Graham Hays

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Graham Hays writes for Page 2 and contributes to ESPN.com's women's basketball, softball and soccer coverage. Hays began with ESPN in 1999. He's now an editor for ESPN.com's SportsNation.

Terps better than ever -- sometimes
The Maryland Terrapins waited nearly a decade to get back on the winning side of the scoreboard in a home game against Duke. But even after ending that drought with an 85-70 win Monday night in Colleg...
Graham Hays | 13 hours ago

Hays: Big 12 full of big surprises
After the opening week of play, it's safe to say the Big 12 is anyone's for the taking.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | Sunday, January 13

Hays: Terps mightier than Swords
On paper, No. 4 Maryland's 88-61 win over Boston College was a blowout. But Eagles freshman Carolyn Swords held her own inside for one of the best individual performances against the Terps this season.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | Thursday, January 10

Hays: 'Blizzard' defense, backcourt a real treat for Colonials
Kim Beck and Sarah-Jo Lawrence help make Joe McKeown's "Blizzard" defense a success at George Washington. And the Colonials' duo gives more well-known tandems competition as one of the nation's best all-around backcourts, too.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | January 9, 2008

Yow: All in how you look at it
RALEIGH, N.C. -- For the new year's first week, wouldn't it be nice to be somewhere a bit less cold than Kansas City? Surely early January in North Carolina was bound to be more temperate than frigid ...
Graham Hays | January 8, 2008

Cardinal red in the face
One moment, Stanford is in the driver's seat for a No. 1 seed. The next, the Cardinal are handing back the keys like a teenager after missing curfew. As well as Stanford played in the upset of Tennes...
Graham Hays | January 8, 2008

Hays: Still the 1s
On parallel two-game road trips to open the new year, trips that brought the season's only No. 1 teams tantalizingly close to each other, UConn and Tennessee both looked every bit the part of champions in waiting.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | January 6, 2008

Hays: The in crowd
After helping Notre Dame and DePaul draw their first sellouts of 2007-08, Tennessee is averaging more fans on the road this season than all but seven other programs did at home last season.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | January 5, 2008

Let's hear it for Houston
It had been a rough couple of weeks for interim coaches. But that changed Wednesday night. After the first five interim coaches in college football lost their bowl games, West Virginia's Bill Stewart...
Graham Hays | January 4, 2008

Hays: Chicago story
Plenty of Chicago talent finds its way into top-25 programs. But with nine players from the Windy City, Illinois State is proof of just how deep Chicago's basketball factory is.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | January 3, 2008

Hays: No Parker? No problem
No Candace Parker? No problem. At least, it wasn't Wednesday when the Tennessee star was benched. Her teammates picked her up, and if that's their New Year's resolution, it's a scary proposition for future opponents.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | January 2, 2008

At Maples, Christmas came early
OK, whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year -- or even if you don't celebrate one at all -- let's all cheer Stanford and Tennessee for such a great, great gift Saturday night. What more can ...
Graham Hays | December 23, 2007

Bit of magic in Colonials' house
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As much fun as it is to be on hand when a team cuts down the nets and celebrate a championship amidst the glitter and glitterati of a Final Four, it's also a little like watching a...
Graham Hays | December 21, 2007

Three sleepers on the rise
Illinois State Let's run through a quick checklist of qualifications for mid-major sleeper status. Experience: Of the seven Illinois State players who played double-digit minutes in last season's ...
Graham Hays | December 19, 2007

Eight questions for 2008
The year is different, but the basketball season is the same. We learned a little bit in 2007 -- Connecticut is really good, Maryland plays almost every day, Minnesota is better than we thought and Ar...
Graham Hays | December 19, 2007

If ever, the time is now for Houston
No matter how well she played, Kalana Greene always struggled to earn the spotlight in her first two-plus seasons with the University of Connecticut. No matter how little she played, Charde Houston al...
Graham Hays | December 18, 2007

Hays: Red Foxes, Hawks eyeing bigger picture
Don't let Hartford's low-scoring 49-32 win at Marist on Wednesday fool you. These are two programs fighting for respect -- and the right to play in the NCAA Tournament without having to get an automatic bid.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | December 13, 2007

Hays: Lions in wait
Charged with rebuilding Penn State's competitive profile on the court and its tarnished image off of it, the new era under new coach Coquese Washington is off to a good start.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | December 11, 2007

Hays: USC rides new coach to title
USC always has had the talent. But until coach Ali Khosroshahin brought toughness to the Women of Troy, they always faltered in the NCAA Tournament. USC reversed that trend Sunday with a 2-0 defeat of Florida State for its first title.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | December 9, 2007

Hays: Coming back from cancer
Basketball player. Avid bowler. Imelda Marcos in the making. Label Drexel's Nicole Hester all you want, just know that "cancer survivor" doesn't even begin to capture what she has endured over the past year.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | December 9, 2007

Hays: USC's win sets up unlikely championship game
USC's first win over its archrival in nearly a decade couldn't have come at a better time -- with the NCAA championship game on the line. It's just another outcome in a tournament full of surprises, writes Graham Hays.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | December 7, 2007

Hays: International flavor gives Florida State an edge
Mami Yamaguchi, Sanna Talonen and Amanda DaCosta don't speak the same language, but they communicate perfectly on the field. Florida State's international flavor gave it an edge against Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament semifinals on Friday, writes Graham Hays.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | December 7, 2007

Millions that just don't add up
A friend sent a text message last night as I was watching Kansas play Marquette. It said, "Fresno State coach gets 19 …" I thought, "Gets 19 what? Good grief! She can't possibly have gotten ...
Graham Hays | December 7, 2007

Hays: UCLA looking to take care of business
UCLA's seniors are making their fourth trip to the NCAA women's College Cup. They're hoping the fourth time is the charm when it comes to winning a championship, writes Graham Hays.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | December 6, 2007

Hays: Scarlet Knights win chess match
No. 3 Maryland's perfect season came to an end at the hands of sixth-ranked Rutgers in a game between two teams that excel at two completely different paths to success.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | December 3, 2007

Hays: Burning questions on the College Cup
When the College Cup commences in College Station on Friday, there will be more than a few familiar faces on the field. But that's almost as surprising as the bracket upheaval itself, writes Graham Hays.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | December 3, 2007

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Graham Hays | December 2, 2007

Hays: USC rolls into College Cup
USC has exited the NCAA Tournament prematurely in the past. But the Women of Troy brought their physical and skilled game to Morgantown, W.Va., and walked away with a trip to the College Cup.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | December 1, 2007

Hays: Women of Troy have new attitude
It wasn't love at first sight between new coach Ali Khosroshahin and the USC women's soccer team. But it's been a marriage of success for both, writes Graham Hays.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | November 30, 2007

The wonder of V
Top-ranked Tennessee and No. 4 North Carolina meet Sunday (ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET) in what might be the biggest game of the young season. But stores have barely had a chance to stock up on eggnog as the Lou...
Graham Hays | November 30, 2007

Is Rutgers' schedule too tough?
If any team's early-season schedule is too tough, it belongs to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. They have already played two teams ranked in the most recent top five, and meet unbeaten No. 3 Maryland nex...
Graham Hays | November 26, 2007

Hays: Five burning women's soccer tournament questions
Graham Hays wraps up the third round of the NCAA women's soccer tournament and looks ahead in his latest Five Burning Questions.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | November 26, 2007

Hays: Vaughn the difference as Rutgers wins LSU rematch
As expected, defense was the difference in No. 7 Rutgers' win over No. 5 LSU on Sunday. And Kia Vaughn's effort against LSU All-American Sylvia Fowles stood out the most.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | November 25, 2007

Paradise Jam pits dream matchup
This blog entry comes with a warning for this holiday weekend: Don't get too bloated on turkey, too busy with friends and family or too bogged down with football. The best early-season women's basketb...
Graham Hays | November 20, 2007

Hays: Changes leave Blue Devils seeking new identity
Duke returns plenty of talent and depth. But a new coach and a new system mean the Blue Devils must develop a new identity this season, as well.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | November 20, 2007

Terps, Lady Vols set the standard
Yes, we are only two weeks into the season. But I'm going to say this now and live or die with it later: I would be absolutely shocked, stunned, surprised and dumbfounded if, come St. Patrick's Day, T...
Graham Hays | November 19, 2007

Hays: Five burning women's soccer tournament questions
Graham Hays wraps up the first and second rounds of the NCAA women's soccer tournament and looks ahead in his latest Five Burning Questions.
Graham Hays, ESPN.com | November 19, 2007

Turnovers spell trouble for Texas
Despite spending the last 15 seasons in Durham, N.C., as Duke's coach, Gail Goestenkors is no stranger to Texas. In fact, just last season, Duke point guard Lindsey Harding hailed from Houston. Bet ...
Graham Hays | November 18, 2007

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