PG Samantha Prahalis (B1G Champ, 2x All-American, B1G POY, B1G Career Assists Leader, OSU HOF)

[generaladm]

I noticed in the paper today that if the Women's BB team gets thru the first two rounds of the NCAA in Pittsburgh (which seems likely), they would play the next two rounds (3/28 and 3/30) at UD Arena, with a possible Elite 8 game vs. UCONN! I think I'd have to make the drive up to cheer em on.

Speaking of Lady Buckeye hotness, I really hope this frosh gets some good PT next year, so I'll have an excuse to post more pics:

 

[The Traitor]

Sammy has definitely supplanted Jessica Davenport as my favorite female Buckeye hoopster.

Does anyone else find here style of play at least a little reminiscent of Jason Kidd?

Obviously they both have amazing creativity in their ball handling skills and have that apparently instinctual gift for the no look pass. They both seem to work best when pushing the tempo and making plays in transition and the open court. Clearly Prahalis is small for her position where Kidd is large in his spot. However they both have iffy shooting percentages, especially inside the arch, so you would much rather see them distribute the ball than try to create their own shot. I would be very interested to see a WNBA team take her in a few years and try to center a fast moving offense around her skill set.

 

[Buckskin86]

ET's girlfriend has a new team

Philadelphia 76ers hats like the one Evan Turner wore on stage after going No.2 in the NBA draft tonight were strewn about the VIP table his mother and two brothers shared with his girlfriend, Samantha Prahalis.

Everyone at the table was given one by the NBA. I wondered if Prahalis, a native New Yorker, wasn't the biggest fan of the rival Sixers.

"I never minded them," she said. "I?m not even a New York fan, so it doesn?t matter. I?m a Laker fan."

She paused and smiled.

"Now I'm a Sixers fan. Definitely."

Prahalis, from Long Island, came home for a few days to see her boyfriend's big moment.

"It?s really exciting," she said. "I?m not even getting picked and it?s just great. You?re excited for the family and for Evan. It seems like it?s a dream come true, and he deserves all of it because he?s worked so hard."

Prahalis will be back on the Ohio State campus next week, preparing for her third season as the starting point guard for the OSU women's basketball team.

"Two more years," she said. "I don?t think you can go early (to the WNBA). You have to get your degree first. But it?ll be fine."

If her name is called in the 2012 WNBA draft, though, Turner may not be able to share it with her. The draft is in April. He could still be working.

"If he?s busy, he?s busy," Prahalis said. "He?s gotta do what he has to do."

ET's girlfriend has a new team (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

 

[Buckskin86]

Lakers fan Prahalis switches ties to emulate Rondo?s game
By Ben Axelrod
[email protected]
Published: Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Samantha Prahalis prepares to take a shot during Ohio State?s 78-47 win over Northwestern on Feb. 25.

Ohio State junior point guard Samantha Prahalis spent her off-season studying tape of Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, although she'd rather keep that a secret.

"Don't tell nobody that," Prahalis said. "I am a die-hard Lakers fan."

At 5-feet-7-inches, Prahalis said she chose to study Rondo because she saw a little of herself in the all-star point guard while she was watching him take on her favorite team in the NBA Finals.

"He's not that big as a point guard but he's among giants. He's not afraid to go to the lane, and when he goes into the lane he always has something in his arsenal that shocks you," Prahalis said. "There's always big girls around me. I just got to try to cut, weave, pass, do anything I can to get to the basket, or get my player a shot."

A native of Commack, N.Y., Prahalis credits Lakers guard Kobe Bryant as her inspiration to be a Lakers fan and said that she tries to emulate the work ethic of her favorite player.

"While everyone else is out, I'll be on YouTube or I'll be watching film," Prahalis said.

Having already made a name for herself in women's hoops, thanks to her crafty moves and flashy passes, Prahalis said to look for Rondo's signature ball fakes and scooping lay-ups to be the latest additions to her already unique repertoire.

"That's definitely something I've tried to look at, like his fakes, how he gets to the basket, his finishes are all really good," Prahalis said. "I think the women's game hasn't really seen men's moves come into play."

Prahalis enters her junior season just 151 assists shy of breaking Jamie Lewis' OSU career record of 643. In her sophomore season, she averaged 16.3 points and 8 assists per game.

http://www.thelantern.com/sports/lakers-fan-prahalis-switches-ties-to-emulate-rondo-s-game-1.1728400

 

[FairfaxBuckeye]

Prahalis suspended for 3 games by NCAA

Prahalis suspended for 3 games by NCAA

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio ? Seventh-ranked Ohio State's star junior point guard, Samantha Prahalis, will miss the first three games of the 2010-11 season for a secondary NCAA rules violation.

Prahalis will be permitted to practice with the team during the suspension. She will not be permitted to travel with the team for the two scheduled road games at Temple (Nov. 12) and LSU (Nov. 17). The Buckeyes also have a home game Nov. 14 against Eastern Michigan.

...

http://online.wsj.com/article/AP6ff0b6efa31c4627a2d8080005ecbd4b.html

 

[colobuck79]

I wonder what she did.

 

[Bill Lucas]

LSU was going to be a tough game anyway. Just got a whole lot tougher.

 

[Padraig]

Should give the other guards some needed game experience early on with the loss of Moeller & Little from last season.

I hate to see Sammy missing games though.....love watching that girl play!

 

[LitlBuck]

Should give the other guards some needed game experience early on with the loss of Moeller & Little from last season.

I hate to see Sammy missing games though.....love watching that girl play!

A women's basketball team does not want to go into LSU shorthanded. LSU is good enough that they don't need any help from us.

 

[OSUsushichic]

I remember reading that she attended a 76ers game. If Evan Turner gave her the tickets, is that a no-no?

 

[gracelhink]

I wonder what she did.

Officially the Buckeyes did not comment other than say it was a "secondary rules violation."
I wonder if it has something to do with this;

"Last year's team, there was a great feeling of frustration. I've said before that we've got to be a more mature team and all indications that we're heading in that direction," Foster said. "We weren't very mature last year."
That was evidenced by Prahalis' embarrassing meltdown in the second round in Pittsburgh. When a foul call didn't go her way late in the game and with the Buckeyes already in deep trouble, Prahalis yelled at officials, slammed down the ball and stalked to the bench.

 

[LitlBuck]

Officially the Buckeyes did not comment other than say it was a "secondary rules violation."
I wonder if it has something to do with this;

Not saying that I know but I do not think the incident that you are referring to would cause a 3 game suspension especially in the next year. Players get technicals for that type of thing but not three-game suspensions. I would think the Turner tickets might warrant a minor violation but I have no idea.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

i would think the "pre-existing relationship" rule would come in to play for any 76ers tickets.

 

[LitlBuck]

i would think the "pre-existing relationship" rule would come in to play for any 76ers tickets.

excellent point so the question still remains why and we probably won't ever know

 

[Padraig]

A women's basketball team does not want to go into LSU shorthanded. LSU is good enough that they don't need any help from us.

Ah, yet wether they want it or not the situation is just that, so all they can do now is use it to best prepare Sammy and the rest of the team for season under the circumstances.

No doubt coach Foster (along with all of the Buckeye Nation) would love to have Sammy for the LSU game and the rest, but it sounds like this (the NCAA investigation) was something "in the works" from last season, and therefore perhaps not entirely out of left field. so nothing they can do about it now other than play the cards delt them and use it to prepare the best way possible for the whole season.