11:15 p.m.
And we’re wrapping things up here, as UConn leads it 85-48 with 3:10 to go. The Huskies will play Old Dominion Sunday in Greensboro at a time to be determined.
If we have some time, I’ll finish with one more update, but otherwise my toughest job ahead is to stay awake on the ride back to Storrs, and then to cram for a midterm. I should NOT have woken up for my 9:30 class today. Ah well.
10:55 p.m.
Technically this is my third update of the second half, so hopefully no more than two important things happen before this game ends.
It’s all UConn here, 69-36, with 10:07 to go, and it’s just astounding that any team could do this to a major-conference team. Sure, Texas isn’t a powerhouse, but this is a total destruction of a team that was chosen by the selection committee as one of the top 32 teams in America.
Anyways, UConn can score on every possession, the Huskies are more athletic, and all that’s left is to make sure everyone gets to Greensboro healthy. Knock on wood.
Back later.
10:45 p.m.
Hey, guess what, Maya Moore made another breathtaking play. After a nice backdoor pass by Kaili McLaren, she caught the pass with one hand and zoomed to the rim for a layup (always with the same hand on the ball), Dr. J-style.
Don’t like reading about Ms. Moore’s exploits? I would avoid any and all coverage of this game tomorrow morning.
10:37 p.m.
Some stats before we get back to the game:
FG Pct: UConn 67.7 (21-for-31), Texas 36.1 (13-for-36)
Rebounds: UConn 21, Texas 15
Blocks: UConn 4, Texas 1
Fast Break Points: UConn 11, Texas 2
Maya Moore FG %: 75.0 (6-for-8, 4-for-5 from 3)
Number of people who I’ve heard say “Gail G. should guard Maya Moore” in a comical manner: two (me and Joe D’Ambrosio.)
Back with more later.
10:23 p.m.
Halftime score: UConn 48, Texas 30. Yes, UConn was shooting 70 percent from the field as late as the 3:30 mark of the first half. But they ooled off, scored just five points in the last 5:00 and the lead is ”just” 18 points. Maya Moore hasn’t scored in a while, and in fact I believe she has taken just one shot from the field over the last 9 minutes.
I feel pretty safe in booking my flight to Greensboro, but of course stay with us just in case. Gail G. does have a UConn-killing way about her.
Back before the second half with stats and other observations.
10:03 p.m.
What can you say about Maya Moore that hasn’t already been said? She’s simply phenomenal. She has 16 points in the first 11 minutes. She’s made four consecutive 3-pointers. She’s had just an unbelievably fantastic block on a Texas transition layup. My God, she’s good.
UConn leads it, 35-18 with 8:15 to go. And the pace has slowed considerably in the last four minutes. This is an absolutely dominant and scary performance by the top seed tonight.
9:29 p.m.
And now we are live courtside for real. Tonight’s Greensboro Regional second-round NCAA Tournament matchup features #1 UConn and #8 Texas. A berth to the Sweet 16 is on the line, with the winner playing the winner of ODU-Virginia (in overtime, last I checked).
Same crowd problems as Sunday - the end zones aren’t filled, but most every other seat is packed. It’s a shame that fans across the state couldn’t fill the arena for the Huskies’ last road-trippable game. But I’ll leave my criticism at that.
It’s game time.
Starting lineups:
#1 UCONN (33-1, coached by Geno Auriemma, 23rd season): PG Ketia Swanier (6.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg), SG Renee Montgomery (14.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg), SF Maya Moore (17.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg), PF Kaili McLaren (4.7 ppg, 4.1 ppg), C Brittany Hunter (5.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
#8 TEXAS (22-12, coached by Gail Goestenkors, 1st season): PG Carla Cortijo (9.9 ppg, 4.9 apg); SG Brittainey Raven (15.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg); SF Emeisha Bailey (7.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg); PF Earnesia Williams (7.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg) C Ashley Lindsey (11.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg).
Interesting to note - Tina Charles once again not in the starting lineup. Presumably she and Charde Houston will be subbed in at the first sign of trouble for any post player. Also, Lorin Dixon is unlikely to play tonight.
It’s 90% UConn fans, you can catch the game on ESPN2, and I’ll be here for somewhat limited updates, because I’m on deadline. See you in a few.
9:03 p.m.
Final score from Bridgeport: Louisville 80, Kansas State 63. Kind of a cool sportsmanship thing in the last minute, as Kansas State’s Kari Kincaid, her team clearly beaten, played defense and gave a high-five to the Louisville ballhandler. As a fan, you have to eat that stuff up. The Wildcats getting a nice hand from the UConn crowd as they walk off the court.
Louisville will take on the UNC/UGA winner in the Sweet 16 in New Orleans. With “My Old Kentucky Home” now playing, we are about 26 minutes away from tip for the Huskies and Longhorns.
The Big East has taken all three meetings with Big-12 opponents so far, and the Big East will be heavy favorites in the fourth.
Incidentally, the Old Dominion-Virginia game, the winner of which will play the Texas-UConn winner, shows ODU leading, 74-71 with 2:30 to play. Lineups in 25.
8:50 p.m.
I’ve only got four more posts left in me before the NCAA cuts me down, so I have to make this one good.
Louisville leads Kansas State, 65-41 with 8:40 to go. Keep in mind, Kansas State was the Big 12’s champion. Let there be no more argument on who the best conference in the land is.
Though Louisville is turning out to be quite the team and they, amazingly, could give UNC a bit of a run next weekend. Interestingly, I’m not sure how the dates go, but you could see UNC-Louisville matchups in both the men’s (Elite Eight, if both advance) and women’s tournaments on the same day. Interesting point.
I’d be neglecting the issue if I didn’t speak about the Kansas State fans. I’m all for supporting your team, guys, but seriously — not every call that is made (or not made) is meant to destroy your team. Chill out a bit.
The place is pretty full (considering the teams involved in game one), though there is more than enough room to fit the entire UConn team in the left end zone.
Back with a whole bunch more.
7:55 p.m.
Good evening from Bridgeport, U.S.A., the host of tonight’s second-round matchups in the women’s NCAA Tournament, and the host of thousands upon thousands of those Nautre Valley granola bars. I love those things.
I’m here live in the bowels of the Arena at Harbor Yard, where currently Louisville is laying a Big East-sized smackdown on Kansas State, one of three Big East-Big 12 matchups to be played tonight and one of five overall in the second round.
But more importantly, for my intended audience and the actual, physical audience in the seats outside, we are about 90 (or so) minutes away from tip-off between the Greensboro Region’s top seed UConn and #8 seed Texas. As we lead up to gametime, I’ll have all of the standard notes, observations and starting lineups.
Until then, I’ll offer my quick thoughts on the events that have happened since we last left you Sunday night:
Greensboro
The sure-to-be-epic showdown between Rutgers and UConn is so obviously likely that the question seems to now be, ‘what could possibly keep them apart?’ As of now, the answer is George Washington and imagination.
The No. 6-seeded Colonials opened the way for Rutgers to advance to the Elite 8, knocking off No. 3 Cal 55-53 on a buzzer-beating layup last night. The Scarlet Knights advanced past Iowa State in Des Moines, 69-58. The two will meet in Sunday’s regional semis in Greensboro, though Rutgers has already beaten GW by 25 earlier this season.
As for the other half, you know about UConn-Texas (especially if you read that brilliant, informative and devilishly handsome preview on our main site). Currently, Old Dominion leads Virginia 35-23 late in the first half. The Huskies have already taken out ODU to the tune of 46 points, though that was a different - a more whole - UConn team.
Spokane
The Race to Play UConn (or Rutgers) in the Final Four got very interesting with Pittsburgh’s upset of No. 3 seed Baylor last night. The Panthers advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time ever, a great accomplishment for blog favorite and coach Agnes Berenato.
Stanford got a ridonkulous performance from Candace wiggity-wiggity-wiggity-Wiggins, who scored 44 points in a blowout of UTEP. I have been saying that the Miners were frauds, but Stanford looked like a serious national title contender here. Obviously, when someone who is very athletic starts guarding Wiggins (Pitt’s Shavonte Zellous in the next round?)
The other half will likely feature top seed Maryland, who plays #8 Nebraska at 9:30 tonight, against Vanderbilt, who crushed West Virginia last night. A Maryland-Stanford regional final would be all kinds of entertaining, and it looks like that collision course has been set.
Oklahoma City
Only one team has advanced to the regional semis here, and it was Texas A&M emphatically beating up Jen Rizzotti’s Hartford team, 63-39. The Aggies appear to be real - they absolutely shut down the Hawks and had their reserves in the game for the waning moments. They’re a legitimate threat to get to the Final Four if they play like this. Also, they have a player named A’Quanesia. The Ags will take on the winner of tonight’s Duke-Arizona State game; currently the Dukies are leading by 3 in the first half.
Of course, the Lady Vols reside in this bracket, too. And of course, the Lady Vols are taking it to Purdue on their own floor, 40-20 at halftime. That’s about what everyone expected, especially given Purdue’s 100-50 loss to UConn in West Lafayette two months ago.
Notre Dame and Oklahoma could be the best game of the second round, and if the Irish can contain Courtney Paris on offense or exploit her on defense, it could be a 50-50 proposition. But you know the Sooners are dying to get a second crack at Tennessee in Okie City next weekend.
New Orleans
LSU led Marist by two points at halftime, proving that the Red Foxes can play. LSU then ran away from Marist in the second half, proving that the Tigers are one of the best teams in the country. Nuff said.
The Tigers will take on Oklahoma State, who narrowly avoided the upset to Florida State in a wild overtime shootout last night.
The other half features North Carolina playing Georgia tonight at 9:30, with the winner playing the winner of our first game here in Bridgeport, Louisville-Kansas State. The Cards are up 13 at halftime and look good, despite the bawling from 45 referees dressed in purple behind the media table.
Stay with us - I’ll be back with NCAA-regulated updates, as well as starting lineups as we get closer to tip-off in what should be a packed arena, despite the late start time.
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