WNBA Notes
The Fever had their strongest defensive outing of the season and Tamika finally played with a little mean streak. The result - an easy Fever win setting up a key match-up with New York Saturday at Conseco. Fever/Sac Recap
Hoosier Hoops of Note
The Indiana Senior All Stars barely beat the Indiana Junior All Stars in their first warm-up prior to the annual border battle with the Kentucky stars. STORY
WNBA Notes
The Fever are now 3-0 on the preseason after Tuesday nights victory at Washington. Fever/Mystics Recap This was the last preseason game for the Fever and they now fine tune their game before opening the regular season May 21 against New York.
Having seen 2 of the 3 preseason games, I will offer my observations on the team thus far:
Guard Play - Kelly Miller adds a lot to the team with quickness and outside shooting. Unfortunately, the other guards on the roster don't appear to have improved. Niele Ivey continues to lose quickness and cannot guard WNBA caliber point guards. Coretta Brown seems intent on improving her defensive game but still struggles with ball handling and passing. The Fever staff have resorted to playing Deana Jackson at off guard and Miller at the point. Teams that press the Fever and wear down Miller should have success.
Frontcourt - Tamika Catchings looks better than ever. Watching her play, you just cannot believe the athleticism and ability she possesses. If anything, she looks a little quicker and has improved her outside shooting. She still tends to try to do too much sometimes and makes silly fouls. Natalie Williams has added some weight and appears to be slower than previous seasons. But, she eats up space in the lane and positions herself well for rebounds. Ebony Hoffman may need to improve her conditioning. She also often seems lost on the floor as she is adjusting to the pro game and the new offense and defenses. A definite work in progress. Kelly Rasmussen and Deana Jackson have been superb in the preseason doing whatever is necessary to help the team win. Jackson can slash to the bucket in ways that the Fever had never had a player do before. (other than Catchings) Rasmussen has shown to be the consummate pro - passing, hitting the open shot, just taking what the defense gives her and guarding the opponents small forward effectively. Unfortunately, Astou Ndiaye-Diatta has not been able to play yet due to injuries so an evaluation on the center position is sketchy at best. Ndiaye-Diatta is counted on to provide depth in the post and will be needed if the Fever are to be successful. Kelly Schumacher looks to be in better physical condition after playing in Turkey but her natural basketball instincts are still a half step slower than most WNBA 6'4" players and she becomes a defensive liability under the basket.
Coaching: It's apparent when watching this team the involvement that assistant coach Lin Dunn has in strategizing. Brian Winters is realizing that there is a lot more coaching that needs to occur at this level than there is at the NBA level and is adjusting. In the huddles I have seen Dunn set up out of bounds plays and defensive plays with Winters standing by listening and observing. Dunn is smart though, when Winters spoke up once she listened, erased the board and re-diagramed a play that was effective and I saw her reach over and shake Winters hand and pat him on the back. They seem to have a good chemistry.
Overall: The team has definitely improved. They are quicker and much better offensively with the addition of Miller and Jackson. They are better coached and display more energy under the new staff. The coaches seem intent on rushing Ebony Hoffman into the mix which I don't understand - they have started her 2 games although she only played 11 minutes. The depth in the post and the ability for a ball handling guard to emerge are the keys to this team really contending this year. Best case scenario, Ndiaye-Diatta becomes a defensive post presence, Hoffman catches on quickly and gets in shape, Brown becomes the point guard presence the team needs and they knock off Detroit for the Eastern Conference Championship. Worst case scenario - they rely on Schumacher and Ivey to provide depth, Hoffman plays like a rookie all season, and they bow out in the first round of the playoffs.
College Notes
Sue Gunter resigned from LSU due to ongoing health issues. One of the classiest coaches of our time. She fought discrimination because of her sexuality and built a powerhouse program. Pokey Chatman was named as her successor.
Indiana coach Kathi Bennett was selected to coach the Big Ten (11) Foreign Tour Team. STORY
WNBA Notes
Former Fever guard Nikki McCray signed with Phoenix yesterday. Story
Glad to see the Fever's Natalie Williams come out of the closet! She is listed as one of the celebrities for an upcoming voyage on Olivia Cruises. Nice picture of her in the Olivia brochure that arrived at my house this weekend. Way to go Nat!!
Seattle coach Anne Donovan is stressing defense in the Storm's training camp. STORY
Over Coffee
Nell Fortner took over for Joe Ciampi at Auburn. What a mistake! I'm amazed how Fortner continues to skate by in the basketball community despite her obvious lack of coaching ability. She would have been wiser to take one of the other jobs instead of a high profile one like Auburn. Playing in the tough SEC she will get constant ass whippings trying to compete with the elite coaches in the country like Pat Summit, Andy Landers, Carolyn Peck and others. Anyone who has watched Fortner coach knows she is unable to create mismatches, cannot dissect a defense and is poor at identifying her own teams strengths and weaknesses. Poor Auburn! In talking with some of the Fever players, they have no respect whatsoever for Fortner's ability and feel her ineptness kept them from reaching the playoffs last year. I also saw a quote from Alicia Thompson who was not happy with Fortner convincing her to not retire and then cutting her on the day before the season started so she was unable to catch on with another team. So, the watch at Auburn begins! How long until the Auburn AD realizes she is in over her head and finds a suitable replacement? Hopefully, not so long that the Auburn program is left in a shambles that is irreparable.
Take care!
Dar
Big Ten (11) Notes
Erika Valek and Shereka Wright of Purdue will continue to be teammates in the WNBA. STORY
A nice article on Illinois' Cindy Dallas and her selection in the second round of the WNBA draft by San Antonio. Dallas Story
A total of 7 Big Ten (11) athletes were selected in the WNBA draft. STORY
For those who might have missed it, Northwestern replaced former Butler coach June Olkowski with Colgate coach Beth Combs. STORY
WNBA Notes
While some WNBA franchises are struggling, the Indiana Fever continue to thrive picking up a 6 year sponsorship agreement with Galyans. STORY
Over Coffee
Well the draft has come and gone. The Fever selected Ebony Hoffman with their first round pick. Evidently this surprised the experts as much as it did me. Nancy Lieberman gave the Fever the lowest grade on her draft analysis. Draft Grades However, in looking at the Fever roster and the trade that got them here we can look at the situation more objectively. Charlotte essentially got Nicole Powell and Kelly Mazzante with the Fever picks involved in the trade. Indiana got Ebony Hoffman and Kelly Miller. So, is there a big difference between Miller and Mazzante? We don't know yet since Miller has been unable to play significant minutes at the pro level on the Charlotte roster. Let's say this turns out to be a slight advantage to the Fever or, at worst, a wash. That leaves Nicole Powell versus Ebony Hoffman. While Powell is a great talent, I don't think she is the player the Fever needed since they already have Tamika Catchings and Deana Jackson. No, a post player fits their needs. The Fever brass have tried to spin this as that they had their eye on Hoffman the whole time - evidently seeing something in her that the other scouts and organizations did not. So, had the Fever held on to the 3rd pick they would have had their choice of any post player in the draft. Nicole Ohlde and Vanessa Hayden were the highest ones selected. Vanessa would have fit the Fever's team but with the recent foot injury she probably would not play until late summer. I've never been a fan of Ohlde because of her frailness around the basket. So, all in all, I think the Fever did well. A 6'2" post player that weighs 210 pounds does add an air of strength to the team that they have lacked. The wild card in this deal that will determine who helped their team the most is Kelly Miller. If she starts, averages double figures and extends the defense of the opponent with her long range shooting then it'll be a success for the Fever. As it turns out, this will probably be a win-win scenario for both Charlotte and Indiana.
One thing is for sure! The Fever have put Kelly Schumacher on notice! This is her make or break year. It's time for the 6'4" center from UCONN to finally step up and reach her potential or be content to lose her minutes to Hoffman, Astou Ndiaye-Diatta, or rookie Ieva Kublina. Schu has the tools, she just needs to be more aggressive!
I understand the uproar in Minnesota over their teams inability to land Lindsay Whalen. It is so similar to the situation here in Indiana when Stephanie White was drafted by Charlotte even though everyone knew it was best for the WNBA and this franchise for her to come to Indiana. So, I empathize with Minnesota fans, but it isn't the first time this has happened and it won't be the last. In Connecticut they may never get over seeing Diana Taurasi in a Phoenix uniform.
Reluctantly, I renewed my Fever season tickets. The organization called me and asked why I wasn't renewing. I gave them my reasons - non-season ticket holding people being allowed to sit in our section, the poor basketball decisions I felt were being made by Krauskopf, the hiring of a male coach, etc. Then, two days later, I received another call - this one from current Fever player Stephanie White. She talked to me candidly about those situations, it was interesting to see her insights as well, but she sold me on the fact that as former players, if we don't support the current regime then it will surely mean the end of the league. I agree and so I sent them my $1200 check - and I'm glad I did.
Peace!
Dar
WNBA Notes
The Indiana Fever have stated they will look for front court help in Saturday's draft. Article I guess I would hope for Rebekkah Brunson from Georgetown. I only hope they do not select Nicole Ohlde. They have a player just like her already in Kelly Schumacher. I would hope they would go for more athleticism. Here's Annie Myers article breaking down the post prospects. Myers article
WNBA Notes
Mock Draft:
Well, here it is! My mock draft of the WNBA draft this Saturday (1st round) This is actually very fun to do and I enjoy all the "what if" scenarios. Here goes!
1. PHOENIX - Diana Taurasi (Connecticut)
2. WASHINGTON - Alana Beard (Duke)
3. CHARLOTTE - Nicole Powell (Stanford)
4. CONNECTICUT - Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota)
5. NEW YORK - Vanessa Hayden (Florida)
6. SEATTLE - Nicole Ohlde (Kansas State)
7. MINNESOTA - Rebekkah Brunson (Georgetown)
8. PHOENIX - Christi Thomas (Georgia)
9. INDIANA - Kelly Mazzante (Penn State)
10. SACREMENTO - Chandi Jones (Houston)
11. DETROIT - Shemeka Christon (Arkansas)
12. LOS ANGELES - Iciss Tillis (Duke)
13. DETROIT - Shereka Wright (Purdue)
NCAA Tournament Notes
The Big Ten (11) has 3 teams in the Sweet 16. Purdue, Penn State and Minnesota all advanced. Michigan State and Ohio State both were eliminated. The Big Ten (11) ties the SEC and the Big East for the honor of most conference teams in the Sweet 16 as Tennessee, Georgia and Vandy all made it for the SEC and Notre Dame, UCONN and Boston college represent the Big East. Nine of the 16 are from these 3 power conferences of women's basketball. Here's a link to the updated bracket showing upcoming games and tip off times.
BRACKET
Looking ahead, the Sunday games have more intrigue to me. The Tennessee/Baylor match-up, Duke/LA Tech, and BC/Minnesota are games I am looking forward to watching! Not to say the Saturday games aren't compelling. Texas/LSU and Purdue/Georgia will be very interesting to see.
WNBA Notes
The Fever made a really good acquisition yesterday signing center Astou Ndiaye-Diatta to a 2004 contract. The jury is out on whether she can return to the form she displayed prior to giving birth to triplets, but if she can, she can definitely help this team. STORY
Draft Notes:
Rebecca Lobo has listed her top ten WNBA prospects.
REBECCA LOBO PROSPECT TRACKER
1. Diana Taurasi, UConn
2. Alana Beard, Duke
3. Nicole Powell, Stanford
4. Chandi Jones, Houston
5. Lindsay Whalen, Minnesota
6. Kelly Mazzante, Penn State
7. Nicole Ohlde, Kansas State
8. Vanessa Hayden, Florida
9. Shemeka Christon, Arkansas
10. Rebekkah Brunson, Georgetown
Stay tuned for my 2004 draft predictions - coming in future posts.
Have a great day! PEACE !
NCAA Tournament Notes
The Big Ten (11) made a strong showing in the first round. Only Iowa failed to advance. Here are scores and recaps of all the Big Ten games from this weekend.
Ohio State 73
West Virginia 67 RECAP
Minnesota 92
UCLA 81 RECAP
Penn State 79
Hampton 42 RECAP
Purdue 78
St. Francis 59 RECAP
Michigan State 72
Arizona 60 RECAP
Virginia Tech 89
Iowa 76 RECAP
Notre Dame got a real scare from SMS in the first round prevailing in OT 69-65.
ND/SMS Recap
Valpo came back from 16 down against Kansas State before finally succumbing to the Wildcats 71-63. Valpo/K-State Recap
Big Ten Notes
The All Big Ten Team is announced. Kelly Mazzante repeats as conference Player of the Year.
All-Big Ten (as selected by coaches)
First Team: Janel McCarville, Minnesota, Lindsay Whalen, Minnesota*; Kelly Mazzante, Penn State*; Tanisha Wright, Penn State, Shereka Wright, Purdue*.
Second Team: Jennie Lillis, Iowa; Jennifer Smith, Michigan; Lindsay Bowen, Michigan State; Caity Matter, Ohio State; Erika Valek, Purdue.
Third Team: Jenny DeMuth, Indiana; Jamie Cavey, Iowa; Kristi Faulkner, Iowa; Liz Shimek, Michigan State; Jess Strom, Penn State.
Honorable Mention: Cindy Dallas, Angelina Williams, ILLINOIS; Kristin Haynie, MICHIGAN STATE; Jessica Davenport, LaToya Turner, OHIO STATE; Jessica Brungo, PENN STATE; Katie Gearlds, PURDUE.
All-Freshman team^: Rene Haynes, MICHIGAN STATE; Brandie Hoskins, Jessica Davenport, OHIO STATE; Reicina Russell, PENN STATE; Katie Gearlds, Erin Lawless, PURDUE.
Player of the Year: Kelly Mazzante, Penn State
Defensive Player of the Year: Tanisha Wright, Penn State
Freshman of the Year: Katie Gearlds, Purdue
Coach of the Year: Rene Portland, Penn State
All-Big Ten (as selected by media)
First Team: Jennifer Smith, Michigan; Lindsay Whalen, Minnesota*; Kelly Mazzante, Penn State*; Tanisha Wright, Penn State; Shereka Wright, Purdue*.
Second Team: Cindy Dallas, Illinois; Jenny DeMuth, Indiana; Jennie Lillis, Iowa; Janel McCarville, Minnesota; Caity Matter, Ohio State.
Third Team: Angelina Williams, Illinois; Jamie Cavey, Iowa; Kristi Faulkner, Iowa; LaToya Turner, Ohio State; Jess Strom, Penn State.
Honorable Mention: Tiffanie Guthrie, ILLINOIS; Cyndi Valentin, INDIANA; Tabitha Pool, MICHIGAN; Lindsay Bowen, Kristin Haynie, Liz Shimek, MICHIGAN STATE; Jessica Davenport, OHIO STATE; Jessica Brungo, PENN STATE; Katie Gearlds, Erika Valek, PURDUE; Stephanie Rich, WISCONSIN.
Player of the Year: Kelly Mazzante, Penn State
Freshman of the Year: Jessica Davenport, Ohio State
Coach of the Year: Rene Portland, Penn State
* Unanimous selection; ^ Six honorees due to tie
Top 25 Notes
#3 Texas got a big win at #17 Oklahoma 57-54. Boisterous Oklahoma fans booed the Longhorns off the court. "Them booing us off of the court is a sign that they have such respect for our program," said a smiling Stacy Stephens, who finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds. "We don't take it too personal." STORY
#4 UCONN coasted over West Virginia in Diana Taurasi's final game in Storrs. RECAP
Have a great day! Peace!
WNBA Notes
The Fever sign Katie Starbird to a free agent contract. Fever signing Further proof of the inept ability of the Fever management to evaluate their team. They already have a player just like Starbird in Kristen Rasmussen. One could even argue that Stephanie White is a similar player. Starbird, a good shooter and an average ball handler who was out of the league last year after being cut by Seattle in training camp, adds nothing to the Fever roster. Perhaps there is a trade brewing that we don't know about. But somehow, I doubt it. That would make too much sense. The Fever management might think they can fool people into thinking they are working hard on rebuilding their roster but anyone that really knows women's basketball will not be fooled. The Fever are reeling from the loss of two first round draft picks in their first four years - Jurgita Stremikite and Tawana McDonald were both first rounders who are no longer with the team. An expansion franchise who missed on 2 first rounders in their first four years has a credibility problem. Last year they traded promising draftee Gwen Jackson for aging Natalie Williams. To compensate for that blunder they select Deanna Jackson in the Cleveland dispersal draft. Then, this year they trade the number 3 overall pick in a talented draft pool for a guard that couldn't break the starting lineup in Charlotte. I know I sound like a broken record but Holy Crap!
The Fever also announced their pre-season schedule. First game is May 4 at Conseco against Houston. Fever Preseason
Top 25 Notes
Tennessee is back at #1 in the AP Poll. Duke is #2, Texas #3 and UCONN falls to #4. Penn State is up to #5 and Purdue drops to #6. AP POLL
Here's a link to the Women's Conference tournament schedule from ESPN. Tourney Schedule
Here's a link to the latest RPI. RPI LINK
Hoosier Hoops of Note
IUPUI dropped their season finale to Western Illinois 79-49. The Jaguars will be the seventh seed in the upcoming Mid Continent Conference tourney. STORY
Notre Dame hosts Syracuse tonight for senior night. ND PREGAME
Ball State travels to Northern Illinois tonight for their finale. BSU Pregame
Nancy Bowden of Butler was named to the All Horizon League first team. STORY
Have a great one! Peace.
Big Ten (11) Recap
BIG TEN CHAMPS! # 6 Penn State overcame a 14 point halftime deficit and won the Big Ten (11) Regular Season Championship over # 4 Purdue 69-60. Jess Brungo of PSU hit the big three pointer to seal the Boilers fate. Kelly Mazzante had 24 for the Lady Lions. Shereka Wright scored 21 for Purdue.
PSU/PU Recap
#12 Minnesota is still struggling to find themselves after the loss of their leader, PG Lindsey Whalen. They dropped a 57-47 decision to Michigan in Ann Arbor. Jennifer Smith had 19 for Michigan and Janel McCarville had a double/double for the Gophers with 18 points and 10 rebounds. STORY
#22 Michigan State needed overtime to get by scrappy Indiana 60-51. STORY
#25 Ohio State keeps rolling. Their latest triumph - a 72-56 decision over Wisconsin. OSU/UW Recap
Iowa finishes strong in the conference with a 89-64 win at Illionois
Iowa/Ill Recap Cindy Dallas became the first member of the Illini to reach the 1,000 career rebound milestone.
BIG TEN TOURNEY BRACKET
Thursday's schedule:
Wisconsin vs. Indiana 3:00 PM
Michigan vs. Illinois apx 5:30 PM
Minnesota vs Northwestern apx 8:00 PM
Friday's schedule:
Penn State vs. Wisc/Ind winner 12:00 Noon
Iowa vs. Michigan State apx 2:30 PM
Purdue vs. Mich/Ill winner 6:00 PM
Ohio State vs. Minn/NW winner apx 8:30 PM
Here's a link to the PDF version of the bracket for those who have Adobe Acrobat. BRACKET
Top 25 Notes
#1 UCONN lost Saturday at Villanova 59-56. Despite losing, the Huskies clinched the Big East Conference championship. Diana Taurasi was held to 8 points in the contest. It appears to me she is a half step slower lately. She looks like she might need to lose 5-10 pounds to regain her quickness. STORY
#2 Tennessee had no problem with #17 LSU 85-62. In typical Pat Summit fashion, she is building up her team prior to the tournament run. "After knowing the personality of this group, there's no way I'd bet against this team for anything." Summit stated. STORY
Jamie Carey hit a game winning three pointer lifting # 5 Texas to a 65-63 victory over # 9 Kansas State. KSU's Nicole Ohlde became the all-time leading scorer in Wildcat history with 2,123 career points. Texas/KSU Recap
#19 Georgia got by Kentucky 73-62. STORY
#18 DePaul lost their third game in a row 62-61 to Marquette on a questionable charging call in the last seconds. STORY
Vanessa Hayden led Florida with 22 points in a mild upset of #20 Auburn 71-60. FLA/AUB Recap
Have a great week! Peace!
Big Ten (11) Recap
The stage is set for the conference regular season championship as both the Boilers and the Nittany Lions won Thursday night. The big game between these two is Sunday, 1:30 PM at Penn State. The game is televised on ESPN2.
#4 Purdue won their 15th game in a row topping Iowa 84-55. Shereka Wright tallied 21 points and Erika Valek dished out 12 assists. PU/Iowa Recap
Meanwhile, #6 Penn State beat #22 Michigan State 63-51. Kelly Mazzante had 23 and Jess Strom 18 for PSU. Mazzante was coming off the worst game of her career. "Michigan State has been one of my biggest challenges as far as figuring out ways to score," Mazzante said. "I watched a lot of film, figured out ways to get open shots and tried to get to the foul line." PSU/MSU Recap Here's another story warning Purdue coach Kristy Curry to not tick off the Lady Lions. Ticked off PSU
Also in conference play, #25 Ohio State upset #12 Minnesota in Minneapolis 76-62. OSU shot 69% for the game. Nobody wants to draw the Bucks in the Big Ten (11) Tourney next week. They are HOT! OSU/MINN Recap
Michigan got by Northwestern last night 73-55. Jennifer Smith of the Wolverines broke the schools single season scoring record in the game scoring 27 points. UM/NU Recap
Wisconsin got by fading Illinois 59-53 for their first conference road win of the season. UW/UI Recap “Our kids battled tonight,” praised Wisconsin Head Coach Lisa Stone. “It was a very physical game, and we weren’t getting too many calls, but we overcame the hostile environment and put this one away. I’m really proud of my team. We’ve been battling all kinds of things, and to have our first road win right now – it builds some momentum for us.”
I got my Big Ten (11) Tourney tickets in the mail yesterday! Section 15. Should be a great time! Action starts at 3PM Thursday. If anyone wants to meet up before the game for a beer, email me!
Top 25 Notes
#2 Tennessee had no problem with Arkansas winning 93-71. Coach Summit was upset that her kids didn't play hard for the entire game. "It really bothered me that we didn't handle the pressure better fullcourt," Summitt said. "It wasn't about this game, it was about this team and the next game and the next game and the postseason. We have to be sharp for 40 minutes and we were sharp for about 32 minutes, maybe 35." UT/Ark Recap
#6 LA Tech now stands at 21-2 after defeating UTEP 83-60. RECAP
#10 Stanford was upset by Oregon 67-66. That puts the Cardinal in a tie for the Pac-10 conference with Arizona with one game to go. Tara was not happy after the game. "We're going to have to play a lot better than this," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "We are going to have to look at who is contributing for us, especially who is producing on the defensive end. We have to execute down the stretch. It's very disappointing to have a game in hand and let it slip away."
#11 North Carolina raised their record to 21-5 with an easy victory over Florida State 71-58. UNC/FSU Recap
#18 Auburn thumped rival Alabama 72-40. AU/UA Recap
Florida got by #19 Georgia 69-59. As everyone knows, Georgia kicked their leading scorer, 6'6" Kara Braxton off the team on Feb 20. Vanessa Hayden took advantage and scored 18 points on 9 of 14 shooting. UF/GA Recap
Have a great weekend! GO BOILERS!!
Peace!
Recruiting News
The McDonalds All-American team was announced yesterday. Only one member of the team is attending a Big Ten (11) university. 5 McD's All-Americans are committed to Tennessee, LSU has 3 representatives, while UCONN, Duke, Rutgers and Stanford all have 2 commits on the team. See Rosters
Top 25 Notes
The AP Top 25 is out and UCONN is number 1. Purdue moves up to #4, Penn State to #6, Minnesota stays at #12, Michigan State drops to #22 and Ohio State breaks back into the poll at #25. Five Big Ten (11) teams in there! AP POLL
Big Ten (11) Notes
Here's an article on the tough week ahead for Penn State as they end regular season play with games against MSU and Purdue which will determine the conference championship. STORY
Purdue's Kristy Curry is asking fans to "Pack the Mack" on Thursday in their final home game against Iowa. If the Boilers get 11,500 at the game they will lead the Big Ten in attendance for the season over Penn State. Pack the Mack
Peace!
Big Ten (11) Recap
#5 Purdue gutted out a win over a very tough #20 Michigan State team 59-56. Shereka Wright had 24 points and 12 rebounds for Purdue. "This is the toughest team I've been on," Wright said. "We understood what it takes to be successful." MSU's leading scorer and all Big Ten (11) candidate Lindsay Bowen to 3 points on 1-10 shooting. PU/MSU Recap
#7 Penn State got a huge road win at Iowa 70-58 setting up the big game next Sunday with Purdue for the league championship. PSU All American Kelly Mazzante was held to a career low 4 points but Tanisha Wright netted 24 for the Nittany Lions. Penn State has another tough road test Thursday at #20 MSU. PSU/Iowa Recap
#12 Minnesota got back on the winning track by beating Northwestern 73-46 in front of 13,422 fans. The Gophers had four players in double figure scoring as they notched their 20th win of the year. Minnesota has a tough Senior day game on Thursday hosting Ohio State. Minn/NU Recap
Speaking of the Buckeyes, they continue their hot play by downing Illinois 76-57. Caity Matter led all scorers with 25 points. OSU/Ill Recap
Wisconsin got by Indiana 66-62. IU's shooting woes continue as they shoot 34% for the game. IU/WIS Recap
Top 25 Notes
#1 Texas was knocked off by #9 Texas Tech in front of a boisterous sell-out crowd in Lubbock 62-49. Tech came out at halftime down by 5 and ripped off a 12-2 run. Texas coach Jody Conradt was asked about the second half run. "They came out with a fire, and we stood around and watched for a few possessions," she said. "We felt good at the half. We had a little lead."
TT/Tex Recap
#3 Tennessee beat Mississippi 85-69 behind the Indiana connection of Shanna Zolman and Shyra Ely. Tenn/Miss Recap
#4 Duke clinched the ACC title by running by Maryland 72-59. Duke/MD Recap Beard had 24 points and 10 bounds for the Blue Devils.
In double OT, #8 Kansas State overcomes Missouri 93-90. KSU/UM Recap Missou senior Evan Unrau had 40 points in the contest.
Hoosier Hoops of Note
Notre Dame won their 8th game in the last nine dumping Pittsburgh 72-68. Former Indiana All Star Jacqueline Batteast had 17 for the Irish. ND/Pitt Recap
Indiana State loses in OT to Illinois State 80-76. Sycamores/Redbirds Recap
Ball State lost 84-74 to Eastern Michigan despite Kate Endress' 26 points. BSU/EMU Recap
Butler got a double/double out of Angel Mason and cruised by UIC 67-50. Butler/UIC Recap
IUPUI posted a 73-51 vistory over Centenary. IUPUI/Cent Recap
Peace!
Big Ten (11) Recap
Indiana's Jenny DeMuth reached the 1000 point milestone in her career in last night's 65-52 victory over Michigan. DeMuth also notched her 7th double double of the year. Cyndi Valentin added 21 points for the Hoosiers. Michigan's Jennifer Smith had 29 points and 8 boards. IU/MU RECAP
#5 Purdue used a Katie Geralds 11-0 second half spurt to get by Illinois 65-49. PU/UI Story
With All American Lindsay Whalen out with an injury, teams are pressuring the young Minnesota guards. Case in point, last nights upset of the #12 Gophers by Iowa 81-61. The loss drops Minnesota into a 5th place tie with Ohio State in the Big Ten (11) standings. Minn/Iowa Recap Iowa was led by Kristi Faulkners 22 points and kept their NCAA tourney hopes alive with an overall 15-9 record and a 9-4 conference tally.
Ohio State also looks good for the Big Dance as they got by Northwestern 57-46. The win raises their overall record to 16-8 with several wins against top 25 teams. OSU freshman Jessica Davenport had 6 blocks in the game and set a record for most blocks in school history by a freshman with 56. Michele Zylstra had 19 for NU. OSU/NU Recap
#7 Penn State had no problem getting by Wisconsin 66-50. Gay basher/Penn State coach Rene Portland coached her first game on 2 feet since she slipped on ice and broke her leg earlier in the season. PSU/WI RECAP
Top 25 Notes
#3 Tennessee got by Florida 88-79. Former Indiana Miss Basketball Shanna Zolman had 23. UT/UF Recap Vanessa Hayden had 19 for Florida.
#4 Duke rolled past Virginia 87-54. STORY
#10 Stanford got 18 points, 6 assists and 10 boards from Nicole Powell and ran away from USC 75-57. STORY
#15 LSU was upset by Vanderbilt 61-55 in Baton Rouge. Carla Thomas had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Commodores. STORY
WNBA Notes
Becky Hammon re-signed with the Liberty, Merlakia Jones signs with WNBA champion Detroit, and Agnieszka Bibrzycka (aka "Biba" - the 2003 Euro Womens POY) signs with San Antonio. Boy, it's nice to see the Fever jumping in there to improve thier team. Oh wait! Their only free agent signing thus far is Stephanie White. I fear the Fever will eventually go the way of the Cleveland Rockers - they have no commitment to winning.
Hoosier Hoops of Note
Butler overcame an eleven point deficit with 3 minutes to go in regulation but lost in overtime to Loyola 88-85. BU/LU Recap
The Pitt versus Notre Dame game on Saturday in Pittsburgh is a sell out. STORY
Have a great Hoops Weekend everyone! Peace!
Big Ten (11) Recap
#5 Purdue notched their 12th straight victory beating Northwestern easily 80-45. The Boilers remain tied with Penn State for the Big Ten (11) lead with an 11-1 record. PU/NU RECAP
#8 Penn State whipped Michigan in front of a record crowd of 15,389 at State College. The attendance mark is a PSU record. PSU/MU RECAP
#10 Minnesota got a big game from soph Shannon Bolden and got a huge road win at Illinois in their first game since losing Lindsay Whalen with an injury. MINN 63/ILL 54
Caity Matter was playing in an emotional game. Her brother had just been killed in an automobile crash 24 hours earlier but she led her Ohio State team with 23 points in an upset of #17 Michigan State. Caity also had 28 points earlier in the weeks earlier upset of Minnesota. In my opinion, she is a lock for Big Ten (11) POW honors. STORY
Iowa beat Indiana in Bloomington 78-69. Iowa/IU RECAP
Top 25 Notes
There were no upsets outside the Big Ten (11) as far as Top 25 teams are concerned. There was a big rival game though. Tennessee got by Vanderbilt 94-88. Tasha Butts had 37 points in the game. "Butts took over," Pat Summitt said. UT/VANDY RECAP
Hoosier Hoops of Note
Indiana State had a record 41 FT's in their 89-81 victory over Evansville. ISU/UE RECAP+
Kent State romped over Ball State 99-64. BSU/Kent RECAP
Butler had no problem with Youngstown State 79-45. BU/YSU RECAP
IUPUI suffers 80-64 loss to Chicago State STORY
Hope everyone has a great week! Peace!
Big Ten (11) Recap
#10 Minnesota loses All American Lindsay Whalen to a hand injury and loses the game to OSU 75-57. Whalen's injury will be evaluated today. Here's hoping it's not too serious. It'd be a shame to not be able to have her for the tournament drive. MU/OSU RECAP
#17 MSU posts a gutty road win at Michigan 59-54. The Spartans Kelli Roehrig tallied a double double with 14 points and 10 boards. MSU/MU Recap
The Hoosiers offensive struggles mount. They score only 1 field goal in 15:39 and fall in an ugly affair to Northwestern 48-36. The 36 points are the lowest scored by IU since 1978. IU/NU RECAP Hey! I was there in 1978!
In overtime Iowa squeaked by Wiscy 87-82. Jennie Lillis had 31 points for Iowa. Iowa/Wisc RECAP
Sunday's schedule:
#10 Minnesota at Illinois
Iowa at Indiana
Michigan at #8 Penn State
Ohio State at #17 Michigan State
#5 Purdue at Northwestern
Top 25 Notes
#3 Tennessee got a big SEC win over #17 Georgia 70-67. Pat Summit said: "I look at what this team has done in the league, and it's about having players, it's about having warriors. They will just gut it out." UT/GA RECAP
#4 Duke cruised past Wake Forest last night 80-55. Beard had 23 and Tillis 22. Duke/WF RECAP
#6 LA Tech played tough D to down Hawaii 83-45. LT/UH RECAP
LSU Coach Sue Gunter celebrated her 700th win last night at least according to the NCAA. She has some victories at Stephen F Austin that have yet to be added to her record. The #16 Tigers got by Arkansas 92-65. LSU/Ark RECAP Here's a link to the disputed victory total story. GUNTER 700
#24 Arizona was upset by UCLA 87-68. STORY
WNBA Notes
(YAWN) Stephanie White has re-signed with the Fever. Story
Hoosier Hoops of Note
Indiana State got by Southern Illinois in a high scoring affair 98-84. ISU/SIU RECAP Celeste Hlebovy was 7-9 from the field, 6-6 from the line and finished with 20 points and 8 rebounds for the Sycamores.
Butler hit 14 three pointers and Jessica Monaco had 18 points in her first ever start as the Bulldogs outscored UIC 89-81. BU/UIC RECAP
Have a great weekend everyone! Peace!
Top 25 Notes
#1 Texas got by Texas A&M last night 66-55. Stacy Stephens had 7 assists in the game to go along with 9 rebounds and 12 points. Tiffany Jackson had a double double for the Longhorns. A&M's Toccara Williams had 22 points, 6 steals and 5 assists. TEXAS/TEX A&M Story
# 2 UCONN made a statement in their crushing defeat of Syracuse. The Huskies are getting ready for their tournament run. Conn/SYR Recap
WNBA first round target Nicole Ohlde had 23 points as #9 Kansas State easily got by Kansas 81-51. K State/KS Recap
#20 Baylor had no problems with Missouri winning 83-59. BU/MU Recap
Hoosier Hoops of Note
Ball State led in the first half 33-17 but Western Michigan came back on the Cardinals to post a 87-71 victory. BSU/WMU Recap
IUPUI shoots poorly and loses to Southern Utah 79-55. STORY
Games of note tonight include:
Butler hosting UIC
Indiana State traveling to Southern Illinois
Big Ten (11) Recap
Tiffany Guthrie of Illinois and Janel McCarville of Minnesota were named Big Ten Co Players of the Week. STORY
Tonight's Big Ten (11) Schedule:
Indiana at Illinois
Iowa at Wisconsin
#18 MSU at Michigan
#10 Minnesota at Ohio State
WNBA Notes
Did you see that former Fever forward Alicia Thompson, who was out of the league last year, has signed on with Anne Donovan in Seattle? LINK
Here's an article on newly acquired guard Kelly Miller from the Fever web site. Kelly Miller Article
Have a great day! Peace!
Big Ten (11) Recap
Shereka Wright had 34 and Katie Geralds 32 as Purdue took advantage of the league's lowest ranked defensive team beating Iowa 90-79. PU/IOWA RECAP That is the Boilers 11th win in a row. It begs the question, who will win the Big Ten (11)? Purdue? Penn State? Minnesota? What a fantastic Big Ten (11) tournament we are going to see in Indy beginning March 4th! I can't wait!
Top 25 Notes
#7 Texas Tech lost a critical conference home game to #24 Oklahoma 68-62. What a big win for Sherri Coale's Sooners. Texas Tech had not lost on their home floor since last March. TT/OU STORY
West Virginia knocked off #19 VA TECH behind Kate Bulger's 23 points. The Mountaineers overcame an eleven point deficit with 5 minutes to play. STORY
Hoosier Hoops of Note
Who leads the nation in blocked shots? Iciss Tillis? No. Vanessa Hayden? No. It's IUPUI's Brooke McAfee who had an amazing 35 blocks in her last 4 games! STORY
Ball State takes on MAC Division leader Western Michigan tonight. BSU/WMU PREGAME
Breaking Fever News
The Indiana Fever have hired Lin Dunn as an assistant coach to Brian Winters. Dunn, who many were hoping would be named as the Fever head coach, is excited about the opportunity and talent in Indianapolis. Lin Dunn Hired
Top 25 Notes
Texas is the number 1 team in the nation for the first time since 1987-1988. Rankings Story
Purdue checks in as the highest ranked Big Ten team at # 5 while Penn State dropped to 8th, Minnesota squeaks back in the top 10 at number ten, and MSU lands at #17. Notre Dame dropped out of the top 25 this week.
Big Ten (11) Notes
Purdue's future team just got a lot taller! Sunday, Kristy Curry received verbal commitments from 6'5" North Central High School sophomore Amber Harris and 6'6" Brebeuf High School freshman Ta'Shia Phillips. Twin Towers in West Lafayette! STORY
A nice article on one of the Big Ten (11)'s up and coming freshmen. Kelly Helvey of Michigan. Helvey Story
Another feature on Wisconsin senior captain Emily Ashbaugh. Emily Story
WNBA Notes
Free agents are starting to sign on the dotted line. Crystal Robinson re-signed with the Liberty, Adrienne Goodson has re-signed with the Silver Stars, and Nicky McCrimmon left the Sparks to sign with the Houston Comets. Wouldn't it be great to see former Boilermaker and Kentucky Miss Basketball Ukari Figgs sign with the Fever? Here's the WNBA Player Movement Central Page. WNBA LINK
Big Ten (11) Recap
#13 Minnesota tags a loss on #5 PSU 74-56. MINN/PSU Recap
#6 Purdue beat OSU 57-54. Shereka Wright of the Boilers topped the 2000 point mark for her career in the game. Is it me or does she remind you a lot of the Fever's Coretta Brown? PU/OSU Recap
Indiana is the second youngest team in the country. It's really starting to show as the Hoosiers take on the second half of the conference schedule. Illinois avenged an earlier loss by whipping Indiana 64-52 in front of 4400 fans in Bloomington. IU/ILL Recap
#20 MSU had no problem with Northwestern cruising to a 70-46 victory. MSU/NU Recap
Michigan posts an easy win over Wisconsin 75-55. Jennifer Smith had another double double for the Wolverines. Mich/Wisc recap
Top 25 Recap
The battle in Texas Sunday between #9 Texas Tech and #17 Baylor was one of the better played games I've seen in a long time. Both of these teams were executing well, both have strong guard play, a prototype power forward, defensive minded centers and outside shooters. TT/Baylor Story
In a game that many women's hoops fans predicted, #11 Kansas State had no challenge from #10 Colorado. I guess the Buffs aren't as strong as some had thought. KSU/CU Story
How about #14 Georgia getting upset by Arkansas! GA/Ark Recap
#19 Auburn is really starting to gel. Marita Payne had 15 rebounds and 10 blocked shots (yes, 10) as the Tigers smacked # 14 LSU 68-50.
Did you catch that triple overtime game? #23 Houston finally outscored Tulane behind Chandi Jones 39 points 83-78. Jones is a sure first round WNBA selection. Houston/Tulane Recap
#24 Notre Dame was upset by Seton Hall 51-45. ND/SH Story
Over Coffee
Well, I certainly got my college basketball fix over the weekend. I counted and, if you count the ESPN cut ins, I saw some or all of 16 basketball games. It's certainly easy to tell that it is February and the teams are really starting to put it together. This time of year, teams can no longer win with just their talent and rolling the ball out and letting them play. It comes down to execution. I swear, while watching the Baylor vs Texas Tech game, it was more enjoyable than a lot of WNBA games I've seen. Great teams, great coaching, great desire! This game had it all!
I saw Nell Fortner on ESPN2 yesterday! I wondered when she would show up! Looks like Stacy Dales-Schuman is taking some of Fortner's air time! Actually, I think Fortner is good on ESPN - that way her coaching flaws can't hurt anyone. She has a great future as the women's games version of Dickie V.
OK, so I've had the weekend to think about the latest Fever trade. I've tried to be open minded, I really have! I've tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, to look beyond what may appear to be obvious. I've analyzed it, looked at available players and taken emotion out of the equation in evaluating this latest personnel move. So, here's my thoughts!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? WHAT THE #&*@%$ WERE THEY THINKING??
Miller is a good little player and Winters mentioned he wanted her to play some point. OK, but as I said in one of my earlier posts if they needed a point why didn't they draft Helen Darling in the Rocker expansion draft? At any rate, giving up the # 3 overall and the # 18 overall pick for Miller and Charlottes #9 is ridiculous. With the number 3 pick you will get a sure fire starter - possibly a difference maker in this league. Miller couldn't even break Charlottes starting lineup for 2 years and she is now worthy of being dealt for the #3 selection? Uh, that seems a little far fetched! I could understand getting Miller and #9 for the #3 but the Fever threw in their second rounder as well - the number 18 overall. You're joking, right? Charlotte must be dancing in the streets. I always thought that Fortner was behind most of the Fever's bonehead moves while she was carrying that GM title but it now appears that Kelli Krauskopf might be just as inept in handling player personnel. Geez!
OK, so now, where does this leave the Fever? Add Miller and Deanna Jackson to last years team. Well, Olympia Scott-Richardson should be back so add her into the front court rotation. Still have problems in the backcourt. Niele Ivey, Kelly Miller, Coretta Brown , Stephanie White are under contract. Bridgett Pettis and Nikki McCray are free agents. I could see a scenario where maybe the Fever draft Kelly Mazzante with the number 9 pick. Whalen will be long gone - no way the Lynx let her get away. They could draft Shereka Wright at number 9 but you have the same player already under contract in Coretta Brown. If they go with a post player (Iciss Tillis, Stacey Stephens) it leaves the backcourt still lacking a scorer. The prospect of Mazzante and Miller outside and Tamika on the inside is somewhat intriguing. So, that's the best case scenario I can come up with. Still, the Fever blew it - they didn't get enough value for the # 3 and they now have no second round selection. How do these people keep their jobs?
FEVER NEWS - Team trades the #3 pick and the #18 pick to the Charlotte Sting for the #9 pick and G Kelly Miller. Fever Trade Is this a good move?
Big Ten (11) Recap
#5 Penn State rode Kelly Mazzante's 24 points and cruised by Indiana 66-49. IU Story
#6 Purdue notched their 9th win in a row beating Michigan 76-64. Shereka Wright had 22 points for the Boilers. PU Story
OSU won at Iowa for the first time since 1985. In the high scoring affair, Center Latoya Turner notched her 1000th career point in the game. OSU/Iowa Recap
#20 MSU raised their record to 17-4 with a 72-47 victory over Wisconsin. MSU/WI Recap
Illinois got by Northwestern 76-52. The Illini's Cindy Dallas became the all time leading rebounder for U of I in the contest - 934 for her career! ILL/NU Recap
Top 25 Recap
The big story last night - UCONN put it on Tennessee. Tennessee never really got control of the game from the opening tip and UCONN played with much more intensity than the Lady Vols. UCONN now has won 5 straight over Tennessee. Story
#7 Stanford lost again! This time to Arizona as Shawntinice Polk had 21 points and 19 rebounds for the Wildcats. STAN/AZ Recap Stanford's Nicole Powell scored a double double with 22 pts and 10 boards.
Miscellaneous
Butler loses at Detroit 55-49. Story
Ball State is attempting to set a new attendance record this weekend against Northern Illinois. Admission is free! STORY
IUPUI's Kia Hayes was named Mid Continent Conference Co-POW. Story
Over Coffee
Ah...the Fever trade analysis. Well, truthfully, I am still surprised they pulled it off. I guess I need to research a little more before I make a true analysis. I like Miller - a lot! They needed some help in the backcourt so we don't have to struggle with Niki McCray's great defense/crummy offense which allows defenses to sag back on Tamika and Natalie. The big question for me is, what will be available at #9 for the Fever? They still have not found an inside presence to guard the top centers in the WNBA like Lisa Leslie, Ruth Riley, etc. Vanessa Hayden could have been that player. The thing is, there's a lot of talent out there this year in the senior class. Mazzante might be available at number 9 but now that Miller is on board, that seems unlikely. Purdue's Shereka Wright is a possibility but there still is not that low post presence the Fever so desparately need. I'm not convinced that Kelly Krauskopf made the best move available here but I'll hold my opinion for now - pending further analysis of senior post players or a potential free agent acquisition.
Notre Dame slips into the Top 25 poll despite 7 losses. Poll Also to note, SMS moved into the top 25 after beating ISU last week and the Florida Gators have cracked the poll for the first time thanks to Fever draft target Vanessa Hayden.
Last night, #18 TCU fell in double OT to unranked South Florida 89-84. Story
Iowa's Jamie Cavey captured the Big Ten POW award. CAVEY POW Story
Purdue's Kristy Curry's press conference quotes are linked here. Curry
In a top match up this week #1 Tennessee plays #4 UCONN. Here's a pre-game story form the New Haven Register. LINK
Cheers!
Both Indiana's Kathi Bennett and Purdue's Kristy Curry were upset with their teams last night. The Boilers played uninspired but still beat Wisconsin and IU played phantom defense and got smoked by Minnesota. Purdue Story Indiana Story
#18 Michigan State beat Illinois in a comeback win at Champaign. Lindsey Bowen had 17 for the Spartans. MSU/UofI Recap
#6 Penn State had no problem with an out of conference game with St. Josephs winning 80-44. Mazzante was only 1 for 7 from 3 point range in 32 minutes. Story
OSU gets a big road win at Michigan 51-49. Caity Matter had a double double for the Buckeyes and Tabitha Poole had a double double for Michigan. Story
Iowa rolled over Northwestern in Evanston 76-61. Story
In Non Big-Ten (11) Action from the Hoosier State :
Indiana State found out why SMS is the top dog in the Valley last night as the Bears scored a 73-47 victory in front of 6580 fans in Springfield. Story
Not sure if everyone saw this but on Wednesday night Notre Dame knocked off their 3rd top 25 team this season by beating #17 Miami 59-50. This almost assures them of an NCAA bid based on their RPI and the magnitude of their big wins. ND/Miami Story
WNBA News
Connecticut traded Pee Wee Johnson to move up to the number 4 position in the draft. Rumor has it they are salivating for Florida's Vanessa Hayden. I don't think she'll be available, however. She's an almost lock for Indiana at #3. Speaking of Hayden, here's a recap of Florida's victory over Alabama. Despite being triple teamed she still scored her career best 46th double double with 14 points and 15 bounds. VANESSA!
Here's a feature on the Fever's Tamika Catchings. She sounds determined to have a special season. TAMIKA!
The thought of Tamika and Vanessa in the same lineup is exciting - but the Fever still need to find some outside scoring.
Other NCAA TOP 25 action last night
# 1 Tennessee beat Kentucky 81-72. Zolman hit a key three pointer and finished with 23 points while Shyra Ely tallied 22. STORY
# 9 LA Tech cruised by Boise State - (Why are they playing Boise State??) STORY
# 8 Stanford gets back to winning ways knocking off Washington 85-59. STORY
# 11 North Carolina squeaks by Virginia 75-70.
#25 Auburn too much for Mississippi State 80-53.
Over Coffee
Not much women's hoopage on this weekend thanks to all the Super Bowl crap. For the first time in my life, I couldn't care less about the Super Bowl. I'm not intrigued by the match-up and I have no plans to watch it. I'm sure it's a good game for football purists but I would just do other things than watch Carolina and New England play. I'll be birding instead, looking for the snow buntings and horned larks this weekend that are being seen throughout Indiana. Wish me luck!
Peace!
Ball State loses big to Toledo 91-69. Story
#3 UCONN had no trouble with #22 Va Tech last night. UCONN/VA TECH
#12 Kansas State blew out #19 Baylor 85-65. Story
Notre Dame heads to the sunshine state for a battle tonight with #17 Miami. ND Pregame Story
A nice article on Indiana State's Terre Haute South High connection. STORY
Who leads the Big Ten (11) in assists?? Stephanie Rich of Wisconsin. Learn more about her here. Stephanie
Here's a link to the NWBL women's pro basketball league site. The Fever's Tamika Catchings plays for the Chicago Blaze. LINK They do a good job with their web site. The WNBA should learn from them.
Ann Meyers has a nice feature on the old WBL. My claim to fame is that I guarded Ann at UCLA when I was a freshman for IU. I held her to 28 that night! WBL Story
Be safe and warm!
Peace!
A lot of news today on the nations #1 team. Pat Summit has signed a contract extension and received a raise matching her base salary with that of football coach Phil Fulmer - $824,500. Well done Tennessee! On a sadder note, UT lost PG Loree Moore for the rest of the season with an ACL tear in the Duke game. Story The AP Poll was released and, as expected, UT is # 1. AP POLL
Here's a link to the Big Ten (11) Standings - Standings Link
A feature on Univ of Illinois 6th year senior Cindy Dallas - Cindy
This week's Big Ten (11) schedule is a little quirky in that there are no games scheduled until Thursday. Hard to believe we have reached the mid point of the conference season!
There's no score yet on last nights IUPUI vs UMKC game. Sorry I have no details!
Ball State takes on Toledo tonight in MAC action. BSU Pregame
Here's an article on Penn State and the impact that Indiana High School native Reicina Russell has had on their team. PSU Inside game
Wisconsin coach Lisa Stone is going with a smaller lineup and likes the results. Story
Purdue G Shereka Wright was named Co Big Ten (11) POW along with PSU's Kelly Mazzante. Shereka story
Amber Harris of North Central High School in Indianapolis dunked in a high school game and there was no mention in the Indy media about it. Story
Have a good one! Peace!
North Harrison High School junior point guard Tara Miller has verballed to the Indiana Hoosiers. Story
IU was as cold as the winter storm blowing outside Assembly Hall. Shooting 21% in the second half and playing a step behind their in-state rivals enabled Purdue to post a 71-47 victory. Story
#23 MSU knocks off #9 Minnesota in the Barn 72-69 despite Lindsay Whalen's record setting game. She had 27 points to become the Gophers all time scoring leader. The loss was Minnesota's first in 19 games at home. Minn/MSU Story
#8 Penn State captured another Big Ten road victory at Ohio State 70-64. Kelly Mazzante had 19 for the Nittany Lions. PSU/OSU
Wisconsin gained an easy win over Northwestern 69-53. The Badgers tied a record for fewest turnovers in a game committing only 9 in the contest. Jordan Wilson posted her second double double of her career. Wis/NW Postgame
In a foul plagued contest, Iowa got by Michigan 69-58. Unhappy with her teams play, Michigan coach Cheryl Burnett commented: "I thought we had more air balls than any other game in history." Iowa/UM Story
By now, everyone knows that #2 Tennessee knocked off #1 Duke on Saturday. The Lady Vols could be number one this week for the first time since 2001. Tenn/Duke Postgame
In other Top 25 action:
Unranked Louisville beat #22 Houston on their own floor in OT 77-75. Story
#6 Stanford and Indiana's own Tara Vanderveer was upset by USC 59-56! Potential WNBA first round pick Nicole Powell had 29 points in the Stanford loss. USC/Stanford
In an ESPN 2 televised game, # 16 Georgia beat #13 LSU and ended the Tigers 15 game winning streak. Story
Miscellaneous notes:
Butler defeats UW-Milwaukee in OT 67-61. Nancy Bowden had 10 assists and only 2 turnovers in the game playing the entire 45 minutes. Recap
Ball State coach Tracy Roller became the schools all time winningest Womens Basketball Coach as the Cardinals smacked Buffalo 73-49 Saturday. BSU Recap
IUPUI got by Oral Roberts in OT 67-62 as Brooke McAfee blocked a Mid Continent record 12 shots in the game. Story
Indiana State gets a big Missouri Valley win beating Illinois State 83-73. The Sycamores had four players in double figure scoring. ISU Recap
In a low scoring affair Notre Dame beat Villanova 38-36. ND/VU recap
Have a great week! Is physicality a real word?
Peace
Indiana finally gets a Big Ten road win at Illinois 63-56. IU/UofI Story Jenny DeMuth continues to make her case for being an All Big Ten selection.
Purdue gets a big road win too at Ohio State 74-68. PU/OSU Postgame Shereka Wright scores 23 and Erika Valek netted 18 to break out of her shooting slump.
Kelly Mazzante became the Big Ten (11) all time leading scorer last night, and she did it with flair, scoring 29 points in Penn States big win over Minnesota 75-56. The game was tied at half time but the Gophers had no answer for Penn States trapping defense. Story
#20 MSU needed an overtime to get by improving Northwestern 67-57. Lindsay Bowen had five three-pointers in the game. MSU/NU recap
Michigan got a big road win at Wisconsin 63-60 thanks in large part to all Big Ten center Jennifer Smith's 32 points and 6 rebounds. Mich/Wisc recap
Pat Summit got her 1000th win - easily as Tennessee cruised by Vanderbilt. Next up for the Vols is #1 Duke at 6 PM EST Saturday. Former Indiana Miss Basketball Shyra Ely had 22 point in the 79-54 win at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Vols story
#17 Georgia is upset in double OT by Mississippi! Story
Machelle Joseph's Georgia Tech team nearly pulled off the upset of #13 North Carolina last night. UNC shot 30 free throws while the Yellow Jackets only got to the line 6 times. Story
Indiana State's Melanie Boeglin was named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week. Melanie story
Fever draft target Vanessa Hayden registered her 12th double double of the year as Florida got past South Carolina 61-56. The linked article also has a picture of the All American. Vanessa!
Have a good hoops weekend everyone!
Peace!
The Notre Dame Irish cruise over 'Cuse 64-35. ND/Syracuse Recap
Ball State gives up 100 points to Eastern Michigan. BSU/EMU Postgame
Butler prevails over Youngstown State 55-45. Story
Tonight against Vandy, Pat Summit will coach her 1000th game! What a record! 835-164 with six National Championships. How lucky we are to be able to watch her coach. For my money, she is the best coach in the country - men or women! Tenn/Vandy Story
In Big Ten (11) Action tonight:
#7 Purdue vs Ohio State
#9 Minnesota vs #8 Penn State
#20 Michigan State vs Northwestern
Michigan vs Wisconsin
Indiana vs Illinois
What a big night for Minnesota and Penn State. PSU coach/gay basher Rene Portland is calling it a must win game. Here are the pre-game notes from both teams sites.
Minnesota Pregame Penn State Pregame
The Indiana Fever released their schedule yesterday. Schedule Their season tips off on May 21 with a Friday game against rival New York followed by a Sunday game (May 23) against Washington.
Speaking of Washington, another female coach has left the WNBA. Marianne Stanley resigned as coach of the Mystics yesterday. Stanley Resignation I'll bet the trend will continue with a male with NBA ties coaching this team. Currently, only 3 of the 13 WNBA teams have women coaches. What is up with that??
Over Coffee
I decided to get on my soapbox today and write about the WNBA coaching situation. But it is a tired issue, one which will not be changing anytime soon, and it emotionally wears me out. I can't believe it is 2004 yet we continue to see blatant discrimination in this country. I'm showing my age here, but I remember the day when men wouldn't touch women's basketball with a ten foot pole. Women could only find women to coach them and a lot of the coaching was done voluntarily with little or no compensation. As soon as money started coming into the game, it was invaded by male money hungry power brokers. They destroyed the AIAW, using the male dominated NCAA to oversee the game that had been built up with blood sweat and tears by the AIAW. Oh, the NCAA has been good for the women's game - don't misunderstand me, but the right thing to do would have been to incorporate the AIAW into the NCAA fold - using the expertise of the women who created the product in the first place. But now, it is in the hands of others, dominated by greed and power. The game has progressed from a talent standpoint but has certainly gone downhill from a leadership standpoint. When I see women coaching in the NBA or a public outcry to stop giving high school, college and pro women's jobs to men instead of qualified and deserving women then I'll believe it has changed for the better.
Peace!
Sorry for the absence for a couple of days - I've been updating the links and getting the page more like I wanted it. But I'm back! So here we go...
Mazzante breaks Big Ten (11) scoring record on Sunday. Mazzante Record With the Fever's need for an outside shooting presence, wouldn't she look great in Fever gear!
I saw the Purdue / Minnesota game and Curry is all upset that Shereka Wright isn't getting any love as one of the best guards in the Big Ten (11). No respect story I guess Curry has a point, Wright is probably a better pro prospect than Whalen but I'd take Mazzante over either of them.
IU hits the road again this week traveling to Illinois. Pre-game notes On January 25th the Hoosiers host Purdue and a local business will donate $10,000 for breast cancer research if the Hoosiers draw 10,000 fans to the game. Pack the Hall Story
Tonight. Notre Dame travels to Syracuse. ND Pregame
In Women's top 25 action, Iowa State upset Oklahoma last night. Cyclones story
Saturday is the big game people are talking about - Duke versus Tennessee! The Lady Vols Courtney McDaniel sprained her ankle in practice on Monday and may not be able to play. McDaniel Injury
There's a nice article on WNBA.com featuring the Fever's Natalie Williams workout regimen. Natalie
Over Coffee
Been to the Fever Web site lately? You won't find much you didn't already know. Shoot, on WNBA.com the link to the Fever has the Top Stories of 2003 still on there. For those not in the know, that article was written in December. The Fever's marketing strategy still centers on community outreach of players to children. Hmmm. OK, I like kids, so I'm all right with some of that but for those of us who are adult season ticket buying WNBA fans, throw us a bone! Who writes for their web-site? What are they doing during this off season period? I know the league is struggling and resources to pay journalists are not a primary concern, but I truly believe, with the staunch supporters out there, that you could get someone to keep the web sites up to date and post some meaningful information daily for free! I volunteer! Maybe you could get an intern from one of the local colleges to take on this task. I mean, why is it so hard to find someone who generally has an interest in the sport, give them access to the players and coaches, let them interview and research, and then let them build on the interest that already exists out there? Heck, several people are already doing it anyway! For proof just type in women's basketball on your favorite search engine. Instead, we get an occasional blurb from one of the writers covering the Pacers on what is happening with the Fever. As a season ticket holder, I'd like to see an interview with the newly acquired Deanna Jackson. Maybe an insight into the draft preparation and scouting of college talent! I'd much rather read about that then which elementary school Niele Ivey is visiting on Thursdays. Well, maybe it's just me.
Peace!
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