It’s basketball time!
TN/MD:
From the WaPo’s Gene Wagn: Terps see a ‘pretty even matchup’ with top-seeded Lady Vols
From the Diamondback: Women’s basketball looks forward to playing powerhouse Tennessee in Sweet 16
From the Baltimore Sun: After ‘limping’ to Sweet 16 in 2013, Terps women now healthy enough to charge ahead
The AP has: Lady Vols’ Simmons eyes elusive Final Four berth
Dan Fleser adds: Lady Vols hit the NCAA road as experienced travelers
While the Daily Beacon writes: ‘Battle-tested’ Lady Vols look to advance against Maryland
LSU/LOU:
From the AP: Seventh-seeded LSU faces No. 3 seed Louisville
Louisville knows that LSU will be a different team than the one it routed in November.
Not only do the seventh-seeded Tigers (21-12) enter Sunday’s regional semifinal confident following their second-round upset of No. 2 seed West Virginia, they’re unfazed by losing Jeanne Kenney and Raigyne Moncrief to injury in each of their NCAA tournament victories.
Louisville coach Jeff Walz quickly notes how LSU has overcome that adversity, an important fact he hopes his third-seeded Cardinals (32-4) remember because the Lady Tigers are hungry to prove they can play through their obstacles.
Times-Picayune: LSU women’s basketball draws on its past NCAA Tournament experience against Louisville
From the Monroe Star: LSU women limp to Louisville as we hear that a Concussion ends Jeanne Kenney’s career at LSU
From the Courier-Journal: Louisville coach Walz: Early win over LSU means nothing
Oh, and no surprise, a Big crowd is expected
PSU/STAN
From Walt Moody at the Centre Daily Times: Lady Lions take on Stanford in NCAA regional semifinal
To look at the numbers, the task would seem tall for the Penn State women’s — like Mount Everest tall.
Beating Stanford on its home court in the NCAA Tournament rarely happens.
The Pittsburg-Post Gazette’s Mark Dent writes: Familiar situation yet again for Penn State women
The AP’s Jane McCauley notes: Stanford’s VanDerveer offers tips to Penn State
For each of the past two summers, Penn State coach Coquese Washington has visited Tara VanDerveer at the Stanford coach’s New York home to talk basketball and, specifically, gather tips on the triangle offense.
“It’s almost like going to graduate school of coaching in six hours,” Washington said with a smile.
Rick Eymer from Palo Alto Online writes: Stanford, Penn State prepare for their Sweet 16 meeting
No surprise, Chiney is Excited to Be Back at Stanford
From Eliot Allmond: Stanford freshman Thompson hits the court running
A year ago, guard Lili Thompson was filling out NCAA brackets and watching games on television like many women’s basketball fans.
Sunday, Stanford is counting on the freshman when the second-seeded Cardinal (31-3) faces No. 3 Penn State in the Sweet 16 at Maples Pavilion.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Thompson said Saturday.
Elliot also notes, it’s a Bittersweet 16 for Stanford women: Ogwumike era winding down
With Ogwumike expected to follow her sister as a No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft next month, Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said, “Don’t worry about Chiney. Worry about us.”
Chiney, a 6-foot-4-inch forward with a personality as big as her game, will leave atop Stanford’s Mt. Rushmore of women’s basketball as the Pac-12 Conference’s career-scoring and -rebounding leader. With 2,673 points and 1,532 rebounds, and counting, she passed former Stanford stars Candice Wiggins and Kayla Pedersen in those categories, respectively.
Marcus Thompson II writes:
For a program that’s been to five of the last six Final Fours, there’s a sense of urgency present among the Stanford women.
Star forward Chiney Ogwumike is closing her stellar career. And unlike in past years, the Cardinal doesn’t have a clear candidate to carry the torch for the storied program. The string of elite players Stanford has enjoyed looks to be on the brink of disruption.
So might Stanford’s tradition of dominance.
UNC/USC
Yup, Gamecocks Take on North Carolina Tar Heels in Sweet 16
Since UNC handed South Carolina its first loss early in the season, both teams have improved. The Gamecocks have gelled offensively after making an increased commitment to taking advantage of the athleticism in the post provided by Aleighsa Welch, Alaina Coates, and Elem Ibiam. The Tar Heels, like many young teams, have begun showing flashes of greatness late in the season, although the ugly first half against Tennessee-Martin suggests they still have streaks of bad basketball in them.
Tara’s not just mentoring Co. Writes Ann Killion at the SF Gate: VanDerveer passed on coaching’s golden rules to Staley
The Stanford women’s basketball team is back in the familiar comfort of Maples Pavilion. But one thing about this postseason isn’t so comfortable: The Cardinal are not the top seed in their own regional.
That distinction belongs to South Carolina, which has the first No. 1 seed in the history of its program. If the top two seeds meet in the regional final Tuesday night, it will be a matchup of old friends. Of mentor and protege.
Grace Raynor at the Daily Tar Heel: UNC women’s basketball team will face South Carolina in California
It hurts, North Carolina forward Xylina McDaniel said.
To see the emotion on her face, to feel the hurt in the undertones of her voice when she speaks, to know that after months of leukemia treatments and weeks in the hospital, Sylvia Hatchell is so close — yet still so far away.
With each day that passes, with each game that is played with Hatchell still sidelined, the only thing the North Carolina women’s basketball team has known to do is play in her honor. To hope — and to keep winning.
Speaking of coach, from Mike Potter at the Charlotte Observer: UNC women’s coach Sylvia Hatchell gives Tar Heels Final Four motivation
Ryan Wood says USC is ready for Payback against UNC
Michelle Smith writes: Carolinas are ready to battle it out
The Gamecocks now find themselves in a position to alter their own world in an impactful way, coming into the Stanford Regional as a No. 1 seed with a chance to earn a trip to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in school history.
So the question is, can the Gamecocks tap into their mantra of change on the court as well and defeat fourth-seeded North Carolina Sunday to advance to their first regional final?
And, yes, the Buzzing Tar Heels rely on DeShields in Sweet 16 round and USC knows Stopping UNC rookie DeShields a tough task
“You can take away something but then I’m pretty well-rounded,” DeShields said. “I feel like once you take one thing, I’ll just go do something else. If you put a short guard on me, a quick guard, then I’ll just go post up. If you put a long wing on me, and I’ll go by them.
“You know, certain players are just going to do what they do. You can only hope to contain them – and I’m blessed to have people say that about me.”
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