Editors note: Charlie Creme, Graham Hays and Mechelle Voepel each vote to determine espnWs national player of the week, which is awarded every week of the womens college basketball season.If recent history is any indication, the team that wins the national championship this season is going to score somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 points.Watching Notre Dames Arike Ogunbowale during the Preseason WNIT, one might think there is extra credit awarded if you get there by Valentines Day. Whether or not her thirst for points can help the Fighting Irish end up No. 1 in April, they sure helped keep the team there for now.Named the Preseason WNIT Most Valuable Player after she averaged 19.5 points in No. 1 Notre Dames four wins, including a team-high 17 points in Sundays 71-60 victory against No. 17 Washington, Ogunbowale is also espnWs first national player of the week for the 2016-17 season. (That distinction in this case encompasses both the past seven days and the seasons opening weekend.)By any measure, Ogunbowale excelled at putting points on the board over the past 10 days.For sheer artistry, she opened the season with a career-best 30 points against Central Michigan, a performance that required just 13 field goal attempts and 23 minutes.If scoring in blowouts doesnt do it for you, she also scored a team-best 18 points in a 71-67 semifinal win against Green Bay, each of those points needed against a team that nearly completed a comeback that would have added the Fighting Irish to a long list of giants slayed.And pitted against one of the nations proven scoring maestros in Washingtons Kelsey Plum in the final, Ogunbowale outscored the All-American 9-3 in the first quarter as Notre Dame jumped to a 25-8 lead and never looked back.The first time she touched the ball, Ogunbowale hit a 3-pointer from a step behind the line. The second time she touched it, she waited two whole dribbles before taking and making an elbow jumper. The third time she touched it, she missed a 3-pointer. Undaunted, she cut down the lane, took a pass from the teammate who got the offensive rebound and hit a layup. You get the picture.It was at about this time a year ago that Ogunbowale left little doubt about her intentions. In a game against UCLA in the Bahamas, she suffered through a 1-for-7 shooting performance. Four days later, in her first game against a ranked opponent, she missed all six shots she took in the first half against Ohio State. Then she missed the first shot she took in the second half. She didnt make a shot until the fourth quarter (when they still very much mattered). She finished 2-for-14 from the floor.Most freshmen would be cowed. Most at some point would stop shooting.Ogunbowale just kept right on chucking. To her everlasting credit.With Brianna Turner now the object of every opponents defensive focus and still rounding into form after offseason shoulder surgery, Notre Dame needs others on a young roster to score. It needs an alpha presence on the court, someone to give the crowd a respite from quietly appreciating Lindsay Allen. Someone to bring them to their feet.Ogunbowale knows perfectly well that the best way to do that is to put the ball in the basket.Also considered:? Crystal Dangerfield, UConn; Asia Durr, Louisville; Jessica January, DePaul; Teniya Page, Penn State Bruce Bowen Jersey . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. George Gervin Jersey . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. http://www.cheapspursjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-lonnie-walker-jersey . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets. Manu Ginobili Jersey . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. Cheap Spurs Jerseys Authentic . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. ARLINGTON, Texas -- Derek Holland is a free agent after the Texas Rangers declined their $11 million option on his contract and instead chose to pay the left-hander a $1.5 million buyout.The AL West champions announced the move Monday, but left open the possibility of re-signing Holland.Holland was part of Texas only two World Series teams in 2010 and 2011, but has missed significant time because of injuries the past three seasons.The Rangers appreciate the many contributions that Derek Holland has made to this franchise, both on the field and in the community, general manager Jon Daniels said in a statement. While todays action doesnt necessarily close the door on our future interest in Derek, we want to thank him for the impact he has made here.In 179 career games for Texas, Holland is 62-50 with a 4.35 ERA. He was a 25th-round selection in the June 2006 amateur draft and signed with the Rangers the following May.Holland was 7-9 with a 4.95 ERA in 22 games this season while also spending time on the 60-day disabled list for a third consecutive season. He missed two months with left shoulder inflammation.In other news, the Rangers as expected said they will make a $177.dddddddddddd2 million qualifying offer to free agent outfielder Ian Desmond, who has until next Monday to accept. If he declines and signs with a different team, the Rangers would receive an extra draft pick following the first round next year.The Rangers didnt make qualifying offers to first baseman Mitch Moreland or right-hander Colby Lewis.Desmond made the All-Star team this year and hit .285 with 22 homers and 86 RBI after signing an $8 million, one-year deal with the Rangers in late February and converting to the outfield. He was a shortstop the previous seven years in Washington, but turned down a $15.8 million qualifying offer from Nationals last offseason.Texas also reinstated designated hitter Prince Fielder from the 60-day disabled list, a necessary procedural move even though the slugger signed through 2020 has ended his playing career.The 32-year-old Fielder announced in August that he wouldnt be able to play again after his second neck surgery in just more than two years. He will go back on the 60-day DL before the 2017 season. ' ' '
