Swish Appeal - All PostsBasketball is basketball.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49391/swish-fave.png2024-03-18T16:00:00-04:00http://www.swishappeal.com/rss/current/2024-03-18T16:00:00-04:002024-03-18T16:00:00-04:00Athletes Unlimited: Week 3 roundup
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<figcaption>Kierstan Bell helped Team Sims go 3-0 in Week 3. | Image courtesy of Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) via X/Twitter.</figcaption>
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<p>Team Sims took care of business by winning all of their games—including a nail-biter—in Week 3 of AU action. </p> <p id="bJXLGo">Week 3 of Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball is in the books. Team Sims had the best week, winning all three of their matchups. Allisha Gray still tops the leaderboard with 5,667 points, sitting comfortably in front of Odyssey Sims, who has 4,812 points. </p>
<p id="ljXQfs">Here's a recap of the week's action:</p>
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<h2 id="egNVxl"><strong>Team Cloud over Team Mitchell, 105-101</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!<a href="https://twitter.com/OMG_itsizzyb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OMG_itsizzyb</a> | ESPN+ <a href="https://t.co/RowQc5BI6c">pic.twitter.com/RowQc5BI6c</a></p>— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUProSports/status/1768431456798294261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a>
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<p id="uUQLFT">This was a certified AU classic. The game went into overtime, and Isabelle Harrison had a five-point run of her own—including a dagger 3-pointer—to put Team Cloud up for good. Those five points were part of a 41-point night for Harrison. </p>
<p id="CrvFwF">Team Mitchell got a monster performance from Zia Cooke, who had 32 points but couldn't convert on some shots and free throws in the final 90 seconds of overtime to pull off the win.</p>
<h2 id="NaY0n1"><strong>Team Sims over Team Gray, 106-105</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">what. a. game.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUProHoops?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUProHoops</a> | ESPN+ <a href="https://t.co/ER3NFBBPEe">pic.twitter.com/ER3NFBBPEe</a></p>— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUProSports/status/1768476243647746169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a>
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<p id="R2xQBo">AU action this week started with a classic; somehow, this game raised the stakes even higher. Team Sims beat Team Gray in a one-point game that essentially was even from the jump. </p>
<p id="NlYUyP">Kelsey Mitchell made an AU-record eight 3-pointers in the defeat, and Gray did more than enough to help, adding 38 points of her own. Unfortunately for Team Gray, Team Sims had a bit more juice, with the triple-headed monster of Kierstan Bell, Air Hearn and Sims chipping in a combined 65 points. In the closing seconds, Angel McCoughtry converted a tip in to give Team Sims the narrow win. </p>
<h2 id="d8C1k2"><strong>Team Sims over Team Cloud, 101-90</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Air Hearn needs to be in a WNBA camp this spring. <a href="https://t.co/qDUc6IejKr">pic.twitter.com/qDUc6IejKr</a></p>— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) <a href="https://twitter.com/MylesEhrlich/status/1769102824275673384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2024</a>
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<p id="fwKBpF">Team Sims kept the good times rolling, besting Team Cloud 101-90. They won thanks to Bell's stellar 24-point game on 60 percent shooting. Team Cloud got a good effort from Rae Burell, who led the team with 27 points. </p>
<h2 id="ujeBOh"><strong>Team Gray over Team Mitchell, 112-102</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">CAREER DAY FOR GRAY<a href="https://twitter.com/Graytness_15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Graytness_15</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WNBA</a> App <a href="https://t.co/2qMh8TlPT9">pic.twitter.com/2qMh8TlPT9</a></p>— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUProSports/status/1769147031765835903?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2024</a>
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<p id="wdgLgB">Both teams entered the game at 0-1 on the week, and Team Gray came out on top, 112-102. Gray is definitely WNBA season ready, evidenced by another monster game. This time, she had 42 points. There is still time left in the AU season, but Gray has been at the top from the jump and shows no signs of conceding that spot. </p>
<h2 id="Srvh9O"><strong>Team Sims over Team Mitchell, 116-79</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Historic win ✅<br><br>Team Sims sets a Single-Game scoring record with a 116 point performance <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUProHoops?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUProHoops</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WNBA</a> App <a href="https://t.co/TjwYbef5oL">pic.twitter.com/TjwYbef5oL</a></p>— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUProSports/status/1769467773548155320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<p id="S1ufj9">Sims completed the sweep with a dominant win against Team Mitchell, the biggest blowout of the week. Team Sims had a balanced attack yet again, and Mitchell’s side showed little resistance in the loss. </p>
<h2 id="9fTKWX"><strong>Team Cloud over Team Gray, 91-87</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">thirtyyyyy piece for <a href="https://twitter.com/Graytness_15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@graytness_15</a><br><br>she's up to 34 points on the night <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUProHoops?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUProHoops</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WNBA</a> App <a href="https://t.co/LFyWhGedag">pic.twitter.com/LFyWhGedag</a></p>— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUProSports/status/1769510942902034454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<p id="EGaL6Z">The week's final game was a doozy, with Team Cloud edging out Team Gray by just four points. Gray stayed hot, scoring 36 points, but it wasn't enough as Team Cloud hit their free throws in crunch time to keep Team Gray at bay. </p>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/2024/3/18/24104893/athletes-unlimited-pro-hoops-women-bball-wnba-natasha-cloud-allisha-gray-sims-mitchell-kierstan-bellEdwin Garcia2024-03-18T08:00:00-04:002024-03-18T08:00:00-04:002024 NCAAW Tournament bracket overview
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<img alt="COLLEGE BASKETBALL: MAR 10 ACC Women’s Tournament - Notre Dame vs NC State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NJ_gtTa35IBbLwq6CIrrYCCq_cs=/0x0:5797x3865/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73214762/2066791326.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>The 68-team field is set. What team will win it all? | Photo by Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>South Carolina, Iowa, USC and Texas are the No. 1 seeds in the 2024 NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament. Here’s how the rest of the 68-team field shook out. </p> <p id="Jee34j">South Carolina earned the No. 1 overall seed in the 2024 NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament, with Iowa, USC and Texas also securing No. 1 seeds. </p>
<p id="5m3SJ0">The No. 2 seeds are Notre Dame, Ohio State, Stanford and UCLA. UConn, LSU, NC State and Oregon State received No. 3 seeds. The No. 4 seeds will be Gonzaga, Indiana, Kansas State and Virginia Tech. All teams with a top-four seed will host first- and second-round games on campus before advancing to the regional sites in Albany, NY or Portland, OR. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">THE. BRACKET. <br><br> : <a href="https://t.co/trJOJfc2X7">https://t.co/trJOJfc2X7</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchMadness?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchMadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/nb9T5HbcK4">pic.twitter.com/nb9T5HbcK4</a></p>— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessWBB/status/1769523776679538861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a>
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<p id="MGSl7g">Here’s a quick overview of the 68-team field: </p>
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<h2 id="QgS5ZR"><strong>Albany 1 Region</strong></h2>
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<img alt="LSU v South Carolina" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JUbaAhZZ6YS6I-ZP71va_0B29GU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25340631/2079851255.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>The South Carolina Gamecocks are the No. 1 seed in the Albany 1 Region, and the No. 1 overall seed.</figcaption>
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<ol>
<li id="RJZAwf">South Carolina</li>
<li id="E9O8zs">Notre Dame</li>
<li id="zuICnz">Oregon State</li>
<li id="cnc0cR">Indiana</li>
<li id="N9oykU">Oklahoma</li>
<li id="65BOHS">Nebraska</li>
<li id="dXbZtA">Ole Miss</li>
<li id="RfFmiT">North Carolina</li>
<li id="aVyJdR">Michigan State</li>
<li id="tFKMGy">Marquette</li>
<li id="2nFtUk">Texas A&M</li>
<li id="T5nTZ4">FGCU</li>
<li id="vhsLA0">Fairfield</li>
<li id="vrO7It">Eastern Washington</li>
<li id="hDxcSj">Kent State</li>
<li id="nHAxHe">Sacred Heart/Presbyterian</li>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The ALBANY 1 region❗️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchMadness?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchMadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/y5cQaIcNxC">pic.twitter.com/y5cQaIcNxC</a></p>— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessWBB/status/1769516372956959180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a>
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<h2 id="cqVmlK"><strong>Albany 2 Region</strong></h2>
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<img alt="Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament - Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ann2k_MGG78i4vXksRY7jCKUZmA=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25340632/2073856676.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>The Iowa Hawkeyes are the No. 1 seed in the Albany 2 Region.</figcaption>
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<ol>
<li id="BrASoa">Iowa</li>
<li id="Zx8Bpv">UCLA</li>
<li id="NJ3iSi">LSU</li>
<li id="jNycnK">Kansas State</li>
<li id="93gX5v">Colorado</li>
<li id="Q8hhSS">Louisville</li>
<li id="7dBMFx">Creighton</li>
<li id="GaDd7R">West Virginia</li>
<li id="VSvBBt">Princeton</li>
<li id="Q4VdgW">UNLV</li>
<li id="3eBHlI">MTSU</li>
<li id="cQ6Wfe">Drake</li>
<li id="BE6KXD">Portland</li>
<li id="MoSlnq">Rice</li>
<li id="o0b0qC">California Baptist</li>
<li id="Yl69Xp">Holy Cross/UT Martin</li>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The ALBANY 2 region❗️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchMadness?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchMadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/JmYTK4zEAk">pic.twitter.com/JmYTK4zEAk</a></p>— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessWBB/status/1769518267993919808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a>
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<h2 id="m6qSar"><strong>Portland 3 Region</strong></h2>
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<img alt="NCAA Womens Basketball: Pac-12 Conference Tournament Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FsaNdMjclcfUwAANhIQfn62SEnk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25340633/usa_today_22749425.jpg">
<cite>Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>The USC Trojans are the No. 1 seed in the Portland 1 Region. </figcaption>
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<ol>
<li id="6ImxfT">USC</li>
<li id="anAxHR">Ohio State</li>
<li id="FddFCh">UConn</li>
<li id="LzAodN">Virginia Tech</li>
<li id="XhNaKa">Baylor</li>
<li id="v6LuLU">Syracuse</li>
<li id="NEBgxw">Duke</li>
<li id="xaUJGK">Kansas</li>
<li id="Hzpiao">Michigan</li>
<li id="9zRwev">Richmond</li>
<li id="RQmYKb">Auburn/Arizona</li>
<li id="0h8NGq">Vanderbilt/Columbia</li>
<li id="3VPGpf">Marshall</li>
<li id="lWbkZr">Jackson State</li>
<li id="G3s3RY">Maine</li>
<li id="icuxUA">Texas A&M-Corpus Christi</li>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The PORTLAND 3 region❗️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchMadness?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchMadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/nqIHN71B74">pic.twitter.com/nqIHN71B74</a></p>— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessWBB/status/1769521202328932794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a>
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<h2 id="ekwkxt"><strong>Portland 4 Region</strong></h2>
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<img alt="Iowa State v Texas" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CXxLtM3tQrVQvDNKz15Oro2H4tw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25341919/2071907658.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>The Texas Longhorns are the No. 1 seed in the Portland 2 Region.</figcaption>
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<ol>
<li id="WcVLgH">Texas</li>
<li id="jA2kgl">Stanford</li>
<li id="d6kp2O">NC State</li>
<li id="bLJTvc">Gonzaga</li>
<li id="RkVQyC">Utah</li>
<li id="H6tDfa">Tennessee</li>
<li id="3qpcvu">Iowa State</li>
<li id="YQ25wL">Alabama</li>
<li id="julcEL">Florida State</li>
<li id="tJtySn">Maryland</li>
<li id="RsEMRZ">Green Bay</li>
<li id="qGB6iz">South Dakota State</li>
<li id="o82v2g">UC Irvine</li>
<li id="oiPuGm">Chattanooga</li>
<li id="0XUlGB">Norfolk State</li>
<li id="LCUxWk">Drexel</li>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The PORTLAND 4 region❗️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchMadness?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchMadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/B1ILrUyFGD">pic.twitter.com/B1ILrUyFGD</a></p>— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessWBB/status/1769523608269787536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/ncaa/2024/3/18/24103697/ncaa-women-bball-tournament-bracket-march-madness-seeds-south-carolina-iowa-usc-texas-caitlin-clarkCat Ariail2024-03-17T08:00:00-04:002024-03-17T08:00:00-04:00Around the NCAAW: Setting the stage for Selection Sunday
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<img alt="USC v Stanford" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fTXUo3f9gJx4hU10r_EJN3G2e_Q=/0x0:6731x4487/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73212950/2074387829.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb cuts down the net after the Trojans won the 2024 Pac-12 Tournament. | Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Ahead of Selection Sunday, here’s what has, and has not, been determined before the big bracket reveal. </p> <p id="Nwi12S">This week’s edition of “Around the NCAAW” debuts a day early, setting the stage before tonight’s <em>NCAA Women’s</em> <em>Selection Special</em> at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.</p>
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<h2 id="bYmEq5"><strong>Final conference tournaments</strong></h2>
<p id="bM48sM">The final, four automatic bids to the NCAA Tournaments will be determined today:</p>
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<p id="u39BeT"><strong>Patriot:</strong> No. 3-seed Boston University vs. No. 1-seed Holy Cross (12 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network)</p>
<p id="fo7Us0"><strong>NEC: </strong>No. 2-seed Le Moyne vs. No. 1-seed Sacred Heart (12 p.m. ET, ESPNU/ESPN+)</p>
<p id="ZdO51n"><strong>MVC:</strong> No. 3-seed Missouri State vs. No. 1-seed Drake (2 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN+)</p>
<p id="fLgBTR"><strong>CAA:</strong> No. 7-seed Drexel vs. No. 1-seed Stony Brook (CBS Sports Network)</p>
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<h2 id="gD5KQY"><strong>Dancing reservations confirmed</strong></h2>
<p id="h1RXLB">Congrats to the following teams for winning their conference’s tournament and securing their spot in the NCAA Tournament: <strong>Rice</strong> (AAC), <strong>Maine</strong> (AEC),<strong> FGCU</strong> (ASUN), <strong>Eastern Washington</strong> (Big Sky), <strong>UC-Irvine</strong> (Big West), <strong>MTSU</strong> (C-USA), <strong>Princeton</strong> (Ivy), <strong>Fairfield</strong> (MAAC), <strong>Kent State </strong>(MAC), <strong>Norfolk State </strong>(MEAC), <strong>UNLV </strong>(MWC), <strong>Texas A&M</strong><strong>-Corpus Christi </strong>(SLC), <strong>Jackson State</strong> (SWAC) and <strong>California Baptist</strong> (WAC). </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">WE’RE GOING DANCING <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoOwls?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoOwls</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmericanHoops?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmericanHoops</a> <a href="https://t.co/AcPqAP2unF">pic.twitter.com/AcPqAP2unF</a></p>— Rice Women’s Basketball (@RiceWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/RiceWBB/status/1768080416781594668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> ! - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%F0%9D%90%80%F0%9D%90%84%F0%9D%90%87%F0%9D%90%A8%F0%9D%90%A8%F0%9D%90%A9%F0%9D%90%AC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"># </a> , ! <a href="https://t.co/VPayeN6NXQ">pic.twitter.com/VPayeN6NXQ</a></p>— America East (@AmericaEast) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmericaEast/status/1768772271450067088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This will never get old!<br><br>The Eagles are for the 7th straight year!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raining3s?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raining3s</a> <a href="https://t.co/wETT7C3Xth">pic.twitter.com/wETT7C3Xth</a></p>— FGCU Women's Basketball (@FGCU_WBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/FGCU_WBB/status/1769164263581442174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Get your dancin' shoes ready - <a href="https://twitter.com/BigSkyConf?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bigskyconf</a> Champions<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/goeags?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#goeags</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/basketball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#basketball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hoops?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hoops</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/marchmadness?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#marchmadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/aHtiH7k9VE">pic.twitter.com/aHtiH7k9VE</a></p>— EWU Women's Basketball (@EWUWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/EWUWBB/status/1768050086725005667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a>
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<p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Champs <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeZot?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeZot</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RipEm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RipEm</a> <a href="https://t.co/RSP4XEW5d9">pic.twitter.com/RSP4XEW5d9</a></p>— UCI Women's Basketball (@UCIwbb) <a href="https://twitter.com/UCIwbb/status/1769223471026823583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dominance from start to finish<a href="https://twitter.com/MT_WBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MT_WBB</a> become one of two teams to complete an undefeated CUSA Women’s Basketball season!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoLimitsOnUs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NoLimitsOnUs</a> <a href="https://t.co/6IVLatHDoQ">pic.twitter.com/6IVLatHDoQ</a></p>— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConferenceUSA/status/1769152188268360148?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Made It There.<br><br> <a href="https://t.co/zd64hli718">pic.twitter.com/zd64hli718</a></p>— Princeton Tigers (@PUTIGERS) <a href="https://twitter.com/PUTIGERS/status/1769167872662626707?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<p lang="cy" dir="ltr">2023-24 MAAC CHAMPIONS!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreStags?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreStags</a> <a href="https://t.co/u8lA8wR2yY">pic.twitter.com/u8lA8wR2yY</a></p>— Fairfield Stags (@FairfieldStags) <a href="https://twitter.com/FairfieldStags/status/1769215040773570754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">For the first time since 2002, the Kent State Golden Flashes are your MAC Women's Basketball Tournament CHAMPIONS <a href="https://twitter.com/KentStWBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KentStWBB</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MACtion?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MACtion</a> <a href="https://t.co/7Hl424ZVRQ">pic.twitter.com/7Hl424ZVRQ</a></p>— #MACtion (@MACSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/MACSports/status/1769048676423315777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The moment we dreamt of!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoldStandard?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoldStandard</a> <a href="https://t.co/BPopwccZr9">pic.twitter.com/BPopwccZr9</a></p>— Norfolk State Women’s Basketball (@NorfolkStateWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/NorfolkStateWBB/status/1769157282317627652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good night from the -peat Champs <a href="https://t.co/7QSSV3AcOa">pic.twitter.com/7QSSV3AcOa</a></p>— UNLV Lady Rebels (@UNLVLadyRebels) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNLVLadyRebels/status/1768171526162137403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">CHAMPS!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/Islanders_WBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Islanders_WBB</a> is going to the big dance for the first time!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TAMUCC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TAMUCC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHAMPS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHAMPS</a> <a href="https://t.co/8NE6Tshd9E">pic.twitter.com/8NE6Tshd9E</a></p>— Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (@IslandCampus) <a href="https://twitter.com/IslandCampus/status/1768419597684727912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">THEE 2024 SWAC CHAMPIONS <br><br>The Jackson State women’s basketball program notches it’s ninth SWAC title with a 68-44 win over Alcorn State! This marks the third title in the <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachTReed?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachTReed</a>’s era <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheeILove?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheeILove</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SWACWBB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SWACWBB</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoJSUTigersWBB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoJSUTigersWBB</a> <a href="https://t.co/i6nBYX2U93">pic.twitter.com/i6nBYX2U93</a></p>— Jackson State Women’s Basketball (@GoJSUTigersWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoJSUTigersWBB/status/1769145160380584168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">May we have this dance <a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessWBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarchMadnessWBB</a>?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LanceUp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LanceUp</a>⚔️ | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NCAAwbb?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NCAAwbb</a> <a href="https://t.co/7ugcvQeOuc">pic.twitter.com/7ugcvQeOuc</a></p>— California Baptist Women's Basketball (@CBUwbb) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBUwbb/status/1769083051722563756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2024</a>
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<p id="BEkKXc">In addition to the above teams, the following teams have automatically qualified for the NCAA Tournament by winning their conferences’ tournament: <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com"><strong>Notre Dame</strong></a> (ACC), <strong>Richmond</strong> (A-10), <a href="https://www.theuconnblog.com"><strong>UConn</strong></a> (Big East), <strong>Presbyterian</strong> (Big South), <strong>Iowa</strong> (Big Ten), <strong>Texas</strong> (Big 12), <strong>Green Bay</strong> (Horizon), <strong>UT Martin</strong> (OVC), <strong>USC</strong> (Pac-12), <strong>South Carolina</strong> (SEC), <strong>Chattanooga</strong> (SoCon), <strong>South Dakota State</strong> (Summit), <strong>Marshall</strong> (Sun Belt) and <strong>Portland</strong> (WCC). </p>
<p id="W14G2N">In total, there are 32 automatic bids, with the 36 more at-large bids to be determined by the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It's day 4 with the NCAA DI Women's Basketball Committee and <a href="https://twitter.com/autumnjohnsontv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@autumnjohnsontv</a> sits down with vice chair <a href="https://twitter.com/sportydelta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportydelta</a> to talk about the bracket and upcoming tournament!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchMadness?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchMadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/9uUZOQa092">pic.twitter.com/9uUZOQa092</a></p>— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessWBB/status/1769164237522247928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2024</a>
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<h2 id="BHBk5q"><strong>More individual conference honors</strong></h2>
<p id="kILY1k">All NCAA Division I conferences have revealed their end-of-season award winners. Congrats to these standout players and coaches from across the NCAAW landscape who were recognized over the past week. </p>
<h4 id="NSL2sy"><strong>Players of the Year: </strong></h4>
<p id="0MJJob">MTSU’s <strong>Savannah Wheeler </strong>(C-USA), Columbia’s <strong>Abbey Hsu</strong> (Ivy), Fairfield’s <strong>Janelle Brown</strong> (MAAC), Toledo’s <strong>Sophia Wiard</strong> (MAC), Norfolk State’s <strong>Kierra Wheeler</strong> (MEAC), Drake’s <strong>Kate Dinnebier</strong> (MVC), UNLV’s <strong>Desi-Rae Young</strong> (MWC), Lamar’s <strong>Akasha Davis</strong> (SLC), Florida A&M’s <strong>Ahriahna Grizzle</strong> (SWAC) and California Baptist’s <strong>Chloe Webb</strong> (WAC).</p>
<h4 id="yFEAva"><strong>Coaches of the Year: </strong></h4>
<p id="gGqmIL">FIU’s <strong>Jesyka Burks-Wiley</strong> (C-USA), Columbia’s <strong>Megan Griffith</strong> (Ivy), Fairfield’s <strong>Carly Thibault-DuDonis</strong> (MAAC), Toledo’s <strong>Tricia Cullop</strong> (MAC), Norfolk State’s <strong>Larry Vickers</strong> (MEAC), Drake’s <strong>Allison Pohlman</strong> (MVC), New Mexico’s <strong>Mike Bradbury</strong> (MWC), Lamar’s <strong>Aqua Franklin</strong> (SLC), Jackson State’s <strong>Tomekia Reed</strong> (SWAC) and California Baptist’s <strong>Jarrod Olson</strong> (WAC).</p>
<h4 id="QRNfEr"><strong>Freshmen of the Year: </strong></h4>
<p id="ERLm1z">Liberty’s <strong>Asia Boone</strong> (C-USA), Penn’s <strong>Mataya Gayle</strong> (Ivy), Fairfield’s <strong>Meghan Andersen</strong> (MAAC), Buffalo’s <strong>Kirsten Lewis-Williams</strong> (MAC), Howard’s <strong>Tyana Walker</strong> (MEAC), Belmont’s <strong>Jailyn Banks</strong> (MVC), UNLV’s <strong>Amarachi Kimpson Wilson</strong> (MWC), Nicholls State’s <strong>Britiya Curtis</strong> (SLC), Alabama A&M’s <strong>Kaylah Turner</strong> (SWAC) and Abilene Christian’s <strong>Payton Hull </strong>(WAC).</p>
<h4 id="9h39rw"><strong>Defense Players of the Year: </strong></h4>
<p id="D3ocuv">MTSU’s <strong>Anastasiia Boldyreva</strong> (C-USA), Princeton’s <strong>Ellie Mitchell</strong> (Ivy), Siena’s <strong>Elisa Mevius </strong>(MAAC), Ball State’s <strong>Nyla Hampton</strong> (MAC), Coppin State’s <strong>Laila Lawrence</strong> (MEAC), Drake’s <strong>Anna Miller</strong> (MVC), New Mexico’s <strong>Aniyah Augmon</strong> (MWC), Southeastern’s <strong>Jalencia Pierre</strong> (SLC), Jackson State’s <strong>Angel Jackson</strong> (SWAC) and Stephen F. Austin’s <strong>Destini Lombard</strong> (WAC).</p>
<h2 id="ApGzAu"></h2>
https://www.swishappeal.com/ncaa/2024/3/17/24100109/ncaa-women-bball-selection-sunday-conference-tournaments-iowa-caitlin-clark-south-carolina-staleyCat Ariail2024-03-16T13:00:00-04:002024-03-16T13:00:00-04:00A night in Győr: Part III
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<img alt="Australia v Canada: 3rd Place Game - FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ig3ogWldePFXr9AGvJEyupqmZNs=/0x0:4134x2756/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73211847/1430560035.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>A mainstay of Team Canada, Carleton is expected to represent her country at the 2024 Paris Olympics. | Photo by Steve Christo - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Part III of a deep dive into Bridget Carleton’s 41-point game.</p> <p id="OcNWHx"><em>A single game of basketball, with timeouts, is more or less 2 hours long, but there’s always so much more time, effort and energy involved to make the event truly special. In Part III of this three-part profile, we take a deep dive into Bridget Carleton’s 41-point game on Jan. 17, 2024, between Serco UNI Győr and KGHM BC Polkowice, to show what needed to happen for a Canadian woman to make European basketball history.</em></p>
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<aside id="oUonBQ"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"A night in Győr: Bridget Carleton makes history, Part I","url":"https://www.swishappeal.com/2024/3/14/24091573/fiba-wnba-bridget-carleton-eurloleague-women-serco-uni-gyor-canada-minnesota-lynx-41-points-history"},{"title":"A night in Győr: Bridget Carleton makes history, Part II","url":"https://www.swishappeal.com/2024/3/15/24091575/fiba-wnba-bridget-carleton-serco-uni-gyor-euroleague-women-minnesota-lynx-canada-41-points-history"}]}'></div></aside><p id="1NfJJU">Győr is way different than Minnesota, where Bridget resides in the summers during the <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com">WNBA</a> season. She was originally drafted by the Connecticut Sun with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. When asked about playing in Uncasville, CT in Mohegan Sun Arena immediately after the draft, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/bridge-carleton-q-a-1.5093953">Carleton said</a>, “I’m excited to go to Connecticut. I just want to play for a team that wants me there, so I’m looking forward to meeting everyone there and getting to Connecticut.”</p>
<p id="svLkqr">Despite being praised by then-Sun coach head Curt Miller as <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.desmoinesregister.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Fiowa-state%2Fbasketball-womens%2F2019%2F04%2F11%2Fiowa-state-bridget-carleton-swiss-army-knife-wnba-draft-class-connecticut-sun-coach-curt-miller-says%2F3432318002%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.swishappeal.com%2F2024%2F3%2F16%2F24091581%2Ffiba-wnba-bridget-carleton-serco-uni-gyor-minnesota-lynx-canada-41-points-euroleague-women-history" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">“the Swiss Army knife of this draft class,”</a> she was released after appearing in just four games. A total of 29 minutes, one assist and three rebounds was not how she wanted to end her time in the WNBA. </p>
<p id="n2F6kF">Luckily, Minnesota Lynx picked her up the same year, and she’s been with the Lynx ever since. In 2024, she signed a two-year contract. “Minnesota is my home away from home. I’ve been here for four full summers now. People say Minnesota is close to Canada, but geographically Indiana is closer to my hometown, Chatham. Chicago would be closer, even Connecticut would be closer,” she clarifies.</p>
<p id="cgz3E7">Despite serving primarily as a bench player, Carleton feels valued in Minneapolis. She loves being a part of this organization and she enjoys living in the city, saying:</p>
<blockquote><p id="QLp4l4"><em>The people in Minnesota are similar to Canadians, maybe it’s because of the proximity to Canada. And I just enjoy my teammates and my coaches. There’s been consistency with the coaching staff and the roster, so I’ve built relationships with both. There’s also the familiarity of the city. I love Minnesota, I love the Lynx. It’s a place where I can continue to grow and become a better player.</em></p></blockquote>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">another year of BC highlights, comin’ right up. <a href="https://t.co/ol2N0Tc0kA">pic.twitter.com/ol2N0Tc0kA</a></p>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1753195950024065481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2024</a>
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<p id="jKsott">Improvement involves not backing down against stronger, bigger opponents. Brianna Fraser is 6-foot-3, Carleton is 6-foot-1. Yet, she stood her ground when Fraser was trying to overpower her under the basket. Thanks to Carleton’s defense—with her body straight, her hands up in the air—Fraser was unable to establish a stable shooting position in the interior and her shot bounced off the board. Carleton grabbed the rebound and stormed toward the opposing basket, forcing a foul. She let out a visible “ow!” before she went to the line, where she drained both shots. She would end the day perfect from the charity stripe, with 11 makes in 11 attempts. </p>
<p id="exb6go">On the next two plays, Carleton made two defensive stops. Under the basket, she forced a turnover. Then, behind the 3-point line, the player she was guarding missed her shot. On offense, Carleton lost the ball, but she was not the only one; by the end of the third quarter, her team had 16 turnovers and just 11 assists. The 12th assist came with a minute to go, as Carleton used a screen set by her teammate, got herself free, received the ball, stepped behind the 3-point line and fired from behind the arc. The ball went through the net without touching the rim. She now had 30 points. Her team was up by 11 points, 70-59. </p>
<p id="ivZcKm">She was the only player on her team who had reached double figures, but it’s not like her team was playing exclusively through her. Sometimes, she gladly served as a decoy, luring whoever was guarding her away from the basket so that other players could score. She’s willing to do whatever it takes not only to support her teammates, but also women’s basketball in general. Over her lifetime, she has seen the approach to the game change for the better, saying: </p>
<blockquote><p id="59zFnA"><em>When I take a step back and look at Canada as I was growing up, there were a couple of good players, but because of lack of media attention and social media, you never heard about them. The only chance to do that was at big tournaments, like the Olympics.</em></p></blockquote>
<p id="0pSYo4">The Olympics are her number one goal for 2024. She’s already been there in 2020. In February, Team Canada qualified for the Games an hour away from Győr, in the Hungarian city of Sopron, when fans who usually root for her were hoping that she would have a bad night when Canada faced Hungary. That didn’t happen, as the Canadians, led by a game-high 18 points from Carleton, defeated the Hungarians 67-55. Despite falling to both Spain and Japan in their subsequent qualifying games, Team Canada <a href="https://www.raptorshq.com/2024/2/11/24069208/canada-basketball-women-olympics-spain-qualifier-achonwa-alexander-carleton?_gl=1*3ll6b*">punched their ticket to Paris</a>.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">We love a transition play <a href="https://twitter.com/bridgecarleton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bridgecarleton</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet</a> <br><br>The steal & the jumper <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAOQT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAOQT</a> <a href="https://t.co/TkeKpH4NUB">pic.twitter.com/TkeKpH4NUB</a></p>— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanBball/status/1755662228236255498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2024</a>
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<p id="qkCOUN">Győr’s first points in the fourth quarter came from a Carleton 3. Győr’s Cyesha Goree stood with her back to the basket and Polkowice’s Stephanie Mavunga, still a bit rusty following her return to action, turned to the ball handler, losing track of Carleton, who was behind the 3-point line and moving off the ball to make herself available to her teammate. Carleton caught the ball a bit low, straightened herself up and shot. 75-61. Polkowice responded with a 3 of their own. Carleton then attacked the basket and was fouled. Two free throws, two makes. On the next play, she made a shot from top of the key. Then, she got a steal and was fouled. With eight minutes to go, the score was 79-64. </p>
<p id="d1uSzD">After the timeout, Carleton again got the ball off a screen. Polkowice switched their assignments, and now Mavunga was standing in front of her. The 6-foot-3 power forward/center was born in Zimbabwe, but, at the age of three, moved to Indiana. She plays for the Polish national team. Back in November, she led them to one of the biggest upsets in EuroBasket Qualifiers, as Poland beat the reigning champs, Belgium. Since that game, Mavunga has been up and down, still battling some health issues, which explains why she didn’t start for Polkowice against Győr that day. </p>
<aside id="kcU0nf"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Stephanie Mavunga talks UNC, Ohio State, EuroLeague and EuroBasket","url":"https://www.swishappeal.com/2023/11/18/23963641/fiba-wnba-stephanie-mavunga-unc-tarheel-ohio-state-buckeye-poland-euroleague-eurobasket-injury-rehab"},{"title":"EuroBasket Women 2025 Qualifiers: Luxembourg, Poland score upsets in first qualifying window ","url":"https://www.swishappeal.com/2023/11/13/23957947/fiba-eurobasket-women-qualifiers-2025-luxembourg-poland-sabally-kuier-ehi-etute-fauthoux-juhasz"}]}'></div></aside><p id="GCFexO">Mavunga is taller than Carleton, but slower. When Carleton took a step back and shot the ball, Mavunga was too far to contest. Another 3 went in, and Győr was up by 18 points. Carleton’s last point came with two minutes left in the game. Polkowice’s Weronika Gajda committed a technical foul and Carleton made the free throw. </p>
<p id="glofd6">With 41 points, she finished the game third on the EuroLeague Women all-time single-game scoring list, behind Lara Mandić and Vicky Bullet. Mandić had 42 points in 2002; Bullet scored her record 48 points in 1996. Yet, in 22 years, no player has scored more points in a single game than Carleton. She was close to breaking both records, but she was not attempting more shots than necessary, despite staying on the court until the buzzer. There was no stat padding on her or her team’s part. Why? </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">GETTING IT DONE FROM ALL SPOTS <a href="https://twitter.com/bridgecarleton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bridgecarleton</a> went off with an outstanding 41-point game (8 three-pointers) to secure Gyor's second <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeagueWomen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeagueWomen</a> win against Polkowice <a href="https://t.co/2QZoRnf3RQ">pic.twitter.com/2QZoRnf3RQ</a></p>— EuroLeague Women (@EuroLeagueWomen) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeagueWomen/status/1747696951095669142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2024</a>
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<p id="rJ9t9h">“41-point games are fun, but we have another game in two days. Let’s not get too high about it,” was how Carleton summed up her approach, immediately crediting her mother for instilling that mentality.</p>
<p id="9G6HB5">Still, a 41-point game is an incredible achievement. On Jan. 17, 2024, Bridget Carleton from Chatham-Kent, Ontario made Canadian and European basketball history. There will be more games to play, more 3-pointers to make and more facetime conversations with the family to have until she finally decides to call it quits. But that 41-point performance by a 26-year-old will remain proof of how special of a player she is.</p>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/2024/3/16/24091581/fiba-wnba-bridget-carleton-serco-uni-gyor-minnesota-lynx-canada-41-points-euroleague-women-historyŁukasz Muniowski2024-03-16T08:00:00-04:002024-03-16T08:00:00-04:00This Week in Women’s Basketball: 2024 EuroCup Women Finals are set
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<img alt="Besiktas v Tango Bourges Basket - FIBA EuroCup Women" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LgwKbmzAMA-X_E5IxHutRivxGMo=/0x317:3400x2584/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73211348/1918185628.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dana Evans and Besiktas will compete in the 2024 EuroCup Women Finals. | Photo by Esra Bilgin/Anadolu via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>We’ve got two first-time contenders in the EuroCup Women Finals, a WNBA trade, a NCAAW college all-star game and more news from around women’s basketball.</p> <p id="0rwwaa">Catch up on the latest happenings from FIBA, <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com">WNBA</a> and NCAA women’s basketball: </p>
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<h2 id="kyV0cG"><strong>A new EuroCup Women champion will soon be crowned</strong></h2>
<p id="G8jPk8">A first-time EuroCup Women champion will be crowned when Besiktas and the London Lions meet in the 2024 EuroCup Women Finals. Both clubs prevailed in the two-leg Semi-Finals, where the aggregate score from across the two games determined which teams advanced. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">LADIES & GENTLEMEN, THE 2023-24 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EUROCUPWOMEN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EUROCUPWOMEN</a> FINALS! </p>— EuroCup Women (@EuroCupWomen) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCupWomen/status/1768378657154683033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="ob3tpN">Turkish Besiktas triumphed over Spanish Spar Girona by an aggregate score of 149-126. In Game 1 on Mar. 7, the Chicago Sky’s Dana Evans led Besiktas with 27 points and six assists, while Li Yueru, now with the Los Angeles Sparks, added a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds. Besiktas won 81-60, giving them a 21-point edge heading into Game 2 on Mar. 14. Thus, a two-point win on the scoreboard, 68-66, was actually a much more comfortable victory for Besiktas. On an off shooting night for Evans, she still tied for the team-high with 14 points. Li again was all over the glass, with 15 boards to go with her 12 points. Besiktas is the fifth Turkish club to advance to the EuroCup Women Finals, although it is their first trip to the Finals stage. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://twitter.com/Danaaakianaaa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Danaaakianaaa</a> was a professional bucket-getter this week! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroCupWomen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroCupWomen</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/BJK_KadinBasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BJK_KadinBasket</a> <a href="https://t.co/xQr4ydxrhQ">pic.twitter.com/xQr4ydxrhQ</a></p>— EuroCup Women (@EuroCupWomen) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCupWomen/status/1766466672876044559?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2024</a>
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<p id="AAsBg8">The British London Lions were victorious over Italian Umana Reyer Venice by a combined score of 140-127, making history by becoming the first British club to reach the EuroCup Women Finals. Game 1, held on Mar. 6, was a closely-contested affair, with London squeaking out the 69-68 win. WNBA favorites Megan Gustafson, now with the Las Vegas Aces, and Temi Fagbenle, returning to the Indiana Fever, combined to lead the way for London. Gustafson tallied a 14-point and 12-rebound double-double, with Fagbenle scoring a game-high 24 points. New Washington Mystic Karlie Samuelson and Phoenix Mercury stalwart Shey Peddy both chipped in for London, with Samuelson contributing eight points, six assists and four boards and Peddy adding four points and four boards. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">MEGAN IS TOUGHHH <br><br>A big 14 PT, 12 REB double-double for <a href="https://twitter.com/GustafsonMeg10?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GustafsonMeg10</a> in our <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCupWomen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCupWomen</a> semifinal 1st leg vs <a href="https://twitter.com/REYER1872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@REYER1872</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreLondon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreLondon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroCupWomen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroCupWomen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HearOurRoar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HearOurRoar</a> <a href="https://t.co/KRQDEJEJde">pic.twitter.com/KRQDEJEJde</a></p>— London Lions (@londonlionsw) <a href="https://twitter.com/londonlionsw/status/1766189806759919686?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2024</a>
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<p id="oExyUL">Umana Reyer features a pair of players familiar to WNBA fans, the Minnesota Lynx’s Jessica Shepard and the Dallas Wings’ Awak Kuier, both whom are not expected to play in the W in 2024 due to overseas and international obligations. In Game 1, Shepard had 10 points and seven boards, while Kueir scored 12 points and grabbed three boards. </p>
<p id="v0NpcQ">With Umana Reyer up by two points at halftime of Mar. 12’s Game 2, it appeared a berth to the Finals could go down to the wire. Instead, the Lions dismissed any drama, taking control with a 24-12 third quarter. Gustafson and Fagbenle again were big for the British side; Gustafson had 19 points and six boards, while Fagbenle posted 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Shepard did all she could to keep her club in contention, finishing with a 21-point and 13-rebound double-double; Kuier chipped in four points and four boards. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">HISTORY <br><br>A decisive 71-59 success in front of an incredible British basketball crowd lead <a href="https://twitter.com/londonlionsw?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@londonlionsw</a> to their first-ever <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroCupWomen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroCupWomen</a> Finals!⚡️ <br><br> Enjoy the full highlights of the game! <a href="https://t.co/qD37hjt3Tp">pic.twitter.com/qD37hjt3Tp</a></p>— EuroCup Women (@EuroCupWomen) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCupWomen/status/1767868300191559768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a>
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<p id="pMoZKJ">The 2024 EuroCup Women Finals begin on April 3, with Game 1 in Istanbul. Game 2 will be in London on April 10, with the champion determined by the aggregate score of the two games. Games can be streamed live on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/FIBA">FIBA’s Youtube channel</a>. </p>
<h2 id="rA3qfo"><strong>Liberty acquire Gardner from Sky</strong></h2>
<p id="F5LXM5">On Thursday, we had a rare, mid-March WNBA trade, with the New York Liberty sending two future first-round picks to the Chicago Sky in exchange for Rebekah Gardner. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: The New York Liberty has acquired player rights to Rebekah Gardner from the Chicago Sky in exchange for a pair of future 2nd round picks.</p>— Khristina Williams (@Khristina) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khristina/status/1768355431112409093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="Ezn1PD">Gardner impressed as unrelenting perimeter defender in her first season in the WNBA in 2022. Last season, she was limited to three games due to foot surgery. Then, while playing in Spain for Spar Girona this offseason, she tore her Achilles, which will sideline her for the 2024 season. A reserved free agent, Gardner had yet to sign the qualifying offer issued by the Sky. </p>
<p id="QThGtz">For the Liberty, this is a future- and financial-focused move. They will retain Gardner’s rights, but owe her nothing for the 2024 season. Then, after she, hopefully, fully recovers from another injury setback, she can serve as a valuable, high-impact player for New York beginning in 2025. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">TRADE ALERT ! The Liberty has acquired the player rights to Rebekah Gardner from the Chicago Sky in exchange for NYL’s 2025 & 2026 2nd Round picks. Welcome to NY <a href="https://t.co/IfA81aWwRe">pic.twitter.com/IfA81aWwRe</a></p>— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) <a href="https://twitter.com/nyliberty/status/1768369327449821482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<h2 id="ktkKjb"><strong>Get set for #SeafoamSZN</strong></h2>
<p id="RUN14P">In more Liberty news, games will be broadcast locally over the air on FOX 5 NY. Last season, the Phoenix Mercury debuted a local broadcast on Arizona Family. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> THE <a href="https://twitter.com/nyliberty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nyliberty</a> ARE COMING TO <a href="https://twitter.com/fox5ny?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fox5ny</a>!!! <br><br>Games will be broadcast right here this season! <a href="https://twitter.com/KeiaClarke?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KeiaClarke</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/breannastewart?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@breannastewart</a> tell us more! And I’ll have even more on this this Sunday on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SportsXtra?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SportsXtra</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/seafoamszn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#seafoamszn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lightitup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lightitup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nyliberty?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nyliberty</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wnba?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wnba</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fox5ny?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fox5ny</a> <a href="https://t.co/xl4dz66PeD">pic.twitter.com/xl4dz66PeD</a></p>— Tina Cervasio (@TinaCervasio) <a href="https://twitter.com/TinaCervasio/status/1767547459373289718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a>
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<p id="8ttEsM">The Liberty also announced that courtside and club season tickets have sold out, leading the organization to introduce the WNBA’s first-ever public <a href="https://liberty.wnba.com/waitlist/">premium seating waitlist</a>. </p>
<h2 id="sNcqMo"><strong>Ally Tipoff announces 2024 field</strong></h2>
<p id="xCsZ3P">The 2024 Ally Tipoff will feature South Carolina, Iowa, <a href="https://www.backingthepack.com/">NC State</a> and <a href="https://www.gobblercountry.com/">Virginia Tech</a>. The doubleheader will take place on Nov. 10 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC, with both games broadcast on ESPN. </p>
<p id="Oeng31">South Carolina will face NC State, while Iowa and Virginia Tech, competitors in the 2023 Ally Tipoff, will meet again.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">South Carolina, Iowa, NC State and Virginia Tech will take part in the Ally Tipoff in Charlotte next season. The women's doubleheader will be held on Nov. 10 at the Spectrum Center and broadcast on ESPN at the end of the opening week of the season. <a href="https://t.co/JLeTedowAc">https://t.co/JLeTedowAc</a></p>— ESPN Women's Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPN_WomenHoop/status/1768292733050118620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<h2 id="nx7QM3"><strong>Women’s hoops legends to coach 2024 College All-Star Game</strong></h2>
<p id="QvriI2">An illustrious group of women’s basketball legends—Cheryl Miller, Nancy Lieberman, Cynthia Cooper and Janice Braxton—will serve as coaches for the 2024 Women’s College All-Star Game. The National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA), in partnership with Intersport, is sponsoring the event, which will be held April 6 at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University. Current WNBA All-Stars Satou Sabally and Kelsey Plum are slated to serve as assistant coaches. </p>
<p id="lD36MM">This will be the first women’s college all-star game since 2006, with the event highlighting players who have exhausted their collegiate eligibility ahead of April 15’s WNBA Draft. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Women's Basketball Legends to Coach the 2024 Women's College All-Star Game<a href="https://twitter.com/NBAalumni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBAalumni</a>'s Nancy Lieberman, Cheryl Miller, Cynthia Cooper & Janice Braxton to join current <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBA</a> stars Satou Sabally & Kelsey Plum as coaches<br><br>Read More: <a href="https://t.co/8ycJh7SyO2">https://t.co/8ycJh7SyO2</a> <a href="https://t.co/XHl3sYG0j0">pic.twitter.com/XHl3sYG0j0</a></p>— NBA Alumni (@NBAalumni) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAalumni/status/1768260769177628717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<h2 id="dTnNAL"><strong>College coaching changes begin</strong></h2>
<p id="5zzEBF">For high-major programs that had ambitions of breaking through, a disappointing season often leads to an end-of-season dismissal. That was the case at Kentucky and Clemson, with Kentucky moving on from Kyra Elzy after four seasons and Clemson cutting ties with Amanda Butler after six seasons. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">While I understand that it needed to be done, I hate to see Kyra Elzy go.<br><br>She should be fondly remembered for being an awesome person but also for the 2022 SEC Tournament Championship. Only the second ever in program history and first in 40 years. <a href="https://t.co/EiHo0ppcKV">pic.twitter.com/EiHo0ppcKV</a></p>— Phoenix Stevens (@PStevensKSR) <a href="https://twitter.com/PStevensKSR/status/1767376057278116344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I can confirm through multiple sources that Amanda Butler is out at Clemson.<a href="https://twitter.com/goodmansport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@goodmansport</a> had it first.<br><br>Butler signed a 5-year extension in 2022, and was bringing in the program’s highest ranked recruit in 5-star Imari Berry. But she’s 81-106 with one NCAAT trip in 6 seasons.</p>— Mitchell Northam (@primetimeMitch) <a href="https://twitter.com/primetimeMitch/status/1767565256233034065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a>
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<h2 id="wEEJbO"><strong>Keep up with portal madness</strong></h2>
<p id="uio3fC">Having trouble keeping up with which NCAAW players have entered the transfer portal and where they might be going? Us to! Luckily, our friends at <em>The Next</em> have created a <a href="https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/2023-24-transfer-portal-tracker-ncaa-womens-basketball/">transfer portal tracker</a>. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Scrutinize it, bookmark it, love it. We've got the goods for you: a real-time <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NCAAW?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NCAAW</a> Transfer Tracker, updated daily, with direct line into what the coaches can see. Our <a href="https://twitter.com/goodmansport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@goodmansport</a> explains how it works and gets you this inside look: <a href="https://t.co/VWvc1U22AD">https://t.co/VWvc1U22AD</a></p>— The Next: A women's basketball newsroom at The IX (@TheNextHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNextHoops/status/1750200436156440948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2024</a>
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<p id="YWwssN">As a reminder, just because a player enters the portal doesn’t mean that she’s guaranteed to depart her current school; it’s an opportunity for players to explore their options and decide what direction is best for their basketball and/or academic careers. </p>
<p id="4E9YnH"></p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2024/3/16/24100108/wnba-ncaa-fiba-eurocup-women-besiktas-dana-evans-london-lions-trade-liberty-sky-gardner-ally-tipoffCat Ariail2024-03-15T15:30:00-04:002024-03-15T15:30:00-04:00WNBA Draft prospects to watch during 2024 NCAA Tournament
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<img alt="COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FEB 23 Women’s - Colorado at USC" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bE6N6AVNp9CRhXv_wAcqp0Egs7Y=/0x268:2781x2122/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73210350/2038741286.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Colorado point guard Jaylyn Sherrod has big-play potential, and she’s one of several WNBA Draft-eligible players to watch in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. | Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>You already know names like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, but there are plenty more WNBA Draft-eligible players to keep an eye on in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.</p> <p id="crdP5a">The NCAA Tournament is the ultimate goal for many collegiate players, and for those with professional aspirations, the high-pressure games mean even more. For many, it’s not only the last go-around with their respective programs, but also their last chance to prove themselves to teams scouting for the upcoming <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com">WNBA</a> Draft.</p>
<p id="dwF6TN">You already know names like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, but there are plenty more players with big-game potential who will be participating in March Madness. Some are from big programs and some are from mid-majors, but they’ll all be competing in the same tournament, and they’ll all have the same opportunity to showcase their skills. Here are just a handful of names to know as we approach college basketball’s biggest time of year.</p>
<h2 id="pGy281"><strong>Dyaisha Fair (Syracuse Orange)</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Another day, another NPOTY Watch List for <a href="https://twitter.com/DyaishaFair?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DyaishaFair</a> <br><br> :<a href="https://t.co/OYOzGJ0cWE">https://t.co/OYOzGJ0cWE</a> <a href="https://t.co/6qjOir9HQV">pic.twitter.com/6qjOir9HQV</a></p>— Syracuse Women's Basketball (@CuseWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/CuseWBB/status/1762601578689695905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2024</a>
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<p id="tL8xXx">The fifth <a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2024-03-03/womens-college-basketball-all-time-leading-scorers">all-time leading scorer</a> in Division I history, Fair has had a tremendous collegiate career, essentially carrying Buffalo for three seasons before leading an immediate turnaround at a troubled Syracuse program. Not many players have gotten up more 3-pointers than Fair (9.4 attempts per game), and being able to shoot the long ball when defenders go under screens is definitely a WNBA-level skill—especially for smaller guards like Fair (5-foot-5) who have the quickness to attack the basket against more aggressive defenses. Fair is no stranger to playing hero in big moments, and she’ll get one last opportunity to impress during the 2024 NCAA Tournament.</p>
<h2 id="ATO1WV"><strong>Marquesha Davis (Ole Miss Rebels)</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Que, Marquesha, Airquesha<br><br>No matter what you call her, she’s - . <a href="https://t.co/tfa0flH7eM">pic.twitter.com/tfa0flH7eM</a></p>— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/OleMissWBB/status/1765035603874197753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2024</a>
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<p id="aqNDM9">Davis’ primary role for <a href="https://www.redcuprebellion.com">Ole Miss</a>—locking down the competition’s top perimeter scorers—isn’t one that generally draws a lot of fanfare, but it’s likely going to be what puts her on the radar of WNBA teams. One of the SEC’s longest and toughest wing players, Davis personified the defensive-minded approach that made the Rebels a successful regular-season team. But she’s capable of making athletic finishes around the basket, too, averaging a team- and career-best 14.6 points per game as a fifth-year senior. If Ole Miss is to make an NCAA Tournament run, it won’t be without a significant contribution from Davis.</p>
<h2 id="TKfBSr"><strong>Nika Mühl (UConn Huskies)</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">A list of Huskies all-time with 600 career assists:<br><br>Moriah Jefferson<br>Diana Taurasi<br>Jennifer Rizzotti<br>Renee Montgomery<br><br>and now, Nika Mühl <a href="https://t.co/ISmoSallyP">pic.twitter.com/ISmoSallyP</a></p>— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/UConnWBB/status/1758645933032575096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2024</a>
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<p id="o7bLJp">We already know that the 2024 NCAA Tournament will be Mühl’s last, as the <a href="https://www.theuconnblog.com">UConn</a> point guard <a href="https://twitter.com/MuhlNika/status/1766211655036194975">announced</a> that she’d be leaving school this spring. Though the Huskies have never been short on star power during Mühl’s tenure, resulting in her typically being a low-to-mid-usage player, her steadiness shouldn’t be overlooked; she’s led UConn in assists as an upperclassman and has had her best offensive season as a senior, shooting 57 percent on 2-pointers and 41.3 percent from 3-point range. UConn won’t be able to rely solely on Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards during the NCAA Tournament like it did for much of its Big East schedule, and any contributions Mühl makes as a tertiary option will be magnified in the high-stakes environment.</p>
<h2 id="UKcXtT"><strong>Jaylyn Sherrod (Colorado Buffaloes)</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Doing it on both sides of the ball <br><br>All Pac-12 and All-Defensive Team honors for <a href="https://twitter.com/JaylynSherrod?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaylynSherrod</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoBuffs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoBuffs</a> <a href="https://t.co/bBLdqUkDZb">pic.twitter.com/bBLdqUkDZb</a></p>— Colorado Women's Basketball (@CUBuffsWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/CUBuffsWBB/status/1765083610653028620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2024</a>
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<p id="H0OdBr">Sherrod has made quite a name for herself during five seasons at Colorado, and the Buffaloes have won at least 22 games three years in a row. A high-octane lead guard who has recorded nearly a third of her offensive possessions in transition (Synergy Sports), Sherrod is good for several highlight-reel finishes at the rim every game, and she’s also racked up 2.2 steals per game or more in three of her five seasons at Colorado. Sherrod’s game is tailor-made for the big stage, and if she plays well in the NCAA Tournament, she’ll win over fans and WNBA coaches alike. </p>
<h2 id="p8Cn93"><strong>Quinesha Lockett (Toledo Rockets)</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">To sum it all up so far for <a href="https://twitter.com/Q_lockett5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Q_lockett5</a> <a href="https://t.co/MQcK9kABcA">pic.twitter.com/MQcK9kABcA</a></p>— Toledo Women's Basketball (@ToledoWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/ToledoWBB/status/1727068794340671573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2023</a>
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<p id="gXQZ2V">A three-time All-MAC first-teamer and the 2022-23 MAC Player of the Year, Lockett excels at getting to the basket off the dribble. She’s averaged at least four free throw attempts per game in each of the last four seasons and has a knack for making big shots, as evidenced by Toledo’s upset of <a href="https://www.widerightnattylite.com">Iowa State</a> in last year’s NCAA Tournament, when Lockett led all scorers with 24 points. March is when mid-major stars get the chance to show the country what they can do, and if Toledo can pull off another first-round victory as an underdog, it will reflect well on the Rockets’ best player.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/ncaa/2024/3/15/24099548/ncaaw-tournament-wnba-draft-dyaisha-fair-jaylyn-sherrod-nika-muhl-marquesha-davis-quinesha-lockettEric Nemchock2024-03-15T13:00:00-04:002024-03-15T13:00:00-04:00A night in Győr: Part II
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<figcaption>Bridget Carleton joined the Minnesota Lynx in 2019, playing four games for the team in her rookie season. | Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Part II of a deep dive into Bridget Carleton’s 41-point game.</p> <p id="tvLtvn"><em>A single game of basketball, with timeouts, is more or less 2 hours long, but there’s always so much more time, effort and energy involved to make the event truly special. In Part II of this three-part profile, we take a deep dive into Bridget Carleton’s 41-point game on Jan. 17, 2024, between Serco UNI Győr and KGHM BC Polkowice, to show what needed to happen for a Canadian woman to make European basketball history.</em></p>
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<aside id="EjZzLM"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"A night in Győr: Bridget Carleton makes history, Part I","url":"https://www.swishappeal.com/2024/3/14/24091573/fiba-wnba-bridget-carleton-eurloleague-women-serco-uni-gyor-canada-minnesota-lynx-41-points-history"}]}'></div></aside><p id="gNJq8L">In a moment the sensation subsided, she relaxed and smiled. </p>
<p id="sLwWD9">Carleton’s dad is laid back and her mom taught her early on in high school how to keep a level head and stay grounded, even when she’s playing at an incredible level. The thing is to never get too high on yourself, but also to not allow self-doubt to creep in. She opened the game with solid shooting and staying grounded was her way of remaining in the zone.</p>
<p id="sCaPTX">That’s exactly the mindset she returned to when she missed her next shot, a stepback 3. Polkowice put their best defender, Brittney Sykes, on her for a brief period. The Washington Mystics guard played college ball at Syracuse and was drafted No. 7 overall in the 2017 WNBA Draft. She has led the <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com">WNBA</a> in steals twice and made the WNBA All-Defensive Team twice. When it comes to defending the ball, Sykes is WNBA royalty.</p>
<p id="gQN0g0">Soon, Carleton went to the bench. She returned to action in the second quarter. In her first play back, with Győr on the fastbreak, Polkowice had no time to organize their defense, so Carleton easily ran off a screen and scored from 3. She continued to score and stretch the floor. In the second quarter she had 17 points, 22 in total. Yet, she still didn’t feel that she was on the verge of having one of the best games of her career. While she loved to practice shooting when she was younger, in college she focused on other aspects of the game and became one of the most versatile players in the NCAA.</p>
<p id="lgd2rq">Says <a href="https://www.widerightnattylite.com">Iowa State</a> head coach Bill Fennelly:</p>
<blockquote><p id="tTfJFv"><em>Bridget grew in every area during her time with us at Iowa State. We knew she wanted to play for Team Canada so we worked hard with them to help her make that happen, as well as become a WNBA player. As a player, she got stronger and more confident in all areas of game. She was the leader, she was willing to do whatever was needed to help her team win—that is why she was also Big 12 Player of the Year.</em></p></blockquote>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bridget Carleton is the 2019 Big 12 Player of the Year!<br><br>She becomes the first Cyclone in school history to receive the league's highest honor. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MadeForThis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MadeForThis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IowaStateWay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IowaStateWay</a> <a href="https://t.co/UjVnzUzbc2">pic.twitter.com/UjVnzUzbc2</a></p>— Cyclone Basketball (@CycloneWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/CycloneWBB/status/1103400798657089537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2019</a>
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<p id="Vbzlon">Carleton earned that distinction in 2019, the first Iowa State Cyclone to do so. Accepting the award, she showed her signature humility, which endears people to her wherever she goes. “She’s awesome,” says her agent, Ticha Penicheiro. If the name sounds familiar, it’s the same Penicheiro who led the WNBA in assists seven times and was voted to the WNBA 15-, 20- and 25-year anniversary teams.</p>
<p id="RwGrme">Sitting at the podium next to Fennelly in 2019 and asked to comment on the award, <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.desmoinesregister.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Fiowa-state%2Fbasketball-womens%2F2019%2F03%2F06%2Fcollege-basketball-iowa-state-cyclones-bridget-carleton-big-12-s-player-year%2F3067860002%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.swishappeal.com%2F2024%2F3%2F15%2F24091575%2Ffiba-wnba-bridget-carleton-serco-uni-gyor-euroleague-women-minnesota-lynx-canada-41-points-history" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Carleton said</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p id="4TwlLh"><em>When I heard that, I was surprised—very surprised—that no one has won this award from Iowa State—just because there have been so many great players and winning teams—teams that have won the </em><em>Big 12 Tournament</em><em>, teams that have won the regular season. </em></p></blockquote>
<p id="utgdsI">Tonya Burns, Jayme Olson, Megan Taylor and Angie Welle are the four former Cyclones whose numbers have been retired by the university. Burns set or tied 33 school records upon her graduation in 1985. Olson led the school to its first two NCAA appearances under Fennelly. Taylor was the only player in Cyclones’ history to be selected Big 12 Freshman of the Year and was named Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year in 2001. A year later, that honor was bestowed upon Welle, the first player in school history to average more than 20 points per game in a season.</p>
<p id="WUIFXU">And yet none of these players had a season similar to Carleton’s 2018-19. In her senior year, she averaged 21.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. Her number should be retired soon. “Her confidence allows her to be bold on offense and her defense makes her a solid two-way player,” says <em>Swish Appeal’s </em>own Chelsea Leite.</p>
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<p id="n86qrD">Carleton came out after the break still somewhat skeptical about how special this evening was. During the first play, she set herself free from Brianna Fraser, faked setting a screen, stepped behind the 3-point line, got the pass and released the shot from long-distance. </p>
<p id="yOGHR2">Swish.</p>
<p id="9l8GuQ">After the game, she explained:</p>
<blockquote><p id="MRXwTb"><em>Honestly, I didn’t have the best warmup shooting-wise. So after I hit that first shot, I was able to relax a little. I got really good looks in the first half that I expect myself to knock down, but I knew I was feeling really good when I hit the first shot after half time. I knew it was going to be a good day after that.</em></p></blockquote>
<p id="MvcD9z">It was her sixth EuroLeague Women game of the season. In prior contests, she averaged 13.8 points and 6.6 rebounds. Her team lost all those games, but she was still happy about playing in Hungary and living in Győr. Previously, she played in Australia, France, Israel and Spain. “I love playing in the EuroLeague and I was excited to experience playing in the Hungarian domestic league. Life has been good,” she says. “Győr is a cute, small city located an hour from both Budapest and Vienna, which has been incredible to be a tourist in some amazing European cities.”</p>
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<p id="ftn1"><em>Part III of “A night in Győr: Bridget Carleton makes history”</em> <em>will be published tomorrow.</em></p>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/2024/3/15/24091575/fiba-wnba-bridget-carleton-serco-uni-gyor-euroleague-women-minnesota-lynx-canada-41-points-historyŁukasz Muniowski2024-03-15T08:00:00-04:002024-03-15T08:00:00-04:00Candace Parker chats fitness accessibility and more
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<figcaption>Candace Parker speaks at the opening of the Muscle Milk Fitness Court at D.H. Stanton Park in Atlanta. | Christina Merrion.</figcaption>
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<p><em>Candace Parker, who partnered with Muscle Milk to launch an outdoor gym in Atlanta, hopes to promote everyday health and wellness while providing community members access to full-body workouts—free of charge. </em> </p> <p id="L9cvml">Candace Parker is a seven-time <a href="https://www.swishappeal.com">WNBA</a> All Star, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a two-time WNBA MVP. And this week, she’s also behind the unveiling of a brand-new outdoor fitness court—named the Muscle Milk Fitness Court—at D.H. Stanton Park in southeast Atlanta. </p>
<p id="syoalW">The court is the result of a collaboration between Parker, <a href="https://www.musclemilk.com/">Muscle Milk</a> and the <a href="https://www.nationalfitnesscampaign.com/">National Fitness Campaign</a>, and will serve as a local community destination open 24/7 for full-body workouts—no membership required. </p>
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<p id="HCx6mq">In an exclusive interview, Candace Parker told <em>Swish Appeal</em> she’s excited by the opportunity to increase accessibility to fitness and wellness in Atlanta. Los Angeles, Atlanta and Orlando were the three cities selected as finalists to be the home of the fitness court, and ultimately, Atlanta was chosen by a public vote last summer. Parker said: </p>
<blockquote><p id="3koAFL"><em>You never know who’s going to come to the court who wouldn’t have ordinarily worked out. That’s the biggest thing. Yeah, we could talk about professional athletes and all that. But I think it’s just the everyday health and wellness, and being able to have access to something that every community should be able to have access to.</em></p></blockquote>
<aside id="zab5Xa"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Candace Parker and Muscle Milk team up to expand access to fitness","url":"https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2023/6/27/23772040/wnba-candace-parker-muscle-milk-national-fitness-campaign-the-lifting-project-las-vegas-aces-atlanta"}]}'></div></aside><p id="bMvhSl">At the unveiling, Atlanta City Council member Jason Winston declared March 13 “Candace Parker Day” in recognition of her illustrious basketball and broadcasting careers, and significant off-court contributions. Along with delineating Parker’s long list of collegiate and professional basketball accomplishments, Winston said: </p>
<blockquote><p id="m4oRYd"><em>This proclamation is the highest honor that can be bestowed by the Atlanta city council. This proclamation acknowledges your dedication to wellness, accessibility, and community service—qualities that embody the spirit of this initiative, and qualities that resonate deeply with the values of our city.</em></p></blockquote>
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<cite>Christina Merrion.</cite>
<figcaption>Members of the Atlanta City Council present Candace Parker with a plaque commemorating March 13 as “Candace Parker Day.”</figcaption>
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<p id="4xdiwq">Parker has enjoyed an incredible athletic career. She led the <a href="https://www.rockytoptalk.com">Tennessee Lady Vols</a> to two NCAA championships, captured two Olympic gold medals as a core member of Team USA and has won three WNBA championships with three different organizations. She’s also the only player in WNBA history to earn Most Valuable Player honors in her rookie season, and the second player ever to dunk in a WNBA game. </p>
<p id="b1M5AI">Now a member of the Las Vegas Aces, Parker is at the tail end of her playing career, and doubling as an analyst and commentator for “NBA on TNT.” She considers it a privilege to be able to simultaneously do both, but also recognizes that it is the pay disparity between the WNBA and NBA that makes doing so necessary. Her 2024 WNBA salary is $100,000; in contrast, the NBA veteran minimum stands at $2.72 million. Parker said:</p>
<blockquote><p id="WYa8Lq"><em>To be able to do both jobs, it’s something that I really love. But I also think that there’s a conversation of having to do both jobs that is gender-based, for sure. My goal is to continue to open doors for the next generation and to continue to do what I love. Obviously, I love calling games and I love being in the studio, but I don’t think we see many NBA players doing both, so it’s definitely gender-based.</em></p></blockquote>
<p id="jmnBL9">At the same time, she’s grateful for the increased opportunities she’s had as a woman playing basketball in the 2000s. The league was founded in 1997, and Parker was drafted in 2008. “At the end of the day, we have a league, the WNBA, that I’m able to play in, that Cheryl Miller wasn’t able to play in,” Parker said. “Every generation is about opening more doors.” </p>
<p id="4ub3am">Most recently, it’s been Iowa’s Caitlin Clark who has garnered widespread national attention and helped elevate the spotlight on women’s basketball. Parker is glad that Clark—who is averaging 31.9 points per game on 46 percent shooting for the Hawkeyes—is pulling in more viewers and helping to expand opportunities for the women’s game. As Parker put it:</p>
<blockquote><p id="v6KoLH"><em>Everybody’s gone through the hype machine. And we talk about that, and it’s the staying power of it within the sport, to me. The names may change, but to me, it’s putting the sport at the forefront. We’ve seen it in the NFL, we’ve seen in the NBA and how certain players come in, and yes, they’re still going to be remembered—but it’s about raising the game and that’s what’s most important to me.</em></p></blockquote>
<p id="E4KxmU">The Muscle Milk Fitness Court is one small step in Parker’s mission to inspire and promote physical wellness and opportunity. The court has seven zones for visitors to cycle through, including core, squats, lunges, agility circuits and more. </p>
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<cite>Christina Merrion.</cite>
<figcaption>The Muscle Milk Fitness Court at D.H. Stanton Park in Atlanta.</figcaption>
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<p id="y40KUA">Parker said promoting strength-building, particularly in communities where gyms might not be as accessible, is a priority of hers. The partnership with Muscle Milk, Gatorade and the Lifting Project works to ensure that local community members have the opportunity to work out and train at no cost, anytime. Parker emphasized: </p>
<blockquote><p id="Hj524T"><em>No matter what level you are, inner and outer strength is important. To have something like this out here—adults, kids, whoever can come out here and do yoga, lift, do all those things—it’s super special because I remember what it was like when I was younger to have that.</em></p></blockquote>
<p id="dSvxcs">At the unveiling of the court, Atlanta became the second US city to declare a “Candace Parker Day;” the city of Chicago <a href="https://news.adidas.com/basketball/the-city-of-chicago-proclaims-september-16--candace-parker-day--ahead-of-her-newest-collection/s/f0c992cd-8ebb-43e0-a3ab-ae9bfed2841e">proclaimed</a> September 16 “Candace Parker Day” in 2021. Parker reflected on her long journey from high school phenom to WNBA legend, noting how she is now in position to inspire others. Parker shared:</p>
<blockquote><p id="2LVzzY"><em>To be able to have the coaches, and the mentors, and the people that helped me get to where I’m at was important. There were so many people that paved the way and provided an opportunity for me at the beginning. You may not inspire the person that’s going to change things, but you may inspire the person that inspires the person that changes things.</em></p></blockquote>
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<p id="ECC4rC"><em>Thanks to Atlanta-based photographer Christina Merrion for capturing photos and videos from the event for </em>Swish Appeal.</p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2024/3/15/24100080/wnba-candace-parker-muscle-milk-outdoor-fitness-court-accessible-atlanta-dh-stanton-park-aces-tntNoa Dalzell