Saturday, December 31, 2016

Last games of the year

Today's results:

Pacific 65, Gonzaga 63....that's two straight losses for the Zags.

#14 Ohio State 92, Indiana 82

Rutgers 61, Penn State 45

Iowa 75, Nebraska 72

Northwestern 76, Purdue 60

South Dakota 65, South Dakota State 62

Wyoming 79, UNLV 57

James Madison 83, Wake Forest 76

Ohio 69, Bowling Green 58

All scores.

Tomorrow's game schedule.....Pac 12, Big Ten and Big 12 play continues, SEC play tips off.

College team news:

Oregon State looks to slow down Kelsey Plum tomorrow.

Ole Miss has a tough start to conference play tomorrow, facing Arkansas.

College player news:

How each South Carolina player has performed so far this season, in the eyes of one writer.

Nancy Mulkey is shining in her starting role for Oklahoma.

Junior forward Mandy Coleman's production is on the rise at Oklahoma State.

So Cal recap

USC routs No. 20 Colorado, 79-54, to open conference play

UCLA hands Utah first loss in Pac 12 opener

Friday, December 30, 2016

Only five undefeated teams left

Upset:

USC took down #20 Colorado, 79-54.

More results:

#9 Washington routed Oregon, 99-77, behind 44 points from Kelsey Plum.

#10 UCLA put away Utah, 67-56, giving the Utes their first loss of the season.

Also suffering their first loss was Buffalo. Harvard topped them, 74-62.

#13 Stanford held off #18 Arizona State, 64-57.

#19 Virginia Tech thrashed Delaware State, 88-48.

#22 Oregon State took care of Washington State, 80-58.

#23 South Florida defeated Stetson, 74-60.

Marquette is 11-2 after downing Georgetown, 84-77.

Seton Hall edged St. John's, 64-59.

Only five unbeaten teams remain: Cal, Mississippi State, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Connecticut.

All scores.

Thirty-three games on deck tomorrow, including Purdue vs. Northwestern, South Dakota State vs. South Dakota and Nebraska vs. Iowa.

College team news:

Connecticut finishes 2016 surprisingly undefeated.

Oregon State is ready for a competitive Pac 12. The Beavers won today, but questions remain.

In any language, things are working for Miami.

Missouri faced a personal challenge over the holiday break.

College player news:

Who's the best freshman in DI? Great question.

Oregon freshman Ruthy Hebard is turning heads in the lower 48.

Emily Potter is playing big for the Utes.

Freshman Hannah Whitish has moved into Nebraska's starting lineup.

DePaul's Jessica January will have surgery on her broken finger Tuesday.

Oregon freshman Jayde Woods has left the program.

Jersey retirements:

Duke retired Elizabeth Williams' jersey last night.

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Lots on deck

Today's results:

Memphis 75, Vanderbilt 59 (whoa)

Illinois 70, Iowa 65

Northwestern 62, Nebraska 58

#14 Ohio State 87, Minnesota 62

DePaul 76, Georgetown 53

Michigan 63, Rutgers 50

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule, which sees big match ups: Connecticut vs. Maryland; Kentucky vs. Duke; Syracuse vs. Louisville; and Florida State vs. Miami, among others.

College team news:

Kentucky faces their first "big-time" game tomorrow against Duke and state native Rebecca Greenwell.

Big 12 team previews.

Red hot rivals are ready to collide in Coral Gables, Florida.

Facts about the AP top 25 poll.

Texas is counting on their freshmen to grow up quickly in Big 12 play.

Things are coming together nicely for Miami.

Vanderbilt is readying for SEC play.

The Terps are the latest test for undefeated UConn.

The right coast Huskies are looking for perfection this year.

FGCU is priming for an Atlantic Sun run.

Buffalo has made history with an unbeaten start.

College player news:

Duke's Rebecca Greenwell blogs about her quick trip home to Kentucky.

The Jones sisters will lead Maryland against UConn tomorrow.

The match up with Louisville spark a big-play memory for Syracuse's Bria Day.

A Terrapin from Connecticut will get her shot at UConn.

College coach news:

Mike Neighbors has found a home at Washington.

Neighbors is crusading to make UW WBB a must-see.

Muffet McGraw is another Jim Foster success story.

WNBA player news:

Alex Montgomery is coaching high school basketball in rural Western Washington.

Elizabeth Williams will have her number retired at Duke tomorrow.

Rachel Banham is excited about her jersey retirement ceremony at Minnesota on Sunday.

Hard-working Ramu Tokashiki is keeping her sights set on the ultimate goal.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

USA Today top 25 coaches poll

A few changes in this week's USA Today top 25 coaches poll:

1. Connecticut
2. Notre Dame
3. Maryland
4. Baylor
5. Mississippi State
6. South Carolina
7. Florida State
8. Louisville
9. Washington
10. UCLA
11. Miami
12. West Virginia
13. Ohio State
14. Stanford
15. Oregon State
16. Texas
17. Duke
18. California
19. Arizona State
20. Virginia Tech
21. Syracuse
22. DePaul
23. Kentucky
24. Oklahoma
25. South Florida

No surprises on the first day back

Today's results:

#2 Notre Dame routed Chattanooga, 79-58.

#9 Washington stomped Washington State, 94-63. Natalie Romeo made five three-point shots in the first half en route to 25 points for the Huskies in the win.

#22 Oregon State thrashed Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 73-40. Sydney Wiese made her 300th three-pointer for the Beavers.

Arizona took care of Portland State, 75-52.

All scores.

The best match ups tomorrow are between unranked teams.

College team news:

Can any Big 12 team stop Baylor?

A look at Ohio State through 14 games.

The Buckeyes' goals are in place.

Maryland is set for a sellout against UConn.

The Huskies will face a challenge in the Terps.

Five storylines facing Oklahoma State entering Big 12 play.

Nebraska's schedule is only part of the reason for their strife.

College player news:

Five players to watch during Big 12 play.

UConn's Crystal Dangerfield says she "deserves" her recent benching.

College coach news:

New Husker coach Amy Williams is set for her first Big Ten journey.

Lawsuits:

Drake University and coach Jennie Baranczyk are being sued by a former assistant coach who says she was pressured to resign because she's gay.

FIU is hoping the lawsuit that came from last year's player-coach conflict will be dismissed.

WNBA player news:

Q&A with Sun forward Chiney Ogwumike.

High school top 25

ESPN's high school top 25 rankings for the week:

1. Paul VI
2. Clovis West
3. Duncanville
4. Country Day School
5. Grandview
6. Centennial
7. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy
8. Archbishop Mitty
9. Montini
10. Riverdale
11. Timberview
12. Argyle
13. Homewood-Flossmoor
14. Monacan
15. St. Mary's
16. Seton Catholic
17. Saint John's College
18. Detroit Country Day School
19. National Christian Academy
20. Norcross
21. Mesquite
22. Central Valley
23. St. Rose
24. Incarnate Word Academy
25. Long Beach Polytechnic

Bonus:

Stonington High School players gave back to a team in Uganda.

Ready, set, go!!!!

College conference news:

The Pac 12 is dominant as conference play begins.

Big Ten teams are chasing Maryland and Ohio State.

College team news:

Syracuse heads into ACC play in the midst of a slide.

Oregon State is gaining momentum.

Ole Miss is showing improvement ahead of SEC play.

BYU hopes a challenging schedule will pay off.

College player news:

Cal's Kristine Anigwe is ESPN's player of the week.

Former Badger Christine Clark is adjusting to her new role with Arizona.

Former college player news:

Former Missouri guard Juanita Robinson was shot in Chicago on Christmas Eve but is recovering after surgery.

Ex-Nebraska star Danielle Page is surprised she's the first from the program with an Olympic medal.

WNBA player news:

Penny Taylor may have retired, but she's still in the loop.

Four reasons why Elena Delle Donne's free agency is a present for Washington Mystics fans.

Monday, December 26, 2016

SOS

Wondering about team's strength of schedule? So was I:

Connecticut 0.7080 1 92 29 0.7603
Notre Dame 0.7022 2 98 24 0.8033
Kentucky 0.6574 3 89 33 0.7295
Minnesota 0.6477 4 93 40 0.6992
Washington State 0.6365 5 77 34 0.6937
Georgetown 0.6340 6 74 30 0.7115
Niagara 0.6328 7 80 34 0.7018
Tennessee 0.6308 8 76 32 0.7037
DePaul 0.6247 9 85 43 0.6641
South Carolina 0.6244 10 81 39 0.6750
Portland 0.6214 11 66 27 0.7097
LSU 0.6206 12 82 39 0.6777
Nebraska 0.6199 13 83 41 0.6694
Santa Clara 0.6106 14 69 32 0.6832
Northern Iowa 0.6104 15 66 35 0.6535
Middle Tennessee 0.6101 16 69 36 0.6571
Duquesne 0.6098 17 89 44 0.6692
Arkansas-Little Rock 0.6078 18 84 46 0.6462
Oregon State 0.6059 19 64 36 0.6400
Oklahoma 0.6008 20 80 45 0.6400
BYU 0.6001 21 72 43 0.6261
Florida State 0.6000 22 84 47 0.6412
Drake 0.5991 23 62 37 0.6263
Iowa 0.5988 24 80 46 0.6349
Green Bay 0.5977 25 69 46 0.6000
Elon 0.5953 26 72 41 0.6372
Texas 0.5911 27 60 29 0.6742
Dayton 0.5882 28 70 41 0.6306
Idaho 0.5875 29 57 35 0.6196
Rutgers 0.5864 30 83 49 0.6288
FIU 0.5836 31 56 30 0.6512
Villanova 0.5808 32 68 39 0.6355
Maine 0.5787 33 87 53 0.6214
Alabama State 0.5776 34 53 31 0.6310
Auburn 0.5757 35 83 48 0.6336
UTA 0.5756 36 47 28 0.6267
Saint Mary's College 0.5739 37 65 44 0.5963
Mississippi State 0.5727 38 79 52 0.6031
Southern 0.5724 39 45 27 0.6250
Texas Tech 0.5706 40 63 41 0.6058
Kansas State 0.5702 41 67 51 0.5678
Texas A&M 0.5696 42 66 42 0.6111
Missouri State 0.5694 43 64 43 0.5981
North Carolina 0.5690 44 62 38 0.6200
Oklahoma State 0.5687 45 64 47 0.5766
Coppin State 0.5685 46 66 41 0.6168
Mississippi Valley State 0.5681 47 51 27 0.6538
Louisville 0.5656 48 85 61 0.5822
Kansas 0.5654 49 65 43 0.6019
Loyola-Chicago 0.5651 50 67 40 0.6262
Georgia 0.5647 51 73 48 0.6033
Tulane 0.5638 52 73 47 0.6083
Michigan 0.5627 53 83 55 0.6014
Michigan State 0.5603 54 77 52 0.5969
Hampton 0.5583 55 67 50 0.5726
Long Beach State 0.5562 56 79 52 0.6031
North Dakota 0.5555 57 50 40 0.5556
Marquette 0.5555 58 61 44 0.5810
New Orleans 0.5539 59 42 25 0.6269
UNLV 0.5535 60 64 47 0.5766
Washington 0.5528 61 70 58 0.5469
Charlotte 0.5520 62 62 47 0.5688
UC Riverside 0.5519 63 61 43 0.5865
Arizona State 0.5514 64 63 49 0.5625
Chattanooga 0.5504 65 73 59 0.5530
Saint John's 0.5501 66 64 50 0.5614
Missouri 0.5500 67 81 62 0.5664
Sam Houston State 0.5484 68 55 35 0.6111
South Dakota State 0.5478 69 69 51 0.5750

Woop woop....here we go again

Break over tomorrow, with eight games.

Wednesday there are 57 games.

College team news:

Notre Dame's road trip continues tomorrow in Chattanooga.

UConn says "nah" to a rebuilding year.

College player news:

The rebounding exploits of Napheesa Collier and Gabby Williams have made an impression on Katie Lou Samuelson at UConn.

College coach news:


Jamming with Washington coach Mike Neighbors.

WNBA news:

The WNBA is offering players a security app for when they're overseas.

Unbeaten Cal enters AP top 25 poll

This week's AP top 25 basketball poll sees some changes........Kansas State out, undefeated Cal in:

1. Connecticut
2. Notre Dame
3. Baylor
4. Maryland
5. Mississippi State
6. South Carolina
7. Florida State
8. Louisville
9. Washington
10. UCLA
11. Miami
12. West Virginia
13. Stanford
14. Ohio State
15. Duke
16. Texas
17. Kentucky
18. Arizona State
19. Virginia Tech
20. Colorado
21. California
22. Oregon State
23. South Florida
24. Oklahoma
25. Syracuse

That's seven Pac 12 teams in the poll.

Coach's Chair: Jeff Mittie, Kansas State University

This week's Coach's Chair interview features Jeff Mittie of Kansas State.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Naismith 2017 Basketball Hall of Fame nominees announced

What a list:

Leta Andrews
Jennifer Azzi
Rebecca Lobo
Muffet McGraw
Susie McConnell
Pearl Moore
Kim Mulkey
Harley Redin
Theresa Shank
Marianne Stanley
Barbara Stevens
Wayland Baptist
Therea Weatherspoon

Gonzaga takes over top spot in ESPN mid-major rankings

The bi-weekly mid-major rankings, per ESPN:

1. Gonzaga
2. Drexel
3. Green Bay
4. Ohio
5. Drake
6. UNLV
7. South Dakota
8. South Dakota State
9. Harvard
10. George Washington

Bryant coach Mary Burke talks about playing up and recruiting at a mid-major.

A bit of topplin'

Upsets:

Texas A&M took down #19 Syracuse, 105-84.

Wyoming toppled #15 Colorado, 82-75. It was the first loss of the season for the Buffs.

More results:

#1 UConn 84, Nebraska 41

#4 Maryland 77, Duquesne 57

#6 South Carolina 70, Savannah State 30

#7 Florida State 83, Mercer 40

#8 Louisville 78, Vanderbilt 66

#12 Ohio State 88, Winthrop 48

#13 West Virginia 77, Mount St. Mary's 35

#14 Stanford 71, George Washington 52

#17 Duke 68, Villanova 50

#18 Kentucky 69, Washington State 67

#20 Oklahoma 74, Portland State 60

#21 South Florida 77, UNLV 42

#21 Arizona State 63, Holy Cross 33

#23 Virginia Tech 71, Radford 52

St. John's 74, James Madison 63

Tennessee 110, Troy 84

IUPUI 67, Purdue 62

Saint Louis 72, Missouri 61

Marquette 62, New Mexico 52

Auburn 85, Drake 80

USC 83, Cal State Irvine 45

#25 Oregon State and Oklahoma State still in progress at the moment.

All scores so far.

Tomorrow's schedule.

College team news:

A day in the life of Vanderbilt basketball.

South Dakota State is prepared to play on without Macy Miller.

Harvard stays competitive as Ivy League talent grows.

Buffalo is off to the best start in program history.

New jerseys for Syracuse?

Ole Miss is emerging on the national radar.

Indiana keeps rolling.

Utah has tied its best start ever.

Aerial Powers misses Michigan State, but the Spartans miss her more.

College player news:

Oregon State's Sydney Wiese set the Pac 12 three-point record last night.

Stephanie Mavunga is back to work after Ohio State's loss to UConn.

Senior Bridget Perry is contributing to Purdue's recent success.

Michigan's Hallie Thorne wants to stay in the spotlight.

SUNY Geneseo freshman Savannah Williams died in a car crash yesterday.

WNBA news:

Overseas report.

Elena Delle Donne ponders her next move as the Sky surge ahead with new coach Amber Stocks.

The Sky owner calls an EDD trade a strong possibility.

Why hasn’t UConn lost yet? Ten reasons

Another great analysis by womenshoopsworld.com analyst Jim Clark.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

The intrigue continues

Today's results:

#2 Notre Dame 79, Michigan State 61

#10 UCLA 83, North Carolina A&T, 42

#11 Miami 76, Maine 51

#16 Texas 80, New Orleans 48

#19 Syracuse 92, Old Dominion 66

#21 South Florida 63, Santa Clara 54

Dayton 74, Texas A&M 57

Oregon 73, Idaho 70

Pitt 71, McNeese 65

Iowa 83, Kent State 48

North Carolina 87, Jacksonville 57

Ole Miss 66, Austin Peay 38

Penn State 80, Iona 67

DePaul 100, UT Martin 68

Alabama 78, UTEP 60

Oklahoma State 63, Long Beach State 57

UNLV 52, New Mexico State 47

Indiana 102, Florida 88

Boise State 61, Hawaii 49

Cal on their way to upsetting #20 Oklahoma at the moment, and Oregon State-Quinnipiac about to tip off.

All scores so far.

Tomorrow's schedule features Louisville vs. Vanderbilt, among other match ups.

College team news:

West Virginia is the NCAA's team of the week.

Kentucky says their opponent tomorrow - Washington State - may be without their leader scorers. No mention of that on the Cougar site.

Wichita State is trying to keep moving in the right direction.

College player news:

Diamond DeShields' thumb injury.....Tennessee coach Holly Warlick isn't talking about it.

Kamiah Smalls is boosting JMU.

College coach news:

UCF is off to an historic start under Katie Abrahamson-Henderson.

Books on women's hoops:

The pioneers of women's basketball are highlighted in a new book.

USA Today top 25 coaches poll

So many differences between the USA Today top 25 coaches poll and the AP poll....again:

1. Connecticut
2. Notre Dame
3. Maryland
4. Baylor
5. Mississippi State
6. South Carolina
7. Florida State
8. Louisville
9. Washington
10. UCLA
11. Miami
12. West Virginia
13. Ohio State
14. Stanford
15. Oregon State
16. Syracuse
17. Texas
18. Duke
19. Arizona State
20. Cal
21. Oklahoma
22. DePaul
23. Virginia Tech
24. Kentucky
25. South Florida

Monday, December 19, 2016

Hoops du jour

Upset:

Long Beach State handed #21 South Florida their first loss, 73-68.

More results:

#1 UConn routed #12 Ohio State, 82-63, for their 85th straight.

#7 Florida State pummeled North Florida, 95-39.

Cal is 10-0 after blasting Southern Miss, 71-51. Why aren't they ranked?

Oklahoma State is 9-0 after a 67-53 victory over Santa Clara. They also deserve rankings consideration.

Gonzaga bested Northwestern, 67-56.

Pepperdine won their second straight, edging CSUB in overtime, 62-57.

Virginia routed Georgia, 66-43.

Middle Tennessee won big over Missouri State, 71-52.

Pitt smashed UTEP, 71-46.

CSUN climbed above .500 with a 73-61 win over Saint Mary's.

It's halftime of Oregon State-UNLV.

All scores so far.

Tomorrow's schedule includes unbeaten Cal vs. #20 Oklahoma.

College team news:

Notre Dame is set for a match up with Taya Reimer and Michigan State tomorrow.

Oregon is off to a good start.

Good defense is a key for Oregon State.

College player news:

Meet Aarion McDonald, Washington's new leader.

College coach news:

Fordham coach Stephanie Gaitley recruits with an academic fast track.

WNBA trade rumors:

Angel McCoughtry to Dallas?

Other WNBA news:

Elena Delle Donne has launched a signature shoe.

Q&A with EDD on that.

EDD is Outsports' female hero of the year.

Michelle Smith's Q&A with league president Lisa Borders.

AP top 25 poll: a few changes

Not too many games last week, due to finals, so not a lot of changes in this week's AP top 25 poll:

1. Connecticut
2. Notre Dame
3. Baylor
4. Maryland
5. Mississippi State
6. South Carolina
7. Florida State
8. Louisville
9. Washington
10. UCLA
11. Miami
12. Ohio State
13. West Virginia
14. Stanford
15. Colorado
16. Texas
17. Duke
18. Kentucky
19. Syracuse
20. Oklahoma
21. (tie) Arizona State, South Florida
23. Virginia Tech
24. Kansas State
25. Oregon State

Saturday, December 17, 2016

2017 WNBA All-Star game will have one twist to it

A few days ago, the WNBA announced that the city of Seattle will host the 2017 All-Star game July 22, 2017. Super cool, but the game is the same weekend as the Bite of Seattle - one of the city's largest festivals. The Bite takes over Seattle Center, where KeyArena is located, and shuts down traffic and parking in surrounding areas.

The Storm have often had a home game that weekend, with attendance taking a hit due to the festival. I wonder how the WNBA will accommodate all the extra visitors for the All-Star game, and where they will stay and park. I will be curious to find out the plan for this.

Stomping right along

Undefeated:

#15 Colorado is 10-0 after defeating Mississippi Valley State, 76-64.

Utah is 10-0 after downing Weber State, 71-52.

First win:

Pepperdine and assistant coach Delisha Milton-Jones got their first win, 69-58 over Cal State Fullerton. Titans coach Daron Park must be feeling a lot of pressure after several seasons of losing.

More results:

#16 Texas 76, UTSA 43.

#23 Arizona State 79, Oral Roberts 52.

#23 Oregon 90, Portland State 46. Duck freshman Ruthy Hebard was 12-13 for 28 points and 17 rebounds. Be afraid, other teams......Portland and Portland State have each been lagging, like Fullerton, for a long time, too.

Michigan 78, Vermont 56. The Wolverines are 10-3.

Kansas 75, Arizona 51.

Temple 48, Rutgers 37.

UCF 74, Georgia Southern 54.

Ole Miss 77, VCU 57. The Rebels are 9-2.

Tulane 63, NC State 58.

Alabama 67, Georgia Tech 65.

Purdue 77, Eastern Michigan 50. The Boilermakers are now 9-4 after their slow season start.

Northwestern 87, Santa Clara 75. The Wildcats have won seven straight.

Indiana 84, Oakland 59.

All scores.

Key match ups on tomorrow's 61-game schedule include: UCLA at South Carolina, Stanford at Tennessee, Mississippi State at USC and Virginia Tech at Auburn. I'll be covering Bulldogs-Trojans, and I couldn't be more excited.

College team news:

Baylor openly lies about its blowout disgraces, the New York Post says.

Despite their setbacks, Nebraska senior Allie Havers is impressed with the team's spirit.

No rest for Alabama this Christmas.

Tomorrow's Bowling Green at South Dakota State game has been cancelled due to winter weather conditions.

College player news:

Faith helps Oregon State's Sydney Wiese remain positive and upbeat.

Facing UConn was a learning experience for Ohio State star Kelsey Mitchell.

TCU's freshmen are coming along quickly.

Montana freshman Taylor Goligoski is a woman for all seasons.

College coach news:

Holly Warlick and the Lady Vols are wishing big against Stanford tomorrow.

WNBA player news:

Skylar Diggins on her passion for community service and balancing her crazy schedule.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Another record night

Whoa now:

#3 Baylor hung 140 points on Winthrop, who scored 32. It was the biggest Division I rout in NCAA history. But is that something to be proud of?

Temple upset #17 DePaul, 84-74.

In Western Kentucky's 87-35 domination of Lipscomb, they held the Bisons to an NCAA record two first half points.

More results:

Big win for Wisconsin, as they edge Green Bay, 54-53.

#6 South Carolina powered past Clemson, 83-61, on the strength of double-doubles from Alaina Coates and A'ja Wilson.

Georgia squeezed by Cincinnati, 51-48.

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule.

Mississippi State, SMU and Grambling are coming to USC to play in a tournament! This fall has been so good to LA to bring so many top quality teams here. We are blessed.

College team news:

Purdue looks to win their sixth straight on Saturday.

College player news:

Ieshia Small is finding a home at Maryland.

Wisconsin's Marsha Howard is opening eyes with her recent play.

Will Chloe Bibby be Mississippi State's missing piece?

The occasional spat aside, Jen and Kristen Vigil are enjoying playing for UCCS.

At North Dakota, senior Holly Johnson and sophomore Kanani Asuncion have quit the team.

College coach news:

Locked on WBB interviews UCLA coach Cori Close.

Kenny Brook's Virginia Tech Hokies are upward bound.

UMaine coach Richard Barron has been sidelined with an undisclosed illness.

Drexel coach Denise Dillon's contract has been extended through 2023.

WNBA all-star game:

Sue Bird on Key Arena: there is something about that building.

Q&A with Chicago Sky's new coach and GM, Amber Stocks

Nice Q&A with Amber Stocks by Sherron Shabazz.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

USA Today top 25 coaches poll

Not too many changes in this week's USA Today top 25 coaches poll:

1. Connecticut
2. Notre Dame
3. Maryland
4. Baylor
5. Mississippi State
6. South Carolina
7. Florida State
8. Louisville
9. UCLA
10. Stanford
11. Washington
12. Miami
13. Ohio State
14. West Virginia
15. Oregon State
16. DePaul
17. Texas
18. Syracuse
19. South Florida
20. Duke
21. Arizona State
22. Oklahoma
23. Kentucky
24. Cal
25. Virginia Tech

Tons and tons going on

Interesting results tonight:

Michigan handed Ohio their first loss, 69-46.

Rutgers got win number three by outscoring Seton Hall, 53-45. It was the 900th program victory for the Scarlet Knights.

St. John's won the battle of New York with a 59-45 decision over Fordham.

9-1 Northwestern continues their dominance with an 88-44 rout of UIC.

#5 Mississippi State downed Arkansas-Little Rock, 58-44.

#23 Arizona State ran away from Middle Tennessee, 69-48.

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule consists of only 22 games, but features some marquee teams.

College team news:

The NCAA's team of the week is Green Bay.

Albany is finding ways to win without their top scorer.

Oregon State's defense is still among the nation's best.

Updated NCAA Tournament predictions have Syracuse as a fifth seed.

Exam breaks have arrived at the right time for Lehigh.

3-6 North Texas needs a resurgence to save its season.

College player news:

Janiah McKay and Tiffany Lewis are adding offensive production for Auburn.

Iowa State's Emily Durr chooses now over never.

Central Michigan senior forward Jewel Cotton is day-to-day with a high ankle sprain, but she is expected to play next week.

Boogie Brozoski has left Michigan.

College coach news:

Coaching is therapy for Appalachian State's Angel Elderkin.

Maryland won last night, but coach Brenda Frese isn't satisfied.

WNBA team news:

IMPACT25 influencers, the Minnesota Lynx.

WNBA player news:

Candace Parker on IMPACT25 honoree Nneka Ogwumike.

WNBA coach news:

Amber Stocks was named the Chicago Sky's new coach and general manager today.

Press conference part one.

Stocks bio.

For the Sky, rookie coach Stocks is worth the risk.

Stocks is prepared to bring a championship culture to Chicago.

WNBA president news:

Q&A with league president Lisa Borders.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Last finals week

NCAA news:

The crowd at the UConn-Kansas State game was the largest DI crowd this season so far.

College conference news:

The Big Ten lacks marquee wins.

College team news:

Three observations on Tennessee basketball.

Arizona's team managers have stepped up their game.

Syracuse is back on track.

More success is possible for young UMaine.

Oregon State is still developing their rotation.

College player news:

For Maryland sisters Brionna and Stephanie Jones, recovery from injuries hurts so good.

NC State adds Arizona State transfer Armani Hawkins.

JMU has added Virginia transfer Debra Ferguson.

UConn's young players continue to surprise.

College coach news:

The curious case of Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer. See the "midgets" reference at the bottom.

Just a few scores tonight:

#4 Maryland 79, Loyola Maryland 60.

#25 Oregon 87, (it's fun to say that) Clemson 59.

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule.

AP top 25 sees the return of Oregon

So many Pac 12 teams, so much skill......this week's AP top 25 poll sees Oregon State drop out, but Oregon drop in, for the first time since 2003-2004. Arizona State also returns, but not too many other changes:

1. Connecticut
2. Notre Dame
3. Baylor
4. Maryland
5. Mississippi State
6. South Carolina
7. Florida State
8. Louisville
9. UCLA
10. Stanford
11. Washington
12. Ohio State
13. Miami
14. West Virginia
15. Colorado
16. Texas
17. DePaul
18. Duke
19. Kentucky
20. Oklahoma
21. Syracuse
22. South Florida
23. Arizona State
24. Virginia Tech
25. Oregon

Coach’s Chair: Quentin Hillsman, Syracuse University

What a fun interview, with Quentin Hillsman. And what a character - a great one.

Sunday, December 11, 2016

UCLA players set their own record books on fire in 84-64 rout of Michigan

My game story.

My goodness but the Bruins are a fun team to watch. They are so good, both individually and collectively, and their chemistry right now is off the charts. Then to top it off, they're having fun on the court, which is fun to witness. And as someone who is all about grown and improvement, it's really cool to see how far each young woman has come in both skills and confidence.

Can't wait to see how Pac 12 Conference play unfolds for all teams.

Big game day in the NCAA

What a day, what a day......

Upset:

A Sophie Brunner shot lifted Arizona State over #18 Kentucky in OT, 73-71.

Close ones:

#8 Louisville came back to rally past Western Kentucky, 68-61.

#17 Texas edged Tennessee, 72-67.

Northwestern slipped by Milwaukee, 65-63.

South Dakota ground past George Washington, 60-55.

Amazing performances:

Kelsey Plum needed only 23 points to break the Pac 12 all-time scoring record, but she put up 44 in leading #11 Washington past Boise State, 92-66.

#6 South Carolina 98, Minnesota 58. Kaela Davis had six treys for the Gamecocks.

#9 UCLA ran past Michigan, 84-64. Monique Billings had 19 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for the Bruins, while Jordin Canada had 16 points and a career-high 14 assists. Kelli Hayes scored a career-high 16 points.

Karli Wheeler sunk a career-high six three-pointers in Oklahoma State's 86-53 rout of Texas-Rio Grande Valley.

More results:

#1 Connecticut 75, Kansas State 58.

Georgetown 70, Alabama 59.

Marquette 81, Wisconsin 75.

LSU 69, Tulane 51.

Gonzaga 73, Eastern Washington 54.

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule.

College player news:

Florida's top scorer, sophomore Eleanna Christinaki, has quit the team after refusing to accept a suspension for violating team rules.

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Evaluating WNBA players overseas

Nice overview and method of evaluating WNBA player performances overseas in this piece.

Results, and prep for tomorrow

Today's results:

#2 Notre Dame 75, #16 DePaul 61

#5 Mississippi State 72, Southern Mississippi 50

#7 Florida State 93, UAB 47

#13 West Virginia 91, SC Upstate 33

#20 Syracuse 109, Niagara 60

#24 Oregon State 77, Southern Utah 38

Penn State 91, Pitt 62

Utah 77, BYU 60

Ohio 71, IUPUI 55....and the Bobcats are 7-0

Houston 53, Rutgers 51

Ole Miss 97, Louisiana Monroe 40

Penn 47, Richmond 44

Louisiana Tech 68, Nicholls 52

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule is full of hot match ups:

UConn and Kansas State are both undefeated.

UCLA and Michigan will be physical.

Boise State is unbeaten, but Washington is red hot and Kelsey Plum will likely break the Pac 12 scoring leader record.

Texas vs. Tennessee should be interesting, as should Kentucky vs. Arizona State.

Bring it on!

College team news:

The Lady Vols and Texas are both dealing with early struggles.

Kansas State is prepared for a huge crowd and a huge test against UConn tomorrow.

Kentucky looks for big things from their biggest players going forward.

For Ohio State, amping up defense is a top priority.

Iowa State looks to bounce back from their heartbreaking loss to Iowa tomorrow.

College player news:

Class of 2013 transfers are hoping to leave their mark.

With nothing given to her, Syracuse's prized recruit Desiree Elmore starts grabbing success.

Freshman Peyton Williams is on track for Kansas State.

College player news:

Thirty-eight year Montana coach Robin Selvig will be honored with a celebration next month.

While we wait for today's games to start

College team news:

Missouri is losing to its toughest competition - injuries.

Kansas State has a chance to shock the world tomorrow.

College player news:

Louisville's Briahanna Jackson is taking her new challenge in stride.

Katie Lou Samuelson has become a threat in various ways for UConn.

Wisconsin senior forward Avyanna Young has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules.

Wichita State sophomore forward Jyar Francis will transfer.

College coach news:

New Northwestern assistant coach Christine Sides is adding energy and experience to the bench.

WNBA player/former player news:

Tamika Catchings Q&A.

WNBA coach news:

Curt Miller is busy as a coach and general manager for the Connecticut Sun.

Friday, December 9, 2016

Help for former Cal Bears standout Rama N’diaye

Rama N’diaye, a native of Dakar, Senegal, crossed the globe to join the Cal Family in the Fall of 2006. She embarked on a 5 year career for the Golden Bears which saw her teams make 3 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, a Sweet 16 appearance, and a WNIT Championship.

In the summer of 2007, she was a member of the Senegalese National Team before sustaining a significant knee injury in March of 2008. That summer, she led her Cal team on an international team trip to Tunisia and Senegal, where she was able to introduce her Bear family to her immediate and extended Senegalese family and friends. Despite not being able to play due to her knee injury, she served as our very own personal tour guide, exposing her teammates, coaches and staff to the amazing traditions and culture of Africa. It was a life changing trip for everyone involved.

As a testament to Rama’s sheer will and determination, she was able to return to the court following her injury and compete in her final season in Berkeley in 2010-2011. Rama then went on to play professional basketball for three seasons in Iran, Spain, and Turkey. Since her retirement in 2014, Rama has been living and working in San Diego. Unfortunately, in July, 2016 she was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer at the young age of 29. She is currently undergoing aggressive treatment at The Moore Cancer Center through UC San Diego, where she is proving to be a worthy opponent in the fight against this disease. As a result of the side effects of her treatments, Rama has not been able to consistently work and therefore has sustained significant financial hardship. It is our goal as a Cal Family to help support Rama in her fight against Breast Cancer emotionally, spiritually and financially.

As a result, Rebounds for Rama will allow our extended Cal Family to participate in that end goal, once again proving that our support extends well beyond the hardwood. Donations may be made based on the number of total rebounds that the current Cal team secures over the course of this season or as a flat rate. See donation details below. If you have questions, please contact Jill Culbertson at 510-643-3787.

Your support of Rama as she continues her fight to beat Breast Cancer is truly appreciated. Once a Bear, always a Bear.

Past Season Rebound Totals
2015-16 - 1,230
2014-15 - 1,331
2013-14 - 1,401


Please pledge here.

Mid-major surprise

One surprise in today's results:

Green Bay routed South Dakota, 67-43.

The teams had been ranked 1-2 in ESPN's bi-weekly mid-major poll.

More results:

#15 Kentucky 61, Middle Tennessee 48

Oregon 81, Portland 41

Michigan 92, San Diego State 57

Missouri 64, Wichita State 57

Eastern Michigan 75, St. Bonaventure 56

Nebraska 83, San Jose State 61

CSUN 89, Weber State 78

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule features 63 games.

College team news:

Buffalo, at 8-0, has tied the record for best program start.

College player news:

Sydney Wiese says Oregon State is still searching for their team identity.

Teammate Taylor Kalmer is ready to make a big impact.

Miami's Jessica Thomas may be one of the best college players you've never heard of.

WNBA player news:

Candace Parker joined NBA star Kevin Garnett on his Area 21 show yesterday.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Even during a quiet week, never a dull moment

Today's results:

#21 Duke bested Elon, 68-61. Great picture here of Blue Devils coach Joanne P. McCallie with daughter Maddie, far left, ready to check into the game for the Phoenix. Lexie Brown crossed the 1,000-point career mark for Duke.

In the cross-state rivalry battle, #7 Florida State topped #23 Florida, 83-58, and #18 Colorado routed Colorado State, 74-56.

Vanderbilt is 9-1 after an 80-72 win over East Tennessee State.

Purdue is 7-4 now after a 58-42 victory over Ball State.

Texas A&M held off TCU, 75-67.

Gonzaga downed Washington State, 79-61.

Currently Cal is pummeling Sacramento State late in the third quarter. A win will mean the Bears will have a best-ever start for the program.

All scores so far.

Tomorrow's schedule.

College team news:

Oregon State is back on track after their loss to Marquette.

Nebraska is still searching and still believing.

College player news:

Tori Jankoska's leadership is resulting in wins for Michigan State.

UConn transfers are finding success at other schools.

Michigan volleyball player Abby Cole will join the basketball team once her current season is over.

College coach news:

In case you missed it on twitter last night, coach Lisa Bluder did the worm after Iowa beat Iowa State.

WNBA player news:

Interview with Skylar Diggins.

WNBA coach news:

Sparks assistant coach Amber Stocks will be the Chicago Sky's new head coach, reports say.