1/13 – Coach Landers, Monica Wright, UConn v ND

The podcast is up! This is some of what you’ll hear.

Reflections on the Michigan State/Ohio State game – and a new joint: Harrison’s Roadhouse

Starting Five: Beth throws five questions at Debbie.

1) Top Point guards: Sam Prahalis, Ohio State: Difference maker

Debbie: Point guard that has the three w’s: Who to get it to, when to get it to them and where. She’s got a little stinker about her. Might this be Final Four year?

Andrea Riley, Oklahoma State – 43 on Baylor Bears

Debbie: Might be the first to lead the Big 12 in scoring three years running. 23pts game & leads lead in assist

Ashley Houts, Georgia

Debbie: Pound for pound, toughest pg.

Shekinna Stricklen, Tennessee

Debbie: Tallest, and has lost none of her rebounding

Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga, leading nation in assists

Top teams don’t count on one (UConn/ND)

Debbie: Geno and Muffet playing to the strengths of their team

2) Breaking down the Fighting Irish v Huskies

Deb: Devereaux Peters has to be a factor to try and limit Tina Charles. Extend soft pressure 3/4 court. I’m betting scoring v Connecticut much more difficult task than trying to defend their speed.

Beth: Familiarity and maybe first of possible four games?

3) Revisit the spin move/traveling points of emphasis. Jim Foster, Ohio State ready to write a book about it.

Debbie: He’s not happy. And a lot of coaches are calling. Officials are not necessarily happy. Double check on who’s on the rules committee.

4) All Time Starting Five: Virginia Cavaliers, Debbie Ryan

Monica Wright
Dawn Staley
Donna Holtz – all-time steals leader
Wendy Palmer
Heather Burge

5) Poll Question: Who’s going to be the Big 12 Player of the Year?

Shootaround Guests: Andy Landers, University of Georgia

B/D: What are you doing really well?

AL: Reasonably successful on defensive end, rebounding. Offensively, able to make plays when needed.

B/D: Talk about Jasmine James, four of eight years Rookie of the Week

AL: Terrific baskeball IQ. Understands the game and adjustments. Easy to coach. Plays hard. Came in as offensive player — great success — but developed into one of the best defensive freshmen we’ve had.

B/D: How has she helped take pressure off Ashley Houts?

AL: People have thrown everything at Ashley to try and take her out of the game. Jas can play the point and accepts the responsibility and willing to take some of the heat on Houts.

B/D: If you were measuring this team on amount of diet Mountain Dews you drink a day, where would this team sit on the M-D meter?

AL: This team has an even keel about it. Have had one borderline bad pratice.

B/D: Really? You’ve kept your patience?

AL: Interesting, considering the youth has pushed us to practice longer. Individuals, maybe, but it doesn’t spread.

B/D: Lot of people consider your success a surprise – do you?

AL: I do, too. 6 freshman – starting one and a sophomore, playing a walk on most every game, first of bench a frosh.

B/D: (Debbie) When we play two on two, between Teresa Edwards or Katrina McClain and you always pick T. I’d take McClain because I could outshoot Edwards

AL: But you can’t beat Edwards. Two of the great women’s basketball players of all-time.

B/D: How solid has Houts been?

AL: A lot made of freshman contributions, but this basketball team is riding on the shoulders of Houts, Porsha Phillips, and Angel Robinson. Houts is the key — she gets so much respect from the team. The example she sets.

Notes from the Cocktail Napkin

• Monica Wright, Virginia, all-timer scorer, passing Dawn Staley.
• Nine ranked teams lose? Miami Hurricanes upset Florida State which gets us a “Shootaround rewind”! – Check out the ACC preview show.
• Auburn upsets LSU – huge win away.
• Nikki Caldwell has UCLA in second place in PAC-10 – scare into Cardinal
• Biggest surprise? Not for me, but Nebraska on the national scene
• Best mid-major? Has Xavier solidified their spot?
• Can Griner get Baylor to Final Four? Not without injured Melissa Jones
• Can anybody beat UConn? No. Might challenge — Notre Dame, Texas A&M. Duke – good defense. Enough offense? Maybe Tennessee – who looks like back to the old ways

Comments? Questions: Shootaround@wbca.org

Also, if you’d like to be part of the Shootaround “So You Want to be a Sports Journalist” intern program, drop them a line: Shootaround@ wbca.org

Don’t forget: The podcast is up.

12/2 Podcast – A month in…Texas Starting Five, Pat Summitt

The podcast is up and this is some of what you’ll hear:

Starting Five: Beth throws Five Questions at Debbie:

1) Paradise Lost: Paradise Jam High expectations –  San Diego State. Mississippi State. What went wrong? And what about Kansas?

Revelations: USC, Nebraska, Miami (watch their guards! – and check out the ACC preview!) (And don’t sleep on UCLA)

2) Marion Jones and the WNBA – what do you think?

3) Texas Longhorns: All Time Starting Five?

Andrea Lloyd (Deb’s fave)
Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil
Kamie Ethridge (Wade Trophy trivia answer)
Edwina Brown
Jamie Carey (Bring on the controversy.)

4) UConn Huskies – What’s it going to take to beat’em?

The research says… intangibles: Do you believe you can? There are only 15 players on an active rosters that have. (Can you guess which?)

5) What did you learn this week?

UCLA charts selfish plays. Tennessee does a personality profile. The voice of the Lady Vols doesn’t listen to our podcast and the voice of the UCLA Bruins does. (Hmmmm… fueling the West Coast Bias theorists.)

Poll Question: Who would you like to see make a comeback to the WNBA (wearin’ short shorts): Blaze, Annie, Pat or Debbie?

Shootaround Guest: Coach Pat Summitt, Tennessee Lady Vols

How are things going with your season this season?

PS: Huge summer workout investment.

Last year you emphasized offense. How’d that work? What’s the focus this year?

PS: I made a bad decision. It should have been board, board, defense, defense.

“Only” 22 wins – was it good for your fans?

PS: Maybe that’s why we had 12,000 for our pre-season game. To help us.

What did you learn from last season?

PS: It was humbling. It put things in perspective. Not something I want to go through again. But we’re still a young team. Every moment is teaching moment.

Last year they didn’t really get it. So, who has the leadership role this season?

PS: Angie Bjorklund, on and off the court. Shekinna Stricklen, too. Kelley Cain has been very vocal in post game.

What’s it like to have your son Tyler around? (He’s on the scout team and working with players.)

PS: Great to watch him. He’s recruited a strong scout team. Always asking questions about the game. (Like, “About that zone…”)

The announced retirement of Bobby Bowden at Florida State. What’s that say about the job he’s done, how that echoes your career, success and longevity?

PS: We’ve both had great young players came to our program. There is more parity in women’s game and players investing in the game because they want to be on big stage.

Notes from the Cocktail Napkin *While sipping our Shirley Temples*

• Beth Makes a Discovery: Saranac, NY makes a Shirley Temple soft drink!
• Milestones (Part 1): Geno gets 700 wins,  joining Pat, CViv, Sylvia, Tara, Andy, Debbie, and Robin.  Agnus Berenato at Pittsburgh, #400, Muffet McGraw gets #500 at Notre Dame.
• ACL strikes again: Whitney Hand, Oklahoma
• Milestones: Kalana Greene 1000pts (billboard coming soon?), Jasmine Thomas triple-double, Brittney Griner dunks and flirts with triple-double (Is Deb’s prediction of 10 in trouble?). Jené Morris gets to 1000pts at San Diego State.
• Officiating: AP article about study on men’s college basketball officials showed officials consder make0up calls, look at score board to keep fouls even, favor home team. Deb: My 2 years at women’s official camp none of that any part of discussion. Key things she learned? A) Make sure you get your check before the game starts. B) If you blow the first whistle, the first round post-game is on you.
• Deb appreciates the focus on sideline demeanor and Beth appreciates the openness of NCAA coordinator, Mary Stuckhoff.

Previews/Predictions: North Carolina v Michigan State, Texas v Tennessee (Upset pick and Pink Hat Game!), Xavier v. Middle Tennessee State

Xavier and Stanford and UConn – undefeated?

Looking at UConn’s December schedule – Stanford, Florida State, Notre Dame, North Carolina – might all be undefeated when they meet. (And Debbie retracts a UConn schedule comment.)

Erica Williamson, Notre Dame and Shayla Scott, Pittsburgh will be writing as Shootaround interns. Articles will be up on the WBCA website.

There’s now a Shootaround shirt at Foxy’s in St. Thomas.

Comments? Questions: Shootaround@wbca.org

Don’t forget: The podcast is up.