Two outstanding NCAA D-I women’s basketball coaches - Wes Moore (UTC) and Connie Yori (Nebraska) - face each other Saturday in College Station, Texas as Chattanooga and Nebraska meet in a first round game of the 2013 NCAA Women’s D-I Basketball tournament.
NCAA First Round Game: No.6 Nebraska (23-8) vs. No.11 Chattanooga (29-3)
Time: 6:30 p.m. at Reed Arena on Texas A&M campus .
.. ESPN2
Radio: 105.1 FM ESPN The Zone ... Larry Ward, play-by-play
Wes Moore, 15th season at Chattanooga … Connie Yori, 11th season at Nebraska
Yori was a four-time all-state softball player in Iowa ... led Ankeny HS to state titles in basketball (6-on-6) once and softball (3x)
National Coach of the Year: Yori was Kay Yow National Coach of the Year in 2010 … Wes Moore was an assistant under Coach Yow at N.C. State (1993-94 and 1994-95) …
NCAA Veterans: Yori has taken seven teams to NCAA tourneys (including this season)… Creighton (2) and Nebraska (5) and has a post-season record of 3-6, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2010.
Moore is in his ninth year in the NCAAs with Chattanooga (1-7)… also took Maryville College (D-III) to five NCAA tourneys, including the Sweet 16 and Francis Marion (D-II) twice, including the Final Four in 1998.
20-Win Seasons (three colleges): Moore (20) … Yori (8)
30-Win Seasons (three colleges): Yori (1, 32-2 in 2010) … Moore (1, 30-3 at Francis Marion in 1998)
NCAA Final Four: Moore (1 … Francis Marion ... D-II in 1998) … Yori (none)
NCAA Sweet Sixteen: Moore (2 … Maryville, Francis Marion) … Yori (1 … Nebraska, 2010)
Conference Coach of the Year: Moore - 7, UTC (6), Francis Marion (1) … Yori – 3 (Missouri Valley, Big 12, Big 10)
Three Stops Each - Both have been head coaches at three colleges …
At the D-III Level - Moore was at Maryville (Tenn.) Univ. for six years (1988-1993) and Yori was at Loras College for two (1991, 1992), but the two teams never played.
Coach Moore was at Francis Marion (D-II) for three years before coming to UTC for the 1998-99 season.
Coach Yori was at her alma mater, Creighton, for 10 years (2 trips to the NCAA) before taking over at Nebraska for the 2002-03 season
Both Coaches Have Two Seniors ... UTC guards Kayla Christopher (227 career 3s) and Kylie Lambert …
Nebraska has guard Lindsey Moore (170 career 3s) and forward Meghin Williams
Both have master’s degrees … Moore in Physical Education … Yori in Sports Administration
Halls of Fame: Yori (2 – Creighton and Iowa Girls HS HOF for softball and basketball)
Moore (2 – UTC and Greater Chattanooga Sports HOF)
Approaching 1,000 Wins: Together, Moore and Yori have won 966 games at six schools …
Moore is 558-168 in 24 years, while Yori is 408-274 in 23 seasons …
Moore is 358-112 at UTC … Yori is 213-174 at Nebraska
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net