Looking Back, Looking Forward

Like the Terps, the BasketCases took a few days off from basketball -- in our case, basketball blogging, in theirs, basketball playing -- after that exhilarating, but exhausting, long weekend in Greensboro. So we figure it's about time we got caught up.

First, some additional reflections about the ACC Tournament . . .

In the four years we've been road-tripping to the ACC tournament, the number of Maryland fans has grown by leaps and bounds -- from a modest river to a veritable Red Sea! Greensboro will never be a truly neutral court for the non-Carolina teams, but this year, the large, loud and enthusiastic contingent of Terps fans did make the Coliseum feel pretty close to Comcast South.

One of the things that really impressed us last weekend was the play of the underclassmen. Some particularly memorable moments: Kim Rodgers, who must have ice water running through her veins, nailing free throws in the final seconds of overtime, as well as hitting big shots from the floor when they were needed the most. Also memorable was how our rookie frontcourt managed to limit the damage from Duke senior and All-ACC first-teamer, Chante Black. And who can forget Marah nailing those consecutive threes! Even Yemi found a way to put the ball in the basket. LOL! We could go on and on. All the underclassman were instrumental to winning the Championship and added to the fun and excitement of the Tournament. (And those seniors did a pretty good job, too!)

We also want to say how much we appreciated being one of the recipients of Coach B's message of thanks to the "Red Sea" and all Maryland fans. The content of her message just reinforced for us just how very special the Maryland program is, and how much the fans truly are appreciated. Thank you, Coach B! And, thank you to all of the other wonderful people associated with the Maryland program.

And now turning to post-Championship media coverage . . .

How great was it to pick up our Washington Post on Monday morning and see that huge picture of Kristi and Marissa on the front page? The answer: VERY! And that was the real front page -- the news section, not the sports section.

And when was the last time a newspaper ran an editorial about a women's basketball team? That's right, an editorial! We don't know the answer to that question, but we do know that on Tuesday morning, the Baltimore Sun ran an editorial gushing about the Terps' ACC Championship . . . and wondering why women's sports don't get the attention from the public that they deserve. (Uh, perhaps the disproportionately small amount of media coverage might have something to do with it. We're just saying.)

Speaking of the Baltimore Sun, former Sun sportswriter Milton Kent has a must read Press Box article about the Terps' superduper post duo of Liles and Kizer here. And Aaron Kraut of the DiamondBack writes about Maryland's time off between the ACC and NCAA Tournaments.

And now looking ahead to the Big Dance . . .

In winning the ACC Tournament, the Terps punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. But as far as the Big Dance goes, the team and their fans won't find out till this Monday where Maryland will be seeded or who they'll be playing. The one thing that is virtually certain is that the Terps will play the first two rounds at Comcast (North), of course. However, by virtue of Maryland's winning the ACC Championship, most observers, including ESPN's official "bracketologist," Charlie Creme, see the Terps as a lock for a number one seed, and expect them to be placed in the Raleigh Region. (Road trip!) All will be revealed on ESPN's Selection Show this Monday at 7 PM. (If you're a Rebounder, you've probably already received your invitation to join the team in Heritage Hall to watch the show. Very cool!)

Finally, looking forward to looking back . . .

If, for whatever reason, you forgot to set your DVRs last Sunday to record the ACC Championship game, Comcast SportsNet has come to your rescue! Comcast SportsNet will be replaying the game this Sunday at 12:30 PM. Ready, set, record!

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Saturday Morning Update . . . Drinking the Kool Aid Gatorade . . . Thanks to Matt Bracken's Recruiting Report in the Baltimore Sun, we learn that Maryland commits Dara Taylor and Tianna Hawkins have been named, respectively, the Delaware and Maryland Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year, joining such distinguished company as Marah Strickland, Monique Currie, Nikki Teasley, and Elena Delle Donne. Congratulations to Dara and Tianna! (Not surprisingly, when they were in high school, Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver were also Gatorade Players of the Year, for D.C. and Virginia.)