Tuesday, March 17, 2015

About that life

Player news:

Jewell Loyd's toughness and leadership have earned the Notre Dame junior her all-star stripes.

Iowa guard Samantha Logic is ending her college career in style.

Team news:

The pressures of being undefeated? Princeton is ready for the test.

For the Hawkeyes, it's site, seed and deliver.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma says the Huskies are no lock for a three-peat.

Coaching news:


Rice coach Greg Williams is retiring.

Pro news:

Diana Taurasi is focused on playing in Russia, where the money is.

The WNBA dream of Iona College's Damika Martinez is one step closer to being a reality.

Catching up on WNBA transactions:

March 13, 2015

Team Player Transaction


Tulsa Vicki Baugh Contract Signed
San Antonio Danielle Adams Contract Signed
Washington Kia Vaughn Contract Extension Signed

Mo'Ne Davis:

....has her own sneaker line, which aims to eradicate child poverty.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Other things that happened today besides selections

Coaching news:

Andy Landers - the only women's basketball coach Georgia has ever had - is hanging it up after 36 seasons.

UConn associate head coach Chris Dailey isn't a typical assistant coach.

Minnesota coach Marlene Stollings wants the Gophers to be Tournament regulars.

Detroit has fired coach Autumn Rademacher.

Team news:

Notre Dame hopes to follow a familiar path to a different ending.

Michigan State has decided to skip the postseason.

Player news:

California University of Pennsylvania's Shanice Clark died in January from a blood disease, the coroner has ruled. Originally it was thought she had inhaled chewing gum.

Pro news:

Australia could be without both Lauren Jackson and Penny Taylor at next year's Olympic Games.

Shock guard Skylar Diggins is staying home - for now.

WNIT bracket

The WNIT bracket is out, and at this moment, WNIT is trending on twitter.

Some of your favorite teams that did not make the NCAA Tournament will be playing:

Pacific
Sacramento State
Cal State Bakersfield
San Francisco
Long Beach State
Creighton
Hawaii
St. Mary's
Kansas State
Missouri
Eastern Michigan
Southern Miss
TCU
Colorado State
Georgia Tech
Ole Miss
Marist
Temple
West Virginia
St. John's
Fordham
Old Dominion
Virginia


.....just to name a few.

2015 NCAA Tournament bracket analysis

The bracket is out, and the first and second-round regionals locations are announced.

Now that the dust has settled.......

The number one seeds are Connecticut, Maryland, Notre Dame and South Carolina, which isn't at all surprising. Other seedings are more difficult to discern. Considering the ratings percentage indexes of all of the chosen teams, below, their Tournament seeds don't always make sense.

Notre Dame (ACC) 1
Tennessee (SEC) 2
South Carolina (SEC) 3
Baylor (BIG12) 4
Connecticut (AMER) 5
Maryland (BIG10) 6
Louisville (ACC) 7
Kentucky (SEC) 8
Iowa (BIG10) 9
Florida State (ACC) 10
George Washington (A-10) 11
Duke (ACC) 12
Princeton (IVY) 13
Dayton (A-10) 14
North Carolina (ACC) 15
Stanford (PAC12) 16
Florida Gulf Coast (A-SUN) 17
Oregon State (PAC12) 18
Arizona State (PAC12) 19
Texas (BIG12) 20
Chattanooga (SOCON) 21
Green Bay (HL) 22
Oklahoma (BIG12) 23
Quinnipiac (MAAC) 24
California (PAC12) 25
James Madison (CAA) 26
South Florida (AMER) 27
Western Kentucky (C-USA) 28
Ohio State (BIG10) 29
Mississippi State (SEC) 30
Washington (PAC12) 31
Northwestern (BIG10) 32
Arkansas-Little Rock (SBC) 33
Nebraska 34
Syracuse (ACC) 35
Texas A&M (SEC) 36
Wichita State (VALLEY) 37
DePaul (BIGEAST) 38
Pittsburgh (ACC) 39
Seton Hall (BIGEAST) 40
Arkansas (SEC) 41
Rutgers (BIG10) 42
Gonzaga (WCC) 43
Minnesota (BIG10) 44
Oklahoma State (BIG12) 45
Duquesne (A-10) 46
Arkansas State (SBC) 47
American (PATRIOT) 48
South Dakota State (SUMM) 49
Tulane (AMER) 50
Pennsylvania (IVY) 51
Ohio (MAC) 52
Brigham Young (WCC) 53
Iowa State (BIG12) 54
Louisiana State (SEC) 55
Georgia (SEC) 56
Stetson (A-SUN) 57
Fresno State (MWC) 58
Vanderbilt (SEC) 59
San Diego (WCC) 60
Saint Mary's (WCC) 61
Miami (Fla.) (ACC) 62
Kansas State (BIG12) 63
East Carolina (AMER) 64
Texas Christian (BIG12) 65
Michigan (BIG10) 66
Pacific (WCC) 67
Washington State (PAC12) 68
Middle Tennessee (C-USA) 69
Fordham (A-10) 70
Liberty (BSOUTH) 71
Villanova (BIGEAST) 72
Cal State Northridge (BWC) 73

Numerous hoops fans are decrying 30-0 Princeton's No. 8 seed, saying they should have got at least a fourth seed. I am equally baffled the other way, wondering how Kentucky could have got a 2, Iowa a 3 and Washington a 6 seed.

I wonder how Tulane, Miami and LSU made it into the bracket. Wright State was snubbed.

Other thoughts:

Five teams in the Pac 12 make it! Eight ACC teams make it!

Mid-majors on the rise!

The 8 vs. 9-seed games are usually the most contentious. I am especially intrigued by the No. 8 Minnesota vs. No. 9 DePaul match up.

No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 James Madison should be a good game, because OSU is seeded a bit high, and JMU, too low.

Other intriguing games: No. 7 Chattanooga vs. No. 10 Pitt; No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 UALR; and No. 7 Northwestern vs. No. 10 Arkansas.

Let's get this thing started.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Crown 'em: more champs

C-USA Championship:

Western held on to beat Southern Miss, 60-57.

Big West Championship:

Cal State Northridge downed Hawaii, 67-60, for their second consecutive title.

MAC Championship:

Ohio stopped Eastern Michigan, 60-44.

WAC Championship:

New Mexico State routed UT Pan American, 70-52, for their first conference title.

Sun Belt Championship:

Arkansas-Little Rock outdid Arkansas State, 78-72.

SWAC Championship:

Alabama State dominated Southern, 73-55.

MEAC Championship:

Savannah State kicked MD-E Shore, 65-47.

Tomorrow's final championships/automatic Tournament bids will see these matchups:

FGCU vs. Northern Kentucky, Atlantic Sun.

James Madison vs. Hofstra, CAA.

Green Bay vs. Wright State, Horizon.

Missouri State vs. Wichita State, MVC.

Northwestern State vs. Houston Baptist, Southland.

Robert Morris vs. St. Francis BRK, Northeast.

More news:

TCU awaits nervously, as I'm sure numerous teams are.

Perfect Princeton is ready to dance.

The case for ASU's Charli Turner Thorne as coach of the year.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Two more crowned, nine on deck tomorrow

Champs:

Albany defeated Hartford, 84-75, to claim the American East Championship.

Boise State upended New Mexico, 66-60, to win the Mountain West Championship.

Numerous semis today, and many of them close games.......

Big West semifinals:

Cal State Northridge downed UC Davis, 61-47, and Hawaii took care of Fullerton, 73-64. The Championship game is tomorrow.

C-USA semifinals:

Western Kentucky survived Old Dominion, 61-59, and Southern Miss put away Middle Tennessee, 65-53.

MAC semifinals:

Eastern Michigan topped Ball State, 75-65, and Ohio beat Buffalo, 63-55.

MEAC semifinals:

MD-E Shore edged Norfolk State in overtime, 69-64, and Savannah State overcame North Carolina A&T, 62-59.

WAC semifinals:

New Mexico State pulled one out over Seattle U in overtime, 79-75, and UT Pan American ran past Cal State Bakersfield, 76-70.

SWAC semifinals:

Alabama State slipped by Jackson State, 62-60, and Southern routed PV A&M, 64-40.

Big Sky semifiuals:

Northern Colorado squeaked by Sacramento State in overtime, 81-79, and Montana outlasted Eastern Washington, 55-51.

Sun Belt semifinals:

Arkansas State edged LA-Lafayette, 63-61, and Arkansas-Little Rock crushed Texas State, 87-44.

Horizon League semifinals:

Green Bay beat Youngstown State, 63-54, and Wright State defeated Cleveland State, 99-87.

All scores.

How does the NCAA Selection Committee create the bracket?

It's a five-step process.

Here's a look at who's on the Committee.

Player news:

Baylor's Nina Davis is always in the right place to get the ball.

Freshman Haley Bodnar is transferring from Purdue.

Team news:

Northwestern State's bus broke down today on the way to their Southland Conference game, but they still won.

Princeton enters the NCAA Tournament as an unusual sort of undefeated team.

Attrition is taking a toll at Indiana.

The best

ESPNW's player of the year is Notre Dame's Jewell Loyd, and freshman of the year is Buckeye Kelsey Mitchell. Coach of the year is Florida State's Sue Semrau.

ESPNW All-Americans.

Nancy Lieberman Award finalists:

Moriah Jefferson - UConn
Lindsay Allen - Notre Dame
Kelsey Mitchell - Ohio St.
Niya Johnson - Baylor
Samantha Logic - Iowa

WNBA news:

Former Indiana coach Curt Miller is a candidate for Sparks assistant coach.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

A pause in tournament berthing

Today's results:

Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Old Dominion and Southern Miss advance in the C-USA quarterfinals.

North Carolina A&T and Norfolk State advanced in the MEAC quarterfinals.

Eastern Michigan and Buffalo advanced in the third round of the MAC Tournament.

All scores.

Player news:

Leading scorer Larryn Brooks is leaving Indiana.

South Carolina's Tina Roy energizes teammates and fans on the court and at the mic.

West Virginia's Lanay Montgomery has overcome the odds.

A day in the life of Texas freshmen Ariel Atkins and Brooke McCarty.

Q&A with Iowa's Nicole Smith.

Team news:

Florida State is looking for packed stands in the NCAA Tournament.

Coaching news:

North Texas has fired coach Mike Petersen.

Rumor has it that Florida coach Amanda Butler will not retain assistant coaches David Lowery and Angela Crosby.

Mid-majors:

Mid-major teams could be poised for a breakthrough in this year's NCAA Tournament.

Lady Vols:

The Lady Vols legacy is threatened by lawsuits, and a name change.

WNBA and pro ball news:

The Fever acquired Shenise Johnson and a 2015 second-round draft pick from the San Antonio Stars, in exchange for the Fever's 2015 first- and third-round draft picks.

Brittney Griner supports teammate Diana Taurasi's decision to sit out the 2015 WNBA season.

Nneka Ogwumike, Epiphanny Prince and Seimone Augustus are just a few of the league's players who are balling it up in Europe.

High school news:

Katie Lou Samuelson is the Naismith Trophy high school player of the year.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

The beat of tournament play goes on

Tournament upset:

In the Big West, Cal State Fullerton toppled Cal Poly, 55-48.

Another upset may be brewing, as UC Davis currently leads Long Beach State by 16, midway through the first half.

Almost upset:

Southern edged Mississippi Valley State, 62-57, in the SWAC tournament.

NCAA Berth:

FGCU routed Jacksonville, 62-42, in the A-Sun tourney, and secure an NCAA berth.

Strong showings:

Sacramento State dominated Montana State, 78-62, in the Big Sky tourney.

Louisiana Tech downed Florida Atlantic, 84-74, in C-USA play.

Cal State Bakersfield trounced Chicago State, 77-53, in the Wac tournament.

Green Bay took care of Milwaukee, 74-62, in Horizon League play.

All scores.

Player news:

Kamra King leaves a legacy of being one of UTSA's best.

Team news:

Middle Tennessee is ready to test their new identity, beginning tomorrow in the Conference USA Tournament.

Coaching news:

Oregon's late-season progress showed the foundation laid by new coach Kelly Graves. (Eugene resident Duck fans I know agree)

Binghamton laid the foundation for first-year coach Linda Cimino's rebuild.

Pro news:

Storm coach Jenny Boucek's new assistant coaches are Rob Fodor and Ryan Webb.