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Posted
20 hours ago, SL Xpress said:

They're a complete team. About the only weakness is that their right side isn't dominant. But they have the best middle blocking, most diverse attack, two good to great pins, a really good back row defense, an outstanding setter, and they're one of the best serving teams in the country.

Other than that…..just so-so…..

Posted

Are we worried about Wiscy or nah?

I know it's probably fair to worry about any opponent at this stage, but they are a 3-seed and Wiscy hasn't quite been Wiscy for a few years now.

Posted
Just now, TwiceHorn said:

Are we worried about Wiscy or nah?

I know it's probably fair to worry about any opponent at this stage, but they are a 3-seed and Wiscy hasn't quite been Wiscy for a few years now.

They’ve gotten better and their middle attack with Booth is pretty lethal. She’s on a heater. And Colyer from the back row. 

Texas in 4 but wouldn’t be shocked if it goes 5. Elliot has repeatedly said that this round has the most pressure on a team to advance on your home court 

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Posted
1 hour ago, perfectchaos007 said:

Creighton's team of Cornhusker rejects never stood a chance.

This will be Kentuckys 2nd trip to the final 4 in program history. The only other time they went to the final 4, they won the whole thing

They didn’t have to go thru Texas though.

Posted
8 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Are we worried about Wiscy or nah?

I know it's probably fair to worry about any opponent at this stage, but they are a 3-seed and Wiscy hasn't quite been Wiscy for a few years now.

Likely gonna be a tough match... Whisky has improved and on a pretty good roll right now.

 

Posted
3 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

Likely gonna be a tough match... Whisky has improved and on a pretty good roll right now.

 

I agree, I'd say this match could go either way. Wisconsin has the talent to match us. They are a 3 seed because they were without their starting setter for much of the season and lost some matches they wouldn't lose today.

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Posted

Good preview from the Statesman.  Best to read the whole article.   Excerpts:

https://www.statesman.com/sports/college/longhorns/volleyball/article/texas-vs-wisconsin-ncaa-tournament-volleyball-21230248.php

Quote

Elliot:  “They're a completely different team, and so are we,” he said. “We've been able to add a lot of layers on since the preseason, and we had some young players. I think what you're going to find is just two well-trained teams that are going to battle and having a big-time match.”

But at this level of play, said Indiana coach Steve Aird, early-season results don't mean much. Aird’s team got swept by both Wisconsin and Texas this year. After his team’s season-ending defeat Friday to the Longhorns, he said Texas would be tough to beat in Gregory Gymnasium but thinks Wisconsin’s experience could negate some of that home-court advantage.

Wisconsin certainly seems more prepared to battle Swindle and a loaded Texas lineup than in August. Since sophomore All-American setter Charlie Fuerbringer returned from a midseason injury, the Badgers have been almost unstoppable. They’ve won 10 straight matches since she came back to the court in a Nov. 9 match against Indiana and a total of 12 in a row. In that span with Fuerbringer, Wisconsin has a hitting percentage under .350 just twice.

No one has gotten more balls to the court for Wisconsin than Mimi Colyer, the Badgers’ counterpart to Texas star outside hitter Torrey Stafford.

Sure, Stafford and Colyer may draw the focus on both defenses as well as the television cameras, said Elliott. But don’t discount the rest of two deep, talented squads, added the Texas coach.

 

“They're both able to take over matches at any point in time,” he said. “What a great thing for TV, what a great thing for our team to be able to figure out how to be able to manage that...

 

 

 

 

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Posted
11 hours ago, SL Xpress said:

I feel like Nebraska is going to destroy everyone.

Babcock is special, though. We'll see. 

LOLed at you calling Nebraska Sherman and everyone else is just Atlanta, waiting to be razed to the ground 

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Posted

I totally 100% get why ABC wanted Nebraska in the 2pm timeslot but they had a real opportunity to have Texas WBB followed by Texas VB and have UT fan’s eyes on ABC for 4 hours straight 

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Posted

It's funny. I remember being terrified as Nebraska crushed us and everyone else by signing practically the entire national team several years ago. We couldn't win any of our recruiting battles against them. That's when we brought in Byrd, Helmers, Tomkinson. Our first choices were taken before the process even really started. Then portal/NIL/Covid year happened and we were able to build an all star team while Nebraska was stuck with mostly high school players. They were crushed in the championship by the Texas freight train in 2023, lost to Penn State in a 5 set nailbiter in 2024, and now they're back badder than ever this year. And next year they'll be loaded for bear as well. But it all started with recruiting dominance.

That's the thing about this sport. You have to win your recruiting battles, either for high school players or the portal. Preferably both. Stanford is a shadow of their previous glory because they're not getting the top 5 talent any more, and they can't accept transfers. You don't have a legitimate shot at the championship if you're anywhere outside the top 3 seed line, and really the #1 seeds have such a competitive advantage, you're sledding uphill even as a #2 or #3 a la Texas in 2023. It's possible, obviously, but man is it difficult. The truth is that was an underachieving team early in the season that finally found their rhythm. Skinner became peak Skinner, and the serving was out of this world. 

This is not a sport to be big fans of the underdog, because your hopes and dreams will be crushed. It is a sport where if someone is willing to spend some extra money - a la SMU - it's still at a point where the numbers aren't insane. I believe Kennedy Martin made about $300k this year at Penn State, and that was by far the most of anyone. Nebraska's entire roster is around $1m. That's not including legitimate commercial local endorsements, which they get a bunch. I don't know what Texas is at. Somewhere a little less. Texas players get some good local endorsement opportunities as well, which is a big part of what Elliott tries to sell. 

But you got to get the premium players. Get a top seed. And then see where it goes. Nebraska just went on a tear there for a couple of years. It's not like they're doing poorly now in recruiting, but they're not lapping the field any more. Texas has won some battles. Most famously Ames, but Harvey, Spears, Anderson all were top Nebraska targets. They just lost the Puerto Rican phenom Champions to Wisconsin in a rare recruiting defeat to the Badgers. After next year their talent level should be a little closer to the field. Still absurd, but not over the top better than everyone else. The good thing is they lost the last two years, so their dominance is already constrained no matter how well they do this year and next. 

I don't know. Maybe they lose this year, too. I just don't see it. 

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Posted

Always thought A&M had a really salty team. If it was anyone else other that’s A&M on the jersey, I’d be rooting for them to win the whole thing if we couldn’t

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Posted
Just now, The_Great_Hornsby said:

Texas hasnt dropped a set yet

Yea but Nebraska losing a set on their way to the title match was hard to see. They lost like 1 set in conf play

 

Posted
13 minutes ago, Pancho said:

Always thought A&M had a really salty team. If it was anyone else other that’s A&M on the jersey, I’d be rooting for them to win the whole thing if we couldn’t

I really like Morrison. He always projects a lot of respect for the Texas program in ways that feel genuine, when some other coaches make it seem like they're just using coach speak. 

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Posted
1 minute ago, SL Xpress said:

I really like Morrison. He always projects a lot of respect for the Texas program in ways that feel genuine, when some other coaches make it seem like they're just using coach speak. 

Considering he coached here, he should. He didn’t part on bad terms 

Posted
1 minute ago, Cairn Horn88 said:

aggy serving has helped prevent Neb from setting up as they'd like....aggy serves better than we do....but, we figured it out.

Aggy has 5 aces and 8 blocks. I was very curious to see that huge block against Nebraska 

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Posted
9 minutes ago, SL Xpress said:

I really like Morrison. He always projects a lot of respect for the Texas program in ways that feel genuine, when some other coaches make it seem like they're just using coach speak. 

how much longer does JE have until he retires? Would Morrison be a realistic replacement?

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