Don’t Look Now, But Women’s Hoops is Starting to Move the Needle

As reliable as Dutch speedskaters, Kenny Brooks’ teams are always there at the end.  And this year’s group is shaping up to be one of the best.  Despite the national media’s lightning-fast reversion to treating the CAA like the redheaded stepchild it currently is on the men’s side in the absence of Elena Delle-Donne, the Dukes have managed to at least begin to claw their way into the national conversation.  JMU is up to 2nd in the mid-major poll is and finally receiving votes in the national polls. Those of us that geek out on advanced stats have noticed they’re up to 23 in the Sagarin ratings, and I can only assume those that enjoy “for entertainment purposes only” type things have probably begun to pick up on the fact that the Dukes have become the ATM of women’s hoops by slaughtering teams, and spreads, like mid-aughts-pre-hype Boise St. football.

You know when a college hoops team is really good?  When the preseason conference player of the year (Kirby Burkholder) is entirely living up to that choice AND is only one of SIX players averaging in double figures! Needless to say, while BCS-slobbering Bracketologist doofuses like Charlie Creme (seriously, if you think men’s bracketologists are idiots who haven’t actually watched teams outside of Dickie-V called games play are bad, you haven’t seen anything till you’ve perused the Congress-esque wisdom that flies out of the women’s geeks) may still be severely underseeding them and they may need to run the table to raise their seeding, do NOT sleep on this team’s Sweet 16 chances. And if you feel like joining us at the ghetto-fabulosity of the ShowPlace Arena in Upper Marlboro, no problem bringing higher expectations than the previous weeks’ trip to B’More. This 21-4, 11-0 team beat #22 St. John’s, UVA, UCLA, and Pitt in the non-conference and lost in OT to #16 Vandy and by three to #10 UNC. If you’re not already on board Kenny Brooks’ badass bandwagon, now’s the time!