2009-2010 Lady Buckeyes Basketball

[backabuck]

She's a looker!........ Actually they are all lookers.

I just had a long look at the Stanford group picture and we win the "team beauty award" by miles and miles. The trouble is they waxed us on the court. Maybe we can fix that this year.

[buckeyefan127]

Shawnta Dyer to Louisville. Apparently you can sign more players than you have scholarships in the Big East?

[LitlBuck]

October 26, 2009
Big Ten media day

The Big Ten media and coaches, with selected players, meet Thursday in Chicago for what is a rather rapid fire series of interviews.

Being a media type, I try to light at a table with all of the coaches and as many players as possible for a few minutes over the two-hour time period. I always miss somebody because a table appears full of other media types whenever I take a look.

There are no new coaches this year. It always helps when introductions aren't necessary. We're asked not to list the players scheduled to attend. Most of the kids are media savvy these days and I'm sure to know a few of them from previous get-togethers. That also helps.

Finding a funny one not tied to cliches remains a delight. Former Purdue stars Katie Douglas, Shereka Wright and Erin Lawless were all delights to interview.

Anyway, I figure that the Buckeyes will be picked to win a sixth consecutive league title. Michigan State, however, is going to get some first place votes. The Spartans have everybody back from a team that upset Duke in the NCAA Tournament. Purdue always demands respect.

I also figure that Ohio State junior center Jantel Lavender, a two-time player of the year in the conference, will be the preseason choice for that award again. Illinois junior center Jenna Smith should be a unanimous pick for the preseason team.

Six or seven players deserve serious consideration after Lavender and Smith. Penn State's Tyra Grant, Indiana's Jamie Braun, Michigan State's Aisha Jefferson and Allyssa DeHaan, Ohio State's Sammy Prahalis, Iowa's Kachine Alexander, Purdue's FahKara Malone and Brittany Rayburn come to mind immediately. And, yes, I'm sure I missed somebody like Ashley Ellis-Milan of Minnesota. So stop yelling.

Here are thumbnails of who is back and where in the conference.

more

Posted by Jim Massie




Ohio State women's basketball.

[backabuck]

"Illinois junior center Jenna Smith should be a unanimous pick for the preseason team."




I love Jenna Smith and she surely deserves some kind of award for carrying Illinois on her back, if nothing else.......but I believe she is a senior.

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by backabuck

"Illinois junior center Jenna Smith should be a unanimous pick for the preseason team."




I love Jenna Smith and she surely deserves some kind of award for carrying Illinois on her back, if nothing else.......but I believe she is a senior.

I mean I don't really care but you are incorrect she is a junior link

[backabuck]

"I mean I don't really care but you are incorrect she is a junior link"

Well that is funny then because on the official Illinois athletic site she is listed as a senior.......so possibly Mr. Bleill is incorrect or the Illinois AD. I don't particularly care either but I am sure that Jenna does.

[Oh8ch]

Player Bio: Jenna Smith - FIGHTINGILLINI.COM // THE OFFICIAL HOME OF UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS ATHLETICS

Describes what she did her first three years. Senior.

[backabuck]

"Describes what she did her first three years. Senior."

Thank you Oh8ch. Evidently Mr. Bleill is guilty of not checking his facts. Oh well, other than that, it's a good piece of writing.

[Buckskin86]

October 29, 2009

Men's and Women's Basketball: The annual basketball meetings are taking place in Chicago today and they have announced the favorite pre-season teams and players.

The Buckeyes are well represented as the women's team has been picked to win the Big Ten Championship for the sixth year in a row. The men, while predicted to improve, are selected third in a very tough conference.

Junior forward/guard Evan Turner has been selected as a member of the pre-season all conference team.

Junior center Jantel Lavender, to the surprise of no one, has been tabbed as the pre-season Player of the Year by both the media and the coaches. Lavender is joined on the pre-season all conference team by sophomore guard Samantha Prahalis.

Ohio State Football, Basketball, Hockey, Baseball, Wrestling, Softball, and More

[Buckskin86]

Women's basketball: Buckeyes know they wear a target
Friday, October 30, 2009
By Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Expectations follow a winner as doggedly as a tailgating driver loves the other guy's rear bumper at rush hour.

So Jantel Lavender wasn't surprised to learn yesterday that the Big Ten coaches and media had picked the Ohio State women's basketball team to win its sixth consecutive conference championship, or her to repeat for a third time as the player of the year.

"In the conference aspect, we expect to be picked," said Lavender, the junior All-America center. "In the player aspect, I expect to be picked. You want to live up to those goals. I'm just ready because I know a lot is going to be thrown at us this year as a team and individually."

She knows because she can hear the honking horns and feel the glaring eyes from people intent on passing. Michigan State, with five starters returning, was picked second in both polls. The Spartans defeated the Buckeyes last season in East Lansing. Minnesota also pulled off a rare conference upset of OSU in Value City Arena.

"Everybody wants to beat you," Lavender said. "They hate us. They want to be in our position. They want to feel what we feel. They want to take our spot. We have to constantly protect our title."

BuckeyeXtra - Women's basketball: Buckeyes know they wear a target

[backabuck]

This is the excerpt from that article that caught my eye;


Illinois coach Jolette Law has title designs, if not this year, then in the near future. She sees human nature in the rivalries.

"It's not hate," she said. "It's just something that I want. Everybody always wants to be in that No. 1 spot. Ohio State just so happens to be in the No. 1 spot. I want to be where they are. I love Ohio State. But I want to be in that No. 1 spot."

I love Ohio State??? .....Probably not so much.

[BB73]

Lady Buckeyes are #3 in the Coaches Preseason poll, behind a unanimous #1 UConn, and Stanford.

ESPN

[lord vegas]

When do the lady's get to step on the floor? I didn't see anything posted in this thread.

And for the record, uglier teams seem to have a built in advantage. So Stanford already has a 4 point lead before the clock started. Look at the Boston Celtics with DJ, Parrish, McHale. Their collective ugly was at least a 8 point spot. When you can't look across at the person your guarding without going "wtf" its an advantage. lol

[Ttown]

Originally Posted by lord vegas

When do the lady's get to step on the floor? I didn't see anything posted in this thread.

From LitlBucks post #2
The Ohio State women's basketball team opens its season on Nov. 13, with a WNIT game against Eastern Illinois in Value City Arena.

The Buckeyes, the five-time defending Big Ten champions, begin conference play with a home game at 2 p.m. Dec. 6, against Wisconsin. The home schedule also includes a potential match-up against California in the second round of the Buckeye Classic on Nov. 29 in St. John Arena.

Go Buckeyes!

[lord vegas]

Yeah, but I figured they had some exhibition games set up before then.

Originally Posted by Ttown

From LitlBucks post #2
The Ohio State women's basketball team opens its season on Nov. 13, with a WNIT game against Eastern Illinois in Value City Arena.

The Buckeyes, the five-time defending Big Ten champions, begin conference play with a home game at 2 p.m. Dec. 6, against Wisconsin. The home schedule also includes a potential match-up against California in the second round of the Buckeye Classic on Nov. 29 in St. John Arena.

Go Buckeyes!