Although Virginia has done a lot of terrific things this season, its resume lacks a signature win, the kind of we-didn't-see-that-coming triumph that would show what this team is capable of against elite competition. Here's their chance.
Monday's games
No. 10 Florida State (23-4, 9-3 ACC) at Virginia (20-6, 8-3 ACC), 7 p.m. (Comcast)
Both teams come in on five-game winning streaks. Virginia is 1-3 versus ranked teams this season, with the victory coming over a North Carolina team that had lost four in a row and was ranked only because the latest ESPN/USA Today poll hadn't come out yet. Defense and rebounding are always keys, especially against the rugged Seminoles. Those are also givens, though - for us the focus will be on what Virginia does when it has the ball. The Seminoles rolled to a 68-50 victory when these teams met last month in Tallahassee, but the Cavs led 34-32 before suffering an offensive meltdown throughout most of the second half. That was back in the days when if teams could make things hard on Monica Wright, the rest of the Cavaliers tended to become confused and ineffective. The Cavaliers supporting players seem much more settled in their roles these days and this time may be able to make the Seminoles pay for devoting too much attention to the great Wright.
South Carolina State (8-17, 3-10 MEAC) at Norfolk State (4-18, 0-12 MEAC), 4 p.m.
It was almost a year to the day (Feb. 21, 2009) that NSU snapped a 26-game losing streak by whipping South Carolina State 75-52 at Echols Arena. Now the Spartans will try to use the Lady Bulldogs to a 16-game MEAC losing streak. South Carolina State prevailed on a buzzer-beater 74-73 when these teams met in Orangeburg last month.
Hampton (14-11, 9-4 MEAC) at Florida A&M (13-12, 8-5 MEAC), 6 p.m.
Saturday's loss at Bethune-Cookman dropped the Lady Pirates one-half game behind Morgan State in the battle for second place in the MEAC behind North Carolina A&T. Here's why being No. 2 is important - the expanded WNIT is offering automatic bids to the top team in each conference that isn't invited to the NCAA tournament. The goal of course is to win the MEAC. But it would be nice to know you're guaranteed a postseason spot if A&T wins, too.
Coastal Carolina (14-10, 5-7 Big South) at Radford (5-18, 4-8 Big South), 7 p.m.
Although Saturday was dubbed Senior Day, tonight will actually mark Highlander star Kymesha Alston's last game at the Dedmon Center. Here's hoping she goes out with a bang - and that she and her teammates can end this seven-game losing streak.
Charleston Southern (15-10, 7-5 Big South) at Liberty (19-5, 9-2 Big South), 7 p.m.
The Lady Flames have won 26 straight in this series but almost certainly won't be taking things for granted. Not after having to sweat out Saturday's 57-55 decision over Coastal Carolina, a team they had beaten 32 straight times.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday dribble: The CAA plot thickens
Old Dominion tried to shoot its way out of the CAA lead, but Drexel's overtime loss to surging Hofstra ensured the Lady Monarchs remain alone atop the conference (12-3 CAA record) for at least a few more days. Drexel fell into a tie with VCU for second with 11-4 marks, and James Madison remained by itself in that all-important fourth slot (10-5), one game ahead of Delaware and Hofstra. Watch out for the Pride, as they've won five of their last six and own victories over JMU and VCU in addition to Sunday's decision over Drexel.
Sunday's games
James Madison 65, Old Dominion 59: A great crowd (5,179) came together for a great cause (Hoops For the Cure). Too bad the Lady Monarchs couldn't respond with a great performance. In fact, they shot themselves out of it quickly by misfiring on 23 of their 28 first-half field goals. Every team tosses in a clunker now and then so we don't want to sound too many alarms about a team that's won 12 of its last 15 games. Then again, it was just two weeks ago when VCU slapped the Lady Monarchs (14-11, 12-3 CAA) around at this same Constant Center. It sure is strange to see CAA teams celebrate in that building. As for the Dukes (20-6, 10-5 CAA), the bigger the challenge, the better these guys seem to like it. Since Feb. 4 they've gone 3-0 against the top three teams in the CAA standings with an average victory margin of 12.6 points. They're 1-2 against everyone else during this span with the lone victory coming in overtime.
Virginia Tech 69, Boston College 64: The Hokies dominated the effort categories (rebounding, forcing turnovers), saw center Brittany Gordon outplay BC stud Carolyn Swords and generally behaved like a team that believes they're much better than their record (14-13, 3-9 ACC). We've wanted to believe in Tech all season, so we'll happily take this as a sign that the Hokies are set to finish strong. We have to consider a WNIT bid is a longshot, even with the expanded field. But you have to have a winning overall record to even be eligible. Given Tech's remaining schedule (Clemson, at Virginia, ACC Tournament), a plus-.500 finish would be a nice achievement.
St. Joseph's 67, Richmond 66: Right shot, wrong Brittani for Spiders fans, who watched in dismay as the Hawks' Brittany Ford nailed a jumper with three seconds left to steal victory from Brittani Shells and Co. But we're encouraged by how Richmond coach Michael Shafer went out of his way to say how "incredibly proud" he was of how the Spiders competed. For starters, we're usually not treated to comments from the coach after losses in Richmond's postgame summaries. Guess Shafer operates on the theory that if you don't have something nice to say, button your lip. That Shafter made a point to praise the Spiders even in defeat suggests he must really mean it. And if he's satisfied, so are we. Because we still think Richmond (16-10, 5-6 A-10) can do damage in the A-10 tournament. By the way, what's up with Abby Oliver? A career-high 21 points Sunday, 17.0 ppg in her last five games? When did she turn into Kobe Bryant (OK, poor man's version, but that's still one heck of a player)?
Delaware 65, William and Mary 52: Sure, it was another loss, the Tribe's third straight and seventh in their last eight games. But this one featured a pretty stout defensive effort against a Blue Hen team that torched them for 84 points less than three weeks ago. Elena Delle Donne was way off her game shooting-wise, but even when she struggles her numbers add up (24 points, 13 rebounds).
VCU 65, George Mason 55: We'll say it again - we love the way the undermanned Patriots continue to battle in a game we thought might get out of hand. And nice to see 2,657 turn out, a crowd that fell just short of being one of the top five in program history. No, the Patriots didn't win. But effort-wise, they certainly didn't let all those folks down, either.
Sunday's games
James Madison 65, Old Dominion 59: A great crowd (5,179) came together for a great cause (Hoops For the Cure). Too bad the Lady Monarchs couldn't respond with a great performance. In fact, they shot themselves out of it quickly by misfiring on 23 of their 28 first-half field goals. Every team tosses in a clunker now and then so we don't want to sound too many alarms about a team that's won 12 of its last 15 games. Then again, it was just two weeks ago when VCU slapped the Lady Monarchs (14-11, 12-3 CAA) around at this same Constant Center. It sure is strange to see CAA teams celebrate in that building. As for the Dukes (20-6, 10-5 CAA), the bigger the challenge, the better these guys seem to like it. Since Feb. 4 they've gone 3-0 against the top three teams in the CAA standings with an average victory margin of 12.6 points. They're 1-2 against everyone else during this span with the lone victory coming in overtime.
Virginia Tech 69, Boston College 64: The Hokies dominated the effort categories (rebounding, forcing turnovers), saw center Brittany Gordon outplay BC stud Carolyn Swords and generally behaved like a team that believes they're much better than their record (14-13, 3-9 ACC). We've wanted to believe in Tech all season, so we'll happily take this as a sign that the Hokies are set to finish strong. We have to consider a WNIT bid is a longshot, even with the expanded field. But you have to have a winning overall record to even be eligible. Given Tech's remaining schedule (Clemson, at Virginia, ACC Tournament), a plus-.500 finish would be a nice achievement.
St. Joseph's 67, Richmond 66: Right shot, wrong Brittani for Spiders fans, who watched in dismay as the Hawks' Brittany Ford nailed a jumper with three seconds left to steal victory from Brittani Shells and Co. But we're encouraged by how Richmond coach Michael Shafer went out of his way to say how "incredibly proud" he was of how the Spiders competed. For starters, we're usually not treated to comments from the coach after losses in Richmond's postgame summaries. Guess Shafer operates on the theory that if you don't have something nice to say, button your lip. That Shafter made a point to praise the Spiders even in defeat suggests he must really mean it. And if he's satisfied, so are we. Because we still think Richmond (16-10, 5-6 A-10) can do damage in the A-10 tournament. By the way, what's up with Abby Oliver? A career-high 21 points Sunday, 17.0 ppg in her last five games? When did she turn into Kobe Bryant (OK, poor man's version, but that's still one heck of a player)?
Delaware 65, William and Mary 52: Sure, it was another loss, the Tribe's third straight and seventh in their last eight games. But this one featured a pretty stout defensive effort against a Blue Hen team that torched them for 84 points less than three weeks ago. Elena Delle Donne was way off her game shooting-wise, but even when she struggles her numbers add up (24 points, 13 rebounds).
VCU 65, George Mason 55: We'll say it again - we love the way the undermanned Patriots continue to battle in a game we thought might get out of hand. And nice to see 2,657 turn out, a crowd that fell just short of being one of the top five in program history. No, the Patriots didn't win. But effort-wise, they certainly didn't let all those folks down, either.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Sunday dribble: ODU vs. JMU on tap
Used to be that matchups with James Madison were about the only times Old Dominion got challenged in CAA play. This year fresh challenges have come virtually every time out, and one of the most interesting things this season has been watching the creative ways ODU comes up with to pull these games out. So today we'll get to see the CAA's best last-minute team against JMU's Dawn Evans, the conference's best last-minute player.
Sunday's games
James Madison (19-6, 9-5 CAA) at Old Dominion (14-10, 12-2 CAA), 3 p.m.
When ODU spanked JMU 67-58 in Harrisonburg on Jan. 17, Evans made just 8 of 28 shots. One might think Evans simply had an off day. But when you consider that Drexel's Gabriela Marginean got frustrated when she visited Norfolk and Delaware's Elena Delle Donne said she "couldn't hit the side of a barn" during her Constant Center appearance, you have to believe the Lady Monarchs know a thing or two about gameplanning against elite scorers. That said, if Evans gets hot she can make shots from Kenny Brooks' lap. So the bottom line is we're expecting that when we look up at the scoreboard with 20 seconds left, it'll still be anyone's game. If Evans has the ball, we like the Dukes. And if it's in Jasmine Parker's hands, brace yourself for yet another great ODU escape. By the way, this is the seventh annual Hoops for the Cure game, and fans are encouraged to wear pink to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer. The Lady Monarchs will be wearing pink uniforms and shoelaces. Also, a victory today would be ODU's 100th at the Constant Center. ODU 72, JMU 70
Delaware (16-9, 8-6 CAA) at William and Mary (11-14, 4-10 CAA), 2 p.m.
When these teams met on Feb. 4, Elena Delle Donne scored "only" 23 points. William and Mary's problem was that her teammates combined for 60 and the Tribe got routed. So maybe this time they should try paying a little less attention to Delle Donne and focus on.... Nah, that's probably not the way to go. Delaware 75, William and Mary 65
St. Joseph’s (14-10, 7-4 Atlantic 10) at Richmond (16-9, 5-5 Atlantic 10), 2 p.m.
It's as though the Spiders still haven't recovered from the 51-point beating they took at Dayton on Jan. 23. Richmond is 2-4 since, with all the losses coming by double digits. Coach Michael Shafer continues to pull levers to snap the Spiders out of it; his latest tactic was benching starters in Wednesday's 58-45 loss to St. Bonaventure. Let's hope whatever message he was sending got driven home because this team isn't going very far with Brittani Shells playing only 12 minutes. Look, there's still a really good team in there somewhere, and there's enough time left for the Spiders to still position themselves as a team no one wants to play in the A-10 tournament. But they've got to shake that Dayton hangover. Richmond 58, St. Joseph's 54
Boston College (14-12, 5-6 ACC) at Virginia Tech (13-13, 2-9 ACC), 2 p.m.
Tech spent its past two games proving it could hang with Top-10 teams Florida State and especially Duke. Now they need to make those performances pay off. For while the Hokies are clearly an improved team, that ACC record is starting to look eerily similar to the 2-12 marks of the past two seasons. It's time for Tech to make a stand, and while there are no gimmes in the ACC, the Hokies should be primed and ready for a winning effort. Virginia Tech 66, Boston College 58
VCU (17-9, 10-4 CAA) at George Mason (8-17, 1-13 CAA), 1 p.m.
It's "Pack the House Day" at the Patriot Center and, with the help of local girl scouts, the goal is to break the program's all-time attendance record (3,152). Not sure how much noise all those folks are going to make, though, as these Rams had an easy time against William and Mary Thursday and are good enough to make relatively quick work of the Patriots, too. VCU 77, George Mason 55
Saturday's recaps
Bethune-Cookman 63, Hampton 52: Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that after Monday's emotional, near-perfect performance in downing North Carolina A&T, the Lady Pirates (14-11, 9-4 MEAC) would come up a bit flat the next time out in Daytona Beach. Hampton still might have gotten away with it were it not for lights-out shooting by the Lady Wildcats (54.1 percent) that put an end to the Lady Pirates' eight-game winning streak.
Norfolk State 72, Winston-Salem State 58: The Spartans needed this. Instead of having just one player trying to carry the offensive load, the Spartans (4-18) had multiple producers (Raychele Payne, Genor Dalton, Whitney Long) for a change and dominated the hapless Lady Rams (2-24). Now let's see if they can carry this momentum forward for 48 hours and pick up their first MEAC victory on Monday when South Carolina State comes calling.
Charleston Southern 84, Radford 78: For the second straight game, the Highlanders (5-18, 4-8 Big South) wound up on the wrong end of a high-scoring shootout. This time an inability to defend the 3-pointer fueled their demise, as the Buccaneers drained 11 of 'em, including five by Kelsey Wasmer (career-high 33 points). The loss was Radford's seventh straight.
Liberty 57, Coastal Carolina 55: The Lady Flames (19-5, 9-2 Big South) led by 11 with 3:37 left before a 9-0 Coastal run made things interesting. In fact, the Lady Flames couldn't have felt too comfortable when a team that had already made nine 3-pointers had the ball with 17 seconds left down two. Liberty survived, though, and has now beaten the Chanticleers 33 straight times.
Longwood 60, Savannah State 36: Who said the Lancers can't win on the road? OK, we did. Well, we stand corrected. Saturday's win makes Longwood 2-14 in games outside of Farmville. All kidding aside, we love the way the young Lancers are finishing strong. Longwood is 4-2 in its last six games, with the losses coming to Maryland and Virginia.
Sunday's games
James Madison (19-6, 9-5 CAA) at Old Dominion (14-10, 12-2 CAA), 3 p.m.
When ODU spanked JMU 67-58 in Harrisonburg on Jan. 17, Evans made just 8 of 28 shots. One might think Evans simply had an off day. But when you consider that Drexel's Gabriela Marginean got frustrated when she visited Norfolk and Delaware's Elena Delle Donne said she "couldn't hit the side of a barn" during her Constant Center appearance, you have to believe the Lady Monarchs know a thing or two about gameplanning against elite scorers. That said, if Evans gets hot she can make shots from Kenny Brooks' lap. So the bottom line is we're expecting that when we look up at the scoreboard with 20 seconds left, it'll still be anyone's game. If Evans has the ball, we like the Dukes. And if it's in Jasmine Parker's hands, brace yourself for yet another great ODU escape. By the way, this is the seventh annual Hoops for the Cure game, and fans are encouraged to wear pink to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer. The Lady Monarchs will be wearing pink uniforms and shoelaces. Also, a victory today would be ODU's 100th at the Constant Center. ODU 72, JMU 70
Delaware (16-9, 8-6 CAA) at William and Mary (11-14, 4-10 CAA), 2 p.m.
When these teams met on Feb. 4, Elena Delle Donne scored "only" 23 points. William and Mary's problem was that her teammates combined for 60 and the Tribe got routed. So maybe this time they should try paying a little less attention to Delle Donne and focus on.... Nah, that's probably not the way to go. Delaware 75, William and Mary 65
St. Joseph’s (14-10, 7-4 Atlantic 10) at Richmond (16-9, 5-5 Atlantic 10), 2 p.m.
It's as though the Spiders still haven't recovered from the 51-point beating they took at Dayton on Jan. 23. Richmond is 2-4 since, with all the losses coming by double digits. Coach Michael Shafer continues to pull levers to snap the Spiders out of it; his latest tactic was benching starters in Wednesday's 58-45 loss to St. Bonaventure. Let's hope whatever message he was sending got driven home because this team isn't going very far with Brittani Shells playing only 12 minutes. Look, there's still a really good team in there somewhere, and there's enough time left for the Spiders to still position themselves as a team no one wants to play in the A-10 tournament. But they've got to shake that Dayton hangover. Richmond 58, St. Joseph's 54
Boston College (14-12, 5-6 ACC) at Virginia Tech (13-13, 2-9 ACC), 2 p.m.
Tech spent its past two games proving it could hang with Top-10 teams Florida State and especially Duke. Now they need to make those performances pay off. For while the Hokies are clearly an improved team, that ACC record is starting to look eerily similar to the 2-12 marks of the past two seasons. It's time for Tech to make a stand, and while there are no gimmes in the ACC, the Hokies should be primed and ready for a winning effort. Virginia Tech 66, Boston College 58
VCU (17-9, 10-4 CAA) at George Mason (8-17, 1-13 CAA), 1 p.m.
It's "Pack the House Day" at the Patriot Center and, with the help of local girl scouts, the goal is to break the program's all-time attendance record (3,152). Not sure how much noise all those folks are going to make, though, as these Rams had an easy time against William and Mary Thursday and are good enough to make relatively quick work of the Patriots, too. VCU 77, George Mason 55
Saturday's recaps
Bethune-Cookman 63, Hampton 52: Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that after Monday's emotional, near-perfect performance in downing North Carolina A&T, the Lady Pirates (14-11, 9-4 MEAC) would come up a bit flat the next time out in Daytona Beach. Hampton still might have gotten away with it were it not for lights-out shooting by the Lady Wildcats (54.1 percent) that put an end to the Lady Pirates' eight-game winning streak.
Norfolk State 72, Winston-Salem State 58: The Spartans needed this. Instead of having just one player trying to carry the offensive load, the Spartans (4-18) had multiple producers (Raychele Payne, Genor Dalton, Whitney Long) for a change and dominated the hapless Lady Rams (2-24). Now let's see if they can carry this momentum forward for 48 hours and pick up their first MEAC victory on Monday when South Carolina State comes calling.
Charleston Southern 84, Radford 78: For the second straight game, the Highlanders (5-18, 4-8 Big South) wound up on the wrong end of a high-scoring shootout. This time an inability to defend the 3-pointer fueled their demise, as the Buccaneers drained 11 of 'em, including five by Kelsey Wasmer (career-high 33 points). The loss was Radford's seventh straight.
Liberty 57, Coastal Carolina 55: The Lady Flames (19-5, 9-2 Big South) led by 11 with 3:37 left before a 9-0 Coastal run made things interesting. In fact, the Lady Flames couldn't have felt too comfortable when a team that had already made nine 3-pointers had the ball with 17 seconds left down two. Liberty survived, though, and has now beaten the Chanticleers 33 straight times.
Longwood 60, Savannah State 36: Who said the Lancers can't win on the road? OK, we did. Well, we stand corrected. Saturday's win makes Longwood 2-14 in games outside of Farmville. All kidding aside, we love the way the young Lancers are finishing strong. Longwood is 4-2 in its last six games, with the losses coming to Maryland and Virginia.
Pat Summitt in Virginia Beach
First Geno, now Pat.
Hard to miss the winningest coach in the game on Friday night sitting in the bleachers at Ocean Lakes High School in her Tennessee orange colors, watching the junior post player everyone in the nation covets. Summitt and her assistant Dean Lockwood saw a routine performance by 6-3 prodigy center Elizabeth Williams of Princess Anne High, who bagged 15 points and 14 boards and was even more imposing on the other end of the floor where it's hard not to gawk at her leaping ability. Williams is rumored to be ACC bound -- Duke, NC, Virginia, maybe -- but it must be nice to look up and see the game's elite.
Two weeks ago Geno was in town to watch Williams at Bayside High School.
Unfazed, Williams said she's used to all the attention from AAU and Princess Anne coach Darnell Dozier agrees this kid keeps her poise. "She could play in front of Obama," he said.
Summitt visited Virginia Beach fresh from giving her own team a tongue lashing in Alabama, where she said her Lady Vols disrespected the game for their flat play against the SEC's last place team.
"We'll see if it does any good," said Summitt, who wasn't allowed to speak to Williams due to those pesky NCAA rules, though she flashed a thumbs up as Princess Anne collected its sixth straight Beach District tournament trophy. Typical Summitt was ever so gracious with the kids in the crowd, posing with babies and kids while cell phones and digital cameras snapped away. Another night in a high school gym might get old for a coach who has done this for 36 years, but says Summitt: "Not if you need players."
She also had a kind word for the CAA's first-place team, the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs, whom the Lady Vols spanked 102-62 in Knoxville two months ago.
"Wendy and I had dinner that night," she said. "She's so good. I knew it would be a matter of time before they got it together."
Friday, February 19, 2010
Friday dribble:MEAC, Big South teams in action
Red-hot Hampton looks to make it nine victories in a row while at this stage, slumping Radford and Norfolk State would happily settle for just one.
Friday's games
Hampton (14-10, 9-3 MEAC) at Bethune-Cookman (13-11, 8-4 MEAC), 4 p.m.
Everything was working for the Lady Pirates in Monday's 90-80 victory over MEAC heavyweight North Carolina A&T, as Hampton hit season highs in field-goal percentage (52.6), 3-point shooting (58.8) and assists (20). Performances like that don't come along very often, but the Lady Pirates were almost as flawless the last time they met Bethune-Cookman in an 81-44 rout on Jan. 23 in Hampton. Jerica Jenkins led the assault by draining 8 of 14 3-pointers.
Longwood (7-18) at Savannah State (9-19), 2 p.m.
If this matchup seems familiar, that's because these teams just met seven days ago in Farmville. The Lancers won by 31, and while they've struggled on the road - OK, they've been horrible on the road (1-14) - one week can't have been enough time for the Lady Tigers to make up that big of a gap.
Charleston Southern (14-10, 6-5 Big South) at Radford (5-17, 4-7 Big South), 3 p.m.
The Highlanders will honor their best player and lone senior, Kymesha Alston, in a pre-game ceremony. Alston, a Manhattan transfer and avowed Twitterer, ranks in the top 10 in the Big South in scoring, field goal percentage and blocks and will be appearing in her 100th career game. If her last game is any indication, Alston appears to be trying to singlehandedly pull the Highlanders out of what is now a six-game losing streak - she had a career-high 24 points in Monday's loss at High Point.
Coastal Carolina (14-9, 5-6 Big South) at Liberty (18-5, 8-2 Big South), 4 p.m.
The Lady Flames have won 32 straight over the Chanticleers, the seventh-longest active streak against an opponent in Division I. This includes Liberty's 57-38 decision on Jan. 22, although that game was a lot closer than the final score suggests. Coastal actually led by 10 early in the second half before the Lady Flames rallied and closed the game on a 24-2 run.
Winston-Salem State (2-23) at Norfolk State (3-18), 4 p.m.
Sure, the Spartans are hungry for a victory. But the Lady Rams are downright famished with their losing streak now at 21. That stretch includes a 60-56 loss to these same Spartans on Jan. 23, a game in which NSU freshman center Batavia Owens went for 22 points and 20 rebounds. The Lady Rams are now led by former Hampton coach Walter Mebane, who took over last week after Winston-Salem fired head coach Dee Stokes. Today's game is also a homecoming for Winston-Salem sophomore Jordhan Peterson and junior MaLisa Bumpus, both of whom starred at Norfolk Collegiate School.
Friday's games
Hampton (14-10, 9-3 MEAC) at Bethune-Cookman (13-11, 8-4 MEAC), 4 p.m.
Everything was working for the Lady Pirates in Monday's 90-80 victory over MEAC heavyweight North Carolina A&T, as Hampton hit season highs in field-goal percentage (52.6), 3-point shooting (58.8) and assists (20). Performances like that don't come along very often, but the Lady Pirates were almost as flawless the last time they met Bethune-Cookman in an 81-44 rout on Jan. 23 in Hampton. Jerica Jenkins led the assault by draining 8 of 14 3-pointers.
Longwood (7-18) at Savannah State (9-19), 2 p.m.
If this matchup seems familiar, that's because these teams just met seven days ago in Farmville. The Lancers won by 31, and while they've struggled on the road - OK, they've been horrible on the road (1-14) - one week can't have been enough time for the Lady Tigers to make up that big of a gap.
Charleston Southern (14-10, 6-5 Big South) at Radford (5-17, 4-7 Big South), 3 p.m.
The Highlanders will honor their best player and lone senior, Kymesha Alston, in a pre-game ceremony. Alston, a Manhattan transfer and avowed Twitterer, ranks in the top 10 in the Big South in scoring, field goal percentage and blocks and will be appearing in her 100th career game. If her last game is any indication, Alston appears to be trying to singlehandedly pull the Highlanders out of what is now a six-game losing streak - she had a career-high 24 points in Monday's loss at High Point.
Coastal Carolina (14-9, 5-6 Big South) at Liberty (18-5, 8-2 Big South), 4 p.m.
The Lady Flames have won 32 straight over the Chanticleers, the seventh-longest active streak against an opponent in Division I. This includes Liberty's 57-38 decision on Jan. 22, although that game was a lot closer than the final score suggests. Coastal actually led by 10 early in the second half before the Lady Flames rallied and closed the game on a 24-2 run.
Winston-Salem State (2-23) at Norfolk State (3-18), 4 p.m.
Sure, the Spartans are hungry for a victory. But the Lady Rams are downright famished with their losing streak now at 21. That stretch includes a 60-56 loss to these same Spartans on Jan. 23, a game in which NSU freshman center Batavia Owens went for 22 points and 20 rebounds. The Lady Rams are now led by former Hampton coach Walter Mebane, who took over last week after Winston-Salem fired head coach Dee Stokes. Today's game is also a homecoming for Winston-Salem sophomore Jordhan Peterson and junior MaLisa Bumpus, both of whom starred at Norfolk Collegiate School.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Friday dribble: Dawn vs. Delle Donne worth the hype
After reviewing the tapes of the myriad of ways Delaware's Elena Delle Donne can put points on the board, James Madison coach Kenny Brooks said he turned to his assistants and remarked, "She could very well get 50 tonight." Boy, was he wrong.
James Madison 88, Delaware 83 (OT): Brooks' Dukes survived one of the greatest scoring nights in Division I history, as Delle Donne lit 'em up for 54 points and singlehandedly forced the extra period by draining two 3-pointers in the final 9.3 seconds of regulation. "I now know what it's like to coach against Kobe Bryant," Brooks said. "She was unstoppable." Good thing the Dukes were unflappable. Instead of whining about why this kid didn't just stay at UConn, the Dukes got tough in OT and held the Blue Hens scoreless for nearly four minutes. Meanwhile, JMU's remarkable Dawn Evans scored 10 of her school record-tying 38 points in the extra period to finally slay the great Delle Donne. The victory put the Dukes (19-6, 9-5 CAA) alone in fourth place in the CAA race, a pivotal spot since the top four teams receive first-round byes in the conference tournament. Meanwhile, it was yet another heartbreaking loss for Delaware (16-9, 8-6 CAA), whose six conference losses are all either in overtime or by two points or less. Delle Donne did all she could, though. In fact, scoring-wise she did more than just about anyone else has ever done. "She's the best player I've ever had to prepare for, man or woman," Brooks said. Problem is, even Kobe Bryant needs help.
Old Dominion 63, Georgia State 61: Good thing Jasmine Parker has eyes for Tia Lewis, and vice versa, because that's how the first-place Lady Monarchs (14-10, 12-2 CAA) stole victory Thursday night and survived another nailbiter. Trailing by a point with 7.3 seconds left, Jasmine Parker dribbled the length of the court and fed Tia Lewis for a game-winning layup with 0.6 seconds left. As Parker continued her mad dash to the hoop it appeared as though she was driving into a dead end. But on the postgame radio show, Lewis indicated that she and Parker made eye contact and she was ready and waiting for Parker's feed. We'll buy Lewis' story, especially since it worked. We're also buying ODU's remarkable ability to finish out these close games, as they're now 8-1 in CAA games decided by single digits. So get your tickets early for Sunday's showdown against JMU, and plan on sticking around until the end. With this team, that's when all the exciting stuff goes down.
No. 10 Florida State 78, Virginia Tech 68: Not exactly the type of game we were expecting; we thought Tech would struggle to score against the typically stingy Seminoles. So while Florida State held a comfortable lead throughout most of the second half, credit the Hokies (13-13, 2-9 ACC) for acquitting themselves fairly well on the road against one of the nation's best teams. Coming on the heels of Sunday's performance against Duke, that's two straight respectable showings against Top-10 opponents. Another effort like this Sunday at home against Boston College should put an end to Tech's six-game conference losing streak.
VCU 83, William and Mary 58: Just what the Rams needed, a laugher in which they wouldn't have to put a lot of high mileage on the treds of their starters. Eleven VCU players saw action - only six played Sunday against Drexel - and none of them played more than 29 minutes. It was pretty much a disaster on the other side, thanks in large part to a fatal cocktail of pressure by VCU (17-9, 10-4 CAA) and sloppiness by W&M (11-14, 4-10 CAA). Key stat is this regard: the Rams scored 33 points off 24 Tribe turnovers.
Hofstra 59, George Mason 49: Competitive road effort by the Patriots (8-17, 1-13 CAA), who to their credit haven't given up as their season's turned sour. Two weeks ago, the Pride won by 33 points when the teams met in Fairfax. But they had no answers for Hofstra's low-post terrors Shante Evans and Jess Fuller, who combined for 35 points and 18 rebounds (17 by Evans).
James Madison 88, Delaware 83 (OT): Brooks' Dukes survived one of the greatest scoring nights in Division I history, as Delle Donne lit 'em up for 54 points and singlehandedly forced the extra period by draining two 3-pointers in the final 9.3 seconds of regulation. "I now know what it's like to coach against Kobe Bryant," Brooks said. "She was unstoppable." Good thing the Dukes were unflappable. Instead of whining about why this kid didn't just stay at UConn, the Dukes got tough in OT and held the Blue Hens scoreless for nearly four minutes. Meanwhile, JMU's remarkable Dawn Evans scored 10 of her school record-tying 38 points in the extra period to finally slay the great Delle Donne. The victory put the Dukes (19-6, 9-5 CAA) alone in fourth place in the CAA race, a pivotal spot since the top four teams receive first-round byes in the conference tournament. Meanwhile, it was yet another heartbreaking loss for Delaware (16-9, 8-6 CAA), whose six conference losses are all either in overtime or by two points or less. Delle Donne did all she could, though. In fact, scoring-wise she did more than just about anyone else has ever done. "She's the best player I've ever had to prepare for, man or woman," Brooks said. Problem is, even Kobe Bryant needs help.
Old Dominion 63, Georgia State 61: Good thing Jasmine Parker has eyes for Tia Lewis, and vice versa, because that's how the first-place Lady Monarchs (14-10, 12-2 CAA) stole victory Thursday night and survived another nailbiter. Trailing by a point with 7.3 seconds left, Jasmine Parker dribbled the length of the court and fed Tia Lewis for a game-winning layup with 0.6 seconds left. As Parker continued her mad dash to the hoop it appeared as though she was driving into a dead end. But on the postgame radio show, Lewis indicated that she and Parker made eye contact and she was ready and waiting for Parker's feed. We'll buy Lewis' story, especially since it worked. We're also buying ODU's remarkable ability to finish out these close games, as they're now 8-1 in CAA games decided by single digits. So get your tickets early for Sunday's showdown against JMU, and plan on sticking around until the end. With this team, that's when all the exciting stuff goes down.
No. 10 Florida State 78, Virginia Tech 68: Not exactly the type of game we were expecting; we thought Tech would struggle to score against the typically stingy Seminoles. So while Florida State held a comfortable lead throughout most of the second half, credit the Hokies (13-13, 2-9 ACC) for acquitting themselves fairly well on the road against one of the nation's best teams. Coming on the heels of Sunday's performance against Duke, that's two straight respectable showings against Top-10 opponents. Another effort like this Sunday at home against Boston College should put an end to Tech's six-game conference losing streak.
VCU 83, William and Mary 58: Just what the Rams needed, a laugher in which they wouldn't have to put a lot of high mileage on the treds of their starters. Eleven VCU players saw action - only six played Sunday against Drexel - and none of them played more than 29 minutes. It was pretty much a disaster on the other side, thanks in large part to a fatal cocktail of pressure by VCU (17-9, 10-4 CAA) and sloppiness by W&M (11-14, 4-10 CAA). Key stat is this regard: the Rams scored 33 points off 24 Tribe turnovers.
Hofstra 59, George Mason 49: Competitive road effort by the Patriots (8-17, 1-13 CAA), who to their credit haven't given up as their season's turned sour. Two weeks ago, the Pride won by 33 points when the teams met in Fairfax. But they had no answers for Hofstra's low-post terrors Shante Evans and Jess Fuller, who combined for 35 points and 18 rebounds (17 by Evans).
Oh, what a night, Elena!
Random notes about Elena Delle Donne's 54-point night in Delaware's 88-83 loss to JMU:
- It's the highest scoring game of the season, eclipsing the 49 points Memphis guard Brittany Carter dropped on Sacramento State on Nov. 27;
- It's the highest scoring game in Division I by anyone since March 10, 2000, when Southwest Missouri State's Jackie Stiles went for 56 against Evansville;
- It's tied for the seventh-highest scoring game in Division I history. The record is 60 points by Long Beach State's Cindy Brown on Feb. 16, 1987. February seems to be the month for record-setting point totals, as eight of the nine highest-scoring games in Division I history occurred during the second month of the year;
- It set a CAA record, breaking the mark of 51 by George Mason's Keri Chaconas nearly a year to the day (Feb. 17) in 1995 against East Carolina.
- Delle Donne's 18 field goals ties the CAA mark also shared by ex-UNC Wilmington stars Tressa Reese (Feb. 13 - there's that month again - 1991 vs. Charleston Southern) and Wanda Carroll (Dec. 19, 1986 vs. Coastal Carolina).
- It's the highest scoring game of the season, eclipsing the 49 points Memphis guard Brittany Carter dropped on Sacramento State on Nov. 27;
- It's the highest scoring game in Division I by anyone since March 10, 2000, when Southwest Missouri State's Jackie Stiles went for 56 against Evansville;
- It's tied for the seventh-highest scoring game in Division I history. The record is 60 points by Long Beach State's Cindy Brown on Feb. 16, 1987. February seems to be the month for record-setting point totals, as eight of the nine highest-scoring games in Division I history occurred during the second month of the year;
- It set a CAA record, breaking the mark of 51 by George Mason's Keri Chaconas nearly a year to the day (Feb. 17) in 1995 against East Carolina.
- Delle Donne's 18 field goals ties the CAA mark also shared by ex-UNC Wilmington stars Tressa Reese (Feb. 13 - there's that month again - 1991 vs. Charleston Southern) and Wanda Carroll (Dec. 19, 1986 vs. Coastal Carolina).
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
VCU's Rorie still part of team despite ACL tear
We've read about ACL tears. We've written about them. They perpetuate the women's game in such a wicked way that we know the storyline by heart before we read it. The pop. The pain. Lost season. Surgery. Rehab.
How painful must it be if it's not just your season that ends that way, but your collegiate career? That's what happened on Jan. 12 when VCU guard La'Tavia Rorie, a senior from Charlotte, N.C., crumbled to the floor when her knee buckled on a baseline drive. Anterior cruciate ligament and lateral meniscus torn. Third degree sprain. Rorie had started 79 of the Rams 81 games at the time, averaging 13.2 ppg and shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc.
"It's pretty much the worst thing ever," Rorie said after a recent game. "I didn't think I'd ever have to deal with this."
Ever heard of a kid named Emery Wallace? The senior's promising collegiate career at Maryland is over after four knee surgeries. Kansas senior Danielle McCray won't play any more college basketball, either, after ripping her knee two weeks ago. USC's Jackie Gemelos and Stefanie Gilbreath, eight ACL tears between them, aren't seniors, but are there any expectations they will finish their careers without another knee mishap?
Rorie admits to not being over this. She cried a lot at first. "The first week I didn't let show anybody how much it hurt," she said.
Rorie admits to not being over this. She cried a lot at first. "The first week I didn't let show anybody how much it hurt," she said.
It never hurts more than when the Rams lose.
"It's fine when we're winning; it's a stress relief," she said. "When we're losing, I feel bad. I feel like I could be out there helping my teammates."
Rorie does help, said Rams coach Beth Cunningham. The Rams listen to her. She's one of them.
"She's been there, done it," Cunningham said. "She helps with scout reports. It's hard for a kid who has been so involved in our program to find herself in a completely different role."
Teammate D'Andra Moss appreciates Rorie being in her ear. "I know how she feels," said Moss, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear a year ago. "We keep her involved. She motivates us."
As far as moving on, Moss noted, "You never forget."
Teammate D'Andra Moss appreciates Rorie being in her ear. "I know how she feels," said Moss, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear a year ago. "We keep her involved. She motivates us."
As far as moving on, Moss noted, "You never forget."
Thursday dribble: Evans may need kidney transplant
James Madison's Dawn Evans may need a kidney transplant as early as this summer according to this AP story. The point guard missed one game in December related to testing for the disease. The kidney disorder affects her blood pressure and leaves her with a low energy reserve, which is why coach Kenny Brooks rested her at William and Mary last week.
We had an eerie feeling upon reading the reports of that game, as the official word was that Evans sat out for "medical reasons." Everyone knew Evans was playing on a gimpy ankle; she sprained it during a regionally televised game two weeks ago. If it had been just the ankle that was keeping Evans out, "medical reasons" would have been unnecessarily vague. Now we understand why JMU's language was so cryptic.
Tough hombre that she is, Evans is determined to play out this season, telling the AP's Hank Kurz that leading the Dukes to the NCAA tournament "is a huge goal, at the top of my list." And don't think she's not capable. Since sitting out that game in December for the kidney testing, Evans has had six games of 30 points or more.
Ladyswish is thinking and praying for Evans and her family during this difficult time. And here's hoping that the junior star can have an uninterrupted run through the rest of the season before gearing up for the much bigger battles that lie ahead.
Wednesday's game
St. Bonaventure 58, Richmond 45: No shame in losing on the road to the tough Bonnies. But we're not sure what happened to Brittani Shells. The Atlantic 10's scoring leader finished with two points in a meager 12 minutes. It wasn't foul trouble, as Shells collected just one of those. And it doesn't appear to be injury because Shells was on the floor at the end of the game; she scored her only basket with 12 seconds left. Whatever the case, Shells finished 15 points under her average in a game the Spiders lost by 13. And a Spiders team that thrives on turning defense into offense finished with just six steals; Shells is also the A-10's steals leader. Strange. Can't wait for the explanation.
Thursday's games
Delaware (16-8, 8-5 CAA) at James Madison (18-6, 8-5 CAA), 7 p.m.
A week ago at this time, the Dukes looked like solid candidates for an NCAA tournament at-large bid. Two upset losses later, their main concern now is avoiding a first-round game in the CAA tournament. The top four seeds earn first-round byes and these two teams are tied for fourth. As difficult as her kidney problems must be for Evans, she's proven she can still dominate games despite her condition. She's also one of the best clutch players in the country; just the type of performer capable of dealing more heartbreak to a Blue Hens team that has continually been nosed out at the finish line. The Blue Hens will counter with Elena Delle Donne, the nation's leading scorer who is coming off a 35-point outburst Sunday against Georgia State. The Dukes have the kind of guards who can frustrate Delaware's not-always-sure ballhandlers and thwart the Blue Hens' offense before the ball gets in Delle Donne's hands. Now if the 6-foot-5 Delle Donne heats up from 3-point range, there isn't much JMU - or anyone else for that matter - can do about it. But if JMU can "hold" Delle Donne in the 25-point range, the Dukes at home should have just enough to pull this out. JMU 63, Delaware 61
Virginia Tech (13-12, 2-8 ACC) at No. 10 Florida State (22-4, 8-2 ACC), 7 p.m.
Tech's last trip to Florida turned out quite well, thank you. But beating Miami and taking down FSU's defensive juggernaut are two different deals, particularly for a Hokies team prone to offensive droughts. Consider this: Florida State is 17-0 when holding an opponent under 40 percent shooting; the Hokies haven't shot 40 percent since that stunning victory over the Hurricanes on Jan. 24. Tech is 0-5 in ACC play since, and while the Hokies acquitted themselves well Sunday against ACC leader Duke in the friendly confines of Cassell, it's hard to see them scoring enough points to do much more than keep things competitive in Tallahassee. Florida State 62, Virginia Tech 48
Old Dominion (13-10, 11-2 CAA) at Georgia State 13-11, 4-9 CAA), 6 p.m. Only two road games left? We used the "it's getting late early" line a few days ago, but wow, it's almost March. (A caveat: Did you see Charlie Creme's latest bracketology? He's got ODU as a 13 seed versus No. 4 Kentucky in the NCAA tournament, with no at-large bid going to any CAA team.) OK, back to this game. ODU lost in this spot a year ago and escaped the Panthers by two a few weeks ago. Doesn't help that Georgia State has the CAA's best defense, holding teams to 56 ppg, and ODU has averaged a mere 59 ppg in its last four. We're going with ODU, but just barely. And we're not betting the house. ODU 62, Georgia State 57
George Mason (8-16, 1-12 CAA) at Hofstra (14-11, 7-6 CAA), 2 p.m. It's Family Fun Day in Long Island, and we have no doubt that the Pride and the kids in attendance will have a pretty good time. Hofstra is living the good life these days, having won three of its last four, including a defeat of VCU. Last time GMU played the Pride, the Patriots scored 39. And the last time was two weeks ago. Go offense! Hofstra 66, George Mason 41
William and Mary (11-13, 4-9 CAA) at VCU 16-9, 9-4 CAA), 7 p.m. It's hard to say a team is living large when it has dropped five of six, but we bet the Tribe is still giddy over upsetting James Madison a week ago. If Taysha Pye stays hot (the sophomore averaged 29 ppg last week), VCU could be in for a bigger test than the records reflect). The Rams need the win to remain relevant in the CAA race. In its last four games, VCU has lost to Drexel, Hofstra and JMU while beating first-place ODU in Norfolk. So what does that say? We're not sure. At home, we like the Rams, but the short bench might be taking its toll. VCU 68, William and Mary 59
We had an eerie feeling upon reading the reports of that game, as the official word was that Evans sat out for "medical reasons." Everyone knew Evans was playing on a gimpy ankle; she sprained it during a regionally televised game two weeks ago. If it had been just the ankle that was keeping Evans out, "medical reasons" would have been unnecessarily vague. Now we understand why JMU's language was so cryptic.
Tough hombre that she is, Evans is determined to play out this season, telling the AP's Hank Kurz that leading the Dukes to the NCAA tournament "is a huge goal, at the top of my list." And don't think she's not capable. Since sitting out that game in December for the kidney testing, Evans has had six games of 30 points or more.
Ladyswish is thinking and praying for Evans and her family during this difficult time. And here's hoping that the junior star can have an uninterrupted run through the rest of the season before gearing up for the much bigger battles that lie ahead.
Wednesday's game
St. Bonaventure 58, Richmond 45: No shame in losing on the road to the tough Bonnies. But we're not sure what happened to Brittani Shells. The Atlantic 10's scoring leader finished with two points in a meager 12 minutes. It wasn't foul trouble, as Shells collected just one of those. And it doesn't appear to be injury because Shells was on the floor at the end of the game; she scored her only basket with 12 seconds left. Whatever the case, Shells finished 15 points under her average in a game the Spiders lost by 13. And a Spiders team that thrives on turning defense into offense finished with just six steals; Shells is also the A-10's steals leader. Strange. Can't wait for the explanation.
Thursday's games
Delaware (16-8, 8-5 CAA) at James Madison (18-6, 8-5 CAA), 7 p.m.
A week ago at this time, the Dukes looked like solid candidates for an NCAA tournament at-large bid. Two upset losses later, their main concern now is avoiding a first-round game in the CAA tournament. The top four seeds earn first-round byes and these two teams are tied for fourth. As difficult as her kidney problems must be for Evans, she's proven she can still dominate games despite her condition. She's also one of the best clutch players in the country; just the type of performer capable of dealing more heartbreak to a Blue Hens team that has continually been nosed out at the finish line. The Blue Hens will counter with Elena Delle Donne, the nation's leading scorer who is coming off a 35-point outburst Sunday against Georgia State. The Dukes have the kind of guards who can frustrate Delaware's not-always-sure ballhandlers and thwart the Blue Hens' offense before the ball gets in Delle Donne's hands. Now if the 6-foot-5 Delle Donne heats up from 3-point range, there isn't much JMU - or anyone else for that matter - can do about it. But if JMU can "hold" Delle Donne in the 25-point range, the Dukes at home should have just enough to pull this out. JMU 63, Delaware 61
Virginia Tech (13-12, 2-8 ACC) at No. 10 Florida State (22-4, 8-2 ACC), 7 p.m.
Tech's last trip to Florida turned out quite well, thank you. But beating Miami and taking down FSU's defensive juggernaut are two different deals, particularly for a Hokies team prone to offensive droughts. Consider this: Florida State is 17-0 when holding an opponent under 40 percent shooting; the Hokies haven't shot 40 percent since that stunning victory over the Hurricanes on Jan. 24. Tech is 0-5 in ACC play since, and while the Hokies acquitted themselves well Sunday against ACC leader Duke in the friendly confines of Cassell, it's hard to see them scoring enough points to do much more than keep things competitive in Tallahassee. Florida State 62, Virginia Tech 48
Old Dominion (13-10, 11-2 CAA) at Georgia State 13-11, 4-9 CAA), 6 p.m. Only two road games left? We used the "it's getting late early" line a few days ago, but wow, it's almost March. (A caveat: Did you see Charlie Creme's latest bracketology? He's got ODU as a 13 seed versus No. 4 Kentucky in the NCAA tournament, with no at-large bid going to any CAA team.) OK, back to this game. ODU lost in this spot a year ago and escaped the Panthers by two a few weeks ago. Doesn't help that Georgia State has the CAA's best defense, holding teams to 56 ppg, and ODU has averaged a mere 59 ppg in its last four. We're going with ODU, but just barely. And we're not betting the house. ODU 62, Georgia State 57
George Mason (8-16, 1-12 CAA) at Hofstra (14-11, 7-6 CAA), 2 p.m. It's Family Fun Day in Long Island, and we have no doubt that the Pride and the kids in attendance will have a pretty good time. Hofstra is living the good life these days, having won three of its last four, including a defeat of VCU. Last time GMU played the Pride, the Patriots scored 39. And the last time was two weeks ago. Go offense! Hofstra 66, George Mason 41
William and Mary (11-13, 4-9 CAA) at VCU 16-9, 9-4 CAA), 7 p.m. It's hard to say a team is living large when it has dropped five of six, but we bet the Tribe is still giddy over upsetting James Madison a week ago. If Taysha Pye stays hot (the sophomore averaged 29 ppg last week), VCU could be in for a bigger test than the records reflect). The Rams need the win to remain relevant in the CAA race. In its last four games, VCU has lost to Drexel, Hofstra and JMU while beating first-place ODU in Norfolk. So what does that say? We're not sure. At home, we like the Rams, but the short bench might be taking its toll. VCU 68, William and Mary 59
Ladyswish state rankings
1. Virginia (20-6, 8-3 ACC, 3rd)
RPI (as of Feb. 15): 12
Dominating Longwood and making a bigger impact against ACC teams are hardly the same. But if Simone Egwu's performance against the Lancers (18 points, 16 rebounds) boosts her confidence against the bigger fish on UVa.'s upcoming schedule, Tuesday's oddly-timed Longwood game was just the ticket.
2. Old Dominion (13-10, 11-2 CAA, 1st)
RPI: 61
The biggest reason the Lady Monarchs are in first place has been their ability to make just enough plays at crunch time. Eight of the Lady Monarchs' 13 CAA games have been decided by single digits; ODU is 7-1 in those games.
3. VCU (16-9, 9-4 CAA, 3rd)
RPI: 104
Rams used just six players in Sunday's 70-62 loss to Drexel, VCU's third defeat in its last four games. Ebony Patterson played 34 minutes, the other four starters all played at least 38. Winning on three straight days at the CAA tournament is going to be extremely tough for these guys.
4. James Madison (18-6, 8-5 CAA, 4th-tie)
RPI: 53
Dukes showed two weeks ago in routs of VCU and Drexel that at their best, they're capable of being the class of the CAA. But the team is just 5-4 since Jan. 17 and we can't shake the nagging sense that, save for occasional flashes, this team peaked in December.
5. Richmond (16-9, 5-5 Atlantic 10, 7th)
RPI: 72
The Atlantic 10 is very tough at the top and the Spiders have been forced to play the league's best teams on the road. Still, we expected more out of Richmond (all five of their A-10 losses have come by at least 12 points). For whatever the reason, this group simply hasn't played to its potential.
6. Liberty (18-5, 8-2 Big South, 2nd)
RPI: 103
On Feb. 8, Gardner-Webb became the first team in 106 games to shoot better than 50 percent from the field. In the Lady Flames' next game exactly one week later, they held Winthrop to 11.9 percent shooting in a 52-18 victory. Guess they're determined to start a new streak. By the way, the NCAA record for fewest points by one team in a game between two Division I schools is 16.
7. Hampton (14-10, 9-3 MEAC, 2nd)
RPI: 164
The Lady Pirates haven't just won eight in a row; they've dominated every step of the way. Monday's 90-80 decision over defending champion North Carolina A&T was the closest game in that stretch; the other seven victories all came by at least 13 points. Star forward Quanneisha Perry says humilty is the key to Hampton's surge.
8. Virginia Tech (13-12, 2-8 ACC, 11th)
RPI: 114
We didn't think this would be an issue when the Hokies had a 2-3 ACC record with wins over North Carolina and Miami. But with just four regular-season conference games left, Tech is going to have pick it up a bit to avoid finishing 2-12 in league play for the third straight year. Winning at Florida State or in the season finale at Virginia will be tall orders. But the Hokies will have excellent chances to take care of business in home games against Boston College and Clemson.
9. William and Mary (11-13, 4-9 CAA, 9th)
RPI: 186
Dawn Evans or no Dawn Evans, last week's win over James Madison had to feel huge in the Tribe locker room. Taysha Pye is averaging 29 points in her last two games. The Tribes' last two losses both came by the score of 63-60 and both were sealed when a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer failed to fall.
10. George Mason (8-16, 1-12 CAA, 12th)
RPI: 235
Patriots have lost eight straight and 13 out of 14. Yet they've still doubled their victory total from a year ago. Also, a pair of four-point road losses followed by a game effort Sunday against Old Dominion suggests that these guys are still battling. Can't wait to see what this team looks like when it adds some quality size next year.
11. Radford (5-17, 4-7 Big South, 6th-tie)
RPI: 261
Da'Naria Erwin-Spencer is the reigning Big South Freshman of the Week, but she'd probably trade that honor for some team success as the Lancers are mired in a season-long six-game losing streak. An upcoming pair of home games present prime opportunities to get off the schneid.
12. Longwood (7-18)
RPI: 262
Lancers ended their home schedule with a very respectable 6-4 record. Prior to Tuesday's mismatch against Virginia the Lancers had won three of four. They'll now wind up regular-season play with two very winnable road games at Savannah State and North Carolina Central.
13. Norfolk State (3-18, 0-12 MEAC, 11th)
RPI: 344
Thank goodness for Centenary (1-23), the only one of the 345 Division I teams with a lower RPI than NSU. A favorable upcoming schedule (Winston-Salem State and South Carolina State, both at home) gives the Spartans a chance to move up a few places.
RPI (as of Feb. 15): 12
Dominating Longwood and making a bigger impact against ACC teams are hardly the same. But if Simone Egwu's performance against the Lancers (18 points, 16 rebounds) boosts her confidence against the bigger fish on UVa.'s upcoming schedule, Tuesday's oddly-timed Longwood game was just the ticket.
2. Old Dominion (13-10, 11-2 CAA, 1st)
RPI: 61
The biggest reason the Lady Monarchs are in first place has been their ability to make just enough plays at crunch time. Eight of the Lady Monarchs' 13 CAA games have been decided by single digits; ODU is 7-1 in those games.
3. VCU (16-9, 9-4 CAA, 3rd)
RPI: 104
Rams used just six players in Sunday's 70-62 loss to Drexel, VCU's third defeat in its last four games. Ebony Patterson played 34 minutes, the other four starters all played at least 38. Winning on three straight days at the CAA tournament is going to be extremely tough for these guys.
4. James Madison (18-6, 8-5 CAA, 4th-tie)
RPI: 53
Dukes showed two weeks ago in routs of VCU and Drexel that at their best, they're capable of being the class of the CAA. But the team is just 5-4 since Jan. 17 and we can't shake the nagging sense that, save for occasional flashes, this team peaked in December.
5. Richmond (16-9, 5-5 Atlantic 10, 7th)
RPI: 72
The Atlantic 10 is very tough at the top and the Spiders have been forced to play the league's best teams on the road. Still, we expected more out of Richmond (all five of their A-10 losses have come by at least 12 points). For whatever the reason, this group simply hasn't played to its potential.
6. Liberty (18-5, 8-2 Big South, 2nd)
RPI: 103
On Feb. 8, Gardner-Webb became the first team in 106 games to shoot better than 50 percent from the field. In the Lady Flames' next game exactly one week later, they held Winthrop to 11.9 percent shooting in a 52-18 victory. Guess they're determined to start a new streak. By the way, the NCAA record for fewest points by one team in a game between two Division I schools is 16.
7. Hampton (14-10, 9-3 MEAC, 2nd)
RPI: 164
The Lady Pirates haven't just won eight in a row; they've dominated every step of the way. Monday's 90-80 decision over defending champion North Carolina A&T was the closest game in that stretch; the other seven victories all came by at least 13 points. Star forward Quanneisha Perry says humilty is the key to Hampton's surge.
8. Virginia Tech (13-12, 2-8 ACC, 11th)
RPI: 114
We didn't think this would be an issue when the Hokies had a 2-3 ACC record with wins over North Carolina and Miami. But with just four regular-season conference games left, Tech is going to have pick it up a bit to avoid finishing 2-12 in league play for the third straight year. Winning at Florida State or in the season finale at Virginia will be tall orders. But the Hokies will have excellent chances to take care of business in home games against Boston College and Clemson.
9. William and Mary (11-13, 4-9 CAA, 9th)
RPI: 186
Dawn Evans or no Dawn Evans, last week's win over James Madison had to feel huge in the Tribe locker room. Taysha Pye is averaging 29 points in her last two games. The Tribes' last two losses both came by the score of 63-60 and both were sealed when a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer failed to fall.
10. George Mason (8-16, 1-12 CAA, 12th)
RPI: 235
Patriots have lost eight straight and 13 out of 14. Yet they've still doubled their victory total from a year ago. Also, a pair of four-point road losses followed by a game effort Sunday against Old Dominion suggests that these guys are still battling. Can't wait to see what this team looks like when it adds some quality size next year.
11. Radford (5-17, 4-7 Big South, 6th-tie)
RPI: 261
Da'Naria Erwin-Spencer is the reigning Big South Freshman of the Week, but she'd probably trade that honor for some team success as the Lancers are mired in a season-long six-game losing streak. An upcoming pair of home games present prime opportunities to get off the schneid.
12. Longwood (7-18)
RPI: 262
Lancers ended their home schedule with a very respectable 6-4 record. Prior to Tuesday's mismatch against Virginia the Lancers had won three of four. They'll now wind up regular-season play with two very winnable road games at Savannah State and North Carolina Central.
13. Norfolk State (3-18, 0-12 MEAC, 11th)
RPI: 344
Thank goodness for Centenary (1-23), the only one of the 345 Division I teams with a lower RPI than NSU. A favorable upcoming schedule (Winston-Salem State and South Carolina State, both at home) gives the Spartans a chance to move up a few places.
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