Mike Siroky’s SEC Report: Another Season is Under Way
Guru’s note: This was filed prior to Wednesday’s games, which saw No. 14 Georgia upset at unranked UCLA and in a game between tqo ranked teams, Texas A&M fell to Syracuse on neutral turf in White Plains, N.Y., where the WNBA New York Liberty were moved to play home games last summer.
By Mike Siroky
We thought we’d wait for the first real Associated Press poll of the season to start our weekly coverage of the best conference in women’s college basketball, the Southeastern.
We call it that because no other conference has its lineage.
It is the only conference which has had an entry in every NCAA tournament. It has had the No. 2 team in the nation in the past two eliminations as well as the National Champion two seasons ago.
It is the “yeah but” conference. In any discussion of women’s hoops, there is always and forever a “yeah but what did the SEC do?”
They have proven, despite a suicidal league season, the best teams generally win out.
Any team that gets through the conference unbeaten at home generally wins the league. And it has given berth to the latest greatest team, Mississippi State, which has established a national benchmark in the past four seasons.
No other conference has produced that.
With nine national championships, 12 runner-up finishes, a nation-leading 38 Final Four appearances and 132 first-team All-America honors, the SEC remains the best.
• Thirteen of the SEC coaches have led teams to the NCAA Tournament, eight with their respective SEC teams.
• Eight SEC coaches have taken their teams to the Sweet 16, six have advanced to the Elite Eight and four have gone on to the Final Four.
• Four SEC coaches have been coaches in the Final Four with two winning national championships.
• The SEC has had at least one student-athlete named as a First-Team All America selection in each of the past eight seasons.
•The SEC leads all other conferences in all-time NCAA Tournament bids: SEC (234), ACC (186), Big Ten (160), Big East (147), Big 12 (132), Pac-12 (128).
• 2018 made it the nation’s best with 11 times that seven SEC teams have been invited to the NCAA Tournament (1986, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2018).
The SEC was the first league to ever have seven teams invited. No SEC team with 20 wins has ever missed the national playdown. All the success, while daunting in league play, obviously designates a high RPI in almost every conference matchup.
• SEC teams have earned appearances in 28 of 37 NCAA Final Fours, an accomplishment unmatched by any other league. The next closest is the Big East (22) and the ACC (31).
• Five SEC teams (Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State and South Carolina) have appeared in the Final Four.
• SEC teams have made 21 appearances in a nation-high 18 NCAA Championship games, winning nine NCAA Championships (Tennessee: 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008); South Carolina 2017).
• The SEC was 12-7 in NCAA Tournament games in 2018. It is the ninth consecutive season the SEC has been .500 or better in the NCAA Tournament.
The league has been .500 or better in NCAA Tournament games, 36 out of the 37-year history.
• The SEC has had at least one team advance to the Sweet 16 in every year of NCAA Tournament history. All of the SEC’s 14 members have advanced to the Sweet 16.
• SEC teams are 19-6 (76.0 percent) in postseason opening games over the past three years.
• SEC teams have earned appearances in 28 of 37 NCAA Final Fours, an accomplishment unmatched by any other league. The next closest is the Big East with 22 (inclduing now-departed UConn and Notre Dame) and the ACC with 31.
• Seven different SEC teams (Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State and South Carolina) have appeared in the Final Four.
• SEC teams have made 21 appearances in a nation-high 18 NCAA Championship games, winning nine NCAA Championships (Tennessee: 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008); South Carolina (2017).
• The SEC was 12-7 in NCAA Tournament games in 2018. It is the ninth consecutive season the SEC has been .500 or better in the NCAA Tournament.
•The league has been .500 or better in NCAA tournaments 36 out of 37 seasons.
• There were 91 women’s basketball students earning 2017-18 SEC Academic Honor Rol, having a grade point average of 3.00 or above for the preceding academic year or a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above.
• The Women’s Basketball Leadership Council is one component of the SEC student-Athlete Leadership Council. The student-athletes who comprise the SEC Women’s Basketball Leadership Council: Jordan Lewis (Alabama); Jailyn Mason (Arkansas); Janiah McKay (Auburn); Corey Staples (Florida); Ari Henderson (Georgia); Maci Morris, Kentucky); Jaelyn Richard-Harris (LSU); Shandricka Sessom, (Ole Miss); Myah Taylor (Mississippi State); Lauren Aldridge (Missouri); Bianca Jackson, (South Carolina); Rennia Davis, (Tennessee); Ciera Johnson, (TexasA&M); Autumn Newby (Vanderbilt.
• At the start of the season, 12 women’s basketball student-athletes wear the SEC Graduate patch on their uniforms: Funda Nakkasoglu (Florida); Shandricka Sessom, La’Karis Salter, and Crystal Allen (Ole Miss) and Anriel Howard (Mississippi State) Lauren Aldridge, Missouri; Bianca Cuevas-Moore (South Carolina; Alexis Jennings (South Carolina); Cheridene Green and Lou Brown (Tennessee); Aja Ellison and Caylinne Martin (Texas A&M).
The league starts the season with players on every national honors watch list:
• Nancy Lieberman Award: Taja Cole, Georgia; Tyasha Harris, South Carolina; Evina Westbrook, Tennessee; Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M.
• Ann Meyers Drysdale Award: Maci Morris, Kentucky.
• Cheryl Miller Award: Sophie Cunningham, Missouri; Rennia Davis, Tennessee;
• Lisa Leslie Award: Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State; Mariella Fasoula, Vanderbilt.
• Katrina McClain Award: Caliya Robinson, Georgia; Anriel Howard, Mississippi State; Alexis Jennings, South Carolina.
• Wooden Award: Caliya Robinson, Georgia; Anriel Howard, Mississippi State; Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State; Sophie Cunningham, Missouri; Rennia Davis, Tennessee; Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M.
• Seven SEC players were picked in the 2018 WNBA Draft, including three in the first round.
• Over the past nine WNBA Drafts, 51 SEC players have been called. Seventeen of those were selected in the first round and six were the No. overall pick. with back-to-back Rookies of the Year.
• Five WNBA Finals MVPs are from the SEC (Sylvia Fowles: 2015, 2017; Candace Parker: 2016; Tamika Catchings: 2012; Seimone Augustus: 2011).
So here were go again. We will start with capsulation of what each team brings to the table
In succeeding weeks, we will update only the ranked teams. Three teams started the season without wins, including 0-2 Vanderbilt, the only team expecting to make a coaching change
Everyone wants to play close to home in the NCAAs. No one wants to play in Albany, N.Y. because that is where UConn will be. Chicago is a worthy Regional goal But Greensboro is the target of Regional play for the SEC champ as a top seed.
The SEC starts the season with six teams in the Top 20. That’s about right for the fullness of the season. This is the time of year when traditional (regional) games exist.
These early games are played, as much for the visiting teams to see what the big programs have as for those programs to build toward the 20-win seasons. These opponents will not likely reach an NCAA berth. But they have been on most of the schedules for quite a long time.
It also gives the SEC teams a regional tour, to attract those players in the stands who may well be on an SEC team soon.
Almost every SEC coach will try and play a game in the hometown if in-state seniors for a farewell tour.
•No. 6 Mississippi State (2-0)
By tradition, if the defending league champ is any good, it gets to start the next season as the top coaches’ pick for the conference title.
Yeah, they vote that way every time.
Not every coaches’ vote is to be taken seriously.
Last season, newbie Chennedy Carter was not even mentioned. She was the national Rookie of the Year and an All-American at season’s end.
South Carolina is close, but State picked up an impact starter from within the conference That is a good tiebreaker right now. SC returns two all-conference point guards to active duty, though.
Mainly, this is the season after.
The best coach, Vic Schaefer ended last season taking full blame for mot defending the late lead in the National Championship game.
He let a lesser team hang around and they had the last shot.
So the best Bulldog team ever had to be comforted with starting a tradition, for selling out home games in the big gym, for setting all manner of conference and individual records.
The balance is not winning the big one when they should have.
It is not unprecedented.
The Cadillac team in conference all-time is still Tennessee. The Vols lost plenty of championship games, often to the one team they could not handle in specific seasons before winning their first.
In conference, Auburn had a string of three consecutive title game appearances – including one against UT – that they did not win.
It is not a comfort to know it can happen that way.
One of the preseason breaks was the planned Italy excursions.
Pat Head started these traditions.
It allows the students to see the culture of other countries – Michelangelo was a tour stop in August. So was the Parthenon in Rome, where the team learned and practiced Roman hand-to-hand battle techniques.
Most importantly, it gives coaches time with the team in game conditions and givers newbies time with teammates.
State started with a win in Rome. Chloe Bibby patiently waited her freshman season for her script in the spotlight. She scored 11 of 18 in the second half.
Overall, it was Teaira McCown, of course, the best All-American returning, with 19 points – 14 in the opening quarters --and 10 rebounds. Jordan Danberry, a recruit who went to Arkansas first but was recaptured in her disillusionment will be in her second State season. She scored 10.
"We've come to expect double/doubles from Teaira, but Chloe is going to be a big one for us," Schaefer said. "She's going to have to shoot it well, and she's been doing that all summer.
“Chloe, Teaira and Jazzmun (Holmes) have been really consistent for us all summer."
"It was a fun game, and I thought our kids played hard," Schaefer said. "After the first quarter we settled in and just had a different energy level. I was really pleased with how hard we played from the second quarter on. It was fun to see a lot of new faces out there play so well."
Then it was off to Florence.
The biggest add this season will be 5-11 guard Anriel Howard, a starter at Texas A&M who is immediately eligible as a grad student. UConn and South Carolina were also interested.
With McCowan they were the top two rebounders in the SEC last season, with McCowan averaging 13.9 and Howard 12.2.
“We are ecstatic to be adding Anriel and her family to our program and our university community here at Mississippi State," Schaefer said. "Her experience in our conference will be not only valuable to our team, but it will enable us to use her in a leadership role on and off the floor."
A new uniform No. 1 is freshman Myah Taylor, replacing graduate Blair Schaefer, the USBWA coach of the year’s daughter.
On the forward wall will be 6-5 rookie Jessika Carter and 6-1 Xaria Wiggins.
Promise Taylor, a transfer from Ole Miss is also 6-5 and will be a valuable practice player as she sits out the mandatory season. She was an All-SEC rookie.
Also onboard is former UConn guard Andra Espinoza-Hunter. She was the New York high school Player of the year, averaging 36.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.0 steals. She scored 995 points her senior season alone.
The other senior to McCowan Is former Arkansas player and power guard Jordan Danberry.
But the biggest addition is All-SEC player Anriel Howard, immediately eligible from Texas A&M as she has graduated with a year of eligibility left. As if McCowan will not be dominating herself, Howard brings more than 1,000 rebounds from A&M (a school record) and a rebound average (another A&M record) of 9.8 per game. She was second in SEC scoring (12.2) a double/double average for two straight seasons.
Elana Lovato recruited that great graduating team and parlayed that into a top coaching job elsewhere. But she came back this season, meaning Schaefer remains the best man on campus with only female assistants.
The first wins were blowouts.
McCowan had her 40th career double/double as they opened at home, 88-53, over Southeast Missouri State. She had a career-high seven blocks. "It's always good to start the year with a win," Schaefer said. There were 6373 witnesses. Howard Taylor and Wiggns scored their first Bulldog points.
It was 72-44 at Virginia, with the first single-digit quarter stop of the season, 19-4 in the second. McCowan had 12 rebounds and 12 points, Howard had nine rebounds and Chloe Bibby had four blocks with 13 points. Espinoza-Hunter scored her first State points, 13 with five 3s.
•No. 10 South Carolina (1-0)
As this season dawns, Dawn Staley has a top team again. She has two guards with SEC experience coming off the practice squad after sitting out a season apiece and she already had a two-year point guard coming back.
The summer began to the National Player of the year, A’ja Wilson, the latest greatest to graduate into the world.
As the centerpiece of the expansion WNBA team in Las Vegas, she started every game. She was the second straight league Rookie of the Year from South Carolina.
But she also agreed to forfeit a road game because they were "tired" and it cost them a playoff spot.
She made the all-star team – scoring 18 -- of the summer league and got to play with former UConn players Brianna Stewart and Sue Bird as well as Washington’s Elena Delle Donne. She and Stewart are the likely new kids for the 2020 Games, especially with Staley coaching America then.
Alisha Gray finished her college career a year earlier, became the WNBA Rookie of the year in Dallas and then came back to campus to graduate in May of 2018.
SC led the nation in attendance for the fourth straight season, not coincidentally the Wilson career years. Tennessee was fourth nationally, about 4,500 behind SC, and Mississippi State seventh. They outdrew the WNBA teams.
SC averaged 13,239, almost 1,000 more than the previous season. The Gamecocks began work for a return to the national stage . SC did not make the Final Four a year after their National Championship, did not win conference.
Bianca Cuevas-Moore was the fastest Gamecock when she blew a knee and sat out last season.
She graduated in May and originally declared she would go elsewhere for a final season of eligibility.
Then she changed her mind again and stayed at SC, giving the Gamecocks seven guards on the 13-player roster.
She has played in 108 of the 109 games for which she was eligible, mostly off the bench.
"Bianca and I have had our ups and downs, but my love for her has never wavered," Staley said. "She is a fan favorite and a favorite of mine; and her return to our program is a reflection of her love for South Carolina, her teammates and her coaches.
“I am excited that I get to coach her for another season, and I know that Gamecock Nation is equally excited to see her back in action at Colonial Life Arena."
So to say she would be comfortable as a non-starter is acceptable.
The three-year starting point guard is Tyasha Harris, strangley overlooked by league coaches as pre-season all-conference. Also now eligible is former Tennessee point guard Te’a Cooper, also with an injury redshirt season but also forced to miss the spring season by the NCAA. She has three years of eligibility. Which means she can outlast the other two by a season.
How they do now will depend on the redeveloped forward line, led for one more season by former Kentucky player Alexis Jennings and by Wilson’s backup, junior Mikiah Herbert-Harrigan.
“Alexis can be a ball magnet for us.,” Staley said. She thinks Harris can once again be all-conference first team. A challenge she welcomes is to be the dominant team once again, even without Wilson, but with Jennings and the seven-guard sett.
“We have an incredible non-conference schedule. We may get our heads beat in even before we get to the SEC schedule. We will play more up-tempo. We have to exhaust them because the players on the bench all want to play. We have to play much more free, driven by concepts”
Another newbie is Clemson immediately eligible as a graduate student. There’s also redshirt senior Nelly Perry.
This is the new reality of Dawn Staley’s team building, with two important parts products of other teams.
Perry sat out the past season with a shoulder injury
Last year, Staley lived in the pre-conference season with a long-range shooter from Penn State whose surgically repaired knee collapsed in the conference season. She was easily all-league before the devastation.
The year before that, Gray and another player showed up as a one-and-done backcourt of transfers who won a National Championship and fled to the pros.
Nobody does it better than Staley.
Florida recruit Destani Harris signed before her senior high school season, as a traditional newcomer She is 5-8.
Elysa Wesolek, 6-2, originally committed to Western Kentucky, but stayed in state and signed with SC from Northwood Academy. The third freshman is Victaria Saxton , a 6-1 forward from Georgia, raked in the national Top 10 for frontline recruits. Any of the three could easily be the fifth starter.
Staley also won an important court battle against the goofy Missouri Athletic Director Jim Sterk.
He had commented on a kerfuffle during a game between his school and SC. He did not attend. He did not see the incident. His own coach downplayed it.
Yet jerk Sterk said Staley was at fault.
"It wasn't a great atmosphere. It was really kind of unhealthy if you will," Sterk said then. "We had players spit on and called the N-word and things like that. It was not a good environment. And unfortunately I think coach Staley promoted that kind of atmosphere, and it's unfortunate that she felt she had to do that."
Sterk, of course, backed all the way down and even as made to apologize publicly, exonerating Staley The conference reprimanded $25,000. His school must be so proud as it paid for all the fines.
The defamation suit cost another 50 grand, covering attorney’s fees and the rest going to a Staley-backed organization that supplies athletic shoes to children in need.
"The money is a non-issue, but glad we got a settlement," Staley said. "This was about my reputation and what I've built over my career and also just being my mother's child.
“I am a child in which, my mother raised me properly. If anything synonymous with anything that's negative, if it's seen in that light, it's a direct relation to what she's done in raising me and raising her four other kids, so I'm extremely happy."
They opened at home with a 59-point blowout of Alabama State.
Free at last, Cooper scored 17. Everybody played and everybody scored, including the rookies.
•No. 12 Tennessee (1-0)
Holly Warlick followed the best recruiting class in the nation with another one this season.
Zaay Green from Texas, Jazmine Massengill from Chattanooga, Rae Burrell from Las Vegas and Mimi Collins from Maryland all join the forward line. The Four rookies are in play. One of those would-be sophomores was dismissed. Green, Massengill and Collins are McDonald’s All-American.
Waiting a season while rehabbing is 6-3 graduate transfer Lou Brown from Washington State, an All-Pac 12 player. She is an Australian. She tore an ACL in October.
Two seasons ago, we said Holly’s recruitment problem then was she didn’t have Holly Warlick to recruit for Holly Warlick as Pat head had Holly Warlick to close the deals for her.
She solved hat with master recruiter Sharona Reaves and by adding Lady Vol For Life Bridgette Gordon, a UT All-American and Olympian. Now all Warlick has to do is coach the kids once again without any drama queens in the locker room
She was given a contract extension through 2022.
The Vols will work to play up to capabilities and be ready come tournament time. Their selection in the Top 12 will be validated, but they will fall and work back up.
Nothing is ever easy in Hollywoodland.
One of her best players flamed out as the previous season ended, so it was a veteran who disappeared down the stretch, coupled with the defection of a jerky All-American before the season started and Harris
They had the rare first round home loss in NCAA play. Yes, they had become of those teams who are given a Top 16 first-round hosting and then lose the second game in.
They had mercurially earned the first round by winning at South Carolina and Stanford at home and on the road against Georgia and Texas A&M. Last season, they started 15-0.
Holly’s top scorer, sophomore Rennia Davis is rehabbing a hurt left foot and is not active.
"I have a big smile on my face,” said Warlivck. “ I love this basketball team. They are very gritty, they are very competitive, and for the most part, they work hard.
“They've done a great job in practice, been very coachable. It's a really, really tight-knit group. They are tight, and we haven't had that in a long time. Again, I really love this basketball team, and I enjoy coaching them.
"We've put a lot of emphasis on our defense. We've pressed a lot more and we're pressing all over the court.
“We want to turn you over, and we want to get easy shots. The best way to do that is pressing and pressuring the ball. That is the style we want to play. We want to go up and down on offense obviously, but then we want to turn around and do that as well on the defensive end."
This season, sophomore Evina Westbrook scored 20, Burell scored 14, senior London import Cheridene Green had five 3s and Zaay Green had four as each scored 13. Then again, everyone played and everyone scored in the 128-59 wipeout of Presbyterian
There were 8194 always-loyal fans.
•No. 14 Georgia (1-0)
Joni Taylor may be the youngest coach in the league, but in three seasons she has established a foundation that means they will be in the upper echeolon of the conference.
Last season, she rebounded to second in conference, top 16 in the nation and the chance to host the first round of the NCAAs. But they did not escape Athens, ending with a thud at home in the second round.
Part of her strategy is to spread the challenge throughout the team, which means the top scorer may be at 12 points per game, but also that everyone contributes and graduating the top scorer does not leave a gaping hole on offense.
As this is her fourth season, it also means the last one with carryover players. Next season, it is all her.
Four of the ’Dawgs scorers and 70 percent of the scoring returns. Senior Caliya Robinson will be the focus, but last year’s rookie phenom Que Morrison combined with setup player Taja Cole are just as important.
Robinson is the only conference veteran in the top 20 in scoring, rebounding, blocks and steals a year ago. She is second only to Mississippi State’s Teaira McCowan from Mississippi State as a center.
Robinson was the principle basis of the “Defense Travels” mode Georgia preached last season, finishing first in the SEC in field-goal percentage defense (35.1 percent), second in blocked shots (196), second in turnovers forced (18.6 ) and second in scoring defense (57.6).
Under Taylor, Georgia is 25-0 when holding opponents to 50 points or less. The resultant 2017-18 26-7 marked Georgia’s most wins in a season since 2006-07. The Lady Bulldogs stormed out to a 12-1 start in non-conference play and then defeated three ranked SEC opponents to finish with a 12-4 league record.
The freshman class is Kaila Hubbard (Jonesboro, Ga.), Caitlin Hose (Hazel Green, Ala.) and Donnetta Johnson (Queens, NY).
Another newcomer is Jenna Staiti, the 2016 Miss Georgia Basketball and state Gatorade Player of the Year, returning home after transferring from Maryland and sitting out a year ago.
Staiti, at 6-6 brings a post presence with major conference experience. The need for a post player developed when senior Bianca Blanaru, decided to skip her final season to pursue a career in criminal justice.
Interestingly, Cole also started in the ACC, coming in from Louisville, having started 15 games there.
They opened at home, 67-40, over St. Bonaventure. A healthy 4054 attended. The 15-6 defensive shutdown in the second quarter decided it. Robinson scored 15 with nine rebounds to lead the ”Dawgs. They won rebounds, 53-37.
"Overall pleased," Tasylor said. "We got to see a lot of different lineups and matchups. I was not thrilled we gave up 20 points in the fourth quarter. That is something we have to continue to work on. ”
“When we sub we need to make sure we have the same effort on both ends of the floor. Overall, I was happy with their effort and the looks we got offensively."
•No. 16 Missouri (1-0)
Missouri has opted not to participate in our reports for the third consecutive season.
•No. 20 Texas A&M (2-0)
The imaginative coaching skills of coach Gary Blair are unmatched. His microphone skills are a close second. He is already in the women’s basketball Hall of Fame.
So, this season, he starts without any freshmen on the roster.
The latest adjustment – accepting immediately eligible and other transfers as he reloads – means four new roster players with experience.
Anna Dreimane, a 6-5 Latvian National Team member is a Colorado State transfer, She has played 35 games in European competition.
"Anna is an agile and mobile player with an inside-out game that will only get better from daily battles with our already solid front court and SEC competition," said Blair. "She was looking for a program that has developed post players like we have at Texas A&M, and she has the size, unique skill set and defensive presence you need to compete for championships in the SEC.
“Anna is a welcome addition to the Aggie family and we are excited to see her contributions to the program."
Junior college guard Shambria Washington (Ocala, Fla./College of Central Florida) is eligible as a junior.
“Shambria is going to give us versatility at the point guard position," said Blair. "She is a pass-first point guard, who can also score. She is very much a leader, she is very quick, and she is going to add to what Chennedy Carter can do. We are very excited to add Shambria."
Cheah Rael-Whitsitt is a 5-11 swingman from Miami Dade Junior College.
"Cheah brings us energy, rebounding, relentlessness and an attacking mindset," said Blair. "She was well-coached in junior college by Susan Summons, who will be honored at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in June. She will compete right away, and contribute to the winning tradition we have here at Texas A&M."
Rael-Whitsitt ranked second in the NJCAA with 14.2 rebounds and 16.5 points per game.. She posted 24 double-doubles and collected 441 rebounds, each of which are more than the Texas A&M single-season records. The rebound average is more than any other Division 1 player returns with She the Southern Conference Player of the Year and a WBCA All-America honors.
Maryland transfer Aja Ellison has a great ;lineage. She is the daughter of “never nervous” Pervis Ellison, the No. 1 pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, and Timi Ellison, who was an All-ACC sprinter at Maryland.
"Aja is athletic and long, and can play either post position," said Blair. "She will had depth and an understanding of what competition is all about. She has a tremendous athletic family background, and she will be a leader and will compete right away, like her family has done all their lives."
The Aggies opened the season by downing Rice, 65-44. They set their first single-digit defensive benchmark in the 10-6 second quarter. had 4,043 in attendance.
They then erased Jacksonville, 73-53. They won rebounds 48-34 and actually survived a 10-8 deficit in the second quarter. Attendance fell by a thousand.
“We crashed the boards a lot which is what we practiced,” said Carter.
“it was a hard-working win,” said Blair. “Let’s just use it as a win. I am so very proud of our post players who just went to work.”
•Kentucky (2-0)
Matthew Mitchell is the ultimate survivor, having lost a starting team worth of transfers in the past few seasons. All of them started on other Division 1 ranked teams.
But the Big Blue Nation has not tired of him yet.
In his 12th season, he is the winningest coach in the program history., with eight 20-win efforts When he hits 14 wins this season, he will mark 300 school victories.
But they also were among those teams just good enough to merit first-and-second round games only to be one and done
He has added in-state guard Blair Green and Tennessee swingman Rhyne Howard.
•Auburn (3-1)
The last of the seven NCAA entrants last season, they got there by besting Alabama in a winner-take-all scenario late.
She made the NCAAs on willpower alone.
She is in her seventh season on the Plains, 15th overall leading a program. She was the late ’90s recruiting coordinator at Georgia, They have qualified for two straight NCAA tournaments, a definite upward trend. They lost at Baylor in the second round. They cracked the Top 25 early last season. They finished 20-13, including wins over Kentucky and Florida.
Rookies are guards Howard, from way up north in Wisconsin, Robyn Benton and Brooke Moore, redshirt forward Kiyae White and forward Natalie Kelly.
•Alabama (1-1)
The Tide and in-state rival Auburn are among those teams which would be league competitors anywhere else but here. Playing great teams every season raises the level of awareness even as losing to most of them diminished success.
They hit 20 wins last season, thanks to an extended NIT run.
Kristi Curry is a coach with a great resume, except not so much at Tuscaloosa.
Still, she can reach 100 school victories with 16 wins. She had three 30-win seasons and was a national runner-up at Louisiana Tech, She had marvelous success at Purdue before inexplicably choosing to leave for Texas Tech where it just didn’t work out.
But she did win a program first at Tennessee and graduate the winningest senior class in 18 seasons.
They have an amazing six rookies in a reloading season. They are guards Grace Pelphrey, De’sha Benjamin, Taniyah Worth, Magen Abrams, Hannah Barbe rand forward Ally Craig Cruce.
Shelby Gibson, a mammoth in-state 6-3 center, is sitting our her transfer season from Ole Miss after that program fired its coach.
•LSU (2-0)
The Ben-Gals have definitely plateaued with coach Nikki Fargas, the former Tennessee All-American. She has 132 coaching wins, always seemed to make the big tournament, but once again exited after one game and just 19 wins.
She has no freshmen this season.
•Arkansas (1-0)
Razorbacks coach Mike Neighbors enters his second season of building a program that never was, despite once employing Gary Blair.
The challenge was his predecessor was just an athletic department hanger on with no previous experience and it drove the program underground.
He was only able to attract one recruit. He has five sophomores. All the rest are carryover players. This rebuild has no momentum.
He is an Arkansas grad. He came willingly after leading Washington to a Final Four and having the all-timer NCAA highest scorer. The immediate goal has to be to win five more than he loses as that will get him to .500 at Arkansas.
•Florida (0-2)
This is another second-year coach but at least there is hope as the Gators have been ranked in recent past seasons. What they didn’t have was a savvy coach who they kept too long. She ran off an All-American caliber player and that season was gone.as was the coach after 10 seasons, about nine too many.
Cam Newbauer has three rookies and three sophomores which means soon this will be his players on his team.
He had caught lightning in a bottle at tiny Belmont University with back-to-back NCAA appearances. He was an assistant at Louisville when that program started its current deep NCAA runs.
Seven if his dozen players are transfer. The three rookies are all from West of the Rockies.
Newbauer is energetic and a good teacher. He has started a “Chuck it from the cheap seats” mantra, which means don’t be afraid to launch long distance.
He had previous SEC experience as an assistant for both basketball teams at Georgia.
Besides needing to recreate the buzz fir the Gators, injuries left him with eight players for the final 13 games in an 11-9 season. He has to finish eight games above .500 to break even.
Playing in the competitive SEC allows no breathers.
"Coach Cam expects the same out of everybody, whether you're a veteran, a freshman, a transfer or what," said junior guard Delicia Washington, two starters the only remaining player from the previous coach. “He wants effort and wants energy, and now we have both high effort and positive energy that seems to be going up as time goes by."
•Ole Miss (1-1)
This is sadly a program which gets little university support. They let a charismatic builder go after five seasons and so start once more with a new coach, Yolett McPhee-McCuin. She has four seniors and five rookies.
One of the newcomers is Mimi Reid, recruited by one coach, injured for a season with a torn Achilles and the ready to go with the new coach.
"I wanted to master everything so fast to get back on the court and I think that was my setback a little bit, because my mind was moving faster than my Achilles," Reid said. "That made it tough for me as a player."
Despite the long process, Reid finished it and is the starting point guard. "It's been fun," Reid said. "I enjoy coming to practice every day and I enjoy seeing the coaches because they bring light to a dead situation some times. You can have a bad day, but seeing them can spark your mood. I feel the love, I feel the connection between the coaches and the players."
•Vanderbilt (1-2)
A White teammate from Purdue, is the associate head coach. They have three rookies. They went 14-6 and then 7-24. The previous long-time coach was let go when the program lost its direction.
Somewhere in Nashville, a countdown clock is ticking.
It's a nice day to read
posted by Mel Greenberg | 1:46 AM
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