By Mel Greenberg
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- The Guru made the ride up here to take in a couple of games and provide chauffeur services to AP national women's swriter Doug Feinberg back to New York so he wouldn't be stranded.
While we watch the games unfold, here's some more AP player blogging, of which part of the headline was APs.
Those of you who saw a triple post earlier, was because the Guru hit the save button three times on the home office system in the middle of the night, which was slow at the time.
Erin and Jonathan took care of the cleanup. And now, until the games are over, here's Tuesday's player report as of halftime of the Louisville-Kansas State game here where the P.A. system actually played the Kansas fight song.
Carson, Rutgers Pumped Up for Greensboro
Let the Madness begin! College stars Essence Carson of Rutgers, Abby Waner of Duke, Crystal Langhorne of Maryland, and Erlana Larkins of North Carolina will provide a snapshot of their tournament experiences right up to the championship game in Tampa, Fla. on April 8:---
TUESDAY, March 25:
Carson's Blog
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDWEST . - I am writing just prior to the take-off back to the East Coast and New Jersey. It's always nice to board a plane after a win - and, of course - get some zzz's. We are still alive and Sweet Sixteen bound, I was told by the media - for the fourth straight year.
It was a tough game and Iowa State gave its best fight. The fans really turned out for the game and it was a great atmosphere for college basketball.
Although our defense has held us together all year long, our offense has really started to come around as of late and is clicking on all cylinders. Tonight, Kia Vaughn - again - played well (23 points). It seemed like she owned the paint. And the three guards on our side - myself, Mat (Matee Ajavon) and Piph (Epiphanny Prince) - put in double figures and it seemed like everything was rolling.
Iowa State really tested our defense and more so, our communication. We communicated very well (on the switches) and we elevated our game that much more. When it came down to it, we did the most important thing we could do tonight - and that was win. And earn another 40 minutes.
My teammates and I look forward to Greensboro. They treated us very well last year. We are hoping to go in there and play our game - once again, Scarlet Knight basketball.
I'm out!
- Rutgers senior Essence Carson
Waner's Blog
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - And it's onto round two!
Yesterday was a hectic day preparing for Arizona State seeing as how we only get one day in between each game. The morning started with breakfast at 10:30 a.m. - it really felt like we had eaten about two hours before that. One thing about being on the road is you can always count on being well fed - or overfed!
Meals come in abundance, along with snacks, cookies, post game sandwiches; baked goods from relatives, and well, you get the idea. Freshman 15 has turned into Road Trip 15! After a not-so-quick breakfast, we watched film and went over our scouting reports.
As with meals, there is never a lack of stats to go over with Al Brown as your assistant coach. I'm pretty sure if I were to ask him how many dribbles #22 takes before every jump shot she takes going left, he could give it to me down to the hundredth decimal point.
Luckily, we are positively well informed on the scouting end. After film and scout we went on to media at the Comcast Center, followed by a closed hour and a half practice, and finally we were back at the hotel.
So I have this thing with scary movies - well, I don't have a thing with scary movies, actually. I avoid them entirely. When we are on the road for an extended period of time, we tend to rent a few movies here and there, and it never seems like my vote counts.
What happened to women and the stereotypical chick flicks?? Scary movie after scary movie is rented, and yet again I find myself alone in my own hotel room watching anything that doesn't have ghosts, murders, or kidnappings.
Well, last night I decided I could grow up and attempt a semi-intense movie, Rendition. Turns out torture and bomb movies are not for me either. Needless to say, I had my own bed at the beginning of the movie, and at the end I had moved to the bed Krystal and Jas were on, leaving mine entirely empty. Luckily, second round games were on TV directly following the movie so I didn't have time to over analyze and scare myself even more.
There were some great games on if you didn't happen to catch them, Florida State and Oklahoma State as well as Cal and GW both went down to the wire. I think it was a great thing for our team to see how even second round games can be a toss up any given night.
Like I said before, funny things can happen in the tournament - whether it is a foul called with 0.1 seconds, or a missed box out that can cost you the game.
That being said, Duke is well prepared for a battle tonight - and when I say battle, that has nothing to do with actual blood, gore, or anything remotely frightening, because to be honest, I wouldn't show up!
More coming after the game ...
- Duke junior Abby Waner
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