Posts by Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith has covered women's basketball nationally for nearly three decades. Smith has worked for ESPN.com, The Athletic, the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as Pac-12.com and WNBA.com. She was named to the Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame in 2015, is the 2017 recipient of the Jake Wade Media Award from the Collegiate Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA) and was named the Mel Greenberg Media Award winner by the WBCA in 2019.

UConn players pose for photos with the Portland Regional Championship trophy

UConn seniors anchor the voyage to Cleveland

April 2, 2024

Huskies “miracle team” will face Iowa in national semis

Lindsay Gottleib coaches USC from the sideline

Lindsay Gottlieb and Geno Auriemma step into the way-back machine

April 1, 2024

Gottlieb faces off against Auriemma more than two decades after she attended his camp as a high school player

NCAA officials measure the 3-point arc on a basketball court

NCAA apologizes and fixes errant 3-point line in Portland

April 1, 2024

Court will be ready for UConn-USC Elite Eight matchup

Graphic with photo of USC guard JuJu Watkins (12) dribbling the ball at left and UConn guard Paige Bueckers (5) blocking a Duke player's shot at right.

JuJu vs. Paige showdown will be about more than two stars

March 31, 2024

USC is more than – and has always been more than Watkins in the same way that UConn has been more this season than Paige Bueckers. But it’s hard to quibble with the excitement, interest and ratings that it builds.

Paige Bueckers yells a celebratory yell.

UConn back in business with Sweet 16 win over Duke

March 31, 2024

The Huskies bent under the weight of intense defensive pressure, foul trouble and their relentless lack of depth – but they did not break. And their reward is a 28th trip to the regional finals.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma smiles on the sidelines. He has a water bottle in his left hand and looks like he's about to use his right hand to unscrew the cap.

Portland notebook: Geno Auriemma speaks on Pac-12, conference realignment

March 30, 2024

Plus, Lindsay Gottlieb and Nicki Collen discuss their experience coaching in the pros

Stanford senior forward Cameron Brink walks on the court with her head down.

NC State’s successful game plan is Stanford’s demise

March 30, 2024

Wolfpack reach Elite Eight behind Aziaha James’ 25-point second half

Texas forward Taylor Jones goes up for a layup against a defender.

Taylor Jones finds herself back in Oregon with the Longhorns

March 29, 2024

Jones spent three seasons at Oregon State, so returning to the state this week was ‘kind of weird’

The UCLA Bruins celebrate during their win at Colorado on January 19.

With five teams in the Sweet 16, Pac-12 has its proof point in last hurrah

March 28, 2024

Five of the eight games in the Sweet 16 will have a Pac-12 in it

Spokane, WA, USA; Utah Utes head coach Lynn Roberts at a press conference after the game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at McCarthey Athletic Center.

Utah experiences racist harassment at NCAA Tournament

March 26, 2024

“It was incredibly upsetting for all of us,” Roberts said in a post-game press conference. “But, you know, racism is real. It happens. It’s awful.”