Games I wish I'd seen: 21 November 2013

There was a lot going on yesterday afternoon in women's basketball, at least for an Atlanta Dream fan.  Michael Cooper was named the head coach of the Atlanta Dream, and now all we need is a general manager and we're set for 2014.

However, Thursday seems to be a down time for the women's college game.  It's in the middle of the school week, so not many games scheduled yesterday.  Over the weekend, it might be a different story.

Florida State beat Florida 78-68 on the road.  Kenny Kallina had this to say.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>You really see how little basketball matters in Florida when they play Florida / Florida State women at 500 PM on a Thursday <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Sad&amp;src=hash">#Sad</a></p>&mdash; Kenny Kallina (@KennyKallina) <a href="https://twitter.com/KennyKallina/statuses/403653729548632065">November 21, 2013</a></blockquote>
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A natural rivalry game, buried at 5 pm ET on Thursday making it almost impossible for anyone with a job to see it. 

Even so, the announced attendance was 1,602.  It was a turnover-filled game with 26 turnovers from the Seminoles and 23 from the Gators.  Florida State only played seven players - two fouled out - but they won anyway, led by sophomore guard Morgan Jones who had 24 points and nine rebounds (but six turnovers).


Louisville crushed Ohio 90-33.  Normally, I don't pay much attention to blowouts unless there's an angle, and this one is interesting - the Bobcats shot 19 percent for the game, going 2-for-25 from three-point range.  They were out-rebounded 51 to 22. 

No player in this game played for 30 minutes, and no player from the Cardinals played more than 23.  Oddly enough, aside from an Ohio freshman everyone who played had double-digits in minutes.

Today's money quote:

"I didn't think we played real hard in the first half, but I did think we got some open looks," said first-year head coach Bob Boldon. "We missed our first 11 threes, and, I think, mentally, that got to us. "

Eastern Illinois squeezes by Loyola (ILL) 61-60.  The Ramblers are 1-3 on the year, but two of those losses (including this one) are by two points or less.  Loyola was a smoking hot 23-26 at the free throw line.  Senior guard Jordyne Crunk of the Panthers hit a pair of free throws with 0.9 seconds left to close it in a game that was very close indeed with 12 ties throughout the game.

The key matchup of this game was that of two coaches who were ex-WNBA players and contemporaries:  Sheryl Swoopes of Loyola and Debbie Black of Eastern Illinois.  Now, I'm waiting for that Loyola-Southern California matchup. Let's make it happen!