Happy Monday! It’s a beautiful day today throughout the state, but that’s not going to last for long.
A couple of quick notes about the NBA All-Star Game yesterday, but it’s ladies first today.
• We’ll go to the softball diamond first, where the Southeastern Savage Storm took on and took out every team it faced at the Leadoff Classic in Tuscon this weekend. SOSU went 6-0 and beat three consecutive Top 10 opponents (No. 8 Augustana, No. 2 Cal State-San Diego and No. 6 Minn.-Mankato) in consecutive games.
Southeastern (14-3) has now won eight straight and should be getting some attention in the rankings this week.
Sophomore Jacee Bennett was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Pitcher and freshman Jessica Simmons the Most Valuable Player.
• Southern Nazarene won’t get to make a postseason run in the Great American Conference tournament or the D-II playoffs, but the Crimson Storm will be competing in the National Christian College Athletic Association playoffs. However, the women’s basketball team is making noise in its first season in the GAC. SNU is sitting in the fifth spot in conference play at 11-6 and is on a six-game winning streak.
Also, Crimson Storm players have taken Player of the Week honors for three weeks in a row. Sophomore Aminata Fall was tabbed the GAC’s POW this week and last week while senior Oumoul Thiam won the award two weeks ago.
• Oklahoma City is definitely playing at a level to defend its national championship. The Stars are 14-0 in Sooner Athletic Conference play this season and have won 27 consecutive regular season league games. OCU (22-2) hasn’t lost a game to an NAIA opponent since Jan. 12, 2012, when the women fell to Lubbock Christian 88-66.
Lauren Gober notched another SAC Player of the Week award this week, and with the 102-54 blowout of St. Gregory’s on Saturday, the Stars clinched the regular season conference title.
• After watching much of the NBA All-Star game, here are some of the phrases I can go for an undetermined yet extended period of time without hearing again:
» Happy Birthday, Michael Jordan
» You know, the NBA All-Star Game isn’t really known for its defense.
» Poor Chris Bosh.