Survive & Advance.

That’s rather virtually each that matters astatine this point.

The scores don’t matter, though YES, we’d emotion them to beryllium higher astatine this point, but you cognize what— see this a believe tally for Sunday’s main event. They made it to nan adjacent round, truthful for each intents and purposes, ngo accomplished. For a while it seemed for illustration Arkansas was going to tally distant pinch it a bit, nan Tigers came clawing backmost connected a beardown backmost half, and it really came down to Arkansas’ beam anchor (and World Champs medalist) Joscelyn Roberson to put nan Gymbacks atop successful nan standings. We’ll fto ‘em person this one, eh? Talking pinch a Mizzou genitor afterwards, [redacted] said, “I really wanted Arkansas to triumph because I consciousness for illustration nan likelihood are successful our favour now… that was their one.”

“You don’t ever person to beryllium perfect, arsenic we conscionable showed, to move connected to Sunday,” caput coach Shannon Welker said post-meet. “So really, I’m much focused connected our capacity and little connected nan scores. We cognize if we tin return attraction of those, we’ll astir apt get definite scores, but it really is astir surviving up to our expectations and what we’re tin of,” Shannon said.

How did nan Tigers suffice for their sixth consecutive Sweet 16? Let’s review.

The Tigers started connected bars and had possibly a spot of a nervy start, pinch immoderate unsticky feet connected nan dismounts, only sticking a 3rd of nan landings. Makayla and Lauren earned a 9.775 successful nan first 2 spots arsenic Mak took a sizable, apt 2/10 measurement backmost — acknowledgment for nan clarification, Wise Nate — but had a coagulated half pirouette and awesome handstands, earning a wide scope of scores from a 9.70 to 2x 9.80. LMac, while I missed her dismount, was described to maine arsenic a spot “wonky.” I thought she looked bully from what I did see, pinch bully amplitude connected her Tkatchev and bully handstands (2x 9.75, 2x 9.8). Olivia had bully handstands but again, a measurement backmost (smaller than Mak’s), earning a 9.80 (one 9.85). Maiya stuck it and had a awesome routine, earning a 9.90. It was her 5th 9.9 aliases higher successful 9 routines aft making her bars debut connected January 23 astatine Alabama.

When asked post-meet astir nan proposal her teammates person fixed her going into her first NCAA regional, Maiya said, “Most group conscionable told maine to spot my training and that they spot maine and conscionable to do what we do each azygous day. I deliberation that was adjuvant going successful and being capable to conscionable spot nan numbers we put successful in nan gym, and past you do it.”

Hannah went an unthinkable 9.925 successful nan 5th spot— her first of 3 9.90+ scores connected nan day, earning a fistful of 9.95 scores from judges, on pinch an perfectly absurd 9.85 from Judge 2— I’m watching you, Judge 2 (she says jokingly). In nan anchor spot, Kimarra earned a 9.80 pinch possibly a spot of an over-archy first handstand and a mini hop backmost (one 9.85). The team’s 49.200 was its 2nd lowest of nan year.

When asked astir nan bars capacity post-meet, Shannon said, “I deliberation intelligibly they’re putting a precedent connected landings today. We were 2 for six. So, you know, we tin do amended there, and I deliberation we will beryllium amended there.”

“First event, we conscionable request to beryllium a small much fierce location to unfastened up and we’ll beryllium fine,” Shannon said.

NC State started its time connected vault pinch a 48.95, led successful scoring by Syniya Thomas’ 9.875. They besides counted 2 9.800, a 9.775 and a 9.650. Maryland led disconnected connected equilibrium beam, and scored a 48.925, led successful scoring by Maddie Komoroski’s 9.875; she was a really cool, unsocial routine. They besides counted a 9.825, 9.775, 9.75 and 9.70.

Arkansas started connected floor, led successful scoring by Joscelyn Roberson’s 9.925, which would necktie nan highest people of nan convention on pinch Hannah Horton. Hailey Klein led disconnected pinch a 9.85 and was followed by Allison Cucci’s 9.825 which would beryllium dropped. Leah Smith added a 9.85 earlier nan Price sisters, Morgan and Frankie, earned a 9.90 and 9.875, respectively. Joscelyn Roberson anchored pinch nan aforementioned 9.925, which tied for nan highest people of nan time alongside — spoiler alert— Mizzou’s Hannah Horton. The team’s 49.400 was nan 2nd highest of nan convention down (cough, cough) Missouri.

“What I loved astir what nan squad did tonight,” Arkansas caput coach Jordyn Wieber said post-meet, “is we had a really awesome start, and I deliberation that really group nan reside to benignant of transportation america done each that.”

When I asked Morgan post-meet what it was for illustration to person her sister successful nan lineup, back-to-back, she lit up. “I really said to her today, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going correct successful beforehand of you.’ Like, that’s awesome; it’s conscionable amazing. Being capable to walk our past twelvemonth together present astatine Arkansas has meant nan world to us. We unrecorded together arsenic well. So conscionable being capable to unrecorded pinch her again and conscionable do gymnastics astatine nan aforesaid clip arsenic her is ace amazing. We some put retired awesome level routines for our team, truthful we’re some ace happy astir that.”

Unfortunately, location was a full equilibrium beam situation arsenic nan Tigers again went their 2nd lowest people of nan season, a astonishing 48.950. It was yet different nervy rotation. Had nan Tigers developed nan yips, I wondered aloud. Railey was coagulated successful leadoff pinch a 9.85 and a stuck dismount, conscionable pinch a spot of a lean, but on pinch Olivia, who besides earned a 9.85, nan duo was nan only 9.8-range scores successful nan rotation. Welp. RJ’s scoring was each complete nan map, from a 9.9 to a 2 9.85 and a 9.8, while Liv was awarded 1 9.9.

Amy’s leaps were a spot lacking nether nan 180 marker, but to beryllium expected honestly pinch nan quality of her injury, and while she stuck nan landing, it was a spot disconnected equilibrium pinch a lean. Kaia followed pinch a 9.775 aft a decent sized wobble connected her bid and past a small bendy connected nan dismount though she had a stick. I missed Lauren’s regular completely, if I’m being honest, but she earned different 9.75. The CGN Live Blog said she dropped her enarthrosis connected nan divided jump, had a equilibrium cheque aft nan opinionated layout stepout, and connected her dismount stepped backmost aft waving her arms. When Addi fell successful nan anchor spot, I was fresh to lavation nan beam blues distant until Sunday (hopefully) and caput to floor.

“Looked for illustration she was not quadrate retired of her aerial, rather honestly,” Shannon said, erstwhile asked what whitethorn person caused Addi’s fall. A man of fewer words successful parts of this presser (again, said jokingly).

As for everyone else, NC State earned a 48.925 connected bars, led successful scoring by Elle Hadrick’s 9.85. They besides counted a 2 9.80, a 9.75 and a 9.725. Maryland earned a 49.025 connected floor, led by Taylor Rech’s 9.85. They besides counted 3 9.80 and a 9.775.

Arkansas, nan nation’s no. 5 bars team, earned a 49.25, led successful scoring by Morgan Price’s 9.95. Leah Smith earned a awesome 9.90 successful nan leadoff spot to get nan Razorbacks started connected nan correct foot, but Joscelyn Roberson earned conscionable a 9.700 connected her Mustafina successful nan two-spot. Hailey Klein and Lauren Williams followed pinch a 9.80 and 9.775, respectively, earlier Price’s 9.95. Allison Cucci anchored pinch a 9.825.

When asked astir competing nan highly uncommon (she’s nan only 1 who has competed it successful NCAA history) and difficult layout full, Joscelyn said, “I emotion that vault. It’s ace hard, truthful it scratches that itch of like, doing harder gymnastics. But I deliberation it’s besides a batch easier connected my ankles. It’s a beforehand landing. And I ne'er learned a Yurchenko 1.5; I ever did (Yurchenko) fulls and double fulls, truthful I didn’t really cognize really to do a Yurchenko. So I talked to nan coaches and it was a batch of believe and getting it accordant earlier I put it successful competition, but I emotion doing it.”

With different week of going from a sub-optimal beam regular to what’s been a stronger backmost half of nan meet, Shannon was asked what his connection was to his team. “Well, we request to do better,” he said succinctly.

“We’re tin of better. There’s thing magic there. I mean, I deliberation we were really conscionable doing what we’re tin of doing, and we conscionable didn’t rather do what we were tin of connected nan beforehand half of them.”

The Tigers rebounded nicely connected level pinch a matching 49.450 to past week’s SEC Championships score. Railey sewage things started pinch a coagulated 9.85 — her past walk landing was a spot uncontrolled but her first 1 pinch her double pike was truthful clean. Elise followed pinch a 9.875; her landings were CRISP, particularly nan 2nd one, which needed not a lunge, earning 2 9.9 from nan judges. Ayla followed pinch a 9.825— 2 of 3 passes were phenomenal pinch her thorax up, sticks, nary steps, you sanction it — but nan past one, her double tuck, was described arsenic she kicked retired excessively early, hopping forward. Then came nan cascade of 9.90 aliases higher scores, starting pinch Kaia’s 9.90, successful which I wrote WOW, GOOD successful my notes (I’m truthful precise, you guys). Nate mentioned that he thought this mightiness person been her champion regular this season, truthful that’s saying something! Kennedy followed pinch a 9.90 of her own, earlier Hannah near maine speechless pinch a 9.925 (her 2nd of nan day, 2x 9.95, 2x 9.9). The CGN unrecorded blogger wrote, “Massive double layout, ne'er seen 1 truthful precocious and executed well.”

As for if this Tyler Hannah, nan Creator regular FINALLY sewage nan attraction of her astir favourite artist, well, she’s still waiting. “He really hasn’t gotten backmost to me, but it’s fine. Still my apical artist. He’s very famous. He has a batch of things to interest about.”

Meanwhile, Maryland scored a 49.00 connected vault, led by Katrina Mendez-Abolnik’s 9.85. The Terps besides counted a 9.825, 9.80, 9.775 and 9.75. NC State scored a 48.700 connected beam, led by Syniya Thomas’ 9.85. They besides counted 2 9.75, a 9.725 and 9.625.

Arkansas, pinch a 0.500 lead, headed to bars, an arena that had grounded them a spot this season. That was not nan lawsuit this clip around, earning a 49.375, courtesy of a team-high 9.925 from anchor Morgan Price, which led nan session. Joscelyn Roberson led disconnected pinch a 9.85, followed by dual 9.875 scores from Hailey Klein and Leah Smith, a 9.85 from Avalon Campbell and a 9.80 from Allison Cucci, earlier Price’s beardown anchor.

Fresh disconnected a very bully level rotation, nan Tigers looked to unafraid their spot successful nan Sweet 16 pinch a coagulated vault rotation. Their 49.275 tied for their 4th highest of nan play and sewage started pinch a 9.70 from Kaia which was dropped. She was a spot under-rotated and took a measurement guardant but had bully shape and distance. Railey followed pinch a 9.85, besides pinch awesome form, her 3rd specified people of nan meet. She nabbed 1 9.9 from nan judges’ panel. Kennedy earned a 9.80 connected her Yurchenko Full (9.95 SV). She had conscionable a mini hop successful place. Hannah’s 9.90 had conscionable a mini lil’ hop (1x 9.95, 2x 9.9), and Kimarra followed pinch 9.90 of her ain pinch what I would telephone a stick, but my colleagues said possibly not a “true” stick. One judge agreed pinch me, awarding 1 cleanable 9.95. In nan anchor spot, Elise competed a YF, which I was honestly amazed by fixed really bully her Y1.5 has looked recently. Alas, she went pinch nan 9.95 SV vault, and had really bully tallness and assemblage position, conscionable pinch a hop backmost (2x 9.85, 9.80).

Maryland capped disconnected their meet pinch a 48.825 connected bars, led by Maddie Komoroski’s 9.80. The Terps besides counted 2 9.775 scores, a 9.75 and 9.725. Meanwhile, NC State vanished up their play connected level pinch a 49.125, led by Syniya Thomas and Autumn Rardin’s 9.85 scores. They besides counted a 9.825 and 2 of 3 9.80.

With Arkansas successful beforehand by 0.425, it was rather apt they’d return nan first spot successful nan first session, though it wasn’t without its dramatics.

Wieber said, “We cognize what benignant of beam squad we are. We’re 1 of nan champion successful nan country. Definitely, location are immoderate areas we tin sharpen up conscionable a small bit, conscionable beryllium a small much trusting of nan landings, a small much trusting of nan vanished positions. But I looked successful their eyes and they cognize it, too. So we’re gonna return that into time 2 and conscionable beryllium confident, beryllium normal, and do what we do each time successful nan practice; thing different.”

The Tigers and Gymbacks really were tied pinch conscionable nan anchor, Joscelyn Roberson to go, but she delivered pinch a 9.95 to springiness Ark a 0.300 victory, their first of nan play successful 3 head-to-head tries… and I dream for illustration hellhole it’s their past 1 of nan play (sorry, not sorry). Otherwise successful nan Razorbacks lineup, Priscilla Park led disconnected pinch a 9.85 and was followed by Hailey Klein’s 9.80. Cami Weaver’s 9.65 would beryllium dropped, earlier Allison Cucci had a 9.75 and Morgan Price earned a 9.80. Bet they’re thanking nan gym gods for Josc, amiright?

“I emotion beam,” Roberson said to nan assembled Mizzou media connected manus (there was notably NO different media connected manus too us… crazy!). “I clasp a typical spot for nan full beam squad successful my heart. I grew up loving beam, and truthful being capable to find that emotion again successful assemblage has been truthful awesome. Like, I get up location and I’m not moreover tense astir of nan time. It’s conscionable like, I get to do what I love, and I get to dispersed it done nan full crowd. And truthful going up there, I had nary thought that that was nan quality for first aliases second, but that’s ne'er my goal. My extremity is to spell up location and do nan champion gymnastics I tin each azygous clip for maine and my team.” (Side Note: Josc & Morgan are perfectly DELIGHTFUL, I must say.)

Arkansas Presser

Mizzou Presser

And finally, nan champion words ever spoken successful postseason play..

Short preview will beryllium retired later Saturday aliases early Sunday.