Texas (33-4) will be looking for their 1st trip to the Final 4 since 2003 Sunday in a tough matchup with NC State (30-6). The Longhorns are 6-2 all time versus the Wolfpack, 2-0 in the teams' previous two NCAA Tournament meetings, winning in 1989-90 and 2016-17.
Let's start with G Saniya Rivers. Ranked #3 in the 2021 class, Rivers was the 2nd highest ranked recruit in South Carolina's crazy class (signed #2, #3, #4 and #14 recruits). Rivers transferred to NC State after her freshman year because she wanted to play PG and that wasn't likely to happen with the Gamecocks. She is their 2nd leading scorer (12.7 ppg), 2nd in assists (3.7 apg), steals leader (2.2), 2nd in blocks and tied for 2nd in rebounds (6.3). She has very good length, speed and quickness at the guard position (6' 1").
Taylor Jones missed the Gonzaga game while in the concussion protocol. Texas needs her on the court because NC State's 6' 6" C River Baldwin is a big, strong traditional post. Baldwin averages 10.4 ppg and 7.0 boards and opposing posts can often get tired dealing with her physical style of play.
Vic knows Wolfpack G Madison Hayes very well. She signed her NLI with Mississippi State to play for Vic just months before he left for Texas. She stuck with her commitment to MSU for 1 season before transferring to NC State. At 6', Hayes has good size for a guard and she wouldn't have been recruited by Vic if she couldn't defend. By percentage, she's their best 3-pt shooter (55/134, 41.0%) and contributes 10.6 ppg and 7.0 rebounds.
Finally...SG Aziaha Scott. Their leading scorer at 16.4 ppg, she loves to put the ball up: her 521 shot attempts are 156 more than the next highest on her team. Madison leads Texas with 480.
Wolfpack HC Wes Moore's team can put an opponent off their offensive rhythm like Texas does but he's much more comfortable with his players shooting from distance. NC State averages 18.8 attempts per game, connecting on 32.4%. The Longhorns only attempt 10.8 but hit a respectable 36.8%.
This game projects as a physical, defensive slugfest. Texas has more depth in the paint but the NC State guards are tough to handle. If the Longhorns can use their numbers in the paint to get Baldwin either tired or in foul trouble and keep their guards from turning defense to offense, Texas should be able do something they haven't done since before at least a few of the current Longhorns were born - be one of the last 4 teams playing.
@mln59 @thar0902 @icdb17 @wb3032 @BrownHorn
Let's start with G Saniya Rivers. Ranked #3 in the 2021 class, Rivers was the 2nd highest ranked recruit in South Carolina's crazy class (signed #2, #3, #4 and #14 recruits). Rivers transferred to NC State after her freshman year because she wanted to play PG and that wasn't likely to happen with the Gamecocks. She is their 2nd leading scorer (12.7 ppg), 2nd in assists (3.7 apg), steals leader (2.2), 2nd in blocks and tied for 2nd in rebounds (6.3). She has very good length, speed and quickness at the guard position (6' 1").
Taylor Jones missed the Gonzaga game while in the concussion protocol. Texas needs her on the court because NC State's 6' 6" C River Baldwin is a big, strong traditional post. Baldwin averages 10.4 ppg and 7.0 boards and opposing posts can often get tired dealing with her physical style of play.
Vic knows Wolfpack G Madison Hayes very well. She signed her NLI with Mississippi State to play for Vic just months before he left for Texas. She stuck with her commitment to MSU for 1 season before transferring to NC State. At 6', Hayes has good size for a guard and she wouldn't have been recruited by Vic if she couldn't defend. By percentage, she's their best 3-pt shooter (55/134, 41.0%) and contributes 10.6 ppg and 7.0 rebounds.
Finally...SG Aziaha Scott. Their leading scorer at 16.4 ppg, she loves to put the ball up: her 521 shot attempts are 156 more than the next highest on her team. Madison leads Texas with 480.
Wolfpack HC Wes Moore's team can put an opponent off their offensive rhythm like Texas does but he's much more comfortable with his players shooting from distance. NC State averages 18.8 attempts per game, connecting on 32.4%. The Longhorns only attempt 10.8 but hit a respectable 36.8%.
This game projects as a physical, defensive slugfest. Texas has more depth in the paint but the NC State guards are tough to handle. If the Longhorns can use their numbers in the paint to get Baldwin either tired or in foul trouble and keep their guards from turning defense to offense, Texas should be able do something they haven't done since before at least a few of the current Longhorns were born - be one of the last 4 teams playing.
@mln59 @thar0902 @icdb17 @wb3032 @BrownHorn
