Women's NCAA

[carlo]

Freshman Katie Lou Samuelson stepped in a game UConn had started very bad vs Tulane, trailing in double-digit and led the Huskies to a wide win, 80-40, scoring 21 pts on 6/9 FG3 (her speciality, indeed).

Kelsey Mitchell's 48 pts weren't enough for Ohio State, that lost vs Michigan State 107-105 after 3 ot. Center Jasmine Hines, a graduate student led the Spartans with 36 pts and 11 reb.

[carlo]

10 Naismith award finalists have been announced, with 2016 PoY to be named on April 4.

They are 4 seniors: Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, Tiffany Mitchell and Breanna Stewart;
3 juniors: Nina Davis, Kelsey Plum and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough;
and 3 sophomores: Kelsey Mitchell, Brianna Turner and A'Ja WIlson

UConn's Stewart is heavy favorite to become PoY for the third time.

[carlo]

Jasmine Nwajei of Wagner is currently leading the national scoring list with 29 ppg, preceeding more famous Rachel Banham, Kelsey Plum and Kelsey Mitchell.

Nwajei, a junior guard, competed for a US team at the 2015 William Jones Cup .

Another little-known athlete, Lexi Martins of Lehigh, edged injured Jillian Alleyne at the top of rebounding dept with 13.8 rpg, vs 13.6, while Baylor's Niya Johnson is well etop passer with 9.2 apg.

[carlo]

Soph guard Kelsey Mitchell scored 43 pts in Ohio State win over Rutgers, a Big Ten Tournament new record. Mitchell finished with 8/13 FG3 and was well above 50% on overall shooting accuracy.

Unranked California beat #10 Arizona State advancing to Pac-12 tournament sf. Top freshman Kristine Anigwe shined again as Golden Bears top performer with 24 pts + 11 reb, and was nearly perfect in shooting, 10/11 on FG and 4/5 on FT.

[carlo]

Oregon State won Pac-12 title beating UCLA 69-57 in the final, after a huge game from Canadian center Ruth Hamblin, 23 pts (10/14FG) and 20 reb.
Beavers are rather filled with "International" players, also fielding two more Canadians in Jamie Weisner and Kolbie Orum. Sr guard ace Weisner, who was born in the US but is from Canadian descent, already played (along with Hamblin) for Canada Sr NT and was an All.Tournament at the 2013 U19 WC. Orum also played for Canadian cadet NT. Another Beaver, Gabriella Hanson, who has dual US-Swedish citizenship, already played for Sweden's various junior NT, while soph center Marie Guelich is from Germany and has played for German junior NT as well.

[carlo]

UConn takes three ESPN awards, Breanna Stewart is 2016 PoY as expected, Katie Lou Samuelson is Freshman of the Year and Geno Auriemma Coach of the Year.

[carlo]

Somewhat surprising FoY choice KLS, though definitely improving and now a steadily starter at UConn, but Christine Anigwe and Jessica Shepard were probably better performers all along the season.

[carlo]

Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, Tiffany Mitchell and A'ja Wilson are the Naimith Trophy four finalists. All seniors, except soph Wilson.

http://naismithtrophy.com/press-release/naismith-womens-cpoy-finalists-2016/

[carlo]

Supersoph Kelsey Mitchell led Ohio State over West Virginia to reach NCAA tournament Sweet 16 with a 45-point performance, her fourth 40+ pts performance this season.

Rachel Banham scored 37 points but this wasn't enough for Minnesota that was eliminated by South Dakota in WNIT 2nd round. Banham, who scored 48 in the first round (her third 40+) ends her NCAA career at the 6th all-time place with 3093 pts.

[carlo]

Freshman star Taja Cole announced she's leaving Louisville. Cardinals have been eliminated by DePaul in the second round of NCAA tournament.

[carlo]

Four games and four upsets in NCAA tournament yesterday, that's a true March Madness!
Notre Dame and South Carolina were the major victims, but a big surprise came from Tennessee win, a team that one month ago was in really troubled waters, even risking to miss the tournament!

[carlo]

Sr guard Jamie Weisner (38 pts, her career-high) and Nina Davis (30) led Oregon State and Baylor past DePaul and Florida State advancing to Elite 8 in NCAA tournament.
Both players had excellent shooting stats, and look in top conditions. Weisner could easily be targeted in the next WNBA draft but she will probably be called for her duties with Canadian Sr NT (together with teammate center Ruth Hamblin). Davis, just a junior, is a really talented forward though a bit undersized for her role.

[JGX]

Isabella Slim made a shot today! Perhaps the most fascinating player in college basketball.

[carlo]

Oregon State upset Baylor 60-57 and will meet surprising Washington in the tournament's sf.
It's a Final Four composition with just one "big" (perennial favorite UConn).

[carlo]

Jr guard Jasmine Nwajei, the Div.I leading scorer (29.0 ppg), will transfer from Wagner College to another (undisclosed) school. It seems that her decision came after Wagner's head coach was fired. Nwajei will have to sit out the next season.