Cut back on league schedule?Byline: BOB RODMAN The Register-Guard With the addition of a conference tournament to the Pac-10 women's basketball Women's basketball is one of the few games which developed in tandem with men's. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast, in large part via women's colleges. schedule, the start of the league season - an 18-game, double round-robin gantlet - was forced into December. That push squashed a good many nonconference schedules - and chances to make an impression on a national scale - for the members of the Pac-10. Washington played nine games in a three-week stretch between Nov. 16 and Dec. 9. Arizona State packed in 11 games between Nov. 17 and Dec. 15. UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX played a nonconference game as late as Feb. 5. The conference tournament makes its 10-team, nine-game, four-day debut on Friday at McArthur Court McArthur Court is a basketball arena located on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene. Also known as "The Pit," it is known as one of the toughest arenas in the country for opposing players to play in. The arena is named for Clifton N. when Oregon and Washington State play at 6:30 p.m. But there are questions that will need some answers before next season rolls around. "I am very, very, very much in favor of a shorter (Pac-10 regular season) schedule," said Charli Turner Thorne, the ASU ASU Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) ASU Appalachian State University ASU Arkansas State University ASU Angelo State University ASU Alabama State University ASU Australian Services Union coach. "We've got to get away from the double round-robin and give ourselves a few more nonconference games. "We need to get away from so much head-to-head competition that we don't get credit for anyway." Not every coach in the Pac-10 agreed. "In the beginning, when they were voting the best way to have a conference tournament," said Kathy Olivier, the UCLA coach, "I was thinking a smaller regular-season conference schedule would be better ... to not play every team twice. "But how do you that? The reality is that if you're going to be the Pac-10 champion, you need to play everybody twice." California coach Caren Horstmeyer, experienced with a league tournament after having won two of them in the West Coast Conference before joining the Bears last season, has a solution. "Move the conference tournament a week later," she said, "even if it's the same weekend of the men's tournament. It's either that or play fewer games." Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, coach Chris Gobrecht's take on the situation is to cut the Pac-10 regular-season schedule to 16 games. "I've always been a proponent of the 18-game schedule," she said, "but after going through what we did this year, I'd trade two of those (league) games for nonconference games that can help your RPI RPI - Rockwell Protocol Interface (power rating)." Arizona coach Joan Bonvicini agreed. "Play 16 games, play your rival twice but rotate the two teams you play just once, and then play a more seasoned nonconference schedule," she said. The discussions will rage on. The presidents of the 10 universities will decide after the recommendation process - of coaches to senior women's administrators to athletic directors to presidents - concludes. NEXT STOP: It is not expected to be officially announced until Friday, but the Pac-10 and the Compaq Center in San Jose, Calif., have agreed to stage the second conference tournament at that facility in 2003. Negotiations are continuing to extend the stay of the league tournament at the Compaq Center for 2004 and 2005. EYES AND ANKLES: Shaquala Williams, the Oregon junior guard and Pac-10 player of the year in 1999-2000, wore sunglasses throughout Wednesday's practice at Mac Court. Williams, Oregon' leading scorer, had undergone an eye examination, her pupils were dilated dilated a state of dilatation. dilated cardiomyopathy see congestive cardiomyopathy. dilated pupil syndrome see feline dysautonomia (Key-Gaskell syndrome). and the bright lights at Mac encouraged use of the shades. Cathrine Kraayeveld, a sophomore and the Ducks' leading rebounder, sustained a mild sprain sprain, stretching or wrenching of the ligaments and tendons of a joint, often with rupture of the tissues but without dislocation. Sprains occur most commonly at the ankle, knee, or wrist joints, causing pain, swelling, and difficulty in moving the involved joint. of her left ankle during Wednesday's practice but said she would be ready to play by Friday. WHAT OPERATION? Stanford's Lindsey Yamasaki, expected to miss the Pac-10 tournament because of an appendectomy Appendectomy Definition Appendectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix. The appendix is a worm-shaped hollow pouch attached to the cecum, the beginning of the large intestine. performed on Tuesday, has been invited to participate in both the Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Challenge and ESPN's Three-Point Championship. If the Cardinal reach the NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament's Final Four on March 29, however, Yamasaki - the former Oregon City High School Oregon City High School is a traditional 4-year high school located in Oregon City, Oregon. Its athletic teams are known as the Pioneers. Oregon City High School is the third most populated high school in Oregon, educating over 2200 students. standout who is the team's leading scorer - will skip both events. |
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