One semifinal down, one to go in Ann Arbor! Today’s second session features Oklahoma, NC State, Ohio State, and the winner of Wednesday’s play-in.
The reigning national champion Oklahoma Sooners should have no problem advancing to Saturday’s final. After setting a new NCAA record of 198.950, the Sooners have plenty of momentum heading into this meet, and many are on the edge of their seats waiting to see if they can reach a 199 team score. Keep your eye on Jordan Bowers as she chases perfection on the beam to complete her gym slam!
NC State has had a Cinderella ending to its season so far, and the real action is just beginning! The Wolfpack has been peaking at the perfect time, and is coming off a 197.550 at the first ACC championships since 1984. If NC State can continue its positive momentum, qualifying to the final should be fairly easy.
The team that could get in the Wolfpack’s way of advancing to round three is Ohio State. The Buckeyes haven’t scored as high as NC State this year, but they are more than capable of going above 197. But to knock the Wolfpack down, Ohio State will have to be nearly perfect, which may be tricky with its younger roster.
Finally, we have Illinois. Advancing to Saturday might not exactly be in the cards for this…
