High School Swimming
The Woodlands Christian Academy Girls Swim Team Named 2019 State Champions
Feb 20, 2019, 8:27 pm
High School Swimming
Originally Appeared on Vype
After competing in the state meet, The Woodlands Christian Academy's (TWCA) varsity girls swim team is the 2019 TAPPS 4A State Champion. Setting three new state records, six new school records and five personal best times, the girls overcame a 37 point deficit to eventually win the field by 40.5 total points.
Head Coach Lisa Murphy credits her team's "whatever it takes" attitude and a supportive school environment as the catalysts for success, saying, "I am extremely proud of of this team, not only for how they swam, but also for the way they supported each other, represented themselves and our school."
This marks the Warriors third State Championship in the 2018-19 school year, after both the girls and boys cross country teams earned the title for the third year in a row this fall.
Legacy Prep Christian finished second in TAPPS DIII, while St. Agnes girls and St. Thomas boys won the TAPPS DI titles.
The story continues here
Wichita, Kansas – Saturday, 8:40 p.m. EDT
The No. 1 seed Houston Cougars (31-4) take on the No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-8) in a highly anticipated second-round showdown of the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars, dominant in the Big 12 with a 22-1 record, bring the nation’s top-ranked defense to the court, while the Bulldogs, the West Coast Conference powerhouse, counter with one of the most efficient offenses in the country.
Houston boasts the best defense in the Big 12, holding opponents to just 57.9 points per game on 38.1% shooting. The Cougars will be tasked with slowing down a Gonzaga squad that averages 84.6 points per game over its last 10 outings and shoots an impressive 50.1% from the field.
On the other side, Houston’s offense is averaging 72.1 points per game in its last 10 contests, a figure that will be tested against a Gonzaga defense allowing 67.6 points per game. The Cougars have a slight edge from beyond the arc, making 8.1 three-pointers per game compared to Gonzaga’s 7.3 allowed.
For Houston, LJ Cryer has been the go-to scorer, averaging 15.2 points per game, while Milos Uzan has stepped up recently, contributing 14.7 points over the last 10 games. The Cougars will also lean on their defensive intensity and ability to force turnovers to disrupt Gonzaga’s rhythm.
Gonzaga is led by Graham Ike, who is averaging 17 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Khalif Battle has also been a key contributor, posting 15.3 points and 1.6 steals per game in the past 10 contests. The Bulldogs’ ball movement will be crucial, as they average 20.4 assists per game in their last 10 contests, a stark contrast to Houston’s 9.0.
Houston enters as a 5.5-point favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, with the over/under set at 140.5 points. If the Cougars can impose their defensive will and limit Gonzaga’s transition game, they stand a strong chance of advancing. However, if the Bulldogs find their offensive groove early, Houston may be in for its toughest test of the tournament so far.
Expect an intense, physical battle where the team that dictates the tempo will likely punch its ticket to the Sweet 16.