Yes, I’ll admit it — I woke up, had a cup of coffee, and “Basketball Jones!” popped into my head.
Nate has 2014 his NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 predictions: DePaul, North Carolina, Texas A&M are teams to watch
While I previewed the Sweet 16 by looking at a few of the top WNBA prospects still playing, I threw out a few questions to other bloggers around SB Nation who cover women’s basketball. Today we begin with a set of questions I asked the writers who have been covering the tournament for Swish Appeal.
From Mechelle: Storylines abound in Sweet 16 – Regional semifinals tip off on ESPN at noon ET Saturday in the Notre Dame region
Graham is Previewing a very Sweet 16
Welcome to the tournament within the tournament, the roped-off section of the postseason club that is the Sweet 16.
Getting to the tournament in the first place is a big deal. Just as it’s not easy to get to base camp on Mount Everest, it’s not easy to get to the starting line of the NCAA tournament. And once there, it only gets more difficult with each step.
Reaching the second week, when the basketball summit really starts to come clearly into view, is a big deal.
Look at the math.
Wondering who the experts pick? Click here.
Lincoln Bracket: Mechelle’s got the Lincoln Regional breakdown
Yup. Hosting is a crap shoot – just ask Nebraska (or Chattanooga). They’re not playing, but that doesn’t mean they’re not going to bring it. Connie Yori went all Jody Conradt on us.
In 1985, when the Longhorns were hosting the Final Four, they were huge favorites. But, they were upset (even though that doesn’t happen in women’s basketball) on the way to the Championship. Down, but not out, Jody put all her efforts into getting folks out to the games — and notched the first F4 sell out.
Now it’s the Huskers’ turn: For good of NU, Yori hopes UConn draws big crowds and Why Connie Yori Wants NU Fans to Pack PBA
“Because UConn doesn’t play in the Midwest very often, so it’s an opportunity of a lifetime to see perhaps the best women’s program of all time,” Yori said before adding: “This UConn team also might be one of the best, if not the best, college women’s team of all-time. They’re phenomenal. Nebraska fans wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity like this when they can see one of the greatest teams of all time playing in their own backyard. You don’t have to go to the Final Four in Nashville. All you have to do is buy a ticket and head straight down to the Haymarket.”
So… About those games:
Huskies v. Cougars
Game day: No. 1 seed UConn women vs. No. 12 BYU,
BYU women at a glance
BYU looks to N.C. State men’s championship team for motivation vs. UConn
Cougars, 6-7 Jennifer Hamson Defy Odds Advancing To Meet Huskies
Cinderella story inspires Bailey, BYU
There are players who have to search the nation and scour the Internet to find the inspiration needed to lead their teams to improbable March Madness upsets.
Brigham Young junior forward Morgan Bailey did not have any such issues.
As luck would have it, her uncle is Thurl Bailey, one of the stars of a North Carolina State team which recorded perhaps the most improbable national championship run in college basketball history. While Thurl Bailey was not part of the Brigham Young traveling party to Lincoln for Saturday’s regional semifinals, he did reach out to his beloved niece.
Will BYU, Hamson block Huskies’ path?
Mike DiMauro: BYU’s approach against UConn women … on any given night
BYU women’s basketball team enjoying sudden attention in Sweet 16
Cougars embracing, relishing underdog role vs. top seed UConn
NCAA would change sked for BYU and BYU will attend Sunday press conferences, but not play or practice
She came bounding out of practice Friday, down the tunnel and through the curtain at Pinnacle Bank Arena. This is Stewie. Happy. Giddy. Dare we even suggest innocent?
This is Stewie. The same kid who exited the court for the final time this season at Gampel Pavilion earlier this week alongside Stefanie Dolson, saluting the crowd with the royal wave, the Queen of England in Nikes, the slight hand twist accompanied by the 50,000-watt smile.
This is Stewie.
Could this be the same kid her coach was yelling at earlier this season for being stubborn? Stubborn. Stewie? C’mon. This is Ms. Sunny Disposition. Stubborn?
Steven M. Sipple: Auriemma proves a master at his calling, Lincoln Journal Star
Oh, he retains plenty of fire. But he doesn’t allow a subpar game, or a subpar half, to send him off the rails like he might have done when he took over a foundering UConn program in 1985.
“You tend to view things more big-picture as opposed to reacting to what’s going on in front of you right now,” he said. “I think that helps the players, too, if you’re kind of like, ‘We’ll be all right. …'”
He also noted the importance of celebrating great plays and great games, but moving forward quickly.
Never too high, never too low.
He paused for a few seconds.
“That’s just the long way of saying I’m too old to give a damn about what’s going on, and I have no control over it,” he said with a chuckle.
Slideshow: Pursuit of Perfection, ESPN
Aggies v Blue Demons:
Texas A&M women prepare for DePaul sharpshooters
Texas A&M’s Gary Blair sounded more like a carnival barker than coach as he discussed his team’s matchup with DePaul on Saturday in the NCAA women’s regional semifinals.
“Our game against DePaul will be one of the most entertaining games you’ve ever seen,” Blair said, adding that it would be like a “ping-pong match.”
Aggies back in ‘flow,’ strive for Elite Eight
Texas A&M women’s basketball team feeling elite going into Sweet 16 matchup against DePaul
Texas A&M women’s basketball team learning from watching other teams
DePaul women’s basketball playing their ‘best ball of the season’ going into Sweet Sixteen
Going into their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2011, DePaul women’s basketball continues to feed off of the momentum from their upset win against Duke while preparing to play Texas A&M.
“The win (over Duke) was huge for our program…definitely a momentum-builder,” sophomore Chanise Jenkins said. “It gives us tons of confidence going into the next game.”
Senior Jasmine Penny said the win meant a lot to her. With no plans to play after graduation, Penny has no idea when she will play her final game as a Blue Demon.
“It seems like we’re always the underdog and it was so amazing to see us come out and fight the way we did,” Penny said.
Bruno’s Blue Demons not just a run-and-gun team
With Rogowski’s shooting, DePaul aiming high
‘(Texas A&M) is a business trip’ said Coach Doug Bruno of DePaul women’s basketball
DePaul and Texas A&M Tangle on Saturday in the Sweet 16
CESSNA: With UConn at this regional, second place not so bad
It’s un-American to strive to be second best, but when the 64-team bracket for the NCAA women’s basketball tournament was unveiled, it was a given Connecticut would advance to the Final Flour from the Lincoln Regional.
The only thing left to settle was who would be second. It’s not a defeatist outlook — it’s reality.
Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw can’t stand the idea of having regionals at home sites. It doesn’t make for a truly fair tournament, she says. She’s right.
But the way the Irish have played this season, the fact that Notre Dame is hosting a regional is hardly the reason they are favored to go to the Women’s Final Four again. Rather, it’s that this Irish team — despite the loss of Skylar Diggins — is an undefeated powerhouse no matter where it is playing.
Admittedly, so is that other former Big East giant on the other side of the bracket. While UConn travels to Lincoln, Neb., for what appears a not-very-challenging regional, Notre Dame is home, where the Irish have lost just two games over the past three seasons.
Irish v. Cowgirls:
Irish’s McGraw: Notre Dame has unfair advantage or is it that Notre Dame enjoys “comfort zone” of home court advantage in NCAA tournament. Either way, Berry Tramel is grumpy about it.
Players know their roles for unbeaten Notre Dame women’s basketball team
Irish won’t settle; want to improve
Notre Dame excited to play Oklahoma State at home
Martin leads Cowgirls into Sweet 16
Oklahoma State’s Brittney Martin and her teammates are in the NCAA Sweet 16 but will have to face No. 1 seed Notre Dame on the Irish’s home court. Pretty tough assignment for the No. 5 seed, right?
Sure. But, hey, Martin is a pretty tough kid. She was only about a month into her first college basketball season when she got a tooth knocked out.
She dove for a loose ball against Stephen F. Austin in early December 2012. One of the SFA players lost her balance and fell on Martin, whose face went into the floor.
“The initial hit was not painful; it kind of felt like if you bend a piece of licorice, maybe,” Martin said. “Then I felt my mouth, and my teeth were in my hand. So …”
Martin then smiled and pointed to her mouth.
Cowgirls have something to lose against Notre Dame
Bears v. Wildcats:
Five things to know about Baylor vs. Kentucky
Kentucky, Baylor set for rematch of 4-OT thriller
The last time Baylor and Kentucky met, they played one of the most exciting games in the history of women’s basketball.
Neither coach expects another four-overtime thriller today in the Sweet 16. Still, both are looking forward to another entertaining matchup with a berth in the regional finals on the line.
Kentucky, Baylor women on edge for rematch of December’s ‘instant classic’
Kentucky’s Goss’ quest for perfection paying off
Kentucky not sure it can slow Baylor scoring machine Sims
Homer’s The Odyssey was an epic adventure filled with twists and turns.
So is any attempt to guard Baylor’s Odyssey.
In the epic adventure that was Kentucky’s four-overtime victory over the Bears in December, the Cats threw four different defenders at Odyssey Sims.
Kentucky could have used about six more. In the losing effort, Baylor’s senior guard scored 47 points.
Another sweet season for Sims and Baylor women
Odyssey Sims and Baylor are having another sweet season.
The Lady Bears have made it to the third round of the NCAA women’s tournament for the sixth year in a row. But there are still surely plenty of people surprised to see them back in the Sweet 16 this year.
Baylor women’s basketball team tops list of No. 1s
Looking ahead?
Graham has the Louisville Regional breakdown
Michelle Smith has the Stanford Regional breakdown South Carolina is the top seed, but will Stanford rediscover its Maples magic?
Women's Hoops Blog 