All posts by Mike Potter
Mike Potter ·
21 Mar 2010, 3:00 AM ·
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N.C. State got its wish to play in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in its first season under Kellie Harper.
Tonight, the younger players on the Wolfpack - which hasn’t been in the tournament since 2007 - get to see what it’s really all about.
The Wolfpack (20-13) is seeded No. 9 in the Kansas City Regional and will take on No. 8 seed UCLA (24-8) in its first-round game at 9:30 tonight in Minneapolis.
An interesting sidebar has Harper (pictured) going against UCLA coach and fellow former Tennessee guard Nikki Caldwell, who was a graduate assistant with the Lady Vols during Harper’s 1998-99 senior season - oddly the only time during Harper’s career the team didn’t win the NCAA title. Caldwell was a player on Tennessee’s 1991 NCAA title team.
“I think Pat recruits highly competitive people, and I think that’s one thing Coach Caldwell and I have in common,” Harper said during Saturday’s press conference in Minneapolis. “When you play at the University of Tennessee you’re bound with all other former players, whether you played together or not, and that’s the connection that Nikki and I have. I think each player that plays for Pat (Summitt) takes away something and for me, I’ve tried to take away poise during game situations and (I’ve) tried to take away running a classy program, and I think Nikki does the same thing. She’s very professional, has a lot of energy, and has done a great job.” Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, N.C. State, Women's Basketball Amber White, Bonae Holston, Darxia Morris, Jasmine Dixon, Marissa Kastanek, Nikitta Gartrell, Nikki Caldwell, Pat Summitt, Tennessee Volunteers, UCLA
Mike Potter ·
20 Mar 2010, 6:14 PM ·
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...And Duke's run to San Antonio commences? (Photo by Rob Rowe)
CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM/DURHAM “March Madness” has come to Duke’s home floor, as for the first time in six seasons the Blue Devils are hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Women’s Tournament.
The No. 6 Blue Devils, who lost a heartbreaker in the second round last season at Michigan State, appreciate sleeping in their own beds this week.
But their first-round opponent for Duke, seeded No. 2 in the Memphis Region, isn’t necessarily an easy one.
No. 15 seed Hampton is coming off an impressive run to win the MEAC Tourmament, and has brought several hundred enthusiastic fans down for the game.
No. 7 seed LSU has little trouble with No. 10 seed Hartford in the opener, winning 60-39 in a game from which Hawks coach Jennifer Rizzotti is ejected.
Hampton makes some early trouble for the Blue Devils, but things return to form well before halftime in a 72-37 Duke win. It is the Pirates’ worst loss of the season, while Duke has advanced to the second round of the NCAA for the 15th straight season.
Continue reading »
ACC, Duke Allison Vernerey, Choicetta McMillian, David Six, Hampton Pirates, Hartford Hawks, Jasmine Thomas, Jennifer Rizzotti, Joanne P. McCallie, Joy Cheek, Karima Christmas, Keturah Jackson, Laura Lewis, Louisiana State, MEAC
Mike Potter ·
19 Mar 2010, 4:30 PM ·
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CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM/DURHAM Duke begins its 16th straight appearance in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament on Saturday afternoon, and Joanne P. McCallie’s Blue Devils have one benefit they’ll have for the first time since 2004.
They’re starting the tournament on their home floor.
Duke (26-5), which is ranked No. 6 nationally, has the No. 2 seed in the Memphis Region and will take on No. 15 seed Hampton (20-11) in a 2:30 p.m. game at Cameron.
It’s the second game of a doubleheader, as No. 7 seed LSU (20-9) will face No. 10 seed Hartford (27-4) in the noon game, with the winners squaring off at 7 p.m. Monday night.
Plenty of tickets are available.
Duke isn’t the only Triangle ACC team playing its first-round game Saturday, as No. 10 seed UNC (19-11) will take on No. 7 seed and nationally No. 18-ranked Gonzaga (27-4) in the Sacramento Regional in Seattle at 10:30 p.m. The No. 10 seed is the Tar Heels’ lowest NCAA seed ever.
No. 9 seed N.C. State (20-13) will play its first-round game on Sunday night against No. 8 seed UCLA (24-8) in Minneapolis in the first round of the Kansas City Regional.
Duke and Hampton have one thing in common that the other teams at Cameron don’t, and it’s not because they’re blue-clad teams from well-regarded private schools in neighboring states.
They both won their conference tournaments - in locations about half an hour apart, as the Blue Devils won the ACC in Greensboro and the Pirates won the MEAC in Winston-Salem.
“We’re obviously really proud to host this wonderful NCAA Tournament, and we’re grateful to a lot of people at Duke that made this possible,” said McCallie, whose team last season played its NCAA games at Michigan State where she was the former coach and lost to the Spartans in the second round. “That’s just a great thing for Duke, and it’s really reflective of the long tradition and history here.”
The Blue Devils will be taking on a Pirate club in its first season under David Six, who began the campaign as interim head coach and has earned a three-year contract.
Hampton is 0-3 in first-round NCAA games at the Division I level, but won the NCAA Division II title in 1988.
“This is hallowed ground in terms of basketball, Cameron Indoor Stadium,” said Six, one of whose assistants is former N.C. Central point guard and assistant coach Annitra Cole. “Everybody’s heard about it or seen it on TV. But at the end of the day the court’s 94 feet, the baskets are 10 feet off the ground. So that’s what I’ve told my young ladies, and we’re ready to go. I just think that we can’t get caught up. We’re happy to be here; don’t get me wrong. We celebrated that we’re here, but now that we’re here we want to stay. It’s like getting into a party and then getting put out. We want to dance a little while, so let’s try that.”
Duke, of course, would like to believe it can go a long way in the tournament.
“I just think we have to be focused, stick to our game, and play the way that’s made us successful,” senior forward Joy Cheek (pictured) said. “Play defense and make the hustle plays. In the tournament everyone has played 30-plus games, so every game is not going to be pretty - it’s the team that wants it more. And we have to want it more that our opponent each game. So if we want to make a deep run in the tournament - which I think we’re more than capable of doing - we have to go out and play like every game is our last game.” Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, N.C. Central, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Alana Beard, Annitra Cole, Cetera DeGraffenreid, Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga, Hampton Pirates, Hartford Hawks, Heather Bowman, Italee Lucas, Jasmine Thomas, Jericka Jenkins, Joanne McCallie, Joanne P. McCallie, Joy Cheek, Kelly Graves, Krystal Thomas, Laura Broomfield, Lindsey Harding, Louisiana State, MEAC, Quanneisha Perry, Sylvia Hatchell, UCLA, Vivian Frierson
Mike Potter ·
16 Mar 2010, 7:12 PM ·
3 Comments
DURHAM ATHLETIC PARK/DURHAM N.C. Central hosts yet another challenging baseball battle with an ACC foe, this time an N.C. State team that’s looking for its first road win of the season.
The Eagles are looking for their first win anywhere, and really haven’t kept more than a couple of games competitive so far this season.
Because the weather forecast isn’t good, the game will have a 3 p.m. start - sort of - instead of the regularly scheduled 6 p.m. starting time. It’s the first of their two scheduled meetings this season, as the Eagles will visit Doak Field at Dail Park on April 13.
Jeff Citero (0-1, 9.82), a junior out of Southeast Raleigh, will be on the mound for the Eagles while the Wolfpack sends big sophomore Mike Russo (0-0, 6.14).
It’s competitive from the start, but the Wolfpack scores in every inning, hitting five homers in a 24-6 romp. Continue reading »
ACC, Baseball, N.C. Central, N.C. State Akeem Hood, Andrew Ciencin, Anthony Wilson, Blake Murray, Chris Diaz, Chris Overman, Coppin State, Dallas Poulk, Danny Canela, David Scott, Drew Poulk, Elliott Avent, Henry White, Jeff Citero, John Gianis, Justin Goodson, Kurt Wilson, Mike Russo, Nate Smith, Pratt Maynard, Ross Plummer, Russell Wilson, Tarran Senay, UNC Wilmington
Mike Potter ·
15 Mar 2010, 9:56 PM ·
1 Comment
N.C. State's Marissa Kastanek dribbles up court as Duke's Karima Christmas defends during the ACC Tournament championship game. (Photo by Rob Rowe)
BACKYARD BISTRO/RALEIGH Kellie Harper couldn’t remember exactly when she had been in such a situation before.
Back when the N.C. State women’s basketball coach was a point guard at Tennessee the Lady Vols - who won three NCAA titles during her career - were pretty much in the NCAA Tournament before the season started. Then during her five seasons as head coach at Western Carolina and three seasons as an assistant at Chattanooga before that, Southern Conference teams knew they had to win the conference tournament or they might earn a bid to the WNIT.
But the Wolfpack (20-13) has been on the NCAA “bubble” ever since losing the ACC championship game to Duke eight days ago, although most of the bracketologists had N.C. State in the field.
Harper and her team gathered with about 300 fans on Monday night to watch the Selection Special on ESPN that announced the 64 competing teams.
Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, N.C. Central, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Amber White, Cetera DeGraffenreid, Chattanooga, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Gonzaga, Hampton Pirates, Hartford, Jasmine Thomas, Joanne P. McCallie, Joy Cheek, Kellie Harper, Louisiana State, Marissa Kastanek, Michigan State, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Nikitta Gartrell, Portland State, Southern Conference, Sylvia Hatchell, Texas A&M, UCLA, Virginia Cavaliers, Western Carolina
Mike Potter ·
14 Mar 2010, 11:01 PM ·
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ACC champion Duke (27-5) is going to be one of the 64 teams on the board when the NCAA Women’s Tournament field is announced tonight at 7 on ESPN.
N.C. State (20-13) and UNC (19-11) think they’re in, but won’t be sure until they see their names on the board tonight.
The Wolfpack and Tar Heels are two of about eight ACC teams who will be waiting with baited breath, first to make sure they’re in the field and then to see where they’re headed.
Duke and Florida State (26-5) are both hosting first- and second-round games, so it’s a certainty the Seminoles are also going to get an invitation. It would also shock the women’s basketball world if Georgia Tech (23-9) or Virginia (21-9) doesn’t get the thumbs-up.
The Wolfpack, under their first-year coach Kellie Harper, and the Tar Heels, under veteran Sylvia Hatchell, likely sealed their invitations with recent wins.
State had to avenge a regular-season loss by beating Clemson in the first round of the ACC Tournament, and the Wolfpack got that done and added two more wins to boot.
The Tar Heels’ signature victory was over Duke at Carmichael Auditorium on Senior Day - UNC’s final game before the ACC Tournament - but they had to beat N.C. Central on Sunday to avoid seeing the bid slip through their fingers, and they got that done. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, N.C. Central, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Joanne P. McCallie, Kellie Harper, Maryland Terrapins, Miami Hurricanes, Sylvia Hatchell, Virginia Cavaliers, Wake Forest
Mike Potter ·
14 Mar 2010, 5:47 PM ·
3 Comments
CARMICHAEL ARENA/CHAPEL HILL It’s that unique final regular-season game that UNC is playing after the ACC Women’s Tournament for the second straight season.
Today the Tar Heels take on local rival N.C. Central, which like the South Dakota team UNC played in this situation last year is transitioning from Division II and not yet eligible for post-season play.
Last season, the Coyotes put a huge scare into the Tar Heels at the Smith Center before falling 75-69.
This is of course the season finale for the Eagles, who have won 11 of their last 19 games after an 0-9 start. NCCU is 0-4 against the ACC this season, but did fall by only 76-63 on Feb. 22 at Wake Forest.
It’s the third straight season in which they’ve played each other, and the closer of the two games was a 98-45 UNC victory last season in the Smith Center.
All the NCAA bracketologies heading into Monday night’s selection show have the Tar Heels in the 64-team field, but a shocking home-court loss to NCCU would probably send Sylvia Hatchell’s club to the WNIT.
UNC will have to play without freshman center Waltiea Rolle, who is out with a concussion.
It takes them a while to establish control but the Tar Heels avoid that disaster, eventually winning 88-66 in a pretty entertaining contest. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, N.C. Central, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Blaire Houston, Cetera DeGraffenreid, Cierra Robertson-Warren, Joanna Miller, Joli Robinson, Latoya Bennett, Laura Broomfield, Shanise Blanks, South Dakota Coyotes, Sylvia Hatchell, Trinity Bursey, Wake Forest, Waltiea Rolle
Mike Potter ·
14 Mar 2010, 12:01 AM ·
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Eleven ACC women’s basketball teams played their final game before the post-season tournaments at some point during the ACC Tournament last week.
Duke has, of course, clinched an NCAA bid as the conference’s regular-season champion and three other teams - Florida State, Virginia and Georgia Tech - seem to be resting easy about their spot on the board when the NCAA Tournament bracket comes out tomorrow night.
Nearly half a dozen more may or may not be on a “bubble.” Only one has something left to add to the argument.
That’s UNC, which for the second straight year will play a home game on the same day as the ACC men’s tournament final.
Last season it was against South Dakota, and although the Coyotes gave the Tar Heels a good scare at the Smith Center UNC didn’t have to win.
It does today. Sylvia Hatchell’s club is going to be a really big favorite in its 3:30 home contest against N.C. Central in the Eagles’ final game of the season, but the Tar Heels absolutely have to emerge victorious to avoid giving any naysayers on the selection committee a lot of fodder.
Cetera DeGraffenreid (pictured) is the Tar Heels’ assist leader, and has been their best player over the last few weeks. Continue reading »
ACC, Basketball, Duke, N.C. Central, UNC-Chapel Hill, Women's Basketball Cetera DeGraffenreid, Danielle DeBerry, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Italee Lucas, Joanna Miller, Joli Robinson, Latoya Bennett, Laura Broomfield, South Dakota Coyotes, Sylvia Hatchell, Virginia Cavaliers
Mike Potter ·
12 Mar 2010, 11:00 PM ·
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North Carolina's Jacob Stallings watches the ball cross the plate as Ben Bunting warms up for his turn. (Photo by Rob Rowe)
DURHAM BULLS ATHLETIC PARK/DURHAM The ACC baseball conference season starts tonight, and they seem to make schedules a lot differently in this sport than in most others.
Duke, which has moved 18 home games to the Durham Bulls’ digs this season and is playing many of the rest at USA Baseball’s Coleman Field in Cary, is hosting archrival UNC tonight in the opener of their three-game series. Yep, the weekend of the ACC Basketball Tournament.
And the rains seem to be ending just in time for the first pitch.
The Tar Heels, who are looking for their fifth straight trip to the College World Series, are 11-2 and ranked as high as No. 11 nationally. Duke, coming off its best season in 15 years last year, is 9-3.
The Tar Heels dominate a slugfest, winning 21-9 with their highest run and hit totals of the season as they snap Duke’s eight-game winning streak and give the Blue Devils their first home loss.
Continue reading »
ACC, Baseball, Duke, Durham Bulls, UNC-Chapel Hill, USA Baseball Ben Grisz, Brian Goodwin, Dennis O'Grady, Dillon Hazlett, Eric Brady, Jake Lemmerman, Jeremy Gould, Joe Pedevillano, Levi Michael, Matt Harvey, Michael Ness, Mike Carroll, Mike Fox, Ryan Graepel, Sean McNally, Tarron Robinson, Tommy Coyle, Will Currier, Will Piwnica-Worms
Mike Potter ·
10 Mar 2010, 12:04 PM ·
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N.C. Central junior C.J. Wilkerson has been named first-team Division I All-Independent and also the independents’ newcomer of the year.
The team was selected in a vote of sports information directors and head coaches.
Wilkerson averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists for the Eagles this season.
Seattle forward Charles Garcia was selected as player of the year and Seattle’s Cameron Dollar is coach of the year.
Longwood’s Dana Smith and Antwan Carter and SIU-Edwardsville’s Mark Yelovich are on the first team with Wilkerson and Garcia.
Basketball, N.C. Central Antwan Carter, C.J. Wilkerson, Cameron Dollar, Charles Garcia, Dana Smith, Longwood, Mark Yelovich, Seattle Redhawks, SIU-Edwardsville
