women’s college basketball

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Big Ten expansion brings new challenges to women’s hoops

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Big Ten women’s basketball — not football — has been the most impacted sport ever since the conference first expanded in 1990. First, it was Penn State, then Nebraska in 2011, and now Maryland and Rutgers, who this summer officially became members. “This is a power conference,” declares Rutgers Coach C. Vivian Stringer, the grande dame of Big Ten women’s hoops and women’s basketball’s winningest active coach. “Arguably, we are the best women’s basketball conference in the country,” says Nikita Lowry Dawkins, in her first year as Minnesota assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, in a recent MSR interview. She has both played (Ohio State,

1985-89) and coached in the conference (her alma mater and at Michigan). Continue Reading →

Filed under: Sports, Big Ten, Bobbie Kelsey, C. Vivian Stringer, women's college basketball

Sims-Griner combo makes Baylor stand tall

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By Charles Hallman
Staff Writer
 
 
Although her taller teammate 6-8 junior center Brittney Griner typically draws most of the attention, Baylor sophomore guard Odyssey Sims stands tall in her own right. Brittney Griner                           Odyssey Sims
Baylor came to town and left Sunday as the nation’s top-ranked women’s basketball team, and the 5-8 Sims is a major reason for their success thus far this season. She had 15 points, nine assists, and four steals in an 89-60 win over Minnesota.                   
“You need a point guard like that who can make that team run,” said Minnesota Coach Pam Borton afterwards. Baylor Coach Kim Mulkey handed her the ball in her 10th collegiate game last season, and Sims has been the team’s starting point guard ever since. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Sports, 89.9, 89.9 FM, African Americans, Baylor, Big 12, black athletes, Black Minnesota

Three-point review of Gophers men’s and women’s basketball

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By Charles Hallman
Staff Writer
 
A seven-game review of Minnesota women’s basketball at this point of the season yields the following three points:
First point: Billed before the season as the missing piece, Rachel Banham thus far seemingly has made a smoother transition as freshman starting point guard than her male counterpart Andre Hollins (more on him later). “I think she’s doing a great job getting a feel of things, and she’s playing a lot of minutes. She’s really pushing tempo and keeping our team playing fast,” surmises Coach Pam Borton. Second point: Will junior Leah Cotton ever play “unplugged”? Yes, she makes mistakes (i.e., silly fouls), but often makes up for it with hustle and ball hawking on defense. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Sports, Andre Hollins, Big Ten, black athletes, Bobbie Kelsey, Charles Hallman, college basketball, College Sports