No surprises tonight, unless it was what a great game Purdue made it. They really did have a chance to take it until about 50 seconds. I appreciate that kind of grit.
Story link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=294000046
But again, I wish UConn (tonight's other winner) and Stanford weren't playing each other. That, to me, is the national championship game this year.
More on Maryland's loss last night - photos and links from the "basketcases":
http://dcbasketcases.blogspot.com/2009/03/great-run-terps-had-quite-run-this.html
National championships are sure hard to come by. Not too many people have rings to wear after all is said and done.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Kelsey Bone moves up her announcement to tomorrow
Just pick a school, already:
http://www.illinihq.com/news/women_basketball/2009/03/30/bone_moves_up_announcement
Although, you have to wonder why this item is in the Illinois newspaper.........
http://www.illinihq.com/news/women_basketball/2009/03/30/bone_moves_up_announcement
Although, you have to wonder why this item is in the Illinois newspaper.........
Monday, March 30, 2009
And then there were six (half of Final Four decided)
Though I was one of many who thought Maryland overrated this season, I don't think I'm alone in saying Louisville came out of nowhere this year to win tonight. I wouldn't have thought "Final Four" and Louisville to be in the same sentence at the end of March, but they were really gritty tonight. They wanted the win, which is more than it looked like Maryland wanted. I'm not going to speculate, but Louisville's hunger for victory was palpable tonight.
ESPN story link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=294000030
I was laughing at the way Louisville was starting to jump up and down.........until Marissa Coleman stepped to the FT line with tears in her eyes. When she came out of the game she walked into Coach Brenda Frese's arms and wouldn't leave them. Just inconsolable on the bench. It was sad.
Then Card Angel McCoughtry started yelling into the camera to Kara Lawson, about how she'd see her in St. Louis (Lawson had picked the Terps to win). McCoughtry also said she was ready for Obama before getting off camera. Some people thought it was in poor taste, but I'm willing to give the kid the benefit of the doubt. We all do and say wack stuff when we're excited.
This piece in today's Baltimore Sun provides some insight into McCoughtry's personality:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/basketball/womens/bal-sp.mccoughtry30mar30,0,1749103.story
In Angel, Roi and his wife, Sharon, had a capricious child, one who didn't like the word "no" and often brought her mother to tears.
"I'm sort of a quiet, laid-back person, and I thought I'd have a quiet, laid-back child," Sharon said. "But she was just the opposite. If I told her, 'Let's do this,' she'd do the opposite. Now that I realize, she had all that energy for a reason; it just had to be channeled into something."
Basketball became the perfect outlet. Growing up in Baltimore's Northwood neighborhood, there was always a game nearby for a teenage McCoughtry. It usually meant playing against boys, though older, quicker and tougher.
And here's another testament to hard work:
Once on campus, she kept working on her game and kept improving. As a sophomore, McCoughtry was named Big East Player of the Year.
"I joke with her that I'm not sure how many friends she has," Louisville coach Jeff Walz said. "She's always in the gym."
I'd like to take a moment to thank all the young men all over the country who had no problem playing with McCoughtry, Dawn Staley, and countless other women who went on to great things in the sport they love because of it.
On the other side of the NCAA tourney, and the country, Jayne Appel is taking over where Candice Wiggins left off last year. Forty-six points is pretty amazing.
ESPN story link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=294000015
Appel story link: http://www.mercurynews.com/sportsheadlines/ci_12026703?nclick_check=1
“She’s a 10 out of 10,” teammate Jillian Harmon said, describing Appel’s mental toughness. “You can count on her. She’s going to do whatever it takes.”
Tenacity and toughness are great things.
But all this leaves me a little uncertain. Have I mentioned I'm going to the Final Four? First time, and it's more than a little ironic that my team got knocked out in the first round. Even more ironic when I consider that the likely matchup on one side of the semi-finals - Stanford and Connecticut - will probably be the true championship game. Because let's face it, ladies and gentlemen, those are the top two teams in the country right now. Not taking away anything from Oklahoma (who will also probably win tomorrow, alongside the Huskies), but Stanford and Connecticut have been kicking butt and taking names this post-season. The only way either/one of them will lose in the next week or so is to each other.
Faced with that, I'm prepared for this year's championship game to be a bit of a letdown (unless some wild upset takes place). I just hope it's not like the 2005 game, when Baylor kicked the butts of Michigan State.
On the bright side, I'm not emotionally invested in any team right now, so I can just enjoy myself in St. Louis.
Tomorrow:
Connecticut vs. ASU, 4 PDT/7 EDT
Purdue vs. Oklahmoa, 6/9
ESPN story link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=294000030
I was laughing at the way Louisville was starting to jump up and down.........until Marissa Coleman stepped to the FT line with tears in her eyes. When she came out of the game she walked into Coach Brenda Frese's arms and wouldn't leave them. Just inconsolable on the bench. It was sad.
Then Card Angel McCoughtry started yelling into the camera to Kara Lawson, about how she'd see her in St. Louis (Lawson had picked the Terps to win). McCoughtry also said she was ready for Obama before getting off camera. Some people thought it was in poor taste, but I'm willing to give the kid the benefit of the doubt. We all do and say wack stuff when we're excited.
This piece in today's Baltimore Sun provides some insight into McCoughtry's personality:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/basketball/womens/bal-sp.mccoughtry30mar30,0,1749103.story
In Angel, Roi and his wife, Sharon, had a capricious child, one who didn't like the word "no" and often brought her mother to tears.
"I'm sort of a quiet, laid-back person, and I thought I'd have a quiet, laid-back child," Sharon said. "But she was just the opposite. If I told her, 'Let's do this,' she'd do the opposite. Now that I realize, she had all that energy for a reason; it just had to be channeled into something."
Basketball became the perfect outlet. Growing up in Baltimore's Northwood neighborhood, there was always a game nearby for a teenage McCoughtry. It usually meant playing against boys, though older, quicker and tougher.
And here's another testament to hard work:
Once on campus, she kept working on her game and kept improving. As a sophomore, McCoughtry was named Big East Player of the Year.
"I joke with her that I'm not sure how many friends she has," Louisville coach Jeff Walz said. "She's always in the gym."
I'd like to take a moment to thank all the young men all over the country who had no problem playing with McCoughtry, Dawn Staley, and countless other women who went on to great things in the sport they love because of it.
On the other side of the NCAA tourney, and the country, Jayne Appel is taking over where Candice Wiggins left off last year. Forty-six points is pretty amazing.
ESPN story link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=294000015
Appel story link: http://www.mercurynews.com/sportsheadlines/ci_12026703?nclick_check=1
“She’s a 10 out of 10,” teammate Jillian Harmon said, describing Appel’s mental toughness. “You can count on her. She’s going to do whatever it takes.”
Tenacity and toughness are great things.
But all this leaves me a little uncertain. Have I mentioned I'm going to the Final Four? First time, and it's more than a little ironic that my team got knocked out in the first round. Even more ironic when I consider that the likely matchup on one side of the semi-finals - Stanford and Connecticut - will probably be the true championship game. Because let's face it, ladies and gentlemen, those are the top two teams in the country right now. Not taking away anything from Oklahoma (who will also probably win tomorrow, alongside the Huskies), but Stanford and Connecticut have been kicking butt and taking names this post-season. The only way either/one of them will lose in the next week or so is to each other.
Faced with that, I'm prepared for this year's championship game to be a bit of a letdown (unless some wild upset takes place). I just hope it's not like the 2005 game, when Baylor kicked the butts of Michigan State.
On the bright side, I'm not emotionally invested in any team right now, so I can just enjoy myself in St. Louis.
Tomorrow:
Connecticut vs. ASU, 4 PDT/7 EDT
Purdue vs. Oklahmoa, 6/9
Sunday, March 29, 2009
I was close
For someone who doesn't do predictions, I was only one point off on both night games.
Connecticut 77
Cal 53
Arizona State 84
Texas A&M 69
Purdue 67
Rutgers 61
Oklahoma 70
Pittsburgh 59
Cal looked really good for a little while in the first half, but Conn's defense smothers. I like Cal's progression, though, and hope to see Boyle cutting down nets sometime in the next few years.
I'm surprised by Arizona State's win, frankly. Nothing personal against them, but I didn't think they had it in them.
I'm impressed with the way C. Vivian Stringer and Rutgers didn't give up this season and fought back after a lot of adversity. They have it their all today.
Oklahoma, well, what can you say (They were up by almost 30 at one point in the second half tonight). They and Stanford and UConn are the three best right now, if you ask me. I wonder which two are going to make it. Whichever the case, it won't come easy.
UConn-Cal story: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=294000053
ASU-A&M story: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=294000060
Tomorrow:
Louisville vs. Maryland, 4 PDT/7 EDT
Iowa State vs. Stanford, 6/9
Connecticut 77
Cal 53
Arizona State 84
Texas A&M 69
Purdue 67
Rutgers 61
Oklahoma 70
Pittsburgh 59
Cal looked really good for a little while in the first half, but Conn's defense smothers. I like Cal's progression, though, and hope to see Boyle cutting down nets sometime in the next few years.
I'm surprised by Arizona State's win, frankly. Nothing personal against them, but I didn't think they had it in them.
I'm impressed with the way C. Vivian Stringer and Rutgers didn't give up this season and fought back after a lot of adversity. They have it their all today.
Oklahoma, well, what can you say (They were up by almost 30 at one point in the second half tonight). They and Stanford and UConn are the three best right now, if you ask me. I wonder which two are going to make it. Whichever the case, it won't come easy.
UConn-Cal story: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=294000053
ASU-A&M story: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=294000060
Tomorrow:
Louisville vs. Maryland, 4 PDT/7 EDT
Iowa State vs. Stanford, 6/9
Alexis Hornbuckle comes back
The illustrious M.M. Cornelius - the scout.com reporter who is at pretty much every Tennessee practice - got some great photos the other day when Alexis Hornbuckle came to visit. She posted them on "The Summitt" message board and called them, "the hug collection." As someone who loves warm fuzzies, I dig each and every Lex pic. Dig:
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=7&f=1373&t=4146699
Thanks, MMC, for being the eyes and ears of Volfanatics and taking us where we wish we could be.
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=7&f=1373&t=4146699
Thanks, MMC, for being the eyes and ears of Volfanatics and taking us where we wish we could be.
Today's NCAA Tournament schedule
Cal vs. UConn, 9 a.m. PDT/12 p.m. EDT
Arizona State vs. Texas A&M, 11:30/2:30
Rutgers vs. Purdue, 4:30/7:30
Pittsburgh vs. Oklahoma, 6:30/9:30
Predictions: UConn by 15
Texas A&M by 10
Purdue by five
Oklahoma by 12
Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer predicts Cal will upset UConn. I don't know, but I hope she's right.
Arizona State vs. Texas A&M, 11:30/2:30
Rutgers vs. Purdue, 4:30/7:30
Pittsburgh vs. Oklahoma, 6:30/9:30
Predictions: UConn by 15
Texas A&M by 10
Purdue by five
Oklahoma by 12
Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer predicts Cal will upset UConn. I don't know, but I hope she's right.
Candace Parker wins kid's choice female athlete award
CP beat out the Williams sisters and Danica Patrick for the honor last night:
http://www.nick.com/kids-choice-awards/nominees.jhtml
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/28/entertainment/main4900215.shtml
Parker always does put kids first - I can vouch for that from personal experience. The award is well-deserved. Congrats, CP.
http://www.nick.com/kids-choice-awards/nominees.jhtml
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/28/entertainment/main4900215.shtml
Parker always does put kids first - I can vouch for that from personal experience. The award is well-deserved. Congrats, CP.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The best games were the ones in the middle
Louisville 56
Baylor 39
Maryland 78
Vanderbilt 74
Iowa State 69
Michigan State 68
Stanford 84
Ohio State 66
Whoa on Marissa Coleman's 42 points for the Terps!
I pray Cal doesn't get slaughtered tomorrow.
Baylor 39
Maryland 78
Vanderbilt 74
Iowa State 69
Michigan State 68
Stanford 84
Ohio State 66
Whoa on Marissa Coleman's 42 points for the Terps!
I pray Cal doesn't get slaughtered tomorrow.
Today's Sweet 16 matchups
Right now Louisville is playing Baylor - the game just started, and it's on ESPN360.
At 11 a.m. PDT/2 p.m. EDT, Vanderbilt plays Maryland.
Tonight at 6/9 p.m. it's Michigan State vs. Iowa State.
The final game of the evening is 8:30/11:30 - Ohio State-Stanford.
It seems like forever since round 2 on Monday. WOO!! Here we go!!
At 11 a.m. PDT/2 p.m. EDT, Vanderbilt plays Maryland.
Tonight at 6/9 p.m. it's Michigan State vs. Iowa State.
The final game of the evening is 8:30/11:30 - Ohio State-Stanford.
It seems like forever since round 2 on Monday. WOO!! Here we go!!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Spring/Summer circuit
A fantastic poster on the fullcourt.com forums put up the high school club team major events list for the summer:
Boo Williams Nike Invitational / Hampton,VA-April 17-19
Deep South / Raleigh,NC-April 17-19
Nike Tournament of Champions / Cincinnati,OH-May 23-25
Nike Skills Academy / Beaverton,Oregon-June 30-July 3
USA Invitational / Penn State-July 5-8
Boo Williams All-American Showcase / Hampton,Va-July 9-11
Showtime Nat'l Championship / Atlanta,GA-July 10-12
Battle in the Boro / Murphreesboro,Tenn-July 12-15
Nike Summer Showcase / Chicago-July 11-15
Basketball on the Bayou / New Orleans-July 21-25
Jr Nationals / Washington,DC-July-22-25
Nike Nationals / North Augusta,SC-July 28-31
Ah, if I was rich and could travel at will.......I'd be at every one of these.
Interesting comments in the rest of the thread, too:
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=427&f=1324&t=4145746
I bet I know which one of the Cal coaches declined to have a door opened for her.
Edit to add two more:
End of the Trails / Portland, OR - July 6-9
San Diego Classic / San Diego - July 16-19
Hey, I can go to at least one of those.
Boo Williams Nike Invitational / Hampton,VA-April 17-19
Deep South / Raleigh,NC-April 17-19
Nike Tournament of Champions / Cincinnati,OH-May 23-25
Nike Skills Academy / Beaverton,Oregon-June 30-July 3
USA Invitational / Penn State-July 5-8
Boo Williams All-American Showcase / Hampton,Va-July 9-11
Showtime Nat'l Championship / Atlanta,GA-July 10-12
Battle in the Boro / Murphreesboro,Tenn-July 12-15
Nike Summer Showcase / Chicago-July 11-15
Basketball on the Bayou / New Orleans-July 21-25
Jr Nationals / Washington,DC-July-22-25
Nike Nationals / North Augusta,SC-July 28-31
Ah, if I was rich and could travel at will.......I'd be at every one of these.
Interesting comments in the rest of the thread, too:
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=427&f=1324&t=4145746
I bet I know which one of the Cal coaches declined to have a door opened for her.
Edit to add two more:
End of the Trails / Portland, OR - July 6-9
San Diego Classic / San Diego - July 16-19
Hey, I can go to at least one of those.
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