GO HUSKIES!!!!! |
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Thoughts about the brackets
Albany Region
Well, the teams are in and it's time to take a look at how the selection committee did. Of course, I have some UConn bias, so there are a few things that are fun to look for and a few that are really annoying.
In the Albany region, the committee thought it was a good idea to put two of the three AAC teams in the same bracket. Does UConn play USF for the third time? How about switching USF and George Washington?
They also made 11th ranked Kentucky a 2 seed? A NINE loss 2 seed? You have got to be kidding me. And again, in UConn's bracket? Haven't we seen this movie before? After a year removed from two consecutive NCAA tourney games where UConn beat them 83-53 and 80-65, does anyone want to see these two teams meet again?
They also put Louisville as the 3 seed in this bracket, so there is a good chance that UConn will play them again. Really? It just doesn't seem right to me.
I do like that UConn is playing a team in the first round that is in it's first NCAA tournament. If you are a 16 seed and are going to get a beat down, why not by the best team. Have fun St. Francis Brooklyn!!
It's a Big East reunion between Rutgers and Seton Hall. And the winner gets the Queen of the old Big East in UConn. I'll be pulling for Seton Hall. Rutgers boors me.
I'm really looking forward to the LSU-South Florida game. The AAC has been getting smacked around the internet by many Power-5 team fans, and now an AAC representative goes head to head with an SEC team. I know who I'll be rooting for.
So, what's up with the committee putting 3 of the 4 male coaching in the top 16 seeds in the same bracket in Albany? Gender bias? Maybe. Just seems a little....uh.....strange.
Oklahoma City Region
Notre Dame is the well deserved top see in the Oklahoma City bracket. Baylor could be a tough out, but I like ND's chances to get to the final four. Not much in their way.
I love the DePaul/Minnesota matchup. DePaul goes small and Minnesota has one of the best centers in the game in Amanda Zahui B. She has had 2 triple doubles this season and back to back games of 29 rebounds and 25 rebounds. Should be fun to watch.
I'll be rooting big time for Northwestern to beat Arkansas to show how bad a pick it was by the committee. Arkansas was 17-13 and 6-10 in the SEC. And the get an at large big? Terrible.
Here is my 5-12 upset. Sorry Sherri, but Quinnipiac is going to beat Oklahoma in the first round. And if not, at least I had fun picking them.
Greensboro Region
South Carolina grabbed the No. 1 here and it's not surprise. Now, they have to do better than they did as the No. 1 seed last year.
The committee has a sense of humor, pitting them against the winner of the Syracuse/Nebraska game. If Syracuse wins, it will be a rematch of SC's fifth game of the season where they just got by Syracuse 67-63. The Orange center Day manhandled the SC bigs scoring 13 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. Ibiam and Coates were scoreless. I'm sure SU believes they can win this game.
Any game with Ohio State's Mitchell in it is worth the price of admission. She is an amazing scorer and is going to set all sorts of records. Can she lead the team to a few upsets? It's sure possible.
I'd look for Texas A&M to make a quick exit this tournament. The injury to Jordan Jones is just too much for them to overcome. Maybe not the first round, but I don't see them getting out of the second round.
Spokane Region
Maryland received this regions well deserved No. 1 seed and they have a real interesting No. 2 in Tennessee.
Would it have been too difficult to move Tennessee to the Albany region to play UConn and have Kentucky in Spokane? I don't see why they couldn't do that. It would have been so much more interesting.
That being said, if Tennessee can make it to the final foul, they will probably face UConn. So, can they do it? They'd have to beat Oregon State....again....they played earlier this season. I'm not sure they can. But before that, looks who is waiting for them in a possible 2nd round matchup? Chattanooga, who at 29-3, already beat Tennessee this season, 67-63. I'm sure the Lady Vol fans are none too happy about that.
Pitt? They made the tourney? They lost to EVERY ranked team they played except the blowout of UNC earlier in the season 84-59. Come one, committee, don't you need more than one good win??
In Durham on Friday, Tulane takes on Mississippi State, one of the "better" SEC teams. Another game where I will be rooting big time for the AAC team. Their resume isn't the greatest, but they did beat tourney teams Miami and LSU. And they lost 5 games to UConn and USF while winning 22.
How disappointing that one of either Princeton or Green Bay will be gone after the first round. First of all, giving an undefeated team, the ONLY undefeated team in the tourney an 8 seed just seems wrong. But matching them up with another Mid-Major type team is really poor form.
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NEWS LINKS
UConn Women Open NCAA Play Saturday Against St. Francis (N.Y.) Hartford Courant
UConn women's tickets on sale Tuesday Greenwich Times
Huskies, Irish, Terps, Gamecocks earn women's No.1 seeds Doug Feinberg
UConn's Chris Dailey not a typical assistant coach Pat Eaton-Rob
UConn earns No. 1 overall seed in women's NCAA Tournament WHIO
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NCAA Women's Basketball News
Links from around the world of WCBB
Tulane women's basketball earns first NCAA tournament bid since 2010
Duke and UNC get No. 4 seeds in NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament
UConn Women Open NCAA Play Saturday Against St. Francis (N.Y.) Hartford Courant
UConn women's tickets on sale Tuesday Greenwich Times
Huskies, Irish, Terps, Gamecocks earn women's No.1 seeds Doug Feinberg
UConn's Chris Dailey not a typical assistant coach Pat Eaton-Rob
UConn earns No. 1 overall seed in women's NCAA Tournament WHIO
This UConn team headed to NCAA Roger Cleaveland
UConn top seed in Albany, opens with St. Francis Carl Adamac
Ticket Info For UConn NCAA Games John Altavilla
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NCAA Women's Basketball News
Links from around the world of WCBB
Tulane women's basketball earns first NCAA tournament bid since 2010
Duke and UNC get No. 4 seeds in NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament
WSU women's basketball team to face Cal. in first-round of NCAA Tourney
BYU women to play Louisville in first round of NCAA women's basketball tournament
Minnesota women seeded No. 8 in NCAA Tournament
Cal women play at Haas to open NCAA basketball tournament
Husker women headed to South Carolina for NCAA Tournament
Women’s Basketball: ISU to play Dayton in NCAA tourney
USC Women Earn No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tourney
Maryland women's basketball earns No. 1 seed in NCAA tournament
Cal State Northridge women’s basketball team to face Stanford in NCAA Tournament
Notre Dame women's basketball earns top seed in NCAA Tournament
BASKETBALL Nebraska to face Syracuse in NCAA tourney
Lady Tigers to Face USF in NCAA Opening Round
Dawn Staley ahead of NCAA tourney: 'I think our team is ready for any challenge at this point'
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BYU women to play Louisville in first round of NCAA women's basketball tournament
Minnesota women seeded No. 8 in NCAA Tournament
Cal women play at Haas to open NCAA basketball tournament
Husker women headed to South Carolina for NCAA Tournament
Women’s Basketball: ISU to play Dayton in NCAA tourney
USC Women Earn No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tourney
Maryland women's basketball earns No. 1 seed in NCAA tournament
Cal State Northridge women’s basketball team to face Stanford in NCAA Tournament
Notre Dame women's basketball earns top seed in NCAA Tournament
BASKETBALL Nebraska to face Syracuse in NCAA tourney
Lady Tigers to Face USF in NCAA Opening Round
Dawn Staley ahead of NCAA tourney: 'I think our team is ready for any challenge at this point'
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Statistical Sites
NCAA 2014 Stats
NCAA Division I basketball records thru 2013-2014
ESPN Women's Basketball Stats
Women's Basketball State
NCAA 2014 Stats
NCAA Division I basketball records thru 2013-2014
ESPN Women's Basketball Stats
Women's Basketball State
Message Boards
UConn Territory - The best UConn women's message board ever!!!
College Fans Only - WCBB board where no holds are barred
Vol Nation - Tennessee women's basketball board
ND Nation - Notre Dame women's basketball board
Rebkell - WCBB for everyone that thinks they are smarter than everyone else
Interesting Blogs
Carl Adamec's blog, SNY
John Altavilla's blog, Hartford Courant
I'm always open for suggestions. Just please reply to this blog or email me at:
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