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TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 THE DAILY TIMES MARCH MADNESS | 3B

www.thedailytimes.com

EXIT: Volunteers, UConn routs Gamecocks, heads back to Final Four


Tigers renewing BY DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer
WOMEN’S NCAA ELITE EIGHT liams was named most outstand-
ing player of the region.
UConn lost to Tennessee. It had
happened twice before that.

in-state rivalry
UCONN 94, South Carolina 65 The loss ended the stellar STRONG ATTENDANCE: Albany had
ALBANY, N.Y. — Crystal Dan- career of South Carolina post the best attendance of the four
gerfield scored 19 of her 21 points burst with a 3-pointer from the A’ja Wilson. The unanimous AP regionals, with over 10,000 fans
in the first half, and top-seeded top of the key just before the end All-American, who grew up a coming on Friday night for the
FROM 1B UConn routed No. 2 South Car- of the quarter. few miles from the Gamecocks’ semifinals and 9,522 showing up
olina 94-65 on Monday night to The Huskies stayed hot from campus, helped the school win Monday night. That two-day total
last week. The success the team reach the Final Four for the 11th behind the arc, connecting on its first national championship easily eclipsed the 15,949 from
had didn’t leave the players feel- consecutive year. 9 of 10 3-pointers in the half — last season and guided the team 2015 when Albany last hosted
ing satisfied. The Albany Regional final fea- including a perfect 5 for 5 by Dan- to two Final Fours in her four the regional.
“What I like best of all is they’re tured the past two NCAA cham- gerfield. Her last 3 of the second years. She did all she could to “The attendance is a result of
not satisfied, they want to do pions in a rare occurrence for the quarter made it 52-31 and delight- make it a third trip to the national a lot of hard work by people in
more,” Barnes said. “It will be women’s tournament. The Hus- ed a crowd that included former semifinals. the community who are inter-
harder. We won’t be picked 13th kies (36-0) quickly turned it into UConn greats Tina Charles and She finished with 27 points ested in seeing women’s basket-
in the SEC next year. But that’s a mismatch with stellar 3-point Breanna Stewart, who helped for South Carolina (29-7), but ball develop to a higher level in
where we want to be. We want to shooting. UConn went right at the Huskies to four consecutive it wasn’t nearly enough. Coach Albany,” MAAC commissioner
be a team every year that people South Carolina in the opening national championships. Stewart Dawn Staley took her star out Rich Ensor said.
are counting on us, saying that’s quarter, hitting nine of its 14 shots grew up 2 hours west of Albany. with just over 3 minutes left in “We got fortunate with the
a team that has a chance. That’s — including 5 of 6 from beyond Gabby Williams scored 23 the game and her team down 31 addition of Buffalo, it brought a
one thing these guys have been the arc — to go up 30-12. points, Samuelson finished with points. state interest to the mix of teams.
able to do with this program this Katie Lou Samuelson had nine 17 and Napheesa Collier had 16 as MEETING OF FORMER CHAMPS: This We were very fortunate to have
year.” points, including a four-point UConn scored the most points was the first time the previous the defending national champ
Part of not being satisfied is play, during the first 10 minutes. in school history for this round two national champions met playing the perennial national
getting better in the offseason, Dangerfield capped the opening of the NCAA Tournament. Wil- in the NCAAs since 1997 when champ in our final.”
something that starts with condi-
tioning but extends to every facet
of each individual player’s game.
Barnes points to the gap between
the sophomore and junior year
AP Women’s
as the time when a player grows
the most.
Admiral Schofield and Kyle
All-America
team headed
Alexander fit that mold. Schofield
scored 8.2 points last year before
becoming the heart and soul of
the team, scoring 13.9 points and
picking up second-team All-SEC
honors this season. Alexander
didn’t put up huge numbers, but
by Wilson
made a noticeable jump in every
area of his game. BY DOUG FEINBERG
That bodes well for a team that AP Basketball Writer
was sophomore heavy, starting
Jordan Bone, Jordan Bowden NEW YORK — A’ja Wilson is
and Grant Williams, and red- now part of an elite women’s
shirt freshmen John Fulkerson basketball group.
and Jalen Johnson finishing their South Carolina’s senior cen-
second year with the program. ter became the seventh player
“They all think they’re gym rats Monday ever to earn Associ-
when they get here,” Barnes said. ated Press All-America team
“Then they realize they’re not honors three times. She was
as much a gym rat as they think a unanimous choice from the
they are. Their idea of working 32-member national media
individually is not what it’s real- JAE HONG |THE ASSOCIATED PRESS panel that votes on the AP Top
ly about. The first couple years MICHIGAN COACH JOHN BEILEIN (right) celebrates with players, coaches and family after Michigan defeated Florida 25 each week.
about trying to develop that work State 58-54 in an NCAA regional final Saturday in Los Angeles. Wilson was joined on the

At a tipping point
ethic, changing their bodies.” All-America team by UConn’s
James Daniel, a graduate trans- Katie Lou Samuelson, Oregon’s
fer from Howard who spent one Sabrina Ionescu, Louisville’s
year in Knoxville, is the only play- Asia Durr and Mississippi
er graduating off this year’s team, State’s Victoria Vivians. Vot-
leaving one scholarship open. ing was done before the NCAA
Barnes is hoping to fill that spot Tournament.
with a point guard, hopefully a Wilson is the seventh player
high school point guard. to be a three-time All-Amer-
But he also pointed out that you
never know what current play-
ers could decide to do in the off-
season, leaving the possibility of
Wild March stabilizes with Final Four set ican.
Baylor’s Brittney Griner, Ten-
nessee’s Chamique Holdsclaw,
Duke’s Alana Beard, Oklaho-
another open spot or two later. BY AARON BEARD It’s a particular relief for Kan- Michigan was No. 11 and Loyola- ma’s Courtney Paris and UCo-
“There’s always the possibility AP Basketball Writer sas, which had a No. 1 seed for the Chicago was No. 46. nn’s Breanna Stewart and Maya
somebody can leave,” he said. third straight season and lost in WINING UGLY: Villanova and Moore are the only other play-
“You look at the team coming RALEIGH, N.C. — Welcome the Elite Eight the past two sea- Michigan should arrive in Texas ers to earn first-team honors
back. They’re going to look at to a Final Four filled with past sons — including in 2016 to Vil- with an extra bit of confidence at least three times.
the guys they’re going to have national champions — just the lanova as the Wildcats marched after winning games when they Paris and Moore were All-
to compete with. They know we way the NCAA selection com- to the national title. shot poorly. Americans all four years.
mean what we say when we say mittee drew it up, right? “You think about it, hey, in their The Wildcats shot just 33 per- “Those six others to be listed
we are going to open it up.” OK, maybe not. careers all we’ve been is the No. cent and made 4 of 24 3-point- with them is amazing,” Wil-
RIVALRY RENEWED: Penny Hard- Sure, there’s plenty of the 1 overall seed, the No. 2 overall ers (.167) in Sunday’s East final son said. “To be in that list of
away told ESPN 92.9 in Memphis expected with 1-seed Villanova seed and the No. 3 overall seed against Texas Tech. The Wol- names, so now with years to
on Monday that Tennessee would making it to San Antonio in pur- and haven’t gotten to a Final verines shot nearly 39 percent come when young girls are
appear on Memphis’ schedule suit of the program’s second title Four,” coach Bill Self said after but made just 4 of 22 3s (.182) growing up and they want this
next year, and Barnes echoed that in three seasons. Kansas is the Sunday’s overtime win against in Saturday night’s West final and see my name in that name
sentiment. other 1-seed to navigate its way Duke in Omaha, Neb. “So that against Florida State. book it’s something special.
According to the Tennessee through a maze full of upsets as it means that these guys have done On top of that, they combined Something I dreamed of, but
coach, next year’s game will take pursues its first title since 2008. so well to put us in a position but to make 4 of 27 3s after halftime never would have imagined.”
place in Memphis, with the fol- And plenty figured No. 3 seed we hadn’t kicked the door in yet. (.148). Yet here they are. Wilson averaged 22.6 points,
lowing year happening in Knox- Michigan had a good shot to get “I’m happy for us, staff, school, TITLE HISTORY: Top seeds have 11.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks
ville. The third meeting will take to the Final Four as the Wolver- everything, but I’m more hap- hoisted the trophy on the final this season for the Gamecocks
place in Nashville, and may not be ines chase their first title since py for these guys because they Monday night of the season in and has them in the regional
the only game going on that day. the Glen Rice-led group won the deserve to experience what the 18 of the past 26 NCAA Tourna- finals Monday night, a year
“Even though, you know, we like program’s first in 1989. best of college basketball is — ments, while No. 3 seeds have after winning the school’s first
the home and home, we’d also like But Loyola-Chicago? Consider and that will be what takes place won three times (Syracuse in national championship.
to make it a big day of basketball the 11th-seeded Ramblers the Saturday and Monday.” 2003, Florida in 2006, Connecti- Durr, Vivians and Ionescu
in Nashville,” Barnes said. “Not representative for all the low FORESHADOWING?: If you’re into cut in 2011) in that span. were all honored for the first
just us, but bring in other teams seeds — UMBC, Marshall and good omens, note that Kansas Villanova remains the lowest- time.
within the state and just make it Buffalo, to name a few — that won its last title in San Antonio seeded team to win a title as a
a day to really promote basket- pulled off the big stunners in by beating North Carolina and No. 8 in 1985. AP WOMEN’S ALL-AMERICA TEAM
ball. That’s the reason we’re going an upset-filled and memorable Memphis under Self a decade NOT SO WILD AFTER ALL: With all FIRST TEAM
there that third year. March. ago. And that was the program’s the upsets, it sure looked like A’ja Wilson, South Carolina
Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon
“I would imagine if it goes the And yes, the Ramblers do have first since Danny Manning and the Final Four had a chance to Asia Durr, Louisville
way we want it to, it won’t just a national championship, won The Miracles won the 1988 title be filled with surprises. It didn’t Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
be us playing that day when we way back in 1963 during the Ken- as a No. 6 seed — now an even end up that way. SECOND TEAM
go to Nashville. It’ll be, again, nedy administration. 30 years ago. The sum of the seeds for the Kalani Brown, Baylor
like some kind of jamboree or Now it’s time to prepare for So maybe years ending in eight four teams is 16, the highest since Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State
Gabby Williams, UConn
extravaganza — something that next Saturday’s first national bring a bit of luck for the Jay- 2014 (18). But it was a far cry from Megan Gustafson, Iowa
will really promote basketball in semifinal (Loyola vs. Michigan) hawks? joining the four other years since Arike Ogunbowale, Notre Dame
the state of Tennessee.” featuring the upstart against the RANKING THE SEEDS: Villanova the tournament began seeding THIRD TEAM
surging power-conference team was the No. 2 overall seed behind teams in 1979 that the combined Napheesa Collier, UConn
Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State
FOLLOW @TAYLOR_WHITE94 on Twit- in an undercard to the heavy- Virginia on Selection Sunday, total was at least 20: 1980 (21), Jordin Canada, UCLA
ter for more from sports writer Taylor weight matchup of top seeds in putting the Wildcats as the head- 2000 (22), 2006 (20) and 2011 Lexie Brown, Duke
White. the nightcap. liner followed by Kansas at third. (26). Myisha Hines-Allen, Louisville

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