Head to this one and you'll have plenty of time to watch the Winter Olympics later.
Wednesday's game:
Richmond (18-6, 5-4 A-10) at St. Bonaventure (16-8, 6-5 A-10), 4:45 p.m.
Clash between league's top two scorers in Spiders Brittani Shells and the Bonnies Dana Mitchell. (Love that Bonnies coach Jim Crawley graduated from Division III Kueka, whose home gym is called the Weed Athletic Center in Kueka Park, NY.) Mitchell, by the way, will have her jersey retired at halftime of the men's game (no offense to Dana, but what's the rush?). The senior's 1,878 points rank her second in career points at the school. Richmond 70, St. Bonaventure 67
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Two wins for Virginia in two nights
We're still marveling over what might be the best women's basketball game of the season Monday night when Virginia snagged away a nailbiter from North Carolina. (Following that up with a dressed-in-pink arena in Oklahoma, where the Sooners gave UConn a scare wasn't too shabby, either.) It seems that so many games this season we've looked forward to have disappointed due to shooting numbers that linger around 30 percent. UNC/Virginia was a riveting back-and-forth game that wasn't in the bag until the final, final, final buzzer. It was the kind of event that could turn non-traditional women's basketball fans into loyalists.
Tuesday's result:
No. 18 Virginia 81, Longwood 40
Yes, you do remember correctly. Virginia (20-6) has played 90 minutes of basketball in a little over 24 hours. Fresh off a double OT win over North Carolina, the Cavaliers were back at it again against the Lancers (7-18). Noted Virginia forward Telia McCall, “We need to get ready for the tournament and we might have to play back-to-back games, so we needed this.” Monica Wright had a breather for most of the night (13 points in 16 minutes) as, no surprise, the Cavaliers shot 51 percent. A nod to Longwood freshman Chelsea Corward for her 18-point effort.
Tuesday's result:
No. 18 Virginia 81, Longwood 40
Yes, you do remember correctly. Virginia (20-6) has played 90 minutes of basketball in a little over 24 hours. Fresh off a double OT win over North Carolina, the Cavaliers were back at it again against the Lancers (7-18). Noted Virginia forward Telia McCall, “We need to get ready for the tournament and we might have to play back-to-back games, so we needed this.” Monica Wright had a breather for most of the night (13 points in 16 minutes) as, no surprise, the Cavaliers shot 51 percent. A nod to Longwood freshman Chelsea Corward for her 18-point effort.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Tuesday dribble: UVa., Hampton come up big
Monday's games
Virginia 82, North Carolina 78 (2OT): Thoroughly enjoyable contest with heroes galore for the Cavaliers, and they needed every one of them to hold off a frenzied assault by a Tar Heels team that played with all the desperation of a group that knows it's squarely on the NCAA tournament bubble (Even though ESPN's Charlie Creme disagrees). The end of regulation was especially exciting. With about 30 seconds left, Virginia down one and Monica Wright streaking downcourt, we were yelling, "No timeout, Debbie!" Pretty sure UVa.'s coach didn't hear us, but she let play continue and Wright tossed in a fastbreak layup. That was fun. Then, with UVa. up three and time running out, we were screaming, "Foul!" Sadly, no one got a hack on Italee Lucas, and she buried the game-tying three. Heck of a shot. But it all worked out for UVa. in the end, in part because UNC's Waltiea Rolle missed a wide-open five-footer with the Tar Heels down two in the final seconds. Rolle makes that bunny and the teams might still be playing. Instead, the Cavaliers escaped with their first victory in 14 games against UNC while the Tar Heels must stomach a fifth straight loss and the reality that the WNIT is a distinct possibility. Wright finished with 33 points, but Telia McCall gets her picture on the Wheaties box this time for her Rodman-esque 20-rebound effort. For a while there it seemed as though every time UVa. missed a shot, McCall was hauling in the miss and giving the Cavs another chance. "Unbelievable," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said of McCall's efforts. "For a kid to get 20, that's just heart and going after it." All the Cavaliers played that way, Come to think of it, so did the Tar Heels. That's why this one was so much fun.
Hampton 90, North Carolina A&T 80: Never mind the standings. The best team in the MEAC comes from Hampton, Va. The Lady Pirates (14-10, 9-3 MEAC) seized that title Monday night by dominating conference unbeaten A&T and bagging their eighth straight victory with their finest overall effort of the season. Statistics don't always tell the full story, but these Lady Pirate numbers come pretty close - 52.7 percent shooting, 10-of-17 from 3-point range, 20 assists against 11 turnovers, 30 points and 11 assists from Bernadette Fortune and 6-of-10 3-point shooting from Choicetta McMillian. Hampton's not going to play this well every night; no team can. But two months ago, this was the worst-shooting team in Division I. These players deserve a tremendous amount of credit for rounding into the team to beat in the MEAC. And if David Six isn't named the conference's coach of the year, there ought to be an investigation.
Liberty 52, Winthrop 18: No kidding. That loss to Gardner-Webb must have really ticked the Lady Flames off. But Liberty couldn't pull off a result like this without help. Granted, the Lady Flames (18-5, 8-2 Big South) have some of the best defensive stats in the nation. But the '85 Bears shouldn't be able to hold a Division I team to 18 points. So nice job out of Liberty and an embarrassing, burn-the-tape effort from the Eagles, on their own floor no less.
High Point 88, Radford 74: Huge offensive showing out of Radford, particularly from Kymesha Alston (24 points) and Da'Naria Erwin-Spencer (24). Unfortunately, the Highlanders gave up points even faster than they put 'em on the board - you know you're in trouble when you shoot 53 percent in the first half and go into the break down three. Even North Carolina and West Virginia didn't torch the Highlanders this badly. So there's really no mystery about Radford's sixth straight loss; giving up a season high in points almost always gets you beat.
Howard 71, Norfolk State 41: Poor Spartans. Poor offensively challenged Spartans. But we've seen worse; I mean, we just got finishing reading Winthrop's box score. Now get a good week of practice, because with home games against Winston-Salem State and South Carolina State up next, things could look a whole lot better this time next week.
Virginia 82, North Carolina 78 (2OT): Thoroughly enjoyable contest with heroes galore for the Cavaliers, and they needed every one of them to hold off a frenzied assault by a Tar Heels team that played with all the desperation of a group that knows it's squarely on the NCAA tournament bubble (Even though ESPN's Charlie Creme disagrees). The end of regulation was especially exciting. With about 30 seconds left, Virginia down one and Monica Wright streaking downcourt, we were yelling, "No timeout, Debbie!" Pretty sure UVa.'s coach didn't hear us, but she let play continue and Wright tossed in a fastbreak layup. That was fun. Then, with UVa. up three and time running out, we were screaming, "Foul!" Sadly, no one got a hack on Italee Lucas, and she buried the game-tying three. Heck of a shot. But it all worked out for UVa. in the end, in part because UNC's Waltiea Rolle missed a wide-open five-footer with the Tar Heels down two in the final seconds. Rolle makes that bunny and the teams might still be playing. Instead, the Cavaliers escaped with their first victory in 14 games against UNC while the Tar Heels must stomach a fifth straight loss and the reality that the WNIT is a distinct possibility. Wright finished with 33 points, but Telia McCall gets her picture on the Wheaties box this time for her Rodman-esque 20-rebound effort. For a while there it seemed as though every time UVa. missed a shot, McCall was hauling in the miss and giving the Cavs another chance. "Unbelievable," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said of McCall's efforts. "For a kid to get 20, that's just heart and going after it." All the Cavaliers played that way, Come to think of it, so did the Tar Heels. That's why this one was so much fun.
Hampton 90, North Carolina A&T 80: Never mind the standings. The best team in the MEAC comes from Hampton, Va. The Lady Pirates (14-10, 9-3 MEAC) seized that title Monday night by dominating conference unbeaten A&T and bagging their eighth straight victory with their finest overall effort of the season. Statistics don't always tell the full story, but these Lady Pirate numbers come pretty close - 52.7 percent shooting, 10-of-17 from 3-point range, 20 assists against 11 turnovers, 30 points and 11 assists from Bernadette Fortune and 6-of-10 3-point shooting from Choicetta McMillian. Hampton's not going to play this well every night; no team can. But two months ago, this was the worst-shooting team in Division I. These players deserve a tremendous amount of credit for rounding into the team to beat in the MEAC. And if David Six isn't named the conference's coach of the year, there ought to be an investigation.
Liberty 52, Winthrop 18: No kidding. That loss to Gardner-Webb must have really ticked the Lady Flames off. But Liberty couldn't pull off a result like this without help. Granted, the Lady Flames (18-5, 8-2 Big South) have some of the best defensive stats in the nation. But the '85 Bears shouldn't be able to hold a Division I team to 18 points. So nice job out of Liberty and an embarrassing, burn-the-tape effort from the Eagles, on their own floor no less.
High Point 88, Radford 74: Huge offensive showing out of Radford, particularly from Kymesha Alston (24 points) and Da'Naria Erwin-Spencer (24). Unfortunately, the Highlanders gave up points even faster than they put 'em on the board - you know you're in trouble when you shoot 53 percent in the first half and go into the break down three. Even North Carolina and West Virginia didn't torch the Highlanders this badly. So there's really no mystery about Radford's sixth straight loss; giving up a season high in points almost always gets you beat.
Howard 71, Norfolk State 41: Poor Spartans. Poor offensively challenged Spartans. But we've seen worse; I mean, we just got finishing reading Winthrop's box score. Now get a good week of practice, because with home games against Winston-Salem State and South Carolina State up next, things could look a whole lot better this time next week.
Monday dribble: UVa., Hampton in marquee matchups
Monday's games
No. 18 North Carolina (16-7, 4-5 ACC) at No. 21 Virginia (18-6, 7-3 ACC), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Given the recent history between these teams (Tar Heels have won 13 straight and beat UVa. by 29 last season), it's hard to believe Virginia would actually be the favorite. But the struggling Tar Heels have dropped four straight, are just 3-6 since Jan. 9 and are actually in danger of playing themselves out of an NCAA tournament bid (the only basketball team mired in a more dramatic freefall is the UNC men). All of a sudden, Virginia Tech's seemingly shocking 79-64 whipping of UNC last month makes a bit more sense. Two major problems stand out for the Tar Heels - poor rebounding and the wild inconsistency of star guards Italee Lucas and Cetera DeGraffenreid. Both came off the bench in UNC's last game and DeGraffenreid was benched for the final 6:55 of a seven-point home loss to Boston College. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, have won seven of their last eight and are playing their most efficient ball of the season. It would be foolish to take a Tar Heels team loaded with McDonald's All-Americans and All-ACC-caliber types for granted. But at this stage of the season, you pretty much are what you are. Virginia 75, North Carolina 63
North Carolina A&T (17-7, 11-0 MEAC) at Hampton (13-10, 8-3 MEAC), 6 p.m.
Here we go. The Lady Pirates have won seven straight - all by 13 points or more. The Lady Aggies have won 11 straight and 13 of their last 14 - the loss was a six-point decision at Liberty. When these teams met on Jan. 18 in Greensboro, the Lady Aggies survived an 82-81 shootout. We're expecting another wide-open, up-and-down affair, the type of game that frankly women's basketball could use a lot more of. Hampton 79, North Carolina A&T 78
Liberty (17-5, 7-2 Big South) at Winthrop (10-14, 4-6 Big South), 7 p.m.
The Lady Flames haven't played since last Monday's 59-56 loss to Gardner-Webb. But Liberty hasn't lost back-to-back Big South games since 1997, have had a week to prepare for this one and will be playing a team they beat by 29 last month. In other words, we suspect the Lady Flames will bounce back from that G-W loss quite well, thank you. Liberty 65, Winthrop 47
Radford (5-16, 4-6 Big South) at High Point (13-11, 5-6 Big South), 7 p.m.
The Highlanders dropped yet another close game Saturday with a four-point loss at Winthrop. Radford has now dropped five straight, and three of the last four of those have come by six points or less or in overtime. High Point is also reeling as the Panthers come in on a four-game slide. But High Point prevailed 78-67 when these teams met in Radford on Jan. 11. Radford 58, High Point 57
Norfolk State (3-17, 0-11 MEAC) at Howard (11-5, 6-5 MEAC), 2 p.m.
The Spartans have lost six straight and have failed to crack the 50-point barrier in their last two losses. NSU proved it could play with Howard in a nine-point loss to the Bison in Norfolk last month. But even there they lacked enough firepower to finish the job - the final score was 55-46. Howard 59, Norfolk State 47
No. 18 North Carolina (16-7, 4-5 ACC) at No. 21 Virginia (18-6, 7-3 ACC), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Given the recent history between these teams (Tar Heels have won 13 straight and beat UVa. by 29 last season), it's hard to believe Virginia would actually be the favorite. But the struggling Tar Heels have dropped four straight, are just 3-6 since Jan. 9 and are actually in danger of playing themselves out of an NCAA tournament bid (the only basketball team mired in a more dramatic freefall is the UNC men). All of a sudden, Virginia Tech's seemingly shocking 79-64 whipping of UNC last month makes a bit more sense. Two major problems stand out for the Tar Heels - poor rebounding and the wild inconsistency of star guards Italee Lucas and Cetera DeGraffenreid. Both came off the bench in UNC's last game and DeGraffenreid was benched for the final 6:55 of a seven-point home loss to Boston College. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, have won seven of their last eight and are playing their most efficient ball of the season. It would be foolish to take a Tar Heels team loaded with McDonald's All-Americans and All-ACC-caliber types for granted. But at this stage of the season, you pretty much are what you are. Virginia 75, North Carolina 63
North Carolina A&T (17-7, 11-0 MEAC) at Hampton (13-10, 8-3 MEAC), 6 p.m.
Here we go. The Lady Pirates have won seven straight - all by 13 points or more. The Lady Aggies have won 11 straight and 13 of their last 14 - the loss was a six-point decision at Liberty. When these teams met on Jan. 18 in Greensboro, the Lady Aggies survived an 82-81 shootout. We're expecting another wide-open, up-and-down affair, the type of game that frankly women's basketball could use a lot more of. Hampton 79, North Carolina A&T 78
Liberty (17-5, 7-2 Big South) at Winthrop (10-14, 4-6 Big South), 7 p.m.
The Lady Flames haven't played since last Monday's 59-56 loss to Gardner-Webb. But Liberty hasn't lost back-to-back Big South games since 1997, have had a week to prepare for this one and will be playing a team they beat by 29 last month. In other words, we suspect the Lady Flames will bounce back from that G-W loss quite well, thank you. Liberty 65, Winthrop 47
Radford (5-16, 4-6 Big South) at High Point (13-11, 5-6 Big South), 7 p.m.
The Highlanders dropped yet another close game Saturday with a four-point loss at Winthrop. Radford has now dropped five straight, and three of the last four of those have come by six points or less or in overtime. High Point is also reeling as the Panthers come in on a four-game slide. But High Point prevailed 78-67 when these teams met in Radford on Jan. 11. Radford 58, High Point 57
Norfolk State (3-17, 0-11 MEAC) at Howard (11-5, 6-5 MEAC), 2 p.m.
The Spartans have lost six straight and have failed to crack the 50-point barrier in their last two losses. NSU proved it could play with Howard in a nine-point loss to the Bison in Norfolk last month. But even there they lacked enough firepower to finish the job - the final score was 55-46. Howard 59, Norfolk State 47
Sunday, February 14, 2010
All by myself: ODU is state's lone winner on Valentine's Day
ODU is looking fat and happy sitting atop the CAA, after many thought they were CAA goners due to the struggles in the nonconference season. Truth is the Lady Monarchs are finding a way to win the close ones, something JMU and VCU failed to do on Sunday. ODU doesn't pick up many style points, but in a CAA where the other teams continue to rough each other up, the Lady Monarchs, like Elton John, are still standing -- alone.
Sunday's results:
Old Dominion 66, George Mason 52
Nice to see Jessica Canady's double-double of 18 and 11. The Lady Monarchs (13-10, 11-2) are sitting pretty atop the CAA thanks to winning a game that GMU cut to nine in the final seven minutes. Patriots (8-16, 1-12), didn't have the offense to inch any closer.
UNC Wilmington 70, James Madison 67
The JMU writeup describes Dawn Evans as the whirling dervish. Down the stretch, she's certainly the player you can count on, though we wonder why she can't get going earlier in the game (Evans was 6-of-22 for 20 points). Had she, perhaps JMU (18-6, 8-5 CAA) wouldn't have found itself 16 back in the second half. Evans rallied JMU to within one, but the Seahawks converted 27 of 32 paved the way for the upset. It's is getting late early in the CAA; are the Dukes, whose losses also include Hofstra and Towson, still in this race?
Drexel 70, VCU 62
The Rams (16-9, 9-4 CAA) found that even with the halftime edge, it's hard to beat a team that shoots 63 percent in the second half. The win gives the Dragons (16-8, 10-3) the No. 2 slot in the CAA. As the season wears on and we look at Ram box scores, we wonder if the VCU starters are getting weary given the lack of bench production.
Towson 63, William and Mary 60
Taysha Pye, who scored 33 four days ago, scored 25, but it wasn't enough to stop Towson from winning at Kaplan Arena. Katherine DeHenzel's 3 didn't fall at the buzzer, but that wasn't what lost it for the Tribe. Those free throws really are free, but W&M (11-13, 4-9) connected on just 12 of 22.
Duke 65, Virginia Tech 53
Nice to see the Hokies (13-12, 2-8 ACC) outrebound the Blue Devils (21-9, 9-1) and especially cool to see a season-high crowd of 3,369 turn out at Cassell. Hokies made Jasmine Thomas and company work for it, but this score certainly is an improvement over the 30-point rout Duke handed Tech just a few weeks ago.
Sunday's results:
Old Dominion 66, George Mason 52
Nice to see Jessica Canady's double-double of 18 and 11. The Lady Monarchs (13-10, 11-2) are sitting pretty atop the CAA thanks to winning a game that GMU cut to nine in the final seven minutes. Patriots (8-16, 1-12), didn't have the offense to inch any closer.
UNC Wilmington 70, James Madison 67
The JMU writeup describes Dawn Evans as the whirling dervish. Down the stretch, she's certainly the player you can count on, though we wonder why she can't get going earlier in the game (Evans was 6-of-22 for 20 points). Had she, perhaps JMU (18-6, 8-5 CAA) wouldn't have found itself 16 back in the second half. Evans rallied JMU to within one, but the Seahawks converted 27 of 32 paved the way for the upset. It's is getting late early in the CAA; are the Dukes, whose losses also include Hofstra and Towson, still in this race?
Drexel 70, VCU 62
The Rams (16-9, 9-4 CAA) found that even with the halftime edge, it's hard to beat a team that shoots 63 percent in the second half. The win gives the Dragons (16-8, 10-3) the No. 2 slot in the CAA. As the season wears on and we look at Ram box scores, we wonder if the VCU starters are getting weary given the lack of bench production.
Towson 63, William and Mary 60
Taysha Pye, who scored 33 four days ago, scored 25, but it wasn't enough to stop Towson from winning at Kaplan Arena. Katherine DeHenzel's 3 didn't fall at the buzzer, but that wasn't what lost it for the Tribe. Those free throws really are free, but W&M (11-13, 4-9) connected on just 12 of 22.
Duke 65, Virginia Tech 53
Nice to see the Hokies (13-12, 2-8 ACC) outrebound the Blue Devils (21-9, 9-1) and especially cool to see a season-high crowd of 3,369 turn out at Cassell. Hokies made Jasmine Thomas and company work for it, but this score certainly is an improvement over the 30-point rout Duke handed Tech just a few weeks ago.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Saturday's results (finally!)
We goofed. We didn't post Saturday's results with previews for Sunday's games. We actually wrote the previews, just didn't post. Swear on Ladyswish honor that we picked Old Dominion over George Mason, and we figured Duke to beat Virginia Tech (Hokies played them closer than we would have picked, however). JMU lost at Wilmington on Sunday. We didn't have that. Towson eeked past William and Mary. We didn't have that. And given VCU was playing Drexel at home, we went with the Rams. Guess what? Dragons win. Maybe it's a good thing we didn't post.
We'll post Sunday's results shortly. Just wanted you to know, we haven't gone a way.
Winthrop 56, Radford 52
Richmond 70, Rhode Island 40
Hampton 68, Norfolk State 47
Longwood 79, Savannah State 48
We'll post Sunday's results shortly. Just wanted you to know, we haven't gone a way.
Saturday's results:
Winthrop 56, Radford 52
Richmond 70, Rhode Island 40
Hampton 68, Norfolk State 47
Longwood 79, Savannah State 48
Friday, February 12, 2010
Saturday dribble: Hampton, NSU go at it again
Saturday's games
Savannah State (9-18) at Longwood (6-17), 2 p.m.
It will be Senior Day at Willett Hall, but they should just go ahead and call it "Becky Fernandes Day" as the former Bishop Ireton star and Fairfax Stars AAU Hall of Famer is the Lancers' lone senior. The 5-7 Fernandes recently scored her 600th point and ranks fifth on the school's all-time assists list. Perhaps more importantly, Fernandes has been the on-court face of the program, a rare constant in something of a revolving-door era of Longwood hoops. Today's game will mark her 102nd career start; here's hoping Longwood fans show up and show love. And those not in the Farmville area that want to see Fernandes in action can check her out as Longwood is providing free streaming video of all remaining Lancers men's and women's basketball games. Longwood 59, Savannah State 49
Norfolk State (3-16, 0-10 MEAC) at Hampton (12-10, 7-3 MEAC), 4 p.m.
The Lady Pirates barely escaped Norfolk with a 63-59 overtime win on Jan. 16 but have been locked in ever since and will bring a six-game winning streak into the rematch. The Spartans, meanwhile, are coming off an 0-4 homestand during which their closest game was a 13-point loss to 4-19 Delaware State. It's possible the rivalry aspect of this game will bring out the best in NSU, but frankly we've long believed this "Battle of the Bay" series means much more to the fans than they do to the players. No question the Spartans will go in knowing they can hang with these guys. But given the closeness of the last meeting, there's also no question Hampton won't take the Spartans for granted. Hampton 67, Norfolk State 55
Rhode Island (9-15, 2-7 Atlantic 10) at Richmond (15-8, 4-4 Atlantic 10), 7 p.m.
The Spiders come in off an unexpected six-day layoff between games as their Wednesday contest at George Washington was postponed indefinitely because of the snowstorm. But they should be able to successfully play through any rust against a reeling Rams team that has dropped seven straight. Brittani Shells continues to lead the A-10 in scoring (16.9), but lately the Spiders have also benefited from the newfound potency of Abby Oliver. Oliver averages 8.1 per game but has produced at a 15-ppg clip over her last three games and scored a career-high 19 last Sunday at No. 6 Xavier. Richmond 61, Rhode Island 48
Radford (5-15, 4-5 Big South) at Winthrop (9-14, 3-6 Big South), 7 p.m.
Monday's 84-80 double-overtime loss to conference-leading Gardner-Webb was the Highlanders' fourth straight setback. But it also marked the third game in this span that Radford has fell despite leading at some point in the second half. If the Highlanders can discover a way to close games out, they're otherwise good enough to handle anyone in this league. The Highlanders prevailed 57-48 when these teams met at Radford on Jan. 11. Radford 62, Winthrop 60
Savannah State (9-18) at Longwood (6-17), 2 p.m.
It will be Senior Day at Willett Hall, but they should just go ahead and call it "Becky Fernandes Day" as the former Bishop Ireton star and Fairfax Stars AAU Hall of Famer is the Lancers' lone senior. The 5-7 Fernandes recently scored her 600th point and ranks fifth on the school's all-time assists list. Perhaps more importantly, Fernandes has been the on-court face of the program, a rare constant in something of a revolving-door era of Longwood hoops. Today's game will mark her 102nd career start; here's hoping Longwood fans show up and show love. And those not in the Farmville area that want to see Fernandes in action can check her out as Longwood is providing free streaming video of all remaining Lancers men's and women's basketball games. Longwood 59, Savannah State 49
Norfolk State (3-16, 0-10 MEAC) at Hampton (12-10, 7-3 MEAC), 4 p.m.
The Lady Pirates barely escaped Norfolk with a 63-59 overtime win on Jan. 16 but have been locked in ever since and will bring a six-game winning streak into the rematch. The Spartans, meanwhile, are coming off an 0-4 homestand during which their closest game was a 13-point loss to 4-19 Delaware State. It's possible the rivalry aspect of this game will bring out the best in NSU, but frankly we've long believed this "Battle of the Bay" series means much more to the fans than they do to the players. No question the Spartans will go in knowing they can hang with these guys. But given the closeness of the last meeting, there's also no question Hampton won't take the Spartans for granted. Hampton 67, Norfolk State 55
Rhode Island (9-15, 2-7 Atlantic 10) at Richmond (15-8, 4-4 Atlantic 10), 7 p.m.
The Spiders come in off an unexpected six-day layoff between games as their Wednesday contest at George Washington was postponed indefinitely because of the snowstorm. But they should be able to successfully play through any rust against a reeling Rams team that has dropped seven straight. Brittani Shells continues to lead the A-10 in scoring (16.9), but lately the Spiders have also benefited from the newfound potency of Abby Oliver. Oliver averages 8.1 per game but has produced at a 15-ppg clip over her last three games and scored a career-high 19 last Sunday at No. 6 Xavier. Richmond 61, Rhode Island 48
Radford (5-15, 4-5 Big South) at Winthrop (9-14, 3-6 Big South), 7 p.m.
Monday's 84-80 double-overtime loss to conference-leading Gardner-Webb was the Highlanders' fourth straight setback. But it also marked the third game in this span that Radford has fell despite leading at some point in the second half. If the Highlanders can discover a way to close games out, they're otherwise good enough to handle anyone in this league. The Highlanders prevailed 57-48 when these teams met at Radford on Jan. 11. Radford 62, Winthrop 60
Thursday, February 11, 2010
ODU in sole possession of CAA's top spot
Old Dominion is all by its lonesome in first place in the CAA. The Lady Monarchs secured the top spot in the league with a narrow defeat of Delaware, with VCU one game back after falling to Hofstra on Thursday. Drexel, 58-50 winners over Northeastern, shares second place with the Rams; both have 9-3 conference records.
Thursday's results
William and Mary 64, James Madison 56
First thing you need to know is Dawn Evans didn't play due to medical reasons. The JMU point guard missed one game earlier this season due to a kidney disorder, and we hope her absence has nothing to do with that. The second thing you need to know is Taysha Pye rang up a career-high 33 points to help W&M (10-11, 4-7 CAA) end a seven-game losing streak to the Dukes (18-5, 8-4 CAA). We've picked on the Tribe for free throws, but Pye drained 14-of-17, including 5 of her final 6 to secure the lead. JMU has won without Evans before, but losing her for the third time this season and second time in a week (Evans sat out most of last Thursday's victory over VCU with a sprained ankle) makes us wonder about her endurance for the CAA tournament.
Old Dominion 54, Delaware 52:
We'd like to pat ourselves on the back for predicting a two-point victory for the Lady Monarchs (12-10, 10-2), but that's not exactly rocket science. The Hens have five conference losses, and as we chronicled in our preview, two are in OT to Drexel, two are by one point and now another falls painfully short. Credit the Lady Monarchs defense for constantly disrupting the Hens' attempts to dribble the ball. Elena Delle Donne is their marquee player, but the Hens didn't get it to the 6-5 center/guard as often as they needed and she didn't have her regular touch on the perimeter, misfiring on 6 of her 8 3-point attempts. Still with 21 points, 10 boards and five blocks, Delle Donne didn't exactly have a disastrous night. While ODU's offense had some dreadful scoring lulls, it was nice to see Jasmine Parker rack up nine assists with crisp passing to Tia Lewis on the low block.
Hofstra 74, VCU 66
While much of the talk in the CAA has centered around ODU, VCU and Drexel, here's the kicker: Hofstra (14-10, 7-5 CAA) ain't bad. Not only does the Pride have a win over the Rams under its belt, they've also beaten James Madison and fell by just five to ODU in Norfolk. They have a balanced attack led by freshman Shante Evans, and while they might not get a high seed in the conference tournament, no team will want to see the Pride in its half of the bracket. VCU (16-8, 9-3) looked great routing ODU on Sunday, but got killed on the boards in this one and produced just six bench points to Hofstra's 26.
UNC Wilmington 51, George Mason 47:
Nice to see Brittany Poindexter healthy again to lead the Patriots (8-15, 1-11 CAA) with 15 points, but a buzzer beater by Whitney Simmons prevented GMU from scoring its first conference road victory. This was a very winnable game for GMU, but another anemic offensive effort cost them. The Patriots went to the line five times for three points, failing to take advantage of an uncharacteristic off night for the Seahawks from the stripe (13 of 22)
No. 21 Virginia 69, Miami 63 (OT): If this result seems familiar, it should; last season a Cavaliers team ranked 21st in the country also beat the Hurricanes in overtime. Monica Wright scored 24 points and hit game-tying and go-ahead shots late in regulation as the Cavaliers (18-6, 7-3 ACC)won their third straight and seventh in eight games. But it was Paulisha Kellum who saved the day in the extra period as she scored 10 of her 14 points in those final five minutes. It wasn't pretty, and 34-percent shooting and 22 turnovers are often the stats of a loser. That the Cavaliers could prevail anyway, particularly on the road, suggests a resilience and fortitude that should serve them well in what is shaping up as an anything-is-possible ACC stretch run.
Virginia Tech 68, Savannah State 41: The Hokies (13-11) shot 18 percent and trailed by two at halftime before blistering the nets at a 70-percent clip after intermission and restoring this game's natural order. Said Tech coach Beth Dunkenberger of her halftime speech: "We talked about defensive intensity, but more than anything we talked about getting on the same page and actually running an offense and making their defense work a little bit." OK, Beth. But we suspect that's not exactly how you said it.
Thursday's results
William and Mary 64, James Madison 56
First thing you need to know is Dawn Evans didn't play due to medical reasons. The JMU point guard missed one game earlier this season due to a kidney disorder, and we hope her absence has nothing to do with that. The second thing you need to know is Taysha Pye rang up a career-high 33 points to help W&M (10-11, 4-7 CAA) end a seven-game losing streak to the Dukes (18-5, 8-4 CAA). We've picked on the Tribe for free throws, but Pye drained 14-of-17, including 5 of her final 6 to secure the lead. JMU has won without Evans before, but losing her for the third time this season and second time in a week (Evans sat out most of last Thursday's victory over VCU with a sprained ankle) makes us wonder about her endurance for the CAA tournament.
Old Dominion 54, Delaware 52:
We'd like to pat ourselves on the back for predicting a two-point victory for the Lady Monarchs (12-10, 10-2), but that's not exactly rocket science. The Hens have five conference losses, and as we chronicled in our preview, two are in OT to Drexel, two are by one point and now another falls painfully short. Credit the Lady Monarchs defense for constantly disrupting the Hens' attempts to dribble the ball. Elena Delle Donne is their marquee player, but the Hens didn't get it to the 6-5 center/guard as often as they needed and she didn't have her regular touch on the perimeter, misfiring on 6 of her 8 3-point attempts. Still with 21 points, 10 boards and five blocks, Delle Donne didn't exactly have a disastrous night. While ODU's offense had some dreadful scoring lulls, it was nice to see Jasmine Parker rack up nine assists with crisp passing to Tia Lewis on the low block.
Hofstra 74, VCU 66
While much of the talk in the CAA has centered around ODU, VCU and Drexel, here's the kicker: Hofstra (14-10, 7-5 CAA) ain't bad. Not only does the Pride have a win over the Rams under its belt, they've also beaten James Madison and fell by just five to ODU in Norfolk. They have a balanced attack led by freshman Shante Evans, and while they might not get a high seed in the conference tournament, no team will want to see the Pride in its half of the bracket. VCU (16-8, 9-3) looked great routing ODU on Sunday, but got killed on the boards in this one and produced just six bench points to Hofstra's 26.
UNC Wilmington 51, George Mason 47:
Nice to see Brittany Poindexter healthy again to lead the Patriots (8-15, 1-11 CAA) with 15 points, but a buzzer beater by Whitney Simmons prevented GMU from scoring its first conference road victory. This was a very winnable game for GMU, but another anemic offensive effort cost them. The Patriots went to the line five times for three points, failing to take advantage of an uncharacteristic off night for the Seahawks from the stripe (13 of 22)
No. 21 Virginia 69, Miami 63 (OT): If this result seems familiar, it should; last season a Cavaliers team ranked 21st in the country also beat the Hurricanes in overtime. Monica Wright scored 24 points and hit game-tying and go-ahead shots late in regulation as the Cavaliers (18-6, 7-3 ACC)won their third straight and seventh in eight games. But it was Paulisha Kellum who saved the day in the extra period as she scored 10 of her 14 points in those final five minutes. It wasn't pretty, and 34-percent shooting and 22 turnovers are often the stats of a loser. That the Cavaliers could prevail anyway, particularly on the road, suggests a resilience and fortitude that should serve them well in what is shaping up as an anything-is-possible ACC stretch run.
Virginia Tech 68, Savannah State 41: The Hokies (13-11) shot 18 percent and trailed by two at halftime before blistering the nets at a 70-percent clip after intermission and restoring this game's natural order. Said Tech coach Beth Dunkenberger of her halftime speech: "We talked about defensive intensity, but more than anything we talked about getting on the same page and actually running an offense and making their defense work a little bit." OK, Beth. But we suspect that's not exactly how you said it.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Elena Delle Donne from A-Z
Gear up Old Dominion fans. One of the best players in the game will be at the Constant Center on Thursday. Don’t know much about Elena Delle Donne? Here’s our A-Z primer on Delaware’s dazzling freshman.
A: Auriemma, the coach who wanted her but lost out when she left Storrs after two days of summer school in 2008.
B: Buzzer beater. Delle Donne nailed her first one from the wing against Maine.
C: Center/guard/forward; at 6-5 she can play them all
D: “Delaware Anthem.” A hip-hop song by rapper Abdul “Pearle” Chapman, which includes the following lyrics about the state: “They got game / They got Elena Delle Donne, the female LeBron James / And her jersey’s never changed, same number, eleven / Delaware born and raised, just like 101.7.”
E: Early childhood education, her major
F: Fans. She’s packing them in at the Bob Carpenter Center, where they average 2,780. Delaware has had a 138 percent increase in attendance and tripled season ticket sales.
G: Griner, as in Baylor’s Brittney, the only other player who could win Freshman of the Year (We like EDD better.)
H: Hits. Type Elena Delle Donne into Google and you’ll come up with 701,000.
I: Infuriating are those Husky fans who remain bitter about EDD’s decision to stay close to home.
J: Joanie, EDD’s mom. Ernie is her dad.
K: Kayla Miller, EDD’s teammate at Ursuline, who now plays point guard for the Hens.
L: Lizzie, EDD’s sister and inspiration. Lizzie suffers from cerebral palsy and autism. She is also blind and deaf.
M: Middle Tennessee. EDD’s bro Gene played tight end there.
N: Number: She wears #11. She started wearing it in high school at the request of a friend who used to wear #11 when they were youth league teammates.
O: Old Dominion, Thursday’s opponent, which beat the Hens by one in EDD’s first CAA game.
P: Player. EDD has been CAA Player or Rookie of the Week six times.
Q: Questionable. EDD decision to pass to teammate Lauren Carra when Delaware played ODU rather than shoot the final shot of the game herself. Carra’s layup didn’t fall and Delaware lost 60-59.
R: Records. EDD’s 2,818 points at Ursuline is a Delaware high school record. She set the national record for free throws at Ursuline her sophomore year when she made 80 straight.
S: Statistics. Check out EDD’s: 25.6 ppg, 9.1 rebounds, 2.1 apg, .504 FG percentage, .433 3-point percentage
T: Thirty nine. EDD has scored 39 percent of her team’s points.
U: Ursuline Academy was EDD’s high school. It’s the same high school that produced former Stanford star and WNBA player Val Whiting
V: Volleyball. EDD played for the Blue Hens volleyball team last season, leading the team in blocks with 117.
W: Wilmington, Del., is her hometown
X: X factor. Delaware finished sixth in the CAA last year, but adding EDD throws a wrench into the CAA race.
Y: YouTube. There’s lots of EDD videos, including this awesome one that highlights her high school career. Check her out as an eighth-grader.
Z: Zero. That’s how many games UConn has lost since EDD left Storrs two summers ago.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Thursday dribble: Challenges await UVa., ODU, VCU
Potentially tricky games await the state's top teams tonight as Virginia visits Miami, VCU travels to Hofstra and Old Dominion hosts Delaware.
Wednesday's games
Gardner-Webb 84, Radford 80 (2OT): Not sure if it's a favorable matchup or the fact that the Highlanders (5-15, 4-5 Big South) really don't believe they should lose to these guys, but no Big South team plays the red-hot Bulldogs tougher. The key for Radford going forward, assuming that Gardner-Webb (20-3, 9-1 Big South) and Liberty finish 1-2 in the standings, is to position itself to be on Gardner-Webb's side of the bracket in the conference tournament. The Highlanders don't appear to match up well with Liberty; the Lady Flames' defense and rebounding prowess gave the Highlanders fits a couple of weeks ago. But another meeting with Gardner-Webb? The Highlanders will definitely take their chances with that.
Longwood 76, Troy 70: Result points out the marked difference is performance between the Lancers at home (5-4 record) and away/neutral (1-13); on Nov. 24 at Troy, Longwood lost to these guys by 17. And how 'bout that Brittanni Billups? The 6-1 sophomore led all scorers with a career-high 25 points; it marked the third time in her last five games Billups has posted a personal best. She had 22 points on Jan. 18 against Utah Valley and 24 two games later against Winthrop.
Thursday's games
VCU (16-7, 9-2 CAA) at Hofstra (13-10, 6-5 CAA), noon
Given the snowy conditions in Long Island, how many New Yorkers will show up for this matinee? Then again, it's "What I Want to Be" day for elementary and middle-schoolers. We bet if you ask the parents, they'll say what I want to be is warm. Pride has won five of seven, and VCU stumbled a week ago against James Madison, but boy, did they look good in routing ODU on Sunday. VCU 71, Hofstra 68
No. 21 Virginia (17-6, 6-3 ACC) at Miami (16-7, 3-5 ACC), 7 p.m.
Hard to figure these Hurricanes as they have wins over ACC powers Florida State and North Carolina State and losses to Wake Forest and (no offense intended) Virginia Tech. Should be a fun matchup as game features the top three scorers in the ACC as Miami guards Riquna "Bay-Bay" Williams and Shenise Johnson rank 2nd and 3rd respectively behind UVa.'s Monica Wright. When Miami struggles, poor rebounding is often a culprit so the Cavaliers could make hay by attacking the glass at both ends. Cavs have won six of seven and appear to be playing their best ball of the season. But this won't be easy; ACC road games rarely are. Virginia 78, Miami 72
Savannah State (9-17) at Virginia Tech (12-11), 7 p.m.
Nine victories at this stage is pretty good for an independent; only Cal State-Bakersfield and Chicago State have won more among the 10 Division I schools not affiliated with a conference. Problem is, they had eight of those wins by Dec. 17; a 13-game losing streak followed. But while a Tech victory isn't in question, let's hope the Hokies can use this game to start re-discovering the level of execution that led to wins over North Carolina and Miami last month. Virginia Tech 69, Savannah State 44
Delaware (15-7, 7-4) at Old Dominion (11-10, 9-2), 7 p.m.
Was Sunday's lethargic performance against VCU a blip? Let's hope not for the Lady Monarchs who remain tied in first atop the CAA with the Rams. The Lady Monarchs have averaged 56 points in their last three games. Pay little attention to the Hens CAA record. Two losses were by one point (ODU, VCU), one was in double overtime (Drexel) and the other in triple overtime (Dragons again). ODU's bigs must stay out of foul trouble given the damage that 6-5 Delaware sensation Elena Delle Donne can impose on an opponent. Never seen her play? We promise it will be a treat. ODU 62, Delaware 60
James Madison (18-4, 8-3 CAA) at William and Mary (10-12, 3-8 CAA), 7 p.m.
A maturity check for the Dukes, who are coming off routs of VCU and Drexel and will be playing a Tribe team that has lost four straight. A mature team will keep its foot on the pedal. Besides, we think the Tribe can still be dangerous. Also, the last time these teams met in Williamsburg, the Dukes had to rally from six down with 1:25 to play to escape with a one-point victory. JMU 72, William and Mary 65
George Mason (8-14, 1-10 CAA) at UNC Wilmington (7-15, 2-9 CAA), 7 p.m.
Given the teams have three CAA wins between them, it's hard to get too excited for this one. Seahawks seeking a win to hold on to 11th place. The Patriots are in 12th. We'll take the home team. UNC Wilmington 58, George Mason 50
Wednesday's games
Gardner-Webb 84, Radford 80 (2OT): Not sure if it's a favorable matchup or the fact that the Highlanders (5-15, 4-5 Big South) really don't believe they should lose to these guys, but no Big South team plays the red-hot Bulldogs tougher. The key for Radford going forward, assuming that Gardner-Webb (20-3, 9-1 Big South) and Liberty finish 1-2 in the standings, is to position itself to be on Gardner-Webb's side of the bracket in the conference tournament. The Highlanders don't appear to match up well with Liberty; the Lady Flames' defense and rebounding prowess gave the Highlanders fits a couple of weeks ago. But another meeting with Gardner-Webb? The Highlanders will definitely take their chances with that.
Longwood 76, Troy 70: Result points out the marked difference is performance between the Lancers at home (5-4 record) and away/neutral (1-13); on Nov. 24 at Troy, Longwood lost to these guys by 17. And how 'bout that Brittanni Billups? The 6-1 sophomore led all scorers with a career-high 25 points; it marked the third time in her last five games Billups has posted a personal best. She had 22 points on Jan. 18 against Utah Valley and 24 two games later against Winthrop.
Thursday's games
VCU (16-7, 9-2 CAA) at Hofstra (13-10, 6-5 CAA), noon
Given the snowy conditions in Long Island, how many New Yorkers will show up for this matinee? Then again, it's "What I Want to Be" day for elementary and middle-schoolers. We bet if you ask the parents, they'll say what I want to be is warm. Pride has won five of seven, and VCU stumbled a week ago against James Madison, but boy, did they look good in routing ODU on Sunday. VCU 71, Hofstra 68
No. 21 Virginia (17-6, 6-3 ACC) at Miami (16-7, 3-5 ACC), 7 p.m.
Hard to figure these Hurricanes as they have wins over ACC powers Florida State and North Carolina State and losses to Wake Forest and (no offense intended) Virginia Tech. Should be a fun matchup as game features the top three scorers in the ACC as Miami guards Riquna "Bay-Bay" Williams and Shenise Johnson rank 2nd and 3rd respectively behind UVa.'s Monica Wright. When Miami struggles, poor rebounding is often a culprit so the Cavaliers could make hay by attacking the glass at both ends. Cavs have won six of seven and appear to be playing their best ball of the season. But this won't be easy; ACC road games rarely are. Virginia 78, Miami 72
Savannah State (9-17) at Virginia Tech (12-11), 7 p.m.
Nine victories at this stage is pretty good for an independent; only Cal State-Bakersfield and Chicago State have won more among the 10 Division I schools not affiliated with a conference. Problem is, they had eight of those wins by Dec. 17; a 13-game losing streak followed. But while a Tech victory isn't in question, let's hope the Hokies can use this game to start re-discovering the level of execution that led to wins over North Carolina and Miami last month. Virginia Tech 69, Savannah State 44
Delaware (15-7, 7-4) at Old Dominion (11-10, 9-2), 7 p.m.
Was Sunday's lethargic performance against VCU a blip? Let's hope not for the Lady Monarchs who remain tied in first atop the CAA with the Rams. The Lady Monarchs have averaged 56 points in their last three games. Pay little attention to the Hens CAA record. Two losses were by one point (ODU, VCU), one was in double overtime (Drexel) and the other in triple overtime (Dragons again). ODU's bigs must stay out of foul trouble given the damage that 6-5 Delaware sensation Elena Delle Donne can impose on an opponent. Never seen her play? We promise it will be a treat. ODU 62, Delaware 60
James Madison (18-4, 8-3 CAA) at William and Mary (10-12, 3-8 CAA), 7 p.m.
A maturity check for the Dukes, who are coming off routs of VCU and Drexel and will be playing a Tribe team that has lost four straight. A mature team will keep its foot on the pedal. Besides, we think the Tribe can still be dangerous. Also, the last time these teams met in Williamsburg, the Dukes had to rally from six down with 1:25 to play to escape with a one-point victory. JMU 72, William and Mary 65
George Mason (8-14, 1-10 CAA) at UNC Wilmington (7-15, 2-9 CAA), 7 p.m.
Given the teams have three CAA wins between them, it's hard to get too excited for this one. Seahawks seeking a win to hold on to 11th place. The Patriots are in 12th. We'll take the home team. UNC Wilmington 58, George Mason 50
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