Daily Briefing — Feb. 8, 2022: A Pointer well taken

W Roundup

Free agency

• Alaina Coates: Signed with Indiana on a training camp deal. The big and 2017 No. 2-overall pick last played in the W for Washington in the Wubble.

Visit our offseason trackers page to see all other the free agent moves that didn’t happen yesterday — in neat, colorful fashion!

Special Caitlin Clark Flash Sale!

In honor of the Iowa guard’s 46-point performance, we’re offering a discount rate of $46 for a year of The Next, a discount of more than 36 percent off our usual annual rate. Deal only available until tip of Iowa’s next game Wednesday night.

(All times in Eastern)

Watch List, Tuesday, Feb. 8

Must-watch

None

Good games

None

Also watchable

None

Sickos games

Dartmouth @ Brown, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Monday, Feb. 7 recap

#5 N.C. State, #11 Georgia Tech: The Wolfpack beat the Yellow Jackets, 59-48. Georgia Tech was held scoreless for a nearly eight-minute stretch from the late second quarter through the mid-third. N.C. State shot 8.0% better from the field and 12.4% better from three; the Wolfpack were a +9 in rebounding margin; the teams each had seven assists, eight steals, nine fouls, and six free-throw attempts — thus proving we are indeed in the matrix. N.C. State’s bench outscored the Yellow Jackets reserves, 28-2.

The Wolfpack were led by backup point guard Diamond Johnson’s 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting and six rebounds (three offensive) — she didn’t attempt a three for the second consecutive game and just the second time in her career; point guard Raina Perez had 11 points on 5-for-12 from the field (1-2 3pt.) and three steals against three turnovers; center Elissa Cunane notched just six points on 3-for-12 FG (0-2 3.t), seven rebounds, and three turnovers. Georgia Tech was led by big Lorela Cubaj’s 12-point, 10-rebound double-double on 5-for-14 from the field (0-2 3pt.) with three assists against two turnovers; combo guard Eylia Love had 16 points on 7-for-14 shooting (2-3 3pt.), five rebounds, and four steals against three turnovers; center Nerea Hermosa notched 13 points on 5-for-8 FG, four rebounds, and three blocks; point guard Lotta-Maj Lahtinen and combo forward Digna Strautmane combined for five points on 2-for-15 from the field and 1-for-9 from three with six turnovers.

#14 LSU, RV* Ole Miss: The Tigers beat Mississippi, 68-64. The teams combined to shoot 38.6% from the field and make just three threes, but LSU got to the line 28 times to offset a paltry 60.7% shooting there; the Tigers had a +11 rebounding margin; the teams combined for 41 fouls. LSU’s bench played six minutes.

Point guard Khayla Pointer led the Tigers with her second triple-double of the year, finishing with 16 points on 4-for-17 from the field (0-1 3pt.) and 8-for-11 from the line, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, plus three steals without sitting; center Faustine Aifuwa scored a career-high-tying 20 points on 9-for-19 FG, adding 14 rebounds (five offensive) for a double-double against two turnovers; combo guard Alexis Morris had 17 points on 6-for-12 from the field (1-1 3pt.) and 4-for-8 from the line, six rebounds, two assists, and three steals against two turnovers and four fouls while playing all 40. Ole Miss was led by backup combo guard Angel Baker’s 20 points on 9-for-19 shooting (1-4 3pt.), three rebounds, and three assists against two turnovers and four unintentional fouls in 30 minutes; center Shakira Austin had 11 points on 5-for-10 FG (0-1 3pt.), eight rebounds, two assists, and two blocks against three turnovers; point guard Lashonda Monk notched 10 points on 3-for-17 from the field (0-1 3pt.), five rebounds, and four assists against four turnovers.

#21 Ohio State: 61-57 win over Rutgers. Trailed in the mid-fourth quarter. Per CBB Analytics, the Scarlet Knights have a -24.0 net rating against every other team they’ve played that has received votes in the AP poll this season, and a -9.25 NRtg in two meetings against the Buckeyes, for some reason. Ohio State shot just 32.2% from the field while allowing 41.5% shooting and 42.9% from three; were out-rebounded by 15; assisted on 14 of its 19 buckets; forced 20 turnovers; drew 17 fouls.

Wing Taylor Mikesell led with 26 points on 9-for-17 from the field and 6-for-11 from three, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals without sitting; combo guard Braxtin Miller scored 12 points on 3-for-10 shooting (2-4 3pt.) with three assists and no turnovers; combo guard Jacy Sheldon, point guard Rikki Harris, and big Rebeka Mikulášiková combined for 21 points on 6-for-28 from the field and 1-for-12 from three, with Sheldon adding eight rebounds, give assists, and four turnovers.

Montana State: 96-84 win over Idaho. Point guard Darian White led all scorers Monday with a career-high 32 points on 13-for-21 from the field (1-2 3pt.) and 5-for-7 from the line, plus six rebounds, eight assists, and three steals in 32 minutes.

Blown leads

Monmouth: 66-62 overtime win over Saint Peter’s. Had a 10-point lead with 3.5 minutes to go in regulation, then proceeded to miss its last five shots — three of which were layups — plus a free-throw, while allowing the Peacocks to shoot 4-for-8, including 3-for-5 from three, to tie the game with nine seconds left.

Cancellations

Absolutely none.

COVID remains super bad, but at least it’s not canceling games right now, I guess. (You know what is getting canceled? Me, for writing that sentence.)

*Receiving Votes