Women in the NCAA

While watching ESPN this weekend, very few topics were discussed other than the men's college basketball tournament. One of the few other stories covered was the Louisville women's basketball team defeating the Baylor women's basketball team and the end of Brittney Griner's college career. Many analysts called her the greatest female college basketball player and some went as far as calling her one of the greatest players in college basketball history. According to her dominating statistics, this could be true. This last season, she averaged 23.6 points per game, 9.0 rebounds per game, 4.2 blocks per game, and 2.4 assists per game. These numbers would almost guarantee her to be a first team All-American and to be a top pick in the NBA draft...if she were a man. In today's standards, the accomplishments that female athletes accumulate from Griner's amazing college career to the UConn women's basketball team winning 90 straight games over three seasons (a record in both men and women's college basketball) become diminished and less impressive by comparing them to men's athletics. When the UConn women were on their 90 game winning streak, it wouldn't be uncommon for people to say "Yeah that's cool and everything, but they would be able to match up against most men's teams." I'll admit I fell into that crowd and still sometimes doubt that women can be competitive against men.I personally feel that while the 90 game winning streak is impressive, it shouldn't be listed as the overall NCAA winning streak. The 88 game winning streak posted by John Wooden's UCLA team was accomplished against better competition.

 I'm not saying that these women can't "ball" or that they aren't competitive. I actively root for the Notre Dame women and watched their Sweet 16 game yesterday with my dad. That being said, they shouldn't be directly compared to men's basketball because most of the female athletes wouldn't be able to play against their male counterparts. It would be interesting to see a Brittney Griner or others of similar stature take on men in a scrimmage, but the overwhelming majority of female basketball players would not be able to match up speed wise or physically. We as a society should appreciate both for their achievements and enjoy the sport of basketball.