Basketball debates are at the forefront this time of year. It’s March Madness as the NCAA basketball tournaments get under way for a three-week run.
Debates began last week as selection time drew near for both the men and women’s brackets. Who should be No. 1? Which teams were on the bubble? Which teams are last in or first out?
Then came the filling of brackets by basketball fans of all ages.
One debate that began rumbling near the end of the regular season is if the University of Connecticut’s women and their winning streak is good for women’s college basketball.
What? If this streak was being put up by a men’s team, there would be no debate. The team would be heralded.
UConn’s women are just talented and well-coached. Isn’t it true that to be the best, you have to play the best and beat the best.
There are a lot of talented basketball players in the women’s college game. The Huskies are going for a second perfect season in a row. They are the defending national champions under an outstanding coach in Geno Auriemma.
UConn’s women are not padding their winning streak, now at 72 going into this weekend’s NCAA tournament. They play in the Big East. They defeated Texas, Stanford, Florida State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Duke, West Virginia, Oklahoma — all ranked opponents.
The Huskies are 14-0 against top-10 opponents. They have been dominating in their wins, winning by an average of 26 points.
Some experts say this is not good for women’s basketball, which struggles for fans. Unfortunately, women’s sports do not draw the numbers like men’s sports which is a sad commentary on our society.
Another time for that point.
We should celebrate the tremendous talent and work the UConn players and their coaches put in each and every day. I’ll be tuning in to watch the Huskies as they go through the tournament.
THERE were three overtime games in the first day of the NCAA men’s tournament. Thursday was not good for the Big East, which went 1-3, as Florida lost to BYU in double overtime 99-92.
No. 14 seeded Ohio beat Georgetown, No. 13 seeded Murray State beat Vanderbilt and No. 11 Old Dominion edged Notre Dame. Wake Forest got past Texas by one in overtime. There were a lot of close games and some surprises.
