Monday, November 7, 2016

NCAA news cascade continues

College team news:

D.C.-area team capsules.

Syracuse faces a tough road in ACC play.

Missouri is poised for an encore after last year's NCAA bid.

BYU season preview.

Lehigh is ready to run with a revamped roster.

It's a "NU" era for Nebraska.

Virginia brings a strong freshman class into the season.

North Texas is tapping into high school powerhouse Duncanville.

With five starters back, Northern Illinois looks to make noise in the MAC West.

Three things to learn from Ohio's win Saturday.

Gabby Williams can score and UConn can run.

Kentucky is back in business with an impressive 2017 recruiting class.

College player news:

Can A'ja Wilson and Alaina Coates lead South Carolina back to the Final Four?

Maryland is cashing in on Shatori Walker-Kimbrough's chip.

Tori Jankoska is ready to assume a leadership role at Michigan State.

Louisville's Briahanna Jackson is focused on the team in her final season.

Gonzaga's Elle Tinkle is motivated by last season's injury-plagued run.

Freshman Aislinn "Ace" Konig is providing energy at NC State.

Iowa freshmen Makenzie Myer and Kathleen Doyle are adjusting to college hoops.

College coach news:

Cal coach Lindsay Gottlieb is having a baby!

Jennifer Rizzotti brings her experience to George Washington.

Coach's Chair: Candace Whitaker, Texas Tech University

Young Texas Tech coach Candace Whitaker is in the interview chair this week.

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Exhibitions early indicators?

Exhibition results:

South Carolina thrashed opponent Benedict today, 120-49.

Similarly, Duke crushed Charleston, 129-46.

Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff is unhappy with the effort and focus of the team in today's exhibition win.

Nebraska struggled in their win, as well.

UAlbany got a feel for the upcoming season today.

A comparison of Maryland's exhibition wins.

Iowa State tested defenses and lineups in today's victory.

College team news:

Five things to watch in Tennessee's exhibition game tomorrow.

Five storylines that could define Kentucky's season.

St. John's: still plenty of talent on hand.

Three things to watch at Nebraska.

Virginia has added newcomers to battle-tested veterans.

UConn is working to find leaders within.

Almost glory: the 2007 Rutgers team.

College player news:

Meet the Kentucky Wildcats.

Meet the Huskers.

Q&A with Nebraska's Allie Havers.

Wisconsin's Cayla McMorris is being encouraged to take a leading role.

Saniya Chong hopes to save her best for last at UConn.

College coach news:

Notre Dame assistant coaches Niele Ivey and Beth Cunningham will be inducted into the program's Ring of Honor.

WNBA news:

Coach Van Chancellor is a portrait of excellence.

Atlanta Dream coach Michael Cooper is chillin in Anchorage.

High school news:

Nike Nationals will leave Augusta, Georgia and head to Chicago.

Lady Vols 2016-2017: lean but hungry

My annual Tennessee preview with Maria M. Cornelius.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Preseason heads up

AP women's preseason All-American team:

A'ja Wilson, South Carolina
Kelsey Plum, Washington
Brianna Turner, Notre Dame
Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State
Nina Davis, Baylor

ESPN's preseason mid-major poll:

1. South Dakota State
2. Western Kentucky
3. Chattanooga
4. Penn
5. Green Bay
6. St. Louis
7. Belmont
8. Gonzaga
9. Colorado State
10. Bucknell

Stages continue to be set

NCAA news:

Rhonda Lundin Bennett, senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator at the University of Nevada, will serve as chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Sport Committee during the 2017-18 academic year.

College team news:

South Carolina has risen in an unprecedented era of strength in SEC basketball.

Washington isn't afraid of rising pressure after last year's Final Four run.

Top-ranked Notre Dame is Muffet McGraw's deepest squad in 30 years.

Arkansas kneeled during the National Anthem before their game tonight. The reaction.

Florida State notebook, part two.

Experience and depth have Ole Miss thinking about the NCAA Tournament.

Northwestern enters a critical season.

Miami will rely on depth and experience this year.

Kansas State is ready for their season opener.

Abilene Christian looks to avoid complacency.

Fresh, retooled Gonzaga looks to turn a page.

San Diego State preview.

Oklahoma State's roster.

Lehigh looks forward to the season.

Talented Oakland will have to grow into a contender in the stacked Horizon League.

UConn has something to prove.

College player news:

Will Kelsey Mitchell be Ohio State's best player ever?

BYU's Kalana Purcell may be the best player you don't know.

Jenna Staiti gives Maryland a fresh new face in the post.

ESPN's top 25 players, 6-10.

College coach news:

Georgia coach Joni Taylor had her daughter this morning.

Q&A with Louisville coach Jeff Walz.

Is this a real score?:

Maryland beat Bluefield State, 149-17, in an exhibition game last night.

WNBA player news:

Where will/are WNBA players going overseas this winter?

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Pac-12 preview: the University of Southern California

This is the twelfth in an annual season preview series of the Pac-12 teams.

USC had momentum last season, and had racked up only two losses by mid-January. They entered the AP top 25 poll, and then the bottom fell out.

Starters Brianna Barrett and Jordan Adams were declared academically ineligible to play, and the Trojans lost nine of their 14 regular season games after that. They finished eighth place in the Pac-12, and fell in the second round of the conference tournament.

The bad news for USC is that top scorer and rebounder Temi Fagbenle (13.6 points, 8.7 rebounds per game) graduated, as did Barrett. The good news is that most everyone else on the high-scoring roster is back, including Adams (12.8 points, 7.7 rebounds per game).

Junior forward Kristen Simon (10.7 points, 8 rebounds per game) started every game in 2015-2016. Junior guard Sadie Edwards (11.3 points per game) started 20 of 22 games before being injured. Senior point guard Courtney Jaco (10.1 points per game) also returns, as do key reserves Aliyah Mazyck, Alexis Lloyd and Marguerite Effa.

Freshmen newcomers could make a difference for the Trojans right away.

Guard Valerie Higgins helped the USA's U18 team win gold at the FIBA Americas Championship over the summer. Ja'Tavia Tapley, a forward from Florida, was ranked 39th overall in the 2016 class and was the sixth-ranked small forward in the nation. Australian forward Dani Milisic has had extensive International playing experience and helped her country win a gold medal in 2012.

Other freshmen include Asiah Jones, a highly-touted, high-scoring forward from South Carolina, and Minyon Moore, a Northern California native.

Coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke has seen the highs and lows since she got to USC, from winning the Pac-12 Tournament her first season to seeing a mass exodus of players the next year.

She said this season's team is diverse and exciting, with a lot of potential.

“I'm really excited about the balance that we have on the team this year," Cooper-Dyke said. "We have really experienced veterans and a very versatile group of newcomers that I think combine to make us really dynamic and dangerous. I have high hopes for this team. It’s a fun group and one with a lot of different skill sets for us to use this season.”

The Trojans will take on Texas A&M and Grambling State before beginning conference play at home Dec. 30, against Colorado.