College basketball notebook: FGCU women do a little sightseeing in California
STANFORD, Calif. — Apparently, before China Dow and the Florida Gulf Coast University women’s basketball team went sightseeing to the famous Pier 39 in San Francisco, they hadn’t done their research on the local fauna.
“All the sea lions,” Dow said. “I thought they were seals, but they’re sea lions.”
(For those wondering, the Pier 39 website says that San Francisco’s famous sea lions have external ear flaps, while seals do not.)
Including their chance to see the sea lions, the FGCU women have checked off many of the classic tourist activities afforded by “The City by the Bay.”
There was a stop at Ghirardelli Square, home to the former headquarters of the world-famous chocolate company. There was a meal at Boudin, known for its sourdough and its clam chowder in bread bowls. And they got to see Alcatraz, the notorious island prison in the middle of San Francisco Bay.
“We didn’t get to visit; our cheerleaders did,” Dow said. “It was nice to look at.”
FGCU, Stanford have met once before
Though No. 12 seed FGCU (31-4) and No. 4 seed Stanford (23-10) both attended the Play4Kay Shootout tournament in Las Vegas in November, the Eagles didn’t get a chance to match up against the Cardinal in the tournament championship after a 104-62 semifinal loss to Ohio State.
The only other familiarity that the two programs have with each other came from the 2013 Hardwood Tournament of Hope in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The meeting was the only contest ever between the two programs and ended in an 83-59 Stanford victory. There was added significance to the victory for Stanford’s program: The result marked the 900th career win for storied head coach Tara VanDerveer.
Despite the Eagles draining 14 of their 44 attempts from 3-point range, the game wasn’t close because of Stanford forward Chiney Ogwumike (now of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun), who dominated the court, leading all players with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks on 11-of-13 shooting.
“We got beat by double figures, but I thought we played really well against them. We had no chance against Ogwumike,” FGCU coach Karl Smesko said. “There were times where we literally put three people on her — three people on one kid — and she would still get every rebound and put it in. She was amazing. Obviously, this is a different game because it’s different personnel and Stanford runs a different offense than they did back then.”
As part of her preparation for Monday night’s second-round matchup, VanDerveer has been watching film from that game to remind herself of how her team approached that game, because she anticipates FGCU’s unorthodox style presenting as much of a challenge now as it did then.
“We worked hard defensively and they still made 3s,” VanDerveer said. “We worked hard defensively and they still got layups.”
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VanDerveer, Warriors' Kerr have fun with FGCU 3-point shooters
Tara VanDerveer offered up the perfect game-plan to stymie Florida Gulf Coast's fabulous 3-point shooters: Send them to the ailing, undermanned Golden State Warriors on Monday so Stanford's defense might get a break.
"We'll take 'em!" Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Sunday by text message.
"He can't have them," Florida Gulf Coast quickly posted on Twitter in response
You’re not alone, Virginia
Head coach Tony Bennett and the University of Virginia men’s basketball team made the wrong kind of history Friday night when it became the first No. 1 seed ever to a No. 16 seed in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
VanDerveer is the only other person in the country who knows the feeling.
In the first round of the 1998 NCAA women’s basketball tournament, VanDerveer — then in her 12th year as Stanford head coach — and the No. 1 seed Cardinal were stunned at home 71-67 by No. 16 seed Harvard. That remains the only other such upset in college basketball history.
“It taught me an important lesson,” VanDerveer said. “I think (Bennett) will learn from it in a good way, and so will the guys on the team. The thing that really I took away from it was — you know, all year they are talking about the No. 1 seed, March Madness, No. 1 — enjoy each day.”
Watch party
FGCU fans who were unable to make the trip to California can watch the Eagles play for the first Sweet 16 berth in program history at the official FGCU watch party at Miller’s Ale House at the Gulf Coast Town Center (10065 Gulf Center Drive, Fort Myers), starting at 9 p.m. local time.
Attendees can take advantage of three specials at the watch party: Ten percent off a check with a valid FGCU or Eagles Club ID; $5 off a check of $25 or more with a FGCU basketball ticket stub; and $5 zingers for those wearing FGCU gear.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this article.