Dear Friend,

This weekend we released our full interview with Peal Moore who is a hoops legend and leading all time scorer in the AIAW. She scored over 4,000 points before the three point line and played professionally at the highest level. Her insight into women’s basketball today is incredibly interesting and informative. I hope you enjoy this great interview.

Celebrities Come Out For Women’s Hoops Senior Nights 

Sunday was Senior Night for some of the brightest collegiate stars, and the celebrities came out to celebrate. During the ceremonies, LSU legend Shaquille O'Neal walked beside senior Angel Reese. The two have a particular bond; when Reese stepped away from  the team earlier this season, O'Neal sent her encouraging notes.In an interview with USA TODAY Sports, Reese revealed that she sees O'Neal as "a father figure" rather than a basketball mentor or celebrity acquaintance. 

“He’s super inspiring to me,” Reese said. “He’s so genuine, he’s been there for me through tough times. He just gets it, and there’s not a more perfect person for me to be tight with. We have fun, and if I need anything, he would help me … and he would do that even if I never played basketball again. He doesn’t care about me as a player, he cares about me as a person.”

“Shaq may have followed us before Angel but it's obviously her connection with Shaq,” Mulkey said.”I didn’t know he was here and I thought that's a big man walking out and then I saw it was Shaq.”

Another senior who had celebrities in attendance was Caitlin Clark who was surprised before the game by her  favorite player of all-time, former UConn and WNBA forward Maya Moore. Moore surprised Clark outside the Hawkeyes' locker room during an interview with ESPN's Elle Duncan for this morning's "College Gameday" at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The encounter was captured on the team's official X account.

"I remember sitting right there (in the stands of the Target Center in Minneapolis), I had a Rebecca Brunson jersey on and Maya Moore was doing a speaking engagement with like two other (Minnesota) Lynx players and I just sprinted onto the court, Clark said. "I wasn't suppose to be there, me and my dad were supposed to leave.

"They were playing the Seattle Storm at the time with Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson and I just sprinted there. I didn't have a phone and I didn't have a sharpie, I just gave her a hug and I ran away. That's what I did. But that is something that's vividly stuck (with me) and she gave me a hug back. ... One interaction can change somebody's life really. I still talk about that interaction and it was, what, over 10 years ago."

Also in attendance was rapper Travis Scott who had a courtside seat to the action and even joined in the team on the floor in its postgame celebration, posing for a photo and shaking hands with Bluder.

“You know, Caitlin Clark, she's one of the greatest humans of all time,” said Scott.

Former MLB pitcher Nolan Ryan, who is not known for his basketball talents, was also in attendance on Sunday. Ryan, who has pitched for the New York Mets, Anaheim Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers, has the all-time career strikeout record of 5,714.

Jake from State Farm, played by Kevin Mile, attended the game wearing a personalized blazer displaying Clark's name and the number 22. Lynette Woodard, who Clark passed earlier this week for the most points in major college women's basketball history, was also present and received her flowers as the crowd recognized her. 

Key Injuries in the final games of the regular season 

Elizabeth Kitley, a two-time ACC Player of the Year, was forced to leave No. 5 Virginia Tech's 80-75 loss to Virginia on Sunday after appearing to have a noncontact left knee injury in the third quarter.

With six minutes left in the quarter, Kitley attempted a transition layup and was fouled on the right side of her body. After making the shot, she fell to the ground and appeared to hold her left knee before slowly rising.

Kitley left for the locker room with medical personnel, and while returning to the Hokies' bench with 30 seconds remaining in the period, she did not return to the floor.

As for Iowa Molly Davis went down with a knee injury in the second quarter of Iowa's 93-83 win over Ohio State on Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It happened after Caitlin Clark had scored to put Iowa up 36-26. Davis knee buckled with 6:39 left in the first half, just as the Buckeyes inbounded and she tried a steal. Davis was picked up and carried away. She returned in a wheelchair, with her right leg bandaged.

“That’s the hard part (about the win),” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said. “We had to regain our focus.

“I don’t know the extent of the injury, not until (Monday). Everybody say a prayer for me.”

Indiana Hoosier All-American Mackenzie Holmes exited Sunday's eventual 71-54 victory over the Maryland Terps with a left knee injury and did not return to play.

Holmes injured her knee while going up for a layup in the third quarter, with a Maryland defender sliding in front of her and hopping on one foot after discovering she was injured.

The 6-foot-3 center was able to walk off the court on her own and returned to the locker room for assessment before returning to the Hoosiers bench toward the end of the game.

The fifth-year senior, Indiana's leading scorer (20.7 PPG) and rebounder (7.1 RPG), had previously missed or been limited in her career due to injury to the same knee, including the 2023 postseason.

3/2/24 - 3/3/24 — Notable Game Results

• #24 UNLV beat San Diego State: 100-41 

• #3 Texas beats BYU: 71-46

• #4 Stanford beats Oregon: 76-56

• #7 USC beats Arizona State: 70-55 

• #8 UCLA beats Arizona: 61-41 

• #10 UConn beats Providence: 65-42 

• #11 Oregon State beats California: 79-58

• Washington State beats #13 Colorado: 72-63

• #15 Kansas State beats Texas Tech: 73-49

• Washington beats #18 Utah: 62-47 

• Kansas beats #20 Oklahoma: 83-74 

• #24 West Virginia beats TCU: 57-49

• #1 South Carolina beats Tennessee: 76-68

• #6 Iowa beats #2 Ohio State: 93-83 

• Virginia beats #5 Virginia Tech: 80-75 

• #9 LSU beats Kentucky: 77-56 

• #12 NC State beats Wake Forest: 75-57 

• #14 Indiana beats Maryland: 71-54 

• #17 Notre Dame beats #22 Louisville: 74-58 

• #21 Baylor beats Oklahoma State: 67-45 

• #23 Creighton beats Seton Hall: 72-65 

3/2/24 - 3/3/24 — Players Of The Game

• Lauren Gustin— BYU 

  • 20 pts, 15 rebound, 1 assist

• Juju Watkins — USC 

  • 26 pts, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

• Adrianna Smith — Maine

  • 23 pts, 11 rebounds, 7 assist, 5 steals, 3 blocks 

• Laura Ziegler — Saint Joseph 

  • 27 pts,12 rebounds, 6 assist, 2 steals

• Caitlin Clark — Iowa  

  • 35 pts, 9 rebounds, 6 assist, 3 steals 

• Angel Reese — LSU 

  • 22 pts, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 5 blocks

• Hannah Hidalgo — Notre Dame  

  • 26 pts, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 steals 

• Aijha Blackwell — Baylor 

  • 20 pts, 18 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

• Lucy Olsen — Villanova

  • 31 pts, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block

Monday Games To Watch

• Sacramento State vs. Eastern Washington

• Montana vs. Idaho State  

• Portland State vs. Idaho  

• Northern Arizona vs. Northern Colorado

• Jackson State vs. Prairie View A&M  

• Norfolk State vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore 

• Bethune-Cookman vs. Jackson State 

• Tulane vs. Temple 

Tuesday Games To Watch

• #24 UNLV vs. Utah State

• Texas State vs. Georgia Southern  

• East Carolina vs. Charlotte  

• Tulsa vs. Tulane 

• Memphis vs. North Texas 

• Rice vs. UTSA 

• Colorado State vs. Boise 

• New Mexico vs. Fresno State

• Wyoming vs. San Diego State