DFW SPORTS MIX 02 28 13 By Don Arnick

Let us flip the calendar to March, that is when madness begins. DFW will be in the middle of it with the BIG 12 Women’s Basketball Classic at the AAC. March 8-11. Baylor will bring their number one ranking into the classic, with the question of who will knock off number one? On that same week, the SWAC Hoops classic, mens and women’s hoops at the Garland Special Events Center. March 7-11. And on March 29 and 31, the NCAA Regional Finals round 3 and 4 at Cowboys Stadium. Go to these websites for info. http://www.big12sports.com/. http://www.swachoops.com/ . And http://www.ncaasports.com/ for tickets and more information. And next year, we host the Final Four. Fun basketball times coming up.
The SMU Mustangs women’s hoops team has not one but two milestones they are proud of. First, Head Coach Rhonda Rompola gathers her 400 coaching win. She got it in a tight battle with Tulsa , which the Ponies won 69-60. Coach Rompola has been with the Mustangs for 22 years. And this years women’s Ponies team is doing well with 20 wins already, and one of the top teams in Conference USA. Also, one of her players reached a milestone too. Senior Alisha Filmore reached the 1,000 point mark recently. She becomes the 20th player in SMU hoops history to reach 1000 points. Congratulations to both Coach Rompola and Alisha Filmore on getting to those milestone moments.
When the NBA scheduled the Mavericks and Lakers for a mid February battle, it sounded great. Both teams usually on top of the Western Conference. Well it was a key battle to get out of the bottom as both teams eye the eight place playoff spot which Houston has. And it came down to the superstars and who wanted the game the most. A guy named the Black Mamba got uncoiled in the second half. Kobe Bryant came through when needed, while the Mavs Dirk Nowtizki was not clutch. The result was the Lakers winning this key battle 103-99. Kobe won NBA player of the Week honors for his clutch play. The Mavericks must get hot now to get in the playoffs, or you will see Mark Cuban on that podium with the other NBA owners who did not make the post season, hoping for a lottery draft win.