Women's Hoops Guru

(Updating to include Essence Carson's blog transmitted later in the day)

By Mel Greenberg

Since a certain 13-0 run Sunday night by Arizona State over Temple Sunday night has caused us to break down the hotel room two days ahead of schedule to return to the home office, here are some more AP blogging player reports.

Wel'll be back later Monday night after the games are concluded, but first for you WNBA Chicago controvery fans.

We ran into former Temple star Candice Dupree, who made a quick trip to watch her alma mater, and she acknowledged the Chicago Sky might be trying to deal here, but felt she would ultimately remain in the Windy City this summer.

-- Mel
AP Player Blogs

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:

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SUNDAY, March 23:

Langhorne's Report

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - It was the first game of the NCAA Tournament for us and we had a very tough game against Coppin State today.

I knew it would be a battle, but during the first half we just weren't playing our game. They were being very aggressive and we were playing pretty soft. At halftime, we were only up five and Coach B told us we needed to step it up on defense.

I knew we could step it up as a team because none of us wanted to go home. We were lucky that we were even up at half anyway. Another motivation was our great crowd that we had supporting us today. We didn't want to disappoint our home crowd by losing in the first round.

But in the second half, we played much better, but we still need to step it up if we want to go far in this tournament. Nebraska is our next opponent and they play hard. I think we match up better with them than Coppin State but they are still a very good team and we can't take anyone lightly.

There's a lot at stake for every team. From now on, we have to play like our lives depend on it - because now, it's win or go home.

- Maryland senior Crystal Langhorne

Larkins' Report

NORFOLK, Va. - It's just good to be playing again. We finished our conference tournament two weeks ago and then we had a few days off for Spring Break, so it's nice to be back on the court.

On Monday, the team gathered with friends and family at Tyler's, a restaurant in town, to watch the Selection Show. We were excited to see where we would be placed, and probably a little shocked to be in the New Orleans region with LSU as the No. 2, but I suspect other people probably were a little shocked too.

After that, though, the week went really quick. Coach Calder and the rest of the staff were already preparing for Bucknell Monday night, and then we practiced Tuesday and Thursday before leaving Friday.

We took a charter bus up to Virginia from Chapel Hill, and I was surprised when I woke up at the end of the trip to see that we were in Virginia Beach instead of Norfolk. I found out recently that the NCAA places teams in hotels based on seeding, and our hotel is definitely nice. We are right on the ocean and I may take a walk on the beach later if I'm not too tired after this afternoon's game.

So now we are moving on to round two to face a very talented Georgia team who pulled out a tough win over Iowa today. The competition just gets better and better from here. We will play again Tuesday night, hopefully in the early game so we can get home at a reasonable time.

And if we can pull out a win on Tuesday, we will travel home and turnaround and do it all again before heading to New Orleans for the Sweet 16.

That's where the real fun begins.

- North Carolina senior Erlana Larkins

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Waner's Report

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - I am really excited about speaking for our team as we begin what we hope is a long run through March. And that being said ... March - the month that those in the basketball realm live and breathe for.

Well, technically the first weekend in April as well, but until there is a clever alliteration established for "Half of March and the First Weekend in April" then we are just going to stick with March Madness.

As you can imagine, a good majority of my friends are people that also have an infatuation with this most wonderful time of the year. I am starting to see a trend of our actions as of late, and am glad to know that I am not the only one who shows signs of otherwise abnormal behaviors. Therefore, here is my version of, "You Know You Love March When..."

- When your living room has been rearranged to accommodate 3 TV's, a minimum of 2 laptops, stadium seating, and a Double Shot.

- When your notes from Shakespeare class are composed of the strengths and weaknesses of each 5 and 12 seed so you can correctly pick which region will have the unavoidable upset.

- When you take on the slogan, "There are no Cinderella's," as your own.

- When your friendships become unstable due to differences in brackets, and ultimately, relentless and ruthless taunting on a game by game basis.

- When you feel like you have more of a relationship with Digger, Bob, Hubert, Reece, Trey, Stacey and Kara than you do your own parents.

- When you woke up on Thursday, March 20 more excited than you ever did as a kid on Christmas morning.

- When there is always a reason to go out at night - to celebrate victories or to distract from defeat.

- When you decide Georgia is suddenly "your team" as if the rest of the nation didn't jump on the bandwagon.

- When you don't eat breakfast or lunch for the sake of saving money to take that road trip to San Antonio/Tampa.

All of the above plus much more are indicators that it is March. March is a time for teams to thrive, despite what they have faced October through February. So many enthralling, inspiring, tragic, and thrilling stories have come through those months. Teams suffer and teams thrive. Players overlook injuries, coaching changes, exhaustion, and pressure in the face and push forward.

Ups and downs, wins and losses, successes and failures follow teams through the roller coaster ride of exhibition games to tournament championships.

But March - March is where all that is left behind.

March is to survive and move forward, or fail and think, "I should have, I could have, and I would have." To me, no time is truer in sports than March. Character, will, passion, and drive are revealed.

In the words of Pat Summitt, "There are many good teams. But there are not a lot of great teams."

The great teams are those that can endure the madness - and no one wants to be known as only one of the good.

- Duke junior Abby Waner

Carson's Report

DES MOINES, Iowa — So, I just looked in the mirror and my lip looks a lot better. The swelling is down so I am happy. On Sunday, we practiced. And practiced some more. Coach Stringer is very much about preparation.

After our many hours of practice, I was finally able to relax and catch a few games on ESPN2. My roommate Rah (Rashidat Junaid) and I watched Connecticut and Purdue earn first round victories. We have a very close-knit basketball family which helps during the season and especially when you are away from family and friends on holidays like Easter.

Tonight, we have our hands full playing Iowa State at the Wells Fargo Arena in their home state.

It is a tough task.

With their ability to knock down the three-point shot, it will really test our skill to defend the perimeter. It will actually be very exciting to play in front of 10,000 fans even if they are not our own.

LOL.

In other words, let’s play ball.

— Rutgers senior Essence Carson

And another Waner Report

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Win and advance. That is the only way to approach the NCAA tournament, and we were successful in the first round. However, Murray State didn’t go down without a fight. It was a close game the entire first half and opening the second half, Murray came out with a run that had the game within five.

At that point, we really stressed something that has become almost like a team word for us — poise. Coach P has really emphasized the use of poise and how losing it can cost a game and how retaining it can win a game.

Luckily, we retained!

Nish, Jas, and Te led our team in the second half and we never looked back. I really think this game is a great example of what has happened to women’s college basketball.

As recently as a few years ago, the first round games were generally blowouts from the opening tip for the one through four seed games. But women’s basketball has come so far from those days when UConn, Tennessee, and, well, UConn and Tennessee were the power houses. There is so much more parity and balance — and the next thing you know, you are in a tight five-point game in the first round.

For those of you that were not at the game, let me remind you that we are playing in College Park — the home court for the Maryland Terrapins. If you follow college athletics, I am pretty sure you can imagine the “warm” welcoming that we got as we stepped on the court.

Needless to say, there was not a lack of boos, name calling, and “Beat Dook” signs. Wait — am I confused or weren’t we playing Murray State? Who knew that every person in the state of Maryland is an adamant Murray State fan as well! Luckily, hostile environments are nothing new to anyone with the name “Duke” across their jersey.

So I’m going to wrap up the Murray State game seeing as how we have film on Arizona State in about 20 minutes. That’s the great thing about the tournament, there is never time to dwell — the only thing you have to worry about is win and advance!

On to Arizona State.

— Duke junior Abby Waner