We know the phrase is already taken, but we're calling this Big Monday in these parts because of its bounty of interesting matchups:
- Virginia travels to Maryland for a regionally televised affair
- Liberty and Gardner-Webb in a regionally televised first-place showdown
- Drexel and JMU in a rematch of the 2009 CAA title game
- Norfolk State looks to get off the MEAC schneid at Delaware State
Monday's game
No. 24 Virginia (16-6, 5-3 ACC) at Maryland (16-7, 3-5 ACC), 7 p.m. (Comcast) The Cavaliers ought to want this one badly. How dare Maryland come into JPJ Arena and spoil the night Monica Wright became Virginia's all-time leading scorer? What? You say the Cavaliers actually gave that game away? Oh, yeah, that's right.... Well, take it out on the Terps anyway, guys. Actually, that Maryland loss turned out to be a springboard to much crisper play from the Cavaliers, who ripped off four straight wins after that decacle and have taken five of six since. The Cavaliers also come in off perhaps their cleanest offensive performance in ACC play - an 82-60 win over Clemson that featured 52.9 percent shooting, four double-digit scorers and efficient 10-of-15 shooting from Monica Wright. At this stage of UVa.'s development, we shouldn't expect them to operate that smoothly every night, particularly on the road. But against the Terrapins, they may not have to. Maryland coughed up 28 turnovers in the first meeting with Virginia and averages nearly 23 a game against ACC teams. This should set the Cavaliers up for several fastbreak opportunities - that is, unless Debbie Ryan calls a timeout to stop them (We kid because we care, Debbie).
Drexel (14-7, 8-2 CAA) at James Madison (17-4, 7-3 CAA), 7 p.m. Another game with a revenge angle - Drexel downed JMU in the Dukes' building to claim last year's CAA tournament title and this year opened CAA play with a 68-67 victory over the Dukes in Philadelphia. The Dukes could be without their biggest weapon as Dawn Evans is questionable after spraining her ankle midway through the first half of Thursday's 71-56 rout of VCU. The Dragons shouldn't take too much comfort in playing an Evans-less JMU, though. The Dukes played so well after Evans departed we began to wonder, does JMU actually play better team ball without their superstar? Let's be clear about this - no one is suggesting JMU has a higher ceiling without the nation's No. 4 scorer. But Thursday marked the second time this season the Dukes have been forced to play all or a significant part of a game minus Evans, and on both occasions the team has operated more efficiently and cohesively, as though they actually enjoy the challenge. Having said this, we sincerely hope they don't have to prove this again again as we hate to see anyone miss games because of injury. As for Drexel, the Dragons are hoping Thursday's 53-48 loss at Towson served as a wake-up call for a team that had been dodging self-fired bullets and prevailing despite subpar play for several games before their ill-fated trip to Baltimore.
Gardner-Webb (18-3, 7-1 Big South) at Liberty (17-4, 7-1 Big South), 7 p.m. The Lady Flames have won 10 straight since dropping a 70-65 decision to Gardner-Webb on Jan. 2 in Boiling Springs, N.C. Big South scoring leader Devon Brown scored just 9 points in that contest, and Liberty has tended to struggle against teams (Virginia, JMU) that can slow Brown down. Then again, offense wasn't the problem; 65 points is typically plenty for the defense-first Lady Flames. But the Bulldogs scorched the Liberty on three fronts - points off turnovers (21 off 23 Liberty giveaways), by moving the ball (17 assists on 19 field goals) and by getting to the free throw line (36 times). Liberty's turnover problem appears chronic. But the Lady Flames can definitely clean things up in the other two areas.
George Mason (8-13. 1-9 CAA) at Delaware (14-7, 6-4 CAA), 3 p.m. (approx.): Wii bowling anyone? Check out the Patriots video on their website, which shows off a couple of great hook shots and an intense game of checkers, part of the snow day GMU endured in Delaware. The fun isn't likely to continue against Dell-e-ware. This one follows a postponed men's game which begins at 1 p.m., so start time for the women is iffy. Delaware 80. George Mason 42
Hampton (11-10) at Winston-Salem State (2-20), 6 p.m. After poking its head up in the Division I waters for a couple of years, Winston-Salem is reclassifying back to Division II, and this caught-between-divisions status is reflected in the 18-game losing streak the Lady Rams will lug into battle. By contrast, Hampton has won five straight and should be able to name its score here. But the Lady Pirates need to guard against playing down to its opponent and making this one tougher than it should be. And congratulations to Hampton's Quanneisha Perry, who after two straight weeks of earning MEAC Player of the Week honors has been named the league's Defensive Player of the Week this time.
Delaware State (3-19, 1-8 MEAC)) at Norfolk State (3-15, 0-9 MEAC), 6 p.m.
If you read this earlier, we had the Spartans on the road. (Thanks for the correction.) We noted they hadn't won a conference road game since 2007. Throw out that fact, at least as far as this game is concerned. This much is true, though. Any win when you're 0-9 in the conference is welcomed.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
VCU dominates ODU in Norfolk
Richmond didn't lay an egg at Xavier, but Old Dominion hatched one in Norfolk against a VCU team that never wavered in toughness.
Though the Spiders lost to the seventh-ranked Musketeers, it was hardly the debacle it was two weeks ago against Dayton.
Meanwhile, JMU and George Mason had their CAA games postponed due to snow and Old Dominion got buried in its own gym. The 19-point loss was the biggest CAA loss for the Lady Monarchs ever in Norfolk.
Sunday's results:
Virginia Commonwealth 75, Old Dominion 56
What was supposed to be a big game turned into a big whipping for the Lady Monarchs (11-10, 9-2), who not only didn't defend their house, they didn't defend. They couldn't score and they got outworked and outhustled by a charged-up Rams team that restored its place atop the CAA with ODU (Drexel's game vs. JMU was postponed until Monday). Remember last year when these two played in Norfolk? VCU (16-2, 9-7-2) should've won then, too, and senior D'Andra Moss remembers that and the other two losses VCU has endured at the Constant Center the last four years. "I know Old Dominion," Moss said. "They were the Tennessee of women's basketball for many, many years. We've got bigger fish to fry, but we've never won here, and it's good to get it done." VCU showed no signs of the team that got flattened by James Madison on Thursday, and ODU showed no sign of the team they've been the first half of the conference season.
Georgia State 63, William and Mary 60
Tiffany Benson scored her 1,000th point and Janine Aldridge set a school mark with 7 3-pointers. Milestones are nice, we'll bet Debbie Taylor prefers wins. Taysha Pye nearly sent it to OT, but her trey rimmed out at the buzzer. That didn't lose it, though. Point guard Crystal Johnson paced Georgia State with 12 points, 11 assists and 12 boards. W&M (10-12, 3-8) missed 10 free throws and Benson was the main culprit, misfiring on eight. Free-throw shooting is a fixable problem, and until the Tribe fixes it, they won't win many games.
No. 7 Xavier 67, Richmond 55
The Spiders didn't win. But they made the top team in the league sweat it out. This game was tied at 52, but Richmond (15-8, 4-4 A-10) did not have a field goal in the final 4:15. "It wasn't much of an escape (because we pulled it together when we needed to," said Musketeers senior Dee Dee Jernigan. "Richmond is a good team that made shots, tough shots, when they needed to. But we pulled it together at the end of the game." Ta'Shia Phillips pounced on 16 rebounds to the Spiders' 27. Richmond sophomore guard Abby Oliver earned her career high with 19 points. A tad more Spider offense could have made this the signature win of the season.
NC State 70, Virginia Tech 57
Good news, Hokies (12-11, 2-7 ACC). Savannah State is on tap. Surely that will end Tech's four-game losing streak, though it's far from the ACC win they could use right now. Lindsay Biggs rediscovered her game, but down the stretch, nobody could score. The Wolfpack finished the game on a 29-9 run to keep their perfect 11-0 record vs. Tech intact.
Though the Spiders lost to the seventh-ranked Musketeers, it was hardly the debacle it was two weeks ago against Dayton.
Meanwhile, JMU and George Mason had their CAA games postponed due to snow and Old Dominion got buried in its own gym. The 19-point loss was the biggest CAA loss for the Lady Monarchs ever in Norfolk.
Sunday's results:
Virginia Commonwealth 75, Old Dominion 56
What was supposed to be a big game turned into a big whipping for the Lady Monarchs (11-10, 9-2), who not only didn't defend their house, they didn't defend. They couldn't score and they got outworked and outhustled by a charged-up Rams team that restored its place atop the CAA with ODU (Drexel's game vs. JMU was postponed until Monday). Remember last year when these two played in Norfolk? VCU (16-2, 9-7-2) should've won then, too, and senior D'Andra Moss remembers that and the other two losses VCU has endured at the Constant Center the last four years. "I know Old Dominion," Moss said. "They were the Tennessee of women's basketball for many, many years. We've got bigger fish to fry, but we've never won here, and it's good to get it done." VCU showed no signs of the team that got flattened by James Madison on Thursday, and ODU showed no sign of the team they've been the first half of the conference season.
Georgia State 63, William and Mary 60
Tiffany Benson scored her 1,000th point and Janine Aldridge set a school mark with 7 3-pointers. Milestones are nice, we'll bet Debbie Taylor prefers wins. Taysha Pye nearly sent it to OT, but her trey rimmed out at the buzzer. That didn't lose it, though. Point guard Crystal Johnson paced Georgia State with 12 points, 11 assists and 12 boards. W&M (10-12, 3-8) missed 10 free throws and Benson was the main culprit, misfiring on eight. Free-throw shooting is a fixable problem, and until the Tribe fixes it, they won't win many games.
No. 7 Xavier 67, Richmond 55
The Spiders didn't win. But they made the top team in the league sweat it out. This game was tied at 52, but Richmond (15-8, 4-4 A-10) did not have a field goal in the final 4:15. "It wasn't much of an escape (because we pulled it together when we needed to," said Musketeers senior Dee Dee Jernigan. "Richmond is a good team that made shots, tough shots, when they needed to. But we pulled it together at the end of the game." Ta'Shia Phillips pounced on 16 rebounds to the Spiders' 27. Richmond sophomore guard Abby Oliver earned her career high with 19 points. A tad more Spider offense could have made this the signature win of the season.
NC State 70, Virginia Tech 57
Good news, Hokies (12-11, 2-7 ACC). Savannah State is on tap. Surely that will end Tech's four-game losing streak, though it's far from the ACC win they could use right now. Lindsay Biggs rediscovered her game, but down the stretch, nobody could score. The Wolfpack finished the game on a 29-9 run to keep their perfect 11-0 record vs. Tech intact.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Sunday dribble: Stormy weather
As expected, the huge snowstorm that pummeled much of Virginia and the DC area has punched a few holes in Sunday's hoops schedule. In particular, three CAA games have been pushed back a day:
George Mason at Delaware - Monday at approximately 3:30 p.m. (or 35 minutes after the conclusion of the 1 p.m. UNC Wilmington-Delaware men's basketball game)
Drexel at James Madison - Monday at 7 p.m.
Northeastern at Towson - Monday at 4:30 p.m.
But that still leaves a few appetizing pre-Super Bowl hoops matchups, including the much-anticipated - at least by us - VCU at ODU showdown. Also, Richmond will try to use its speed and defensive tenacity to chop down one of the elite teams in the sport this season on ESPNU.
Saturday's games
Hampton 57, South Carolina State 47: Five down, seven to go for the Lady Pirates (11-10, 7-3 MEAC), who are nearing the halfway point of sweeping their final 12 regular-season games. Hampton's QP Doll (Quanneisha Perry) had a team-high 20 points, but the key Lady Pirate this time was Laura Lewis, a preseason second-team All-MEAC pick who was slowed by injury in throughout Hampton's non-conference season. Lewis had 16 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists and nailed 4 of her 6 3-pointers.
Maryland-Eastern Shore 76, Norfolk State 56: When your opponent opens the game by drawing a technical foul for failing to report the game's starters and you let 'em off the hook by missing both free throws, you probably have an inkling this isn't going to be your day. Ironically, the player who went 0-for-2 from the line, Tyisha Bridges, hit 10-of-10 free throws the rest of the game. No biggie; the Spartans were a longshot to win this game anyway. But NSU should have a real chance on Monday when 3-19 Delaware State comes calling. So if the Lady Hornets want to give you a couple of free points before the game even starts, take 'em. They might really come in handy against these guys.
Sunday's games
Richmond (15-7, 4-3 A-10) at No. 7 Xavier (17-3, 7-0 A-10), 4 p.m.
Once upon a time, we couldn't wait for this game and apparently we weren't the only ones. ESPNU will be broadcasting from Cintas Center. But we fear the Spiders in a marquee A-10 road game considering they fell by 53 at Dayton last month and Crystal Goring continues to nurse a high ankle sprain. Ta'Shia Phillips and Amber Harris, 6-6 and 6-5, respectively are another reason we have confidence in Xavier, which has won 21 of its last 22 regular-season games. But if you're in the Cincinnati area, consider stopping by. The first 100 fans receive a free . Xavier 82, Richmond 60
VCU (15-7, 8-2 CAA) at ODU (11-10, 9-1 CAA), 2 p.m.
To keep its solo hold atop the CAA, the Lady Monarchs need to keep alive the winning streak, which is now at eight. Given ODU's resolve these days, it's easy to imagine that happening against the Rams, who were deflated at home by James Madison on Thursday. Still the Rams are a dangerous opponent, having taken Drexel to OT before falling by two and developing a chemistry due to the devastating ACL tear that ended the collegiate career of La'Tavia Rorie. ODU 70, VCU 65
William and Mary (10-11, 3-7 CAA) at Georgia State (12-9, 3-7 CAA)
The Tribe has fallen on hard times, giving up 241 points in three straight losses. They have won six straight against the Panthers, including a pair in Atlanta. The Panthers have dropped four of five, sneaking in a win against George Mason. The more physical Panthers have won seven at home this year and we suspect today will be No. 8. Georgia State 67, William and Mary 58
Virginia Tech (12-10, 2-6 ACC) at NC State (12-10, 2-5 ACC), 4 p.m.
On paper these teams seem evenly matched, though NC State leads this series 9-0. The Wolfpack trounced Maryland on Jan. 4 but like Tech, has dropped three straight. Heed the advice of ODU -- NC State can shoot 3s (No. 2 in the ACC) and Brittany Strachen leads the league in that category with a sizzling 45 percent, and by the way, she comes off the bench. NC State 68, Virginia Tech 59
George Mason at Delaware - Monday at approximately 3:30 p.m. (or 35 minutes after the conclusion of the 1 p.m. UNC Wilmington-Delaware men's basketball game)
Drexel at James Madison - Monday at 7 p.m.
Northeastern at Towson - Monday at 4:30 p.m.
But that still leaves a few appetizing pre-Super Bowl hoops matchups, including the much-anticipated - at least by us - VCU at ODU showdown. Also, Richmond will try to use its speed and defensive tenacity to chop down one of the elite teams in the sport this season on ESPNU.
Saturday's games
Hampton 57, South Carolina State 47: Five down, seven to go for the Lady Pirates (11-10, 7-3 MEAC), who are nearing the halfway point of sweeping their final 12 regular-season games. Hampton's QP Doll (Quanneisha Perry) had a team-high 20 points, but the key Lady Pirate this time was Laura Lewis, a preseason second-team All-MEAC pick who was slowed by injury in throughout Hampton's non-conference season. Lewis had 16 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists and nailed 4 of her 6 3-pointers.
Maryland-Eastern Shore 76, Norfolk State 56: When your opponent opens the game by drawing a technical foul for failing to report the game's starters and you let 'em off the hook by missing both free throws, you probably have an inkling this isn't going to be your day. Ironically, the player who went 0-for-2 from the line, Tyisha Bridges, hit 10-of-10 free throws the rest of the game. No biggie; the Spartans were a longshot to win this game anyway. But NSU should have a real chance on Monday when 3-19 Delaware State comes calling. So if the Lady Hornets want to give you a couple of free points before the game even starts, take 'em. They might really come in handy against these guys.
Sunday's games
Richmond (15-7, 4-3 A-10) at No. 7 Xavier (17-3, 7-0 A-10), 4 p.m.
Once upon a time, we couldn't wait for this game and apparently we weren't the only ones. ESPNU will be broadcasting from Cintas Center. But we fear the Spiders in a marquee A-10 road game considering they fell by 53 at Dayton last month and Crystal Goring continues to nurse a high ankle sprain. Ta'Shia Phillips and Amber Harris, 6-6 and 6-5, respectively are another reason we have confidence in Xavier, which has won 21 of its last 22 regular-season games. But if you're in the Cincinnati area, consider stopping by. The first 100 fans receive a free . Xavier 82, Richmond 60
VCU (15-7, 8-2 CAA) at ODU (11-10, 9-1 CAA), 2 p.m.
To keep its solo hold atop the CAA, the Lady Monarchs need to keep alive the winning streak, which is now at eight. Given ODU's resolve these days, it's easy to imagine that happening against the Rams, who were deflated at home by James Madison on Thursday. Still the Rams are a dangerous opponent, having taken Drexel to OT before falling by two and developing a chemistry due to the devastating ACL tear that ended the collegiate career of La'Tavia Rorie. ODU 70, VCU 65
William and Mary (10-11, 3-7 CAA) at Georgia State (12-9, 3-7 CAA)
The Tribe has fallen on hard times, giving up 241 points in three straight losses. They have won six straight against the Panthers, including a pair in Atlanta. The Panthers have dropped four of five, sneaking in a win against George Mason. The more physical Panthers have won seven at home this year and we suspect today will be No. 8. Georgia State 67, William and Mary 58
Virginia Tech (12-10, 2-6 ACC) at NC State (12-10, 2-5 ACC), 4 p.m.
On paper these teams seem evenly matched, though NC State leads this series 9-0. The Wolfpack trounced Maryland on Jan. 4 but like Tech, has dropped three straight. Heed the advice of ODU -- NC State can shoot 3s (No. 2 in the ACC) and Brittany Strachen leads the league in that category with a sizzling 45 percent, and by the way, she comes off the bench. NC State 68, Virginia Tech 59
Friday, February 5, 2010
Friday dribble: Tech fails to finish off Wake - again
Another weekend, another snowstorm. And this one is a real doozy, so be prepared for 11th-hour postponements as you study your Saturday and Sunday schedule. The storm has already claimed one victim - Saturday's scheduled Gardner-Webb-Radford game has been postponed until Wednesday.
Friday's game
Wake Forest 58, Virginia Tech 51: On Jan. 7 in Winston-Salem, the Hokies played well most of the way and led Wake Forest by seven with just over three minutes left before the Demon Deacons took off on an 11-1 run and stole a 66-63 victory. On Friday in Blacksburg, the Hokies (10-12, 2-6 ACC) played well most of the way and led Wake Forest by 11 with less than eight minutes left before the Demon Deacons took off on an 18-0 run and stole a 58-51 victory. Ever see the movie "Groundhog Day?" The lone bright spot - starting point guard Nikki Davis played 17 minutes in her first action since straining her left knee on Jan. 26.
Saturday's games
Hampton (10-10, 6-3 MEAC) at South Carolina State (6-14, 1-7), 2 p.m.
Conference road games can trip you up, but the Bulldogs are giving up 68 ppg and have lost five of the last six in this series. Hampton is seeking its fifth straight win behind Quanneisha Perry (why the extra "n"?). The reining MEAC Player of the Week, Perry has averaged 16.4 ppg and 13.5 rpg in the last four games. If you're headed to Orangeburg, be safe in all the rain and pack some pink as Saturday's game is a Pink-out for breast cancer. Hampton 78, South Carolina State 61
Maryland Eastern-Shore (7-11, 4-4 MEAC) at Norfolk State (3-14. 0-8 MEAC), noon
They moved this game up four hours due to inclement weather, though we're not exactly sure how much that will help anybody. Both teams are skidding; NSU has dropped its last three; the Lady Hawks have lost three of their last four. While there's not much interesting to say about this game, here's a fun stat developed by NBA statistics guru Harvey Pollack. What he dubbed the "working man's stat" is when a player records at least one of every statistical category in the box score, something UMES junior Casey Morton did in the season opener. Her line : Morton was as: 2-of-10 from the field; 1-of-7 from three-point land; 7-of-10 at the line; had one offensive rebound; three defensive rebounds; 12 points; one assist; one block; three steals.Teammate April McBride joined the club against American on Jan. 4. She was: 4-of-11 from the field; 3-of-4 from 3-point land; 3-of-4 from the line; one offensive rebound; six defensive rebounds; 14 points; two assists; two blocks; four steals. What's it all mean? Given the Hawks went 1-1 in those games, probably nothing. Maryland Eastern Shore 65, Norfolk State 55
Friday's game
Wake Forest 58, Virginia Tech 51: On Jan. 7 in Winston-Salem, the Hokies played well most of the way and led Wake Forest by seven with just over three minutes left before the Demon Deacons took off on an 11-1 run and stole a 66-63 victory. On Friday in Blacksburg, the Hokies (10-12, 2-6 ACC) played well most of the way and led Wake Forest by 11 with less than eight minutes left before the Demon Deacons took off on an 18-0 run and stole a 58-51 victory. Ever see the movie "Groundhog Day?" The lone bright spot - starting point guard Nikki Davis played 17 minutes in her first action since straining her left knee on Jan. 26.
Saturday's games
Hampton (10-10, 6-3 MEAC) at South Carolina State (6-14, 1-7), 2 p.m.
Conference road games can trip you up, but the Bulldogs are giving up 68 ppg and have lost five of the last six in this series. Hampton is seeking its fifth straight win behind Quanneisha Perry (why the extra "n"?). The reining MEAC Player of the Week, Perry has averaged 16.4 ppg and 13.5 rpg in the last four games. If you're headed to Orangeburg, be safe in all the rain and pack some pink as Saturday's game is a Pink-out for breast cancer. Hampton 78, South Carolina State 61
Maryland Eastern-Shore (7-11, 4-4 MEAC) at Norfolk State (3-14. 0-8 MEAC), noon
They moved this game up four hours due to inclement weather, though we're not exactly sure how much that will help anybody. Both teams are skidding; NSU has dropped its last three; the Lady Hawks have lost three of their last four. While there's not much interesting to say about this game, here's a fun stat developed by NBA statistics guru Harvey Pollack. What he dubbed the "working man's stat" is when a player records at least one of every statistical category in the box score, something UMES junior Casey Morton did in the season opener. Her line : Morton was as: 2-of-10 from the field; 1-of-7 from three-point land; 7-of-10 at the line; had one offensive rebound; three defensive rebounds; 12 points; one assist; one block; three steals.Teammate April McBride joined the club against American on Jan. 4. She was: 4-of-11 from the field; 3-of-4 from 3-point land; 3-of-4 from the line; one offensive rebound; six defensive rebounds; 14 points; two assists; two blocks; four steals. What's it all mean? Given the Hawks went 1-1 in those games, probably nothing. Maryland Eastern Shore 65, Norfolk State 55
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Friday dribble: No Evans, no problem for JMU
We've been feeling for a while now that Old Dominion is playing the best ball in the CAA. Finally, the standings reflect that - thanks to some help from a gritty James Madison squad that thrived despite the loss of their best player.
Friday's game
Wake Forest (13-8, 4-3 ACC) at Virginia Tech (12-9, 2-5 ACC), 6:30 p.m.
The Hokies appeared to have the Demon Deacons beaten when these teams opened ACC play in Winston-Salem on Jan. 7., but an 11-1 Wake run over the final 4:19 forced Tech to eat a 66-63 decision. We'd love a healthy Tech in the Blacksburg rematch, especially since Wake is 0-3 in conference road games. But point guard Nikki Davis is still listed as doubtful with a left knee strain, and the Hokies are nowhere near the same team without her. It's been more than a week now since Davis went down, so maybe the Hokies have figured out a couple of ways to adjust. Let's hope so.
Thursday's games
James Madison 71, VCU 56: JMU lost its best player, but VCU collapsed. How else to explain it? The Dukes led by just three points when Evans landed on the side of her right foot after launching a 3-pointer with 8:47 left in the first half. By halftime, the lead was eight. And the Dukes (17-4, 7-3 CAA) spent the second half blowing the Rams out of their own building while a smiling Evans cheered them on with her right leg propped up on a folding chair. Of course, there's no replacing an Evans. But the Dukes did a remarkable job of papering over the giant void her departure created. Freshman Tarik Hislop looked like a seasoned veteran (most of the time) running the point and Sarah Williams opened things up with a couple of long-range bombs. And all reserve forward Kiara Francisco did was deliver career-highs in points (16) and rebounds (11). Then there was the Dukes' defense. We were tempted to blame the Rams (15-7, 8-2 CAA) for their season-low 26-percent shooting, until we remembered that on Sunday, the same Towson team that upended Drexel tonight shot a season-low 19.7 percent against these Dukes. Coincidence? We think not. Of course, every team suffers through bad shooting nights. Of much greater concern for the Rams going forward is how few options they have beyond its usually strong starting five. While Francisco was going off for the Dukes, five VCU reserves combined for just four points. The victory thrust JMU right back in the thick of the CAA race. But what about Evans? Ankle sprains are tricky, unpredictable animals - just ask Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney. And while the Dukes showed they're still a handful without their star, they're surely hoping it's a point they won't have to continue making.
Old Dominion 61, UNC Wilmington 58: And then there was one. While Drexel and VCU stumbled, the Lady Monarchs (11-9, 9-1 CAA) handled their business and now have sole possession of the CAA lead. It wasn't pretty - is it ever? - and the box score is littered with some funky stats from key players (i.e. 7 turnovers from Jasmine Parker and a bit of a disappearing act from starting forward Tia Lewis - 0 points on 0-2 shooting, 6 rebounds and 3 turnovers in 23 minutes). But Parker and Shadasia Green also made their usual assortment of key plays while Kquanise Byrd (13 points) delivered her best offensive game as a Lady Monarch. Meanwhile, reserves Mairi Buchan (5 points), Russia Voronina (5 points) and Jackie Cook (3 points and 2 assists despite 1 busted nose) all made efficient use of limited minutes. It all added up to the Lady Monarchs' eighth straight victory, a 41-0 lifetime record against the Seahawks and first place in the CAA all by their lonesome. Of course, being at the top of this league is a familiar perch for the Lady Monarchs. But how they've gotten there is anything but.
Towson 53, Drexel 48: Several weeks of winning with last-second magic and mirrors masked the fact that the Dragons (14-7, 8-2 CAA) weren't really playing that well. Thursday night, Towson ripped that mask off. "A lot caught up with us tonight," Dragons coach Denise Dillon said. "I hope this turns into a learning experience."
Delaware 84, William and Mary 55: The Tribe probably realized they were in trouble when Elena Delle Donne splashed a 3-pointer 7 seconds into the game. It was just the start of a Blue Hens avalanche that resulted in the worst beating William and Mary (10-11, 3-7 CAA) has taken this season. Taysha Pye did her best to keep the Tribe in it and finished with 22 points. Unfortunately, it took a school-record 26 field goal attempts to get them. I've often wondered - and maybe a player out there can help me with this one - which is worse: getting beaten like this, or having to sit through the film of it the next day?
Hofstra 72, George Mason 39: It's gut-check time for a Patriots team filled with young players, some of which may be hitting the freshman wall. A lot of progress has been made this season. Let's hope the Patriots (8-13, 1-9 CAA) can suck it up and finish out the year in a manner closer to the way they started it. A healthy Brittany Poindexter would certainly help in this regard.
No. 24 Virginia 82, Clemson 60: Four double-figure scorers and efficient 10-of-15 shooting from Monica Wright...Virginia, is that really you? That's five victories in their last six games for the Cavaliers (16-6, 5-3 ACC), and this one ought to knock some of the sour taste from their mouths that lingered from Sunday's loss at Wake Forest. Now let's see if they can produce this kind of performance again Monday at Maryland - they owe the Terrapins one.
Liberty 64, North Carolina Central 44: Not quite as decisive as we expected, but we're not here to pick nits with a 20-point victory. That's 10 straight victories for the Lady Flames (17-4), who should be tuned up and fully charged for Monday's regionally televised rematch with co-Big South leader Gardner-Webb. The Bulldogs downed the Lady Flames 70-65 on Jan. 2; Liberty hasn't lost since.
Friday's game
Wake Forest (13-8, 4-3 ACC) at Virginia Tech (12-9, 2-5 ACC), 6:30 p.m.
The Hokies appeared to have the Demon Deacons beaten when these teams opened ACC play in Winston-Salem on Jan. 7., but an 11-1 Wake run over the final 4:19 forced Tech to eat a 66-63 decision. We'd love a healthy Tech in the Blacksburg rematch, especially since Wake is 0-3 in conference road games. But point guard Nikki Davis is still listed as doubtful with a left knee strain, and the Hokies are nowhere near the same team without her. It's been more than a week now since Davis went down, so maybe the Hokies have figured out a couple of ways to adjust. Let's hope so.
Thursday's games
James Madison 71, VCU 56: JMU lost its best player, but VCU collapsed. How else to explain it? The Dukes led by just three points when Evans landed on the side of her right foot after launching a 3-pointer with 8:47 left in the first half. By halftime, the lead was eight. And the Dukes (17-4, 7-3 CAA) spent the second half blowing the Rams out of their own building while a smiling Evans cheered them on with her right leg propped up on a folding chair. Of course, there's no replacing an Evans. But the Dukes did a remarkable job of papering over the giant void her departure created. Freshman Tarik Hislop looked like a seasoned veteran (most of the time) running the point and Sarah Williams opened things up with a couple of long-range bombs. And all reserve forward Kiara Francisco did was deliver career-highs in points (16) and rebounds (11). Then there was the Dukes' defense. We were tempted to blame the Rams (15-7, 8-2 CAA) for their season-low 26-percent shooting, until we remembered that on Sunday, the same Towson team that upended Drexel tonight shot a season-low 19.7 percent against these Dukes. Coincidence? We think not. Of course, every team suffers through bad shooting nights. Of much greater concern for the Rams going forward is how few options they have beyond its usually strong starting five. While Francisco was going off for the Dukes, five VCU reserves combined for just four points. The victory thrust JMU right back in the thick of the CAA race. But what about Evans? Ankle sprains are tricky, unpredictable animals - just ask Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney. And while the Dukes showed they're still a handful without their star, they're surely hoping it's a point they won't have to continue making.
Old Dominion 61, UNC Wilmington 58: And then there was one. While Drexel and VCU stumbled, the Lady Monarchs (11-9, 9-1 CAA) handled their business and now have sole possession of the CAA lead. It wasn't pretty - is it ever? - and the box score is littered with some funky stats from key players (i.e. 7 turnovers from Jasmine Parker and a bit of a disappearing act from starting forward Tia Lewis - 0 points on 0-2 shooting, 6 rebounds and 3 turnovers in 23 minutes). But Parker and Shadasia Green also made their usual assortment of key plays while Kquanise Byrd (13 points) delivered her best offensive game as a Lady Monarch. Meanwhile, reserves Mairi Buchan (5 points), Russia Voronina (5 points) and Jackie Cook (3 points and 2 assists despite 1 busted nose) all made efficient use of limited minutes. It all added up to the Lady Monarchs' eighth straight victory, a 41-0 lifetime record against the Seahawks and first place in the CAA all by their lonesome. Of course, being at the top of this league is a familiar perch for the Lady Monarchs. But how they've gotten there is anything but.
Towson 53, Drexel 48: Several weeks of winning with last-second magic and mirrors masked the fact that the Dragons (14-7, 8-2 CAA) weren't really playing that well. Thursday night, Towson ripped that mask off. "A lot caught up with us tonight," Dragons coach Denise Dillon said. "I hope this turns into a learning experience."
Delaware 84, William and Mary 55: The Tribe probably realized they were in trouble when Elena Delle Donne splashed a 3-pointer 7 seconds into the game. It was just the start of a Blue Hens avalanche that resulted in the worst beating William and Mary (10-11, 3-7 CAA) has taken this season. Taysha Pye did her best to keep the Tribe in it and finished with 22 points. Unfortunately, it took a school-record 26 field goal attempts to get them. I've often wondered - and maybe a player out there can help me with this one - which is worse: getting beaten like this, or having to sit through the film of it the next day?
Hofstra 72, George Mason 39: It's gut-check time for a Patriots team filled with young players, some of which may be hitting the freshman wall. A lot of progress has been made this season. Let's hope the Patriots (8-13, 1-9 CAA) can suck it up and finish out the year in a manner closer to the way they started it. A healthy Brittany Poindexter would certainly help in this regard.
No. 24 Virginia 82, Clemson 60: Four double-figure scorers and efficient 10-of-15 shooting from Monica Wright...Virginia, is that really you? That's five victories in their last six games for the Cavaliers (16-6, 5-3 ACC), and this one ought to knock some of the sour taste from their mouths that lingered from Sunday's loss at Wake Forest. Now let's see if they can produce this kind of performance again Monday at Maryland - they owe the Terrapins one.
Liberty 64, North Carolina Central 44: Not quite as decisive as we expected, but we're not here to pick nits with a 20-point victory. That's 10 straight victories for the Lady Flames (17-4), who should be tuned up and fully charged for Monday's regionally televised rematch with co-Big South leader Gardner-Webb. The Bulldogs downed the Lady Flames 70-65 on Jan. 2; Liberty hasn't lost since.
Thursday dribble - JMU, VCU kick off CAA 2nd half
An already interesting CAA race could get a whole lot more intriguing when James Madison visits VCU as the league's second half kicks off tonight. The Rams have been virtually unbeatable at home the last two years and have beaten the Dukes in four straight regular-season meetings. But after weeks of underwhelming efforts, the Dukes appeared to regain its early-season groove in Sunday's 67-35 pummeling of Towson. Another effort like that could JMU back in the title chase. That is, unless the Rams continue their stunning run of success since their 0-3 showing at the Duel in the Desert tournament in late December. Either way, we're glad the whole thing will play out on television. (Be sure to check your local listings; in South Hampton Roads the game will be aired on Cox Channel 11).
Also in this post: - Richmond rebounds (finally!)
- ODU goes on the road in search of its eighth straight win
- Tribe doesn't want to keep it close vs. Delaware
- Can some home cooking get UVa. back on the good foot?
- No letdown expected from Liberty
Wednesday's game
Richmond 61, Fordham 48: Slump? What slump? That's the way the Spiders responded Wednesday, when after three straight lousy efforts they finally bared teeth and chased the Rams clear out of the Robins Center. Pressure defense was the key; the Spiders forced six Rams turnovers before the first media timeout, recorded 15 steals and scored a whopping 39 points off a season-high 34 Fordham turnovers. It was the kind of performance the Spiders routinely delivered until about two weeks ago, when they apparently lost their way somewhere between Richmond and Dayton. Now let's hope it doesn't disappear again on the trip from Richmond to No. 7 Xavier (Saturday's opponent). The Spiders also received a boost from the return of center Crystal Goring, who saw her first (limited) action in nearly a month after suffering a high ankle sprain. Any minutes the 6-3 Goring can give will be crucial against a Xavier team that features low-post heavyweights Amber Harris and Ta'shia Phillips.
Thursday's games
James Madison (16-4, 6-3 CAA) at VCU (15-6, 8-1 CAA), 7 p.m. (Comcast)
A couple of days ago, we asked what was Kita Waller's secret to averaging over 31 points her last two games. Yesterday we got our answer - she doesn't know, either, and she isn't really interested in finding out. "I don't want to mess myself up, so basically I don't think too much about it," she said. As hot as she's been, the Rams can't start expecting Waller to put up 30 every night. Pressure defense into has been a VCU staple, though, so JMU must take care of the ball to prevent VCU from picking up too many cheap points in transition. Kanita Shepherd gave the Dukes some much-sought-after low-post presence in Sunday's rout of Towson, and Lauren Jimenez can provide paint points, as well. But as always, this team revolves around Dawn Evans. The Dukes junior was more distributor (9 assists) than scorer (14 points) in the Towson rout, perhaps in part because she's struggled with her shot of late. But the former child actress has always had a flair for the dramatic and is usually at her best in big situations. And the pressure is clearly on JMU because if the Dukes plan on injecting themselves into the CAA regular-season title chase, this is a virtual must-win game. JMU 72, VCU 71
Old Dominion (10-9, 8-1 CAA) at UNC Wilmington (7-13, 2-7 CAA), 7 p.m. The Lady Monarchs have won all 40 meetings with the Seahawks, but history means little in CAA play these days, particularly on the road, and frankly if the Lady Monarchs begin play as shakily as they did in Sunday's 51-46 win over Hofstra they may not get out of Wilmington alive. Speaking of the Hofstra game, we hope Tia Lewis' 12-point second-half outburst Sunday against Hofstra was a sign of things to come consistently. There's not a greedy bone in Lewis' body on the court, and typically that's a good thing. But we don't a player who shoots 58.9 percent against CAA teams looking to get hers once in a while. At times it's almost as though as Jessica Canady asserts herself, Lewis recedes into the mix. But you only have to go back to last week's William and Mary game to see how effective ODU can be with Canady and Lewis going off in the paint. Here's hoping we see more of that tonight as ODU seeks to notch consecutive win No. 8. Old Dominion 69, UNC Wilmington 59
William and Mary (10-10, 3-6 CAA) at Delaware (13-7, 5-4 CAA), 7 p.m. Delaware only loses close games, but because William and Mary shoots free throws poorly and is turnover-prone, the Tribe seems poorly equipped for coming up big in clutch situations. We're big Debbie Taylor fans and we love the Tribe's young talent so we'll never rule them out completely. But if the game is tied in the final minute, we'll be the ones over in the corner with our fingers crossed and praying. Regardless of what happens, the atmosphere should be great at the Carpenter Center as Elena Delle Donne continues to pack 'em in. There's a 40-point night in that kid at some point this season; here's hoping the Tribe can make sure it's not tonight. Delaware 65, William and Mary 58
Hofstra (11-10, 4-5 CAA) at George Mason (8-12, 1-8 CAA), 7 p.m. The Patriots are 8-3 at home (1-3 in CAA play) but Hofstra proved it can handle itself on the road last week by winning at JMU and falling by only five at Old Dominion. We'd feel better about Mason's chances if they had a healthy Brittany Poindexter. But the team's leading scorer (12.4 ppg) missed the Patriots' last game with an ankle injury and isn't listed as a projected starter in Mason's latest game notes. Hofstra 60, George Mason 52
Other CAA games
Drexel (14-6, 8-1 CAA) at Towson (9-11, 3-6 CAA), 7 p.m. - Dragons are 5-0 in games decided by five points or less
Northeastern (8-12, 3-6 CAA) at Georgia State (12-8, 3-6 CAA), 6 p.m.
Clemson (11-12, 2-5 ACC) at No. 24 Virginia (15-6, 4-3 ACC), 7 p.m.
Victories over Boston College and N.C. State have put the Tigers back among the ACC living. Still, they had dropped eight straight before that and haven't won on the road since mid-December. So this is a huge opportunity for the Cavs to rebound from Sunday's disappointing loss at Wake Forest. Monica Wright is extremely likely to rebound from her 13-point showing against the Deacon Demons. But as always, the question will be who else can be counted on to give her support? Virginia 73, Clemson 60
Other ACC games
No. 9 North Carolina (16-4, 4-2 ACC) at Miami (14-7, 2-5 ACC), 7 p.m.
No. 6 Duke (18-3, 6-0 ACC) at Boston College (12-10, 3-4 ACC), 7 p.m.
North Carolina Central (7-13) at Liberty (16-4), 5 p.m. With nine straight victories the Lady Flames are clearly operating at peak efficiency, and with a first-place showdown against Gardner-Webb on tap for Monday will not want to let up against the transitional Division I Lady Eagles. So the question isn't whether or not Liberty will win. It's can the Lady Eagles manage to crack 30 points? Liberty 69, N.C. Central 33
Also in this post: - Richmond rebounds (finally!)
- ODU goes on the road in search of its eighth straight win
- Tribe doesn't want to keep it close vs. Delaware
- Can some home cooking get UVa. back on the good foot?
- No letdown expected from Liberty
Wednesday's game
Richmond 61, Fordham 48: Slump? What slump? That's the way the Spiders responded Wednesday, when after three straight lousy efforts they finally bared teeth and chased the Rams clear out of the Robins Center. Pressure defense was the key; the Spiders forced six Rams turnovers before the first media timeout, recorded 15 steals and scored a whopping 39 points off a season-high 34 Fordham turnovers. It was the kind of performance the Spiders routinely delivered until about two weeks ago, when they apparently lost their way somewhere between Richmond and Dayton. Now let's hope it doesn't disappear again on the trip from Richmond to No. 7 Xavier (Saturday's opponent). The Spiders also received a boost from the return of center Crystal Goring, who saw her first (limited) action in nearly a month after suffering a high ankle sprain. Any minutes the 6-3 Goring can give will be crucial against a Xavier team that features low-post heavyweights Amber Harris and Ta'shia Phillips.
Thursday's games
James Madison (16-4, 6-3 CAA) at VCU (15-6, 8-1 CAA), 7 p.m. (Comcast)
A couple of days ago, we asked what was Kita Waller's secret to averaging over 31 points her last two games. Yesterday we got our answer - she doesn't know, either, and she isn't really interested in finding out. "I don't want to mess myself up, so basically I don't think too much about it," she said. As hot as she's been, the Rams can't start expecting Waller to put up 30 every night. Pressure defense into has been a VCU staple, though, so JMU must take care of the ball to prevent VCU from picking up too many cheap points in transition. Kanita Shepherd gave the Dukes some much-sought-after low-post presence in Sunday's rout of Towson, and Lauren Jimenez can provide paint points, as well. But as always, this team revolves around Dawn Evans. The Dukes junior was more distributor (9 assists) than scorer (14 points) in the Towson rout, perhaps in part because she's struggled with her shot of late. But the former child actress has always had a flair for the dramatic and is usually at her best in big situations. And the pressure is clearly on JMU because if the Dukes plan on injecting themselves into the CAA regular-season title chase, this is a virtual must-win game. JMU 72, VCU 71
Old Dominion (10-9, 8-1 CAA) at UNC Wilmington (7-13, 2-7 CAA), 7 p.m. The Lady Monarchs have won all 40 meetings with the Seahawks, but history means little in CAA play these days, particularly on the road, and frankly if the Lady Monarchs begin play as shakily as they did in Sunday's 51-46 win over Hofstra they may not get out of Wilmington alive. Speaking of the Hofstra game, we hope Tia Lewis' 12-point second-half outburst Sunday against Hofstra was a sign of things to come consistently. There's not a greedy bone in Lewis' body on the court, and typically that's a good thing. But we don't a player who shoots 58.9 percent against CAA teams looking to get hers once in a while. At times it's almost as though as Jessica Canady asserts herself, Lewis recedes into the mix. But you only have to go back to last week's William and Mary game to see how effective ODU can be with Canady and Lewis going off in the paint. Here's hoping we see more of that tonight as ODU seeks to notch consecutive win No. 8. Old Dominion 69, UNC Wilmington 59
William and Mary (10-10, 3-6 CAA) at Delaware (13-7, 5-4 CAA), 7 p.m. Delaware only loses close games, but because William and Mary shoots free throws poorly and is turnover-prone, the Tribe seems poorly equipped for coming up big in clutch situations. We're big Debbie Taylor fans and we love the Tribe's young talent so we'll never rule them out completely. But if the game is tied in the final minute, we'll be the ones over in the corner with our fingers crossed and praying. Regardless of what happens, the atmosphere should be great at the Carpenter Center as Elena Delle Donne continues to pack 'em in. There's a 40-point night in that kid at some point this season; here's hoping the Tribe can make sure it's not tonight. Delaware 65, William and Mary 58
Hofstra (11-10, 4-5 CAA) at George Mason (8-12, 1-8 CAA), 7 p.m. The Patriots are 8-3 at home (1-3 in CAA play) but Hofstra proved it can handle itself on the road last week by winning at JMU and falling by only five at Old Dominion. We'd feel better about Mason's chances if they had a healthy Brittany Poindexter. But the team's leading scorer (12.4 ppg) missed the Patriots' last game with an ankle injury and isn't listed as a projected starter in Mason's latest game notes. Hofstra 60, George Mason 52
Other CAA games
Drexel (14-6, 8-1 CAA) at Towson (9-11, 3-6 CAA), 7 p.m. - Dragons are 5-0 in games decided by five points or less
Northeastern (8-12, 3-6 CAA) at Georgia State (12-8, 3-6 CAA), 6 p.m.
Clemson (11-12, 2-5 ACC) at No. 24 Virginia (15-6, 4-3 ACC), 7 p.m.
Victories over Boston College and N.C. State have put the Tigers back among the ACC living. Still, they had dropped eight straight before that and haven't won on the road since mid-December. So this is a huge opportunity for the Cavs to rebound from Sunday's disappointing loss at Wake Forest. Monica Wright is extremely likely to rebound from her 13-point showing against the Deacon Demons. But as always, the question will be who else can be counted on to give her support? Virginia 73, Clemson 60
Other ACC games
No. 9 North Carolina (16-4, 4-2 ACC) at Miami (14-7, 2-5 ACC), 7 p.m.
No. 6 Duke (18-3, 6-0 ACC) at Boston College (12-10, 3-4 ACC), 7 p.m.
North Carolina Central (7-13) at Liberty (16-4), 5 p.m. With nine straight victories the Lady Flames are clearly operating at peak efficiency, and with a first-place showdown against Gardner-Webb on tap for Monday will not want to let up against the transitional Division I Lady Eagles. So the question isn't whether or not Liberty will win. It's can the Lady Eagles manage to crack 30 points? Liberty 69, N.C. Central 33
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Halfway mark: VCU, ODU, Virginia, Liberty and surpise Hampton looking pretty
We're halfway done, the ride's been fun so far and we're pressing ahead for March. Here are some thoughts that stuck with us when we took a look back. If we're missing something, be sure to let us know.
Oh, what a night
*Dawn Evans scores 30 to lead James Madison over Virginia in Charlottesville
Virginia's Monica Wright's 20 points made her the Cavaliers' all-time leading scorer (Dawn Staley is now 2). Her 39 against BC was pretty memorable, too.
A block vs. ODU made W&M's Tiffany Benson the CAA's all-time leading shot blocker with 238.
*Lindsay Biggs comes up big again with 19 for Virginia Tech, a winner over No. 10 North Carolina
*Whitney Long bags 30 as Norfolk State whips Savannah State
*Old Dominion's Jasmine Parker wins the guttiest performance award for a career-high 24 point effort to go with four assists and three steals against Maryland after losing her brother the day before.
*Pick a game for Devon Brown, Liberty's high scorer for all but two games. The freshman Flame scored 52 in her first two college games.
*Richmond's Brittani Shells scoring 23 with five boards in a victory over LaSalle.
*Longwood's Crystal Smith stat line of 16 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists as the Lancers stunned High Point
*Sophomore Taysha Pye's line of 26 points, 11 rebounds and three assists as Tribe beat host Seattle University in its own tournament.
*Brittany Poindexter shooting a school record 83 percent from the field (10-of-12) for 27 points to get the Patriots past High Point.
*Virginia coach Debbie Ryan picking up her 700th win in the Cavaliers season opener over UMBC
*VCU's Kita Waller setting a school record with 35 points to defeat UNC Wilmington. The senior guard added five boards, five steals, four assists and did not turn it over.
*VCU's D'Andra Moss's draining a buzzer-beating 3 to defeat Delaware.
* Hampton's Quanneisha Perry, an 11.6 ppg scorer, racking up a career-high 31 points and 14 rebounds against defending MEAC champion North Carolina A&T
* Longwood freshman Chelsea Coward nailing five straight 3-pointers in the opening 6:41 against Campbell - including one off glass from the corner - then scoring just two more points the rest of the game.
*Da'Nar Erwinspencer's 11 assists and 10 points in Radford's 61-50 defeat of UNC Asheville.
*ODU's seven-point victory over Hofstra was anything but pretty, but it marked the 900 victory for the program. Only Tennessee and Louisiana Tech have won more among NCAA Division I teams.
We didn't predict this:
*Tech romping over North Carolina for the Hokies first victory over a Top 10 team since 1998
*ODU holding James Madison to a season-low 58 points and breaking a five-year losing streak in Harrisonburg
*Radford, 1-10 at the time, upending a 12-2 Gardner-Webb team
*George Mason winning its first seven at home
*ODU's Vicki Collier, banged up with knee injuries for three years, earning a starting spot.
*Virginia Commonwealth starting CAA play at 6-0
* Towson 67, No. 25 Maryland 55
Glad they're back:
*James Madison's Dawn Evans, back after a kidney ailment
*ODU's Jessica Canady, whose offseason knee surgery slowed her senior season
*William and Mary's Tiffany Benson, in Debbie Taylor's doghouse early, averaging 23 minutes along with 7.1 ppg and 7.2 rpg
*Lauren Jimenez, pained from knee and ankle injuries the last two years, re-emerging for James Madison.
*Norfolk State, the worst team in Division I last year with only one victory, has won three games.
How disappointing:
*Virginia freshman China Crosby's ACL tear
* Another of the Cavaliers' heralded freshmen, center Erinn Thompson, had been sidelined with a leg injury since November. Her status for the rest of the season remains uncertain.
*VCU senior La'Tavia Rorie ending her career after tearing her ACL
* Richmond's Sam Bilney remaining on the mend. Bilney is out for the season after tearing the ACL in her left knee late last season. In high school, Bilney twice tore the ACL in her right knee.
* Norfolk State redshirt senior Tiffany McNair finally shutting it down after recurring shoulder problems. McNair had already missed two full seasons with shoulder ailments.
* Virginia Tech junior center Elizabeth Basham re-injured her right shoulder during preseason practice and is doubtful for the rest of the season.
*Richmond's Crystal Goring, who has yet to play in an ACC game due to a bum shoulder.
George Mason's Brittany Poindexter has yet to return since an injury a week ago vs. Georgia State.
Where are they now?
*ODU sophomore guard Pryncess Tate-Dublin, who did not take the floor in five straight games, logged 56 seconds in a 30-point blowout of George Mason. Tate-Dublin has played in 10 of ODU's 19 games, logging 13 points overall.
*Radford's Brooke McElroy, who, a year ago, played in all 30 games after transferring from Monmouth, listed as inactive.
* JMU reserve guard Brittany Crowell and junior-college transfer Nichelle Glover, a 6-1 forward who is averaging 5.5 points and 4.1 rebounds and has started seven games. Neither has played since early January for personal reasons.
* Radford junior forward Ciara Hayes, who averaged 10.2 minutes per game through the Highlanders' first four games but is now listed as inactive.
Head scratchers:
*Longwood coach Kirsten Caruso sidelined by school administration for one week for undisclosed personnel issues.
*Virginia falling 61-60 at home to Maryland
*ODU scoring a season-low 32 against Syracuse in Cancun
*Dayton 83, Richmond 31
*Maryland 80, Longwood 45: Why did the Terps go to Longwood in the middle of ACC season?
Radford (1-10 at the time) cruising over a 12-3 Gardner-Webb team.
*Women's basketball attendance or lack thereof. We're not looking to sell these places out, but it'd be nice to have more than 473 when two crosstown rivals VCU and Richmond meet.
Here's how it looks to us
We're high on Virginia, Old Dominion, Liberty and VCU. Virginia started the season as our No. 1 team, had it taken away when James Madison beat them in Charlottesville and now looks to be playing as good a ball as anyone in the ACC (minus Duke). They lost freshman point guard China Crosby to a knee injury, but have gained a starting five with the addition of Lexie Gerson that's starting to click. Even better, Debbie Ryan, a regular tweeter, seems like she's having a blast hanging with this young squad.
Admittedly the Lady Monarchs limped into conference and even after starting off CAA season with a one-point victory at Delaware, the triple OT loss to Northeastern appeared a sign of things to come. Instead ODU hasn't lost since. Jessica Canady, who was never healthy during nonconference, is on top of her game and Tia Lewis is an real complement. Jasmine Parker, so rattled by point guard duties early that she lost her own scoring prowess, is a threat again and potent behind the arc. Many of their wins aren't pretty, but these Lady Monarchs aren't the LMs who won all those CAA titles. They one constant: Wendy Larry. She knows a thing or two about what works and doesn't in the CAA.
As for VCU, it seemed as if they would be in rebuilding mode. It figured to take time to get used to life without Quanitra Hollingsworth. Then La'Tavia Rorie went down and so went the season. Or so we thought. We didn't count on Courtney Hurt or Kita Waller or obviously D'Andra Moss shouldering the load so well. It was only three years ago that VCU lost Q to an Achilles injury halfway through the season. We thought they were done then, too. Instead they advanced to the CAA title game.
Liberty looks to be Liberty as always. This team rarely misses a beat, no matter who comes and who goes. Feenstra and the Frazees are in the past and Devon Brown has started the path to a new era. The freshman could very well be the Big South Conference Player of the Year, but Liberty's trademark is defense. On average, the Flames hold opponents to 33 percent and 26 percent from the arc. A Big South title seems inevitable but that one loss in the last nine games came to Gardner-Webb. Eight games later, we'd bet they'd beat the Runnin' Bulldogs.
We've by no means given up on James Madison, but at Christmastime we wondered if they had peaked too soon. Now we really wonder. Wonderful as she is, Dawn Evans is taking too many low-percentage shots and the Dukes post game, as in Lauren Jimenez and Sarah Williams, is hard to predict night to night. Freshman Tarik Hislop has cooled off just a bit from the sizzling numbers she put up at the beginning of the season. Evans is great, no doubt. But will she have any legs for the CAA tournament?
Virginia Tech only won two conference games a year ago and has already matched that. The North Carolina win lifted a program that has needed a boost for years. Beating Miami on the road was another nice result. But like so many teams in the state, the Hokies struggle to score. They had all kinds of chances to upend Virginia in Cassell, but couldn't take advantage of the Cavaliers' scoring lapses. Lindsay Biggs' shooting percentage is 28 percent.
Quite honestly we expected a bit more from George Mason. Nice recruiting class. Great nonconference start. Can't score in the CAA. And if you can't score, you surely can't win. GMU averages 56 ppg.
We also hoped for more with William and Mary. Debbie Taylor has herself a stable of athletes, all of whom can shoot. Katherine DeHenzel, Tiffany Benson, Taysha Pye and all the freshmen who made an early-season impact seemed as if they could give league teams fits. But this group turns it over all the time and can't seem to find that formula that makes winning routine. Losing in Florida to High Point in December was foreshadowing to a season that has produced mixed results. Bottom line is W&M finds itself fighting not to play in the first round of the conference tournament.
We've taken a long time to mention Richmond. We can't figure the Spiders. They layed an egg against Dayton, where they were embarrassed by a 53-point loss. A-10 leading scorer Brittani Shells scored 2. They were our top team in the state three weeks ago. Dayton doesn't appear to be just a blip given the Spiders fell by 19 at home against Duquesne on Saturday, allowing a 24-0 run.
Hampton impresses us. Coach David Six has stepped from high school coaching into the college ranks with the greatest of ease. The Pirates are 10-10 and could just as easily be 14-6 (heartbreakers against Temple, Howard, East Carolina and Coppin State prevented that). They've won four in a row and their shooting percentage is up from 30 percent to 35 percent.
We wish Norfolk State would get a MEAC win, but we congratulate coach Debra Clark for raising the team from the ashes. NSU had one win a year ago. The Spartans weren't competitive. They're 3-13 and have lost a couple of heartbreakers (Hampton OT, South Carolina State by one, Wofford and UAB by two). They could use a post game, but it's hard to have that without some height. We hear the height is coming in the pending recruiting class.
Radford could use some offense to overcome a couple of humps: 1-10 in the conference, 0-7 away. Kudos to Kymesha Alston for leading the way, but the Highlanders need more than 52 points a game.
Being an independent is tough, just ask Longwood. And then to have your head coach removed for a week only to be reinstated? Having freshman Chelsea Coward and soph Brittanni Billups lead your team in scoring is promising, but as we said before, it's tough to be in independent in this landscape.
Oh, what a night
*Dawn Evans scores 30 to lead James Madison over Virginia in Charlottesville
Virginia's Monica Wright's 20 points made her the Cavaliers' all-time leading scorer (Dawn Staley is now 2). Her 39 against BC was pretty memorable, too.
A block vs. ODU made W&M's Tiffany Benson the CAA's all-time leading shot blocker with 238.
*Lindsay Biggs comes up big again with 19 for Virginia Tech, a winner over No. 10 North Carolina
*Whitney Long bags 30 as Norfolk State whips Savannah State
*Old Dominion's Jasmine Parker wins the guttiest performance award for a career-high 24 point effort to go with four assists and three steals against Maryland after losing her brother the day before.
*Pick a game for Devon Brown, Liberty's high scorer for all but two games. The freshman Flame scored 52 in her first two college games.
*Richmond's Brittani Shells scoring 23 with five boards in a victory over LaSalle.
*Longwood's Crystal Smith stat line of 16 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists as the Lancers stunned High Point
*Sophomore Taysha Pye's line of 26 points, 11 rebounds and three assists as Tribe beat host Seattle University in its own tournament.
*Brittany Poindexter shooting a school record 83 percent from the field (10-of-12) for 27 points to get the Patriots past High Point.
*Virginia coach Debbie Ryan picking up her 700th win in the Cavaliers season opener over UMBC
*VCU's Kita Waller setting a school record with 35 points to defeat UNC Wilmington. The senior guard added five boards, five steals, four assists and did not turn it over.
*VCU's D'Andra Moss's draining a buzzer-beating 3 to defeat Delaware.
* Hampton's Quanneisha Perry, an 11.6 ppg scorer, racking up a career-high 31 points and 14 rebounds against defending MEAC champion North Carolina A&T
* Longwood freshman Chelsea Coward nailing five straight 3-pointers in the opening 6:41 against Campbell - including one off glass from the corner - then scoring just two more points the rest of the game.
*Da'Nar Erwinspencer's 11 assists and 10 points in Radford's 61-50 defeat of UNC Asheville.
*ODU's seven-point victory over Hofstra was anything but pretty, but it marked the 900 victory for the program. Only Tennessee and Louisiana Tech have won more among NCAA Division I teams.
We didn't predict this:
*Tech romping over North Carolina for the Hokies first victory over a Top 10 team since 1998
*ODU holding James Madison to a season-low 58 points and breaking a five-year losing streak in Harrisonburg
*Radford, 1-10 at the time, upending a 12-2 Gardner-Webb team
*George Mason winning its first seven at home
*ODU's Vicki Collier, banged up with knee injuries for three years, earning a starting spot.
*Virginia Commonwealth starting CAA play at 6-0
* Towson 67, No. 25 Maryland 55
Glad they're back:
*James Madison's Dawn Evans, back after a kidney ailment
*ODU's Jessica Canady, whose offseason knee surgery slowed her senior season
*William and Mary's Tiffany Benson, in Debbie Taylor's doghouse early, averaging 23 minutes along with 7.1 ppg and 7.2 rpg
*Lauren Jimenez, pained from knee and ankle injuries the last two years, re-emerging for James Madison.
*Norfolk State, the worst team in Division I last year with only one victory, has won three games.
How disappointing:
*Virginia freshman China Crosby's ACL tear
* Another of the Cavaliers' heralded freshmen, center Erinn Thompson, had been sidelined with a leg injury since November. Her status for the rest of the season remains uncertain.
*VCU senior La'Tavia Rorie ending her career after tearing her ACL
* Richmond's Sam Bilney remaining on the mend. Bilney is out for the season after tearing the ACL in her left knee late last season. In high school, Bilney twice tore the ACL in her right knee.
* Norfolk State redshirt senior Tiffany McNair finally shutting it down after recurring shoulder problems. McNair had already missed two full seasons with shoulder ailments.
* Virginia Tech junior center Elizabeth Basham re-injured her right shoulder during preseason practice and is doubtful for the rest of the season.
*Richmond's Crystal Goring, who has yet to play in an ACC game due to a bum shoulder.
George Mason's Brittany Poindexter has yet to return since an injury a week ago vs. Georgia State.
Where are they now?
*ODU sophomore guard Pryncess Tate-Dublin, who did not take the floor in five straight games, logged 56 seconds in a 30-point blowout of George Mason. Tate-Dublin has played in 10 of ODU's 19 games, logging 13 points overall.
*Radford's Brooke McElroy, who, a year ago, played in all 30 games after transferring from Monmouth, listed as inactive.
* JMU reserve guard Brittany Crowell and junior-college transfer Nichelle Glover, a 6-1 forward who is averaging 5.5 points and 4.1 rebounds and has started seven games. Neither has played since early January for personal reasons.
* Radford junior forward Ciara Hayes, who averaged 10.2 minutes per game through the Highlanders' first four games but is now listed as inactive.
Head scratchers:
*Longwood coach Kirsten Caruso sidelined by school administration for one week for undisclosed personnel issues.
*Virginia falling 61-60 at home to Maryland
*ODU scoring a season-low 32 against Syracuse in Cancun
*Dayton 83, Richmond 31
*Maryland 80, Longwood 45: Why did the Terps go to Longwood in the middle of ACC season?
Radford (1-10 at the time) cruising over a 12-3 Gardner-Webb team.
*Women's basketball attendance or lack thereof. We're not looking to sell these places out, but it'd be nice to have more than 473 when two crosstown rivals VCU and Richmond meet.
Here's how it looks to us
We're high on Virginia, Old Dominion, Liberty and VCU. Virginia started the season as our No. 1 team, had it taken away when James Madison beat them in Charlottesville and now looks to be playing as good a ball as anyone in the ACC (minus Duke). They lost freshman point guard China Crosby to a knee injury, but have gained a starting five with the addition of Lexie Gerson that's starting to click. Even better, Debbie Ryan, a regular tweeter, seems like she's having a blast hanging with this young squad.
Admittedly the Lady Monarchs limped into conference and even after starting off CAA season with a one-point victory at Delaware, the triple OT loss to Northeastern appeared a sign of things to come. Instead ODU hasn't lost since. Jessica Canady, who was never healthy during nonconference, is on top of her game and Tia Lewis is an real complement. Jasmine Parker, so rattled by point guard duties early that she lost her own scoring prowess, is a threat again and potent behind the arc. Many of their wins aren't pretty, but these Lady Monarchs aren't the LMs who won all those CAA titles. They one constant: Wendy Larry. She knows a thing or two about what works and doesn't in the CAA.
As for VCU, it seemed as if they would be in rebuilding mode. It figured to take time to get used to life without Quanitra Hollingsworth. Then La'Tavia Rorie went down and so went the season. Or so we thought. We didn't count on Courtney Hurt or Kita Waller or obviously D'Andra Moss shouldering the load so well. It was only three years ago that VCU lost Q to an Achilles injury halfway through the season. We thought they were done then, too. Instead they advanced to the CAA title game.
Liberty looks to be Liberty as always. This team rarely misses a beat, no matter who comes and who goes. Feenstra and the Frazees are in the past and Devon Brown has started the path to a new era. The freshman could very well be the Big South Conference Player of the Year, but Liberty's trademark is defense. On average, the Flames hold opponents to 33 percent and 26 percent from the arc. A Big South title seems inevitable but that one loss in the last nine games came to Gardner-Webb. Eight games later, we'd bet they'd beat the Runnin' Bulldogs.
We've by no means given up on James Madison, but at Christmastime we wondered if they had peaked too soon. Now we really wonder. Wonderful as she is, Dawn Evans is taking too many low-percentage shots and the Dukes post game, as in Lauren Jimenez and Sarah Williams, is hard to predict night to night. Freshman Tarik Hislop has cooled off just a bit from the sizzling numbers she put up at the beginning of the season. Evans is great, no doubt. But will she have any legs for the CAA tournament?
Virginia Tech only won two conference games a year ago and has already matched that. The North Carolina win lifted a program that has needed a boost for years. Beating Miami on the road was another nice result. But like so many teams in the state, the Hokies struggle to score. They had all kinds of chances to upend Virginia in Cassell, but couldn't take advantage of the Cavaliers' scoring lapses. Lindsay Biggs' shooting percentage is 28 percent.
Quite honestly we expected a bit more from George Mason. Nice recruiting class. Great nonconference start. Can't score in the CAA. And if you can't score, you surely can't win. GMU averages 56 ppg.
We also hoped for more with William and Mary. Debbie Taylor has herself a stable of athletes, all of whom can shoot. Katherine DeHenzel, Tiffany Benson, Taysha Pye and all the freshmen who made an early-season impact seemed as if they could give league teams fits. But this group turns it over all the time and can't seem to find that formula that makes winning routine. Losing in Florida to High Point in December was foreshadowing to a season that has produced mixed results. Bottom line is W&M finds itself fighting not to play in the first round of the conference tournament.
We've taken a long time to mention Richmond. We can't figure the Spiders. They layed an egg against Dayton, where they were embarrassed by a 53-point loss. A-10 leading scorer Brittani Shells scored 2. They were our top team in the state three weeks ago. Dayton doesn't appear to be just a blip given the Spiders fell by 19 at home against Duquesne on Saturday, allowing a 24-0 run.
Hampton impresses us. Coach David Six has stepped from high school coaching into the college ranks with the greatest of ease. The Pirates are 10-10 and could just as easily be 14-6 (heartbreakers against Temple, Howard, East Carolina and Coppin State prevented that). They've won four in a row and their shooting percentage is up from 30 percent to 35 percent.
We wish Norfolk State would get a MEAC win, but we congratulate coach Debra Clark for raising the team from the ashes. NSU had one win a year ago. The Spartans weren't competitive. They're 3-13 and have lost a couple of heartbreakers (Hampton OT, South Carolina State by one, Wofford and UAB by two). They could use a post game, but it's hard to have that without some height. We hear the height is coming in the pending recruiting class.
Radford could use some offense to overcome a couple of humps: 1-10 in the conference, 0-7 away. Kudos to Kymesha Alston for leading the way, but the Highlanders need more than 52 points a game.
Being an independent is tough, just ask Longwood. And then to have your head coach removed for a week only to be reinstated? Having freshman Chelsea Coward and soph Brittanni Billups lead your team in scoring is promising, but as we said before, it's tough to be in independent in this landscape.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Yep, Griner was in Virginia
Here's our answer to the question we posed on an earlier post, was Brittney Griner ever in Hampton Roads?
In April 2008 Griner, who had already committed to Baylor, played in the championship game of the Battle of the Best at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton. The 6-foot-7 1/2 Griner (she's now 6-8) had a triple-double -13 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocks - for champion T. Jackson Elite and was named the tournament MVP.
Will we see her again in March? ESPN's Charlie Creme thinks so.
Wednesday dribble: Richmond tries again
Wednesday's game
Fordham (8-14, 2-5 Atlantic 10) at Richmond (14-7, 3-3 Atlantic 10), noon
These Rams seem made-to-order for the reeling Spiders - Fordham has lost seven straight in this series, endured a 10-game losing streak this season and hasn't won as many as two straight A-10 games since the 2005-06 season. Then again, the Spiders probably need to worry less about its opponent than about finally getting its own act together. The noon start owes to the fact that the game is part of Dream Big Day for local schools in the Richmond area. More than 1,000 kids are expected in attendance, which points up yet another reason for the Spiders to clean up their play - you don't want to let all those kids down, do you? Richmond 67, Fordham 52
Fordham (8-14, 2-5 Atlantic 10) at Richmond (14-7, 3-3 Atlantic 10), noon
These Rams seem made-to-order for the reeling Spiders - Fordham has lost seven straight in this series, endured a 10-game losing streak this season and hasn't won as many as two straight A-10 games since the 2005-06 season. Then again, the Spiders probably need to worry less about its opponent than about finally getting its own act together. The noon start owes to the fact that the game is part of Dream Big Day for local schools in the Richmond area. More than 1,000 kids are expected in attendance, which points up yet another reason for the Spiders to clean up their play - you don't want to let all those kids down, do you? Richmond 67, Fordham 52
Ladyswish state rankings
1. Virginia (15-6, 4-3 ACC, 4th-tie) Last week: 1
RPI: 16
Sunday's loss at Wake Forest stung - not to mention cost UVa. one half of its national ranking - but given the Cavaliers' youth, well, mama told us there'd be days like that. Let's not get too dramatic about that loss, as the Cavs had won four straight - including victories at Boston College and against Georgia Tech - before throwing in that clunker. Besides, check the Top 25 poll. The only smooth ride is in Storrs. Every other team has nights that leave fans, coaches and probably even the players themselves scratching their heads. Next: Thursday vs. Clemson
2. VCU (15-6, 8-1 CAA, 1st-tie) Last week: 2
RPI: 94
Tell us your secret, Kita Waller. Five-hour energy? Wheaties for breakfast? Finding love? We're not sure what made you go off for 35 and 28 points in two games last week, but whatever it was, Ms. Co-CAA Player of the Week, keep doin' what you're doin' - and you might have to given the way your schedule toughens up. Next: Thursday vs. James Madison
3. Old Dominon (10-9, 8-1 CAA, 1st-tie) Last week: 3
RPI: 63
We're allowed to be giddy with anticipation for Sunday's showdown against VCU at the Constant Center, but the Lady Monarchs can't afford that luxury. So what if they've won seven straight, UNC Wilmington is just 2-7 in the league and ODU has won all 40 meetings between the two? Given the nailbiter nature of CAA play this year, this sets up as a classic trap game. Here's hoping the Lady Monarchs don't fall for it. Next: Thursday at UNC Wilmington
4. James Madison (16-4, 6-3 CAA, 4th) Last week: 4
RPI: 44
Seems like the Dukes got their groove back Sunday against Towson. Then again, the Dukes still missed quite a few shots. And we're not sure how much of the Tigers' 19.7-percent shooting was JMU defense and how much was Towson ineptitude. So let's wait and see how the Dukes negotiate this week's VCU-Drexel double before we pronounce JMU all the way back. Next: Thursday at VCU
5. Liberty (16-4, 7-1 Big South, 1st-tie) Last week: 7
RPI: 98
Given that she's the Big South's leading scorer (17.9), its No. 2 rebounder (8.9) and has just received her second Big South Player of the Week honor, it would appear as though Devon Brown is halfway through ending her rookie season as that rare freshman to be named her conference's player of the year. Next: Thursday vs. North Carolina Central
6. Richmond (14-7, 3-3 Atlantic 10, 8th) Last week: 5
RPI: 68
The absence of center Crystal Goring, who has yet to play in an Atlantic 10 game because of injury, is definitely a factor. But it fails to fully explain the dramatic downturn Richmond's season has taken after three straight losses by an average of 28 points. There's still time for the Spiders to pull out of this, but they need to start now. They don't want to still be stumbling with a visit to Xavier looming Saturday. Next: Wednesday vs. Fordham
7. Hampton (10-10, 6-3 MEAC, 3rd-tie) Last week: 8
RPI: 161
The best team in the MEAC? North Carolina A&T is the defending champion, is undefeated in league play and nipped Hampton by a point a couple of weeks ago. But as that result suggests, the Pirates are making up ground on the Lady Aggies by the dribble. Next: Saturday at South Carolina State
8. Virginia Tech (12-9, 2-5 ACC, 9th-tie) Last week: 6
RPI: 83
In two games without starting point guard Nikki Davis, the Hokies have averaged 45.5 points while shooting 29.9 percent from the field. Meanwhile, pressed into service running the team, Lindsay Biggs has gone from the team's second-leading scorer to a player who made just 1 of 16 shots in those two games. Bottom line - hurry back, Nikki. This team really needs you. Next: Friday vs. Wake Forest
9. William and Mary (10-10, 3-6 CAA, 7th-tie) Last week: 9
RPI: 194
Tribe missed an excellent opportunity to become a factor in the CAA race by dropping back-to-back home games to ODU and UNC Wilmington last week. Tribe have now lost four of their last five and six of their last eight, and their schedule won't cut them much slack the rest of the way. Next: Thursday at Delaware
10. Radford (5-14, 4-4 Big South, 4th) Last week: 10
RPI: 246
Radford opened the season by going 1-10, then shot off to a 4-1 mark from Jan. 4-18 and now have dropped three straight. Let's hope the roller coaster is ready to starting going up again - and soon. Next: Saturday vs. Gardner-Webb
11. George Mason (8-12, 1-8 CAA, 12th) Last week: 11
RPI: 202
Credit Jeri Porter for upgrading the roster and praise this year's Patriots for attacking their schedule as though anything was possible. They're still a bit undermanned against most CAA teams, though. Also, at this stage of the rebuilding effort, key injuries are a killer. Next: Thursday vs. Hofstra
12. Longwood (5-17) Last week: 12
RPI: 275
The Lancers don't play again until Feb. 10 and have just five regular-season games left. But save for a visit to Virginia it's a very manageable slate, and we wouldn't be surprised if Longwood closes with victories in four of its last five. Next: Feb. 10 vs. Troy
13. Norfolk State (3-14, 0-8 MEAC, 11th) Last week: 13
RPI: 340
Circle Feb. 22 on your calendar as the most likely date for an NSU MEAC victory. This isn't to say the Spartans won't prevail against someone before that; they've certainly had their share of near-misses. But as they learned last year, if all else fails, host South Carolina State. Next: Saturday vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore
RPI: 16
Sunday's loss at Wake Forest stung - not to mention cost UVa. one half of its national ranking - but given the Cavaliers' youth, well, mama told us there'd be days like that. Let's not get too dramatic about that loss, as the Cavs had won four straight - including victories at Boston College and against Georgia Tech - before throwing in that clunker. Besides, check the Top 25 poll. The only smooth ride is in Storrs. Every other team has nights that leave fans, coaches and probably even the players themselves scratching their heads. Next: Thursday vs. Clemson
2. VCU (15-6, 8-1 CAA, 1st-tie) Last week: 2
RPI: 94
Tell us your secret, Kita Waller. Five-hour energy? Wheaties for breakfast? Finding love? We're not sure what made you go off for 35 and 28 points in two games last week, but whatever it was, Ms. Co-CAA Player of the Week, keep doin' what you're doin' - and you might have to given the way your schedule toughens up. Next: Thursday vs. James Madison
3. Old Dominon (10-9, 8-1 CAA, 1st-tie) Last week: 3
RPI: 63
We're allowed to be giddy with anticipation for Sunday's showdown against VCU at the Constant Center, but the Lady Monarchs can't afford that luxury. So what if they've won seven straight, UNC Wilmington is just 2-7 in the league and ODU has won all 40 meetings between the two? Given the nailbiter nature of CAA play this year, this sets up as a classic trap game. Here's hoping the Lady Monarchs don't fall for it. Next: Thursday at UNC Wilmington
4. James Madison (16-4, 6-3 CAA, 4th) Last week: 4
RPI: 44
Seems like the Dukes got their groove back Sunday against Towson. Then again, the Dukes still missed quite a few shots. And we're not sure how much of the Tigers' 19.7-percent shooting was JMU defense and how much was Towson ineptitude. So let's wait and see how the Dukes negotiate this week's VCU-Drexel double before we pronounce JMU all the way back. Next: Thursday at VCU
5. Liberty (16-4, 7-1 Big South, 1st-tie) Last week: 7
RPI: 98
Given that she's the Big South's leading scorer (17.9), its No. 2 rebounder (8.9) and has just received her second Big South Player of the Week honor, it would appear as though Devon Brown is halfway through ending her rookie season as that rare freshman to be named her conference's player of the year. Next: Thursday vs. North Carolina Central
6. Richmond (14-7, 3-3 Atlantic 10, 8th) Last week: 5
RPI: 68
The absence of center Crystal Goring, who has yet to play in an Atlantic 10 game because of injury, is definitely a factor. But it fails to fully explain the dramatic downturn Richmond's season has taken after three straight losses by an average of 28 points. There's still time for the Spiders to pull out of this, but they need to start now. They don't want to still be stumbling with a visit to Xavier looming Saturday. Next: Wednesday vs. Fordham
7. Hampton (10-10, 6-3 MEAC, 3rd-tie) Last week: 8
RPI: 161
The best team in the MEAC? North Carolina A&T is the defending champion, is undefeated in league play and nipped Hampton by a point a couple of weeks ago. But as that result suggests, the Pirates are making up ground on the Lady Aggies by the dribble. Next: Saturday at South Carolina State
8. Virginia Tech (12-9, 2-5 ACC, 9th-tie) Last week: 6
RPI: 83
In two games without starting point guard Nikki Davis, the Hokies have averaged 45.5 points while shooting 29.9 percent from the field. Meanwhile, pressed into service running the team, Lindsay Biggs has gone from the team's second-leading scorer to a player who made just 1 of 16 shots in those two games. Bottom line - hurry back, Nikki. This team really needs you. Next: Friday vs. Wake Forest
9. William and Mary (10-10, 3-6 CAA, 7th-tie) Last week: 9
RPI: 194
Tribe missed an excellent opportunity to become a factor in the CAA race by dropping back-to-back home games to ODU and UNC Wilmington last week. Tribe have now lost four of their last five and six of their last eight, and their schedule won't cut them much slack the rest of the way. Next: Thursday at Delaware
10. Radford (5-14, 4-4 Big South, 4th) Last week: 10
RPI: 246
Radford opened the season by going 1-10, then shot off to a 4-1 mark from Jan. 4-18 and now have dropped three straight. Let's hope the roller coaster is ready to starting going up again - and soon. Next: Saturday vs. Gardner-Webb
11. George Mason (8-12, 1-8 CAA, 12th) Last week: 11
RPI: 202
Credit Jeri Porter for upgrading the roster and praise this year's Patriots for attacking their schedule as though anything was possible. They're still a bit undermanned against most CAA teams, though. Also, at this stage of the rebuilding effort, key injuries are a killer. Next: Thursday vs. Hofstra
12. Longwood (5-17) Last week: 12
RPI: 275
The Lancers don't play again until Feb. 10 and have just five regular-season games left. But save for a visit to Virginia it's a very manageable slate, and we wouldn't be surprised if Longwood closes with victories in four of its last five. Next: Feb. 10 vs. Troy
13. Norfolk State (3-14, 0-8 MEAC, 11th) Last week: 13
RPI: 340
Circle Feb. 22 on your calendar as the most likely date for an NSU MEAC victory. This isn't to say the Spartans won't prevail against someone before that; they've certainly had their share of near-misses. But as they learned last year, if all else fails, host South Carolina State. Next: Saturday vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore
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