Sports

After Kentucky, Teams Look to Sew Up No. 1 Seeds in NCAAs

Published

8 years ago

March 10, 2015

Kentucky’s Willie Cauley-Stein, fourth from left, celebrates with teammates during a ceremony marking the teams undefeated regular season after an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, March 7, 2015, in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky won 67-50. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

GENARO C. ARMAS, AP Sports Writer

Conference tournaments will give the nation’s best teams opportunities to boost their credentials to claim one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

There is one big, blue exception.

Unbeaten Kentucky has virtually locked up a top seed no matter what happens in the Southeastern Conference tourney this week in Nashville. The unanimous No. 1 team in the Top 25, the Wildcats are looking to become just the eighth squad to stay atop the poll wire to wire.

After Kentucky, ACC powers Virginia and Duke appear to be in good shape for top seeds, though an early slip in the conference tournament for either might cloud the outlook.

Much will depend on what happens with other contenders during this frenzied week in college basketball. Villanova, Arizona and Wisconsin are among teams that could improve their resumes for a top seed — even though some coaches aren’t ready to look ahead to Selection Sunday.

“I don’t know. I know Johnny Appleseed,” Badgers coach Bo Ryan said after his team’s 72-48 victory this weekend at Ohio State. “I don’t look at that. We always turned the channel at home when they start talking seeds.”

A No. 1 seed for Villanova could carry extra weight for the Big East, two years after a high-stakes shuffle left the league without marquee programs Connecticut, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

The Wildcats could make a league-wide statement by winning the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.

“From my perspective, without question, I think they are deserving of a No. 1 seed,” Butler coach Chris Holtmann said Monday. “I think they would have earned the right to have that opportunity given how strong our league has performed out of conference.”

A look at candidates for No. 1 seeds:

BIG BLUE LOCK: Kentucky (31-0, 18-0). RPI, 1; Strength of schedule, 26: The only surprise here would be if the Wildcats are not the No. 1 overall seed come Sunday.

ACC POWERS:

Duke (28-3, 15-3). RPI, 5; Strength of schedule, 12: Winners of 11 straight, the Blue Devils could lock up a top seed by winning the ACC tournament.

Virginia (28-2, 16-2). RPI, 6; Strength of schedule, 22: See Duke, above. The Cavaliers and Blue Devils are 1-2 in the ACC tournament. If the bracket holds through Saturday’s championship game, it may be just a matter of which team ends up atop which NCAA region. The South region final is in Houston; the East region final is in Syracuse.

GO WEST

That leaves the West, where the regional final will be held in Los Angeles. Each contender likely needs to win its league tournament to have the best shot at a No. 1 seed. Teams listed in order of Top 25 ranking:

Villanova (29-2, 16-2). RPI, 3; Strength of schedule, 27: Wildcats could assure themselves of defining top seed by taking Big East tourney crown in New York. Unbeaten in six Top 25 games.

Arizona (28-3, 16-2 Pac-12). RPI, 7; Strength of schedule, 34: Getting to final in league tourney and beating third-seeded Utah, which has a better RPI and strength of schedule then second-seeded Oregon, would help.

Wisconsin (28-3, 16-2 Big Ten). RPI, 4; Strength of schedule, 11: Likely lock for No. 2 seed. If they don’t get a top seed, the Badgers could face being placed in the Midwest as the second seed to Kentucky. That could set up a potential rematch of last year’s Final Four game won by the Wildcats, 74-73, in a regional final to be played in Big Ten country.

Gonzaga (30-2, 17-1 West Coast). RPI, 8; Strength of schedule, 81: A loss to BYU on Feb. 28 left Gonzaga needing the most help among potential No. 1 seeds. Likely needs to win conference tourney and have other contenders lose early.

Kansas (24-7, 13-5 Big 12). RPI, 2, Strength of schedule, 1: Jayhawks are 3-3 since Feb. 16 going into the conference tourney as Big 12’s top seed. Like Gonzaga, Kansas needs help to move up a seed line in the NCAAs, though a tougher schedule may give Jayhawks more consideration.

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Bay Area

New Women’s Pro Soccer Team Coming to Bay Area

Former U.S. Women’s National Team players Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, Danielle Slaton and Aly Wagner announced Tuesday that the National Women’s Soccer League has awarded expansion rights to their group. The team, which has not yet announced a name or home stadium, will start playing in the league in 2024.

Published

1 month ago

April 28, 2023

Oakland Post

Leslie Osborne had 62 caps for the USWNT and played in the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China where the U.S. took third place in the tournament. Osborne played professionally for nine seasons and was team captain on all of her professional teams in the WPS and NWSL. (Allison+Partners via Bay City News)

By Bay City News

A new professional women’s soccer team is coming to the Bay Area.

The four soccer stars, who all have Bay Area ties including each hailing from Santa Clara University, spoke Tuesday about their efforts to bring a pro women’s team to the region starting nearly three years ago following the announcement of another NWSL expansion team, Angel City Football Club in Los Angeles.

“LA is doing this, why aren’t we doing it?” Osborne said the women were asking themselves as the group got to work to bring a team to the Bay Area.

The new team’s majority investor is Sixth Street, an investment firm with stakes in European soccer clubs like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona as well as the pro basketball team the San Antonio Spurs.

Chastain, who scored an iconic game-winning goal in the 1999 Women’s World Cup final for the U.S. over China, said “it is a different time” now in women’s sports compared to her playing days, citing the high ratings and interest for the recent NCAA women’s college basketball championship. She said the Bay Area is the perfect place to help the sport grow even more.

“We here in the Bay Area are innovators, we’re thinkers, we’re creators,” Chastain said. “The Bay is where champions come to play, that is our call to action.”

Other members of the team’s board include Sheryl Sandberg, tech executive and founder of LeanIn.org, Rick Welts, who most recently served as president of the Golden State Warriors, and Staci Slaughter, former executive vice president for the San Francisco Giants.

More details about the team can be found on its website at https://nwsltothebay.com/.

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Bay Area

Town Parade Celebrates Oakland High and Oakland Tech Basketball Champions

Oakland’s pride was at an all-time high on Sunday afternoon as the basketball state champions of Oakland High and Oakland Tech paraded from Children’s Fairyland to downtown City Hall at Oscar Grant Plaza April 16. The parade celebrated the girls’ basketball team of Oakland Tech, winners of the state championship for 3 years in a row and Oakland High making history by taking the state championship for the first time.

Published

1 month ago

April 28, 2023

Oakland Post

The festivities unfolded in full force on the steps of Oakland City Hall as confetti blew through the air and photographers and videographers captured the excitement and happiness of the students. Special guest MC's featured Dr. Delores Thompson, a proud Oakland High graduate who said she also attended summer school at Oakland Tech, and Jonathan Piper II of King Makers of Oakland.

By Carla Thomas

On a double decker bus, team members danced and waved as they were transported through the city circling Lake Merritt. Onlookers honked and clapped in support as team cheerleaders waved pom poms. Once arriving at Oakland City Hall, the students were greeted with a decorated plaza of arching balloons of white, purple and gold for the Oakland Tech “Lady” Bulldogs and blue and white for the Oakland High Wildcats.

The festivities unfolded in full force on the steps of Oakland City Hall as confetti blew through the air and photographers and videographers captured the excitement and happiness of the students.

Special guest MC’s featured Dr. Delores Thompson, a proud Oakland High graduate who said she also attended summer school at Oakland Tech, and Jonathan Piper II of King Makers of Oakland.

Nancy Skinner said, “I’m especially proud of the Wildcats and Lady Bulldogs. “Will celebrate your success at the state Capitol.”

Mia Bonta led audience with a cheer: “Hold up wait a minute, let us put some O. High in it. Hold up wait a minute, let us put some Oakland Tech in it. Hold up wait a minute, let us put some Oakland in it.”

Oakland Unified School District Superintendent Kyla Johnson Trammell, a self-proclaimed ’80s baby from Oakland expressed her appreciation for the students.

“Congrats to the dynasty at Tech and a dynasty emerging at Oakland High,” said Trammell. “Our students are scholarly athletes and role models on the court and off.”

Oakland Unified School District Board of Education president Mike Hutchinson encouraged the winning team members to reflect and embrace their contributions to Oakland’s legacy. “Thanks for all your hard work,” he said.

Bart Board Director and Congressional seat candidate Lateefah Simon spoke of the state champions as “the best in the state. The very best in the Bay Area … I’m so proud, thankful and humbled to be in the presence of young geniuses and the best ballers in the state,” she said.

Representatives of Oakland City Council addressed the teams at the rally.

District 3 City Councilmember Carroll Fife said, “Today you are my heroes, and you are an example of what Oakland truly is. You are exactly what we all need more of in our city.”

District 4 City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran said, “We need to learn from you and the lessons of teamwork and resilience.”

District 7 Councilmember Treva Reid said she proudly represents deep East Oakland. “Thank you for putting some respect on Oakland, we got your back,” she said.

District 2 City Councilmember Nikki Fortunato-Bas all congratulated the teams. “When you fight and practice, you win,” she said.

District 1 City Councilmember Dan Kalb was proud that the Oakland Tech Bulldogs were in his district.

District 5 Councilmember Noel Gallo said his three daughters graduated from Oakland High and went on to Stanford University and UC Berkeley. “At one time Oakland was the 5th largest market for athletes in the U.S., so I know these teams will go on to do great things,” he said. “Congrats on your accomplishments.”

Medals & certificates of honor were presented to each team member by California Assemblymember Mia Bonta, California State Senator Nancy Skinner and Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. Each athlete posed for a group photo with the elected officials and were cheered on as they returned to their seat.

“You are special on and off the court, and we love you,” said Thao.

Thao also gave a special shout out to event organizer, Oakland Tech Parent Teacher Student Association Vice President Dunia Wilder and the “unsung heroes” behind the scenes. “Thank you, Dunia, Myra, Brooklyn, and Vice Mayor Kimberly, for making this event happen.”

Bay Area

Kareem Jabbar Brings Books to Oakland and Tech Champs

Published

2 months ago

April 4, 2023

Oakland Post

Tony Thurmond, State Supt., Mayor Sheng Thao, OUSD Supt. encourage Athletes to score Academically too.

Oakland Tech’s Girls Basketball team and the Oakland High Boys team received major support and recognition for being on top of California’s High School sports world from the State Superintendent of Education Tony Thurmond, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the Superintendent and members of the Board of Directors of the Oakland Unified School District. The student-athletes were encouraged to score academically and become champions in their classrooms as they have on the basketball courts. Photo courtesy of OUSD.