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 Shaquille ONeal Lakers Jersey .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Los Angeles Lakers Jerseys . World champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia won the gold medal with 237.71 points, Moore-Towers and Moscovitch followed at 208.45 and Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov of Russia were third at 187. http://www.lakersbasketballshop.com/Byron-Scott-Jersey/ . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. Wilt Chamberlain Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Rajon Rondo Jersey . I cant pinpoint a date, but I do remember a player from my youth. Brian Downing was with the Chicago White Sox at a time when I listened to every game I possibly could on the radio. That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games.Phil Thompson has high hopes of Liverpool finally ending their Premier League trophy drought this season, but says its too early to call them title contenders. The Reds currently sit top of the table but last won Englands top-flight in 1990, and have finished as runners-up three times since the Premier Leagues inception in 1992.Thommo appeared on Sky Sports Now on Wednesday morning to pick his Liverpool runners-up XI, made up of Liverpool stars from 2001/02, 2008/09 and 2013/14, as well as some from Jurgen Klopps current squad... Thommos XI comprises of Sami Hyypia and Michael Owen from 01/02, Pepe Reina and Xabi Alonso from 2008/09, Luis Suarez from 13/14 and Nathaniel Clyne, James Milner, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho (who also played in 13/14) from the current side.Also included are Jamie Carragher who played in 01/02 and 08/09, and Steven Gerrard who featured in all three Liverpool sides that have finished second in the Premier League so far. Steven Gerrard featured in all three Liverpool sides who finished second Thommo believes Liverpools impressive start gives them a chance of glory, but did move to play down expectations.I cant say Liverpool will win the title, he said. Theyve got as good a chance as anybody else but its only 11 games in. Hopefully by the time its 25 games we can sit here and say theres a real chance.Weve done extremely well so far, and its not only great to be top of the league, its also the quality of the football that this side has played which has been truly fantastic to watch. Thommo believes the Liverpool players understand how manager Jurgen Klopp wants to play [Klopp] has had plenty of time now to work on this high pressing and intensity game. They all understand what the manager wants and the signing of [Sadio] Mane has brought that extra pace which the team was lacking up front, hes been nothing short of sensational. [Roberto] Firmino has beenn truly magnificent as well.ddddddddddddPeople say you need one player who will get you 25 goals and a secondary striker who will get you 15, but this side has players who are all chipping in, and weve also seen goals from the likes of [Jordan] Henderson and [Emre] Can. Its also how many chances theyre creating at times, against Watford they scored six but it could have been far more. Philippe Coutinho (R) has been one of the standout players for Liverpool so far Thommo also reckons that Manchester City and Chelsea, currently second and third in the table, will be Liverpools biggest threats this season.[City are] the best-equipped squad, he said. Ive been impressed with the manager and how hes handled the problems theyve had. I love Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva is great and [they have] Sergio Aguero as well.Chelsea also have a great chance but its a case of whether they get found out somewhere along the line. The one thing for [Antonio] Conte is his big players like Eden Hazard and Diego Costa are enjoying their football now whereas they werent last year. Liverpool 6-1 Watford Also See: Cresswells Liverpool rejection Klopp keen to create history Henderson hails world-class trio Liverpool-Chelsea top rankings ' ' '