American Desi Linden, 2011 Boston Marathon champion, dumping water on her head in 71-degree weather as she leads the pack at Mile 8 in 44:48. A 13-woman pack sits behind her. "It's nervous and exciting," husband Ryan, a former competitive marathoner and now triathlete said of his wife on local telecast while waiting at the finish. "It's been a pleasure and an honor seeing her get so fit for today."
If Markelle Fultz is drafted first overall in June, Washington would become the first school to produce the No. 1 pick in both the NBA and WNBA drafts in the same year.
South Carolina's Kaela Davis and Allisha Gray: NCAA national champions and Top 10 WNBA draft picks in the same two weeks. Both were taken by the Dallas Wings
Among the cool features of this year's draft venue? A roller coaster simulation
South Carolina squeezes three players into the Top 10. Kaela Davis will join her Gamecocks teammate Allisha Gray in Dallas. Both players bypassed their final seasons of NCAA eligibility to enter the draft.
Two South Carolina players off the board early: Alaina Coates at No. 2 to the Chicago Sky and Allisha Gray at No. 4 to the Dallas Wings. Kentucky's Evelyn Akhator (No. 3, Wings) and Northwestern's Nina Coffey (No. 5, Stars) fill out the Top 5.
And with the first pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft, the San Antonio Stars select Kelsey Plum
There was a lot of talk that there might be a surprise at No. 1 in the WNBA draft, but San Antonio picked Washington guard Kelsey Plum as expected.
Chiney Ogwumike getting a lesson on the 360 camera
The champs are in the house! South Carolina's Alaina Coates, Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis (from left to right) at tonight's draft, less than two weeks after winning the program's first NCAA women's basketball title
Mini poke bowls among the many horderves at tonight's draft
Watermelon pizza among the (healthy) food options available at tonight's draft
We are closing in on the WNBA draft, which begins at 7 ET tonight on ESPN from Samsung 837 in New York City. Are any of the various draft projections close to right? We'll see, but there are likely going to be some surprises and trades.
Players have arrived at Samsung 837 in New York for the 2017 WNBA Draft! Coverage begins at 7 ET on ESPN2
Washington's Kelsey Plum becomes the first player in school history to win the John R. Wooden Women's Player of the Year. Plum's 3,527 career points are the most in women's Division I history. Her 1,109 points in 2016-17 are the most in a single D-1 season. (Photo by Ted S. Warren/AP Photo)
The Wooden Award will be presented Friday night in Los Angeles as part of ESPN's College Basketball Awards show (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
Washington's Kelsey Plum broke Division I career and single-season scoring records this season. She also set the Pac-12 record for most points in a game (57) this season. She is one of five finalists for the Wooden Award, which will be presented during Friday's awards show. (8 p.m. ET on ESPN2)
Mississippi State has lots of company. Since UConn WBB won its first national championship in 1995, eight other teams besides Bulldogs also have beaten Huskies in NCAA tournament but did NOT go on to win title: NC State ('98), Iowa State ('99), Stanford ('05 and '08), Duke ('06), LSU ('07), Notre Dame ('11 and '12). The teams since '95 that beat UConn in tournament *and* then won NCAA title: Tennessee ('96 and '97), Notre Dame ('01). UConn 11-0 in NCAA finals.
South Carolina WBB coach Dawn Staley on injured senior center Alaina Coates, who missed NCAA tournament: "She's been a huge impact on our program. The spirit of Alaina Coates is very much a part of our team. We don't get to this point without her. I want to let her know we're going to bring her ring home."
A'ja Wilson added that the death of her grandmother earlier this season also made this a very emotional season and makes the title that much more meaningful.
Dawn Staley said that the two things she saw in basketball from a young age was women playing for national championships and Olympic gold medals. Now she said it feels nice to check the national championship off her list, that this was a goal for a long time, and that she is really going to enjoy it.
A'ja Wilson said that the game plan was to attack in the paint and they executed exactly how they wanted. She also called her team special and that is why she got so emotional after the game.
Schaefer said that he felt that Jazzmun Holmes was playing well and just decided to keep going with her rather than bring William back. His intention was to only have William on the bench for a few minutes, but elected to ride with Holmes once she started playing well. Holmes did finish with 6 points and no turnovers in 17 minutes. William had 8 points, but just two in the second half, and four assists.
Dawn Staley celebrating with the net she finally gets to cut down.
Dawn Staley has been waiting a long time to hold this.
