Friday Live Blog – March 10, 2017

Friday, March 10
Scores Watch
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – [22] West Virginia @ [3] Florida LINK SEC+
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Towson @ NC State LINK ACC+
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Ball State @ Kent State LINK FREE
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Temple @ William & Mary LINK FB
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Winona State @ UW-Eau Claire LINK
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – UW-La Crosse @ Gustavus Adolphus LINK
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – [12] Kentucky @ [15] Missouri LINK SEC+
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Pitt @ [20] Auburn LINK SEC+
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – San Jose State, Centenary @ Arkansas LINK
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Lindenwood @ Illinois State FREE
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – New Hampshire @ [2] LSU LINK SEC+
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Iowa State @ [6] Alabama LINK SEC+
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – [8] Denver @ [10] Boise State LINK FREE
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – [21] Southern Utah @ [23] Utah State LINK FREE
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Arizona @ BYU LINK FREE
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Sacramento State, Bridgeport @ Arizona State LINK FREE
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Air Force @ UC Davis LINK FB

Today is made for bopping around from meet to meet as they become interesting (or the opposite of that). West Virginia/Florida is the primary meet starting off the slate, but keep an eye on the scores coming from Ball State and Towson as well. Both teams are teetering on the edge of falling out of regionals contention but could save themselves with mid-195s today and remain in  contention on the final weekend.

Here is our key group:

With those mid-195s, Towson and Ball State would move up to the 194.9 territory. It’s still out, but it’s at least within striking distance. Arizona State is in action later on and in a similar position, but what’s really hurting their chances is a low road score, which can’t be dropped until Pac-12s. To give themselves a chance at Pac-12s, though, they’ll need another good beating-Arizona-level 195 today.

BYU is the big wildcard there with a two-meet week and the chance to move up rather significantly. The remaining teams in this bunch won’t compete until later in the weekend.

Note that the Arkansas meet isn’t even being streamed on SEC+. They’re like, “We just can’t either.”

As for the top 25, here’s the max RQS and potential ranking outlook for each of them come Monday’s rankings.

Team Current RQS Max RQS
Ranking outlook
 #1 Oklahoma  197.990  198.110  Safe #1
 #2 LSU  197.775  197.840  Safe #2
 #3 Florida  197.495  197.550  #3-#5
 #4 UCLA  197.445  197.565  #3-#5
 #5 Utah  197.355  197.550  #3-#6
 #6 Alabama  197.285  197.430  #5-#6
 #7 Georgia  196.930  197.020  #7-#9
 #8 Denver  196.910  197.040  #7-#9
 #9 Oregon State  196.750  196.875  #9-#12
 #10 Boise State  196.700  196.835  #9-#13
 #11 Michigan  196.595  197.015  #7-#13
 #12 Kentucky  196.535  196.860  #9-#15
 #13 Nebraska  196.450  196.735  #10-#18
 #14 Washington  196.355  196.530  #13-#18
 #15 Missouri  196.325  196.550  #12-#19
 #16 Iowa  196.315  196.465  #13-#19
 #17 Cal  196.250  196.460  #13-#20
 #18 George Washington  196.215  196.350  #15-#20
 #19 Illinois  196.135  196.280  #17-#21
 #20 Auburn  196.090  196.165  #19-#20
 #21 Southern Utah  196.030  196.570  #12-#22
 #22 West Virginia  195.840  195.960  #22-#28
 #23 Utah State  195.830  195.955  #22-#28
 #24 Ohio State  195.815  196.010  #22-#29
 #25 Eastern Michigan  195.805  195.900  #22-#29

Southern Utah has an excellent shot to disrupt everything today, but the degree of disruption is still a question. Auburn’s peak is low enough that moving into the top 18 is not an option today, but a big score would still be necessary to keep the opportunity alive on the road at SECs.

Intros done at Florida. Touch warmup about to begin. Florida judges have just been introduced, and they’re the usual Florida judges.

Rotation 1:
Gowey – VT – “let’s get ready to tumble” – aha ha ahahha, you’re the first person to think of that – lands a bit squatty this time with a hop back.

Bernard – UB – solid on the jaeger, leg break on the bail – feet coated in chalk – giant full to double tuck, step –

Alexander – VT – looks like no Chant in the lineup today – sticks her full apparently, we didn’t get to see it.

Gillette – UB – some handstand issues in here – Chelaru-legs on a gienger but caught – legs on her pak – quite late on a couple handstands, particularly the last which could be more than a half tenth –  and a hop back on double tuck –

Hundley – VT – holds the stick on her full, with a bend – good landing, some twisting form

Muhammad – UB – clean on the straddle back – some handstands as well – very good DLO 1/1 dismount with a hop.

Feed is cutting in and out. It’s not just you.

Boren – VT – smallish hop forward on 1.5, perhaps a bit off direction as well, some knees.

Goldberg – UB – solid on her jaeger – best leg form overall though short of vertical on her bail –

Slocum – VT – handspring pike 1/2 – one of her excellent ones – good stick – chest down, but also it’s a handspring pike 1/2 so that’s kind of what you’re going to get. 9.950. Fine with that score.

Cluchey – UB – takes her jaeger far but does catch it – they have leg-on-transition problems, hers on the pak, and an issue casting out – kind of flung out and whippy on DLO but sticks.

McMurtry – VT – just the full, hop back. You can still only take for the landing, but it was her play-it-safe-day option on the vault.

Tun – UB – much cleaner on the bail – does miss a cast, pretty DLO, near-stick – mobbed by her teammates. Nice one.

Chant is exo on vt – better than last week – piking and a hop back but a small one.

After 1: Florida 49.450, WVU 48.950
Solid rotation for Florida. Scored pretty appropriately. Slocum was the highlight there, pretty much her peak vault. McMurtry still got 9.900 but was never going higher than that. Good one from Alexander as well. Not bad landings at all. Handstand trouble was the story for WVU.

Baker – Towson – UB – toe shap to overshoot, a couple form deduction in there but minor – bigger leg break on her giant full into double tuck, solid landing –

Paris Phillips is back for NC State – hop back on Yfull –

There’s a new (working) link for the Kent State scores, which I’ve updated at the top.

McKellar – UB – Towson – she has garnered attention for her gigantic piked jaeger with legs together and pretty pak, no errors there – she did have an arch on the handstand but worked through it – sticks a double front, legs apart.

Knight has the biggest full for NC State – hop back.

Rotation 2:
Boren – UB – solid first – catches OK tkatchev – legs on bail but hits to vertical – DLO, feed cuts out on her dismount because I’m not bleeding from the eyes, you’re bleeding from the eyes.

Merwin – VT – WVU – y1/2, their second in the row – short and a lunge backward to save it.

Chant – UB – small arch on first hs – similar tkatchev to Boren – borderline final hs – small step on tuck full, chest down, but a usable hit.

Goldberg – VT – full – some knee form – large lunge back as well.

Gowey – UB – Ray, excellent – pak is quite clean as well – DLO with a hop back. I saw a handstand or two in there as well, but otherwise solidly 9.8ish. 9.825 is fair. Would have been fine with 9.850.

Cluchey – VT – some piking throughout her full, hop back as well. Will be tough for WVU to get out of the 9.7s with these.

Baker – UB – Strong Ray – clean vertical on her bail – good counter on shoot back to high – double front with a bounce forward – a couple iffy handstands as well (not major, borderline) but not as strong as last week’s showing.

Koshinski – VT – EXCELLENT 1.5 – sticks – just the knees. Suddenly the commentators have learned what deductions are now that WVU is going. 9.875 is tight comparatively for that, though I probably would have gone 9.900, so that’s basically the same. It was better than Boren’s which got the same score.

Hundley – UB – To shap to pak, legs together throughout which is not lost on me, so rare – strong shap 1/2 – tuck full, stuck. Tremendous set.

Muhammad has a huge full as always but a big hop back this time.

McMurtry – UB – very close on the Ray this time, keeps going but will get hit for it- clean on the bail – tuck full, her usual stick but with a lean. 9.925 is too high for me for that but is really the only score that was too high for my eye. The rest were appropriate. Overall, I’m happy with the judging through the first half, which is rare for Florida home.

After 2: Florida 98.800, WVU 97.850
Good-not-great on bars for Florida. Hundley had an excellent set and Boren started off well, but a couple dismount hops took some scores down, a handstand here or there. It’s a good rotation but to challenge LSU at SECs next week, they’ll need to clean. Florida will want to win bars to have a good shot, which makes this extra important. Koshinski’s stuck 1.5 the real highlight for WVU on a vault rotation that was otherwise very bouncy.

Neither Ball State nor Towson have started on that 195.5 pace they need to stay in the regionals hunt. With every 9.6, it’s getting easier for the schools ranked above.

“Now is distance something that judges look at.” Remember, this is a Friday night live stream of gymnastics. None of us are new.

Brooker is back on bars for NC State – toe shap to bail, small leg breaks but solid – close on shoot to high – into DLO – much better, piked a little throughout and then a hop. But last week, she took her DLO right on top of the bar basically and hit her entire feet on the bar mid-salto. There was blood.

Rotation 3:

Baker – BB – she’s back on beam! My heart! wolf turn single, fine – aerial to bhs, pristine, just slow in connection – straddle jump to split 1/2, typically the built-in deduction in this one becasue she doesn’t hit 180 – side aerial to full, hop back.

Gillette – FX – WVU – stumble back on double pike, two large steps – apparently, floor is when they “let you into their lives,” …. so Stella Savvidou is letting us into her life as a foot fetish doctor? –

McLaughlin – BB – front aerial to bjs, solid as well – sissone – beat to double stag, small check, a little slow – check on full turn – side aerial is controlled – gainer full with a couple small steps, not under control when she college saluted, which took her back.

Knight – UB – NC State – leg break on the bail, but small – borderline final handstand, nice high tkatchev but feet – sticks DLO –

NC State got kind of a WE’RE TRYING TO GET YOU TO REGIONALS bars score there.

Cumber – FX _ OMG TWO PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME FLOOR MUSIC – lunge back on double pike but good shape – short of 180 in splits – front lay front full, comfortable – bounces back out of double tuck.

Hundley – BB – “one of the rocks of this team” was what he meant to say ” one of the rots of this team” is what he said. — aerial, dances out of it to avoid check – secure loso series – switch side, solid as usual – SHE’S SUCH A ROT – 200 hour pause before full turn, a little ragged – side aerial to full, pretty much stuck, college salutes herself out of it as well.

Muhammad – FX – “as many quad meets as they’ve had this year, this is easy stuff” what are you even saying – great DLO, chest up, controlled landing – high leaps, close to 180 but not quite – front tuck through to double tuck, smallish bounce back –

Gowey – BB – switch to split, good – no trouble on two loso series – aerial, smooth – full turn – gainer full with a step back. But strong.

Kaufman – FX – comfortable double tuck – not much height on double piek but pulls it around well, chest but secure – front full to layout, some knees –

Boren – BB – gainer kickover front, nailed – falls on her loso series, off line to the left, never saving it – gainer loso is fine – gainer full.

Cluchey – FX – solid on her double pike, even more solid on the double tuck landing, great control on first two passes – 1.5 to layout, knees on the layout and a step back after coming in short.

McMurtry – BB – kickover front, great chest up – secure on loso series, not the most extended but no checks – switch to shush to hip circle – blue screen of death – sticks 2/1. Good one.

Koshinski – FX – another big DLO, chest up and controlled – 1.5 to layout – maybe a little bouncy on a double pike, couldn’t really tell from this angle, but should be another useful score.

After 3: Florida 148.225, WVU 147.025

Five quite solid beam routines from Florida. Only minor checks and only in a couple routines. (Cheney falls in exo, working out of loso series). Because of the more realistic scoring, Florida will have to get a huge floor total to change RQS, but this is a much-improved meet over last week, obviously.

We’re getting close to Kentucky/Missouri now, as well as a bunch of others.

Please tell me you were listening to the NC State commentator tell us that “rudi” and “randi” are named after the gymnasts who competed them first. No.

MU: Huber – VT – a little short on full.

UK: Carliste – UB – jaeger – clean on the bail – tries to sell the stick on the tuck full but a lunge forward to salute.

MU: Miller – VT – larger bounce back on full, small leg sep

UK: Coca – UB – solid jaeger as well, feet as well – one short cast mid routine – hits bail – sticks tuck full, chest down.

UF: McLaughlin – FX – front lay front full, fine – switch half to wolf, hitting those positions – rudi, OK, some legs in twaisting and some amplitude issue – 1.5 front pike, solid

UK: Dukes – UB – tkatchev, flattish but solid – lovely high pak – rushes that final hs – sticks her DLO. Some good landings so far for Kentucky.

Lewis had a crazy landing on vault, way off to the side – better from Harris for MU,in line, just a pike and a hop back.

UK: Stuart – UB – short on first hs – flat on tkatchev and some legs – she is tight on these handstands today, not to vertical on the first few – DLO 1/1, lunge forward.

UF: Gowey – FX – lunge back on double pike, chest but controlled lunge – same leaps as McLaughlin, also hit – double tuck, slide –

UF: Hyland – UB – gienger solid, small legs – clean vertical on bail – also tight on an early cast but better on the second – deep and forward on her tuck full, large lunge forward –

MU: Tucker – VT – nice open on her full, just a bounce –

MU: Ward – VT – bounces forward on the Omelianchik this time, pretty large

Gracie Day fell on her 1.5 for Auburn. Because everything is the worst.

UK: Korth – UB – Nice piekd jaeger – clean legs through the bail, great vertical  and best casts on the team – sticks her DLO 1/1, pikes in the DLO 1/1 but excellent stick after a very clean set.

UF: Slocum – FX – opens with a blue screen, VIRTUOSITY – front full front pike second pass, high – rudi, secure landing, some legs –

WVU: Kaufman – BB – kickover front to beat, secure – switch to straddle 1/4, back leg on switch and short of 180 on straddle 1/4, will get deducted – 2/1 dismount, hop.

UF: Boren – FX – full in, a little short this time with a step forward – 2.5 to layout, high, a little arched – “ONE OF HER BIRTHDAY PARTIES SHE HAD AT THE ZOO.” Oh, well call the news!!!!! good control on double tuck.

WVU: Muhammad – BB – opens with two standing “layouts” we’re told, but those are pikes – cool to see, but check on the second – side aerial to full, hop.

UF: Baker – FX – back to the lineup. one of her strong Dos Santos landings, controlled lunge forward and stays in bounds – sticks double tuck – switch side and popa – 1.5 to half to straddle, excellent set. Great landings. 9.975. Not the worst 9.975 you’ll ever see.

WVU has broken 196 before Doggette’s beam routine, so mission already accomplished –

Kentucky stuck its first two vaults. Some legs but also some sticks.

UF: Hiller – FX – resting Hundley, so they’re letting Hiller into the lineup. double pike solid, chest down – 1.5 to layout? unclear but sits it.

UK: Dukes – VT – breaks the stick streak on her half but not too large of a bounce forward.

FINAL: Florida 197.600, WVU 196.100

Florida won’t be able to use this score because they already have three higher home totals, but this is a useful performance. It means more than some of those other numbers because overall it was scored more realistically. There were high ones here and there, but as a rule, fine. Improvement over last week. Second 196 of the season for WVU.

UK: Stuart – VT – nearly a stick on her full, just a hop of legs together and a pike throughout. Kentucky hitting vault.

MU: Miller – UB – close on piked jaeger with some elbows – way overarched on her bail and couldn’t save, has to come off.

LSU and Alabama getting started shortly.

LSU: Cannamela – VT – nice stick on her full, as she often does, just a little pike and comparatively lacking distance –

UK: Korth – VT – 1.5 with a hop forward this time.

MU: Schugel – UB – solid piked jaeger and some actual height on her overshoot – giant full to double tuck, hop forward but clean.

After 2: Kentucky 98.500, Missouri 98.250

LSU: Hambrick – VT – just the full and I don’t mind that decision, clean and controlled – smallest hop back.

BAMA: Armbrecht – VT – medium-sized hop back on full –

LSU: Ewing – VT – sticks her 1.5. Good one again. Leg form in the air as usual, tiny bit of knees. Great.

BAMA: Winston – VT – gorgeous full – one of her best and most controlled, smallest slide.

UNH: PFleiger – UB – giant full good vertical – bail, pretty close – toes pointed throughout toe shoot – a little late on final giant full – sticks double tuck. Nice.

LSU: Kelley – VT _ WHAT SHE VAULTS?????? – handspring front pike 1/2 – huge amplitude, doesn’t control the landing with a bounce back.

BAMA: Bailey – VT – one of her pretty 1/2s, small hop in place if even that, pristine in the air.

Jess Gracia falls on her gienger for UNH. “This knowledgeable crowd.” OMG THEY CAN SEE WHEN SOMEONE FELL GENIUSES.

BAMA: Guerrero – VT – sticks her 1.5 this time, knees throughout but great control on landing.

LSU: Edney – VT – tries to hold the stick on her 1.5 but doesn’t get it, shoulder-sized step forward.

UNH: King – UB – cast to straddle back – one iffy hs – hits jaeger – 1.5 twist dismount, step back.

BAMA: Desch – VT – small step back on 1.5. Similar knees to Guerrero, but the vaults have arrived –

LSU: Gnat – VT – not the stick on the DTY this time, hop back.

LSU 49.425 on VT. Great early vaults, had the landings, scores were set to rise later but the later ones didn’t have the landings.

UNH: Mulligan – UB – half turn to high piked jaeger to overshoot – keeps form well – short final hs – sticks tuck full with a lean. Lovely toes, but will get hit for some of those handstands, several were short.

49.500 on VT for Alabama. Their best landings of the season. 49.200 on bars for Iowa State.

MU: Tucker – BB – bhs to layout, fairly realistic layout and small check – beat to loso, secure – beat to straddle 3/4, secure – 2/1 dismount, hop.

UK: Rechenmacher – FX – falls on opening double tuck.

AUB: Becker – BB – full turn, somewhat tentative – kickover front to beat jump, solid – check on loso series with a swim to save it – switch to straddle 1/4, check and short of 180 – 1.5 with pace forward.

MU: Albritten – BB – aerial to bhs, very clean, only somewhat slow in connection – switch to split to sissone combo – full turn, keeps posture – check on double stag – sticks gainer full.

UK: Stuart – FX – double pike, lunge back – 1.5 to layout, bound forward but keeps it in bounds.

BAMA – Sims – UB – giant on her Ray and couldn’t cast out of it, takes an extra swing or two or three – legs in bail – DLO with a lunge back – will need to drop.

BAMA: Mahoney – UB – toe on to toe shap, great amplitude on the shap but she does not get up to horizontal on the backswing – nice toes throughout – tuck full, deep landing but holds the stick well.

LSU: Zamardi – UB – toe shap to pak, very clean on the pak – good vertical on low bar 1/2 turn – hits casts – double arabian with step. Good. 9.800 is a little tight for that. The woes of leadoff?

Simultaneous Shea/Shae routines.

LSU: Hambrick – UB – high Ray, just a little close on the catch – giant full to bail, crisp snap into vertical on the bail – a short cast in there – excellent stick on tuck full, chest up.

BAMA: Childers – UB – toe shap, better horizontal – misses vertical on the bail, keeps going but well short and back collapses through it – another struggle on a cast, crazy legs on tuck full and a step. They’ll have to count this –

Harrold – UB – shap half to zucchold, excellent – half turn to high jaeger, hop change to double front, stuckish – Keeps getting better each time – just a leg break in that first 1/2 turn and short on the frip change.

Bama; Jetter – UB – normal tkatchev – also a little short on her bail but a small deduction tupe on this one – hop forward on double front

Excellent full from Young on vault from Iowa State – opens well

LSU: Edney – UB – a little close on Hindorff this time but fine – good vertical on bail, was a touch from going to an arch but on the good side of that – DLO, nearly stuck, step back on salute, didn’t show control long enough. 9.950 means they gave the stick

Bailey clean on bars for Alabama, lovely vertical bail – small hop on full out.

LSU: Finnegan – UB – Pretty Ray as always – vertical on the bail, toes throughout – muscles up final hs – whips DLO a little with a step back.

Apparently Mackenzie Brannan is alive again because she just went on bars for Alabama. Still rusty. Not her usual dismount with a lunge forward. We’re used to her sticking that, but it’s progress. She’d be in the ideal lineup.

LSU: Gnat – UB – giant full to gienger, better legs – does break on the bail and not quite vertical – whips out DLO, near stick with just a hop in place. She’s getting better. 9.900 is a little high though. And by a little I mean come on.

Alabama lucky to get out of bars with a 49.025 after a weak rotation with two significant errors and a couple other steps.

After 2: Alabama 98.525, Iowa State 98.450

LSU quite strong on bars, interesting scores, about half seemed too low and half seemed too high, but I appreciate the attempt to establish separation, so I can’t complain too much.

After 2: LSU 98.800, UNH 97.425

Missouri just got a 49.500 on beam. So that happened. Ward 9.975. The 197s are going to be out tonight.

Auburn can go 196 with a hit floor, but it won’t be a big 196.

Katie Bailey is allowed to go on beam again! Hurrah Hurrah!

“Certainly class is something you associate with Alabama gymnastics.”

BAMA: Armbrecht – BB – aerial to beat, a little slow in combination but fine – clean loso series – split to sheep, and a fall – off line on the sheep –

LSU: Macadaeg – BB – full turn – switch to switch 1/2, lovely positions – aerial to straddle, smallest lean moving through but keeps it going – secure loso series – sticks gainer full. Strong.

Denver and Boise State still in warmups. BSU warming up some short 1.5s. Risk.

BAMA: Sims – BB – aerial to split, nice – loso series, secure – swtich and straddle 1/4, awesome – gainer pike dismount today, solid set.

LSU: Hambrick – BB – L turn, solid, drops a little early but fine – switch to straddle 1/4 – smooth loso series – near stick on 2/1 –

UK: Korth – BB – small lean on loso series – hop back on 2/1 but useful one.

DU: Lomonte – UB – shap to bail combo – solid, OK on the legs – hits bast handstand – double tuck dismount, step forward.

BAMA: Bailey – BB – lowish on the L turn position but improves as the turn goes – huge break on loso series and off – Alabama counting a fall now. Oh, Alabama.

DU: Ogden – UB – toe shap to bail, solid, a short hs in there – flings out tuck full but manages to stick –

BSU: Means – VT – looks like a strong 1.5 for her – not like the camera angle even showed the landing, but strong? – replay yes she held the stick on the 1.5. Just knees. Should be big score.

DU: Karr – UB – good gienger – small arch on a cast handstand – clean bail – hitting vertical on final cast – DLO – hop back. A couple errors but not major ones.

BSU” McGregor – VT – also JUST holds the stick on her 1.5 – knees throughout and a lean to hold the stick, but should be another good score. They both landed short in warmup and didn’t land short in competition.

BAMA: Desch – BB – aerial to bhs – side somi, fine – switch to split – two bhs to 1.5 – solved and saved.

LSU: Li – BB falls on aerial. Dear.

BSU – Stockwell – VT – she also has a 1.5 but does land short on it like in warmups – step to the side to keep in on her feet. Love how many 10s starts BSU has.

ISU: Paz – FX – double tuck, slide, stays in bounds – closeup during her leaps OH JOY – Ghostbusters music because she’s on my fantasy team and that’s how we roll – rudi, small slide.

DU: Ross – UB – whippy DLO dismount but a good stick.

Denver hitting bars but bars scores also going way high at this meet so far. Will be interesting once Boise State gets there.

DENVER – 49.450, BSU 49.275

BAMA: Winston – BB – split and straddle 1/2, perfect 180 –  aerial to bhs, pretty quick in combo – gigantic double tuck and stuck. DAMN. One of her best routines. So clean. Wonderful. 9.975.

LSU: Finnegan – BB – back to the single wolf and it’s better – loso series, smooth – side aerial to fulld dismount, kind of stuck –

UK: Dukes – BB – bhs loso, solid – aerial to beat jump – strong leap positions – step forward on 1.5. Good one.

LSU: Gnat – BB – “concludes the beam routine” you mean rotation – except you say tat every time – aerial to beat, solid – switch side – loso series, secure

BAMA: Guerrero – BB – pulls off her loso loso series well, could have been a little off line but held it well without a check – small check on full turn – sticks 1.5 –

Alabama almost still goes 49 on beam, counting a fall.

49.550 on beam for LSU means that we’re looking a a high 197 with a hit floor.

UK: Hyland – BB – finishes side aerial to a nearly stuck tuck full but not her usual solid stick, step to salute.

MU: Harris – FX – double pike, nice chest up, perhaps small slide – switch side is nice, short on 180 on the popa – front lay to front full – double tuck with a medium bounce back.

FINAL: Missouri 197.150, Kentucky 196.925

DU: Addison – VT – large bounce back out of her full, also some legs in the air – I do love her tank run on vault though.

BSU: Collantes – UB – half turn to jaeger, good toes – hits bail, a little floppy – sticks DLO.

DU: Ross – VT – large bounce back out of her full as well but better form – not getting the landings –

BSU: Mcgregor – UB – toe shap to bail, not bad on the leg form – step up to high – one borderline handstand – sticks tuck full – will be another big bars score.

Auburn did get a 196.300, which is fine but won’t help the mission to get into the seeds.

DU: Karr – SO GLAD YOUR TEAMMATE WAS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA DOING NOTHING – 1.5 holds the stick, knees in the air.

BSU: Bennion – UB – good legs in shap, a little break in the bail but a small error – whip out DLO, swims to try to hold the stick and ends up taking a step anyway, so now the judges have to take the swim and the step.

BSU: Remme – UB – half turn to0 piked jaeger, solid – hitting hs – clean vertical on the bail – casts are precise – a little whippy on DLO with a step back. Pretty on the bars.

DU: Chesnok – VT – Y full to her knees but they didn’t need the score.

BSU: Mejia – UB – awesome full turn to gienger – great positions – clean on the bail – hitting casts – DLO full, short on it with a bounce forward and piked in the air. Gives away a lot there but not more than .050 in the interior. Still 9.900. Really it should have been at least .150 on the dismount alone.

What on earth is happening with the floor at LSU. They’ve lifted up the mat and the boards are apart. So…a delay.

BAMA: Guerrero – FX – double pike, fine – hits her position on the popa – 1.5 to front full, secure, a bit of knees – rudi – not the most amplitude on a rudi.

LSU: Ewing – FX – front 2/1, a bit of a slide – front full to layout, nice height and layout position, takes it right to the edge of the floor – also takes her double pike right to the edge and stays in again –

BAMA: Jetter – FX – good double arabian, small hop back – 1.5 to front full – turns a small stagger into choreography – 1,5 to layout, fine –

LSU: Zamardi – FX – lunge forward out of double arabian but controls it – high double tuck, nice chest up –

Alabama getting the floor scores to finish ahead of Iowa State, but it won’t be a usable score for Alabama anyway.

BAMA: Desch – FX – sold double arabian, squatty landing though – 1.5 to half to split to tuck, well done – split leap is fine – solid double tuck

BSU: McGregor – BB – tentative full turn but fine – deep landing on punch front but sissones out of it well enough – back handspring back pike, secure – switch 1/2 to split, a little short and loses feet but not bad – sticks 1.5

Diaz for ISU is on beam, her JO beam was ridiculously good as I recall.

Hambrick bounce/lunges out of her 2.5 to front tuck but otherwise strong – very nice split and wolf positions, both in form and in finish

Bailey – FX – best double arabian of the group so far, controlled and chest up – front lay front full – extended – switch ring to split full – good hit –

Gorgeous double turn on beam from Mulligan, so pretty – check on switch side will be major deduction.

ISU: Young – BB – bhs loso series, secure and excellent extension – cat leap to switch 1/2, short of position – smooth side aerial – 2/1 stuck. Excellent routine.

It’s a 196.600 for ISU. Think they’ll take that?

Edney has a pace back on her double arabian on floor – a little short on double tuck with a step forward.

Sims – FX – controls the double pike this time – fab leaps as always – 1.5 to layout, whips it around but does to her feet – double tuck, solid. 9.975 is a senior night score. You were supposed to do that on beam, judges. Beam is the one for her.

FINAL: Alabama 197.100, Iowa State 196.600

DU: Addison – FX – excellent DLO, chest but not even – whips around the layout a touch on her second pass – good straddles – solid double pike.
Kelley with a simultaneous DLO for LSU but a large bound back –

Esmerian falls on beam for BSU but they don’t need the score.

9.925 for Kelley is ridiculous with that landing error on the DLO – to take only a half tenth there is just wrong.

UNH: Lauter – BB – pretty aerial – three series to loso, just loses her knee on the layout – round off gainer full with the smallest slide.

LSU: Gnat – FX – LET’S GUESS WHAT SCORE SHE’S GOING TO GET – Jay CLark is standing in front of her DLO landing to shield us, which he definitely did on purpose so that I wouldn’t have anything to say about it – it looked fine – 2.5 to front tuck, keeps it in line this time – switch ring and split full, very good. Short on double pike with a lunge forward. 9.950. They wanted so badly to give her a 10 but even judges couldn’t justify it for that final pass. (actually should have been more)

FINAL: LSU 197.875, UNH 195.300

Did you see that Arkansas also got a 196? IT’S A MARCH MIRACLE.

One rotation left at 197 PARADE, I mean Boise State.

While we’re waiting for the rotation to begin, remember that time Alicia Boren had a birthday party at the ZOO?!?!?!?!?!?!

SUU’s scores are a little 196.0 going to beam. Still going to be a useful score for the rankings (barring disaster) but not a huge total.

DU: Ogden – BB – secure on loso but some feet – side aerial to split, nice shape, small check – switch and split – sticks 1.5

BSU: Urquhart – FX – front 2/1, just does get it around with some knees – secure layout out of second pass – short on some leaps in here – rudi a little ragged as well but controlled.

DU: Addison – BB – smooth full turn – falls on loso series – side aerial to side position is fine – gainer pike –

BSU: Remme – FX – also does fron 2/1, crossover step – very nice double pike shape, steps back but keeps the front foot down – back half to rudi, hit

DU: Loper – BB – aerial to side aerial, lovely shapes with a small lean on landing – switch 1/2 a littl short to wolf – rudi dismount is awkward, chest down and a hop to the side –

BSU: Bennion – FX – excellent double arabian with ACTUAL LEGS TOGETHER and no cowboy – the switch side and popa, sadly, were nowhere near 180 and will get docked – 1/2 to front full, a little slide.

DU: Schou – BB – aerial to bhs, slow but keeps moving – full turn – sissone, some back leg – beat jump to sheep, a fiarly NCAA sheep but hit – strong gainer full.

BSU: Stockwell – FX – front double full, crossover step – a little short on her leap as well, like she didn’t get her desired lift off the floor – 1/2 to front full – rudi, some legs, good control.

FYI, these floors scores have been ridic.

DU: Ross – BB – switch ring and actually not that unrealistic, could teach the elites a few things – aerial to bhs, wish they had fewer of those in this lineup – side aerial to full, basically stuck. Good one.

BSU: Webb – FX – double pike, shortish, chest down with a step forward – switch side and popa, short of 180 – they’ll get hit for these dance elements in postseason – completely misses her punch and falls on second pass.

DU: Karr – BB – side aerial to bhs, lovely – side aerail to side position, loses her second leg with some mushy knee situation – beat jump to split jump 1/1, nearly all the way around – sticks 1.5.

Maybe Webb just got lost in the air? Something happened on that pass that made her land between half twists and in a heap.

BSU: Collantes – FX – strong full in, chest up and a controlled step back – switch ring and switch 1/2 both a little short – 1/5 to layout, high at the start, just a touch arched around at the end – bounce back on double pike, chest down. 9.925. I had it at 9.800. Don’t worry.

It’s a 197.150 final for Denver. Boise State will be higher.

FINAL: Boise State 197.675, Denver 197.150

If you’re checking in on this post because you saw this Boise State score and were like, “WHAT IN THE WHAT????” the answer is no, it was not realistic. Bars was fab and vault has excellent difficulty, but it was a home-senior-night score-scape that benefited both teams.

Also, Arizona is having another mess. #thoughtsandprayers.

Result and weekly leaders

53 thoughts on “Friday Live Blog – March 10, 2017”

      1. Gave up because it was driving me crazy. Someone tell me if it gets better.

  1. OH MY GOSH!!! I’m so glad I’m not the only one..I’m about to scream!!!

  2. Between that and my Sling TV stream doing it’s usual level of cutting out, I’m about ready to pull my hair out.

  3. As annoying as the quality is on this stream, I’m just glad we actually get a live stream. I do wish they’d have some graphics that showed the scores, though.

  4. I’m very pleasantly surprised with the realistic scoring tonight. I’m hoping the rest of the NCAA will see this example and follow it.

  5. I wonder if Florida has tried turning it off and turning it back on again. That usually helps when my computer gives a blue screen of death . . .

  6. Florida tweeted @ me saying they’re working on the crappy feed. Maybe there’s hope?

    1. Well, it would be nice if they got to that before the end of the meet lolz

  7. Are you saying we have no lives if we are watching a friday live stream?? hahahah

    But its super weird to have a stream with out the super enthusiastic SEC commentators

  8. I love that McMurtry is doing her teammates’ beam choreo as they are competing. I expect it in NCAA on floor, but I don’t think I’ve seen it before while the team is on beam.

  9. Did anyone else’s stats feed just cut out on them for the Florida-West Virginia meet?

    1. I’ve been having that problem with Florida live stats all season. It will freeze and then work a few minutes later.

      Often the teams’ twitter feeds have been more reliable.

  10. …do other schools make the athletes participate in their cheerleaders pre-event pump up?

    I’m sure that other SPORTS don’t..

  11. I bet at this point Auburn and Arkansas just want to get through the rest of the season and then kill it with fire.

  12. I’ve decided the commentator for UK/Mizzou has a dog named Handstand. “Good Handstand. Gooood Handstand.”

  13. “ONE OF HER BIRTHDAY PARTIES SHE HAD AT THE ZOO.” Oh, well call the news!!!!!”

    This had me legit cackling.

    1. Same! Was that anecdote part of the “force Boren to have a sparkly personality” outreach tour of 2017?

  14. Thank you, Spencer, for acknowledging that ridiculous mid-routine freak-out about birthday parties at the zoo. I laughed out loud when that happened.

  15. I’m kind of sad that McMurtry didn’t do floor because she had such a good AA going, and I really wanted to see her hit floor and finally get in a really good AA this season.

  16. I don’t get why Alabama has Aja Sims leading off on bars. She has been inconsistent on the ray all year.

    1. I agree, I don’t think that bars is her best event, with all their “depth” why has she been in every meet?

  17. What will it take for Finnegan to get a 10 on beam? Pooping diamonds?

  18. Mizzou and Kentucky looked good tonight. Too bad they aren’t hosting regionals this year! Although, both are young teams so the future is bright.

  19. Hambrick’s choreography on floor might be my favorite in the country this year.

  20. Alabama looked strong minus the falls and Brannan’s dismount. Brannan will get better with more reps and dismounts with the hard landings, and I expect that Sims or Childers will come out of the bars lineup when Winston returns next week. Also, Bailey will likely be replaced by Childers on beam for SECs. However, the leadoff spots on beam and bars seem problematic with McNeer out, especially since I believe that Alabama will start SECs on beam.

    1. How do you know Bama will start on beam? Aren’t the SECs a random draw or did they switch and give the 1 olympic order?

      1. I don’t think they have been random since they went to 2 sessions. Highest ranked gets Olympic order, 2nd starts on bars, 3rd on beam, and 4th on floor.

      2. yea its been that way since they moved to two sessions. the highest ranked team gets olympic order than 2nd starts on bars, 3rd starts on beam and 4th starts on floor.

      3. Regionals/Nationals are still random, right?

        It seems like Kentucky has a good draw then. Olympic order and competing in the afternoon session will make it easier to be All-SEC/All-freshman. I don’t think the scoring discrepancy between the two sessions will be all that huge, meaning KY competing in the afternoon versus evening won’t lead to a much lower score (or the reverse being true for Georgia).

  21. This BSU/Denver meet is showing me that high scores are EVERYWHERE this year.

    1. Yeah, it’s got pretty out of hand all over the place this year. Anybody who thinks this is just a 1 or 2 school issue is just plain wrong.

    1. The Arizona schools have captured my cold black heart this year. I don’t know what it is, but I find myself cheering for Arizona and ASU and I am in no way a PAC 12 fan.

  22. Meanwhile, Georgia is sitting at home tonight watching these scores thinking, “Please, gym gods, let us have some of this senior night crack judging tomorrow.”

      1. Calm down! This was not a knock on Utah! Any of the teams in those 3-5 ranks would be totally down for some generous scoring. You seem to read my comments pretty selectively.

  23. It just seems lately that your daggers have been pointed their way a bit more than usual. Just my observation. Maybe if you tempered the comments with an occasional positive mention it wouldn’t seem so sharp.

  24. So wait, given Ashleigh Gnat’s bar scores… SHOULD I PUT HER IN MY FANTASY LINEUP? WHO KNOWS.

  25. Becca Schugel’s floor routine for Mizzou was gorgeous. Great variety of tumbling (Triple full, double pike, and double twist-punch front). It got a 9.925 but I thought it was at least deserving of a 9.950!

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