And That's a Wrap!

I feel a little like a fish out of water.
For the first time since last November, there is no women's basketball game broadcast for which to prepare.
I can only imagine how the Lady Demons players and coaching staff feels.
The 2009-10 season came to an end last Thursday afternoon in the semi-finals of the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, Texas. 48 hours after a thrilling dismantling of division-rival Stephen F. Austin in the quarter-finals, NSU came up short against Texas A&M Corpus-Christi, which fell to Lamar in the finals.
Three seniors, Lyndzee Greene, Sherion Thomas and Anna Cate Williams, played their final college game. Good players, and even better people.
Now, it's time to look ahead to next season, and there is reason to be excited, even though next November seems like a long way off. Trudy Armstead, who had an outstanding freshman season, will be a year older. Armstead is conference Player of the Year material, and is looking at a very bright future. She will get help inside from Jasmine Upchurch, who despite limited playing time as a freshman, showed her potential when being forced into a big role, after Armstead got in early foul trouble against TAMU-CC.
Kottia White, who missed the season because of injury, will be healthy. Head Coach Jennifer Graf is really high on White, who was cleared to practice the final few weeks of the season. From the guard position, White can penetrate and score, draw contact, or pass.
Players expected to return who have lots of experience include Brittiany Houston, Jessica McPhail and Brooke Sheppard. Meredith Graf showed she can bury the three, and hustles every second she is on the floor.
Laneisha Jennie will be a sophomore, and will be joined by some incoming freshmen, as Coach Graf and her staff are out on the recruiting trail.
A heartfelt thanks to Athletics Director Greg Burke and Sports Information Director Doug Ireland for once again allowing me the privilege to work as the radio Voice of the Lady Demons. My thanks to Matt Bonnette for his behind the scenes help all year, as well as his efforts as the color analyst on road broadcasts (not to mention filling in for me while I had to miss three games). And my thanks to Coach Graf, her staff and players, for all of their help and hospitality.
The 2009-10 season is over, but I am already looking forward to next season. And I hope you are too!

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons

Rooting interests this weekend

Former Demon point guard Mike Brey is head basketball coach at Notre Dame.

Former Mike McConathy assistant coach Buzz Williams is head coach at Marquette.

Former James Smith Lady Demon assistant coach Wendy Luebbers Schuller is the head coach at regular season Big Sky champion Eastern Washington.

Former Pat Pierson player and James Smith graduate assistant coach Sandy Pugh is head coach of the Southern Lady Jags. Her team won the SWAC regular-season title.

All are playing tonight in conference tournament semifinals.

Brey's Fighting Irish beat No. 16 Pittsburgh Thursday, while Williams' Warriors toppled No. 10 Villanova, in quarterfinal upsets at the Big East Tournament in Madison Square Garden. They could meet in the championship game.

Plenty of reason to root for NSU friends in March Madness! Seems likely Notre Dame and Marquette are in the NCAA Tournament with at-large bids if one doesn't win the conference tournament. Pugh and Schuller will have to get it done on the court as they're in "one bid" leagues.

GOOD LUCK!

Four a Crowd?

Here's a little behind-the-scenes tidbit from the 2010 State Farm Southland Conference Basketball Tournament in Katy, Texas...Four of the eight women's teams which began play Tuesday were staying in the SAME hotel (Northwestern, TAMU-CC, Lamar and Texas-Arlington). A quick look at your bracket and you will notice that all four won their Quarterfinal round game. So...everyone is still here! However, I am happy to report there has not been any trash-talking over the waffle machine.

The Lady Demons practiced today at Katy High School. Tonight, it's a early dinner at the Rainforest Cafe', followed by a evening of meetings and film study. I am sure the team will have a early "lights out", as they zone in on Thursday's semi-final game against Lamar at 12:05.

A couple of interesting notes as I prepare for the broadcast (of course, all notes are courtesy of Associate Sports Information Director Matt Bonnette):

-NSU is just one made three-pointer away from setting a single-season school record. The current mark of 192 was set just last year.

-Trudy Armstead scored just six points in the regular season loss to TAMU-CC. She is a different player now than she was in mid-January (see Tuesday's career-high of 25 points and 13 rebounds). Somehow, I think she will have a much better game Thursday than she did two months ago.

-NSU and TAMU-CC combined for 195 points in their respective Quarterfinal round games. The Lady Demons pride themselves on defense, so I don't expect them to give up 99 points the way Sam Houston did.

In case I don't get to blog before tip-off, I invite you to join Matt and I for the broadcast on the Demon Sports Network (100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches, 92.1 in Shreveport, 92.7 KBDV in Leesville, and KTEZ 99.9 in Many, as well around the world at nsudemons.com). The pre-game show starts at 11:50. A win Thursday, and your Northwestern State Lady Demons will be just one win--40 minutes--away from their third-ever trip to the NCAA tournament!

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons

Not So Fast, My Friend!

So...Those who thought NSU would be one-and-done in the 2010 State Farm Southland Conference Tournament...I direct your attention to the above headline.
Wow!
In one word, that sums up the way the Lady Demons played Tuesday afternoon at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.
NSU, the tournament's seventh-seed, looked like the the Los Angeles Lakers during their "Showtime" era--passing and shooting their way to a 96-82 win over second-seeded Stephen F. Austin.
Trudy Armstead--still technically a freshman--looked like a seasoned veteran. She wanted the ball and she got the ball on her way to a season/career-high 25 points and 13 rebounds. Jessica McPhail, who hasn't had the quite the season she had hoped, shinned with a season-high 22 points. Three more Lady Demons tallied double-digits, and afterwards, everyone was wearing smiles.
Next up, dinner at Dave and Busters. Oh, next up on the court? Texas A&M Corpus-Christi, which beat Sam Houston in Tuesday's second game.
So it's time to unpack the luggage. We are going to be here at least until Thursday. And the way NSU played Tuesday, we might not be going home until after Friday's championship game.
And no one is complaining.

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons

Greetings from Katy

For the fourth straight year, the Lady Demons find themselves getting ready to play in the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament.
Making the tournament is not a given. Just ask the three teams who were eligible, but did not qualify.
But while NSU is happy to play another day, I don't think they will be satisfied unless they are playing Friday--for the tournament championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
The road will not be easy, starting with Monday's quarterfinal game against long-time rival Stephen F. Austin. SFA is the league's hottest team, having won seven straight. However, NSU has a couple of things in their favor.
The Lady Demons beat SFA earlier this season--in Nacogdoches. Even though they dropped the return game in Natchitoches, NSU knows they can beat SFA--if they play well as they did in their win.
Also, NSU comes into the tournament on the heels of last Saturday's confidence-booster, a double-digit win over Southeastern Louisiana that snapped a four-game losing streak.
On the bus ride Monday morning (well, okay, most everyone slept), at their Noon shootaround, and at lunch and dinner, the team was relaxed--and focused. They know if they play like they are capable of playing (and like they have shown at times this year), they have as good a shot as anyone of winning the tournament.
Everyone packed for a week-long trip, and when we leave the hotel Tuesday morning for the Noon tipoff, we are not bringing our luggage. We have every hope of staying in Katy a little longer.
I hope you listen to all the action Tuesday on the Demon Sports Network (100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches, 92.1 in Shreveport, and here at nsudemons.com). Matt Bonnette and I will be on the air at 11:45 with the Lady Demons pre-game show.
Fork 'Em, Lady Demons!

Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons