Monday, February 29, 2016

Got fatigue? And other storylines

Hmmmm.....#4 Baylor beat on #6 Texas, 74-48.

#1 UConn rose up to down #20 South Florida, 79-59.

All scores.

Team news:

Questions surround the Lady Vols as they enter the SEC Tournament.

Player news:

UTEP's Cameasha Turner overcame struggle to thrive.

Oklahoma State senior Roddricka Patton brings fire to the back court.

Nebraska senior Rachel Theriot will not return, as she's having ankle surgery next Monday.

For Temple's Erica Covile, it's love and basketball.

Deven Hunter fills a key role for Oregon State.

LSU's Jenna Deemer will miss the SEC tourney with an undisclosed illness.

Coach news:

Tennessee Tech coach Jim Davis is retiring.

Coach Lisa Stone's vision for St. Louis has become reality.

Division III:

Field is set.

Officiating:

Violet Palmer reflects on a pioneering career.

NCAA releases final top 10 rankings

NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Sport Committee top 10 rankings, for the third time this month:

1. UConn
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. Baylor
5. Texas
6. Oregon State
7. Arizona State
8. Maryland
9. Ohio State
10. UCLA

Two drop out of AP top 25 poll

This week's AP top 25 poll sees Oklahoma State and Missouri drop out and Colorado State and Florida drop in:

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

Coach's chair: Cori Close, University of California, Los Angeles

My interview with UCLA Bruins coach Cori Close.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Tournament schedules; tournament brackets

Complete conference tournament schedules:

CONFERENCE DATES LOCATIONS REGULAR SEASON CHAMPION TOURNAMENT CHAMPION

America East March 5-6 & 11 Binghamton (3/5-3/6), Highest remaining seed (3/11) Albany/Maine
AAC March 4-7 Uncasville, Conn. UConn
ACC March 2-6 Greensboro, N.C. Notre Dame
Atlantic Sun March 4, 9 & 13 Highest remaining seed Florida Gulf Coast
Atlantic 10 March 2-6 Richmond, Va. George Washington/Saint Louis/Duquesne
Big East March 5-8 Rosemont, Ill. DePaul
Big Sky March 7-12 Reno, Nev.
Big South March 10-13 Asheville, N.C. UNC Asheville/Liberty
Big Ten March 2-6 Indianapolis, Ind. Maryland
Big 12 March 4-7 Oklahoma City, Okla.
Big West March 8-9, 11-12 Irvine, Calif. (3/8-3/9), Anaheim (3/11-3/12) UC RIverside
Colonial March 9-12 Upper Marlboro, Md. James Madison
Conference USA March 8-12 Birmingham, Ala. UTEP
Horizon League March 10-13 Green Bay, Wisc. Green Bay
Ivy League No conference tournament
Metro Atlantic March 3-7 Albany, N.Y.
MAC March 9-12 Cleveland, Ohio Central Michigan/Ohio
Mid-Eastern March 7-12 Norfolk, Va.
Missouri Valley March 10-13 Moline, Ill.
Mountain West March 7-11 Las Vegas, Nev.
Northeast March 6, 9 & 13 Highest remaining seed
Ohio Valley March 2-5 Nashville, Tenn. UT Martin
Pac-12 March 3-6 Seattle, Wash. Oregon State/Arizona State
Patriot March 5, 7, 11 & 12 Highest remaining seed
SEC March 2-6 Jacksonville, Fla. South Carolina
Southern March 3-6 Asheville, N.C. Mercer/Chattanooga
Southland March 9-13 Katy, Texas
Southwestern March 8-12 Houston, Texas
Summit March 5-8 Sioux Falls, S.D. South Dakota
Sun Belt March 9-12 New Orleans, La. Arkansas State
West Coast March 3, 4, 7 & 9 Las Vegas, Nev. BYU
WAC March 9-12 Las Vegas, Nev. New Mexico State

Tournament brackets:

Pac-12 bracket

SEC bracket

Big East bracket

Big Ten bracket

AAC bracket

A-10 bracket

America East

WCC bracket

SO excited!

One little two little three little upsets

#14 UCLA 74, #9 Arizona State 61

#15 Kentucky 71, #11 Texas A&M 58

Vanderbilt 56, #24 Missouri 52

More results:

#3 South Carolina 75, LSU 39

#6 Maryland 110, Minnesota 77. The Terps are Big Ten regular-season champs.

#7 Oregon State 54, Cal 44. The Beavers and Sun Devils split the Pac-12 title.

#10 Louisville 65, Pitt 36

#12 Florida State 70, #17 Miami 67

#13 Stanford 69, Oregon 42

#16 Mississippi State 61, Alabama 52

Tennessee 80, Georgia 60

St. Bonaventure 60, Duquesne 48

Rutgers 72, Michigan 50

Creighton 64, St. John's 57

Penn 60, Columbia 42

Duke 93, North Carolina 57

Seton Hall 71, Providence 54

Nebraska 76, Northwestern 67

Arizona 63, USC 56

All scores.

Player news:

The bond between UAlbany's Shereesha Richards and her mother knows no bounds.

Eliza Normen overcame injuries to succeed at ASU.

Brene Moseley is an MVP for Maryland, even coming off the bench.

South Florida's Courtney Williams has worked hard to become one of the game's top players.

West Virginia's Bria Holmes got engaged on senior night.

Nebraska's Kyndal Clark made the decision to medically end her basketball career.

Coach news:

UConn and coach Geno Auriemma surprised longtime associate head coach Chris Dailey with a Huskies of Honor recognition.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Clinchings, upsets, records and other happenings

Candidate for game of the year:

#20 Michigan State outlasted #5 Ohio State in three overtimes, 107-105. Jasmine Hines had a career-high 36 points for the Spartans in her final home game, and Kelsey Mitchell had a career-high 48 points for the Buckeyes.

More amazing results:

#4 Baylor defeated Kansas State, 63-52, for at least a share of their sixth straight Big 12 regular-season title.

Chattanooga's 66-42 rout of ETSU gave them the Southern Conference title for the 20th time.

UTEP locked up the regular-season Conference-USA title with a double overtime win over Charlotte, 94-91.

Indiana closed out Penn State, 76-55, and set a program record: an undefeated season at home.

Gonzaga upened BYU, 73-55.

Buffalo upset Ohio, 70-58.

Princeton trounced Cornell, 94-57, to take first in the Ivy League standings by .09.

Middle Tennessee edged Marshall, 79-73.

Western Kentucky topped UAB, 64-55.

South Dakota got a crucial victory over IUPUI, 74-63.

Abilene Christian took care of New Orleans, 80-70.

All 122 scores.

Team news:

Louisville is drawing the ACC's biggest crowds.

Ohio State is thrilled to be in contention for the Big Ten title.

Notre Dame seeks ACC perfection.

Oklahoma is still looking for answers before senior night.

Player news:

The four seniors of Texas are leaving the program better than they found it.

Iowa's Nicole Smith contributes behind the scenes.

NCAA news:

Division I athletes will have a say in shaping NCAA policies about time demands through a survey distributed this week to all 346 schools.

WNBA news:

How Elena Delle Donne overcame Lyme Disease to become WNBA MVP.

High school news:

More on the racial remarks controversy surrounding the firing of Shoni Schimmel's parents as high school hoops coaches.

Friday, February 26, 2016

The wild wild everything

Department of Say What?:

#13 Stanford 76, #7 Oregon State 54. It was the 1,000th program win for the Cardinal.

The Big East:

Three-way tie for second place right now because of......

Seton Hall 77, Creighton 71

Villanova 58, Xavier 55

St. John's 69, Providence 54

Ivy League:

A bit fat tie for first because of......

Cornell 51, Penn 46

Princeton 77, Columbia 48

More results:

#9 Arizona State escaped USC, 50-45.

James Madison claimed the regular-season CAA title with a 77-41 thrashing of UNCW.

Northern Iowa continues their strong roll, routing Bradley 65-41.

Cal 65, Oregon 54.

All scores.

Team news:

Tennessee is in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament.

Green Bay clinched their 18th straight Horizon League title last night.

Kentucky hopes their new offensive emphasis yields a March Madness breakthrough.

One goal down for Notre Dame.

Player news:

Oregon star forward Jillian Alleyne has torn her ACL and is out for the season. Saddest news I've heard in a long time.

Unbelievably, teammate Jordan Loera - also a senior - is out for the season with a knee injury, as well.

Tyra Buss and Amanda Cahill have lead Indiana's emergence.

Briana Pulido isn't your average walk on for UConn.

Senior Talia Walton has been pivotal in Washington's rebirth.

MTSU coach Rick Insell says Western Kentucky's Tashia Brown is WNBA material.

USC Temi Fagbenle is a citizen of the world.

Albany's Shereesha Richards is an aspiring pro.

Winthrop forward Ronata Rogers is out for the year with a broken foot.

Coach news:

Jen Rizzotti never tires of answering the call from USA Basketball.

WNBA news:

Tamika Catchings and Elena Delle Donne support new league president Lisa Borders.

Stefanie Dolson's game is quickly catching up to her personality.

No buzz, but all the guts and glory

Seven teams who are kicking booty, but not getting the recognition.

They need to be part of the conversation.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

End-of-the-season intrigue

More intriguing scores today:

#12 Florida State 56, NC State 52.

#16 Mississippi State 66, Vanderbilt 61.

Purdue 74, Rutgers 68 (OT).

Georgia 72, Arkansas 57.

Virginia 72, North Carolina 68.

Western Kentucky 62, Middle Tennessee 51....which is a critical win for the Toppers.

San Diego 58, Gonzaga 57.

St. Mary's 78, Santa Clara 70.

IUPUI 63, South Dakota State 60.

Still weird:

Alabama 54, Tennessee 46.

Several games still in progress, but scores so far.

Team news:

Oklahoma State is within reach of hosting a regional final.

How Arizona State reestablished itself as a top 10 team.

The next win for Stanford will be the program's 1000th.

Oregon State remains focused on the task at hand.

Senior day holds a different meaning for Missouri.

Florida is in good standing ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

The Virginia Cavaliers have faith.

The decline of the Lady Vols goes beyond coach Holly Warlick.

Player news:

Army's Kelsey Minato is the first active cadet to have her number retired.

Freshmen Arike Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey are making an impact for Notre Dame.

Overcoming adversity defines Kentucky's Janee Thompson.

DePaul seniors Chanise Jenkins and Megan Podkowa are ready for a phenomenal finish.

Despite her injury, George Washington's Jonquel Jones is on track to be a WNBA draft pick.

Lehigh's seniors reflect on their careers.

UConn's Breanna Stewart has always had a sweep in mind.

Coach news:

SMU coach Rhonda Rompola says athlete entitlement is a factor in her decision to retire.

Former Indiana Fever coach Lin Dunn has received the WBCA's 2016 Jostens-Berenson Lifetime Achievement Award.

WNBA transactions:

February 25, 2016

Team Player Transaction


Minnesota Katerina Elhotova Contract Signed
San Antonio Frida Eldebrink Contract Signed

February 23, 2016

Team Player Transaction


Los Angeles Jelena Dubljevic Contract Signed

High school news:

Forty years ago, Judi Warren stole the show at Indiana's first high school state girls basketball finals.

Shoni Schimmel's parents were fired from their high school coaching jobs Sunday night, and they allege the athletic director made racial slurs.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

A March Madness feel

Minnesota upset #5 Ohio State in overtime, 90-88. Rachel Banham lead the Gophers with 35 points. Rachel Banham lead the Gophers with 35 points.

Almost-upsets:

#21 South Florida 72, Tulsa 66.

#25 Colorado State 49, New Mexico 48.

More intriguing results:

Penn State 81, Iowa 68.

Kansas State 68, Iowa State 53.

Indiana 79, Nebraska 68.

George Washington 55, Richmond 53, in OT.

All scores.

Team news:

There's no rest for Indiana in their rush to the postseason.

Washington is in a Plum position.

Colorado State is making a play for the NCAA Tournament.

Georgia is preparing for their first game without Shacobia Barbee.

Has Kentucky improved? Tomorrow's game against Missouri will be the true test.

Nebraska lacks the passion to win games, one columnist says.

Young UCF is struggling.

UConn clinched the American Athletic Conference regular-season title with tonight's win over SMU.

Player news:

Army retired Kelsey Minato's jersey tonight. I keep voting for her on various award ballots. I don't know what's wrong with people.

Iowa State's Lexi Albrecht inspired others with her shot last week, in the wake of her sister's death from breast cancer.

Katie Hempen found her second family with Arizona State.

Northwestern's Ashley Deary's focus remains on the team, despite breaking the Big Ten single-season steals record.

DePaul's Jacqui Grant and Amarah Coleman navigated a whirlwind experience together.

Kentucky's Janee Thompson is in the senior spotlight.

Penn State's Jaylen Williams continues to grow. Teammate Brianna Banks has big plans.

UConn's Morgan Tuck has changed her mind and will take part in senior day this weekend after all.

Ronni Williams is leading struggling Florida into the final stretch of the season.

Yale's Nyasha Sarju has saved the best for her senior season.

For Pitt's Brenna Wise, home is where the heart is.

The Gonzalez twins are making an impact at UNLV.

Keyahndra Cannon is making the most of her senior season at Arizona.

Two players are leaving Temple.

Coach news:

Tennessee coach Holly Warlick says her team is still battling.

Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly is pressing on during what he calls his toughest season.

Rutgers is sputtering at an inopportune time for coach Vivian Stringer. Is she in her last days with the Scarlet Knights?

San Diego coach Cindy Fisher is tenacity personified.

USA Basketball:

Questions linger after training camp.

WNBA news:

Tamika Catchings reveals marriage details and more.

Storm coach Jenny Boucek revisits the past and sees the future.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Gail Goestenkors waiting for her next adventure

I caught up with former coach Gail Goestenkors today, who said she has faith that her next career move will present itself.

The shifting, shaking USA Today top 25 coaches poll

In addition to lots of movement, this week's USA Today top 25 coaches poll sees Duquesne, Oklahoma State and Florida drop out, and BYU, Missouri and Colorado State drop in:

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

Final Four to celebrate 35 years of the women's National Championship

This year at the Final Four, 35 years of the women's National Championship will be celebrated.

I remember the first Tournament and title game in 1982. Do you?

A braided Kim Mulkey lead Louisiana Tech to the title. I was riveted.

And I've not stopped watching since.

Team news:

The Oregon Ducks are determined to finish strong.

Oklahoma found more questions than answers in their loss to Baylor.

The end of their schedule does Ohio State no favors.

Maine is poised for a deep postseason run.

Indiana is unheralded and unrelenting.

Can Louisiana Tech revive the glory days?

Player news:

Georgia's Shacobia Barbee broke her ankle in Sunday's game against Florida, and had surgery to repair it today. Her Bulldog career is over. Very sad.

Elisha Davis has brought devotion and charisma to Arizona State.

Lexi Rydalch is taking BYU to the next level. Teammate Makenzi Morrison is exceeding expectations.

Sisters Michala and Malayna Johnson have had unique journeys to Wisconsin, but share a bond.

Rachel Banham and Minnesota's other two seniors are pushing for an NCAA spot. Banham is all the rave of WNBA players.

Oregon's Liz Brenner had an emotional farewell on senior day.

Louisville's recruits are already winning at a high level.

The Christian faith of Nebraska sophomore forward Jasmine Cincore guides her.

UConn's Morgan Tuck is enjoying a memorable week.

Joanna Smith's major scare turned into a big gain for Buffalo.

Louisiana-Lafayette freshman Breionne Cooper is coming around, despite a foot injury.

Coach news:

Should Dennis Wolff get another year to rebuild Virginia Tech?

Today's scores.

US National Team:

Coach Geno Auriemma and USA Basketball face tough roster decisions, with a luxury of riches.

Gold medal pressure is different than National Championship pressure.

Auriemma is having fun coaching against former recruits.

Auriemma wouldn't have returned without Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. (I guess we know the first two who will make the final cut)

Tamika Catchings, Bird and Taurasi have built a lasting legacy with USA Basketball.

Taurasi is refreshed and ready to go.

Maya Moore talks about camp.

Sue Bird isn't ready to fly off into the sunset.

Brittney Griner is making an impact on and off the court.

2016 team hopes to build on 20-year legacy.

Camp highlights, day two.

Day three gallery.

WNBA news:

The Connecticut Sun's Alison Hightower and Kayla Pedersen will miss the season.

Columbia University athletics and the New York Liberty will partner this season.

Retired greats:

Reggie Miller isn't pleased with the way USC hangs his siter's retired jersey.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Stats, they are a-changin'

My goodness, have the player statistics changed over the season.

As teams have evolved and athletes have settled into their roles, stats leaders in every category have changed markedly. (It's why with each award, panels are asked to vote multiple times over the season).

Leaders right now are coming from numerous schools, big and small. And in many cases, it's the mid-majors who seem to dominate the categories.

Consider:

Points per game

Rebounds per game

Assists per game

Blocked shots per game

Steals per game

Field goal percentage

Is this what parity looks like on stats sheets?

So much news, so little time

Today's results:

#2 Notre Dame beat #12 Florida State, 73-66.

#3 South Carolina routed Alabama, 66-46.

#4 Baylor held off #23 Oklahoma, 78-70.

All scores.

Team news:

Arizona State and Oregon State are battling for the Pac-12 title.

The wear and tear of the season is evident for South Carolina.

Why do the Ohio State women score 16 more points per game than the men?

Records continue to fall for Syracuse.

Saturday's BYU at Gonzaga game is sold out - the fifth time for the Bulldogs this year.

Did the NCAA Tournament bubble burst for Rutgers?

Mississippi State basketball has become "a thing."

Player news:

Tennessee's Jasmine Jones will end her basketball career immediately due to frequent head injuries.

Rachel Banham's game is appreciated by Elena Delle Donne.

Stony brook senior Brittany Snow has won the Haier Achievement Award.

One trio shines for Oregon State.

Raelyn Cheung-Sutton went from walk-on to starting point guard for UC Irvine.

Coach news:

Southern Methodist coach Rhonda Rompola will retire at the end of this season, after 35 years.

Tina Thompson isn't interested in the Texas head coaching job.

WNBA transactions:

February 22, 2016

Team Player Transaction


Dallas Glory Johnson Contract Signed
Indiana Cyesha Goree Contract Signed
Indiana Asia Taylor Contract Signed

February 18, 2016

Team Player Transaction


Seattle Blake Dietrick Contract Signed

USA Basketball news:

Day two photo gallery.

Olympic duties are leaving UConn coach Geno Auriemma right at home.

After resting, Lindsay Whalen is ready to give the Olympics another shot.

Stefanie Dolson is looking to impress.

Connecticut's Breanna Stewart is fitting in with the WNBA's best at training camp.

WNBA draft slated for April 14

The WNBA draft will be Thursday, April 14 in Connecticut, the league announced today.

More WNBA news:

Diana Taurasi is refreshed and ready to return to Phoenix this season.

Women's National Team news:

Day one camp highlights.

So much talent on the roster, so few spots.

Sue Bird will pass the torch, but to whom?

Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart have had similar USA Basketball experiences in college.

Tennessee's 31-year run in the AP top 25 poll is over

Since Feb. 17, 1985, when Ronald Reagan was president and phones were just something attached to the wall, Tennessee has been ranked in the AP top 25 poll. But the 31-year streak is over today.

After losing twice this past week, the Lady Vols, who had been ranked 24th, dropped out of this week's poll:

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

It's been a long, painful descent this season for Lady Vol fans. Each loss they've had has resulted in higher and higher-pitched hysteria, calls for coach Holly Warlick's firing, questioning of the heart and commitment of each player on the roster, and other ugliness. I lost one Tennessee fan friend on Facebook before quitting that form of social media altogether; the Tennessee Lady Vols fan page was reason enough to quit alone. Another Tennessee devotee I know messaged me yesterday after the loss that he was leaving Twitter indefinitely.

The intense grief is because it seems like the foundation of the sport is dying. Of course there have been many women's basketball pioneers, without whom the game never would have got out of the sports basement. But it was the charismatic Pat Summitt and her Lady Vols who turned the spotlight on the game, who set the first standards of greatness that inspired other programs to follow.

Is that program now dead and gone? It's much too early to tell.

What has happened to the team this year, which began with such high expectations? Fans can guess until they're blue in the face, but unless you're on the team or part of the staff, you don't know. So don't try to pretend that you do.

Should Holly Warlick be let go? Not necessarily. And it's none of our business anyway.

It's just a sad, sad time for Tennessee fans, and long-time women's basketball fans. Change is inevitable, but sometimes it's incredibly painful.

As for the rest of the poll, Florida also dropped out, and Missouri and Colorado State dropped in. There are no other surprises considering the weeks that the teams had.

Coach's chair: Jim Littell, Oklahoma State University

Jim Littell is a man who inherited a program under the most horrific circumstances, and has not only kept it rolling but has elevated it. The Cowgirls are currently in the midst of one of their best seasons in many years. Much respect for Oklahoma State coach Jim Littell, who is in the chair this week.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Reconsidering preseason rankings, and contemplating reconstruction

I compare preseason polls to the present state of affairs in college hoops.

Not like everyone thought, was it.

Big game day has some shockers

17 games with 18 ranked teams today......

Unbelievable:

LSU edged #24 Tennessee, 57-56. The Lady Vols will likely drop from the top 25 poll tomorrow.

Georgia Tech beat Duke at Duke for the first time in 23 years, 64-59.

Another upset:

Georgia knocked off #22 Florida, 74-63.

More results:

#5 Ohio State stomped Illinois, 117-74.

#6 Maryland put away Rutgers, 73-59.

#7 Oregon State just now beat #12 UCLA, 64-54. The Beavers have won 14 in a row.

#8 Texas routed West Virginia, 73-50.

#9 Arizona State handled Washington, 77-57.

#11 Louisville knocked down Boston College, 55-45.

#12 Texas A&M took care of Vanderbilt, 75-63.

#14 Mississippi State got by Ole Miss, 60-51.

#15 Stanford thrashed Utah, 72-54.

#16 Kentucky downed Arkansas, 77-63.

#18 Miami topped Virginia Tech in overtime, 67-56.

#19 South Florida defeated Memphis, 97-82.

#21 DePaul rolled past Creighton, 78-52.

#23 Syracuse bested Pitt, 70-56.

#25 Michigan State outlasted Minnesota, 114-106.

NC State beat North Carolina in their Play4Kay game, 80-66.

Duquesne got by Dayton in overtime, 76-72.

Oregon bettered USC, 69-60, for their 20th win of the season.

James Madison stifled Towson, 61-45, for their 13th straight win.

Seton Hall defeated Xavier, 72-67.

Colorado blew out Cal, 78-57.

Iowa squeaked by Indiana, 76-73.

Purdue annihilated Nebraska, 68-50.

Washington State survived Arizona, 62-61.

All scores.

Milestones:

Minnesota's Rachel Banham scored 52 points today to break the Big Ten career scoring record. Check the video.

Villanova gave coach Harry Perretta his 700th career win, as they slipped by Georgetown, 63-60.

Side dish

Team news:

Tennessee found a new way to another agonizing defeat.

Missouri continues their breakthrough season.

The board game is a concern for Notre Dame.

Player news:

Maci Morris is more than a shooter for Kentucky. Teammate Janee Thompson sprained her ankle in today's game and is questionable for Thursday's match up.

Utah's Dani Rodriguez is always ready to assist.

Coach news:

Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff is building something special.

USA National Team:

First day of training camp was today, and head coach Geno Auriemma faces tough choices.

He is focused on chemistry and health.

Photos.

Diana Taurasi has come home to UConn.

Tamika Catchings:

...is set to release her autobiography, "Catch a Star."

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Senior CLASS Award finalists named

Senior CLASS Award finalists:

Name Position School

Jillian Alleyne Forward Oregon
Adut Bulgak Center Florida State University
Aundrea Gamble Guard Arkansas State
Ruth Hamblin Center Oregon State
Bria Holmes Guard West Virginia University
Moriah Jefferson Guard University of Connecticut
Jonquel Jones Forward George Washington University
Kelsey Minato Guard Army West Point
Tiffany Mitchell Guard University of South Carolina
Breanna Stewart Forward University of Connecticut

LOVE that most of my favorite mid-major stars are on this list. I hope the Award people really give them fair consideration.

Clinching, and WNBA news

Upsets:

#23 Syracuse upended #10 Florida State, 83-73.

#16 Kentucky routed #14 Mississippi State, 83-60.

More results:

#3 South Carolina clinched the SEC regular-season title by downing Georgia, 61-51. The Bulldogs are the conference's best defensive team, and didn't make it easy for the Gamecocks.

#5 Ohio State trounced Nebraska, 96-70.

#22 Florida downed Vanderbilt, 79-67.

#24 Tennessee rallied past Ole Miss, 57-51.

#25 Michigan State clipped Rutgers, 70-67.

Western Kentucky came back to beat Old Dominion in overtime, 85-74.

Indiana topped Minnesota, 93-79, for their fifth straight win.

Duke edged Virginia Tech, 66-62.

Pitt whooped North Carolina, 76-60.

Iowa defeated Purdue, 63-55.

BYU bested San Diego, 68-60, to claim the West Coast Conference regular-season title.

St. Mary's pounded Gonzaga, 66-47.

All scores.

Team news:

Stanford is seeking consistency in their road trip to Utah and Colorado.

Arizona State's seniors helped turn the program around.

UCLA is upping their practice intensity to improve performance.

Indiana is positioning themselves for postseason play.

Player news:

A healthier Courtney Williams is boosting Texas A&M.

Kylie Maeda had adjusted to her role at BYU and has the team crusing.

Syracuse's Brittney Sykes says two torn ACL's saved her.

This season has been challenging for UConn's Natalie Butler.

WNBA news:

New league president Lisa Borders wants fans to join them on the journey. Borders says this is her dream job.

The outcome of the Brittney Griner-Glory Johnson child support case could hinge on an unspecified DNA test.

USA Basketball national team overseas update.

The New York Liberty are ready to build on the success of last season.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

John Wooden Award late season watch list

Once again, we have a major disagreement between the John Wooden Award late season top 20 and my votes, as a voting panel member.

Their list:

Jillian Alleyne, Oregon
Ameryst Alston, Ohio State
Rachel Banham, Minnesota
Jordin Canada, UCLA
Nia Coffey, Northwestern
Nina Davis, Baylor
Moriah Jefferson, Connecticut
Brionna Jones, Maryland
Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Kelsey Plum, Washington
Aerial Powers, Michigan State
Azura Stevens, Duke
Breanna Stewart, Connecticut
Morgan Tuck, Connecticut
Brianna Turner, Notre Dame
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Maryland
Courtney Williams, South Florida
A'ja Wilson, South Carolina

My list:

Kelsey Plum, Washington
Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State
Jillian Alleyne, Oregon
Jonquel Jones, George Washington
Breanna Stewart, Connecticut
Courtney Williams, South Florida
Nia Coffey, Northwestern
Shereesha Richards, Albany
Kelsey Minato, Army
A'ja Wilson, South Carolina
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Brittney Martin, Oklahoma State
Niya Johnson, Baylor
Kristine Anigwe, California
Lexi Rydalch, BYU
Rachel Banham, Minnesota
Aerial Powers, Michigan State
Lexi Martins, Lehigh
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Maryland
Jordin Canada, UCLA

All the news you need to know

Today's upset:

West Virginia toppled #20 Oklahoma, 63-55.

More results:

#4 Baylor 66, #17 Oklahoma State 41.

#6 Maryland 76, Michigan 56.

#8 Texas 58, Kansas State 51.

St. Bonaventure 69, George Washington 67 (OT).

Iowa State 77, Texas Tech 48.

Penn State 73, Northwestern 54.

Shereesha Richards collected her 1,000th career rebound on Albany's 62-49 win over Stony Brook.

All scores.

Team news:

Tennessee is lost in the numbers.

With the season winding down, Kentucky is changing their focus to defense.

Missouri can still finish strong.

Northwestern is still upbeat despite their recent rough stretch.

The numbers add up for Notre Dame.

Wake Forest is on the verge of a new age.

The time for New Mexico to grow up is right now.

Saint Louis has set a mark with 19 wins.

Auburn is gaining national recognition.

Sacramento State needs to express urgency.

Player news:

Marshall senior point guard Norrisha Victrum is finishing what she started for coach Matt Daniel.

Notre Dame doesn't miss a beat with Michaela Mabrey in charge.

Toledo sophomore Nancy Kessler has been medically disqualified after sustaining multiple concussions.

Duke forward Lynee Belton is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Ball State's Nathalie Fontaine is one of the all-time greats.

Louisville is a different team with aggressive Arica Carter.

Some of Oregon State's past players are impacting those on the current roster.

UConn's Moriah Jefferson and Breanna Stewart are eyeing the end of the season. Teammate Gabby Williams is proving she can be counted on.

Coach news:

Tennessee coach Holly Warlick and Delino DeShields - father of Diamond - have smoothed things out after he criticized her on social media.

How father and son have changed women's basketball.

Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman wants to make the team's golden era even more golden. Assistant coach Tammi Reiss is on board after an acting career.

Division II news:

Kiana Johnson is leading Virginia Union's Cinderella season.

Today's WNBA transactions:

February 16, 2016

Team Player Transaction


Phoenix Isabelle Harrison Contract Signed
Los Angeles Nneka Ogwumike Contract Signed

Jordin Canada flourishing from lessons learned

My Q&A with UCLA's star point guard.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Thinking about POYs

Looking at all the statistics, who should be the player of the year for:

The Big Ten

The SEC

The Pac-12

The Big 12

The ACC

Atlantic 10

Reply to this post and let me know what you think.

Insane amount of news

Team news:

Duke is still searching for an identity without captain Azura Stevens.

Indiana's year two turnaround has them thinking NCAA Tournament.

Tennessee has hit a new SEC low after their loss to South Carolina.

Oregon State's practice squad is invaluable.

Young Pitt was in the NCAA Tournament last year, but struggles this season.

Penn State is focusing on their last four games, as the Big Ten Tournament looms.

Buffalo is leading the MAC in internationalism.

Bucknell's first-year players are blossoming, and Jacquie Klotz is leading the way.

Player news:

The heroics of Minnesota's Rachel Banham is feeding a new generation of fans.

Albany's Shereesha Richards is a big star at a small school.

Lexi Rydalch gives her Utes family the blues.

After seasons of frustration, Rutgers' Briyona Canty keeps shooting.

Oklahoma's Kaylon Williams happy to have Vionise Pierre-Louis backing her up.

Latvian freshman Katija Laska is adjusting quickly at South Florida.

Kindred Wesemann is giving Kansas State an energy shot.

Gabby Williams is starting to make an impact for UConn.

Coach news:

Jeff Walz loves being at Louisville.

Temple coach Tonya Cardoza's UConn roots run deep.

Today's scoreboard.

Division III:

The top four teams in Division III are undefeated.

WNBA transactions:

February 15, 2016

Team Player Transaction


Connecticut Jennifer O’Neill Contract Signed
Seattle Sue Bird Contract Signed
Washington Zoi Dimitrakou Contract Signed
Dallas Vicki Baugh Contract Signed

Pro news:

Former WNBA star Deanna Nolan has left Russia to help with the Flint, Mich. water crisis.

Elena Delle Donne answers fan questions.

Dallas Wings vice chairman Chris Christian knows how to entertain a crowd.

International news:

Natalie Novosel's purple patch is powering the Townsville Fire through the playoffs.

Kelsey Griffin is expected to return to the Bendigo Spirit from injury.

Leilani Mitchell is leading the Adelaide Lightning.

The legends of the Canberra Capitals are ready for their final dance.

Many changes in USA Today top 25 poll

Ups and downs:

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

Monday, February 15, 2016

Another Big Monday

#3 South Carolina outlasted #24 Tennessee, 62-56, to clinch at least a share of the SEC title.

#11 Louisville put the hurt on #19 South Florida, 67-50.

Rachel Banham's buzzer-beater three-point shot lifted Minnesota over Iowa, 78-76.

#12 Texas A&M put away Mississippi, 62-48.

All scores.

Team news:

Four teams are still in the running for the Pac-12 title: Oregon State, Arizona State, UCLA and Stanford.

Player news:

Though she hasn't yet decided whether or not she'll declare for the WNBA draft, UConn's Morgan Tuck won't participate in senior night next week.

Ameryst Alston is solidifying her place in Ohio State history.

Coach news:

Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell hopes his team will play harder and smarter.

NCAA picks another top 10

For the second Monday this month, the NCAA has designated the nation's top ten teams. They're the same teams named two weeks ago, but in a different order:

1. UConn
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. Baylor
5. Ohio State
6. Texas
7. Oregon State
8. Arizona State
9. Maryland
10. UCLA

According to the NCAA's twitter, the next five are:

Florida
Florida State
Louisville
Mississippi State
Texas A&M


This is the explanation for the fact of the rankings:

The Feb. 15 ranking is the second of three times the potential seeding will be announced during February by the committee, with one final in-season ranking taking place on Feb. 29. The three February announcements will have no bearing on the final bracket that will be revealed on Selection Monday, March 14, at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

But I'd like to know what their criteria is for their selections.

Kent State coach Danielle O'Banion wins Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award

Kent State coach Danielle O'Banion has won USBWA's Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award. She battled lymphoma in 2014, and is now cancer-free.

AP top 25 shake up

In this week's AP top 25 poll, Notre Dame climbs into the second spot; Texas and Mississippi State drop; UCLA, South Florida and DePaul up. No drop outs.

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

Coach's chair: Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, University at Albany

Interesting woman, Coach Abe is.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

UCLA closes out Washington in final seconds to split series

My game story.

The rest of the story

It's Big Monday again tomorrow:

#2 South Carolina at #25 Tennessee

#22 South Florida at #12 Louisville

Team news:

It's all mental for Louisville, as they go into the South Florida game.

Bench play is key for Oregon State.

Penn State is rising, despite today's loss.

UC Riverside is unbeaten in the Big West Conference.

With yesterday's win, Colorado State tied the school record for 19 straight wins in a season.

Turnovers have hurt Nebraska.

Player news:

Texas center Imani Boyette and husband Paul are mixing marriage, school and athletics.

Outside the paint with Minnesota's Rachel Banham.

Kentucky's Taylor Murray is trying to be more than "one little voice."

Makayla Waterman and Shayla Cooper are sparks off the bench for Ohio State.

Notre Dame's Brianna Turner smiles through the challenges.

Indiana freshman forward Kym Royster is working for consistency.

Coach news:

To lift Duquesne, coach Dan Burt went international.

The University of Tennessee has blasted a report that boosters are looking to replace coach Holly Warlick.

High school news:

Minnesota state high school coaches say the Gophers don't show any interest in their players.

Twelve South Carolina players were ejected after a high school girls basketball brawl.

A Pennsylvania community has rallied around an athlete who suffered a stroke during a basketball game.

Some Oklahoma high school officials face a lawsuit after a player was hit in the face during a game.

What in the Sam Hill was going on today?

Upset city:

#21 Oklahoma routed #6 Texas, 74-56.

Auburn pounded #16 Florida, 80-59.

Nebraska took down #17 Michigan State, 73-66.

A Sophie Brunner buzzer-beater lifted #9 Arizona State over #13 Stanford, 63-61, in overtime.

More:

#14 UCLA held off Washington, 63-59.

#5 Maryland topped Northwestern, 79-70.

#7 Ohio State turned on the jets late to best Penn State, 77-63.

#8 Oregon State rolled past Utah, 72-53.

#3 Notre Dame blasted #19 Miami, 90-69.

#18 Kentucky rode by Vanderbilt, 71-55.

Seton Hall got a crucial 60-50 win over Villanova. Tabatha Richardson-Smith became the Pirates' all-time leading scorer in the process.

Wake Forest erased a Duke 44-game winning streak over them by defeating them, 64-58.

Western Kentucky edged Marshall, 80-76.

UMaine toppled UAlbany, 65-53.

Michigan pushed past Purdue, 68-61.

James Madison pulled away from Hofstra, 57-42. The Dukes are now 18-5.

USC squeezed by Washington State, 64-62.

Syracuse clipped North Carolina State, 55-52.

St. John's beat Georgetown, 63-55.

Georgia marched by LSU, 58-47.

Oregon defeated Colorado, 77-70, for their fifth straight win.

All scores.

Pac-12 standings.

Big East standings.

SEC standings.