Blogging wimmens basketball

[badger]

Today is the day people... that we finish what the Big 12 and Baylor "disciplinarians" started. And how does Baylor prepare for the inevitable?
http://i44.tinypic.com/2ia6buh.jpg
Joke stolen from Penny Arcade (http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/12/16/). I've been holding onto this one for a special occasion :)

BEAT BAYLOR!

[edie]

nebraska up by 19 against k.state, 4.5mins left. they stayed with them for the first half. i want nebraska to stay unbeaten until OU spanks them in the final!!

BOOMER...

[badger]

Whitney?!?!?!
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/okla/sports/w-baskbl/auto_bsi_wide/4655784.jpeg
:mad:

;)

[edie]

whatchootalkinbout badger?!

[NormanPride]

Whitney's going to make craploads of money as a sports reporter. Mark it down.

[badger]

NP was extremely worried that I might have been building up bad karma before the game with things like this (http://i44.tinypic.com/2ia6buh.jpg) and not to mention that (http://i42.tinypic.com/1z39o4g.jpg) and that other thing (http://i40.tinypic.com/bf11ft.jpg).

But let's face it - no matter how many bad photoshopped insults I throw Skeletor's school's way - Baylor's Britney "Bad Karma" Griner had sooooo much bad karma built up that there was absolutely nothing to worry about. I have never wanted to beat Baylor more, and Sherri Coale and her team came through. Score one for the good guys! (girls)

Hmmm... is "Bad Karma" a better nickname than "Behemoth?" Guess it doesn't matter now, cuz we gave Griner the suspension she deserved - NO MORE BIG 12 TOURNEY FOR YOU, BEYONCE! :D

We face the Big 12's other Thug on Saturday. I will preview it before the game tomorrow and give postgame awards and notes on the Baylor game then. For now, BOOOOOOOOMER! :)

[edie]

SOOOOOOONER !!!

BEAT osu - BEAT osu - BEAT osu

so proud of the girls, we know we can beat the pokes. now we just have to go do it!

GO OU!!!

[badger]

Forgetting Baylor:

Player of the Game: Danielle Robinson with 26 points, 4 assists AND ZERO TURNOVERS. :)

Quote of the Game:

Q: Sherri, Brittney Griner hit one that was short and you guys got the rebound and you went nuts on the sideline, you made a wind mill motion and all kinds of stuff.

Sherri: I did?

Stat of the Game: Jasmine Hartman and D-Rob combined for 8 assists and ZERO TURNOVERS.

Final: OU: 59; Baylor: 54

Previewing Pokette:

If and when you watch the game at 2:30 p.m. on FSN today, instead of watching Andrea Riley on offense like always, try watching her on defense. Lo and behold, you will discover as I did last week (watching part of the game again with NP because he missed it the first time) that she will routinely let players like D-Rob run right by her uncontestedly or if someone is open for a shot, point at her instead of guard her, as if to say "YOU take her! I'M the star and can't get in foul trouble!"

In a nutshell, Andrea Riley is a fraud. She will score 25 to 30 points and she might get about 5 assists, but on defense, she'll give up just as many points as she scores on the other end. It's like she's pulling a Randy Moss and taking plays off so that she's well-rested to hog the ball on the other end. Even if you look at her offensive stats alone, in each of our two matchups with OSU this season, she has been outperformed by D-Rob (the first game) and Amanda Thompson (the second game). Not to mention, we won both of those games easily.

I have grown to hate OSU less as they lose more (and as I loathe Baylor more), but I fear the Pokettes not. There just isn't something there for them... and I think it's primarily on the defensive end.

So anyways, fabulous win over Baylor last night. We came from five down (twice) to win by five. Skeletor and her minions rely WAY too much on Behemoth/Bad Karma. It's gonna show big time in the tourney.

Sh!tty sidenote: Griner made #10 on ESPN's Top 10 plays for her 10 blocks. I did Hank Hill's "Loser!" speech at the screen throughout. :mad:

BEAT OSU!

[Salt City Sooner]

A&M hands NU their first loss 80-70, & it wasn't that close. Pretty much vintage A&M (I'm sorry to say, as they're peaking at the right time), steal and/or tightly contested missed shot for NU resulting in a ton of transition layups at the other end.

[badger]

:mad: <--- the face I'm making at everyone except Amanda Thompson right now.

Even though Riley's not really playing defense, your fans will forgive you if you start the game off 8 for 9 with 19 points.

We are down by like 11 with about 5 left in the half. Arrrrrrrrrrghhhhhh :mad:

[oumartin]

sheesh, you are negative. That Riley punk and their Cunningham girl are shooting lights out. that one three by Cunningham with a little under a minute to go was clutch.

However, our girls are up 5 with 17seconds left


er, make that 3 with 7 seconds left

[oumartin]

Sooner Women beat the thug and the Cowgirls

[silverwheels]

I was worried we were going to lose to that scrub *** team. What are they going to do in the first round of the NCAAs without Riley wildly throwing the ball in the general direction of the basket 50 times and flopping around like Colt McCoy trying to draw a foul? We may have (thankfully) just seen her last collegiate game.

[badger]

Yeah, I was very tough on Riley in the preview - consider it a little tough love for our little sister school ;)

Riley would be a good all-around player if, as the announcer pointed out, she didn't jog back on defense with the game on the line. She also took some highly questionable and off-balance shots with about 5 mins and under to go.

I was very worried the entire game, so give OSU (and yes, even Riley) tons for credit for keeping this game a lot closer than the first two we had this season, and leading OU the entire first half, except for those few moments when the game was tied (0-0 and 4-4, haha).

This was likely Riley's last game, unless Teegan steps up big time in Andrea's absence in the first round... I don't know.

OU definitely got some questionable calls go their way late, but I was really angry at some calls against us in the first half. The difference in the end was not the refs - it was the fact that OU was playing solid defense (OSU didn't have any points for about a 7-minute stretch at the end) and solid rebounding.

[badger]

Forgetting OSU:

Player of the game: Amanda Thompson (17 pts, 18 rbs). Kept many possessions alive with crazy offensive rebounding. Also led the team with 5 assists.

Stat of the game: We shot 22-for-26 on free throws, while Pokette only shot 7 for 10. If you lurk at OP, they are still blaming the refs for this loss.

Quote of the game: "We had to win games in a lot of ways this year. And that's one thing I don't think that our kids are familiar or unfamiliar with any sort of situation. And we've had to grind out a bunch of them. It would be lovely if they could all be like last Sunday was in Norman against Oklahoma State where everything goes in, every defensive possession is not so urgent. But it can't always be that way." -Sherri Coale

OSU had a 12 point lead at one point in the first half. They had several five-point leads in the second. OSU (mostly Riley) couldn't miss at one point. However, they let us back into the game by allowing us open looks on offense. Terrible defense on Pokette's part, and none of that's on the refs. And then, they started taking awful shots. Riley started 8 for 9 and finished 12 for 30. I mean... holy shizzle. I thought she was taking bad shots in the second half, but I wouldn't have thought it was that bad till seeing the stat line. As a fan after that hot OSU start, I was highly discouraged (and that post during the game probably showed it). Amanda Thompson kept us in the game. Aside from Tank, huge kudos to Coale. Sherri Coale proves once again that she isn't just some local high school coach that got dropped in this position by default by coaching the team to one of their greatest comebacks this year.

Final: OU 74, OSU 69.

Previewing Texas A&M

Coale said that she would have liked to play a non-north team in this tourney (this will be our third South opponent), but there are some positives to not being the one to knock off undefeated Nebraska:

1- Nebraska destroyed us earlier this season. The game looked worse than the UConn one and both of those were at home.

2- We've beaten A&M this season, so we know we can win this game.

3- Revenge.

OU was the heavy favorite last year with senior Paris twins leading a would-be Final Four team at almost-home Oklahoma City's Big 12 tourney. But, we weren't. Why? Those d@mn Lady Aggies beat us in an early round.

12:30 p.m. Oklahoma time on Fox Sports Net. Should be a good one. Boomer!

[badger]

baj's halftime report:

We are down 40-34 in a very physical, sloppy, whistle-happy ref game. It is beyond ugly. A&M just had a player limp off. The refs are calling everything (both teams), so the game is slow time-wise, but both teams are moving fast, leading to a LOT of turnovers... which means that the clock stops a lot for that too :(

A&M is shooting extremely well from the three-point line, so OU will need to guard that better in the second half (Coale said before going to the lockerroom that she told her guards to stop standing and move around more).

Also... "Four Foul" McFarland (better nickname TBD later) had a couple of three-point plays to counter all of A&M's threes. I think she has 8 points in the first half and has really stepped up for Abi, who had to go to the bench... foul trouble.

[oumartin]

i changed it for a bit as the game was just too hard to follow. I hate whistles anytime a girl drives the ball and throws up a shot they call a dang foul

[Collier11]

this is why it is so hard to watch womens bball, I just watched OU miss about 5 layups in a 1 minute span, pathetic

[badger]

Hold your heads up high, ladies. Both teams looked exhausted at the end. I'm sure after a little bit of rest and recovery from playing three-straight days of games, we'll be ready come tourney time.

After fouling several times to stop the clock, OU loses to A&M 74-67. :(

[JLEW1818]

what seed will we get?

[badger]

what seed will we get?

Give me a few hours to stop being a baby and I'll preview tourney seedings tonight :)

[Collier11]

3

[Salt City Sooner]

3
I'm thinking that as well, & for a team that lost Courtney, Ashley, & for all intents & purposes Whitney for the entire year, that's none too shabby of an accomplishment. Good job gals.

[oumartin]

Yes, it was a good year but they had no business losing today. They blew so many layups it made me sick.

[badger]

All right, now that I've stepped back from the ledge ;)

Forgetting the Big 12 tourney

Honorable mention: Joanna McFarland, who despite our loss, still deserves mention as an outstanding contributor. She had 14 points in 22 minutes.

Stat of the game: Three pointers. A&M out-3'd us: 8 of 14 compared with 4 of 11.

It almost makes sense that the freshman would step up this game, as anyone who's played longer in the Big 12 South knows that you only want to play A&M the obligatory twice, and if you can get away with playing once by being in the North division, it's a good reason to bail on the South division. The Laggies are painfully physical to both themselves and to others. An absolutely unenjoyable game to watch, and probably even more unenjoyable to play in. However, "Four Foul" McFarland (who actually only had 3 today, heh) is too young to realize that, so she played extremely well. Stat-wise Amanda Thompson and D-Rob had more showy numbers, but watching the game, they were drained. Absolutely no desire for this crap to continue against A&M by the second half. I'd say that winning the Big 12 tourney is reason enough to get hyped for a game, even if it's against A&M, but these seniors have already done that.

Final: OU:67, A&M: 74



Previewing Selection Monday
I am pretty sure the show is 6 p.m. Monday on ESPN. I strongly think we are a 3-seed with our wins in the tourney combined with our high RPI and SOS. Here are my predictions.

Big 12 bids: 7

Seeds:
Nebraska: 1
A&M, OU: 3
ISU, Baylor: 4
Texas, OSU: 5

#1 seeds: UConn, Stanford, Nebraska, Tennessee

They will probably not put us in the same bracket as Nebbish... my guess is the Stanford bracket. Gawd, I hate Stanford. They eliminate us every year, it seems. I'd far prefer any bracket area except theirs. I don't think this will be the Coale team that finally shuts them up, so I want to play them when we have a good chance of beating em.

[NormanPride]

I ****ing hate Stanford. :(

[badger]

btw... it turns out that we had an excuse for our poor shooting.

Click here to be mildly upset... there's also a pic of Whitney Hand, so that's why you won't be enraged completely. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20100315_92_B3_Rimsge977152)

Think that little ol' pregame adjustment was the difference in a game where we had to foul late to stop the clock, a game that we never led, but tied it up four times? Where we missed easy shots that we never do, that I was prepared to shrug off as fatigue? Where A&M swished 3's while we struggled?

:mad:arrrrrrrrrrghhhhh... oh look, there's Whitney Hand.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2010/20100315_ouwnotesp1.jpg

See? Takes the rage right away. ;)

[Sooner04]

A loose rim doesn't effect you on lay-ups.

[badger]

A loose rim doesn't effect you on lay-ups.

:mad: Why do you always have to be right?

;)

[Sooner04]

Hey, at least you could just turn the TV off. I had a seven-hour drive back home from KC after the game to think about all those blown opportunities.

[edie]

very disappointed with our play but VERY proud of the season our girls have had. as someone pointed out earlier in the thread we were picked 5th in the big 12 with a healthy whitney. great season with i hope a couple of games left!!

oh yea - we got to beat baylor again!! and the pokes for a third time!! that's AWLAYS FUN.

BOOMER.............

[C&CDean]

Hey, at least you could just turn the TV off. I had a seven-hour drive back home from KC after the game to think about all those blown opportunities.

Heh. I remember driving home from KC after the KSU boys demolished our football team in the Big-12 game in whatever the hell year that was when we went on to lose to LSU in New Orleans.

Seemed like a bedsheet was hanging from every overpass with some goober KSU **** all over it. I kept thinking back to the start of the game when we marched down the field, scored, and thought "it's in the bag." Then that little POS Sproles lit us up like a cheap firecracker.

What a depressing drive that was...

[Sooner04]

Dean,

I made THAT drive too. Ugh.

[C&CDean]

I'm getting where I pretty much hate KC.

[NormanPride]

Doesn't everyone? "Progress as promised" my ***... and what's with going in and out of city limits 20 times on one highway? I think just because some crappy bbq sauce is named after them they're all uppity...

[JLEW1818]

3 seed

[badger]

Sorry you all hate KC so much, but we South divisioners have gotta throw the North division a bone once in awhile :D

Previewing the Womens Tourney

Oklahoma (3 seed, KC bracket)
You all talk about how much we hate KC, and we end up in that region, where Nebbish is the No. 1. We face the mighty Jackrabbits of SDSU in Round 1, who defeated Summit League champ Oral Roberts University in overtime to make the tourney. Round 2 is likely Georgia Tech, who has an unimpressive ACC resume (fourth place). Unfortunately, after beating everyone at home, we have to go back to KC where we likely lose once again to Notre Dame, who we met earlier this season... our first game of the season without Whitney Hand, if I recall correctly :(

Prediction: Sweet 16

Nebraska (1 seed, KC bracket)
Nebbish is the other Big 12 team in the KC region. After Notre Dame likely beats us again, they will likely face Nebraska to determine who goes to the Final Four. I think Nebraska beats Notre Dame at their close-to-home KC location, but ultimately loses to likely Final Four opponent, Stanford.

Prediction: Final Four

Oklahoma State (4 seed, Sacramento bracket)
OSU starts where we did a few years ago - sunny Tempe, Arizona. They also start without Andrea Riley, due to her pending suspension. While I would love to say they're leaving without her, their first opponent, Chattanooga, doesn't really have much of a resume. Their next round opponent, Georgia, however, beat us WITH Whitney Hand at the beginning of the season. Bye, bye! And even if they just-so-happen to beat Georgia, Stanford will be waiting to crush them in the next round, unquestionably.

Prediction: Round 2

Texas A&M (2-seed, Sacramento bracket)
After breezing by (in the most brutal, physical way) the first round, A&M will likely face Gonzaga, who they beat earlier this year. The next round, it will be either inconsistent Xavier or S-E-C! S-E-C! Vanderbilt, either of which I think A&M is capable of pounding into the ground mercilessly. There is little doubt in my mind, however, that A&M will fall to Stanford. Gawd, I hate Stanford :mad:

Prediction: Elite 8

Iowa State (4-seed, Dayton bracket)
After two rounds at home (what luck, eh?) they immediately face UConn... and lose. I think there is little doubt that they will win at home with a big Cyclone contingent on-hand, but very little doubt that they will also lose handily to UConn, who beats every team they meet, no matter where they meet them.

Prediction: Sweet 16

Texas (6-seed, Memphis region)
Texas lost last year as a 6-seed, so UT decided to stack the deck a little in their favor by hosting a regional. Unfortunately for them, they face upstart SDSU (that's San Diego State, unlike our SDSU opponent, which is South Dakota State) in round one, who already beat perennial Big 12 killer TCU this season. Which means...

Prediction: Loss in Round 1. Again.

Baylor (4-seed, Memphis region)
After a few rounds in Berkely, Calif. that really don't scare me too much, they will face Rocky top... in Tennessee (even if it's Memphis, Tennessee on the waaaaay other side of the state, it's still Tennessee... barely. Lol). Having dealt with their own girl who can dunk, they should have no problem silencing this one-player team.

Prediction: Sweet 16

Where I will most likely be wrong: OU has a chance of beating Notre Dame, having played them once this year, they are very good at regrouping after a loss to a team and coming back with a win. Texas also has the chance of surprising us all by not sucking, but I don't foresee it. The rest I'm confortable with saying. The womens bracket, even if it's given us a 16-win-over-1-seed in the past, is far more predicatable than the men's.

Final Four: UConn, Stanford, Nebraska, Duke
Championship: UConn vs. Stanford
Champ: UConn (duh)

Gooooo Sooners! :D

PS: I want one of you guys to do your own version of this for the guys bracket for Big 12 teams.

[badger]

Whenever a thread is turning sour on a forum or posters are being angry, all you need to do is post a pic of Whitney Hand to make everything better.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2010/20100315_ouwnotesp1.jpg
Alas, the the Oklahoma goddess has not always felt like the beacon of shining light that we all adore her as. She shared her story of sobbing on Christmas break back home while her team was off traveling here. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20100318_92_B3_Whitne345633)

Did I mention our girls are awesome role models? Great story on turning a hugely depressing disappointment into a positive.

[edie]

beat the jackrabbits!! seems like a good bracket for us. hopefully the foul weather, if it actually happens, won't keep people from getting to norman on sunday. tickets are still available, although you can't have my seats!!

BOOMER.............

[badger]

Now that all of you that also picked Kansas are done gloating (or at least I am, heh), there is a game you might be interested in tuning in to tonight - OSU versus terribly overmatched opponent in the womens tourney.

Again, this team they are meeting has no quality wins on its resume and upsets are not very common on the womens bracket. At all. Ever. That 16-over-1 upset back in the late 90s? Stanford was down its top two players. Or at least that's their excuse :D

It allegedly starts at 7:11 tonight. Minus Riley, the Pokes will likely still win, but it might be in an embarrassing fashion.

Also, just a reminder, OU plays tomorrow night.

[SoonerInKCMO]

Heh. I remember driving home from KC after the KSU boys demolished our football team in the Big-12 game in whatever the hell year that was when we went on to lose to LSU in New Orleans.

Seemed like a bedsheet was hanging from every overpass with some goober KSU **** all over it. I kept thinking back to the start of the game when we marched down the field, scored, and thought "it's in the bag." Then that little POS Sproles lit us up like a cheap firecracker.

What a depressing drive that was...


Dean,

I made THAT drive too. Ugh.

At least y'all didn't have to keep living there and working with a bunch of yappy KSU alums. And most of 'em were women - so you couldn't hit 'em. :mad:

[badger]

Announcer: "And that layups brings the Cowgirls to within 17!"

Riley-less Poke State is an embarrassment to the Big 12 :mad:

EDIT: If any of you wanna watch this little live OSU meltdown, it's on ESPN2. Low-def if you're Cox/Tulsa.

[PrideTrombone]

Not that I'm any OSU fan or anything, but suspending Riley now for something she did 2 seasons ago is completely asinine.

[Collier11]

well it was for the next tournament game, its a very clear rule

[silverwheels]

Not that I'm any OSU fan or anything, but suspending Riley now for something she did 2 seasons ago is completely asinine.

It would have taken effect if OSU had actually made the tournament last year, but they didn't.

[badger]

It would have taken effect if OSU had actually made the tournament last year, but they didn't.

They've said about a million times that the NCAA didn't have the jurisdiction to suspend her for the NIT, so she played last year. The broadcast has like a Riley cam thing going on, showing her in the stands (not allowed to sit with the team, not sure if that is an NCAA ruling or a Budke ruling).

OSU now up by one with about 3 mins left. I still stand by my earlier prediction that OSU will win, but they sure embarrassed themselves in the first half.

[silverwheels]

OSU constantly embarrasses themselves anyway.

[badger]

The women's bracket can be incredibly predictable. There were absolutely no lower seeds that won Saturday. The best chance of an upset was Pokette, but after being down by about 17 in the first half, they came back to win. Baylor also won. The other five Big 12 teams (including us!) play today.

A blanket of snow several inches thick covers Tulsa right now, so unfortunately I have to ditch my plans to visit Norman for the game :( Also, my dogs totally ate most of the sunflower seeds intended for the starving birds who can't find food in all this snow and have been whining at me ever since, so I probably shouldn't leave them behind :rolleyes:

Boomer Sooner anyway :)

[edie]

BOOMER..................

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...............

BEAT THE JACKRABBITS!!!! Mike Morgan says travel is discouraged... get your butts in the car and drive to norman tonight and watch the girls BEAT THE JACKRABBITS!!

[tommieharris91]

Texas was upset on their own court. That's always good.

[SoonerDood]

Texas was upset on their own court. That's always good.

Time for the Cows to come home!:texan:

[Collier11]

OU up 36-25 with about 4 min left in 1st half

[Collier11]

btw, Gtech was upset so OU will play an 11 seed if we hold on for the win. Making it to the sweet 16 this season would be awesome

[Collier11]

41-26 now

[Collier11]

OU up 44-31 at the half

[Collier11]

52-38

[Collier11]

OU up 9 with 4 min left

[Collier11]

in typical OU womens fashion we have back to back bad turnovers and are only up 7 with 3 1/1 left

[Collier11]

OU up 7 and probably gonna hold on but we shoulda put this team away a long time ago

[Collier11]

only in womens basketball do you see a missed layup by one team followed by a layup that is shot over the backboard by the other team, geez

[Collier11]

OU wins 68-57 and will face upset winner Ark LR.

[SoonerDood]

Gonna have to play a lot better.

[silverwheels]

I was sitting 12 rows up from the bench, so a group of former Sooners came down the stairs by my seat to get to theirs. Krista Sanchez is still ridiculously hot.

[bri]

Oh god yes she is. I was over in LN8 and could see the hotness shimmering like asphalt in the summer.

[Collier11]

she has been doing p90x, ahhh yea

[...sooner]

i met her once. she was SUPER nice.

[badger]

Texas (6-seed, Memphis region)
Texas lost last year as a 6-seed, so UT decided to stack the deck a little in their favor by hosting a regional. Unfortunately for them, they face upstart SDSU (that's San Diego State, unlike our SDSU opponent, which is South Dakota State) in round one, who already beat perennial Big 12 killer TCU this season. Which means...

Prediction: Loss in Round 1. Again.


I called it! :D

I was giggling at UT's home attendance till I saw ours. The recap on SS.com (http://www.soonersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/032210aaa.html) kind of trashes us all for not showing up last night, noting that the tourney attendance was less than our season average and about half the size of our season finale against Pokette. I guess they forgot that Oklahoma was covered in a blanket of snow when they called us out for not showing up?

In any event, SDSU... one beat Texas, one got beat by us... but as Sherri Coale clearly showed during the game, chewing out Carlee for celebrating after Ny hit a 3 in the first half (it was downright scary, it was), this is no celebrating matter. We looked bad in victory. SDSU actually outscored us in the second half and with better coaching, they might have been able to manage their last 47 seconds better to cut the lead closer, and given a few more rebounds and turnovers, SDSU could have upset us.

But, they didn't :)

CP3-memorial free throw award: None.
The team shot 10 for 11. Not too shabby. I wish we shot more. Four of them were at the end of the game when SDSU started fouling.

Turnover queen: Amanda Thompson (4)
D-Rob also had four, but also had 8 assists. Amanda only had 3 assists.

Foul happy: None
Nobody had more than 3. They weren't calling too many last night.

Player of the game: Team award
ESPN2 gave it to Amanda for her double-double (11 pts, 15 rbs), but down the stretch, it was clearly a team effort to get steals (Ny and D), hit 3's (Ny hit 3 of our 4) get rebounds (Amanda had about half of ours), hit our own shots after SDSU hits threes (four players in double digits), hit clutch free throws in the final seconds (Froshie McFarland hit both with less than a minute)

Tomorrow, we face Arkansas-Little Rock, who upset Georgia Tech. Based on ESPN's recap (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=300800059), it looks like we're looking at another Ole Miss from a few years ago - speedy with the chance to out-run our questionable depth. Definitely not a gimmie, but I will stand by my original prediction, that we are going to win this game.

Final: OU 68, SDSU 57

PS: The game the preceded ours here in Tulsa was UW-Green Bay's victory over Virginia. Having attended a few summer camps at that school, I'm very happy for them. I rewinded the final moments a few times (Virginia's coach was demanding a foul, but saying very clearing "That's BULLSH!T!" to the ref, who very clearly had to end the game - with 0.02 seconds left, you cannot catch and shoot, even on a pass across the court). UWGB did foul the Virginia girl (was very worried they'd call it), but clearly, a catch-and-shoot instead of a tip. Yay, fighting Phoenix! :D

[Sooner04]

If I were coaching against our Sooners my team would not run one single second of man-to-man. The second half last night was BRUTAL.

Oh well. Survive and advance.

[badger]

Wow, Colly - I just noticed all of your game updates from last nite - I would have joined you, but NP was on the computer doing some "choose your own adventure" anime thing during the game.

I would say that us playing an 11-seed is a good thing, except we just had trouble with a 14-seed. Postgame interview with Coale (lol at Amanda Thompson for waiting a few seconds next to the interviewer to get to her, then bolting to join her team for the OU Chant, thus missing her chance at her national television interview) said it all - the first rounds are always tough. Everyone comes out fired up for the tourney, just like all of our failed mens brackets.

Lol at you all for bringing up Krista Sanchez again. Remember this thread (http://www.soonerfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64949) from a few years ago? Stacey Dales is now sans-Schumann, but it was quite the debate :D

If you google Krista Sanchez, that's the first thing that comes up, btw :D

http://i44.tinypic.com/292wavr.jpg

I don't think she ever started (except maybe Senior Night) and she didn't play very much, but wow she had a HUGE fanbase :D

[oumartin]

Yeah, the girls couldn't hit anything from outside last night when SDSU went zone on them and that trap they were throwing at us was very effective. Seems the girls got away with a few traveling violations to get away from those traps.

Krista Sanchez is without question the hottest OU bball player I ever recall.
I still thin Carly is super cute and Whitney is getting better with age

[badger]

Before next season, I'll have to do a poll (when I finally get around to renewing my subscription, haha) on who the hottest OU womens basketball player/coach is of all time. One that hasn't been mentioned yet is Chelsi Welch, who one of my friends from college absolutely adored. When we used to make signs for games, I made him an "I love you Chelsi" sign, which he held over his head and yelled over to her before games. She would half-embarrassed smile and wave. Her teammates probably gave her so much crap about that boy with that sign :D

[Sooner04]

Wow, Colly - I just noticed all of your game updates from last nite - I would have joined you, but NP was on the computer doing some "choose your own adventure" anime thing during the game.
You two have an odd marriage.

[badger]

You two have an odd marriage.

:D

[Collier11]

everyone remembers the old stories about Sanchez I hope :D

[silverwheels]

Chelsi was there last night, too. She is pretty cute.

[badger]

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/okla/sports/w-baskbl/auto_bsi_wide/4738305.jpeg
Sherri Coale knows how to recruit em :D

[badger]

Also, just a sidenote - the era of Andrea Riley at OSU is over, and it's her own d@mn fault.

A glance at this little OP.com meltdown (http://www.orangepower.com/showthread.php?t=91708&page=7) from last night's embarrassment says it all, but if you'd rather avoid that site, here's a news link. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OSU/article.aspx?subjectid=93&articleid=20100323_93_B1_Oklaho437372)

Basically, leading up to this game, Riley's learned her lesson. She's humbled and grateful for her teammates and coaches who were able to give her one more opportunity to wear the OSU uniform, because without them, they wouldn't have made the second round.

As it turns out, she learned nothing at all. Her pouty face returned on several occasions, but most appalling to Pokette fans was the fact that she waved off teammates in the final 15-ish seconds to dribble between her legs and thump her chest a little with a tie game. Forget calling a timeout to set up a play (OSU had several left). Forget her teammates. This was Andrea Riley's time and her time alone.

Bonk! Into overtime.

At the end of overtime, Teegan (chick who elbowed Carlee for no reason) fouled out, so the game seemed lost. But, a few Georgia missed free throws and a quick rebound by OSU meant that Pokette had a chance to tie it. Down three, about five seconds left, Riley once again demands the ball for the last shot... and takes a long three at least a second early. Bonk! Game over.

What a fitting end. A&M also lost last night in Spokane to Gonzaga (isn't that school from Washington?) I'll preview our own game later today.

[NormanPride]

You two have an odd marriage.

www.katawashoujo.com

AND I WAS WATCHING THE GAME TOO, DANGIT.

The refs seemed like they were letting the guards play, and SDSU was better than I expected. It was an okay win, especially considering we're not an out-athlete-you kind of team. There was some beautiful execution on O, and I liked the low(er) number of turnovers.

[badger]

I have tried finding a video of that last-in-regulation embarrassment that Riley did, but alas, no avail. Since this is an OU blog and not OSU, forgetting them and also...

Forgetting Jackrabbit State

Pesky mid-majors are so dangerous to big-name programs like Oklahoma (yay, we're a legit big-name program now! Thank you again, Sherri and all of her players through the years). Not only do they have nothing to lose entering the tourney, since expectations are so low, but they can expose flaws that other big conference programs overlooked during the season.

In our case, our big flaw is letting other teams shoot open 3's. We saw it with Riley (d@mn, I really said I was gonna forget them... well, POOF! gone now. NO more mentions of that school or their players!) earlier this season several times. Now, we saw it with South Dakota State. With few fouls called either way, we had to take more shots and force more turnovers to combat their threes, since we weren't hitting our own (Our team made 4 total, 3 from Ny). We also did not dominate the boards like we always do. Weird, eh?

Previewing Arkansas-Little Rock

Who?! I have no idea, so here's a pic of Sherri Coale.
http://snsimages.tribune.com/media/photo/2010-03/52875141.jpg

They are apparently in their tourney under their current coach, who took them to the WNIT in past few seasons. They were an at-large (lost in the Sun Belt tourney to Middle Tennessee) that was so skeptical about their chances of an at-large bid that they didn't even have a watch party on Selection Monday.

In other words, this tourney is such a big deal to the school that it's plastered all over the front page of their academic site (http://ualr.edu/). The last time I saw OU do that was after the 2000 national championship... and that was just a little Nike logo in the corner. The program's first-ever second round in their first-ever tourney bid? Big deal.

So... I'm really trying here people. I know nothing about them other than they are excited as all hell. They lost to Poke State earlier this year and you can view their resume here. (http://scores.espn.go.com/ncw/clubhouse?teamId=2031)

In their first game, they shot about 46 percent from three and went 17 for 26 for free throws, probably most of them near the end of the game (they ended up winning by 10). Like us, they lack depth but have some key players that will play all (or nearly all) 40 minutes.

I give up on trying to preview them. Have another picture.
http://a.espncdn.com/media/apphoto/961dc5b1-6bb3-494d-b914-bc76d4b6735b.jpg
Boomer!

[Jello Biafra]

you know the pic i want? i want the one with the players acting like they were being frisked :)

[badger]

you know the pic i want? i want the one with the players acting like they were being frisked :)

I was waiting for the perfect time to post this one.
http://a.espncdn.com/media/ncw/2004/0303/photo/a_coale_vt.jpg
Move over Captain Picard. This is the new facepalm pic.

[NormanPride]

Sherri's facepalms are awesome.

[Jello Biafra]

demmit badg! you know what picture im looking for :)...ive been searching for 2 hours now and can't find it...seems like it was about 4 years ago and had the players on the wall like the were under arrest?

[badger]

demmit badg! you know what picture im looking for :)...ive been searching for 2 hours now and can't find it...seems like it was about 4 years ago and had the players on the wall like the were under arrest?

I might, but you're only getting a "Sherri Glare" from me.
http://a.espncdn.com/media/apphoto/08ec19da-9baf-4ee6-8199-ec5d783da292.jpg

[Jello Biafra]

I might, but you're only getting a "Sherri Glare" from me.
http://a.espncdn.com/media/apphoto/08ec19da-9baf-4ee6-8199-ec5d783da292.jpg

man...

all the sudden i want milk and cookies....theres something soothing about milk and cookies

[oumartin]

R U kidding me, what a turnover fest this game is. and Sherri looks smoking hawt tonight but what up with those gawd awful pants! Show some leg Sherri and lose the bell bottom brady bunch trousers.

[Eielson]

Can Danielle Robinson play PG for both basketball teams next year?

[sooner59]

Can Danielle Robinson play PG for both basketball teams next year?

THIS!

Just got back from the game. That one ref seemed to have a hard-on for calling traveling. It was almost hard to watch there for a while, but Robinson and Olajuwan came to play. And at least our team hit a 3. Their team tried all night and never got close, hehe.

[silverwheels]

Those refs should be working in the NBA. I've never seen so many travels get called before.

[edie]

ugly? yes! a win none the less.

anyone know where to go to watch the post game press conference? i've looked all over the ncaa site and can't find anything!!

on to those pesky fighting irish!!

BOOMER..................

[badger]

Those refs should be working in the NBA. I've never seen so many travels get called before.

I absolutely detested this game by the end because of this.
http://i39.tinypic.com/syp7ki.jpg
The original is here.
(http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/12/5/)

I don't know how many times they called that, but they definitely get the award for a$$holes of the game. Other awards worth noting:

Why do we even have a 3-point line award: Both teams.
Like sooner59 said, we made a three. ONE three. Arky Little Rock tried 16 times unsuccessfully. Fortunately we only tried seven. Too many pesky traveling calls to ever get a good shot off, heh.

Turnover queen: D-Rob (6) Carlee (4), Abi (4)
D's turnovers finally exceeded her assists... probably due to stupid traveling calls, again. Her ratio was 4-to-6. Carlee had zero assists, Abi had one.

Foul happy: Amanda (4)
As much as the refs were blowing their whistle, we were lucky to only have 10 called against the team.

Gahhhh... too disgusted with the refs to name a player of the game... how bout...

Player of the game: KODI MORRISON.
The Oklahoma native walk-on sensation that's sweeping Sooner Nation! During the final minute of play, she got to experience her first March Madness and made the most of it, by getting (what I think) was her first Sooner basket. Yay, Kodi! Welcome to the team! :)

Up next is Notre Dame in Kansas City.


“A win is a win. Any game could be your last. We always strive to do our best but at the end of the day you have to grind it out and get the ‘W.’ That’s what we had to do tonight.”

Final: OU 60; UALR: 44

EDIT: I just checked SS.com and it turns out that Kodi had one other basket this year, but I think everyone agrees that this one was much more awesome, as it will be the last OU points scored in Norman this season.

[bri]

If anyone wants to follow the team to Kansas City, you've got from now until noon today to get your ticket order in.

http://www.soonersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/032310aac.html

[badger]

Just for martin:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2eq4115.jpg
Also, if you've noticed the wire versions of the recap either on SS.com or ESPN.com, you have probably noticed the billionth time Abi was referred to as Hakeem's daughter.

Have any of you seen Hakeem at any games this year? Remember how often we saw Bubba out there supporting his youngest daughters? I haven't so much as seen Hakeem interviewed on some random story about his daughter during her entire career at OU, let alone seen him in the stands at an OU game.

I wonder if Abi has a relationship with her dad. If not, it must be rather depressing and/or annoying to be labeled "Hakeem's daughter." I know her parents are divorced (I read his autobiography back in grade school), so I'm not sure.

[badger]

I really should have been updating this more this week, because there have been some outstanding stories about the team in local media, considering that they have no other teams in the state to cover now that OSU's teams are both out, poor ORU couldn't get anything for the postseason, and Tulsa... they so shoulda won that NIT first round game, even if it was on the road.

The millionth story of Sherri Coale's Sooners over coming odds here. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=203&articleid=20100328_203_B1_hrimgs665895&archive=yes)

The legacy of center apprenticeship continues with Abi teaching Four Foul McFarland the ropes here. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20100326_92_B3_Itbega613129&archive=yes)

Carlee dealing with her brother's name and other crap here (http://newsok.com/carlee-roethlisberger-has-tough-name-to-live-up-to/article/3449724?custom_click=lead_story_title).

Ny finding her shot here. (http://newsok.com/sooners-nyeshia-stevenson-just-give-her-the-ball/article/3449533?custom_click=lead_story_title)

Why D-Rob is a better OU guard than whats-his-face-that-I-no-longer-care-about-because-he-left-OU-so-bye-now here. (http://www.newsok.com/berry-tramel-too-cool-for-school-difference-between-ou-point-guards-style-is-joy-misery/article/3449193?custom_click=lead_story_title)

Remembering the Alamodome here. (http://normantranscript.com/sports/x1228172301/After-everything-Sooners-two-wins-from-returning-to-Final-Four)

Alas, I'm sad that our wimmens blogging time together may be coming to end shortly, because regardless of how well we beat Notre Dame (and we all hate Notre Dame, amirite?), we only have a max of four games left this season. When we finish our final game, I will be back for the final blog entry from me - the season-end grades for everyone, just like last season. A month or so later, as promised, I'll piece together some pictures so that you all can have a contest to see who the hottest of OU womens basketball, past or present, is, because I know a lot of guys that initially watched because of some hot girl, then continued watching because the team was good and fun to watch.

So, hopefully not for the last time, and sorry that I'm especially long-winded today, but here's the usual preview:

Forgetting Arky's Little Rock:
Quite possibly the worst game to watch in the world. Even worse than that football game at Pro Player that never happened. Absolutely nothing worth remembering, except the fact that we won. The end.

Previewing Notre Dame:
I am looking at the stat sheet again and wondering how the eff we lost to these girls by 10 points, or as whorns would say, "WON AT A NEUTRAL LOCATION BY DOUBLE DIGITS!"

But, because I am not just a stat sheet type, there is no denying that the fact that Whitney Hand and the rest of the team were beyond depressed at what just happened to her knee, they weren't playing like themselves.

So while I would like to write the loss off as a fluke, Notre Dame has only lost five times this season - and three of them were against UConn.

But, OU has a few things on Notre Dame - we have played close games the first few rounds, so we are already in that mindset. And, even though ND had three shots at UConn, none of them were as close as the one shot we had against the Huskies.

All things considered, I will go back on my previous prediction - we win. We absolutely have to win. For Whitney!
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0403/ncw_a_hand2_300.jpg
Whitney: For me!

Boomer!

[badger]

I am... so... happy :)

I feel like crying, just like Sherri Coale looked like she was about to during the postgame interview (ESPN knows they can rely on Sherri for a sure-fire interview, so they'll always talk to her at half, and know they can talk to her after a win to... yet another reason to watch!). What these girls have accomplished this season is nothing short of amazing. I'm sad that we had three games (or less) left with them. It seems like this season has gone by quickly.

Let's just give everyone an award, shall we?

Congratulate everyone award: Cloman. It seemed like after every timeout, after every big shot, Lyndsey Cloman was there to pat her teammates on the back, high five, etc. Even though she didn't play any minutes, I think she definitely helped.

Coaching award: Hand. ESPN totally picked up her voice throughout the game shouting instructions to her teammates. It was cute :)

Your turn now award: McFarland. After Abi logged 35 minutes last night, something tells me that it will be her turn to log the addition rebounds, points and minutes against Kentucky. You go, girl.

Your turn now award part two: Hart. Hasn't Ny taught you anything? Stop hesitating. Take the open shot. Just do it. It was driving me insane seeing how many open looks you passed. You passed, you passed, you passed, despite the 3's you made early on (she shot 2 for 3 for the night) Shoot the ball, Jasmine!

Defense award: Carlee. Nobody seems to work as hard on defense away from the rim as Carlee. Keep it up!

Get by with help from friends: D-Rob. In addition to another positive assists-to-turnover night (7 to 6), she had to rely on Ny to bail her out after slipping on the floor to end regulation. I'm sure she'll make up for that against UK though :)

Senior moment: Abi. 20 points and 15 rebounds would usually be good enough for player of the game, if it weren't for...

Senior moment part two: Amanda "Tank" Thompson, who continues to fight for offense and defensive boards alike, with 13 points, 11 rebounds and an additional awesome stat - five assists. She would have definitely had more points if she wasn't always finding the open shot for someone else. Another player of the game worthy performance, if it weren't for...

Senior moment part three/player of the game: Nyeshia ****ing Stevenson, who not only broke the tie in overtime by hitting a three pointer with four seconds left, but then caught the Christian Laettner attempt by Notre Dame on the other end, got fouled, and made both shots to put OU up by five. 21 points total! Cue the sad Notre Damn bench! Cue the happy OU bench! Cue the postgame victory prayer CUE THE TEAM SHOUTING THE OU CHANT!

I'm... so... happy... (tear).

Final: OU 77, ND 72

[oumartin]

Just for martin:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2eq4115.jpg
Also, if you've noticed the wire versions of the recap either on SS.com or ESPN.com, you have probably noticed the billionth time Abi was referred to as Hakeem's daughter.

Have any of you seen Hakeem at any games this year? Remember how often we saw Bubba out there supporting his youngest daughters? I haven't so much as seen Hakeem interviewed on some random story about his daughter during her entire career at OU, let alone seen him in the stands at an OU game.

I wonder if Abi has a relationship with her dad. If not, it must be rather depressing and/or annoying to be labeled "Hakeem's daughter." I know her parents are divorced (I read his autobiography back in grade school), so I'm not sure.



U R 2 Kind! :D

[SoonerJack]

Congratulate everyone award: Cloman. It seemed like after every timeout, after every big shot, Lyndsey Cloman was there to pat her teammates on the back, high five, etc. Even though she didn't play any minutes, I think she definitely helped.

I'm... so... happy... (tear).

Final: OU 77, ND 72

Is Lyndsey Cloman the super cutie that was in the black and white floral print top?

She is just straight up adorable.

[badger]

Is Lyndsey Cloman the super cutie that was in the black and white floral print top?

She is just straight up adorable.

You must be new... welcome to "Know Your OU Bench Players," by badger :D

http://i43.tinypic.com/xcn7s6.jpg

A: Kody Morrison. An in-state walk-on! A short, speedy guard who joined the roster about halfway through the season.

B: Lauren Willis. A former walk-on who has a really awesome story. Really wanted to play at OU, despite being recruited elsewhere, but no scholarship was available, so she walked on. Christmas two years ago, Sherri announced at the end of their party that she had one addition gift, but that it wasn't really a gift because "Gifts aren't earned." I will link the video sometime again because it's so awesome.

C: Lyndsey Cloman, the one who celebrates a lot :)

D: Joanna McFarland, whom I nicknamed "Four Foul" earlier this season for her ability to repeatedly get four fouls, no more, no less. She must have heard about this, because I can't remember the last time she's had four fouls, heh.

E: Abi Olajuwon. You've probably heard of her father, Hakeem, but in case you haven't, the ESPN2 crew will remind you constantly.

F: Whitney Hand, who torn her ACL earlier this season (before the previous game against Notre Dame). She has actively participated with the team despite this injury and unlike other injured players, does not sit on the end of the bench (thanks for that one, ESPN2).

Long story short, I think you were referring to Whitney Hand :D

[Collier11]

Is Lyndsey Cloman the super cutie that was in the black and white floral print top?

She is just straight up adorable.

you better back off of Landrys woman

[Jello Biafra]

you better back off of Landrys woman

if i were just 20 years younger.....










well, I'd be 20 and still have no shot at her ;)

[SoonerJack]

You must be new... welcome to "Know Your OU Bench Players," by badger :D

http://i43.tinypic.com/xcn7s6.jpg

A: Kody Morrison. An in-state walk-on! A short, speedy guard who joined the roster about halfway through the season.

B: Lauren Willis. A former walk-on who has a really awesome story. Really wanted to play at OU, despite being recruited elsewhere, but no scholarship was available, so she walked on. Christmas two years ago, Sherri announced at the end of their party that she had one addition gift, but that it wasn't really a gift because "Gifts aren't earned." I will link the video sometime again because it's so awesome.

C: Lyndsey Cloman, the one who celebrates a lot :)

D: Joanna McFarland, whom I nicknamed "Four Foul" earlier this season for her ability to repeatedly get four fouls, no more, no less. She must have heard about this, because I can't remember the last time she's had four fouls, heh.

E: Abi Olajuwon. You've probably heard of her father, Hakeem, but in case you haven't, the ESPN2 crew will remind you constantly.

F: Whitney Hand, who torn her ACL earlier this season (before the previous game against Notre Dame). She has actively participated with the team despite this injury and unlike other injured players, does not sit on the end of the bench (thanks for that one, ESPN2).

Long story short, I think you were referring to Whitney Hand :D

Badger you are the best. And you are correct, I haven't been watching the women's team this year at all (until last night).

Ok, so Whitney Hand is the super-cutie. I totally forgot about here injury. Well she's still adorable. I will have to fire off an email to Landry to tell him to be really nice to her. :)

Can't wait for Tuesday.

[badger]

NP said it best a few weeks ago - Whitney Hand is Erin Andrews in training. Erin is getting older and they're going to stick her behind a desk soon and will need a new hot sideline reporter to make all of you boys beg for more information than the booth gives in play-by-play.

Whitney Hand is getting a tremendous amount of training at OU for this role. She did a few interviews during football games featuring different aspects of the athletic department (I remember some pool treadmill during one of those games), she's been on the sideline getting interviewed and cut to by the cameras all season long in professional attire.

It all fits. Landry Jones will have tons of competition in a few years when she succeeds in getting Erin's job, so Sooner fans, enjoy her while you can ;)

[Jello Biafra]

so you post pics for martin but not me? hrrrmph

[Sooner04]

NP said it best a few weeks ago - Whitney Hand is Erin Andrews in training.
I know Erin Andrews. Whitney Hand is no Erin Andrews.

[oumartin]

I know Erin Andrews. Whitney Hand is no Erin Andrews.


I wanted to say this a bit ago but didn't know how to say it. though I dont' know Erin Andrews cept for those nights by the keyhole.

Whitney is getting cuter by the day but that is what she is. Cute

[badger]

so you post pics for martin but not me? hrrrmph

Fiiine, have a pic just for you:
http://www.cheeseandpackers.com/uploaded_images/BearsSacked-784873.jpg

btw, a clarification: Whitney Hand is not Erin Andrews... she is Erin Andrew IN TRAINING. :D

[Jello Biafra]

http://atssportsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/packers-bears.jpg



this has the potential to go on for a loooong time...how many years we been playing each other?

[badger]

Jello, we can fight about this later in a football forum or general sports forum :D

Back to basketball bliss, aka OU womens basketball, aka goddesses of the gym... more lame nicknames TBD.

And now, it's time for some FAQ:

Q: Who do we play next?
A: Kentucky, 8 p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City. Yes, I'm sick of the late games too. Looks like another sleepless night come Tuesday, regardless of the outcome...

Q: Who do we play after Kentucky?
A: Barring a miracle, Stanford. Yes, those beyonces. I'm praying for the miracle. There's no team I want to see win a championship less.

Q: NO team?
A: Well, our other two options at this point are Baylor and UConn. I suppose I'd rather see Baylor lose more than Stanford, thanks to Griner and her punchiness.

Q: Will OU go to the Final Four?
A: Overconfidence is probably flooding a lot of Sooner minds right now, considering UK is a 5-seed, we are a 3-seed and Nebbish was crushed last night by their speed and 3's. Alas, I hope you all remember how close we were to going out in the first round to Jackrabbit State. Poor coaching on SDSU's part is the only reason that game didn't come down to the wire.

Q: You didn't answer the question.
A: Yes, OU goes to the Final Four... cautious optimism is best.

[Jello Biafra]

Jello, we can fight about this later in a football forum or general sports forum :D

Back to basketball bliss, aka OU womens basketball, aka goddesses of the gym... more lame nicknames TBD.

And now, it's time for some FAQ:

Q: Who do we play next?
A: Kentucky, 8 p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City. Yes, I'm sick of the late games too. Looks like another sleepless night come Tuesday, regardless of the outcome...

Q: Who do we play after Kentucky?
A: Barring a miracle, Stanford. Yes, those beyonces. I'm praying for the miracle. There's no team I want to see win a championship less.

Q: NO team?
A: Well, our other two options at this point are Baylor and UConn. I suppose I'd rather see Baylor lose more than Stanford, thanks to Griner and her punchiness.

Q: Will OU go to the Final Four?
A: Overconfidence is probably flooding a lot of Sooner minds right now, considering UK is a 5-seed, we are a 3-seed and Nebbish was crushed last night by their speed and 3's. Alas, I hope you all remember how close we were to going out in the first round to Jackrabbit State. Poor coaching on SDSU's part is the only reason that game didn't come down to the wire.

Q: You didn't answer the question.
A: Yes, OU goes to the Final Four... cautious optimism is best.

and still, no pics for me :(


i want stanford. seriosuly. its our turn to beat them. baylor, been there, ucon, probably not a chance in hell ANYONE beats them but if we play them, i want it to be in the NC game.

[C&CDean]

JB is a bares fan? I didn't know. Maybe I should card him or something.

[Jello Biafra]

JB is a bares fan? I didn't know. Maybe I should card him or something.

bleh :mad:

[C&CDean]

Yeah, no need to card him. He already suffers enough from following the muffins of the midway...

[Jello Biafra]

Yeah, no need to card him. He already suffers enough from following the muffins of the midway...

*sigh* first badg, now you...

[Salt City Sooner]

Baylor runs off the last 10 of the game to beat Duke. As young as that team is, methinks they're gonna be a handful over the next few seasons.

[badger]

Baylor runs off the last 10 of the game to beat Duke. As young as that team is, methinks they're gonna be a handful over the next few seasons.

Handful yes, invincible no.

Our team, sans Whitney Hand, played Baylor three times this year and won twice.

Sure she will get more experience and possibly stronger during her career at Baylor. However, I don't fear her. She doesn't do anything other than blocks well. She can't rebound, she can't hit a shot that's further than two feet from the basket (and even those she's having trouble with, haha) and if her size scares you, we get a 6'5" center in next year's incoming class.

[silverwheels]

I'll give credit to Mulkey: she stopped dressing like a trailer park skank for the NCAA tournament.

[JLEW1818]

So Stanford is out..... Huge... Or not

[JLEW1818]

IdK if I've ever seen a bigger choke than number 4 on Xavier

[JLEW1818]

Missed the one and one. Then 2 layups with nobody around, misses. Lol choke

[SicEmBaylor]

Handful yes, invincible no.

Our team, sans Whitney Hand, played Baylor three times this year and won twice.

Sure she will get more experience and possibly stronger during her career at Baylor. However, I don't fear her. She doesn't do anything other than blocks well. She can't rebound, she can't hit a shot that's further than two feet from the basket (and even those she's having trouble with, haha) and if her size scares you, we get a 6'5" center in next year's incoming class.

Can we stop with the petty insinuations regarding her gender. Enough is enough.

[Salt City Sooner]

Handful yes, invincible no.

Our team, sans Whitney Hand, played Baylor three times this year and won twice.

Sure she will get more experience and possibly stronger during her career at Baylor. However, I don't fear her. She doesn't do anything other than blocks well. She can't rebound, she can't hit a shot that's further than two feet from the basket (and even those she's having trouble with, haha) and if her size scares you, we get a 6'5" center in next year's incoming class.
Griner's only part of what I was referring to. Morgan Medlock's the only senior on their roster. They've also got one heck of a recruiting class coming in.

Oh, & Nicole Griffin's 6'6". ;)

[Sooner04]

The interview with Griner the other night on Sportscenter was frightening. I was shocked at how deep her voice was. Throw in the fact that she has no boobs......

Oh, and that poor girl from Xavier. Bless her heart....

[Sooner04]

Ack! (http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5036838&categoryid=null)

http://l.yimg.com/a/p/sp/tools/med/2010/03/ipt/1269912804.jpg

[Collier11]

The interview with Griner the other night on Sportscenter was frightening. I was shocked at how deep her voice was. Throw in the fact that she has no boobs......

Oh, and that poor girl from Xavier. Bless her heart....

There have been rumors starting about whether she is even a she, well I watched that interview...she has a legit adams apple, has a very deep voice and the facial structure of a man...hmmm

[oumartin]

Yep, there needs to be an investigation into whether or not Griner was born an actual girl cuz there is definately something odd about her. She talks like a dude, she walks like a dude, she looks like a dude. If it walks and talks like a man it must be a man.

wonder who Griner will throw a bunch at first on the Uconns team as they roll Baylor next weekend.

[SoonerJack]

So we're watching the end of the Baylor game when they were interviewing realtears Kim Mulkey and I said, "they should never interview a crying woman on tv. Even Skeletor looks worse with tears running down her face."

My wife was like "OMG! I barely even know who Skeletor is and that woman looks like him!!"

[badger]

As a chick (spoiler alert, haha) I know it can be hurtful to girls for people to accuse them of being something they're not, such as being a guy or being a lesbian. We had both of that going on back in high school and it truly was annoying (not directed at me, but at others)

I, like others here, saw that interview on ESPN2 and couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Link (http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5036838)

I'm not intending to be cruel. There just isn't something right. Even women that take steroids don't have voices that deep.

Finally, after the punch, she doesn't deserve respect. I know she served her suspension and blah blah, but her demeanor has not changed. She will punch someone in a game again before this time next year.

EDIT: Haha, so 04 already linked that video, so you can ignore my link :D

[badger]

Griner's only part of what I was referring to. Morgan Medlock's the only senior on their roster. They've also got one heck of a recruiting class coming in.

Oh, & Nicole Griffin's 6'6". ;)

Yes, you are absolutely right. I don't know where I read that she was 6'5", but I've seen reports that list her as 6'6".

Also, in case you couldn't tell from Jlew's posts, Stanford beat Xavier and are going to the final four. That leaves UConn and their poor, helpless, unfortunate and unlucky-to-be-grouped-with-them opponent, and either us or UK.

And regardless of how you feel about her gender, consider this: We, like other big-time womens basketball programs, practice against guys. We find some poor fellas on campus that love basketball that don't mind getting repeatedly beaten by girls and use them as a practice squad of sorts. Does it take away opportunities for girls to play? No, because I think any player would agree that actual games are more fun than practice if you have a good coach, so the guys are stuck in not fun practice while girls who want to play on the team get to appear in actual games.

(and right now, with only 11 players on roster including out-for-season Whitney Hand, there are more spots available for someone to walk-on)

So, we are fine either way. Good competition is good for the Big 12. Every hero needs an enemy, and we could not ask for a bigger enemy than Skeltor and her minions. The way she was barking at her minions last night, including Behemoth, was very funny. None of the players looked like they were having fun till the very end when they won, and Skeletor's anger and wrath was behind it all.

Who in the hell would want to go to Baylor? Players that chest thump (Me: EWWWWWWW!!!!) and enjoy getting berated on national television, it seems.

[badger]

f**k, man - why am I so worried about Baylor?! The only way we meet them is in the championship game and that is if they can get by UConn. HahahahahahahahahahahahaNO.

Happy Title IX Week!
Why do I say this? Well, it's not really Title IX week, if there is such a thing, but it was this week 20 years ago that the University of Oklahoma dropped their program.

Linky to Coale remembering the announcement. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=203&articleid=20100330_203_B1_KNAIYo883572)

Sherri Coale wasn't an aspiring college basketball coach, she was a Norman High School English teacher, Tennessee was the only legit women's program out there and UConn was still 10-or-so years away from setting their first insane winning streak, which I think they will break now if not already.

I'm not sure if the article I linked mentioned this, but OU was averaging 65 fans per game and losing $50,000 annually back when OU decided to call it quits... for about a week :D

And that brings us to Kentucky - another sports program that had men's basketball success that suddenly now has womens basketball success too. It's good to see more major programs taking womens basketball seriously, realizing that they can have more than one money making program and the fact that it gets em more Title IX compliant? Sweet!

There really isn't much to say about Kentucky. Much like I expected Gaaaa Tech in round 2 before Arky-Little Rock upset them, I expected Nebraska. Nebraska expected Nebraska (cue ESPN2 showing them taking notes during our Sweet 16 game against ND). Everyone, probably even Kentucky, expected Nebraska!

I've heard the Ladycats (Lady Wildcats???) described as a speedy uptempo team that takes teams out of their comfort zone and causes teams to get frazzled and confused. That's OK, because that's our gameplan. We can counter that with quality shooting, lots of foul shots (for US, not THEM plzkthx) and forcing turnovers.

We were once exposed by Ole Miss with this gameplan (CP3's sophomore year methinks). A lot of players here still remember that. It's why we recruited the D-Rob. Speed kills, and we are gonna kill Kentucky.

I hope :O

The matchup to watch will be "Tank" Thompson versus #34 Victoria Dunlap, their leading scorer and tallest starter (at 6'1", lol). I expect Tank to be on Dunlap all night for rebounds, blocks, and general harassment.

[ouleaf]

This is why I can't watch Women's Basketball. Bad Defense? Check. Point Blank, Uncontested Misses? Double Check. More Bad Defense? You betcha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ienobaWDOjM&feature=player_embedded

[badger]

If it was mens they'd be missing dunks instead of layups. :)

EDIT: And doesn't this make you excited about the possibility of beating Stanford this year? All we have to do is make it by short speedy UK tonight. pleasepleasepleaseplease

[NormanPride]

Kentucky's tallest starter is 6'1"? Wow. It will be an interesting game...

[badger]

Kentucky's tallest starter is 6'1"? Wow. It will be an interesting game...

to be fair, we only beat that by a few inches (Abi is 6'3") but other than that girl I named, all of their other starters are 5'6" to 5'1", according to SS.com.

My guess is were gonna be facing the Phoenix Suns pre-Shaq. Really fast both ways but live or die by the 3. If we can stick a hand in their face every time they're about to shoot one, we'll probably block a lot and win by 30.

pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepl easeplease :O

[oumartin]

Quick athletic teams have given Sherri teams fits in the past. I'm hoping thats not the case tonight. Pluse why have her teams been so turnover prone? those two things right there make me a little worried.

Kentucky was making everything they put up the other night so hopefully they can't be that hot two games in a row.


All that said I think it's a double digit OU win.

[ouleaf]

If it was mens they'd be missing dunks instead of layups. :) disagree

EDIT: And doesn't this make you excited about the possibility of beating Stanford this year? All we have to do is make it by short speedy UK tonight. pleasepleasepleaseplease Meh. If they do, great. Nice to see them advance, but doesn't seem to matter. UCONN will probably trounce everyone on their way to the title. .

[badger]

Leaf, we already exceeded expectations in so many ways this season. Hell, we really scared UConn earlier this year. They were behind in the second half?! omg! :D

And just like we got very little respect during the year, the disrespect continues - they named just one player an All-American on our team, and that was THIRD team. D-Rob. Congrats to her, but no love for her awesome teammates?!

Also, for those of you that hate all the late tourney games (ME!!!!) get used to it. Our potential final games are all starting 6 or later!

Tonight: 8:07 p.m. (all times Oklahoma time)
Final Four: 6 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.
Championship: 7:30 p.m.

And really, I don't mind that UConn is the unquestioned winner of the trophy at this point. I just want our team to GET a trophy! Think about it - no Big 12 regular season (Nebbish), no Big 12 conference tourney (Texas A&M). All we've been able to do thus far is cut down our own nets in Norman for the first two rounds.

We win tonite, we get our first actual trophy of the season for being Regional Champs.

:les: TROPHY, DAMMIT! I wanna TROPHY! [hairGel]

:)

[RACHEL MADDOW is my clone]

Mmmm, women's basketball, ahhhhh...

[badger]

We tamed the mildcats.
http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4475392/smile1-main_Full.jpg
I will have plenty more to say tomorrow. What a season to start this little blog thingie, no?

[SoonerInKCMO]

Yep, there needs to be an investigation into whether or not Griner was born an actual girl cuz there is definately something odd about her. She talks like a dude, she walks like a dude, she looks like a dude. If it walks and talks like a man it must be a man.


She punches like a girl though. ;)

[Eielson]

Griner is like Juwanna Mann...except bigger and manlier.

[RACHEL MADDOW is my clone]

I would like to know about the Brittany Griner story. I think she's quite an athletic, pretty girl.

[Jello Biafra]

I would like to know about the Brittany Griner story. I think she's quite an athletic, pretty girl.

you would.

[badger]

It is my goal to have you all hating Stanford as much as I do by the end of the week.

There is absolutely nothing bad to say about Kentucky, especially if you want to see Pat Summitt squirm a little more during the regular season. LSU has come and gone (thanks to a coaching issue involving dating players, ewwwwww) as have other SEC programs that have been vying to dethrone Rocky Top, but Kentucky seems to have a good coach since he apparently loves Sherri Coale (although I must question the pink heart drawn around "Kentucky" on his lockerroom white board, haha) and with the success of their men's program, perhaps their fanbase will support another good UK team. Or perhaps, it'll be another Duke :rolleyes:

Turnover queen: D-Rob (6)
She had six assists, so it can be forgiven... for now ;)

Foul happy: D-Rob (out)
This can also be forgiven, because the refs were calling the most touchie sh!tty fouls ever, including her fifth. She laughed the entire way off the court and Sherri gave her a hug, so I don't think this really warrants much worry.

Player of the game: Nyeshia ****ing Stevenson
Once again, yes. 31 points, 5 steals in 39 minutes. She must be tired. Good thing we're off till Sunday, amirite? Definitely the reason we were able to overcome an early 13-point deficit (that, and Sherri's "Let's just get on the bus and go home now" timeout speech)

Honorable mention: Carlee
I think I dropped a dozen f-bombs at the ESPN commentators for pointing out - the third game in a row - about Carlee's brother. It follows this script about:

ESPN: Just in case you're wondering, yes, Carlee's brother is Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburg Steelers quarterback. Blah blah sex scandal, blah blah stands by brother, blah blah why do we keep mentioning this in the same words every game?

Stop it, ESPN. You're so full of sh!t. The audacity you have of continuing to mention this - the audicity of you guys showing Stacey Dales after you wouldn't give her equal treatment as her male counterparts (I was giggling at the thought of Stacey giving an icy stare to an ESPN reporter asking her for an interview during the game, hehe).

More on Carlee - she has been playing extremely well on defense away from the rim. Her poise through this constant Big Ben talk has been admirable. Her play on the court has been just as good. Keep it up!

Final: OU 88, UK 68

So anyway, onto hating Stanford, and hate Stanford you will. Here is a preview of what I will toss at you this week:

You WILL hate Tara Vanderveer:
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0407/ncw_ap_stanford_coaches_300.jpg

You WILL hate the Stanford mascot:
http://www.enquirer.com/bearcats/img/photos/2001/03/032001tree.jpg

You WILL hate the Stanford band:
http://idology.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/stanford-band.jpg

Nothing short of absolute and utter hatred of Stanford will be considered a success this week.

On a side note, what a great year to start this blog thing. :D

[Boomer.....]

Carlee needs to work on her shooting.

[Jello Biafra]

[You WILL hate Tara Vanderveer:
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0407/ncw_ap_stanford_coaches_300.jpg



i wouldn't consider them brad armpitss but those dudes are kinda smoking....

i mean whats not to like? you have the dude that used to be married to the pretty woman on one end and ellen degeneregresses at the other.

[oumartin]

I'll give Carlee some private lessons!

[Collier11]

whoa, thats what got Ben into trouble

[Jello Biafra]

I'll give Carlee some private lessons!

she'd hurt you dude.

[Salt City Sooner]

I didn't necessarily mind losing to Stanford because other than Brook Icantake687459stepsandnotgetcalledfortraveling Smith, I didn't have much problem with how the games were called, & for the most part, the better team won.

The thing that I did have a MAJOR issue with, however, was when Vanderveer accused OU (& specifically Sherri for teaching her players to do it) of intentionally trying to take out one of her players (IIRC, it was Caulfield who was involved in the incident but not totally sure). I SOOO enjoyed it when the next time the 2 teams met, Sherri was sure she'd be asked about that play, & had a tape of it on hand ready to play. You could hear TV's navel pucker from the coast when somebody actually had the au-frickin-dacity to stand up to her.

[oumartin]

she'd hurt you dude.

I hope so! :D

[Jello Biafra]

I hope so! :D



lol

[badger]

Don't worry - I will be sure to include Carlee in the postseason "hottest of ou womens basketball" bracket.

[C&CDean]

Carlee might be a lot of things. Ben's sister, an OU BB player, caucasian, right handed, female, brunette, and a funny last name. However, one of the things she most certainly is not is "hott." In reality, she's kind of homely.

[NormanPride]

http://realsportsheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/carleer.jpeg

I don't know about homely... She's pretty cute!

[C&CDean]

I can't even see her cause of that grill.

I'll put it this way - she is not a pretty woman. Cute? If you say so.

[badger]

I can't even see her cause of that grill.

I'll put it this way - she is not a pretty woman. Cute? If you say so.

that pic is not a very good one. i'll post more :les: WHEN THE SEASON IS OVER [hairGel]

[...sooner]

that pic is not a very good one. i'll post more :les: WHEN THE SEASON IS OVER [hairGel]

Yes that one was NOT a good picture. i see her out at some of the same places i go & shes quite pretty. IMO

[Sooner04]

I saw Carlee at Passionberri one time after a game. Cute girl, but extremely nice. Shockingly nice, and extremely engaging. I've rooted for her ever since.

[C&CDean]

Oh I'm not knocking her in any way. I'm just saying she's not hott. She's cute...kinda...and I'm sure she's very engaging and all that groovy stuff. She has a rich brother (which is a plus I guess) but she kind of scares me every time she touches the ball, and I guess I have to gauge my OU girls hotness on girls like Stacey Dales, Krista Sanchez, and of course Sherri. It's not her fault that the measuring stick is so tall.

[badger]

You all better be back to participate in the poll when I put it up, or it will be a one-time thing ;)

[badger]

http://i39.tinypic.com/fxque1.jpg

[Collier11]

Honestly I havent been this proud of a team and surprised by a team since my Beloved Cardinals won the World Series in 06'...completely unexpected

[badger]

Awesome note from Caton Hill stationed in Afghanistan:

Link (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/tournament/2010/columns/story?columnist=voepel_mechelle&id=5045734)

I'm glad she mentioned a player I completely forgot about - Stephanie Luce. There was a time when she was a fan-favorite amongst the guys around me. She was not a starter, but everyone loved her name.

[badger]

I envy all of you in the Norman area that will be able to attend the send-off at 3:30 today.

Link (http://newsok.com/send-off-for-ou-womens-basketball-team-set-for-this-afternoon/article/3450604?custom_click=headlines_widget)

Also, for more reading than I can provide even in my lengthiest of posts here, click here (http://www.newsok.com/article/3450365)to read about the bittersweet second trip to the Final Four for returning players, click here (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20100401_92_B1_OUsDan458629) to read about how OU overcame losses from last season to this season, click here (http://normantranscript.com/ousports/x1175543634/New-ground-for-OU-women) for a preview of (I HATE) Stanford, and finally, I referenced the story of Sherri learning what her first salary as OU womens basketball coach would be on another thread, so click here (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/ncaatourney09/news/story?id=4035361) to read about it yourself :)

[NormanPride]

That was an incredible read. I have so much admiration for those in service, and even a little envy...

Also, Caton is hot. I had a big crush on her when she played. :O I got to talk to her a bit at Stacy Dales' birthday party (in 02 I believe) and she was very nice, even though I was drunk and fumbling with my words a bit.

[badger]

http://i42.tinypic.com/2427415.jpg

No fooling, we've played Stanford six times total and only won twice, both in the same season, both in Norman. Not only were our losses since those victories season-ending because they were in the tourney, they were embarrassing. Lop-sided. Not evens close. We were overmatched, even if people thought we would win 'em. If we won in 2004, we would have returned to Norman for the next two rounds, to be able to play for a Final Four berth at home.

We were never in the games and their fans were impolite spoiled wannabe Ivy leaguers that did some stupid caveman dance to our school song while chanting "It doesn't ****ing matter" during our final timeouts of the game. The difference between Baylor's Behemoth and CP3? Stanford band was mocking CP3 as she was leaving the court after the 2006 loss. Britney Griner would have turned and decked 'em. CP3 calmly walked by, not reacting to the jeering, not even acknowledging what they were doing to mock her.

[Jello Biafra]

http://i42.tinypic.com/2427415.jpg

No fooling, we've played Stanford six times total and only won twice, both in the same season, both in Norman. Not only were our losses since those victories season-ending because they were in the tourney, they were embarrassing. Lop-sided. Not evens close. We were overmatched, even if people thought we would win 'em. If we won in 2004, we would have returned to Norman for the next two rounds, to be able to play for a Final Four berth at home.

We were never in the games and their fans were impolite spoiled wannabe Ivy leaguers that did some stupid caveman dance to our school song while chanting "It doesn't ****ing matter" during our final timeouts of the game. The difference between Baylor's Behemoth and CP3? Stanford band was mocking CP3 as she was leaving the court after the 2006 loss. Britney Griner would have turned and decked 'em. CP3 calmly walked by, not reacting to the jeering, not even acknowledging what they were doing to mock her.



ok. starting to feel it now.....MORE

[Jello Biafra]

That was an incredible read. I have so much admiration for those in service, and even a little envy...

Also, Caton is hot. I had a big crush on her when she played. :O I got to talk to her a bit at Stacy Dales' birthday party (in 02 I believe) and she was very nice, even though I was drunk and fumbling with my words a bit.


reading that blog made me get kind of misty a bit. i remember those times in the sand...the lonliest feeling in the world to be honest with you. the highlight of your day is mail call and bed... missing everyone and everything you've ever known.

[NMSooner'80]

http://i42.tinypic.com/2427415.jpg

No fooling, we've played Stanford six times total and only won twice, both in the same season, both in Norman. Not only were our losses since those victories season-ending because they were in the tourney, they were embarrassing. Lop-sided. Not evens close. We were overmatched, even if people thought we would win 'em. If we won in 2004, we would have returned to Norman for the next two rounds, to be able to play for a Final Four berth at home.

We were never in the games and their fans were impolite spoiled wannabe Ivy leaguers that did some stupid caveman dance to our school song while chanting "It doesn't ****ing matter" during our final timeouts of the game. The difference between Baylor's Behemoth and CP3? Stanford band was mocking CP3 as she was leaving the court after the 2006 loss. Britney Griner would have turned and decked 'em. CP3 calmly walked by, not reacting to the jeering, not even acknowledging what they were doing to mock her.


I didn't know that, but I'm also not surprised. The Stanford folks I saw in El Paso at the Sun Bowl were obnoxious, elitist, Ivy League types. It didn't help my mood any that they were being aided and abetted by a bunch of UT-wannabes from El Paso, who were hell-bent on making the OU-Stanford football game into the Red River Rivalry II.

[badger]

I didn't know that, but I'm also not surprised. The Stanford folks I saw in El Paso at the Sun Bowl were obnoxious, elitist, Ivy League types. It didn't help my mood any that they were being aided and abetted by a bunch of UT-wannabes from El Paso, who were hell-bent on making the OU-Stanford football game into the Red River Rivalry II.

Texas fans are like cockroaches - they've spread far and wide and are seen everywhere, regardless of the game or circumstances.

If you have been following my shoddily-drawn cartoons, you may have noticed the one after the Nebraska game - part one was all of the nice Nebraska fans nice-ing us into not being able to hate them. Part two was the Texas fan that was chanting "5 and 4! 5 and 4!"

I wouldn't let NP deck him, but I hope one of you that didn't have a wifey clutching your hand to prevent violence took care of the whorn for him :D

Another true story from 2004 - the group of Sooner fans I attended the game in Tempe with were approached by someone who said he was a freshman in the Stanford band. He said it was tradition for freshmen band members to give opposing fans nachos during games, like as a goodwill gesture. Being nice Oklahoma fans, we accepted the gift and thanked him... then stared at the nachos, wondering wtf the Stanford band did to them before they gave them to us.

The hungriest member of our fan group ate them. He also ate the next nacho delivery. He is alive and well to my knowledge, so it might have just been a head game they were playing. It definitely worked.

[badger]

a shot of us leaving for San Antonio yesterday:
http://photos.newsok.com/2/showimage/899262/medium

Sooo... are you boys staring at Carlee's weird expression, or Whitney Hand's behind? Either way, there's a big burly quarterback out there who wants to kill you, so it's best that you just look away and pretend you didn't see anything.

[NormanPride]

Looks like we had some fans there to see them off!

[badger]

All right people, time for your usual booster shot of "Hatestanforditis"
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2010/0401/ncw_u_vanderveer_200.jpg

[Curly Bill]

One thing in our favor is our female coach actually looks like one. :D

[badger]

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2007/may2/gifs/title_tara.jpg
In addition to picture boosters, I also offer your quota of Hatestanforditis quotes:


"I call them a 'regular' team."

[NormanPride]

Crypt Keeper.

[Collier11]

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2007/may2/gifs/title_tara.jpg
In addition to picture boosters, I also offer your quota of Hatestanforditis quotes:

now badg, you know that quote was taken out of context...you sure you dont work for the Orlando Sentinel :D

[badger]

now badg, you know that quote was taken out of context...you sure you dont work for the Orlando Sentinel :D

You fail yesterday's lesson of hating Stanford. Let's hope you can pass by game time...

http://i44.tinypic.com/im2qf9.jpg
I haven't mentioned yet why I chose Top Dawg and the tree to feature this week. Quite simply, the best little mascot rivalry I've seen and heard about during this Renaissance of OU womens basketball. Back in the NCAA tourney game (that OU won) in 2001, I heard from upper classmen (who hated Stanford a lot even after one season) that the tree actually tied Top Dawg up. In retalliation, Top Dawg did the leg lifting motion. Anyone who has a dog knows what that means :)

In 2004, I mentioned this story to the current Top Dawg. She said she'd probably get in trouble with Joe C. if she did that, but she thought it was hilarious. Mascots are restricted to opposite corners during tourney games to avoid fights or something (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x7Yk8NNg3k), so it was unlikely to happen.

Then, the first OU timeout, our band is playing some random tune while Top Dawg dances... the Stanford tree wanders over to Top Dawg. Top Dawg immediately gets on all fours and tributes the 2001 incident. The fans applaud and we're all laughing. Top Dawg then proceeds to grab its ears and prance circles around the tree. Everyone's loving it.

...except the NCAA b!tch (every tourney site has one). She points the tree back to its corner, and Top Dawg back to its corner, but not before getting a standing ovation in Tempe... Top Dawg, not the b!tch.

We went on to lose that game. Stanford indeed is at what could be called a different level than our program. Nine Final Fours, yes, as well as two titles. However, they haven't had a title since 1992 :D

[badger]

http://i43.tinypic.com/16m9mdh.jpg
The final edition of Top Dawg and tree till after the game. No more joking around, down to business. It's put up or shut up time. Yes, we had an unbelievable season. Yes, we've accomplished so much considering our losses to graduation and injury and a few transfers. But, we've already got that. Why not go for the icing on the cake Easter Sunday? Why not shut Stanford up finally after their complete pwnage since the 2000-01 season? Why not have our postseason go the same way it went for football - FINALLY a win, and over Stanford.

Preview coming tomorrow. Beat the rush, hate Stanford now.

Boomer!

[JLEW1818]

Badger be sexy

[Eielson]

Sooo... are you boys staring at Carlee's weird expression, or Whitney Hand's behind? Either way, there's a big burly quarterback out there who wants to kill you, so it's best that you just look away and pretend you didn't see anything.

I understand the Roethlisberger part, but what about Hand?

[Collier11]

ive been checking out Whitneys behind

[Eielson]

Which is why I'm concerned about the big burly quarterback about to kill me.

[badger]

She's dating Landry. :D

[edie]

BOOMER..............

win or lose - GREAT SEASON!! proud of the girls!!

almost forgot - stanford SUCKS!

[Jacie]

About today's game:

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/preview?gid=201004040545

Oklahoma enters the Final Four with a 27-10 record.

The Sooners got here a year after graduating one of the best players in school history, Courtney Paris, and after losing its expected top player, Whitney Hand, to a knee injury five games into the season. They overcame the nation’s toughest schedule—Stanford is the only No. 1 seed they haven’t faced — and their tournament run has been boosted by the emergence of Abi Olajuwon, the daughter of Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, who worked her way into the starting lineup as a senior.

Point guard Danielle Robinson was named a third-team All-American, but that’s it for headliners. So it’s only fitting that the first thing you see walking into the OU locker room at the Alamodome is a big, handwritten sign that reads, “Talent wins games, but teammates win championships,” with the names of every player and coach surrounding the phrase.

They’re not simply happy to be here, either. They made that mistake last year, letting a 12-point halftime lead turn into a 2-point loss to Louisville.

“Last year, we settled,” Robinson said. “We know how hard it is to get here, especially back to back, so we’re just going to go out there and fight like we have for our whole season.”

Oklahoma also has its own UConn-framed, claim-to-fame: The Sooners were the only team this season other than Stanford to lead the Huskies in the second half.

The Xs and Os make this a classic matchup of size (Stanford) vs. speed (Oklahoma). Point guards Robinson and Pohlen have been going against each other since they were kids in northern California, having met in a high school championship game in 2007 and having spent last summer together on the U.S. team that won gold at the World University Games.

Stanford has won the last three meetings, but both coaches downplayed any talk of a rivalry, noting that most of their meetings were in the NCAA tournament. The last one was in San Antonio, in a Sweet 16 game in 2006.

There’s also a cool bit of ancient history: When VanDerveer coached Stanford in the Final Four for the first time, in 1990, she wore a ribbon that represented the fight to keep Oklahoma from dropping its women’s basketball program.

“Thank goodness they didn’t because look at what (coach Sherri Coale) has done and look at what a great program they have,” VanDerveer said.

As great as Coale has done, she’s the only coach at this Final Four without a national championship.

“I’m younger than the others, so write that, please,” Coale said, laughing.

Go Girls, Go!

[badger]

I don't think I could do a better job than Jacie's preview, so here's a Cliff's Notes version for those of you just joining us:

Previewing the Enemy:

If you don't hate Stanford enough from football season and past womens basketball seasons, gee tee eff oh. ;)

The rotten appel:
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/consuminginterests/blog/867278_rotten_apple.jpg
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2009/03/30/2008951790.jpg
The target for your wrath that is not targeted at any of the others listed below. Jayne Appel, Stanford's star player.

The crypt keeper:
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/1123/recruit_e_calvanmul_576.jpg
The only person that can make Skeletor look passable when juxtaposed to. Tara Vanderveer (the one in the middle - the left is Duke's coach, Skeletor's to the right), who in the past accused OU of purposely injuring their star player, who has had Sherri's number more than Iowa State in the past 10 years. If you're just joining us, that's saying something. Any who look directly at her will turn to stone, or a pillar of salt.

The nerd herd:
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/The_Tree.JPG
The tree is a student-crafted mascot costume that really doesn't do much except distract. The band is a bunch of attention whorns who really doesn't do much except annoy. Together, an annoying distraction. Avoid.

The verdict:
If you don't hate them like I do, you will by the end of the game. It really doesn't take much to despise Stanford.

The prediction:
You probably don't believe me. You probably think that Stanford's rep is based on rumors, bias and legend. You probably think that in a non-major sport like women's anything, basketball included, that a fanbase and team can't be worthy of getting upset over in collegiate sports.

I once thought like you do. I got my pic taken with the tree in 2002 after Colorado ousted them in the Sweet 16 in Boise. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. NEVER. AGAIN.

[oumartin]

That has got to be the worst court I have ever seen. I changed the damn channel. I'll keep tabs

[Newbomb Turk]

That has got to be the worst court I have ever seen. I changed the damn channel. I'll keep tabs

no ****.

this is the final 4 - wtf, San Antonio?

[btk108]

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2007/may2/gifs/title_tara.jpg


That's no woman...that's a MAN, baybeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Oh I'm not knocking her in any way. I'm just saying she's not hott. She's cute...kinda...and I'm sure she's very engaging and all that groovy stuff. She has a rich brother (which is a plus I guess) but she kind of scares me every time she touches the ball, and I guess I have to gauge my OU girls hotness on girls like Stacey Dales, Krista Sanchez, and of course Sherri. It's not her fault that the measuring stick is so tall.Don't forget Erin Higgins!

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

http://i42.tinypic.com/2427415.jpg

No fooling, we've played Stanford six times total and only won twice, both in the same season, both in Norman. Not only were our losses since those victories season-ending because they were in the tourney, they were embarrassing. Lop-sided. Not evens close. We were overmatched, even if people thought we would win 'em. If we won in 2004, we would have returned to Norman for the next two rounds, to be able to play for a Final Four berth at home.

We were never in the games and their fans were impolite spoiled wannabe Ivy leaguers that did some stupid caveman dance to our school song while chanting "It doesn't ****ing matter" during our final timeouts of the game. The difference between Baylor's Behemoth and CP3? Stanford band was mocking CP3 as she was leaving the court after the 2006 loss. Britney Griner would have turned and decked 'em. CP3 calmly walked by, not reacting to the jeering, not even acknowledging what they were doing to mock her.FWIW, Britney Griner is a true Baritone.

[badger]

The final installment:
http://i42.tinypic.com/2rroq5v.jpg
This has been a fun season blogging with you all and I am proud of our team, even if we couldn't kill the tree with a basketball tonight. I will be back one last time for final season grades later this week.

Boomer Sooner anyway :)

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

IDID NOT KNOW that you were a cartoonist, Badger. How long have you been doing that?

[badger]

IDID NOT KNOW that you were a cartoonist, Badger. How long have you been doing that?

Only on special occasions. They are extremely shoddy, so I don't ever have to worry about anyone ever wanting to steal my work :D

[Chuck Bao]

Your cartoons are incredible, Badg. I love them and I think they deserve a wider audience.

[edie]

BOOMER............

proud of our team and our coach!!

[Bourbon St Sooner]

Good job on the cartoons badg. I knew there was a reason to like forest fires.

[badger]

SS.com doesn't have the cumulative stats up yet including last night's game, so I'll wait on the final season grades for the shock of not pulling it off to settle. I'm totally Oscar the Grouch this morning :P

I went back and tallied up the "player of the game" awards, which used to just be "player of the week" awards, which sometimes I was so WTF at the time that I awarded them to random players. Anyways...

1- I didn't honor Abi enough. I'm sorry, Abi. You're really awesome and I should have let everyone know more.
2- I honored Carlee more than Danielle Robinson. Granted, that was usually as an "honorable mention" for either actually shooting and making shots more or for defensive efforts, but still, weird.
3- The other two seniors had the same number of PoW/PoG honorees at the end of the regular season. And then, I didn't choose PoG's for the Big 12 tourney games, but did for the NCAA tourney games, even if a few of the games I gave "team" honors and Kodi Morrison honors, haha. And THAT, people, is what gave one senior an unfair advantage in the final tally, because I think we all know that between Amanda and Ny, one had a good Big 12 tourney, one had a good NCAA tourney.

... so anyway, I'll include that in the season-end grades, acknowledging that I really wasn't consistent to begin with. I get an F. :(

[NormanPride]

Third best team in the nation, IMO. That's an amazing accomplishment, and all the girls should be extremely happy with their performances this year!

No rest for the wicked, though. We've seen the top and it's within reach. We've just got to work a little harder to make it there!

[badger]

Till the final stats are in, here's an interestin article on OU womens basketball recruiting.

Link! (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/basketball/womens/news/story?id=5050890)

Also, when you're through playing with matches around trees and throwing pebbles at Cardinals (scuze me - CARDINAL, singular, gaaahhhh), here are some articles on the game yesterday - follow the links to see pics as well.

At newsok.com, a general article about the game here, (http://newsok.com/sooners-magical-run-comes-to-end-with-loss-to-stanford/article/3451407?custom_click=lead_story_title), a column on how Hand could have helped here (http://newsok.com/article/3451511), a column on how close-knit the group is here (http://newsok.com/article/3451522), and a note on Hakeem finally watching is daughter play here. (http://newsok.com/article/3451523)

I take back anything I previously said questioning why Hakeem never showed up to games. It seems he and Abi have a good relationship. However, for future celebs in the crowd, the autograph seekers will leave you alone for the most part if you're a regular like them. You'll get hounded if they think you'll never show up to a game again. :)

At tulsaworld.com, a recap of the game here (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20100405_92_B1_Olhmal513354), a column on how Stanford out-sized us here (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=203&articleid=20100405_203_B1_OUsAbi832371), an in-depth look at stats (like rebounding and shooting woes, argh) here (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20100405_92_B7_OUsDan136829).

If you're time crunched, I recommend the DOK's Hakeem thing and the TW's stat glance.

[starrca23]

A great season. Thank you SC and team!

[badger]

And now, the final curtain:

#1: Nyeshia Stevenson
Role: Big-shot taker and maker
Grade: A+ (Last year: C)
Summary: Started all 38 games, leading the team average of minutes per game. Led the team in three-point percentage (although Whitney Hand technically had a higher percentage in her games) and definitely hit the shots that mattered.

#10 Carlee Roethlisberger
Role: Defensive guru and long distance shooter
Grade: C+ (Last year: C)
Summary: Carlee started off as a shooter, but found herself getting nearly to players on defense and nearer to the backboard for rebounds as her shots started to stop falling. Gained a starting spot after Whitney went down, lost it to a younger player when her shot stopped going down, Carlee still had the fourth-highest minutes per game average on the team (not including Whitney of course). She has much to work on in her offseason defining her role again, whether it is to be a shooter, or to be the best d@mn defender on the court.

#13 Danielle Robinson
Role: Speedy ball thief, passer and dribble driver
Grade: A (Last year: B+)
Summary: One reason Sooner fans have hope that our Final Four streak may continue is good ol' D-Rob, the junior guard who led our offense. She will get a "plus" behind her "A" when she stops turning over the ball so much, which she got better at by the end of the season. Despite leading the team in TOs, she also BY FAR led the team in assists, free throw percentage, and points per game while starting all 38 games. This offseason, my guess is she will try to become an even bigger scoring threat by upping her outside shots and passing accuracy.

#14: Lauren Willis
Role: Team motivator, feel-good story provider
Grade: C (Last year: inc)
Summary: You might have noticed it for a sec - when we were down by double digits and the game seemed outta hand against Satanford, Sherri put in Lauren and the game was suddenly getting closer. The feel-good story of her Christmas scholarship is now more than a year old, but she really seems to have the ability to get her teammates to play harder, either from the bench or from getting on the court. Hopefully, she will get more minutes and get into more games in the next season.

#21 Amanda Thompson
Role: Rebounding fanatic, midrange jump shooter, bully killer
Grade: A+ (Last year: B)
Summary: Does she really have to graduate? Was the only one to average more than 10 rebounds per game, was second in assists (and turnovers, argh) while starting all 38 games while hitting 30 percent of 3's and 80 percent of her free's. Seriously - can we Jason White her and get her a sixth year of eligibility (after her fifth, hehe)?

#25 Whitney Hand
Role: Sideline Sooner, laugher at Sherri Coale's jokes, coach-in-training
Grade: A+ (Last year: A+)
Summary: Get well. Any time Landry decides to slack off on his QB training, slap him and say "dammit, I haven't been able to walk or run for months and you don't wanna do either?!" Even in her five games, she led the team in 3's and logged fourth-most minutes. If the NCAA doesn't give you a medical redshirt, get David Boren involved.

#31: Kodi Morrison
Role: Walk-on who runs a lot in practice and games
Grade: inc.
Summary: So, she was only on the roster half the season. So, she played in as many games as Whitney Hand. Ummm... I can't think of a way to end that thought. Contribute more! J/k welcome to the team.

#34 Abi Olajuwon
Role: Post pro, whistle's friend, senior outta the shadow
Grade: A- (Last year: C+)
Summary: Abi didn't log as many minutes as the other regular starters, but still averaged 10 and 7 (pts/rbs) while having the second-most foul shots (and fouling out the most) and the highest field goal percentage. It was great to see her be able to take over for the missing Paris twins after years of seeing her on the bench waiting to come in the game.

#44: Lyndsey Cloman
Role: Head high-fiver and cheerer from bench, ???
Grade: C
Summary: She only played in 21 games, but it seemed like every time I saw her, it was her wildly cheering from the bench or congratulating teammates for something. Hopefully by next season I can give a better role title to her as she logs more minutes and her TV time is from the court.

#45: Jasmine Hartman
Role: Starting job earner, hesitant shooter
Grade: B- (Last year: C)
Summary: The most frustrating thing about watching her was not the shots that she missed (even though she air balled a few of those), but the shots that she was wide open for that she did not take. As I said earlier, didn't Ny teach you ANYthing? With Ny graduated, someone will need to step into that role to help D out with running the offense and moving (and SHOOTING) the ball. I hope it's Hart. If not, look for Sherri to possibly make another starting lineup change. You don't wanna see that, do you Hart? TAKE THE SHOT.

#53: Joanna McFarland
Role: Blog starter, center tradition continuer, four-fouler
Grade: B+
Summary: Joanna was how this blog started and now part of the blog's end for me this season. Who the hell is Joanna McFarland?! She was the biggest and happiest surprise of the season and another good reason to look forward to next year for. After starting off the year logging four fouls on practically every box score, she has developed other areas of her game, such as hitting post shots (second on the team in field goal percentage) and rebounding. While she started no games this year, she played in them all and I expect her to be starting by next fall.

Coach of the Year: Sherri Coale
Why: THERE! I said it! Why honor coaches that have had sucky teams in the past that have had ONE good season? In your FACE, Nebraska! Yeah, where were YOU during the Final Four? Oh, did you lose at almost-home to the team WE BEAT BY 20 POINTS ON THE SAME COURT?! Hahaha... seriously, you guys had a good season, but Sherri Coale deserved the coaching honors this year and you stole them from her. Look for us to pay you back next season. Enjoy your conference championship trophy while you can.

Player of the Year: Nyeshia Stevenson
Why: Because I counted all of the Player of the Week/Player of the Game honors and Ny had the most! Although...

Honorable mention: Amanda Thompson
Why: I kind of slacked off during Big 12 tourney week and didn't give Amanda her kudos for saving us in those two games versus OSU and Baylor, but did count the NCAA tourney games where Ny came alive. As such, Ny had an unfair advantage and really, I didn't consistently award these honors all year long, thus...

#0: badger
Role: Blogging wimmens basketball inaugural year
Grade: F
Summary: Badger will return next season with a more consistent player honoring (and if necessary, dishonoring) system after every game, including more photos, videos and quotes, and will hopefully have another Final Four opponent to torment with crappy cartoons. If not, there is always Baylor.

Boomer! See you next season.

EDIT: I added in last season's grades from this thread here (http://www.soonerfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130522) to give you an idea of how consistent my grading is and to show how much some of these players have improved. I think my grading is consistent... although I am kind of surprised that I gave Whitney Hand an A+ last year too... then again, I think we can all agree that she was that d@mn good.

[NormanPride]

I really hope the girls read this. They need to know we love them and can't wait to see them play again!

[badger]

So I just added the grades from last season as well as a link... the grades show it, but everyone on the team, from the starters to the bench-starters improved.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I really hope the girls read this. They need to know we love them and can't wait to see them play again!Email it to Sherri, or any of the team..Send it to the Daily newpaper, if they still do that.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Badger, how many words per minute do you type?

[badger]

Badger, how many words per minute do you type?

Many.

[edie]

thanks to you badger for starting and keeping it going. sorry i missed last years thread.

BOOMER.....

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

thanks to you badger for starting and keeping it going. sorry i missed last years thread.

BOOMER.....Dittos, Dawrlin'!

[badger]

thanks to you badger for starting and keeping it going. sorry i missed last years thread.

BOOMER.....

There wasn't a thread per se last year. There were multiple threads that irked a few mens bball fans, so I did a single thread this year to keep them happy cuz let's face it, there's more mens bball fans than womens bball fans and this is technically their area of the forum.

Then, the mens team became unbearable to keep track of and the womens team saw unpredictable levels of success, so it just kind of exploded - again.

But the important thing is... it was kept in check for awhile. :)

[NormanPride]

baj is cruel to her keyboards. :D

[Boomer.....]

Badger after the Stanford game.

http://www.millsworks.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/writing_process.gif

[badger]

But how can I drink my Smirnoff Ice without hands or a face? :D

Oh and as the siggy says, I promised you all a contest to determine who the hottest in womens basketball is, and you'll get it next month. I'm only gonna do the 8 I've had requested over the years (top 4 are easy, bottom 4 were just mentions in passing).

OK, i'm gonna stop typing here now so I don't have to keep seeing that gif bleed everywhere :D

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Badger after the Stanford game.

http://www.millsworks.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/writing_process.gifThat is SO effin' funny! (it's been on this board before, I think, but it IS a classic)

[badger]

btw, I don't really care this year because we don't have twin first rounders (har har, i said "twin" and they really are "twin," har har... lame yes i know) but the WNBA Draft just started.

Link to Espen (http://sports.espn.go.com/wnba/news/story?id=5067014)

I will report any OU draftees, which I would not expect until the second round, truth be told. Hell, I don't even know if Amanda or Abi or Ny are interested in a pro bball career.

Yes, this is one of those things that makes womens basketball different. Most mens college ballers would love to play in the pro league, but women? Well, the pay ain't great and two of the teams moved/folded last season... token "yay tulsa" here.

[badger]

Good news after all - the Tulsa Shock took Amanda Thompson 19th overall

Linky (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=413&articleid=20100408_93_0_Oklaho332128)


She was the fourth (I think) Big 12 player taken, behind Grffin of Nebbish, OSU's Riley and some Iowa State chick.

[badger]

Final update time - follow the link I posted above if you want more info.

Ny went to Phoenix (I think Ashley Paris is there now) and Abi went to Chicago, where Courtney went after the Sacramento folding.

Not sure what to think of their chances of making a roster. I hope Tulsa gives em consideration if they don't make the teams they were drafted to.

[NormanPride]

I... might actually see a WNBA game with Amanda Thompson. She's one of my favorites.