2014/15 Pac 12 Women's Basketball news

[AztecBuff]

Couldn't see another obvious thread to post this, so thought I'd start a new thread where we could share any general women's basketball news, especially for any of the other teams in the Pac 12.

To start with, I had seen something in the Pac 12 network ticker about a USC women's bball player being dismissed from the team, and found the story here-

http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/091514aaa.html

It sounds like the player dismissed, senior guard Ariya Crook, will be a big loss for the Trojans, as she was their leading scorer at 15.8 ppg last year, as well as being the MVP of the 2014 Pac-12 Tournament.

Per the article, "USC senior guard Ariya Crook has been dismissed from the women's basketball team due to a violation of team and university policy, head coach Cynthia Cooper-**** has announced."

 

[Buffnik]

Wow. That's a huge loss for Troy.

 

[Shldr2Shldr]

Wow. That's a huge loss for Troy.

Good. **** USC.

Couldn't have happen to a better school.

 

[jsmilkst]

Probably not general women's basketball news, but... how can this school get the students engaged in Women's BBall? There's a handful of die-hards who attend, but even when we cracked the top 25 the last couple years it was sparse. When CU forced the kids to attend for men's tickets, there were practically riots.

 

[Shldr2Shldr]

Probably not general women's basketball news, but... how can this school get the students engaged in Women's BBall? There's a handful of die-hards who attend, but even when we cracked the top 25 the last couple years it was sparse. When CU forced the kids to attend for men's tickets, there were practically riots.

That is going to be tough. If they keep winning it will happen eventually. The problem, in my opinion, is the style of basketball played. The women are fantastic athletes, that cannot be questioned, but the tempo is slower and the highlight dunks/blocks are rare/non-existent. The game play is typically just not as exciting as the men's side of things. Forcing kids to attend a game to receive tickets was a dumb idea. Encouraging them with priority seats or something like that would have been better.

Its going to have to be a grass-roots type thing like the C-Unit was.

 

[buffgal]

Wow. That's a huge loss for Troy.

I applaud the coach for dismissing a player of this caliber for violating team rules. It is the right thing to do but some coaches won't do it.

 

[buffgal]

That is going to be tough. If they keep winning it will happen eventually. The problem, in my opinion, is the style of basketball played. The women are fantastic athletes, that cannot be questioned, but the tempo is slower and the highlight dunks/blocks are rare/non-existent. The game play is typically just not as exciting as the men's side of things. Forcing kids to attend a game to receive tickets was a dumb idea. Encouraging them with priority seats or something like that would have been better.

Its going to have to be a grass-roots type thing like the C-Unit was.

Even back in the 90's and early 2000's when the women drew bigger crowds and were highly ranked, students did not attend the games.

I prefer the women's game over the men and I love that pure basketball is played--not the dunks. I find it exciting. I have sat in the courtside seats (thank you Coach Barry) and been amazed at the contact and elbowing going on under the basket. True athletes and they should be respected.

Iowa State made their team more exciting by hiring a coach who lives and dies by the 3 point shot. They lead the Pac 12 in attendance every year, even when they don't have the best team.

We have been hurt by not having reliable 3 point shoots. Must have an inside/outside game.

The only men's basketball team I consistently watch is Colorado because they don't play basketball the way the game was intended. Basketball was not to be a dunking contest.

That's my opinion.

 

[Buffnik]

I don't go along with the "pure" basketball thing or "the way the game was intended to be played" stuff.

But I do appreciate the women's game for what it is. One thing I really like about it is that it's a more physical game. Refs really swallow the whistles and there aren't a lot of touch fouls in the paint.

 

[DBT]

I don't believe men's college basketball is a dunk contest at all.

 

[jsmilkst]

Yeah, I guess back in the Shelley days, it was pretty much all community support. But dang, they filled up the keg a couple times.

 

[Shldr2Shldr]

My GF just saw Arielle on campus, and she was on crutches. Anyone have any knowledge about what is going on there? Hope its just a minor sprain like w/ Wes

 

[buffgal]

Yeah, I guess back in the Shelley days, it was pretty much all community support. But dang, they filled up the keg a couple times.

More than a couple of times. They did a lot of promos to get the community support. Lots of giveaways until they built up a big enough following during Shelley's freshman and sophomore seasons that they finally started selling season tickets. Before that, it was all general admission and people got there when the doors opened to make sure they got the seats they wanted.

I can't tell you how many of the freebie coupons I would take to work with me back then. My co-workers came and bought season tickets. However, not a single one of them is still a season ticket holder. Most are retired and just not interested. They are more interested in their grandchildren than basketball.

In those days, CU had quite the road following also. Those Friday/Sunday afternoon trips to the midwest were quite doable in a car. Trips to California or Oregon are not.

 

[buffgal]

But I do appreciate the women's game for what it is. One thing I really like about it is that it's a more physical game. Refs really swallow the whistles and there aren't a lot of touch fouls in the paint.

Twenty years ago the women's game was not as physical as it is now. However, the athletes are bigger and better than they were then.