Don’t even waste your breath talking about that horrible end game that the Rutgers women’s basketball team displayed on Saturday afternoon at the RAC. This is the NCAA Tournament…just survive and advance…no style points needed. The Scarlet Knights did what they had to to put together an 18-point lead midway thru the second half in dispatching a VCU team playing in its first-ever NCAA tourney game. Junior guard Epiphany Prince looked tournament ready with 26-points and senior center Kia Vaughn looks like she’s primed to take on second-seeded Auburn in the second round Monday night. The Tigers are coming off an impressive 85-49 win over Lehigh Saturday afternoon in their first NCAA tourney win in five years. SEC Player of the Year DeWanna Bonner looked as good as advertised with 26-points. And point guard Whitney Boddie put together a splend line—8-points, 6-rebounds, 8-assists and 3-blocks. But I’m picking Rutgers to upset the Tigers Monday night to move on to the regional semi-finals in Oklahoma City. First, I was impressed by the RAC crowd in the VCU game and I feel the hometown faithful will be a big advantage for the Scarlet Knights who will be taking on an Auburn team with limited tournament experience. You tend to forget that three of the R-U starters started in the NCAA Final Four two years ago and that can not be under-estimated. Second of all, I don’t feel the Tigers have an answer for Vaughn and if the Scarlet Knight guards find Kia early and often, I see Rutgers moving on to the Sweet Sixteen.
21
Mar
09
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