Roundup: Cooper's Troopers lock up the auto bid
On the bubble no more for Cooper’s Troopers. With wins over Arizona, Arizona State and Stanford already in hand, USC used a second-half surge to top Oregon State to win the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Championship Game. Here is Cynthia Cooper addressing her team after the game (and she gets the game ball). Also USC celebrated with confetti and cupcakes.
Even though the Beavers lost, Oregon State head coach Scott Rueck said “these are champions in my book.” And, because the Beavs only had two upperclassmen yet are still a lock to make their first NCAA tournament for the first time in 18 years, Steve Gress of the Corvallis Gazette-Times argues that the coaches should have voted Rueck for Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
The men’s basketball awards have been handed out, and Arizona dominated the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Honors. Nick Johnson is POTY, Aaron Gordon is Newcomer of the Year and Sean Miller is Coach of the Year.
With the women’s tourney wrapped up, the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket is set. You know by now that Cal wrapped up the No. 4 seed and first-round bye with an OT victory over Colorado. What you might not know, however, is that a game of laser tag may have helped Cal defeat Colorado.
It was an upset special Saturday night in Pullman as Washington State downed UCLA 73-55 to move out of the cellar and grab the No. 11 seed in the Pac-12 tourney. Here are some Washington State players after the Senior Night win.
As the No. 9 seed, the Huskies must win four games in four days to make the NCAA tournament. Look no further than the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament to know that this isn’t an impossible feat.
Mike Moser has been named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the second straight week, becoming the first Duck ever to achieve that feat.
Yeah, UCLA lost big to Washington State Saturday, but Kyle Anderson is among 15 finalists for the Wooden Award. Arizona’s Nick Johnson is the other Pac reppa’ on that list.
So there is a proposed rule in college football that would allow kids to sign with a school before National Signing Day, and David Shaw isn’t a fan of the proposed early signing day period, saying it puts the academic powers at a disadvantage.
Encouraging news from Salt Lake City, where Utah defensive lineman Moana Ofahengaue’s condition has been upgraded from critical to good less than two weeks after suffering a major head injury in a motorized bike crash. Also, the Utah football team closed winter conditioning with a team-wide dance-off. Nice moves ensue.
Cool story here from Jeff Metcalfe of the Arizona Republic about how cancer has failed to pin Arizona State wrestler Chace Eskam or derail his plans for a big life. Certainly worth the read.
The Colorado men’s cross country team will meet President Obama at the White House Monday for winning the 2013 NCAA title in November. Obama’s meeting with all the NCAA champions being honored is streamed live here.