Women’s Basketball Weekend Preview Nov 11-13
Welcome to the first week of women’s basketball action in the NCAA. The obvious questions are there. Can Connecticut regain its top form? Can Baylor make a run at glory? What about Notre Dame? Tennessee? Texas A&M? Although it is just the first week of the season, there are already some solid matchups out there to tip the madness off in November.
NO. 5 STANFORD AT NO. 24 TEXAS (8 p.m. Friday at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas)
This is the official opener for both programs and a huge test to see how two top-25 programs will fare with an early-season showdown so quick on the docket. Stanford has been strong in its two exhibition games, averaging 103 points on the way to two blowouts. Senior Lindy LaRocque and freshman Bonnie Samuelson each drained 17 points in Stanford’s 100-54 win over Vanguard. Texas topped St. Edward’s 88-61 in its exhibition as five players scored in double figures. Chassidy Fussell led the way with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
HOWARD AT NO. 1 BAYLOR (7:30 p.m. Friday at Paul J. Meyer Arena in Waco, Texas)
Brittney Griner obviously has an axe to grind. Griner is upset that Baylor didn’t reach the promised land of an NCAA championship, and if she has to spend all season destroying opponents to prove her point she’ll do it. Griner torched St. Edward’s for 26 points in a 91-30 exhibition victory, and the Bears held their two exhibition opponents to an average of 27 points per game. This is the first round of the preseason WNIT tournament, and Baylor will face another opponent yet to be determined on Sunday. Howard returns all five starters from a team that went 16-18 a year ago.
AKRON AT NO. 2 NOTRE DAME (7 p.m. Friday at Purcell Pavilion in Notre Dame, Indiana)
Notre Dame Head Coach Muffet McGraw begins her 25th season on the sidelines, and she hasn’t dropped too many season openers. In fact, her Fighting Irish are 21-3 when it comes to openers played on her watch. This is the first meeting between the schools, and this game is part of the preseason WNIT. Notre Dame easily handled Windsor (Ontario) 83-34 in an exhibition game earlier this month, with 21 points by Kayla McBride leading the way. Akron, which finished 14-16 a year ago while Notre Dame zipped to the national title game, have nine of their top 10 scorers back this season, and sophomore Hanna Lubergh’s 20 points led the way as Akron dominated Ohio Dominican 97-43 in exhibition action.
NO. 9 GEORGETOWN AT NO. 15 MARYLAND (2 p.m. Sunday at Comcast Center in College Park, Maryland)
There’s nothing like getting the athletic juices flowing than a rematch of two teams from last year’s NCAA tournament. Georgetown handled Maryland 79-57 in the second round of last year’s event. This will be the second game for Georgetown following a Friday event against Longwood, while the Terrapins are opening with Georgetown. The Hoyas opened with no exhibition games. Georgetown is 2-8 all-time against Maryland and has only won once on the road during that time, so history suggests Maryland might be ready to avenge its NCAA tournament loss eight months later.
PEPPERDINE AT NO. 3 TENNESSEE (4 p.m. Sunday at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee)
The Pat Summitt era took on a meaning of poignancy earlier this year when it was announced Summitt had the early stages of dementia. Summitt has boldly said she won’t let this get her down, and expect her to be proven correctly as the Lady Vols open 2011-12 official play. In two exhibitions against Carson-Newman and Union, Tennessee has averaged 99 points per game, and its first test against competition shouldn’t be too hard. Pepperdine is a good squad, as evidenced by its 18-12 overall record and 9-5 mark in the West Coast Conference, but balanced scoring (led by Taber Spani and Shekanna Stricklen against Union) should help Tennessee find its way to many victories.
