WBB: Landmark Conference

[lefty2]

I hope they don't take GPA into account for the COY.

[ronk]

 Congrats to the Lady Royals defeating Catholic in perhaps their best game of the season and setting a new team record for consecutive wins from the start of the season.If Catholic beats MMA tomorrow, Catholic is the 3rd seed and Susquehanna the 4th(by winning both head-to-heads with E-town.  If Catholic loses to MMA tomorrow, Catholic will tie with Susquehanna and E-town for 3rd seed; Susquehanna gets 3rd seed with 3-1 record vs 2-2 for Catholic and 1-3 for E-town. This implies that Catholic gets the 4th seed.

[redrhino]

Congrats to the Lady Royals on finishing the regular season undefeated. They accomplished this special feat by posting a statement win against a team that had lost just once at home this season.

Scranton certainly looked like a nationally-ranked team, shooting well over 60 percent. The Lady Royals seemed poised to launch a post-season crusade. Hope that fans turnout for Wednesday's game--the team has earned some love!

Mann again showed why she is the clear ROY. Roman was in top form; Alicea drained "dagger in your gut" threes.

Payonk for President!

[saratoga]

Redrhino:

If Sarah's on the ballot, she's got my vote.
In fact, even if she isn't, we'll write her in.

[San Juan]

Red rhino I agree 100%  with everything in your post.The bench is really also playing well for the Lady Royals.Like I said they will not beat every team by 100 and I am sure everyone on this board but one thing I can say is that the difference this year is coaching.Early in the season he put these young ladies  at check and guess what it worked out for the best for the team and they bought into his system.What a difference he makes compared to last year's coach never made adjustments and never put those ladies in check.If he had Lindsay, Meredith and leah the team what have went farther then it did.One other thing he had a great core of ladies to begin with so why other people think it would be a bad year I thought differently Payonk has to be the best all around player to ever play the game wearing a Lady Royals uniform,Roman like I mentioned to the coaches last year should have been in the lineup,Gantz and Alicea what else can you say about those two great defenders and all around do the little things to win the game.Don't get me wrong they can light any team up on any given night,then we get to the freshman Mann next Halpin in the making she is just a player that never gets rattled and finally the bench Rizzo most improved player this year big lift of the bench,Pedan great point guard(I love when he brings her in and moves Mann to the 2 the lady can play ball,Oreilly pure shooter,Broderick very good player that can shoot and pass very well and Fearhy big strong girl that can hit that 10,12,14 foot shot or play underneath and the rest of the bench are freshman and they will be good under coach in another year.Hope I didn't miss anyone.

[mailsy]

If Scranton can get through the Landmark Playoffs. Scranton fans(if the Lady Royals keep winning) could see their team thru to final four on their home court.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

If Scranton can get through the Landmark Playoffs. Scranton fans(if the Lady Royals keep winning) could see their team thru to final four on their home court.

Well, I think they're doing the elite eight and semifinals in one spot, with the championship in Indiana to coincide with the D1 game this year, as they did for the men a few seasons back, but point taken.

[ronk]

If Scranton can get through the Landmark Playoffs. Scranton fans(if the Lady Royals keep winning) could see their team thru to final four on their home court.

Well, I think they're doing the elite eight and semifinals in one spot, with the championship in Indiana to coincide with the D1 game this year, as they did for the men a few seasons back, but point taken.

No, the elite 8 are still  part of the sectionals on campus; the semis are in Columbus.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

If Scranton can get through the Landmark Playoffs. Scranton fans(if the Lady Royals keep winning) could see their team thru to final four on their home court.

As long as the men don't somehow get into a position to host the first weekend. I doubt it will be the case due to their ranking last week (and assuming this week), but I do usually like to put that out there just as a heads up.

If Scranton can get through the Landmark Playoffs. Scranton fans(if the Lady Royals keep winning) could see their team thru to final four on their home court.

Well, I think they're doing the elite eight and semifinals in one spot, with the championship in Indiana to coincide with the D1 game this year, as they did for the men a few seasons back, but point taken.

No, the elite 8 are still  part of the sectionals on campus; the semis are in Columbus.

This is correct... the first two weekends of the tournament will be conducted as "normal" with two rounds of games on a school site. The final four will take place on Saturday, March 19 at Capital University - it will be conducted and treated just like any other championship weekend with a championship dinner, community service, etc. just no consolation game. And the championship will be played 16 days later in Indianapolis.

[saratoga]

I love the sound of hosting on back to back weekends (just like we used to), however; let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

What transpired last season under the former staff...the one that never started one of this years more dominating inside forces, is still pretty fresh.

Still need to lace them up & play the game.

Although I will admit, even if the Lady Royals are upset along the way, I'll never leave feeling they were out-coached, out-hustled or unprepared.

That fact alone has already made this season an immeasurable pleasure regardless of where they go from here.

[Royals81]

Saratoga,

What I remember most about last year's abbreviated post-season run by the Lady Royals - besides 2 losses by a combined 3 points on our home court - was thinking to myself - if only Sarah could have been on the court for 3 or 4 more minutes each of those games. Because of early fouls, she only played 29 minutes against Catholic (3 fouls) and 27 minutes against Eastern Connecticut (5 fouls).  Sarah's playing time last year against the better Landmark opponents was often 32 or more minutes per game.  There's no question that having Sarah on the court makes everyone better. 

I also went back to check last year's statistics based on the 2nd line of your post - very telling - Alexix had 28 GP with 0 GS.
What a difference a year makes!   

[redrhino]

On Saturday, Catholic will be heading to Scranton to try to re-live last season and steal yet another championship at the Long Center. Lady Royals are going to be ready this year. Oh, Boy! Get your tickets early.

[ronk]

 Lady Royals better be ready for Catholic; I don't think Coach Donohue played all his "Cards" in the season final against Scranton last Saturday. Look for some defensive help this time against Alexix.

[redrhino]

Ronk,

You and I were both right. The Lady Royals were ready for Catholic; and Coach Donahuedid reduce the scoring punch of Alexix Roman with some wicked double-teams. Donahue is an excellent coach and he has a fine team.

I must now say, however, that any University of Scranton sports fan who is not proud of this Lady Royals' team needs to have his or her mental wiring checked. Catholic came out of the gate at a furious pace; and played at a level that would have plowed under a lot of teams. The U of S kids were simply superlative in the second half.

Alexix is held down a bit, so Noelle racks up 20 points, Payonk pours in mid-range the jumpers, and Mann registers 17.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a TEAM; and one with a chemistry the likes of which the Long Center has probably not really seen before--yes, Scranton has developed teams with great chemistry in the past--but what we are seeing here is almost something uncanny, if not unprecedented, with respect to "team bond" and cohesive affection among  a family of athletes.

At the end of today's game, both coach and players shed copious tears--not just because of the win--but because they knew how special this entire enterprise has been. Certainly, the Lady Royals are very talented, and they do have a great young coach--and Scranton should receive Landmark COY, POY, and ROY honors and all of that--but the big factor in their remarkable success finally struck me today (and I must have been numb not to sense it before); the truth is simply this: teams that love, respect,  and care for each other thismuch are flat out hard to beat.[i/i]

[saratoga]

Redrhino:

Absolutely right on the money. Plus karma.

A wise old coach once told me that when you have a boatload of talented

& gifted athletes, they sometimes think they know the way to their destination better than the person next to them.

Unfortunately, what happens when everyone thinks they've got the answer and you've got minimal leadership, you find yourself going in 20 different directions & the boat goes around in circles.

However, when you bring in a true leader to direct that group, they'll soon see there is a correct way to get things done to the benefit of everyone, and soon you'll be sailing in the right direction from point A to point B & you'll be able to navigate all the turbulent waters that will be before you with calm and respect.

That great "old" coach also prepared Mike Strong and many years later saw those same leadership & personal qualities in Dave Martin & Trevor Woodruff & brought them into his fold.

The difference this season for the Royals, beyond the talented young ladies on the team, is the leadership & direction coming from their head coach. The players are all working together to pick each other up when some new wrinkles are thrown at them & their focus remains on the task at hand.

What these kids have accomplished this season is a thing of beauty.
What their coaching staff has accomplished is a work of art.