is averaging a double double. WKU is not a bad team either. They are 3-5 and play in CUSA. Offensively for WKU, Torri James leads the way at 9.2 ppg and WKU
has five different players average at least 8.1 ppg. The Lady Toppers are 3-5 on the year and
are coming off a 47-44 loss to Florida Atlantic. Miami likely will only have 11 available as no annoucement has been made on Brooke Blumenfeld’s status, who looked to have suffered a fairly signficant lower extremity injury while Miami was playing in the Virgin Islands. Brooke was a significant piece as she was the first post player off the bench. With her out, Miami only has 3 players 6 feet or taller. WKU has 8 players 6 feet or taller. Miami did overcome UC’s significant height advantage. In their recent loss to FAU, WKU’s starting lineup was 5’8", 6’0", 6’0", 6’2", 6’4". Miami will need everyone to hit the glass and Tretter and Devries to stay out of foul trouble. This will be another good test for Miami.
This is a significant stat to me given how aggressive Miami plays on D, assist to turnover ratio. Expect to see Miami turning WKU over quite a bit!
Miami 159/134
WKU 92/177
Just a reminder the Miami WBB team hosts WKU today at Noon. Should be a good game as Miami tries to move to 7-3.
This game will be a good measuring stick of where we are.
WKU thumped us last year at their place.
We turned it over 25 times. They were up by 30 after 3 quarters before we made a small comeback in the 4th quarter to lose by 19. It was our worst loss of the year if I recall correctly.
Miami’s women have played, and continue to play, a challenging schedule this year. They will definitely be battle tested come MAC play.
No Blumenfeld on the bench.
17-9 Miami at the 4 minute timeout first quarter. Tamar Singer already with 6 assists. Then came out for a breather and I don’t believe Miami has scored with her on the bench. Expect her back on the court soon.
Miami up 28-17 after one quarter. Scalia with 7, Tretter with 6. Singer with 3 points, and 7 assists, and zero turnovers. Miami is forcing a lot of turnovers. WKU sloppy with the ball. But the height advantage WKU has is obvious and they are winning on the boards. With no Blumenfeld, our only size off the bench is Van Timmeren and truthfully she isn’t quite up to the task yet. So we are going small rotating in Sakano, Taylor so far. Van Timmeren played 1 minute and immediately committed a foul. We will need to keep up the ball pressure on WKU.
WKU calls timeout with 6:56 to go in 2nd quarter. Miami up 18, 37-19. WKU has 11 turnovers.
At the half, Miami 50 WKU 29. Miami’s pressure D is giving WKU fits. Macie Taylor with a really strong half off the bench with 9 points. Tretter leads with 14. Scalia with 10. Singer with 5 points, 9 assists, 1 turnover. Miami will need to come out strong 3rd quarter and keep this big lead. WKU has a ton of length and quick, but Miami up 16-14 on the boards. In the women’s game, having a double digit lead going into the 4th quarter is the key. Miami finished the half on a 7-0 run.
64-42 after 3 quarters. Miami got sloppy again when Singer came out for a rest. Tretter with 17. Scalia with 13. Taylor with 14. DeVries with 10. Singer with 5 points, (2/2 FG), 12 assists, 2 turnovers.
80-53 final. Box played the last 5 on his bench the last 5 minutes of the game. Miami moves to 7-3. Tretter with 20 , Scalia 13, Planella 15, Taylor 14, Jurjo 10, Singer 7 points and 12 assists. Next up Miami travels to play B12 Colorado who is currently 6-3 than hom for the defending Horizon champs Green Bay who is currently 7-3.
Miami was 30/52 from the field today, 58% Assists on 24 of the 30 buckets. Also outrebounded WKU 35-25 even though WKU starts 4 players 6’0" or taller.
I hate to even think this but Miami needs to extend Glenn Box ASAP, if they haven’t already. They may have, I forget. He walked into a true dumpster fire 3 years ago. Now look at the team.
The difference between his teams and what we had with Hendrix is incredible. His teams have improved every year as well even with the loss of our top scorer from last year. WKU can attest to that. Big difference from last year.
He seems like a guy who could get us to a top 25 ranking.
From my vantage point in Millett that was the most complete game of Box’s tenure. Defense was suffocating as always but the offense was spectacular, constant movement and hitting the open player. Our fast break was a thing of beauty, leading to easy points. As close to a complete game as you can get.
