April 2, 2012
DENVER (AP) – Left-handed guards Skylar Diggins of Notre Dame and Odyssey Sims of Baylor are very familiar with each other’s games.
The two played together on the World University games team this past summer in China along with Notre Dame’s Natalie Novosel and Devereaux Peters. The four helped guide the U.S. team to a gold medal.
“She’s a tremendous competitor, just like me,” Diggins said. “I love playing with someone like that; all the things she did for Team USA, she’s doing now for Baylor.”
While they were friendly in China, Diggins classified their relationship as cordial.
“Everyone thinks you’re either friends or enemies; we have a cordial relationship. I respect her game and what she’s done,” Diggins said. “We don’t text or anything, but we saw each other the other day and had a great conversation.”
When the two teams met in November, Sims got the best of the matchup in Baylor’s 94-81 victory. She had 25 points and six assists. Diggins did score 27 points, but had seven turnovers.
The two had a brief incident on the court when Sims picked up a technical foul after the two were involved in a loose ball scramble.
Baylor junior Destiny Williams also played with Diggins for the U.S. when the two were on the under-19 team in 2009.
“Their IQs are about the same,” Williams said. “Just two point guards that are great players going at it. I enjoy playing with both of them. But I’d rather have Odyssey too.”
—
BASKETBALL BUSINESS: Notre Dame fifth-year senior Brittany Mallory delayed her entrance into the business world in favor of another year of college basketball.
“She had already graduated, had some opportunities to pursue,” Irish coach Muffet McGraw said. “And really, for us, I thought she was essential to this team because of all the intangible things she gives, as well as being our best lock-down defender and 3-point specialist.”
When a student journalist asked Mallory what classes she was taking this semester, teammate Skylar Diggins chimed in: “Brit doesn’t take classes anymore. She’s a seventh-year senior.”
“I graduated already,” Mallory said, chuckling. “I was a management/entrepreneurship major. I’m just taking some – a light class load.”
She’s done some of the heavy lifting on the court, though.
“I think just her attitude and personality really affects the whole team,” McGraw said. “I think she’s been a great leader for us. So I think getting her to come back for this year, I don’t know that we’d be here without her.”