Meek to visit the White House, President Obama today

Temeka Johnson and her Phoenix Mercury teammates awoke in Washington D.C. this morning and are preparing for a visit to the White House and some time with President Obama today.  In conjunction with this event, members of the team will participate in a service project with local area youth during their visit to Washington, D.C.  This continues a tradition begun by President Obama of sports champions serving in the community as part of their visit.

http://bit.ly/a7slJ6

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Four Lady Tigers in action tonight in the WNBA

Seimone Augustus and Minnesota host the WNBA's best team to date in Seattle at 2:30 PM EST.

Preview: http://bit.ly/bnhEau

Allsion Hightower and Connecticut start a 5-game road stand against Atlanta this evening at 6:00 PM EST.

Preview: http://bit.ly/bRBRdr

And in Phoenix tonight at 9:00 CST two Lady Tigers go head-to-head when Temeka Johnson leads the Mercury against Tulsa and Scholanda Robinson.

Preview: http://bit.ly/bcDJo3

There's no television for any of these games but you can follow them at WNBA.com

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Seimone Augustus   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Big Syl & Sho grab win's in the W last night

With only 8 shot attempts, Sylvia Fowles posted a double-double last night to help Chicago to a victory over Los Angeles.  Big Syl had 10 points and 10 boards to go along with 4 blocked shots.  Marie Ferdinand-Harris had 5 points, 5 boards and 2 assists for the Sparks.

Chicago/LA Boxscore: http://bit.ly/byZ9pT

Scholanda Robinson had 7 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists to help Tulsa to a road win over San Antonio. Roneeka Hodges has 8 points and 3 rebounds in a losing effort.

Tulsa/San Antonio Boxscore: http://bit.ly/d04OgA

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Slamonline.com profiles Big Syl

Great article by Ben York of Slamonline.com on Big Syl.  Here is an excerpt:

It was only a matter of time.

After playing her first two seasons battling injuries and fighting for minutes, it’s clear that Sylvia Fowles has found her comfort zone in the WNBA. In fact, SLAMonline predicted Fowles to be the No. 1 breakout star in 2010 and she is more than living up to the hype.

Averaging 18.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.8 bpg, and 32 mpg while shooting 61 percent from the floor and 81 percent from the line (all career-highs), Fowles has inspired hope for Sky fans across the globe for the team’s first ever playoff birth.

“It feels good to be at the point in my game that I’ve always known I could be at,” Fowles told SLAMonline. “The first two years of my career were a disappointment due to my injury. This year, I’ve taken more of a leadership role and I’m loving it.”

Fowles assumed the bulk of the offensive output with the departure of former Sky All-Star Candice Dupree in a trade to Phoenix. After having an incredible offseason overseas playing with Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird in Russia, Fowles came back determined to continue that success in the WNBA. More than anything, she was prepared to pick-up the slack from Dupree’s departure.

“Candice [Dupree] was the go-to player in my first two years in the league,” Fowles said. “I still was fighting through injuries and wasn’t getting much playing time because of that. Now with Dupree in Phoenix, I knew I had to step it up for myself and the team.”

And that she has.

Fowles accounts for more than 25 percent of the Sky’s points, 32 percent of their rebounds, and 30 percent of the team’s free-throws. During a recent stretch of games, Fowles recorded some spectacular stat lines; and that’s probably a gross understatement.

7/11: 12 points, 19 rebounds in 38 minutes

7/6: 26 points, 18 rebounds in 36 minutes

7/3: 22 points, 12 rebounds in 34 minutes

7/1: 26 points, 11 rebounds in 31 minutes

6/27: 11 points, 17 rebounds in 37 minutes

For most players and coaches, the success of Fowles is no surprise. After she won the MVP award at the 2010 WNBA All-Star game, players were asked to comment about Fowles dominating performance of 23 points and 8 rebounds on 9-11 shooting. To a player, almost in unison, they stated that Fowles’ game was nothing short of extraordinary and would be a major key in Team USA’s hope for victory at World Championships in September and the Olympics in 2012.

It’s also no surprise that her contributions this season have vaulted her into legitimate MVP talk. She’s currently ranked in the top 10 of potential MVP candidates on WNBA.com not just for her double-double prowess but also for her efficiency; which at +25.2 currently leads the league. Still, when asked to evaluate herself so far this season, her modest answer might surprise you.

“I’d say I’m off to a good start, I guess,” said a humble Fowles. “I always feel I can do better. I’m learning different things and feel like I have a ways to go. I just love to compete. So, to answer your question, I’d rate myself as ‘ok’ but will continue to work hard to get better.”

If 20 and 10 every night is “just a good start,” what would need to happen for Big Syl to consider the 2010 season as successful?

“Making the Playoffs,” Fowles said without hesitation. “That’s what you work for. I’m very confident in our team and if we continue to play consistent and focus, we will win those close games we should have won. We are beginning to take care of the little things we didn’t do well in the first half of the season. Making the Playoffs would be very nice.”

Read the entire article which also has a behind the scenes video clips of Syl dunking in a commercial: http://bit.ly/beaGc0

Filed under  //  Alumni   Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Lots of Lady Tigers in matinee action today in the W

All afternoon games today in the WNBA and lots of Lady Tigers playing:

Roneeka Hodges takes San Antonio to Chicago to play against Sylvia Fowles at 11:30 AM.

Allison Hightower and Connecticut are on the road at Indiana at noon.

Atlanta travels to Minnesota to battle Seimone Augustus and the Lynx at noon.

Temeka Johnson and Phoenix host Seattle at 2:30 PM.

Follow the scores and stats at: http://bit.ly/9AhpZf

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Seimone Augustus   Sylvia Fowles   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Marie helps LA to road victory

Marie Ferdinand tallied 12 points in a starting role for Los Angeles as the Sparks claimed a 87-71 road victory over Tulsa.  Marie hit 5 of 10 from the floor and was 2 of 2 from the free throw line.  Scholanda Robinson scored 6 points for the Shock.

Box score: http://bit.ly/bTzP9B

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Filed under  //  Alumni   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Quianna Chaney -- paying forward, giving back

COACH STARKEY: Later today we will have one of our Lady Tigers post about our afternoon at the Lester Roberts Center yesterday.  We took some some of our student-athletes there as part of our partnership with BREC.  What I wanted to spend some time is Quianna Chaney who joined us yesterday.  Q is one of my all-time favorite Lady Tigers and not because of her ability to shoot the 3-ball but because she has a great understand of her role as a Lady Tiger and takes great pride in giving back.  She is a "must-have" coach each summer at our camps.  First, because she is enthusiastic in being around young people and second, because she does a great job of teaching.  I think it was special for her to be at the Lester Roberts Center because it has housed some of our great LSU Tigers.  Garrett and Collis Temple along with Glen Davis, Randy Deval and Tyrus Thomas (among others) all spend a lot of hours there playing for the Sports Academy.  Another name that we all know, Seimone Augustus also played a lot of basketball there  -- and so did Quianna Chaney. 

It didn't hit me until yesterday morning that Q might want to go with us so I send her a quick text and within 30 seconds I had a reply, "I'd love to go Coach."  And so Q joined our team and as always did a wonderful job.  She's make an excellent coach one day.

Even more testament of her love for paying forward and wanting to help young people is that this morning she is on the road to do the same thing at a school in Mississippi. 

Thanks Q -- for being you!

Filed under  //  Alumni   Camp/Clinics   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Mone, Syl, Team USA to play exhibition games in September

In its final domestic tune-up prior to the 2010 FIBA World Championship, the USA Basketball Women’s National Team will host Australia and Spain in a pair of exhibition contests at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn., on Sept. 10 and 12, USA Basketball and the XL Center today announced. The U.S. will take on defending world champion Australia on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. (all times EDT) and Spain, the No. 5-ranked women’s program in the world, on Sept. 12 (time TBD). Tickets will go on sale this Friday, July 16 at 10:00 a.m. and will be available online at www.ticketmaster.com, through Ticketmaster charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and in person at the XL Center box office. Ticket prices range from $75, $50, $30, $20 and $10 respectively, additional fees may apply.   

In addition to the USA exhibition games, the University of Hartford will play host to an exhibition between Australia and Spain on Sept. 11 at 2:00 p.m.

“One of the things you always want to do is to try to play some really good competition leading up to the (FIBA) World Championship,” said 2009-12 USA Basketball Women’s National Team and University of Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma. “Usually those games are held overseas where we don’t have a lot of fans. It’s fortunate for us that we’re able to get teams of the caliber of Spain and Australia, two of the top five teams in the world, to come to Hartford and play exhibition games. I think people here in the Hartford area, in Connecticut especially, appreciate women’s basketball as much, if not more, than any other place in the country. I think those two teams will get a great reception and people will get a chance to see what we’re going to be seeing in the Czech Republic. I’m excited for our team. I’m excited for our fans. I’m excited for the city of Hartford, and I’m really appreciative of the XL Center for working with us to put that together.”

The U.S. has faced Australia 14 times in exhibition games and official FIBA events over the past decade. In addition to the USA’s victories over Australia in each of the last three Olympic gold medal games, the U.S. in 2002 defeated Australia 71-56 in the FIBA World Championship semifinal contest, and owns an 8-2 record over Australia in various exhibition games since the turn of the century.

The USA and Spain are less familiar as the teams have played each other just five times since 2000. The USA topped Spain 90-56 and 94-55 at the 2006 and 2002 FIBA World Championship, respectively, collected a pair of Olympic victories over Spain in 2004 (71-58) and 2008 (93-55), and defeated Spain 77-61 in a 2004 pre-Olympic exhibition game.

Members of the 2009-12 USA Basketball Women’s National Team are Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Alana Beard (Washington Mystics), Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Swin Cash (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), Tina Charles (Connecticut Sun), Shameka Christon (Chicago Sky), Candice Dupree (Phoenix Mercury), Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky), Lindsey Harding (Washington Mystics), Asjha Jones (Connecticut Sun), Kara Lawson (Connecticut Sun), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Renee Montgomery (Connecticut Sun), Maya Moore (University of Connecticut), Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks), Cappie Pondexter (New York Liberty), Diana Taurasi  (Phoenix Mercury), Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx) and Candice Wiggins (Minnesota Lynx).

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Seimone Augustus   Sylvia Fowles   Team USA   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Syl follows up All-Star performance with double-double

Less that 24 hours after capturing the MVP award in the USA-WNBA All-Star Game, Sylvia Fowles turned in a double-double against the New York Liberty but it was not enough to lead the Sky to victory.  Big Syl scored 12 points on only 9 shots but grabbed a season high 19 rebounds.  She also had 3 assists and blocked 4 shots.

Box Score: http://bit.ly/aUwUK3

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

What they're saying about Big Syl

DIANA TAURASI: “It’s huge for Sylvia, because Sylvia is someone that when she’s confident is unstoppable. Then you see the other side of Sylvia, which is the passive side that we’re trying to elude from her body, because when she plays focused and determined there’s no one like her in the world.”

SUE BIRD: “She’s just nice by nature, just very nice and gentle, a gentle giant. So you have to get on her to get her to play that way. I’ve played over in Russia with her for the last two years and I know that. And when you do get on her, the best part about Syl is that she responds immediately.  The only person who can stop her really is herself, as cliché as that is, but it’s very true in Sylvia’s case.”

KATIE DOUGLAS:  “I see way too much of her,” Douglas said with a laugh. “I saw a lot of her tonight. I saw a lot of the back of her jersey and that’s not what I like to see because that normally means she’s scoring buckets. Obviously she’s a premier post in this league; she’s such a dominant force and demands so much attention.”

SWIN CASH: She’s grown, but Sylvia can take it to another level."

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Sylvia Fowles   Team USA   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey