Would like TCU ladies do well. I know that would not be the popular choice but I like their coach and they are really working hard to be a contender.

BaylorProud77 said:

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Would like TCU ladies do well. I know that would not be the popular choice but I like their coach and they are really working hard to be a contender.

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Absolutely. I like their coach as well. she is very genuine and the real deal.

NCAA TOURNAMENT



Oklahoma in, Rutgers out

by Charlie Creme, ESPN
March 13, 2018

"After the NCAA committee's reveal Sunday of the final 8 teams under consideration
for the last 4 spots in the bracket
we knew the Sooners and Scarlet Knights were at best one of the last teams in.

It turns out Oklahoma was the last team in and the Scarlet Knights were left out.

The Sooners get in with a 16-14 record
.. Worst winning percentage for an at-large team since 1983 Monmouth (14-14)
.. Last time a team with 16 wins made the field at-large since 2005 Purdue (16-12)

In this case, the Sooners -- in the eyes of the committee -- were merely the best of a bad group of teams from which to choose for that last spot in the field.

Purdue, USC and West Virginia were the other teams in Sunday's final 8 that failed to make the field. None of them, not Rutgers nor Oklahoma, finished the season well. None of them truly exhibited tournament worthiness.

The Sooners won the battle of "best of the worst" and it seems to be solely on scheduling, not winning basketball games. Oklahoma played the second-rated schedule in the country and third-toughest nonconference slate, but other than South Florida, the Sooners beat no one significant. There is a win over Belmont, but the Bruins would not have made this field without winning the OVC tournament.

Oklahoma's 2 wins over West Virginia made the Sooners' case for inclusion stronger than the Mountaineers', but that doesn't make Oklahoma's case strong.

Picking a team that was one loss from a .500 record just because it scheduled well is bad optics.

Yes, Rutgers (20-12) limped through the last month, going 3-9 to finish the season. But the Scarlet Knights scheduled well, too. They have more good wins against that schedule than Oklahoma -- and it wasn't really close.

Oklahoma's inclusion is the biggest head-scratcher
if we are truly talking full body of work
.. Rutgers beat 4 other at-large teams (NC State, Virginia, Minnesota & Michigan)
.. Oklahoma beat one

The Sooners did play better down the stretch, but they only beat teams at the bottom of the Big 12 and had what appeared to be an unforgiveable loss in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, giving up 90 points to TCU.

Oklahoma got into the field based on what Rutgers turned into the final month
not on what the Sooners achieved themselves."

Oklahoma was one of the toughest teams we played in the Big 12. Just after Texas. And maybe on par. They have some talented players.

Wouldn't doubt they get into the Sweet 16.

BIG 12 QUALIFIERS

Thursday, March 15

Bucknell @ West Virginia Morgantown WV 6:00 p.m. CT
Lamar @ TCU Fort Worth TX 6:30 p.m. CT
Saint Louis @ Kansas State Manhattan KS 7:00 p.m. CT

TCU BIG 12's automatic qualifier in the WNIT
Kansas State & West Virginia will also participate in the tournament

- BIG 12 WBB website

ALEXIS MORRIS

I have been looking for a Big 12 championship tshirt. The bookstore does not have any and when I search online, I have not had any luck. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

BIG 12 QUALIFIERS

Thursday, March 15

Bucknell 50 @ West Virginia 83
Lamar 68 @ TCU 80
Saint Louis 61 @ Kansas State 75

TCU BIG 12's automatic qualifier in the WNIT
Kansas State & West Virginia will also participate in the tournament

- BIG 12 WBB website

OKLAHOMA 12 seed vs DEPAUL 5 seed
College Station TX
Friday March 16 @ 11:00 a.m.
ESPN2

"Oklahoma head coach Sherri Coale remembered the tremble in freshman guard Shaina Pellington's voice as she asked if there was still a way to make the NCAA Tournament. It was January.

On Monday, the Sooners (16-14) found themselves on the right side of the bubble for the 19th consecutive time. OU, which is a 12 seed, faces No. 5 seed DePaul (26-7) in the first-round at 11 a.m. Friday at Reed Arena. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

The teams met Nov. 13, with DePaul senior guard Amarah Coleman sinking a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give the Blue Demons a 111-108 overtime win.

"When we saw our name up there, it was an incredible feeling," OU guard Maddie Manning said. "We knew we left it in the hands of the committee. We didn't take care of business late or in that last game, but as far as proving ourselves to anybody, no, I don't think that's our attitude at all."

The uptempo game is a fond memory for Manning.

"I remember that first game, we were actually talking about it on the bus coming up here, how fun of a game that was," she said. "It was a great product for women's basketball, and it's great that we've been on the court with them. We've run with them before, so we're looking forward to that."

The Blue Demons make about 12 3-pointers per game, the most in the country, and their offense will be tough to defend, especially for Sooners center Vionise Pierre-Louis.

"I think it's difficult for a five-man, defensively, against DePaul because you're chasing somebody around on the perimeter," Coale said. "This DePaul team is very different (from Big 12 opponents), so (Pierre-Louis) will be put in a position that's not ordinary for her. Does she know how to do it? Yes. Our preconference schedule was full of teams that went five out and spread the floor, and she had to figure out how to do that. But it's been a while since she's had to play that way, so there's an adjustment there."

Pierre-Louis, OU's leading scorer with 15.7 points per game, knows the offensive side of the ball won't be easier. In the November matchup, she posted 25 points and 16 rebounds.

"I expect the double-team, I really do," she said. "Personally, I've just got to be patient. Just make sure I'm patient and make sure I'm open enough so that my guards can get me the ball enough when I do if I'm dominant and I set the stage in the paint, then that opens up for my guards, and they can do whatever they want at that point."

The Sooners aren't the only NCAA Tournament mainstay in College Station. DePaul is making its 16th straight appearance, while Texas A&M is in its 13th in a row.

"I don't know what it is about DePaul and Oklahoma, they like to see us play early in this thing," Coale said. "But there's a lot of tradition here and a lot of programs with high expectations, and I think it will be a great first and second round."

- Maria McIlwain Bryan Eagle, Tulsa World, 15 Mar 2018

Yep. OU just not on target this year.

Wanted Oklahoma to win but only so much you can expect with a 16 win team...

PRE-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

BIG 12

Saturday - March 17

Missouri State @ TCU Fort Worth TX 12:00 p.m. CDT

2018 TOURNAMENT

Saturday - March 17

Oklahoma State vs Syracuse Starkville MS 2:30 p.m. CDT ESPN2
Maine @ Texas Austin TX 4:30 p.m. CDT ESPN2

What time do we play?
Oops, just now saw the other thread.
7:30 Sunday.
5:30 Pacific time.
Yay.

Pale Rider said:

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What time do we play?

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Baylor vs Michigan
Sunday, March 18
7:30 p.m. (CT)

POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

Personally, I hope TCU loses every game in every sport-badly.

2018 TOURNAMENT

Saturday - March 17

Oklahoma State vs Syracuse Starkville MS 2:30 p.m. CDT
TV: ESPN2 (Cox 28/HD 721; Dish 143; DirecTV 209; U-verse 606/HD 1606)
Radio: KGFY 105.5 FM

.. Oklahoma State is making its 12th consecutive postseason appearance
.. OSU has 8 in the NCAA Tournament and 4 in the WNIT.
.. 5th NCAA Tournament bid in coach Jim Littell's 7 seasons.
.. Cowgirls are 10-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. Last win 2014 when they reached the Sweet 16.
.. First-ever meeting between OSU & Syracuse
.. Syracuse ranks 9th nationally in 3-pointers per game, averaging 9.7.
.. Syracuse point guard Tiana Mangakahia leads the country with 9.9 assists per game
.. OSU seniors Loryn Goodwin and Kaylee Jensen will likely go down as the 2nd-most potent scoring duo in Cowgirl history. Together, Goodwin and Jensen are averaging a combined 39.5 points per game.
.. 2009-10 Best in OSU history Tegan Cunningham and Andrea Riley averaged 43.4 points per game

- Scott Wright, The Oklahoman. 16 March 2018

Baylor graduate Jhasmin Player returns to Texas
to coach in NCAA tournament

March 15, 2018

"The forecast for Orono, Maine, on Saturday calls for a high of 24 degrees. When Jhasmin Player leaves her Austin hotel room, the temperature is likely to be in the 80s. But Player's mind will be on basketball as she makes her way to the Erwin Center.

Player is an assistant coach for the University of Maine
which will take on No. 8 Texas in an opening-round game of the NCAA women's tournament.

Player grew up in Bay City and played at Baylor but is in her second stint and fourth overall season with the Black Bears, who are making their first tournament appearance since 2004. She spent two years as an assistant at Maine before leaving in 2013 to play professionally in Poland. She returned to Maine in 2016 and was promoted to recruiting coordinator in July.

"I love it," Player said. "The first time, I don't think I was ready to step in and coach. I came in here every day and did my job, but I don't think I studied the game enough. This time around, I've studied the game so much more, especially the second time around. I had to develop myself, and that taught me a lot about the game of basketball."

Player attributes much of what she's learned about the game to Bay City coaches Sherby Wilkerson, Linda Smith, David Jones and Eddie Nelson and Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey and assistant Richard Barron, who hired her at Maine before he became the men's head coach at the school.

Player said Mulkey was the first to text congratulations after Maine secured its eighth overall NCAA tournament berth by winning the America East conference tournament.

"I remember my very first basketball coach in Pee Wee, whose name was Butch," Player said. "I've always respected what they did. Every single one has impacted me, whether I thought they were great coaches or bad coaches, by spending time helping me to improve my game. I have a great respect for all coaches."

Player is proud of the success Maine has achieved this season. The Black Bears will take a 23-9 record into the tournament after finishing at 18-16 last season.

"The first few games of the year I think it a was matter of our kids didn't know who needed to step up," Player said. "You just have to continue to empower every single one of them. Especially the ones who are going to be your leaders because they're going to have to get better every single day. As you spend time in the gym with these kids you slowly begin to see them grow in front of your own eyes. It's incredible to see. When we started to see the few assert themselves, we knew we could be good."

Player admits it can be a challenge attracting players from different parts of the country to Maine. Her selling point is the chance to play for a winning program while having the opportunity to develop as an athlete and a person.

"For me the message is winning," Player said. "Winning produces amnesia. Winning makes it warm. Winning makes it feel good. The other thing is development. What's the end goal? Are you just wanting to get an education? Do you want to play in Europe? What's your goal in life so I can make sure I can help you achieve that goal? Once you figure that out, what we offer as a basketball team and it's a place that sells itself. We tell a kid from Texas, 'You're a long, long way from home but you'll win, but you'll have an opportunity to play professionally when you're done, but you'll have an opportunity to play in the NCAA tourney, but you'll have the opportunity to play for a championship every single year,' and it just depends on what you want to do."

Player returns home as much as possible to visit family and friends. But Player enjoys coaching basketball so much she's almost become oblivious to the weather.

"It's freezing cold and I have no family ties," she said. "I spend all day at work. I love the game of basketball. I'm in a region where there is nothing else to do but drown myself in the game of basketball. I was at the gym all last weekend hanging out with our kids. It's not work just hanging out with kids who love the game of basketball, who love you and who you love. You want to hang out with the people you love and do what you love with them."

This is great. Kim's a hoot. Always enjoy listening to her. Thank you so much!

BaylorProud77 said:

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This is great. Kim's a hoot. Always enjoy listening to her. Thank you so much!

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Michigan @ Baylor Sunday, March 18 7:30 p.m. (CT)

Hi BaylorProud77,
Here is a new presser. Enjoy!


PRE-GAME
PRESS CONFERENCE

You're so sweet! I will and did. You're the best!!!

BaylorProud77 said:

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You're so sweet! I will and did. You're the best!!!

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Yes, yes she is.
Both of you are pretty cool in my book.

POST-GAME
PRESS CONFERENCE

As always....thanks slimecap for your dedication.

longtimebear said:

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As always....thanks slimecap for your dedication.

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Amen!

Pale Rider said:

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longtimebear said:

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As always....thanks slimecap for your dedication.

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Amen!

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longtimebear and Brother Pale Rider, Thank you!

BIG 12

Saturday - March 17

Missouri State 51 @ TCU 86

Saturday - March 18

Utah 57 @ Kansas State 74
Saint Joseph's 51 @ West Virginia 79

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Baylor 80 - Michigan 58

OOPS !

Arizona State 65 @ Texas 85

Post-Game Press Conference
HC Karen Aston, LaShann Higgs, Ariel Atkins & Brooke McCarty

Link to transcribed interview
https://s3.amazonaws.com/texassports_com/documents/2018/3/20/26711_2.pdf