No games yet, so we’ll have to make due with

polls:

NCAA Division III: Cool to see Montclair State up in the top five.

NCAA Division II: Bentley and Barb Stevens = consistency.

NCAA Division I (Coaches): Not a lot of surprises, except maybe with that one vote….

As we wait:

From LSU: United States Marines help train team

From Wisconsin: New-look UWGB in same old No. 1 spot

It is the sixth straight season the Phoenix has been picked preseason favorite.

“I guess I didn’t expect that,” UWGB coach Kevin Borseth said. “We lost five seniors off the squad and four starters. … I don’t know.

From North Dakota: NDSU Women’s Basketball Preview

From Oklahoma: Guards Morgan Hook, Maddie Manning injured at intrasquad scrimmage

From Pennsylvania: Penn State women’s basketball: New faces shine in Lady Lions’ exhibition romp

From North Carolina: Duke women’s basketball opens season with Blue/White Scrimmage

From Kansas: Shocker basketball women ready for first test

From Iowa: Youthful Hawkeyes showing early energy

From New Jersey: Princeton Voted to Five-Peat in Women’s Basketball

From Full Court:

Numbers’ Game: What do winning percentage and national rankings really mean? and  Numbers Game: The first step beyond the basics

Stanford’s Ogwumike, Baylor’s Sims highlight 2014 Wooden Watch List

Big Ten women’s basketball preview: Nebraska, Penn State lead the pack

The Ackerman Report (13): Putting it all in perspective

The sport is not going away any time soon, though at the same time it’s clear there are some fundamental issues that need to be thoughtfully considered. The powers that be in women’s basketball have taken the first step by recognizing that there are some problems, and commissioning the Ackerman Report. And last week the NCAA women’s basketball committee also approved taking some steps to solve them, though their compromises on the recommendations of the White Papers Summit are a bit of a mixed bag. Having top seeds host the first two rounds of the tournament, for example, is a virtual no-brainer that can only help improve attendance in the early rounds, while at the same time rewarding the best, rather than the richest, programs.

Get out your calendar and mark these downs: Women’s College Basketball On ESPN

Speaking of calendars: Women’s basketball committee suggests changes for tourney, moving Final Four to Friday-Sunday

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The DII tourney has

snuck by and somehow arrived at their Elite 8 (Boy, do I miss the old D site — even though it was low-ish on passion). On March 22nd in St. Joseph, Mo., you can see

#1 Bentley (28-4) v. #1 Clayton State (32-1)

This is Bentley’s first trip to the Elite 8 since 2003.

Clayton State has set a Peach Belt Conference record for wins.

#2 Northwest Missouri State (27-3) v. #1 Cal Poly Pomona (28-4)

NMS is trying to stay in sync as they go into their first Elite 8 ever.

Cal Poly is being guided by interim coach Danielle Bishop.

March 23rd games feature

#1 Michigan Tech (29-2) v. #1 Arkansas Tech (30-2)

Michgan Tech is the first team to win three consecutive Midwest Regional titles.

Arkansas Tech took home the South Regional Championship for the second year in a row.

# 2 Metro State (30-2) v. #8 Shaw (24-11)

Metro rallied from 14-down to advance and grab their first 30-win season in schools history.

This is Shaw’s third trip to the Elite Eight.

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Looking back from 800

The Boston Globe’s Marvin Pave writes about Bentley’s Barbara Stevens.

I received an e-mail from Elyse Darefsky, one of my first players at Clark University, who had been researching women’s athletics there,’’ said Stevens, “and she told me that my first win was on Dec. 1, 1977, at Western New England College.

“I don’t remember the details, but I’m sure I was scared to death. I was 23 years old and had just one year’s experience as a Clark assistant.’’

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800 wins

Iz haz it: Bentley’s Stevens joins exclusive 800-win club

“Our chairman of the board just told me that my bonus comes at 900, so I may have to hang around a little bit longer,” Stevens said. “It’s been a big buildup. It’s been something … that’s been the big elephant in the room that nobody really wants to talk about.

“It has really caused me to reflect upon my years as a coach and all the wonderful people that I’ve been associated with as players, my assistant coaches and obviously the institutions that I’ve coached at. I’m just really grateful right now. I’m lucky to be doing what I’m doing.”

Iz don’t haz it (yet): Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer again denied milestone win No. 800. Writes Mechelle: Stanford falls to Tennessee — again

The Stanford-Tennessee series has been an exercise in masochism for Cardinal women’s basketball fans. There’s just no other way to put it.

The years go by, the players change … but the result mostly stays the same: Tennessee finds a way to come out on top, and Stanford people spend the rest of the day/night cursing their existence.

Writes Bucky Dent at TriCitiesSports.com: Lady Vols Dominate Overtime to Beat No. 2 Stanford, 82-72

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