North Carolina, of course, is still at the table even after blowing that big lead, and Tennessee is lurking, anticipating a matchup in Tampa. Maryland, Rutgers, Baylor – the usual suspects – still have their chips on the table, waiting for the next card.
By April, the pot will be bigger, but the players will be fewer, and maybe one of them won’t be one of today’s top ten. But don’t bet the rent on that …
(Record through Monday) Points -- Last week's rank (first-place
votes)
1. Connecticut (18-0) 775 -- 1 (31)
If there were any doubts about Connecticut, they were erased when the Huskies erased an 11-point halftime deficit and sent North Carolina home with its second loss of the season. But they are still a little short on the perimeter, and the trip to Notre Dame Sunday will be another test.
2. Tennessee (16-1) 744 -- 2
The Volunteers play Duke Monday on TV, but we all know the game that should have been on national television. Though the SEC is always tough, and Rutgers is also on the schedule, Tennessee should roll into the tournament with just one loss.
3. Maryland (22-1) 694 -- 4
Maybe the Terrapins were looking ahead to North Carolina (Saturday in Chapel Hill) but Georgia Tech was a missed free throw away from a major upset. Still, Maryland is awfully good, and if the Terps get by the Tar Heels, they too could have one loss heading into conference tournament play.
4. North Carolina (17-2) 685 – 3
It doesn’t seem quite right to put UNC behind Maryland because the Tar Heels lost to the number one team on the road, and Maryland struggled against unranked Georgia Tech. They’ll settle it on the court Saturday, though.
5. Rutgers (15-2) 660 – 5
After disposing of Louisville, the trip to Cincinnati and the visit by ‘Nova shouldn’t be a problem – but we all know the Scarlet Knights are capable of going into deep-freeze mode on offense, and finding a way to lose to a team that shoots well. It won’t be this week, though.
6. Baylor (16-1) 600 – 7
That was an awfully big win at Oklahoma – it would be very unwise to underestimate the Bears, in the Big 12 or in the NCAA tournament. It would be no surprise if Baylor lost somewhere along the line, but don’t be fooled. This team is for real.
7. Stanford (16-3) 598 – 6
The Cardinal gave Arizona State some hope early, but then took over in the second half in Tempe. There’s only one game this week, but it’s against Cal, which will be looking to reprise its 2007 win at Maples this Saturday.
8. California (17-2) 550 – 9
Taking care of business at Arizona State gives Cal a two-game lead over Stanford, so even a loss Saturday won’t knock the Bears out of first place in the conference – and when was the last time a team was that far ahead of the Cardinal in the Pac-10?
9. LSU (14-3) 549 – 8
That’s five in a row for the Tigers, but the road is not a fun place in the SEC (just ask Auburn). And speaking of War Eagle, that’s where LSU goes first – followed by a trip to Kentucky. LSU should survive, but it won’t be easy.
10. Duke (14-4) 452 – 12
The Blue Devils crawl back into the top ten but the stay may be brief. First up is a trip to Georgia Tech, which Maryland discovered is no walk in an Atlanta park, and then Tennessee comes to town. It was fun for a while, though …
11. Oklahoma (11-4) 444 – 10
The Sooners may have four losses, but Sherri Coale has prepared her team well for the NCAA tournament – and the Georgia game Sunday is another step on the road. The young guards, though, probably won’t be ready until 2008-09..
12. West Virginia (14-3) 420 – 14
It’s an easy week for the Mountaineers (Marshall and Georgetown), so they could move up a spot with the right upset. But the RPI says 20, and that may be a better measure, in this case, than the poll.
13. Oklahoma State (16-1) 347 – 19
Andrea Riley and the Cowgirls made all the plays that needed to be made at Texas A&M, and if they can handle reeling Texas in Austin, they’re setting themselves up very nicely for a fine season. A caveat, though: The wheels could fall off in a tough second half of the Big 12.
14. Georgia (15-3) 339 – 11
The RPI has the Bulldogs 28th, as their best win is over Georgia Tech, at home, and they’ve lost two of their last three. After pounding hapless Alabama, it’s Florida and Oklahoma on the road – look for at least one more loss.
15. Ohio State (15-3) 301 – 17
That’s six in a row in the Big 10, and the Buckeyes should take care of Minnesota (2-3 lately) and Penn State (at home). But as mentioned last week, it’s hard to prove much in the leveled-out Big 10.
16. Notre Dame (15-3) 293 – 15
Did you know the Irish have scored more than 90 points five times this year? And that they finally broke 100 against Georgetown last week? And with high-scoring DePaul coming to South Bend, both teams may crack triple digits. Then comes UConn, though, and a dose of defensive reality.
17. George Washington (14-4) 258 – 13
Just when it seems safe to talk up the Colonials, they take an unexpected tumble. Temple was the perpetrator this time, but it says here GW doesn’t lose again until postseason.
18. Old Dominion (14-3) 256 – 20
Just for the record, the RPI spits out ‘seven’ when Old Dominion is mentioned. After all, the losses are to top ten residents UConn, Tennessee and Stanford and victims include Michigan State, Penn State, Purdue and Vanderbilt (at Vanderbilt). Expect more wins.
19. Wyoming (16-1) 235 – 21
The more the Cowgirls win, the more inexplicable that 14-point loss to Colorado becomes – but if they lose focus, the Mountain West will exact its toll. There’s a reason the league is seventh in conference RPI.
20. Texas A&M (13-5) 202 – 16
The Aggies resemble the stock market, which even those who never pick up a business section know is in the midst of a twisting backflip from the high board. The road trip to Nebraska and Kansas could knock A&M out of the top 25.
21. Pittsburgh (14-3) 138 – 24
The only bad loss is at Penn State way back in early November, and that’s really not that bad. And even though beating DePaul and Syracuse should count for something, for too many voters it doesn’t. Maybe beating Louisville will get more attention.
22. Auburn (13-5) 109 – 18
The Tigers have lost four of five, and it’s a wonder they’re still hanging on … especially since two of the losses were to St. Joseph’s and Kentucky. Losing to LSU Thursday isn’t really a black mark, but that will be five losses in six tries, and that’s too many for a top 25 team.
23. Georgia Tech (16-3) 71 – NR
Sometimes a loss is better than a win – the Rambling Wrecks haven’t beaten a team in the top 50 (and in fact have only five wins against teams in the top 100 in RPI), but extending Maryland to two overtimes earned some respect. A big win would impress even more.
24. Syracuse (15-3) 61 – NR
The Orange are one of the great stories of the season. They were 9-20 last year, and there was no particular reason to expect much of an improvement. Full Court Press had them finishing 11th, but Quentin Hillsman has them closer to 11th in the nation than 11th in the conference.
25. DePaul (13-4) 50 – 22
How the Blue Demons hung on to this spot after losing to 10-7 Marquette is a mystery worthy of the CSI team. DePaul is 3-3 since Dec. 28, and there’s no need for much more evidence.
Dropped out: No. 23 Texas (13-5(, #25 Arizona State (11-5)
Eventually, a big win is required, and Arizona State doesn’t have one. Texas did beat the Sun Devils, and DePaul, but losing three out of four, even in the Big 12, will push a team out of the rankings..
Others receiving votes: Texas (13-5) 38; Kansas State (12-5) 37; Illinois State (15-1) 36; Hartford (13-4) 18; Marist (17-2) 18; Utah (14-3) 18; Western Kentucky (14-5) 14; Vanderbilt (13-6) 12; Liberty (16-2) 11; Arizona State (11-7) 8; Nebraska (14-4) 8; Arkansas (16-3) 6; North Carolina State (12-7) 6; Colorado (12-5) 4; Middle Tennessee (11-8) 3; Marquette (10-7) 2; Texas Tech (13-5) 2; Jacksonville (15-3) 1; Quinnipiac (15-2) 1; Texas-El Paso (14-2) 1..
Illinois State lost only to DePaul but the best win is Wisconsin-Green Bay. Marist lost to Ohio State and Hartford, and since Hartford scored only 24 against UConn, and lost to UMass and Boston University, it’s all pretty suspicious. Maybe Utah? Quinnipiac has lost only twice, and one was to 3-13 Hofstra. How about UTEP, which has lost only to Nebraska and Kansas State, both on the road? Even so, candidates for the top 25 are thin on the ground.
The USA TODAY/ESPN Board of Coaches is made up of 31 head coaches
at Division I institutions. All are members of the Women's Basketball
Coaches Association. The board for the 2007-08 season: Agnus
Berenato, Pittsburgh; Pam Borton, Minnesota; Brian Boyer, >Arkansas State; Beth Burns, San Diego State; Debra Clark, Florida A&M; Beth
Couture, Butler; Leslie Crane, Western Illinois; Dana Eikenberg,
Southern Illinois; Tricia Fabbri, Quinnipiac; Sharon Fanning,
Mississippi State; Brian Giorgis, Marist; Julie Goodenough,
Charleston Southern; Kellie Harper, Western Carolina; Mary Hegarty,
Long Beach State; Nate Kilbert, Mississippi Valley State; Melissa
McFerrin, American; Kevin McGuff, Xavier; Tina Martin, Delaware; Curt
Miller, Bowling Green; Dan Muscatell, Sacramento State; Paul Nixon,
Columbia; Rick Reeves, Gardner-Webb; Lee Ann Riley, Stephen F.
Austin; Jennifer Rizzotti, Hartford; Rhonda Rompola, Southern
Methodist; Julie Rousseau, Pepperdine; Brady Sallee, Eastern
Illinois; Cindy Stein, Missouri; LaVonda Wagner, Oregon State; Adrian
Wiggins, Fresno State; Kay Yow, North Carolina State.
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