Hartford Courantsunday, February 9, 2020 E5 Sports
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THE HARTFORD COURANTSUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020 E5 SPORTS COLLEGE BASKETBALL Baylor gets top seed in initial NCAA rankings By John Marshall about a three-hour drive from The Associated Press Waco, so the Bears would have plenty of fan support if they San Diego State has rolled made it that far. through its schedule, charging Third-ranked Kansas was the into February as the only Divi- No. 2 overall seed and placed in sion I team still undefeated. the Midwest Region in India- But if teams were selected for napolis with Dayton, Florida the NCAA Tournament today, State and Michigan State. the Aztecs would travel across No. 2 Gonzaga was the third the country to play in New York. overall seed and topped a West The NCAA Division I Men’s Region in Los Angeles with West Basketball Committee gave San Virginia, Villanova and Oregon. Diego State a No. 1 seed in its With Gonzaga edging out San preliminary rankings released Diego State in the overall rank- Saturday but stuck the Aztecs in ings, the Aztecs were No.1 in the the East Region. East Region in New York with /MICHAEL MCANDREWS / HARTFORD COURANT Based on games through Fri- Duke, Maryland and Butler. Former UConn women’s basketball player Maria Conlon talks to her players before practice at Notre Dame day, Baylor was No. 1 overall, “There was no question that High School in Fairfield on Wednesday. with Kansas and Gonzaga get- San Diego State was a No.1 seed,” ting the other two top seeds. The Barnhart said. “Gonzaga had a Zags were No. 1 in the West couple of wins just slightly better Riley Region, so the committee opted than SanDiego State’swith awin to ship the Aztecs out East — for over Oregon and Arizona, and Continued from Page E1 now. that was just the razor’s edge “If someone is legitimately a difference between the two.” The players didn’t really know her background top-four team, they must be a 1 That fine line, if it holds up, when she became their head coach this season, that seed and then you work your would send the Aztecs cross- she played for the UConn team that went to four way down,” said Kentucky ath- country instead of on a bus ride Final Fours and won three straight national champi- letic director Mitch Barnhart, to Los Angeles. If both teams onships and was the starting point guard for two of vice chairman of the NCAA won their first three games in those titles in 2003 and 2004. basketball committee. “You the East Region, San Diego State “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “As long as I can don’t artificially break up the also would have to face Duke, transfer knowledge to them, they shouldn’t care bracket.” which has historically played who the heck I am.” The NCAA created the sneak well and has a big following in Notre Dame has only lost once, to Hudson Catho- peek into the selection process New York. lic, a top New Jersey team, 61-48 on Jan. 25. The to generate buzz before the 68 “At the end of the day, there’s Lancers are14-1, top ranked in Class L. In the last10 teams that make the NCAA also the geography piece and the years, they have been to the Class M state champi- Tournament are officially re- way we place our teams to stay onship game twice (in 2013 and 2016) and lost both vealed on Selection Sunday, within the next available place times to Cromwell. But they have never won a title. which is March 15. The Final for them to play, closest place, Their top player is 5-8 sophomore guard Four is March 27-29 in Atlanta. unless it throws off the balance Aizhanique Mayo, who’s averaging 19 points per Baylor was an obvious choice of the brackets, and we want to game. for the No. 1 overall seed. In a make sure that we get that right,” “My teammates are really good,” Mayo said. “We season of parity — a record-tying Barnhart said. “And we want to get along well. We move the ball well. Our chemistry seven different No.1 teams — the make sure that we stay true to is good.” Bears have provided stability at the seed list in all of that. That’s Their offense was clicking this week, scoring 88 the top, spending the past three how we drive to the bracket points against Masuk, 85 vs. Joel Barlow. Things are weeks at No.1 in the AP Top 25. decisions that we get to.” going well. But before this season, Conlon, who lives Diana Taurasi and Maria Conlon hoist one of the three The committee made Baylor Of course, much can change in Shelton, wasn’t really sure if she was interested in NCAA championship trophies they won with UConn. the top seed in the South Region between now and Selection Sun- coaching anymore. She had been an assistant at in Houston with Louisville, Set- day. There’s still about 1,500 Southern Connecticut for coach Joe Frager when “I’ll tell them, ‘Here’s the template. Kind of draw on Hall and Auburn. Houston is games left to play. the Owls won the Division II national championship around it and add to it as you see fit when you’re in 2007. She had been an assistant at Notre Dame for reacting in the game,’ rather than, ‘Here’s the tem- two years for her former Seymour High coach Eric plate and here’s exactly where you have to draw on DeMarco before she decided not to coach last year. this template,’” she said. “What it’s doing for them is SETON HALL 70, VILLANOVA 64 She had just opened her CrossFit gym. She was increasing their basketball IQ. working full time as the managing partner for the “If you look at the AAU circuit, it’s all one-on-one Maffe Financial Group in Glastonbury. At that point, play. How can I break you down and score on you, Powell, Pirates nip she just wasn’t feeling the coaching thing anymore. one on one? How many times do you watch UConn “I hit a crossroads where I thought I don’t know if —or Oregon the other night — how many times are coaching is for me,” she said. “Kids are different they breaking somebody down one on one to score? now, very different than I was. I’m used to being that They’re not. They’re all scoring in the flow of their ’Cats in notable blue collar girl from the Valley, I work hard, I play offense.” through injuries, I don’t complain, I don’t talk back She is a student of the game. Her team has been to to coaches.” UConn practices. She still talks to Frager. She’s lis- meeting of schools But when DeMarco retired, she was asked about tening to podcasts of Jim Boeheim breaking down a taking over the job. And she realized she missed it. 2-3 zone while she’s on the road for work, driving to So here she is. Rhode Island. For first time in 118 twice followed his own miss When she hit a three Wednesday, Burwell yelled “I kind of geek out a little about stuff like that,” matchups, both teams beforefinishing off the glass for a out, “All day.” she said. 57-51 advantage. “I like it because from a coaching perspective And she’s always talking to her former UConn were ranked in Top 25 The 6-foot-11 native of Tbilisi, when I’m out there playing, I can see stuff live that teammates — Diana Taurasi, Ashley Battle, Jessica Georgia, flexed his muscles you don’t notice sometimes when you’re standing on Moore, Morgan Valley and Sue Bird chimes in occa- Associated Press heading back downcourt after a the side,” she said. “And when your coach is making sionally — via group chat. Valley is in her first year key basket in the contest. shots or running up and down with you, sometimes coaching at the University of Hartford, so Conlon PHILADELPHIA — Myles The Pirates’ lead was still six when you’re pointing stuff out, they’re more in- went to see one of her games last week. Powell had 19 points, Sandro when Bey drained a 3 from the clined to listen because they’re watching you do it all “[Taurasi] gave me crap [when I took the job],” Mamukelashvili scored 12 of his right wing to cut it in half, 61-58, the time. You’re in the trenches with them a little she said, laughing, “ ‘Why do you want to coach high 17 points in the second half and with 1:39 left. Powell then air- bit.” school? Are you crazy?’ Now they are [excited]. ‘Oh, No. 12 Seton Hall snapped a balled a 3 just before the shot Conlon is also a proponent of a more free-flowing you’re No.1.’” 17-game road losing streak to clock went off and Bey missed offense. Lori Riley can be reached at [email protected]. Villanova with a 70-64 victory on a drive before McKnight’s over the No. 10 Wildcats on two free throws made it 63-58 Saturday. with 49.1 seconds left. After a Quincy McKnight added 14 Gillespie miss, Shavar Reynolds STATE COLLEGE BASKETBALL points for the Big East-leading Jr. clinched it with two free Pirates (18-5, 10-1), who last won throws with 36.5 remaining.