Chatting with Mairi Buchan on the first day of practice for Old Dominion

Day 1 of Old Dominion practice on Sunday, and you know what was refreshing? Mairi Buchan minus the boot and minus any signs of the foot problems that kept the 6-2 center sidelined all of last season. In fact, the redshirt junior looked so fit, she beat out her teammates in full-court sprints.

We chatted with Mairi for a bit afterward, and here's what she had to say.

You looked great out there!

I feel good. I'm in much better shape, even than I was over the summer. I'm fit.

How's that right foot?

It feels good most of the time. I get a few twinges now and then, but nothing big. That's to be expected.

Take us through the chronology of your injury.

A lot of people thought, 'Why is it taking so long for her to come back?' I had a stress fracture, and in October (2010),  I had surgery where I got screws in my foot. I rehabbed and then I had another surgery in March, same foot, another stress fracture. I had (the problem that led) to the second surgery for years.  When I was changing my gait, that put more pressure on it.

You played for Great Britain during the World University Games in China over the summer. Are you still hopeful you'll be part of the 2012 Olympic team?

I  played in August, and I still didn't feel fit. I didn't do what I wanted to do. We have a conditioning camp in December, and I guess they're cutting, and there's a training camp May 1 (2012). You have to be invited. We'll see.

How do you feel about these Lady Monarchs?

We all had a really good preseason. We all worked hard. Everybody is very positive. We play through our mistakes, and there's a lot more running.

What part of your game are you working on?

I have to work on staying much lower on offense and on defense, because I have a tendency to play how I walk (Very proper!). I'm trying to change my shot a little bit, too, so it's not in front of me so much.

You're still planning to be a doctor?

Yes. I'm graduating in May. I only have two classes next semester and I'm trying to get an internship at a hospital or something. I want to stay here for medical school, somewhere on the East Coast. It's really expensive, but I will apply for loans or scholarships.

Is EVMS a possibility?

They don't accept international applications. VCU doesn't, either.

So, you've become rather fond of the U.S.?

I feel like it's my fourth year and I've gotten used to it here. When I go home to Scotland, it's always the same. Nothing ever changes. It just feels so much smaller. I can always go home and visit my parents and my family. They're always going to be there.

And your brother, Cameron?

He's actually rowing at Northeastern. He got a couple of offers from basketball, but he wanted to be at a Division I school.

Makes that trip to Boston a little more fun come conference season.

Jan 8, I think. My mom goes back to work on the 9th or 10th, so I don't know if she'll be there. Maybe my dad will. They're coming here for Christmas.

It must be great for you to be playing again.

I got to the point last year where I didn't want to come to games. Once I got closer to getting back, I was more excited. I was able to motivate myself and motivate other people.

I'm definitely back!

ODU duo, Great Britain finish 14th at World University Games

Great Britain ended the World University Games in disappointing fashion Saturday, dropping a 69-56 decision to Slovakia to finish 14th out of 15 teams. The loss was the fourth straight for the Brits (1-4) since they opened the tournament with a 61-54 victory over this same Slovakia outfit.

Old Dominion's Mairi Buchan, who was hoping to use this event as a springboard to a spot on Great Britain's 2012 Olympic team, finished with 2 points and 4 rebounds in 14 minutes while her Lady Monarchs teammate Becca Allison contributed 2 points in a little over 9 minutes for Great Britain. Buchan, who was coming off a 6-points, 7-rebound effort in her previous game, finished the tournament with 12 points and 14 rebounds in the five games; Allison totaled 8 points in the tournament.

Lithuania finished 11th by downing Japan 80-66. Poland, the only winless team in the tournament (0-4), wound up in 15th (last) place.

The gold-medal game featuring the United States and Chinese Taipei is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Sunday and can be viewed here.

Buchan gets better, Great Britain gets beat

Old Dominion's Mairi Buchan turned in her best performance of the World University Games, but it wasn't enough as Great Britain fell to Lithuania 79-69 in a classification round Thursday in Shenzhen, China.

As for the juggernaut U.S. team, Delaware star Elena Delle Donne scored the first eight points of the game and tied for team-high honors with 17 in the contest as Team USA filleted Finland 96-30 in quarterfinal acton. Notre Dame's Devereaux Peters also scored 17 points for the U.S., whose 66-point margin of victory was high even by this team's dominating standards. The U.S. had won its previous three games by an average of just over 52 points. The unbeaten (and untested) U.S. (4-0) will face Australia in the semifinals Friday at 8:30 a.m. The Aussies (4-0) advanced with a 79-44 victory over Canada. Chinese Taipei (4-0) will play Sweden (3-1) in the other semifinal. The gold medal game will be played on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

Remember to keep up with Delle Donne's exploits through her video diary.

For Great Britain, Buchan had personal tournament highs in points (6), rebounds (7) and minutes played (21) as she continues rounding into form after a year-long absence from competitive play because of injuries. After starting Great Britain's first three games, Buchan came off the bench against Lithuania but wound up being on the court longer than all but three other Great Britain players. Buchan's Lady Monarchs teammate Becca Allison contributed 2 points in 8 minutes. Chantelle Handy led Great Britain with 19 points.

The loss was Great Britain's third straight since a tournament-opening victory over Slovakia.

U.S. 85, Great Britain 33 at World University Games

Ouch.

A Great Britain squad featuring Old Dominion's Mairi Buchan and Becca Allison became the latest to feel the fury of mighty Team USA as the Americans blitzed the Brits 85-33 in the teams' final preliminary round of the World University Games. The United States has now beaten its three WUG opponents by a combined 158 points.

Delaware star and Team USA starter Elena Delle Donne had 10 points and 6 rebounds for the U.S. Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins led the balanced attack with 13 points and Stanford's Chiney Ogwumike added 12 for the United States (3-0), which as the first-place team in Pool B will meet Pool A runner-up Finland (2-1) in the quarterfinals Wednesday at 10 p.m (Eastern time).

Buchan, still trying to regain her form after sitting out nearly a full year with injury, went scoreless on 0-of-8 shooting in 18 minutes for Great Britain (1-2), which shot just 18 percent from the field and nearly produced more turnovers (32) than points. Buchan has started all three games. Allison managed 2 points in a 28-minute stint of the bench, by far her longest outing of the tournament.

The game actually featured four CAA players, as Great Britain's Renee Johnson-Allen (Drexel) also took part along with Delle Donne, Buchan and Allison.

I noticed yesterday when I saw them in the village, I was like, ‘I know these girls.’ " Delle Donne said. "Two of them are on ODU’s team and one was from Drexel, so it was pretty cool out there playing with girls in my conference.It says the CAA is definitely a strong conference. I’m definitely proud of the conference and glad to see we’re out here representing it."

Great Britain played without former Marshall star Chantelle Handy, who averaged 20.5 points in Great Britain's first two games, the third-highest average in the tournament. It is unclear why Handy wasn't available.

The loss dropped Great Britain into the classification rounds for 9th-16th place. The third-place team from Pool B, Great Britain will next face Lithuania (0-3), the fourth-place team from Pool A.

Click here to follow Delle Donne's adventures in China through her video diary.

The Buchan-Delle Donne World University Games report

Elena Delle Donne

The Old Dominion duo of Mairi Buchan and Becca Allison each got on the scoreboard, but it wasn't enough in Great Britain's 68-55 loss to Brazil in World University Games pool play Monday in Shenzhen, China. Buchan, who started, had 4 points on 2-of-4 shooting (and 5 turnovers) in 14-plus minutes; Allison made her only field goal attempt and scored 2 points and added 2 assists in 6 minutes as a reserve. Neither Buchan nor Allison scored in Great Britain's WUG opener, a 64-51 win over Slovakia.

Meanwhile, Elena Delle Donne and her U.S. teammates continued rolling through pool play, waxing Slovakia 114-68. Team USA opened the event Sunday with a 112-53 pasting of Brazil that Delle Donne led with a team-high 17 points. Against Slovakia, Delle Donne, who has started both games, posted a double-double (10 points, a game-high 10 rebounds) and was one of six U.S. players in double figures. The Blue Hens star's points came in somewhat unusual fashion - she made 3 of 4 3-pointers but missed all 6 of her 2-pointers. Most surprising of all: Delle Donne made just 1 of 2 free throws. She shot a ridiculous 94.4 from the line for the Blue Hens last season.

Click here to watch Delle Donne's video diary of her adventures in China.

Buchan, Allison and Great Britain will try their luck against the U.S., which if we understand the time difference correctly with go off at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Buchan returns, Delle Donne shines at World University Games

Mairi Buchan

Old Dominion's Mairi Buchan saw her first meaningful action in more than a year as the World University Games began its week-long women's basketball tournament Saturday in Shenzhen, China.

Buchan started for Great Britain and logged 16 minutes in a 64-51 victory over Slovakia. It was a rusty debut, as Buchan missed all six of her shots from the field, did not have a rebound or assist and turned it over three times. But at least she's back on the court. Injuries had essentially rendered Buchan inactive since the 2010 European U20 Championships last July, as she sat out the entire 2010-11 season for Old Dominion.

Buchan hopes to use this tournament as an audition for a spot on Great Britain's 2012 Olympic team.

ODU's Becca Allison - or Rebecca Ann Allison as she is known in World University Games boxscores - also played for Great Britain and did not score in 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, Delaware star Elena Delle Donne went off on Brazil - and so did most of her teammates - racking up a team-high 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in just 12 minutes in a 112-53 rout. Delle Donne started for the U.S., along with Skylar Diggins, Natalie Novosel, Nnemkadi Ogwumike and Chiney Ogwumike. So let's see, that's Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Stanford, Stanford and...Delaware? Way to represent the CAA, Elena!

The U.S. will take on Slovakia and Great Britain will face Brazil on Sunday (which will actually be Monday in China. The much-anticipated - at least by us - U.S.-Great Britain game follows on Monday (Tuesday in Shenzhen).

Buchan vs. Delle Donne at World University Games?

Now that Old Dominion's Mairi Buchan and Becca Allison have been named to the Great Britain team for the 2011 World University Games Aug. 13-22 in Shenzhen, perhaps those Lady Monarchs can help their team figure out some way to slow a loaded United States entry. Great Britain and the U.S. have both been assigned to Pool B of the 16-team tournament (along with Slovakia and Brazil), guaranteeing the two will meet somewhere within the teams' first three games.

Although the U.S. team hasn't been officially set, the 14 finalists for the squad include Stanford's Nnemkadi and Chiney Ogwumike, Notre Dame star/Twitter darling Skylar Diggins (100,295 followers?) and Delaware's Elena Delle Donne. The team will be trimmed to 12 during a final training session beginning July 31 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Not sure how Buchan, Allison and Co. can match up with those guys. But if the Brits need any help in dealing with Delle Donne, the Lady Monarchs have some fond memories of how that can successfully play out.

The tournament will also allow Buchan a crucial audition for a spot on Great Britain's 2012 Olympic team. Last summer, Buchan starred on Great Britain's gold medal-winning U-20 squad at the European Division B Championships and appeared poised to move up to the senior team. But she missed her entire college season with a foot injury and also had to withdraw from this summer's Eurobasket finals.

“I will continue to work hard,” Buchan said. “And have decided to treat the World University Games this August as my chance to prove myself to the senior coaching staff so that I can still have a chance at making the team next year for the Olympic Games in London.”

Buchan was at Old Dominion Wednesday for new Lady Monarchs coach Karen Barefoot's introductory press conference. Allison is in training with the Great Britian U-20 team which will play in the A Division European tournament July 7-17 in Novi Sad, Serbia.