Posts

Posted on

No. 21 Saint Mary’s heads into March Madness seeking 2nd straight WCC Tournament title

In the fast-changing world of college basketball, some things remain constant. Saint Mary's, the small school in San Francisco's East Bay region, keeps piling up wins at the rate that only the blue bloods of the sport can match. The Gaes (27-4) are ranked 21st in the country after winning back-to-back outright regular-season titles in the West Coast Conference and head into the conference tournament with a chance to become the first team to repeat as champions other than Gonzaga since Pepperdine in 1991-92.

Posted on

Jae’Lyn Withers has helped North Carolina regroup. Next comes Round 2 with No. 2 Duke

“Just find peace in developing and continuing to get better,” Withers said. The Tar Heels have won six straight with their best stretch of sustained play all season, giving them at least the chance to play their way onto the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble entering Saturday's visit from second-ranked rival Duke. It's been rooted in the 6-foot-9 Withers' rise, stablizing a team once teetering as it churned through guard-heavy lineups.

Posted on

I feel for Marcus Smith: Borthwick was never prepared to build team around him | Ugo Monye

Marcus’s style of play is in complete conflict with how the England head coach sees the game

I have a great deal of sympathy for Marcus Smith. I really feel for him because these past few weeks will have been really mentally tough to deal with. It’s patently obvious that his preferred position is fly-half but he has been asked to do a job for the greater good of the team and has done so willingly. You can dress it up however you like but going from starting No 10, to playing out of position, to the bench is a demotion and that will be tough to take.

Marcus would be forgiven for looking at the team that Steve Borthwick has picked to face Italy and wondering why he was never given that backing. Fin Smith has performed superbly well in the No 10 jersey and after two games there, Borthwick has surrounded him with Northampton players with five in the backline. It’s a credit to Saints, their style of play, their players and coaches, and it gives Fin the perfect framework in which to to operate. I’m not sure, though, if Borthwick ever built a team around Marcus in the same way.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Watkins scores 31 to lead No. 2 USC past Indiana 84-79 and into the Big Ten Tournament semifinals

JuJu Watkins scored 31 points, Kiki Iriafen added 21 and each grabbed 10 rebounds in their first Big Ten Tournament games, leading No. 2 Southern California to an 84-79 victory over Indiana on Friday in Indianapolis. The Trojans (27-2) have now won all three games they've played in Indiana this season and will take an eight-game winning streak into Saturday's semifinal against fifth-seeded Michigan (22-9). Yarden Garzon had 23 points to lead the Hoosiers (19-12), making five of her six baskets from 3-point range.