Tuesday, February 28, 2017

USA Today top 25 coaches poll

Michigan out and Kentucky into this week's USA Today top 25 coaches poll:

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

Just a few hours until March Madness begins

Championship week:

Which teams have the most to gain and lose?

Pac 12 Tournament preview.

Top 12 players to watch at the Pac 12 Tournament.

Pac 12 coach conference calls.

Lots of conference awards named today - POYs, COYs, FOYs, etc. Check out your favorite conference web page or twitter feed for the complete list.

College team news:

Tennessee is the NCAA's team of the week.

Experts spell out who can beat UConn, and how they can do it.

HBO teased their unscripted series with UConn.

Oregon State came together to prove predictions wrong.

College player news:

Makayla Epps reflects on her time at Kentucky.

Jennie Simms belongs with the ODU elite.

Is there one more hurrah left for St. John's floor general Aaliyah Lewis?

College coach news:

The ACC Tournament site is fine with North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell.

Today's scores.

Several tournaments start tomorrow.

WNBA news:

Elena Delle Donne is supposedly the best player the Mystics have ever had, according to this write up. That sells Chamique Holdsclaw short.

Nneka Ogwumike is leading, and coming back stronger this season.

The Stars announced their preseason schedule.

Dallas will host Indiana for one game in preseason.

Candace Parker is now playing in Turkey.

Monday, February 27, 2017

More conference tournament brackets

Big 12 Conference bracket.

American Athletic Conference bracket.

Northeastern Conference bracket.

West Coast Conference schedule.

Final Four details revealed

Final Four schedule in Dallas.

Today's results:

#1 Connecticut 96, South Florida 68 (104th straight for the Huskies)

#2 Baylor 103, Oklahoma 64

#12 Texas 69, #23 Kansas State 61

#25 Temple 66, UCF 60

West Virginia 73, Kansas 54

Texas Tech 79, TCU 64

Iowa State 61, Oklahoma State 48

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule.

College team news:

UConn is closing in on an unexpected unbeaten regular season.

The Lady Vols' momentum depends upon their group effort.

Illinois has a bright future, despite a bad season.

Central Michigan is confident heading into the final week of regular-season play.

College player news:

Tori Jankoska rose and broke records in her final season at Michigan State.

Oregon State's Sydney Wiese helped students celebrate Dr. Seuss.

Blocks, the Bachelor and Penn women's basketball: The story of Penn senior Sydney Stipanovich.

Maddie Manning is pondering the possibility of a sixth season at Oklahoma.

Faith Woodard has made her mark at Georgetown.

College coach news:

Kim Mulkey's message was muddled by her anger and frustration.

Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico heads the Big Ten honor squad.

Oregon State's record crowd this past weekend - the one I was able to catch in person - was a dream come true for coach Scott Rueck.

Pro news:

Taj McWilliams-Franklin joins the Dallas Wings as an assistant coach.

The Sky acquired Astou Ndour from the Stars in exchange for Clarissa Dos Santos.

Nneka Ogwumike, Lindsay Whalen and Candace Parker are moving on from last year's epic Finals series.

Mystics coach Mike Thibault rebukes Candice Wiggins for her bullying allegations and mis-characterizations of the WNBA last week.

Latest WNBA transactions.

AP top 25 poll - wow

Look at all the changes in the AP top 25 poll this week:

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

Coach’s Chair: Charli Turner Thorne, Arizona State University

Last Coach's Chair of the season, and it's the awesome Charli Turner Thorne of Arizona State.

Washington’s Kelsey Plum is WomensHoopsWorld’s player of the week

Don't look surprised.

Kelsey Plum is the GOAT.

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Just a bit more to the side

College player news:

Kelsey Plum reflects on breaking the NCAA scoring record.

Sydney Wiese's path to stardom at Oregon State has been shaped by faith, family and basketball.

Five seniors have paved the way for Kansas State's rise.

Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu refuses to lose.

Sparkle Taylor has made her mark as one of UTEP's best.

College coach news:

Baylor coach Kim Mulkey expressed regrets over her controversial remarks yesterday.

Jackie Stiles knew Kelsey Plum was special from the start.

Jim Littell's patience has paid off for Oklahoma State.

Seeds clinched, conference tournament brackets out

Big Ten:

#2 Maryland routed Minnesota, 93-60, to clinch a first-place tie for the Big Ten regular-season championship with.....

#12 Ohio State, after their 73-45 win over Rutgers.

In other conference scores, Penn State upset #25 Michigan, 76-75.

Nebraska stunned Michigan State in OT, 76-74.

Big Ten Tournament bracket.

Pac 12:

#10 Oregon State clinched the first seed with a 71-56 decision over Cal.

#8 Stanford slipped by Oregon, 65-59, to secure the second seed.

#15 UCLA held off Arizona State, 55-52, to take the fifth seed.

Pac 12 Tournament bracket.

ACC:

#5 Notre Dame ran past #8 Florida State, 79-61, to take the top seed. The Seminoles are second.

#13 Duke took care of North Carolina, 95-71, to clinch third.

#18 NC State is fourth after topping Virginia, and #14 Louisville is fifth after destroying Wake Forest.

SEC:

#7 South Carolina's 95-87 victory over #22 Kentucky gave them their fourth consecutive SEC title.

Tennessee's surprising win over #3 Mississippi State kept the Bulldogs from taking a share of the title.

Missouri is the third seed and Kentucky, the fourth. Who picked that? No one.

Big East:

#19 DePaul downed Georgetown, 79-70, to take a share of the Big East title. They'll share it with Creighton, while Marquette takes the third seed.

All of today's scores.

Tomorrow's schedule features Big 12 and AAC action.

The future is bright: Pac-12 freshmen having strong first seasons

One of the strongest conferences has one of the most incredible freshman classes. Check them out.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Kelsey Plum breaks NCAA scoring record

Washington's Kelsey Plum needed 54 points to break Jackie Stiles' NCAA all-time leading scoring mark. In today's win over Utah, she put up a school record 57 points to surpass the mark.

Plum vs. Stiles year by year.

Plum's family was at the game.

Like Stiles, Plum broke the record in front of the home crowd.

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule.

College team news:

A second life in the SEC title chase feels great for South Carolina.

Missouri is exceeding expectations.

Oregon State relishes their fan support.

At Montana, old traditions die hard.

College player news:

After reporting a Kansas men's star for allegedly vandalizing her car, McKenzie Calvert is seeing less playing time.

Miami's seniors hope to leave the program in a better place.

More Adrienne Motley, no problem for the 'Canes.

The story of Cal's Chen Yue.

Oregon State seniors have built lasting relationships.

Vionise Pierre-Louis and Nancy Mulkey anchor Oklahoma in the paint.

Jasmine Joyner's career at Chattanooga has been one big block party.

Marshall's Talequia Hamilton relishes every game, and hopes the NCAA will grant more.

Micah Jones and Kendall Noble are leaving their mark at Western Kentucky.

South Carolina will honor Tiffany Davis tomorrow on senior day.

College coach news:

Kim Mulkey tabs Baylor 'damn best school in America,' says she will punch critics in face.

Tonight's win was number 500 for Mulkey.

The search for Wichita State's new coach is on hold until March.

For one night, Gamecock coach Dawn Staley was rooting for Kentucky.

WNBA news:

Fringe WNBA player Asia Taylor is making waves in the WNBL.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

The heat up

Upset...and it's a big one:

Kentucky toppled #3 Mississippi State, 78-75 (OT).

More results:

#7 South Carolina 80, Texas A&M 64

#8 Florida State 79, Pitt 48

#11 Washington 79, Colorado 46

#14 Louisville 66, Virginia 55

#17 Miami 79, Virginia Tech 69

#18 NC State 80, North Carolina 60

#20 Syracuse 85, Wake Forest 64

#24 Missouri 100, Ole Miss 65

#25 Michigan 88, Nebraska 60

Tennessee 74, Florida 70

Northwestern 60, Rutgers 38

Georgia 71, Alabama 65 (OT)

Auburn 54, LSU 49

Vanderbilt 66, Arkansas 64

Gonzaga 62, San Diego 57

The SEC is hot right now.

All scores.

Tomorrow's game schedule.

Bursting with news

College team news:

The Cardinal and Beavers battle it out for the Pac 12 title tomorrow night.

Seniors are leading the way for Florida State.

Syracuse rides with its seniors, but how far can that journey last?

Iowa State is looking for a resume-building win against #10 Texas tomorrow.

St. John's is pushing toward the postseason.

Georgia is in danger of breaking a decades-old winning streak.

Ohio has three games to revive its offense.

Growth continues for Drake heading into their Northern Iowa rematch.

Wichita State has features to build around with their new coach.

College player news:

Wasuingon's Kelsey Plum is nearing the NCAA scoring record.

Brionna Jones' jersey is headed for the rafters of Maryland's Xfinity Center.

Lindsay Allen has been one of a kind for Notre Dame.

Shayla Cooper's leadership has been molded by her journey at Ohio State.

Jacinta Vandenberg is Oregon's "Mama Duckling."

Oregon State's Sydney Wiese says the chance to clinch a Pac 12 title on senior weekend is a storybook ending.

Kelsey Moos brought a winning mentality and unparalleled leadership to Arizona State.

Sophie Brunner brought the Sun Devils back to greatness.

Vanderbilt's Marqu'es Webb and Minta Spears are enjoying their senior moments.

Seniors Lizzy Wendell and Caitlin Ingle are a class to remember at Drake.

Florida senior Ronni Williams is coping as her career winds down.

Duke's Erin Mathias has a passion for fashion.

West Virginia's Teana Muldrow wants wins more than accolades.

BYU's seniors are finishing a long, short, up-and-down ride with the team.

There is mutual respect among Navy's seniors.

Senior Mckayla Yentz reflects on her time at Marquette.

UConn's Tierney Lawlor has found her calling.

College coach news:

Senior night will be full of emotion for Gonzaga seniors and coach Lisa Fortier.

The evolution of Creighton basketball through the eyes of coach Jim Flanery.

WNBA news:

Seimone Augustus stands up for better pay in the WNBA.

Storm forward Breanna Stewart says her knee rehab is going well.

WNBA transactions:

February 22, 2017
Team Player Transaction


Atlanta Jarry, Rachel Contract Signed
Connecticut Adams, Danielle Contract Signed
Washington Hawkins, Tianna Contract Signed

More Wiggins fallout:

WNBA president Lisa Borders was stunned by Wiggin's comments.

Full statement.

Breanna Stewart says her first year in the WNBA was great, and she felt comfortable.

Stewart supports an investigation into abuse allegations.

Kayte Christensen rebuttal.

Chantel Tremitiere rebuttal.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Chantel Osahor has many dimensions for Washington

More than just a flat-footed shooter.

Final weekend feel

Today's results:

Indiana 80, Iowa 77 (2OT)

West Virginia 77, TCU 73

Michigan State 73, Penn State 64

Dayton 68, St. Louis 62 (OT)

Fordham 66, La Salle 61 (2OT)

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule.

College team news:

Texas and Baylor are crafting a fiesty rivalry.

Michigan's postseason relies on senior leadership.

The hypest bench in America is on a mission to rebuild Rutgers basketball.

Gonzaga is aiming for the outright West Coast Conference title.

Despite the national buzz, Drake stays grounded with an authentic approach.

There's little ACC drama as Syracuse heads into their final weekend.

College player news:

The NCAA's starting five for the week.

Sydney Wiese has left her mark on Oregon State.

Transfer Taylor Johnson hopes to delay the end of her Louisville career a bit longer.

Paige Crozon reflects on her time at Utah.

In Kentucky, senior Evelyn Akhator has found a home away from home.

Once just the daughter of a Kentucky great, Makayla Epps has left her own distinct mark.

Epps' greatness is all about heart.

Chattanooga's Sydney Vanlandingham still seeks "that game" before exiting.

It's all about family for Stanford's Karlie Samuelson.

Jacksonville senior Sherranda Reddick isn't done yet.

Being sidelined is a new experience for UConn's Kia Nurse.

College coach news:

Southern Mississippi coach Joye Lee-McNelis is back on the court after learning her cancer is benign.

Lee-McNelis is not slowing down.

JR Payne's season has gone squarely in the "W" section for Colorado.

Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell will always treasure his bond with Evelyn Akhator.

Auburn coach Terri Williams-Flournoy's contract has been extended through 2019.

WNBA news:

19 months removed from surgery, Skylar Diggins is ready to be Skylar Diggins again for the Dallas Wings.

"Little Ballers Indiana":

Skylar Diggins will premiere the AAU documentary set in her Indiana hometown.

The "Ice" story continues

Candice Wiggins stood by her comments alleging she was bullied in the WNBA for being straight - to the San Diego Union Tribune.

She refused to talk to ESPN, as did the WNBA:

But I don't understand the WNBA's decision as an organization to not make even the simplest official statement to defend itself. (Although the WNBA's often tardy responses to "negative" stories is a separate topic, and one that has been a consistent flaw of the league.)

But plenty of former players had things to say:

DeLisha Milton-Jones, who won two WNBA titles and appeared in more games than any player in league history, said she was baffled by Wiggins' remarks. "I know Candice as a sweet, intelligent young lady," said Milton-Jones, who now is an assistant coach at Pepperdine. "I don't want to take anything from her experiences while in the league, so I can only speak for what I experienced firsthand. And it's in complete contradiction of what's been stated by Candice.

"The WNBA has allowed many of us to live a dream. I pray that Candice does find peace with her life and is able to move forward without devaluing or diminishing what's been priceless to so many others in the league."


Wiggins' former coach, Stanford's Tara VanDerveer, defended the WNBA from the allegations.

A person willing to make extremely strong allegations should be willing to talk to anyone about them.

I don't understand the league's silence, either.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

USA Today top 25 coaches poll

In this week's USA Today top 25 coaches poll, we see South Florida and Texas A&M out, and Drake and Creighton in:

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

Basketball: open 24 hours

Only one ranked game tonight, and of course it was an upset:

Kansas State upended #16 Oklahoma, 79-71.

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule.

College team news:

The Pac 12 champion will be determined this weekend.

Ohio State seems ready to fulfill its enormous potential.

Records are made to be broken: lessons from UConn.

Maryland's weaknesses showed in last night's loss to Ohio State.

Oklahoma is the NCAA's team of the week.

College player news:

Washington's Kelsey Plum is closing in on more than one record.

Rebecca Greenwell has the hot hand for Duke.

Victoria Gaines has found her game for Michigan State.

Syracuse's Brittney Sykes learned to dance in the rain.

Temple's Donnaizha Fountain wants to be in front of the camera.

Gabbi Ortiz's play has energized the Sooners.

WNBA news:

Major trade today:

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever have acquired five-time WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree in a three-team trade involving the Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun, as announced by Fever President and General Manager Kelly Krauskopf. From the Mercury, Indiana receives Dupree and a second-round draft pick (No. 17 overall) in the 2017 WNBA Draft. Indiana sends Lynetta Kizer and the Fever’s first-round draft pick (No. 8 overall) to Connecticut. Capping the transaction, Connecticut trades Camille Little and Jillian Alleyne to Phoenix.

High school news:

Remember Mo'Ne Davis?......"Six years later, Davis is the ankle-breaking, dime-dropping point guard for the Monarchs...."

How sad that she doesn't have female players as role models.

ESPN's top 25 rankings for the week.

More Candice Wiggins fallout

ESPN brings to light that the WNBA has comment on Candice Wiggins allegations of bullying while she was in the league.

Chicago Sky forward Imani Boyette has a well-worded response.

Former player Monique Currie says perception is real.

Rebecca Lobo isn't buying it.

Nothing else significant in print yet, but Wiggins has sure pissed people off. I hope she's got a lot of provisions on that island she's now living on, since she burned every bridge that she had.

I'm still laughing at the allegation that 98 percent of the WNBA is lesbian. Not even remotely possible.

Monday, February 20, 2017

Just another night of upendings and close ones

Upset:

#12 Ohio State took down #2 Maryland, 98-87.

Close games:

#4 Baylor survived #6 Texas, 70-67.

Alabama nipped Auburn in OT, 63-61.

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule.

College team news:

The College of Charleston has women's basketball's "deflategate."

Penn's drive perfection is over, but there is a silver lining in their loss.

Utah showed grit in defeat yesterday.

College player news:

Alliya Butts and Feyonda Fitzgerald are the queens of the court for Temple.

Ohio State's Shayla Cooper has evolved on and off the court.

How the Buckeyes are replacing injured Stephanie Mavunga.

Missouri's Sophie Cunningham is ready for her star turn.

Nebraska's freshmen duo are sticking to the process and spurring hope for the future.

Pachis Roberts is scoring in her final season for Georgia.

Fordham's three seniors excel in the classroom.

Illinois' Petra Holesinska is no stranger to distance.

Kristina Nelson will return next season for a fifth year at Notre Dame.

College coach news:

The coaching career of Indiana assistant Mistie Bass has humble beginnings.

DePaul's coaching staff has brought stability.

NCAA Committee seeding revelation:

UConn and Mississippi State are 1-2 in the latest NCAA Committee seeding reveal.

WNBA news:

Odyssey Sims is just what the Sparks needed after losing Kristi Toliver.

Former WNBA players Shannon Bobbitt and Amber Holt will be inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame.

AP top 25 poll

Temple and Missouri replace Kansas State and Texas A&M in this week's AP top 25 poll:

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

Catching up with WomensHoopsWorld

Michigan State’s Tori Jankoska is is WomensHoopsWorld’s player of the week

Coach’s Chair: Joe Legerski, University of Wyoming

Billings’ record-tying performance paces Bruins past WSU, 67-48

Plum continues to make history in Washington’s 87-74 victory over USC

Lynx forward Seimone Augustus on why WNBA players go overseas to make money

Deep thoughts from Seimone Augustus.

Candice Wiggins faults WNBA culture

Strong statements from Candice Wiggins on the WNBA, to say the least:

For the first time in an extensive interview, Wiggins described what she said was a “very, very harmful” culture in the WNBA – one in which she contends she was bullied throughout her eight-year career. She also described the discouragement she felt being a part of a “survival league” that she said still struggles for attention and legitimacy after 20 seasons in existence.

Wiggins, who turned 30 on Feb. 14, abruptly announced her retirement last March while considering a contract extension from the New York Liberty – her fourth WNBA team.

“I wanted to play two more seasons of WNBA, but the experience didn’t lend itself to my mental state,” Wiggins said. “It was a depressing state in the WNBA. It’s not watched. Our value is diminished. It can be quite hard. I didn’t like the culture inside the WNBA, and without revealing too much, it was toxic for me. … My spirit was being broken.”

Wiggins, a four-time All-American at Stanford, asserts she was targeted for harassment from the time she was drafted by Minnesota because she is heterosexual and a nationally popular figure, of whom many other players were jealous.

“Me being heterosexual and straight, and being vocal in my identity as a straight woman was huge,” Wiggins said. “I would say 98 percent of the women in the WNBA are gay women. It was a conformist type of place. There was a whole different set of rules they (the other players) could apply.


Wonder what brought all this about.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Carnage Sunday

Upsets, upsets, upsets.

Upsets of the ranked kind:

A late layup sent Missouri past #6 South Carolina, 62-60.

Wake Forest toppled #15 NC State, 89-77.

Marquette cruised by #17 DePaul, 96-81.

Michigan State routed #20 Michigan, 86-68, behind a whopping performance by Tori Jankoska.

Temple dumped #22 South Florida, 77-71.

Upsets of the unranked kind:

Colorado 76, Oregon 66

Vanderbilt 85, Ole Miss 67

Almost upsets:

#3 Mississippi State 72, #23 Texas A&M 67

#7 Notre Dame rallied past #21 Syracuse, 85-80.

Northern Iowa 61, Indiana State 59 (OT)

Villanova 61, Butler 58 (OT)

Georgia 70, LSU 65 (OT)

All scores.

Big Monday features #2 Maryland at #12 Onio State, and #4 Baylor at #8 Texas. Full schedule.

College team news:

Syracuse set a new attendance record in their loss to Notre Dame today. They continue their upward trajectory.

College player news:

Washington's Kelsey Plum is creeping up on the NCAA all-time scoring record after today's 35-point showing.

Monique Billings tied a school record with 25 rebounds in UCLA's 67-48 win over WSU.

Haley Smith passed the 1,000-point career mark for the Buffs today.

Myisha Hines-Allen is the difference-maker for Louisville.

Syracuse's Alexis Paterson combines talent with hard work.

Sabrina Haines' newfound confidence is paying dividends for Arizona State.

Big goals and big memories abound for Stanford seniors.

Kalani Purcell does it all for BYU.

Missouri's Lianna Doty takes nothing for granted.

Paige Crozon is ready to cap off her brilliant career at Utah.

Freshman Alexes Bryant has left Oklahoma State.

College coach news:

The late Kay Yow's words have had a lasting impact.

Playing for Kay in daily life.

Adrian Walters' coaching career started at an unexpected place before arriving at Auburn.

Friday, February 17, 2017

Whoa now

Upsets:

#18 UCLA took down #9 Washington, 90-79. Jordin Canada came off the bench to lead the Bruins, with 22 points. Kelsey Plum made 39 points look easy for the Huskies.

Arizona bested Arizona State, 62-58.

Almost upset:

#11 Oregon State got by Colorado, 54-49.

Villanova pushed past Xavier in tOT, 76-71.

More results:

Oregon 73, Utah 61.

USC 80, Washington State 64.

Milwaukee 72, Green Bay 60.

All scores.

A whoppin' 120 games tomorrow.

So much news before scores

College team news:

Oklahoma sees sweet rewards with better rebounding.

A new question for a frequent champion is whether or not to meet the President.

JMU is preparing for a stretch run.

More than 10,000 tickets have been sold for Notre Dame at Syracuse on Sunday.

Michigan has also sold 10,000 tickets to Sunday's game versus Michigan State.

Florida State is reeling from losses and a key injury.

Maryland is ramping up their defense to prepare for the postseason.

Texas is on a 19-game tear and stampeding toward the Big 12 title.

The Oregon chronicles.

Guard play has been key for Oregon State down the stretch.

From second-last to second-best, how Seattle U has turned its fortunes around.

CSUN has a winning streak going.

College player news:

Can freshman Tyasha Harris lead South Carolina to the SEC crown?

Questions have arisen about Tennessee's Diamond DeShields and Jaime Nared.

Q&A with Washington's Kelsey Plum.

Napheesa Collier's relentless style is producing big dividends for UConn.

The Syracuse back court of Alexis Peterson and Brittney Sykes is thriving.

Sabrina Ionescu's season is already historic for Oregon.

A former Longhorn star inspired Oklahoma State's Diana Omozee.

College coach news:

How the coaching circle saved Angel Elderkin's life.

Dawn Staley to critics: be fans, not coaches.

Win or lose, Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman plays it his way until the end.

Geno Auriemma's new five-year contract with UConn is worth $13 million.

Kim Barnes Arico is taking Michigan to new heights.

As the Wolverines soar, Barnes Arico is trying to ease the pressure.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma is looking for more options down the stretch.

WNBA news:

The Wings traded Odyssey Sims to the Sparks in exchange for two picks.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Upset city again

Another upset-ful night:

Virginia 60, #4 Florida State 51.

Indiana 72, #20 Michigan 61.

LSU 67, #23 Texas A&M 63.

Almost upset:

#7 Notre Dame 84, Clemson 80.

More results:

Alabama beat Tennessee, 65-57, and Diamond DeShields left the game on a stretcher after a first-quarter collision with an opponent.

#3 Mississippi State 58, Georgia 49

#6 South Carolina 82, Vanderbilt 51

Kentucky 69, Arkansas 62.

Michigan State 85, Minnesota 69.

Iowa 78, Northwestern 59.

All scores so far, as a few teams are still battling at this hour, including Cal and #10 Stanford.

Tomorrow's schedule features #9 Washington at #18 UCLA.

College conference news:

Evaluating Pac 12 team's postseason resumes.

College team news:

NC State is back in Reynolds Coliseum and back in the top 25.

Syracuse is set to smash their attendance record Sunday.

Hard work keeps Oregon State on top of Pac 12 standings.

College player news:

Stanford's bounce-back twins are riding high during their perfect junior season.

Chantel Osahor, Washington's rebounding machine, explains why she's so successful.

Kelsey Moos is ready to return from injury for ASU.

Oregon's freshmen are setting the pace entering the home stretch.

Isabella Slim has doubled her playing time in her final year with Syracuse.

With big brother Russell Wilson's help, Anna Wilson is fighting for her basketball career.

Utah's Tanaeya Boclair embraces many on and off-court roles.

Purdue forward Ae’Rianna Harris is about to break the single-season freshman blocks record.

Wyoming's Liv Roberts is out for the season with a knee injury.

College coach news:

Veteran Hall of Fame coach Lin Dunn says Kentucky is on the right track.

Youth basketball:

A New Jersey Archdiocese has cleared the way for two girls to return to the Catholic basketball squad they were kicked off of earlier this month.

WNBA news:

With GM role added to coaching duties, Curt Miller likes the Sun's chances this year.

Elena Delle Donne and fiance Amanda Clifton are the 2017 The Knot Dream Wedding couple.

From awkward teen to the Hall of Fame: Kara Wolters' journey.

WNBA transactions:

February 16, 2017
Team Player Transaction


Los Angeles Ogwumike, Nneka Contract Extension
Minnesota Jarry, Rachel Rights Renounced

February 15, 2017
Team Player Transaction


Los Angeles Lavender, Jantel Contract Extension
Connecticut Faris, Kelly Contract Signed
Connecticut Hamson, Jennifer Contract Signed
Connecticut Pedersen, Kayla Contract Signed

February 14, 2017
Team Player Transaction


Phoenix Mitchell, Leilani Contract Signed

February 9, 2017
Team Player Transaction


Atlanta Knight, Whitney Contract Signed
Los Angeles Hopkins, Chelsea Contract Signed
Los Angeles Parker, Candace Contract Extension

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Senior CLASS Award finalists

Women’s Basketball 2016-17 Finalists

Name Position School


Lindsay Allen Guard Notre Dame
Nina Davis Forward Baylor University
Brionna Jones Center Maryland
Erica McCall Forward Stanford
Adrienne Motley Guard University of Miami
Kelsey Plum Guard University of Washington
Leticia Romero Point Guard Florida State University
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough Guard Maryland
Lizzy Wendell Forward Drake University
Sydney Wiese Guard Oregon State

Link.

Story lines many, intensity high

Upset:

West Virginia topped #24 Kansas State, 66-59.

Many other interesting scores today.

The usual SEC-led situation tomorrow.

College team news:

South Carolina looking past their UConn loss to their final stretch.

Florida State vows to learn from their upset Monday as the postseason approaches.

"Flawed" Kentucky keeps winning despite statistical mediocrity.

UCLA has created a unique, personalized recruiting process.

Gonzaga continues to win games, but not the RPI wars.

Ohio's bench is honing their skills while waiting for their chance to shine.

Two wins by the College of Charleston were overturned by the CAA, because they used men's basketballs in competition.

UConn's run shows the need for change.

UConn turns their attention to winning another title.

Notre Dame will deal with a short bench against Clemson.

Penn seeks to keep their drive for perfection alive.

ESPN's new mid-major rankings sees Drake at the top.

College player news:

On the brink of the NCAA scoring record, Husky Kelsey Plum will still talk trash about the Cougars.

ODU scoring star Jennie Simms profiled.

Stephanie Paul has moved into Georgia's starting lineup.

Belmont's Darby Maggard is shooting to the top of the charts.

UConn's Gabby Williams started slowly, but has soared to the front.

Penn State's De'Janae Boykin and Keke Sevillian will both miss the rest of the season.

Mandy Coleman's scoring is a bright spot for Oklahoma State.

With Macy Miller out, Lexi Alexander is thriving for South Dakota State.

The NCAA's starting five this week includes Texas freshman Joyner Holmes.

BYU helped a former player fulfill a bucket list wish. She has cancer.

College coach news:

Coach Maureen Magarity has New Hampshire sitting atop the America East.

NCAA Tournament:

The new President declines to fill out an NCAA bracket this year.

Columbus has begun preparations for next year's Final Four.

The 2018 Final Four logo was unveiled today.

Politics:

North Carolina's governor is urging the state legislature to repeal House Bill 2, or risk a six-year NCAA ban.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

As the regular season blazes on, the copy flows

Conference news:

With three weeks to go, the Pac 12 race is still wide open.

College team news:

Texas is the NCAA's team of the week.

Maryland's best start ever has included a slew of individual milestones.

The Terps bench needs to keep pushing, as postseason nears.

BYU is passing and stealing its way to a high WCC tournament seed as league play wraps up.

Florida is getting a boost after going back to the basics in practice.

Illinois harbors that empty feeling.

Staying positive helped Oregon State notch a bounce-back win Sunday.

New Mexico has lost yet another player to injury.

Not everyone is ready to celebrate UConn's dominance.

College player news:

A big heart has fueled Michigan State's Tori Jankoska through her record-setting career.

Hannah Fenske brings the intangibles for Navy.

St. John's Imani Littleton is out for the season with a knee injury.

College coach news:

Harvard coach Kathy Delaney-Smith: how do you last 35 years?

Coach Tonya Cardoza is turning Temple back around.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma got his start in Philadelphia.

Southern Mississippi coach Joye Lee-McNelis will take a leave of absence to battle lung cancer.

Was Quentin Hillsman rebuked by Sylvia Hatchell after their game last week?

Today's results:

UCF upset #22 USF, 66-62.

Today's scores.

Big Ten and Big 12 match ups highlight tomorrow's schedule.

High school/middle school news:

Deaf sisters succeed on the court with unique communication system.

This week's top 25 rankings.

Middle school girls learned about girl power from former WNBA great Chamique Holdsclaw.

WNBA and pro news:

Sun forward Morgan Tuck got to meet Jesse Jackson recently.

An Elena Delle Donne-Emma Meesseman front court opens up the Mystics playbook this season.

Jantel Lavender has extended her contract with the Sparks.

The Mercury have signed Leilani Mitchell.

Overseas report.

How a new minor league could transform the sport.

USA Today top 25 coaches poll

Cal and Tennessee out, Texas A&M and Temple into this week's USA Today top 25 coaches poll:

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

Monday, February 13, 2017

Big Monday doesn't disappoint

#8 Texas outlasted #4 Florida State in an epic two OT game, 92-88.

Moments ago, #1 UConn made it 100 wins in a row with a 66-55 decision over #6 South Carolina.

More results:

Vanderbilt edged LSU, 70-68.

Minnesota eclipsed Northwestern, 71-61.

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule.

College team news:

Indiana's Tournament hopes are trending upward.

Clemson is looking to the postseason.

Cornell remains optimistic after a tough weekend.

Richmond is clinging to memories of coaches Ginny Doyle and Natalie Lewis.

College player news:

Kalani Purcell has found success, happiness and love at BYU.

College coach news:

Marwan Miller, Ohio's favorite assistant, has returned.

Gay coach finds acceptance comes easily from her new team.

AP top 25 poll: rumbling and tumbling

Big games and big upsets mean big changes in this week's AP top 25 poll. Maryland up to #2, Texas up to #8, and Texas A&M and Drake replace Arizona State and Tennessee:

1. Connecticut
2. Maryland
3. Mississippi State
4. Baylor
4. Florida State
6. South Carolina
7. Notre Dame
8. Texas
9. Washington
10. Stanford
11. Oregon State
12. Ohio State
13. Duke
14. Louisville
15. North Carolina State
16. Miami
17. DePaul
18. UCLA
19. Oklahoma
20. Michigan
21. Syracuse
22. South Florida
23. Texas A&M
24. Kansas State
25. Drake

Coach's Chair, POW

In this week's Coach's Chair, Teri Moren of Indiana University.

Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu is is WomensHoopsWorld’s player of the week.

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Big games, big Monday preview

One upset today:

Texas A&M rallied to beat #24 Tennessee, 61-59.

More results:

#2 Baylor 91, TCU 73

#3 Maryland 89, Michigan State 72....Spartan Tori Jankoska scored her 2,000th career point.

#4 Mississippi State 66, Ole Miss 44

#7 Notre Dame 90, Georgia Tech 69

#8 Stanford 87, Utah 51

#9 Oregon State 68, #15 UCLA 61

#10 Washington 70, #23 Arizona State 57

#12 Louisville 68, Boston College 43

#13 Ohio State 88, Iowa 81

#14 Duke 62, Pitt 48

#16 Miami 81, Clemson 57

#17 NC State 85, Virginia Tech 71

#18 DePaul 92, Butler 62

#20 Syracuse 95, North Carolina 64....Brittney Sykes led the Orange with 34 points.

#21 Michigan 75, Wisconsin 66

#22 South Florida 66, Tulane 56

Florida 66, Alabama 56

Virginia 60, Wake Forest 57 (OT)

Arizona 70, Washington State 62

Oregon 73, USC 50

Marquette 86, Xavier 71

Georgia 57, Auburn 51

Missouri 67, Arkansas 56

Colorado 64, Cal 59

All scores.

Tomorrow's schedule includes the Big Monday matchups of #11 Texas at #5 Florida State and #6 South Carolina at #1 Connecticut.

Big Monday:

South Carolina is a unique challenge as UConn looks for their 100th win.

Five keys to beating UConn.

South Carolina is headed into an historic meeting with the Huskies.

The Gamecocks are preparing.

UConn is one win away from a milestone.

College team news:

Searching for a killer instinct from Notre Dame.

College player news:

Teinya Page is continuing her strong play for Penn State.

Duke transfer Azura Stevens is bursting with potential for UConn.

Kalista Walters is growing into her role with Pitt.

College coach news:

Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant returned to duties today - her first game coached since Jan. 14, after which she took medical leave.

Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said recruiting like-minded players is the key to success.

WNBA news:

Dearica Hamby's first child is giving her a break from basketball.

Broadcasting is helping former coach Dan Hughes fill the void.

Women's Basketball Hall of Fame annouces 2017 inductees

The 2017 list:

Sally Bell
Christine Grant
Rick Insell
Louise O'Neal
Sheryl Swoopes
Kara Wolters

'I don't understand why kids don't have emotion' — a Q&A with Holly Warlick

Penetrating insight by Lady Vol coach Holly Warlick in this Q&A. Most pertinent is this:

And I don’t understand why kids don’t have emotion. But that’s me. We’re up and down, we’ll play great one night and then the next night you’ll go ‘Why did you throw that ball…’ We’re striving for perfection and I don’t think anybody has reached perfection.”......

“Yeah, here’s what I think has been missing in kids since maybe four years ago. I think kids overall, I think they’ve lost the love of the game. I think somewhere along the line we’ve lost some passion. Where did that go? Why is it gone? Because you’ve got to spend too much time here. Because you’re supposed to, because you’ve always done it. I think you saw fewer injuries (before) because we’re running track, playing basketball. And now we’re pounding, pounding, pounding. We get these kids and they’ve got bad knees, bad ankles, bad shoulders. And that’s just because of the wear and tear of their bodies. But I think for some reason — and don’t get me wrong, on our team we’ve got great kids. Great kids. But sometimes we’re not consistently passionate about the game. And I think that’s my feel on women’s basketball across the board with kids nowadays. I think the four kids we have coming in, I think they have a love for the game. They could prove me wrong.”


I've talked with coaches of all levels for the last several years, and all agree with Warlick: the pursuit of scholarships has created a machine. Kids are having overuse issues in high school, far earlier than they used to.

What will be the long-term effects on the game from this?