Women's College Basketball Preview: A Winter Wonderland of Top Tier Showdowns

Brittney Griner The women's college basketball season isn't a month old, nevertheless it already feels as if March Madness. Several top teams have faced off noisy . games and also the other large match-up looms when the past two NCAA champions - No. 8 Texas A&M at No. 2 Connecticut - face off within the Jimmy V Classic tonight (part of a cancer-research initiative adoring late New You are able to Condition coach Jimmy Valvano). The champion of the game won't be improving up rankings heap. (No less than not.) That place continues to be tenaciously held by Baylor, which has already defeated No. 3 Notre Dame without any. 7 Tennessee. "They are a significant intimidating team," states ESPN's Rebecca Lobo. "They have Brittney Griner back, most likely probably the most dominant player in women's college basketball." A 6-ft-8 All-American, Griner introduced the lady Bears to Large 12 regular season and tournament game game titles last spring. She appeared to be the sole real collegian to see for your U.S. national team last summer season, making her a likely candidate for your Olympic roster in 2012. "She ongoing a year ago to boost her offensive game and he or she got more comfortable with double teams," Lobo states. "She's become bigger and much more effective plus much more imposing, when was possible. She's refined her capabilities." Wile there's still a extended strategy to use before tournament time, teams are choosing the initial 1 / 2 of year being an chance to build up their resumes for your NCAA selection committee and acquire themselves fight-examined. Understanding that listed here are a couple of key approaching games to circle round the calendar: &bull Texas A&M at Connecticut (Tuesday, 7/6c, ESPN2)Safeguarding NCAA champion Texas A&M travels to Hartford to challenge the school of Connecticut, champion of those two previous national game game titles (and seven overall). Both teams are on the way of modifying for the graduation from the celebs (Texas A&M's Danielle Adams and Connecticut's three-time national player of year Maya Moore). "It'll be a pleasurable game to check out,In . states Lobo, who introduced UConn for the 1995 NCAA title and you'll be verifying within the sidelines. "A&M typically wreaks havoc defensively. Connecticut this year is pressuring more, they're while using the quickness inside their backcourt." &bull Maggie Dixon Classic (Sunday, 12 ,. 11, 11am/10c and 1/noon c, ESPNU)Inside the first wager about this Madison Square Garden doubleheader adoring the late Military coach, Baylor plays up-and-coming St. John's. The second game features Tennessee and DePaul. The 2011 announcement that Tennessee mind coach Pat Summitt is fighting early onset dementia seems to own elevated the lady Vols' intensity, despite the fact that they did suffer an upset defeat by Virginia together with a detailed loss to Baylor for just about any rare two-game losing streak. Reigning Southeastern Conference player of year Shekinna Stricklen has knocked her scoring average from 12.8 points per game to 16.8. And newcomer Ariel Massengale offers the team much-needed relief at point guard. "You'll be able to tell that whenever she plays the sport, her first goal is to find her teammates open and not to acquire her shot," Lobo states. "That's fostered an atmosphere of really talking about the basketball and being not-selfish. It's good to acquire lots of people touching the basketball." &bull Tennessee at Stanford (Tuesday, 12 ,. 20, 10/9c, Fox Sports Internet)Stanford is introduced by brothers and sisters Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike, who Lobo calls, "most likely probably the most relentless offensive rebounding combination in women's college basketball at this time around.Inch The Cardinal have handled to obtain for the Women's Final Four yesteryear four seasons, but they're still trying to find their first national title since 1992. &bull Connecticut at Notre Dame (Saturday, Jan. 7, 4/3c, CBS)It's been years since CBS broadcast the NCAA women's championship, nevertheless the network continues to be home in the sport's only day's national broadcast TV coverage. The annual doubleheader begins with Large Ten rivals Michigan Condition and Penn Condition at 2pm/ET, a Large East showdown. Notre Dame handled to obtain for the national title game last spring behind the fireworks of dynamic - and telegenic - point guard Skylar Diggins. "She's great pace to her game, she's a very large decision maker and he or she carried out her best games within the finest moments," states Lobo. Numerous people moments came through the NCAA tournament, when Diggins' performance switched her in to a Twitter phenomenon (she is now offering greater than 128,000 fans). "She's got a enjoyable swagger to her, which is one reason why In my opinion she's been outfitted to deal with all the attention that was thrust upon her within the Final Four," Lobo states. "She really increased to become large star." &bull Maryland at Duke (Sunday, The month of the month of january 22, 3:30/2:30c, ESPNU)The Big 12, the big East as well as the SEC get all the mind lines, keep in mind in regards to the Chesapeake Bay Conference, featuring three teams presently ranked inside the Top. Furthermore to individuals two traditional forces, Miami has placed itself to the conference - and national - conversation. Last season the Tornados tied with Duke for your ACC regular season championship, just one year after finishing twelfth. &bull Texas A&M at Baylor (Saturday, Feb. 11, 6/5c, Fox Sports Internet)These Large 12 rivals met four occasions last season, with Baylor winning two occasions through the standard season together with the big 12 championship game. The Aggies finally switched the table inside the NCAA Elite Eight and ongoing to win the country's title. Neither team acquired greater than 70 points after they carried out this season, so expect another intense defensive struggle. Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!