Not A Latta Goings On. Well, loyal blog readers, isn't this just about the worst time of year to be a women's basketball fan? The WNBA season is over, the college season hasn't begun . . . It's a dead zone. A black hole. Yes, sports mags are publishing their college pre-season picks (including the mags that are mathematically challenged), but reading about teams and watching them are very different things if you are a fan! So with very little happening, the BasketCases are going to stoop to a new low expand your horizons, by linking you to an interesting interview with a Maryland rival, Ivory Latta of UNC. Okay, fellow Terps fans, don't shoot us, but we actually enjoy watching Latta play. Really, how can you not? In addition to being incredibly talented, she has a level of enthusiasm for the game that few players have. She turns on a thousand-watt smile and plays with enormous heart, something that cannot be taught. She brings an intangible to the game that doesn't show up on any stat sheet. Is she a drama queen? Yes. Has she done some dirty stuff on the court, particularly at the end of the national semi-final last year as Maryland was ending UNC's dream of another Natty? Yes (and we don't like that stuff). But she's an extraordinary player, and we were really impressed with the respect that she has for the rest of the ACC and the attitude that's reflected in this interview. (We also happen to love the fact that each year that she's been at Carolina, she adds another inch or so to her height in the UNC media guide.)

And, Terps fans, we're in good company. Here's what Brenda Frese had to say about Ivory Latta: "I love the passion. I love the energy. I think it's exciting. It's so much hard work out there, but she makes it look so easy. Her teammates are feeding off of it. That's what you have to have out of your floor general — someone who is energetic and never gets down."

UNC and Maryland play only once during the upcoming regular season, at 7pm on Sunday, January 28, 2007, at Maryland. So put that on your calendar, now!

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A Day Less To Wait. Maryland has just announced that it is moving up its pre-season exhibition game against the LTL All-Stars (whoever they are*) from November 3 to November 2. But we'd be happier if it were next week!!!

*The BasketCases will give a BasketCases T-shirt (well, we would if we had T-shirts) to anyone who can tell us who these folks are. (Employees of the University of Maryland and LTL [whatever that is] are ineligble.)