Women beat men...

[cto]

Shoni Schimmel of Lousville beat Brady Heslip of Baylor in the finals of the three-point shooting contest at the Final Four Festival tonight. Each had to go through three elimination rounds before getting to the Finals. Don't know what that proves, but it was quite entertaining.

If nothing else, all the men and women contestants put on a terrific demonstration of three-point shooting.

 

[pfister1]

I've long lived by the philosophy that women beat men, but maybe that's just me.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Choose your wife carefully, then prepare to submit.

 

[moqui]

did they use the same sized ball?

 

[dasher]

did they use the same sized ball?

I guarantee you they did not. The womans ball is smaller. How much smaller. I look like Larry Bird shooting with the womans ball and I look like steve thompson shooting with the men's ball.

 

[cto]

Women have smaller hands. Of course, they use a smaller ball. Just like women's golf clubs are shorter and lighter than men's golf clubs because women are shorter and lighter than men. And the average women's running shoe is smaller than the average man's... etc, etc, etc.

 

[manleyzoo]

Women have smaller hands. Of course, they use a smaller ball. Just like women's golf clubs are shorter and lighter than men's golf clubs because women are shorter and lighter than men. And the average women's running shoe is smaller than the average man's... etc, etc, etc.

There's about 1/4-inch diameter difference between the men's and women's basketballs on an 18-inch rim. The operative point isn't the size of a woman's hands vs that of a man's--Brittney Griner's hands likely are larger than Tyler Ennis's, and the same might be true of Breanna Stewart and Ryan Boatright. It's a smaller ball fitting in a same-size rim that makes for easier shooting.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Women used the same ball as men along with a 30 second shot clock (women had it since 1969: men created a 45 second one in 1985) when it was ruled by women before the men's NCAA organization took over in 1982. It was the all male NCAA that mandated the smaller ball because they thought it would allow women to dunk in competition making it more attractive to guys thus making more $. It had always been governed previously by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, a womens' organization, The AIAW sued the NCAA under anti-trust laws but lacked the money to fight the NCAA's takeover. So it was actually men who wanted to level the playing field and take into account the size differences.

 

[cto]

There's about 1/4-inch diameter difference between the men's and women's basketballs on an 18-inch rim. The operative point isn't the size of a woman's hands vs that of a man's--Brittney Griner's hands likely are larger than Tyler Ennis's, and the same might be true of Breanna Stewart and Ryan Boatright. It's a smaller ball fitting in a same-size rim that makes for easier shooting.

No, the operative point is a woman's hand is smaller than a man's hand. A size XL woman's golf glove is smaller than a M man's golf glove. Brittany Greiner and Muggsy Bogues are the exceptions. The smaller woman's ball is used to level the playing field because a woman's hand is smaller than a man's hand.

 

[moqui]

No, the operative point is a woman's hand is smaller than a man's hand. A size XL woman's golf glove is smaller than a M man's golf glove. Brittany Greiner and Muggsy Bogues are the exceptions. The smaller woman's ball is used to level the playing field because a woman's hand is smaller than a man's hand.

if you are genuinely concerned about keeping the field level, you would then argue that the women should shoot at a similarly downsized hoop.

Or let them both shoot with the small ball and see what happens . . .

 

[manleyzoo]

No, the operative point is a woman's hand is smaller than a man's hand. A size XL woman's golf glove is smaller than a M man's golf glove. Brittany Greiner and Muggsy Bogues are the exceptions. The smaller woman's ball is based on the fact that a woman's hand is smaller than a man's hand.

With that logic, women race car drivers should drive smaller cars or compete on smaller tracks because they're not as big or strong as men. Why not shorten the size of the basketball floor because women's legs are shorter? Or bring the hoop down to 9 feet because women don't jump as high as men? Should women tennis players hit fluffier tennis balls over lower nets? It's a silly argument. In basketball, the operative point isn't the variable of hand size it's the constant of the size of the rim. Women's hand sizes vary as do men's. But the rim diameter stays the same. That's the operative point.

 

[Cheriehoop]

There's about 1/4-inch diameter difference between the men's and women's basketballs on an 18-inch rim. The operative point isn't the size of a woman's hands vs that of a man's--Brittney Griner's hands likely are larger than Tyler Ennis's, and the same might be true of Breanna Stewart and Ryan Boatright. It's a smaller ball fitting in a same-size rim that makes for easier shooting.

Breanna Stewart is 6'4 and is a center. Can you think of any college with a 6'4" male center? The average overall height of a womens' college basketball player is a little less than 5'10". The average height of college mens basketball player is 6'6". The average height for all women is 5'4" and men is 5'10". Women guards average 5'6"-5"7". Tyler Ennis is supposedly 6'2" - so you are comparing a Breanna Stewart's 6'4" center sized hands with Tyler Ennis' 6'2" point guard's sized hands to make a statement that womens and mens college basketball measurables are equivalent and that women basketball players have an advantage in comparison?

Let's talk wingspan, stride and the difference necessary for the average woman college player to reach the basket vs the average mens college player when shooting. Or maybe why even bother. Do you think that 1/4 inch circumference difference in the ball makes up for the 6-8 inch average difference in height? If not, then maybe the baskets should be lowered 6-8 inches for women and let everyone use the same sized balls. Is it that important and to who and why? Honest answers might be pretty revealing. There are great players in both games.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Or let them both shoot with the small ball and see what happens . . .

plus either raise the hoop 6-8 inches for men or lower it 6-8 inches for women , right?

 

[manleyzoo]

Breanna Stewart is 6'4 and is a center. Can you think of any college with a 6'4" male center? The average overall height of a womens' college basketball player is a little less than 5'10". The average height of college mens basketball player is 6'6". The average height for all women is 5'4" and men is 5'10". Women guards average 5'6"-5"7". Tyler Ennis is supposedly 6'2" - so you are comparing a Breanna Stewart's 6'4" center sized hands with Tyler Ennis' 6'2" point guard's sized hands to make a statement that womens and mens college basketball measurables are equivalent and that women basketball players have an advantage in comparison?

Let's talk wingspan, stride and the difference necessary for the average woman college player to reach the basket vs the average mens college player when shooting. Or maybe why even bother. Do you think that 1/4 inch circumference difference in the ball makes up for the 6-8 inch average difference in height? If not, then maybe the baskets should be lowered 6-8 inches for women and let everyone use the same sized balls. Is it that important and to who and why? Honest answers might be pretty revealing. There are great players in both games.

The only circumstance in which your height, stride and reach comparisons between women and men are applicable is if they're playing a game against each other, which in this case they weren't. Nowhere did I say the measurables were equivalent or that women have an advantage in comparison. What I did say is that if there's a shooting contest, what can be the same should be the same. You noted women used to play with the same size ball as the men but were forced to downsize. Presumably women players have grown bigger and stronger since then as have men. Why not play with the same sized ball as the men now? If not, then why not make the hoop smaller for the women's game if the ball is smaller? In a shooting contest you can't have it both ways--smaller ball to accommodate smaller hands should mean a smaller hoop. Otherwise it's not a fair measure, and yes, it does give the women an advantage in that setting.

 

[JarHeadJim]

:rolling:I have that movie on DVD!

 

[dasher]

The point isn't the reason for the smaller ball. The point is the smaller ball. It makes it easier to make a shot. Period.

 

[CousCuse]

How fair are sports for men who come from ethnos that are much smaller than the average American athlete ? They can't go out and start a league just for their ethnos , like women can , and say it's not discriminatory. Double standard.

 

[dollarbill44]

I don't care about the 3pt contest and the battle of the sexes. I play driveway hoops with my son and my daughters. Sometimes we use the women'a ball. There is a big difference between the two. It is undeniably easier to make shots with a lighter, smaller ball.

 

[SU2NASA]

Women have smaller hands. Of course, they use a smaller ball. Just like women's golf clubs are shorter and lighter than men's golf clubs because women are shorter and lighter than men. And the average women's running shoe is smaller than the average man's... etc, etc, etc.

Then make the rim smaller.

Using a smaller ball for the same-sized rim is not akin to using a smaller golf club. Smaller guys use smaller and lighter clubs and it doesn't change that they must make a regulation ball go into a standard-sized cup.

 

[Doc5120]

Can someone please then tell me why when I began playing organized basketball in the 4th grade, we were using a regulation men's ball. I can assure you my hands (along when every other kid in the league) were not bigger than 1 single women's college basketball player at the time, yet I was using a bigger basketball. And believe it or not, we actually made some shots. A level playing field means you use the same size ball. I don't understand why they don't make this change in women's hoops.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Who won the women's dunk contest?

 

[SU2NASA]

Who won the women's dunk contest?

They should move the rim down to 8 feet. After all, women tend to be shorter and can't jump as high. And they should only have to dunk a softball.

 

[Brooky03]

Can someone please then tell me why when I began playing organized basketball in the 4th grade, we were using a regulation men's ball. I can assure you my hands (along when every other kid in the league) were not bigger than 1 single women's college basketball player at the time, yet I was using a bigger basketball. And believe it or not, we actually made some shots. A level playing field means you use the same size ball. I don't understand why they don't make this change in women's hoops.

I highly doubt you used a regulation sized mens ball in 4th grade. At least, you didn't in organized basketball competition. Regulation mens balls aren't introduced until middle school/junior high. You were likely using a regulation womens ball in 4th grade.

 

[Frozen]

Regulation mens balls aren't introduced until middle school/junior high.

Yeah, they usually descend before middle school.

 

[Alsacs]

Shooting is shooting regardless of gender. I did the halftime layup,FT,3pt,mid court shot contest while I was a student and it was at women's BB game. Even though the ball is smaller shooting is still difficult. I get having a better grip helps, but shooting when the lights are on is tough.

I think this debate has really devolved in this thread into a gender war. The only thing missing from women's basketball is play above the rim. I respect the fact the players stay four years and you actually see teams playing together. I don't watch women's BB outside of Syracuse games and I couldn't name the four #1 seeds outside of the first three Notre Dame, UConn, Baylor, and ?.

Most good women's college teams come from great academic universities. Stanford, Northwestern, etc. so one of the ways we have moved up in Director's Cup is because Dr. Gross has hired good women's coaches and those coaches have sold getting an education a good private school.