Pat Summitt diagnosed with dementia

For many years, the Cardinal's toughest opponent has been Pat Summitt and her Lady Vols. Today Coach Summit faces one of life's toughest opponents — Alzheimer's Disease.

No matter how many times they beat us, I always felt great respect for Coach Summitt's amazing accomplishments, for what she has done for women's basketball.

Today I also feel deep admiration for the courage and grace she showed as she announced her illness.

I wish her the best possible outcome in her fight against this dreadful disease — as much time as possible coaching the game that means so much to her and peace and comfort in whatever follows.

This is Coach Summitt's announcement:

Pat Summitt diagnosed with early onset dementia, by Dan Fleser (GoVol Xtra)

Pat Summitt's way will lead Lady Vols, by Michelle Smith (ESPNw)

Pat Summitt, Tennessee women’s basketball coach, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease by Sally Jenkins (Washington Post). Accompanied by a photo gallery that extends from Pat & her son Tyler cutting down the net at her fourth National Championship in 1996 to her induction into the Tennessee Women's Hall of Fame in 2011.

Tara's reaction to the news about Pat Summit: "Hearing today's news about Pat Summit's diagnosis was numbing to me. Pat is not only a great coach but she has been an outstanding mentor and friend. She has shown great courage in announcing this news. I know that she has the best support group around her that anyone could ask for, and I know that Pat will fight this development with the strength, spirit and determination that she has shown throughout her Hall of Fame career. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family."

Nneka and Chiney named to preseason Wade Watch list

Congratulations to Nneka and Chiney!

They are two of the 25 women on the State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year preseason "Wade Watch" list that was announced today by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. This is Nneka's third straight year on the list. Chiney, in her first appearance, is one of just four sophomores on the list.

For more information, see:

• The WBCA announcement
• The Stanford Athletics announcement

Gold medal videos

USA Basketball has released five videos taken yesterday when the USA won the gold medal at the 2011 World University Games:

• Game highlights
• Medal ceremony, during which Gaudeamus Igitur is played as the flags are raised because it's the official anthem of the FISU, which supervises the WUG
• Press conference with Nneka and Elena Della Donne
• Bill Fennelly interview in which he lauds Nneka and Skylar Diggins and their quest for a third gold medal
• Celebration on the bus including brief performances by Chiney and Nneka

Nneka leads USA to gold medal in World University Games

Nneka finally got to play major minutes today as the USA beat Taiwan 101-66 in the gold-medal game.

She had a huge game — the team-high 24 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.

“We wanted to go to Nneka early and often, and we did,” said head coach Bill Fennelly, “I think tonight’s game was even better than the game she played two years ago (in the U19 World Championship gold medal game). I think that says a lot about her, not just her talent, but her commitment and focus. You want your best players to step up at the biggest times, and a gold medal game is a good time to step up and do the things you can do."

This marks the third straight gold as a team for Fennelly, Nneka and Skylar Diggins, who were all also members of the 2008 USA U18 National Team and 2009 USA U19 World Championship Team.

“It’s just amazing,” reflected Fennelly. “Nneka and Sky have been through a lot. This is the third time I’ve had them, twice as an assistant and now as a head coach. They are great players, but they are even better people. I think they were the true leaders of our team. Everyone knew it from the beginning. They followed what we asked them to do, and their experience really paid off and showed the other kids what the international game is all about – the travel and how you just have to fight through it day-by-day. At the end of the day, they have another gold medal and they deserve it.”

Chiney, along with Nneka, Skylar and Elena Della Donne, was one of the four USA players who scored in double digits. She had ten points, six rebounds and a block.

Chiney's field goal percentage led all players in the World University Games. She made a whopping 67.4% of her attempts. Nneka was a close second with 65.3%.

There's lots more about today's game from USA Basketball:

• The game report
• The box score
• Quotes, including many from Nneka
• Audio quotes from Chiney
• Game photo gallery
• Medal ceremony photo gallery

Analyzing Stanford's 2011-2012 women's basketball schedule

Jake Curtis analyzes the Cardinal's 2011-12 schedule:

Stanford has its typically difficult women's basketball schedule facing it in 2011-2012, although it may not be quite as tough as it was the past two seasons. That's a good thing, because the Cardinal may not be as strong as it was the past two years.

He expects the Cardinal's season to end with a trip to the NCAA tournament, but doesn't predict how far they'll go

Read more...

USA heads into gold medal game with win over Australia

The USA defeated Australia 79-67, but it was a battle as is expected whenever these two countries meet.

Playing time for the USA women was less evenly distributed than it has been yet in this competition. Elena Della Donne played almost the entire game and had a huge double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Skylar Diggins added 17 points and five assists in 34 minutes.

Nneka and Chiney both got into foul trouble for the first time, but still made significant contributions to the victory.

Nneka gave as good as she got foul-wise and made five of her six free throws. She made just one of her seven field goal attempts, but it sparked a 9-0 run for the USA in the fourth quarter that helped them pull ahead of Austraila for good. She also had seven rebounds and two steals.

Chiney had eight points and three rebounds.

The USA will play Taiwan (also 5-0) in the gold medal game on Sunday. Taiwan is the shortest, quickest team that the USA has faced in the World University Games.

Chiiney says of Taiwan, "They are the most efficient team I have seen here. They are quick, they finish and they stay steady. Knowing us, we have to come out strong, really make defensive stops and rebound. We have a size advantage, but that doesn't mean anything to them. We just have to be ready, and we have to bring home the gold medal."

Here are the game report, box score, quotes and photo gallery of the USA- Australia game.

USA flies past Finland

... with a commanding 96-30 victory.

The USA had twice as many rebounds as Finland, including six each from Nneka and Chiney.

Nneka had twelve points, three assists, two blocks and a steal.

Chiney had ten points, a block and zero fouls.

The victory takes the USA on to the semifinal round, where they will play Australia, which features four of its national team players on its World University Games roster. It will be the USA team’s toughest opponent by far in this year’s tournament.

In regard to playing Australia in the semifinals, Nneka said, "I am ready, and I think everyone else is too. We are excited. Obviously, it is fun to win big, but it’s also fun to play a really great team and we are ready for tomorrow."

Here are the game report, box score, quotes and photo gallery.

USA routs Great Britain

USA Basketball rolled to a 3-0 finish in the preliminary round of the World University Games with an 85-33 rout of Great Britain on Tuesday.

Chiney began the USA scoring with four free throws in the first 34 seconds of the game. She added six more points on four field goal attempts, three rebounds, a block and a steal in ten minutes of play. For the third consecutive game, she committed no fouls.

Nneka went 3-for-6 from the field and hit both free-throw attempts for a total of eight points. She also had five rebounds, an assists, two blocks and a steal.

The team gets a day off, then advances to the quarterfinal round of the competition on Thursday. There the USA will take on Finland, the second-place team from Group A, at 8:30 p.m. local time (4:30 a.m. PT Thursday morning).

Here are the game report, box score, photos and quotes.

Tara announces 2011-12 schedule

Tara announced the 2011-12 schedule this morning.

As we have come to expect, it's tough and challenging. Eleven of the Cardinal's opponents played in the NCAA tournament last season.

"A big reason for this program's regular season and postseason success is that we face a tough and challenging schedule every season, and 2011-12 is no exception," Tara said. "Playing NCAA Tournament-caliber teams early on and throughout the year prepares us for new challenges in the Pac-12 and in the high-pressure contests in the postseason."

This is the announcement and the schedule from Stanford Athletics.

This is the schedule from the FBC, which will include FBC events as well as the basketball games. It also includes links to each opponent's women's basketball website and maps of the venues. Links to media coverage (TV, All-Access and GameTracker) will be added when that information becomes available.

USA women defeat Slovakia

Another balanced attack by the USA resulted in another huge victory in their second World University Game — 114-68 over Slovakia.

Nneka and Chiney started the attack — Nneka hit a jumper at 9:49, and Chiney scored on the USA's next possession.

They each made 75% of their field goal attempts. Nneka ended with 14 points, five rebounds, an assist and two steals. Chiney had 13 points, six rebounds and a block.

The USA team committed just 18 fouls, but coach Bill Fennelly and several players spoke of foul trouble and difficulty adjusting to how international referees call the game. So it's especially encouraging to Cardinal fans who worried about Chiney's propensity for geting into foul trouble last season that she again had no fouls last night.

Here are the game report, box score, quotes and photos.