It was a tough night for Liberty in Monday's only game. At least that's over. Whatda say? Baylor's next?
No. 8 Texas A&M 81, Liberty 49:
The Aggies led by 21 at the half, forcing 10 Liberty turnovers in the first 10 minutes and 32 for the game. The Lady Flames, still without top player Devon Brown, were no match for the defending Big 12 champions and egads, No. 2 Baylor looms on Friday. Get well soon, Devon.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Lone team in action Liberty headed to Lone Star state
Monday's game
Liberty (2-2) at No. 8 Texas A&M (2-0), 8 p.m.
There's no place like home for the holidays, and that's exactly where four Lady Flames, all Texas natives, (Danika Dale, Emily Frazier, Rachel McLeod, Tolu Omotola) will be. When we first heard Liberty had added Texas A&M and Baylor to its schedule, we were excited for the opportunity games like these present. But four games into the season, Big South Preseason Player of the Year Devon Brown hasn't played a minute due to a lingering toe injury. Upsetting Texas A&M with Brown is a longshot, but without her? The Aggies, on the other hand, skated through their first two games untested, defeating University of Arkansas-Little Rock and Rice, by an average of 43 points. Wade Trophy candidate Danielle Adams was dominant in both games, averaging 25 ppg and 10 rpg. Did we mention how it's good to be home for the holidays? Texas A&M 76, Liberty 53
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Virginia Tech nips VCU; Virginia survives Longwood
TODAY'S STAR
Porschia Hadley, Virginia Tech
- Sophomore center from (The Halls of) Montezuma, Ga. blocked Courtney Hurt's layup with two seconds remaining to preserve Virginia Tech's 63-61 overtime decision over VCU. “Porschia’s a great shot blocker,” Tech head coach Beth Dunkenberger said. “She’s long and she’s got great timing. She gave some extra effort on that one."
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Virginia made just 4 of its first 35 field-goal attempts before rallying past feisty Longwood.
- Cavaliers freshman Jazmin Pitts had 12 points and 5 rebounds in just 15 minutes in her first game since she suffered a head injury in Virginia's season opener at Hofstra.
- Norfolk State's Carlon Chambers, the hero of Saturday's night's overtime victory over Central Arkansas, saw her consecutive field-goal streak end at seven when she missed a layup at 15:24 of the first half Sunday against Morehead State. The freshman then went 3-for-3 from the field the rest of the way.
PREDICTION REPORT
Told ya! - Morehead State 75, Norfolk State 60. We said - Morehead State 70, Norfolk State 56
Uh, we can explain... - Virginia Tech 63, VCU 61 (OT). We said - VCU 68, Virginia Tech 62 (No OT)
Saturday's record: 4-1. Overall record: 31-10
THE GAMES
Virginia Tech 63, VCU 61 (OT): Talk about evenly matched. This game featured 14 ties, and the teams were never separated by more than 4 points...In addition to her game-saving block, Hadley also snapped the final tie by making 1 of 2 free throws with 49 seconds left in OT. Nikki Davis also made 1 of 2 from the line with 21 seconds to go for the Hokies, who prevailed despite a 12-for-21 effort from the line. Hurt finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds (but 8 turnovers) for the Rams (2-1), and freshman Jackie Brewer added 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Shanel Harrison paced the Hokies (4-0) with 18 points and Taylor Ayers chipped in a career-high 14 points and 9 rebounds.
Virginia 74, Longwood 63: What an effort by the Lancers (1-3), who punched the Cavaliers in the face from the jump and continued hammering away en route to a 16-point first-half lead. "I want to congratulate Longwood," Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. "I thought they played a very strong game today and I was very impressed with some of their new players and how scrappy they were." As for the Cavs, well, having just come from Tennessee and with a trip to the Virgin Islands on the horizon, perhaps it shouldn't be surprising the Cavaliers weren't totally focused in on this one. Ryan sensed it quickly and subbed out her entire starting five a little over two minutes into the game. They still staggered through virtually the entire first half before snapping out of it. To Longwood's credit, even after the Cavs found their rhythm the Lancers dug in and were down just 59-58 with less than six minutes remaining before a Whitny Edwards jumper triggered the 11-0 run that finally gave the Cavs some separation. Freshman and Ladyswish favorite Bria White led the Lancers with a career-high 17 points. For Virginia, Ariana Moorer followed up her 24-point effort against Tennessee with a 19-point, 8-rebound, 5-assist line.
Wake Forest 82, William and Mary 64: The Tribe (0-3) should feel pretty good about putting up 64 points - their previous high was 47 - and seeing Jaclyn McKenna, Katherine DeHenzel, Taysha Pye and freshman Kaitlyn Mathieu all finish in double figures. But 32.4 percent field goal shooting isn't going to cut it, nor are the 20 turnovers that led to 29 Wake Forest points.
Pittsburgh 77, Radford 46: Predictably tough matchup for the Highlanders (1-2), who trailed by 42 early in the second half before Pitt called off the Panthers. Front and center among Radford's myriad of problems Sunday was the Highlanders' 24-percent field goal shooting. Ironically, they practically couldn't miss from the free throw line (15 of 16).
Morehead State 75, Norfolk State 60: Guess they're not going to go undefeated after all. Still, it was a statement-making three days in Kentucky for a Spartans team that may be finally getting up off the Division I canvas. As for Sunday, Morehead State's Ashar Harris dominated with 30 points and 13 rebounds. Batavia Owens had 17 points and 11 rebounds in defeat for NSU.
Sunday's previews and picks
Sunday's games
Virginia Commonwealth (2-0) at Virginia Tech (3-0), 2 p.m.
A lot of this game's intrigue disappeared when ex-Hokie-turned Ram Andrea Barbour was declared ineligible for the first semester. But this is still an interesting matchup pitting a retooled Rams team that is riding Courtney Hurt against a youthful Hokies squad that has struggled to put away tame opposition. Slow starts have already put two of Tech's games in jeopardy this season. They probably won't be able to get away with another one today. VCU 68, Virginia Tech 62
Radford (1-1) at Pittsburgh (1-1), 2 p.m.
We're looking for reasons to get excited about the Highlanders; Thursday's 8-point loss at Howard didn't give us many. Obviously there's not much to recommend Radford in this spot, either. Perhaps the Panthers will be overlooking Radford as they have Duke coming in on Wednesday. Pitt 82, Radford 48
Longwood (1-2) at Virginia (2-1), 2 p.m.
The Cavaliers probably gained more credibility in their 85-73 loss at Tennessee than they did for their wins at Hofstra and Mount St. Mary's - and we liked those efforts a lot, too. Virginia needs to enjoy this one, as from here the Cavs face four straight ranked teams and won't have another home game until Dec. 4. Virginia 90, Longwood 66
William and Mary (0-2) at Wake Forest (2-0), 2 p.m.
Game pits a Tribe team averaging just 42.5 points per game against a Wake Forest outfit averaging 103 per contest. True, William and Mary will be the toughest opponent the Demon Deacons have faced. We're just not sure the Tribe can score enough points to keep up. Wake Forest 82, William and Mary 57
Comfort Inn and Suites Classic, at Morehead State
Norfolk State (3-0) at Morehead State (2-2), 3:30 p.m.
No matter what happens today, the tournament is already a rousing success for an NSU team that didn't win its third game last season until Jan. 23. Both teams will be playing for the third time in three days, but the Eagles are deeper and playing in their own gym. Morehead State 70, Norfolk State 56
Virginia Commonwealth (2-0) at Virginia Tech (3-0), 2 p.m.
A lot of this game's intrigue disappeared when ex-Hokie-turned Ram Andrea Barbour was declared ineligible for the first semester. But this is still an interesting matchup pitting a retooled Rams team that is riding Courtney Hurt against a youthful Hokies squad that has struggled to put away tame opposition. Slow starts have already put two of Tech's games in jeopardy this season. They probably won't be able to get away with another one today. VCU 68, Virginia Tech 62
Radford (1-1) at Pittsburgh (1-1), 2 p.m.
We're looking for reasons to get excited about the Highlanders; Thursday's 8-point loss at Howard didn't give us many. Obviously there's not much to recommend Radford in this spot, either. Perhaps the Panthers will be overlooking Radford as they have Duke coming in on Wednesday. Pitt 82, Radford 48
Longwood (1-2) at Virginia (2-1), 2 p.m.
The Cavaliers probably gained more credibility in their 85-73 loss at Tennessee than they did for their wins at Hofstra and Mount St. Mary's - and we liked those efforts a lot, too. Virginia needs to enjoy this one, as from here the Cavs face four straight ranked teams and won't have another home game until Dec. 4. Virginia 90, Longwood 66
William and Mary (0-2) at Wake Forest (2-0), 2 p.m.
Game pits a Tribe team averaging just 42.5 points per game against a Wake Forest outfit averaging 103 per contest. True, William and Mary will be the toughest opponent the Demon Deacons have faced. We're just not sure the Tribe can score enough points to keep up. Wake Forest 82, William and Mary 57
Comfort Inn and Suites Classic, at Morehead State
Norfolk State (3-0) at Morehead State (2-2), 3:30 p.m.
No matter what happens today, the tournament is already a rousing success for an NSU team that didn't win its third game last season until Jan. 23. Both teams will be playing for the third time in three days, but the Eagles are deeper and playing in their own gym. Morehead State 70, Norfolk State 56
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Norfolk State stuns, Richmond runs and guns (and wins)
TODAY'S STAR
Carlon Chambers, NSU
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Norfolk State improved to 3-0 for the first time since the 1996-97 campaign, the Spartans' last as a Division II team.
- On Nov. 12 at St. Paul's, Chambers missed her first two shots as a college basketball player. She's made all seven of her field-goal attempts since.
- Richmond's 81-75 decision over North Carolina State gave the Spiders four straight victories over ACC schools.
PREDICTION REPORT
Told ya! - Liberty 64, Lafayette 52. We said: Liberty 78, Lafayette 50
Uh, we can explain... - Norfolk State 70, Central Arkansas 69 (OT). We said - Central Arkansas 82, Norfolk State 55. Who knew?
Saturday's record: 3-2. Overall record: 27-9
THE GAMES
Norfolk State 70, Central Arkansas 69 (OT): Last year, Central Arkansas transformed itself from a 6-23 punching bag the year prior to a 21-8 juggernaut, marking the biggest improvement in Division I since 2004. Could these Spartans now be following that same script? Now, coach Debra Clark would probably be the first to point out that there's still a lot of work to be done. Still, given this program's abject futility of late, let's take a moment to savor the fact that the once-woebegone Spartans just went on the road and beat a quality Division I basketball team. Chambers gets the headline for draining those pressure-packed free throws. But show some love for Batavia Owens (14 points, 10 rebounds), Marian Brooks (10 points, 10 rebounds), Sarah Daily (13 points, 8 rebounds) and Rae Corbo (13 points) as well. Thanks largely to the efforts of these players, NSU fans can now proudly bellow a line they haven't been able to use about the women's basketball program for years - "How 'bout dem Spartans!"
Richmond 81, N.C. State 75: Bet it was a blast to watch. The Spiders (3-1) sizzled from the start, making 10 of their first 11 shots and rolling to a 15-point lead at the half. As one might expect, the Wolfpack clawed their way back into it. From there, we marvel at how many huge, momentum-saving plays were made by Spiders that aren't named Brittani Shells. Don't get us wrong, Shells was magnificent once again (28 points). But whenever the Spiders needed a boost down the stretch, there was Abby Oliver drilling a 3-pointer. Or Crystal Goring gobbling up a rebound. Or Kara Powell breaking away for a layup. Or Genevieve Okoro...you get the point - a lot of Spiders had a say in this eye-opening victory over a well-stocked N.C. State. There's some anecdotal evidence suggesting teams that make one of those late-summer overseas tours (as Richmond did in August) tend to get off to fast starts. At first, we weren't sure what to make of it. But after seeing the way the Spiders have kicked off the 2010-11 campaign, maybe there's something to that theory after all.
Liberty 64, Lafayette 52: Jelena Antic had game-highs of 16 points and 7 rebounds as the Lady Flames (2-2) pulled away from the pesky Leopards. Happy to see they cut their turnovers down to 16, but otherwise, this was hardly vintage Liberty hoops. But it probably wasn't easy for the Lady Flames to focus completely on Lafayette knowing they would soon be boarding a plane bound for a week-long stay in Texas featuring games against No. 8 Texas A&M and No. 2 Baylor. Obviously, the Lady Flames will face ridiculously long
odds on the court. But Liberty's Danika Dale, Emily Frazier, Rachel McLeod and Tolu Omotola all hail from the Lone Star State. So even if they get humbled, there's no place like home.
Wichita State 65, George Mason 59: Nice job of keeping this one interesting by the Patriots, especially considering they had to battle without their best returning player, Brittany Poindexter. The senior guard is not listed in the boxscore; we're working on getting more details. Taleia Moton (17 points), Amber Easter (16) and Brittany Eley (14) did their best to take up Poindexter's slack as the Patriots (1-2) whittled a 15-point deficit to just three in the final minute before bowing.
James Madison 82, Central Florida 78 (OT): The Dukes (2-1) trailed by five with less than 40 seconds remaining in regulation but forced overtime on a Kiara Francisco jumper (after her huge offensive rebound) and three Dawn Evans free throws with 22 seconds left. Kanita Shepherd sealed the victory by making a layup off a feed from Evans with 15 seconds left in the extra period. Evans finished with 34 points (on 11-for-30 shooting) and 7 assists. Shepherd added 14 points and Lauren Whitehurst chipped in 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Saturday's previews and picks
Saturday's games
Lafayette (1-1) at Liberty (1-2), noon
Lady Flames won this matchup 90-55 last season. Still waiting for Devon Brown (foot) to be healthy enough to take the court. Also waiting for Liberty to take care of the ball - the Lady Flames have committed at least 26 turnovers in each of their games. Liberty 78, Lafayette 50
North Carolina State (2-1) at Richmond (2-1), 2 p.m.
Exciting opportunity for the Spiders against a quality ACC team. Richmond must slow a Wolfpack team that boasts two of the ACC's top scorers in Marissa Kastanek (19.7 ppg) and reigning ACC Player of the Week Amber White (18.7). Also, Newport New native Bonae Holston is a force inside. Even so, no one has been able to slow Spiders star Brittani Shells this season. Look for Richmond to keep things interesting in what should be a fun game for fans to check out (hint, hint, Spider Nation). N.C. State 88, Richmond 79
Preseason WNIT
Central Florida at James Madison (1-1), 7 p.m.
At least the Knights are used to playing at the Convocation Center - they qualified for this game by defeating Iona 59-48 in this same building Friday night. Banged-up Dukes still looking to find their form, so we doubt this one will be pretty. JMU 64, UCF 54
George Mason (1-1) at Wichita State, 2:05 p.m.
The third and likely the toughest of the Patriots' season-opening three-game road schedule as a week ago, the Shockers nearly took down Arizona before falling in overtime. We like this Mason team long-term, but we're not sure they're quite ready for this. Wichita State 78, George Mason 52
Comfort Inn and Suites Classic, at Morehead State
Norfolk State (2-0) vs. Central Arkansas (1-2), 7 p.m.
The typically potent Sugar Bears will be looking to assert themselves after being held in check Friday night by host Morehead State. This is by far NSU's toughest opponent so far, so even a reasonably competitive showing would represent progress. Central Arkansas 82, Norfolk State 55
Lafayette (1-1) at Liberty (1-2), noon
Lady Flames won this matchup 90-55 last season. Still waiting for Devon Brown (foot) to be healthy enough to take the court. Also waiting for Liberty to take care of the ball - the Lady Flames have committed at least 26 turnovers in each of their games. Liberty 78, Lafayette 50
North Carolina State (2-1) at Richmond (2-1), 2 p.m.
Exciting opportunity for the Spiders against a quality ACC team. Richmond must slow a Wolfpack team that boasts two of the ACC's top scorers in Marissa Kastanek (19.7 ppg) and reigning ACC Player of the Week Amber White (18.7). Also, Newport New native Bonae Holston is a force inside. Even so, no one has been able to slow Spiders star Brittani Shells this season. Look for Richmond to keep things interesting in what should be a fun game for fans to check out (hint, hint, Spider Nation). N.C. State 88, Richmond 79
Preseason WNIT
Central Florida at James Madison (1-1), 7 p.m.
At least the Knights are used to playing at the Convocation Center - they qualified for this game by defeating Iona 59-48 in this same building Friday night. Banged-up Dukes still looking to find their form, so we doubt this one will be pretty. JMU 64, UCF 54
George Mason (1-1) at Wichita State, 2:05 p.m.
The third and likely the toughest of the Patriots' season-opening three-game road schedule as a week ago, the Shockers nearly took down Arizona before falling in overtime. We like this Mason team long-term, but we're not sure they're quite ready for this. Wichita State 78, George Mason 52
Comfort Inn and Suites Classic, at Morehead State
Norfolk State (2-0) vs. Central Arkansas (1-2), 7 p.m.
The typically potent Sugar Bears will be looking to assert themselves after being held in check Friday night by host Morehead State. This is by far NSU's toughest opponent so far, so even a reasonably competitive showing would represent progress. Central Arkansas 82, Norfolk State 55
Friday, November 19, 2010
Norfolk State, JMU, LadySwish all winners
TODAY'S STAR
 |
| Whitney Long, NSU |
-Scored 23 points to lead the Spartans past Houston Baptist. NSU, which meets Central Arkansas on Saturday, hasn't been 2-0 since 2005.
NOTEABLE NUGGETS
--We're going to Vegas. Check out how well we did as prognosticators.
--Pirates come close but don't win against Charlotte, but does anybody in the state really want to play them?
--Dukes get back on track with their first victory of the 2010-11 season.
Norfolk State 60, Houston Baptist 50: Kudos to Norfolk State for turning a one-point halftime lead into an easy victory in the first game of the Comfort Inn & Suites Classic at Morehead State. And speaking of kudos, pat us on the back (we predicted 66-50 NSU). Credit Whitney Long for a 23-point performance that included knocking down five of her eight 3-point attempts.Freshman Rae Corbo came through with 10 points, including eight in the second half, five assists and four steals, and NSU was plus-10 on the boards. NSU did it without birthday girl Rachel Gordon (she turned 19 on Thursday). Gordon had 20 in NSU's season opener against St. Paul's, but is still battling stiffness in her back after a fall in the game.
Davidson 69, William and Mary 47: Ten point in the first half? We imagine Debbie Taylor had a few words for her Tribe in the locker room and they responded with a crisper second period, but it wasn't enough to rally past the Panthers (1-3). The ballgame can be explained by this stat. W&M (0-2) took 17 more shots than Davidson, but converted six fewer, shooting 26 percent to the Panthers' 48 percent. Emily Correal and Taysha Pye combined for 34 points, while the rest of the Tribe connected on just 5 of 23 field goals. And outrebounded by 18? Things are going to get better, Tribe fans. We're just not sure when.
High Point 68, Longwood 65: (We hate to see a state team lose, but we just want to point out that our prediction was 68-59.....) Nice effort for the Lancers (1-2) behind 19 from Chelsea Coward and 16 from Brittani Billups. Free throws were costly for Longwood, which finished 13-of-25 from the line, while High Point (3-1) hit 22 of 33.
Charlotte 64, Hampton 57: Um, are we on a roll or what? (We predicted Charlotte 62-58 in this consolation game of the preseason WNIT. This is our last 'atta boy of this post). Speaking of a roll, while the Pirates (1-2) didn't get the win here, they continue to be impressive, battling toe to toe against a team that has made eight consecutive postseason appearances. Hampton was able to hang with the 49ers, who picked up just a few more rebounds (nine), a few more assists (seven ), a few more steals (one) and a lot more blocks (11) than the Pirates. Choicetta McMillian and Quanneisha Perry each racked up 16 points, and if you didn't think Hampton was a contender before, believe.
James Madison 64, St. Francis 49: Five days after being stunned by Hampton in their season opener, the Dukes (1-1) returned to form in the consolation round of the preseason WNIT. Dawn Evans scored 18 and Tarik Hislop added 10, but we suspect Kenny Brooks would have preferred a bigger lead than two at the half. The Dukes, who have a better post game than they've shown in two games, shot just 37 percent from the field.
Hampton, JMU in WNIT consolation action
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Hampton (1-1) at Charlotte (1-1), 7 p.m.
The final Preseason WNIT consolation game for both teams. Hampton will be playing its third straight road game, all at tough venues (JMU and South Dakota State were the others). Last season, the 49ers won 13 straight at their Halton Arena before falling in the second round of the WNIT. Injuries to starting guards Bernadette Fortune and Jericka Jenkins will obviously hurt Hampton. But few teams know who they are and what they can and cannot do better than these Lady Pirates under coach David Six. So there's no reason to think Hampton won't be extremely competitive no matter who's on the court. Charlotte 62, Hampton 58
High Point (2-1) at Longwood (1-1), 7 p.m.
The Lancers defeated Campbell in their opener and lost to Marshall in the season opener despite a double-double by junior Brittanni Billups (21 points, 14 rebounds). High Point leads this series 12-11 but lost last year's meeting 76-68. High Point comes in with defensive bragging rights, having held Southern Virginia to 23 points, the lowest for an opponent since 1983. Perhaps more impressively, they nearly upset VCU, falling by a point in their season opener. This is the Panthers' first road test and we think they just might pass. High Point 68, Longwood 59
William and Mary (0-1) at Davidson (0-2), 7 p.m.: The Tribe managed just 36 points in a season-opening loss at Wisconsin and will no doubt face an easier test here as W&M begins a stretch that will include four games in the next eight days. While the Tribe is 4-0 versus the Wildcats, we know coach Debbie Taylor will remember the game the two played a year ago when W&M had to erase a 23-point deficit to win. As for Davidson: Try saying this name three times fast: Aleksandravicius. Better yet, spell it. Sophia do-we-have-to-type-that-name-again? is their 6-4 go-to through two games. We think W&M can handle her and Davidson. W&M 60, Davidson 52
Norfolk State (1-0) at Houston Baptist (0-2), 4 p.m. The Comfort Inn and Suites Invitational, eh? (Isn't exactly the State Farm Tipoff, but hey. We hope the Spartans got discounted hotel rooms.....). This one will be played at Morehead State and Houston Baptist comes in battle-tested after just two games. While the Huskies committed 61 turnovers and gave up 196 points in those games, we're not holding it against them considering the foes: Louisville and TCU. NSU has never played this team or the others in this tournament (Central Arkansas, Morehead State). We were happy to see the Spartans handle St. Paul's routinely in their opener and expect they'll come out on top. Norfolk State 66, Houston Baptist 50
St. Francis (0-2) at James Madison (0-1), 7 p.m.
How strange is it that St. Francis played a game (a 10-point loss at Towson) in between games of the preseason WNIT? The Red Flash fell at Toledo in their opener and now has a date in Harrisonburg. For Dukes fans, all eyes will be in the paint as JMU continues its search for consistently effective low-post play. We suspect the Dukes have worked on getting the ball inside and (especially) finishing just a tad since the post players underachieved in last week's 69-64 loss to Hampton. Look for Dawn Evans to make a concentrated effort to get her bigs going early tonight. This WNIT consolation round game will be preceded by a clash between UCF and Iona at 4:30 p.m. at the Convocation Center. All four teams will play a final consolation round on Saturday at JMU. James Madison 82, St. Francis 60
Hampton (1-1) at Charlotte (1-1), 7 p.m.
The final Preseason WNIT consolation game for both teams. Hampton will be playing its third straight road game, all at tough venues (JMU and South Dakota State were the others). Last season, the 49ers won 13 straight at their Halton Arena before falling in the second round of the WNIT. Injuries to starting guards Bernadette Fortune and Jericka Jenkins will obviously hurt Hampton. But few teams know who they are and what they can and cannot do better than these Lady Pirates under coach David Six. So there's no reason to think Hampton won't be extremely competitive no matter who's on the court. Charlotte 62, Hampton 58High Point (2-1) at Longwood (1-1), 7 p.m.
The Lancers defeated Campbell in their opener and lost to Marshall in the season opener despite a double-double by junior Brittanni Billups (21 points, 14 rebounds). High Point leads this series 12-11 but lost last year's meeting 76-68. High Point comes in with defensive bragging rights, having held Southern Virginia to 23 points, the lowest for an opponent since 1983. Perhaps more impressively, they nearly upset VCU, falling by a point in their season opener. This is the Panthers' first road test and we think they just might pass. High Point 68, Longwood 59
William and Mary (0-1) at Davidson (0-2), 7 p.m.: The Tribe managed just 36 points in a season-opening loss at Wisconsin and will no doubt face an easier test here as W&M begins a stretch that will include four games in the next eight days. While the Tribe is 4-0 versus the Wildcats, we know coach Debbie Taylor will remember the game the two played a year ago when W&M had to erase a 23-point deficit to win. As for Davidson: Try saying this name three times fast: Aleksandravicius. Better yet, spell it. Sophia do-we-have-to-type-that-name-again? is their 6-4 go-to through two games. We think W&M can handle her and Davidson. W&M 60, Davidson 52
Norfolk State (1-0) at Houston Baptist (0-2), 4 p.m. The Comfort Inn and Suites Invitational, eh? (Isn't exactly the State Farm Tipoff, but hey. We hope the Spartans got discounted hotel rooms.....). This one will be played at Morehead State and Houston Baptist comes in battle-tested after just two games. While the Huskies committed 61 turnovers and gave up 196 points in those games, we're not holding it against them considering the foes: Louisville and TCU. NSU has never played this team or the others in this tournament (Central Arkansas, Morehead State). We were happy to see the Spartans handle St. Paul's routinely in their opener and expect they'll come out on top. Norfolk State 66, Houston Baptist 50St. Francis (0-2) at James Madison (0-1), 7 p.m.
How strange is it that St. Francis played a game (a 10-point loss at Towson) in between games of the preseason WNIT? The Red Flash fell at Toledo in their opener and now has a date in Harrisonburg. For Dukes fans, all eyes will be in the paint as JMU continues its search for consistently effective low-post play. We suspect the Dukes have worked on getting the ball inside and (especially) finishing just a tad since the post players underachieved in last week's 69-64 loss to Hampton. Look for Dawn Evans to make a concentrated effort to get her bigs going early tonight. This WNIT consolation round game will be preceded by a clash between UCF and Iona at 4:30 p.m. at the Convocation Center. All four teams will play a final consolation round on Saturday at JMU. James Madison 82, St. Francis 60
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Virginia scares Tennessee, ODU, Tech survive
TODAY'S STAR
Ariana Moorer, Virginia
- Scored 24 points as the Cavaliers threw a scare into 4th-ranked Tennessee before falling by 12 in Knoxville.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Tennessee's Angie Bjorklund led all scorers with 26 points and splashed 6 of the Lady Vols' 10 3-pointers.
- Tia Lewis scored 15 points and Jackie Cook added her first double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds as ODU got past North Carolina A&T
- Shanel Harrison scored 16 points as Virginia Tech rallied from a 10-point deficit to hold off Elon
Told ya! - ODU 79, North Carolina A&T 65. We said: ODU 77, North Carolina A&T 59
Uh, we can explain... - Howard 54, Radford 46. We said: Radford 55, Howard 48
THE GAMES
Terrific opening by the Cavaliers, who made their first eight shots, dumped the Lady Vols into an early 17-9 hole and were down by just two at halftime. But after being aired out by Pat Summitt at halftime, the Lady Vols scored the first eight points after intermission and held on. "I warned my team that they were going to come out with much better intensity, and I knew that they would come out a little more organized, and sure enough they did," Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. "I felt like that was where they game was decided." In the big picture, though, given the quality of the opposition - not to mention the venue - this should be considered an encouraging outing by a Cavaliers team we find ourselves feeling better about with each outing. After all, any time you can get Summitt angry with her own team, you must be doing something right.
Old Dominion 79, North Carolina A&T 65
The Lady Monarchs (2-0) will certainly take a 14-point win. But this game offered a vivid reminder that there's still a lot of work to be done. After rolling out to a 14-3 lead by the first media timeout, the Lady Monarchs appeared to lose the crispness and fire that marked Sunday's win over Georgia Tech. And we suspect today's practice will feature a heavy emphasis on the transition defense that failed them repeatedly Thursday night. Full credit to North Carolina A&T for making a game of it. But the performance ODU turned in is a CAA loss waiting to happen if it shows up again in a couple of months. Having said that, we continue to be impressed by the offensive emergence of Russia Voronina. Last season, Voronina established herself as primarily a defensive menace, a banger. But guess what? Russia's actually got skillz! Now sleeker and more athletic-looking, Voronina (a career-high 14 points) is performing like a woman determined to script a memorable senior campaign.
Virginia Tech 73, Elon 66
Once again, the Hokies (3-0) struggled with a team we thought they'd pulverize. But you know what? We're going to look at the bright side. Tech is now 3-0, and a lot of young players have gotten some valuable minutes. We're sure it takes time for a team with 10 freshmen and sophomores to come together. So we're going to stop criticizing the Hokies for winning ugly and just watch how this develops. By the way, nice effort by Alyssa Fenyn, who tied a career high with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Howard 54, Radford 46
Ouch. Like last season, the Highlanders (1-1) saw a halftime lead evaporate against the MEAC's Bison. Found this quote from Radford coach Tajama Abraham Ngongba a bit curious: "I was very proud of how hard we as a team fought through everything tonight. We stayed composed throughout the game and played as hard as I've ever seen us play in red." Not sure what the adversity was; hope no one got hurt. And frankly, we thought if the Highlanders played really hard, they'd have enough to handle a MEAC also-ran like Howard, even on the road. Guess we didn't give the Bison enough credit. And credit the Highlanders for leaving it all out there. I mean, that's all we can really ask, isn't it?
Hampton flourishes, injuries and all
You know how Hampton's victory over JMU opened a lot of folks' eyes to the idea that, hey, those guys must be pretty good?
They're even better than you think.
The Lady Pirates prevailed in Harrisonburg without one of their best players. Guard Bernadette Fortune, the former Kempsville High star and a preseason second-team All-MEAC pick, sat out the game with a foot injury. To be fair, the Dukes were hampered by injuries as well. But the fact that Hampton was shorthanded as well received scant attention (including from us, to be frank).
Three nights later at South Dakota State, more adversity hit when guard Jericka Jenkins, the other half of Hampton's "Mighty Mite" backcourt, went down with an ankle injury. While forward Quanneisha Perry is the preseason MEAC Player of the Year, Hampton coach David Six calls the heady Jenkins the team's most important player. She's the player Six assigned to JMU star Dawn Evans. Evans finished with 25 points but hit only 8 of 28 field goals.
The Lady Pirates were leading the Jackrabbits at the time of Jenkins' injury; they continued to make SDSU sweat before bowing 76-64.
Fortune tried to give it a go against the Jackrabbits but was severely limited. Six said Fortune will probably give playing another shot but could end up facing surgery. Jenkins will be out indefinitely.
The injuries will severely test Hampton's depth. But this is nothing new for the Lady Pirates, who played without two starters throughout much of the non-conference season last year.
"We can't make any excuses," he said. "We've just got to move on."
Six expects the Lady Pirates will receive a boost in the frontcourt with the addition of 6-0 senior Aaryn Harrison, a four-year member of Hampton's volleyball team. "She's very athletic," Six said. "She's definitely going to help us."
Whatever happens this season, Hampton's future seems bright given the athletic six-player class committed to become Lady Pirates in 2011. The group includes:
Candace Brown, 5-9 G, Hampton High
A second-team All-Peninsula District pick who formerly played for Six at Hampton High. "She's an athletic kid with a powerful body," Six said.
Kenia Cole, 5-6 G, Paint Branch High (Md.)
Another in a line of quality guards from Paint Branch, a program that has also produced JMU's Tarik Hislop and Maryland signee Brene Moseley.
Benee Glanton, 6-3 C, Jefferson (Fla.)
"A big body who runs the floor well. Has tremendous potential and a high basketball IQ," Six said.
In addition, from the junior-college ranks the Lady Pirates will welcome former Hampton High star Alyssa Bennett, a 6-2 forward; ex-Heritage High standout Evany Dickerson, a 5-5 point guard; and 6-2 forward Ariel Phelps from Tallwood High by way of Louisburg College.
"My goal is to become the first MEAC team (strong enough) to get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament," Six said. "I know it's a lofty goal. But I can't think any other way."
They're even better than you think.
The Lady Pirates prevailed in Harrisonburg without one of their best players. Guard Bernadette Fortune, the former Kempsville High star and a preseason second-team All-MEAC pick, sat out the game with a foot injury. To be fair, the Dukes were hampered by injuries as well. But the fact that Hampton was shorthanded as well received scant attention (including from us, to be frank).
Three nights later at South Dakota State, more adversity hit when guard Jericka Jenkins, the other half of Hampton's "Mighty Mite" backcourt, went down with an ankle injury. While forward Quanneisha Perry is the preseason MEAC Player of the Year, Hampton coach David Six calls the heady Jenkins the team's most important player. She's the player Six assigned to JMU star Dawn Evans. Evans finished with 25 points but hit only 8 of 28 field goals.
The Lady Pirates were leading the Jackrabbits at the time of Jenkins' injury; they continued to make SDSU sweat before bowing 76-64.
Fortune tried to give it a go against the Jackrabbits but was severely limited. Six said Fortune will probably give playing another shot but could end up facing surgery. Jenkins will be out indefinitely.
The injuries will severely test Hampton's depth. But this is nothing new for the Lady Pirates, who played without two starters throughout much of the non-conference season last year.
"We can't make any excuses," he said. "We've just got to move on."
Six expects the Lady Pirates will receive a boost in the frontcourt with the addition of 6-0 senior Aaryn Harrison, a four-year member of Hampton's volleyball team. "She's very athletic," Six said. "She's definitely going to help us."
Whatever happens this season, Hampton's future seems bright given the athletic six-player class committed to become Lady Pirates in 2011. The group includes:
Candace Brown, 5-9 G, Hampton High
A second-team All-Peninsula District pick who formerly played for Six at Hampton High. "She's an athletic kid with a powerful body," Six said.
Kenia Cole, 5-6 G, Paint Branch High (Md.)
Another in a line of quality guards from Paint Branch, a program that has also produced JMU's Tarik Hislop and Maryland signee Brene Moseley.
Benee Glanton, 6-3 C, Jefferson (Fla.)
"A big body who runs the floor well. Has tremendous potential and a high basketball IQ," Six said.
In addition, from the junior-college ranks the Lady Pirates will welcome former Hampton High star Alyssa Bennett, a 6-2 forward; ex-Heritage High standout Evany Dickerson, a 5-5 point guard; and 6-2 forward Ariel Phelps from Tallwood High by way of Louisburg College.
"My goal is to become the first MEAC team (strong enough) to get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament," Six said. "I know it's a lofty goal. But I can't think any other way."
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