I also never remember so many players declaring. Already at three and at least two more (Dana Evans and Arella Guirantes) are still deciding.Unless you are just tired of being in school and taking classes....... this aint really the year to be declaring early for the WNBA in my opinion.
Unless you are just tired of being in school and taking classes....... this aint really the year to be declaring early for the WNBA in my opinion.
Especially with all of the uncertainty that there'll even be a season. I get it though if they want to start an overseas career and make some $$. Players like Carter/Walker should make big money from the get go.
Glad to see this. Barnes deserves so much credit for singlehandedly reviving her program and drawing in the larger community while she did it. Every tournament-bound school and every tournament-bound player was robbed this season, but there was no coach or program I felt worse for than Barnes and Arizona, which was denied the opportunity to return to the Dance for the first time in over a decade by likely hosting its first two rounds to sold-out hometown crowds.Good news is Aari's coming back. The PAC12 should be dominant again with Arizona loaded along with Stanford, UCLA, Oregon State, and Oregon with Erin, Taylor, Sabally (Nyara), Sedona, and the 5 freshman McDonald AAs. USC, ASU, Colorado, and Utah will also be tough and we will see about the Washington schools.
Arizona's McDonald returning for senior season
Arizona guard Aari McDonald will return for her senior season, bypassing a chance at the WNBA.www.espn.com
Great news. I just want to clarify one thing - it is highly unlikely that McKale would have been anywhere near sold out. Good crowd, yes. But Tucson (and the basketball fans) tend older. And cheaper.Glad to see this. Barnes deserves so much credit for singlehandedly reviving her program and drawing in the larger community while she did it. Every tournament-bound school and every tournament-bound player was robbed this season, but there was no coach or program I felt worse for than Barnes and Arizona, which was denied the opportunity to return to the Dance for the first time in over a decade by likely hosting its first two rounds to sold-out hometown crowds.
I'm really hopeful McDonald and 'Zona will get to experience that next year -- as an at-large bid, mind you.
So even thought they sold out the WNIT final, you don't think they could've sold out the NCAA tournament games?Great news. I just want to clarify one thing - it is highly unlikely that McKale would have been anywhere near sold out. Good crowd, yes. But Tucson (and the basketball fans) tend older. And cheaper.
In other words, there was a good understanding that (especially with there being TV) it was going to be a decent crowd, but not near sell-out.
It isn't what I think, it is what was being said in the paper, by Adia to the folks at one of the radio shows, and common sense. Even Rutgers, which was awfully expensive for the regular season saw shrinkage in the post season when we did host. Regular season and WNIT Arizona games were cheap, although an article just before everything went kaput did state that the NCAA was pricing games in Arizona more moderately than anticipated.So even thought they sold out the WNIT final, you don't think they could've sold out the NCAA tournament games?
3 West Coast schools got especially hurt and I agree Zona was one as them, knowing they were going to host and getting those sellouts. Still I'd say two more have to be on the list: Oregon has been mentioned many times given the "unfinished business" and potential of 4 home state sellouts in a row if they kept winning on the way to the final 4.Glad to see this. Barnes deserves so much credit for singlehandedly reviving her program and drawing in the larger community while she did it. Every tournament-bound school and every tournament-bound player was robbed this season, but there was no coach or program I felt worse for than Barnes and Arizona, which was denied the opportunity to return to the Dance for the first time in over a decade by likely hosting its first two rounds to sold-out hometown crowds.
I'm really hopeful McDonald and 'Zona will get to experience that next year -- as an at-large bid, mind you.
Go back and reread my original post - I said there was no coach or program I feel worse for than Barnes and Arizona. There was a player I feel worse for than McDonald: Ionescu. She has permanently unfinished business, and was already coming off a really tough loss of her mentor, just a little over a month earlier.3 West Coast schools got especially hurt and I agree Zona was one as them, knowing they were going to host and getting those sellouts. Still I'd say two more have to be on the list: Oregon has been mentioned many times given the "unfinished business" and potential of 4 home state sellouts in a row if they kept winning on the way to the final 4.
But I feel even worse for University of Portland who hadn't been to the tourney in 22 years. They qualified with upset, 1 point victories over Gonzaga then San Diego to win the WCC championship. I am sure they would have been sent to Corvallis or Eugene so they would have had a nice trip for their fans. Not sure it will be that easy for lightning to strike again for them whereas for Zona and the Ducks, they'll be back for sure next year.
Still feel bad for those Portland Pilots.Go back and reread my original post - I said there was no coach or program I feel worse for than Barnes and Arizona. There was a player I feel worse for than McDonald: Ionescu.
Any of those four teams you mentioned could've have won it. Oregon winning it would've firmly planted Ionescu college career into the GOAT debate. Baylor repeating would've taken Kim's coaching legacy into a another level. Dawn and South Carolina winning would've capped a quick reloading effort. Geno would've won with arguably one of his least heralded UConn teams to have ever won an NCAA championship.Go back and reread my original post - I said there was no coach or program I feel worse for than Barnes and Arizona. There was a player I feel worse for than McDonald: Ionescu. She has permanently unfinished business, and was already coming off a really tough loss of her mentor, just a little over a month earlier.
But Graves, Oregon, and its fans already got to experience a final four run a season before, and I am not totally sold that they would have gone further this season. While they were among the favorites for a championship, I would not have given them better than around a 25% chance at a title, given how wide open the field was and the way the bracket was going to break. Dawn overplays her hand, but South Carolina was just as poised to march to victory, and I think Baylor was also very much in the mix. And give Geno and the field the other 25% chance. Plus, the Gamecocks were going to be the overall #1, so Oregon would likely have had to beat both Baylor and South Carolina to win, and do so in NOLA, which would likely have been a hostile neutral crowd for the Ducks in both games. It's certainly possible they would win out, but far short of a guarantee.
But boy was I looking forward to watching Ionescu try.
Agree. ND's "sister school" used to get it's chance to shine on the pitch (hello, Megan Rapinoe & Christine Sinclair), but this would've been a chance to get the hardcourt spiffed up.Still feel bad for those Portland Pilots.
What about poor ole Cal?Good news is Aari's coming back. The PAC12 should be dominant again with Arizona YES loaded along with Stanford YES, UCLA PROBABLY, Oregon State YES, and Oregon PROBABLY with Erin, Taylor, Sabally (Nyara), Sedona, and the 5 freshman McDonald AAs. USC MAYBE, ASU THEY LOST A LOT, Colorado NO, and Utah NOT SURE will also be tough and we will see about the Washington schools.
Arizona's McDonald returning for senior season
Arizona guard Aari McDonald will return for her senior season, bypassing a chance at the WNBA.www.espn.com
What about poor ole Cal?
we will see about the Washington schools
Both good points, especially the latter. They're not going to threaten for a NCAA title, likely not even for a SEC title.Personally wanted her back because she's fun to talk about, but she probably had the least to come back for.
Both good points, especially the latter. They're not going to threaten for a NCAA title, likely not even for a SEC title.
I hope she doesn't go before Megan. I know I'd pick Meg first, but then I'm not a WNBA exec.