Spring Break
Could the women's basketball team make the men's D-III Final Four?
Max Jabbonsky and Kevin Duffy
Issue date: 2/5/09 Section: Sports
The frightening thing about this current women's basketball team is not that they are undefeated but, frankly, no one has come close. They beat then No. 4 Oklahoma by 28 and then- No. 2 North Carolina - on the road - by 30. Maybe the best women's basketball team ever, they've simply run out of challenges. Facing men's teams would be a new challenge for them, but even more so for their male opponents.
I'd sure like to see the 22-0 Huskies reach the Division III men's final four, but sadly, they couldn't.
Division III men's basketball players are much bigger, far more athletic, and, in most cases, far more talented. That is the simple truth. If it was placed in a weak conference, UConn might put together a winning record, but the Final Four is out of the question.
Max Jabbonsky: Size, athleticism and talent are obviously important to wining basketball games, but it is impossible to overlook the importance of execution. Even when men's teams play one another, the most athletic team does not always win. By not turning the ball over and taking good shots, they could hang with any team Division III men's hoops. I didn't want to bring this up, but was George Mason more talented in 05-06?
Kevin Duffy: No, but George Mason executed very well--and any team good enough to make the Division III Final Four executes to near perfection as well. There is a negative connotation with the term "D-III," but people don't realize how good these players are. There is so much talent throughout the country that many players capable of playing Division I end up being underrecruited and sign with a Division III school. This is certainly the case with the very best teams in the country. Truthfully, Maya Moore (and maybe Tina Charles) is the only one who can play on the same court as these guys.
Max: The negative connotation that comes with "D3" does in fact exist. But, unfortunately, the negativity that is hand-in-hand with "women's sports" is more inaccurate Last year, Washington University in St. Louis was led by their 6-foot, 6-inch center, Troy Ruths. At 235 pounds he would be much stronger than the post players that Charles has been dominating for the past four years - averaging 16 points and eight rebounds a game - but if he is the top big man in the country, than I am confident that she could hold her own against the rest of the field.
I'd sure like to see the 22-0 Huskies reach the Division III men's final four, but sadly, they couldn't.
Division III men's basketball players are much bigger, far more athletic, and, in most cases, far more talented. That is the simple truth. If it was placed in a weak conference, UConn might put together a winning record, but the Final Four is out of the question.
Max Jabbonsky: Size, athleticism and talent are obviously important to wining basketball games, but it is impossible to overlook the importance of execution. Even when men's teams play one another, the most athletic team does not always win. By not turning the ball over and taking good shots, they could hang with any team Division III men's hoops. I didn't want to bring this up, but was George Mason more talented in 05-06?
Kevin Duffy: No, but George Mason executed very well--and any team good enough to make the Division III Final Four executes to near perfection as well. There is a negative connotation with the term "D-III," but people don't realize how good these players are. There is so much talent throughout the country that many players capable of playing Division I end up being underrecruited and sign with a Division III school. This is certainly the case with the very best teams in the country. Truthfully, Maya Moore (and maybe Tina Charles) is the only one who can play on the same court as these guys.
Max: The negative connotation that comes with "D3" does in fact exist. But, unfortunately, the negativity that is hand-in-hand with "women's sports" is more inaccurate Last year, Washington University in St. Louis was led by their 6-foot, 6-inch center, Troy Ruths. At 235 pounds he would be much stronger than the post players that Charles has been dominating for the past four years - averaging 16 points and eight rebounds a game - but if he is the top big man in the country, than I am confident that she could hold her own against the rest of the field.
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Coot
posted 2/06/09 @ 9:17 AM EST
Well done Kevin and Max. I understand that the UConn women probably could not do that well in a D3 Men's Final Four. But isn't the fact that you can actually make good arguments for them impressive enough in itself? Furthermore, how would they do against the NMHS basketball team?
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