POY? Bracket? Nneka!

Graham Hayes (ESPN) checks in at the midway point of the season to review what we've learned, things we thought we knew, and some needed revisions. One of the revisions is to the preseason wisdom, "There is no player of the year race." Although Griner is having the best season of her career for the No. 1 team, some of the competition is rising to the challenge. One, of course, is:

Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford: Just as Baylor's Robert Griffin III took down preseason uber-favorite Andrew Luck in the Heisman Trophy race, despite another stellar season from the Stanford quarterback, Ogwumike might return the favor by swiping a major award away from Waco. At the moment, she's ahead of Griner in scoring and rebounding (although Griner has an enormous defensive edge on Ogwumike and every other player in the sport). Ogwumike also had the kind of performance people remember come voting time when she went for 42 points and 17 rebounds against Tennessee.

There's lots more interesting information in Hayes' story. Read here...

Charlie Creme (ESPN) has updated his bracket prediction. He dropped UCLA and has this to say about the three remaining Pac-12 teams:

• Stanford, #1 in Fresno: The player of the year award, for which Nneka Ogwumike is a prime front-runner, should be a closer race than the Pac-12, which the Cardinal should win for a 12th straight year. (Creme has Stanford playing the 1st & 2nd rounds in Nashville – sure hope he's wrong about that!)


• Cal, #9 in Raleigh: Talia Caldwell and Gennifer Brandon give the Golden Bears a threat in the post that might match up well with Stanford.


• USC, #11 in Raleigh: Close losses to good competition and another terrible knee injury to Jacki Gemelos have characterized the Trojans' season, but it now appears to be on the upswing.

Here is Creme's bracket and an article about it, in which he offers more praise of Nneka:

Nneka Ogwumike is amazing

Yes, that statement is from the file labeled obvious. The stats Ogwumike recorded against Tennessee in a game five days before Christmas -- 42 points, 17 rebounds, 19-of-27 shooting, three assists -- might go down as the signature performance of the season. Talk on the Farm of where to place Ogwumike in the history of the Stanford program has certainly begun already.

Tom Taylor (Stanford Daily) urges football fans to move on to women's hoops:

So when you need a break from homework this quarter and you’re missing being able to watch the nation’s best college football player strut his stuff on Stanford’s field every weekend, come on down to Maples. In tight games the Cardinal could certainly do with your support, and players like the Ogwumikes deserve it with their skill and commitment.

Read more...