Jake: Stanford
Jenn: LSU
Seimone Augusts, Sylvia Fowles....enough said.
Okay, I guess I should give you some numbers and why I put them ahead of Stanford. LSU plays in the SEC against teams like Georgia, Vanderbilt and Tennessee. The SEC is one of the top 3 toughest conferences to play in every year. One could argue that they weren't tops of their game at the beginning of the nearly-a-decade but I beg to differ. Five straight Final Fours 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 (only team to accomplish this feat in this almost-a-decade) isn't enough to put them in the Top 5? Are you serious? Regular season SEC Champions in 2005, 2006 and 2008 (again, remember who plays in this conference) and Tournament Champions in 2003. SEC Tournament Runner-Ups five times during the span.
They were ranked in the Final Top Ten 4 times, advanced to at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament each year and made it to 1 additional Quarterfinal berth (not including the other 5 where they won and made it to the big dance). They were their regions #1 seed 3 of the 9 years they were in the NCAA tournament. LSU also had 3 All-Americans: Marie Ferdinand (2001), Seimone Augustus and Sylvia "Big Syl" Fowles (2007, 2008). Augustus was an All American from 2004-2006 (and I would argue deserved a 4 time nod but I guess the committee didn't see it that way). Augustus was also a two-time National Player of the Year-Wade Trophy winner (2005 & 2006). The great Nancy Lieberman is the only other player to win this award twice (Old Dominion University-1979 & 1980). That is some nice company. Top 5? I think so.
Tulsa Next WNBA Team?
Well it should be decided by the end of the month if Tulsa, Oklahoma will be the next team in the WNBA. This is the first time I've seen any mention on whether this will be a new team or a relocated team..hmmmm. Will Courtney Paris ask to be traded to Tulsa to play in front of the fans that loved her for 4 years? Will they be called the Tulsa Tornadoes? The Tulsa Tarmacs (since I sat on the tarmac for 2 hours on a flight back from New Mexico)? Hmmm, all questions to be answered as the drive for the expansion team continues!
WNBA
The Phoenix Mercury were on FIRE last night against the Indiana Fever. They shot 59% from the floor (to Fever's respectable 42%), 56% from the land-beyond-the-arc (to 22% for Fever) and 86% from the line. Fever were without Katie Douglas (injured ankle) but even if they had her in the lineup, Cappie Pondexter (Go RU!) was lights out. Pondexter dropped in 25 points, 3 boards, 4 assists and only 2 turnovers. Mercury led from the beginning and the Fever were able to get it close a few times but the Mercury went up big (by 22 points) and the Fever just couldn't chip away at it. Cappie had a nice under the basket inbounds play last night-bouncing it off of the back side of her old RU teammate, Tammy Sutton-Brown, grabbed the ball, put it up, scored and was fouled. Risky move but we are talking about Cappie here people!
Games Tonight
One game tonight: Seattle Storm @ Washington Mystics (7:00 pm)
Storm need the win since the Mercury jumped .5 game up on them. Storm are on the road for 2 games (Mystics then Lynx on Saturday) then they come home and play the Mercury next Thursday. It will be interesting to see if and when Jackson will be back this regular season. If I were them, with a playoff spot clinched, I might rest her until the playoffs start. Besides, the Storm are playing well even without her. Big game for the Mystics too as they try to separate themselves from the hot Detroit Shock.
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