Here’s another: A bunch of those BCS schools are more worried about the fate of teams like Old Dominion and Utah and Marist than their own posteason, because if those strong mid-majors lose in the conference tournament, suddenly that fourth bid for the Pac-10 looks awfully shaky. After all, losing to a UConn in the tournament won’t hurt in the eyes of the committee, but if Marist has to have a spot, somebody else has to go.
(Record through Monday) Points -- Last week's rank (first-place
votes)
1. Connecticut (30-1) 772 -- 1 (30)
The ritual demolition of Rutgers was something, but that comeback against DePaul was amazing. Missy Mitidero had the game, and DePaul’s postseason hopes, in her hands, and Maya Moore took one, and maybe both, away.
2. North Carolina (27-2) 741 – 2 (1)
The Tar Heels beat Duke by 31. Thirty-one. Either North Carolina is better than I thought, or Duke isn’t really the 11th best team in the nation. Or maybe there just aren’t 11 teams that deserve to be ranked that high.
3. Tennessee (27-2) 702 – 3
The poll says Tennessee is third in the nation. The SEC seedings say they are second in the conference. It could be that both are right, but let’s just say that the Volunteers would really, really, really like another shot at LSU.
4. Maryland (29-2) 668 -- 5
The Terrapins’ only loss since Dec. 3 came at North Carolina, in double overtime. Fear the Turtle ...
5. Rutgers (24-5) 653 – 4
The reason the Scarlet Knights won’t win the NCAA title is that they just aren’t consistent enough. Sure, losing to UConn is expected – but by 20? And explanations for the 11-point loss to West Virginia are still conspicuous by their absence.
6. LSU (25-4) 619 – 8
If you feel the Geaux Tigers’ urge, and put LSU on the winning line of your pool six straight times, you won’t hear anything bad from me. This is a very good team with championship potential.
7. Stanford (27-3) 617 – 7
The Cardinal backed into the Pac-10 title when Cal went belly-up against mediocre (and that might be a little kind) Washington. That means Stanford can watch Arizona State and the Bears go at it in the Pac-10 semis.
8. Baylor (24-4) 531 – 8
Like Rutgers, Baylor alternates long stretches of brilliance with quick bursts of are-you-sure-about-that score?. Yes, Texas A&M is better lately, but a 19-point loss. And it was 24 points against Stanford.
9. California (24-5) 482 – 9
I hate to say I told you so (OK, I love to say I told you so) but last week’s comment – ‘look for Cal to have to earn a win at Washington’ – proved to be prophetic. The Bears finally ran out of steam, but better now than later.
10. Oklahoma (21-6) 449 – 10
Add Oklahoma to the Rutgers/Baylor list of uncertainty. Beat Texas in Austin by 16; lose to Texas in Norman by 15. What will happen at Texas A&M Thursday? Sherri Coale doesn’t know either.
11. Duke (21-8) 413 – 11t
Last week, I said that after Duke lost to North Carolina, the Blue Devils would no longer be tied for 11th – right on both counts, but I actually meant they’d be 15th or so. But with so much ranked blood on the ground, someone had to be 11th.
12. George Washington (24-5) 373 – 15t
Beating Richmond and ending Fordham’s lost 0-29 season with a 66-27 embarrassment shouldn’t be worth a jump of three spots, but as implied above, you have to vote for somebody.
13. Old Dominion (25-4) 356 – 11t
So did the loss to James Madison hurt that much? Or was it a wakeup call better answered now than in the CAA tournament? I’m going with option B.
14. Utah (25-3) 355 – 15t
George Washington beats two bad teams, and goes to 12; Utah takes care of TCU (51st in RPI) by 15 and Wyoming (31st, and 26th in this poll) by 14, and moves up one spot. Elaine Elliott has reason to worry about what the Selection Committee will do to her -- again.
15. Notre Dame (23-7) 323 – 14
The Irish are pretty good, but not extremely good, as the loss to St. John’s shows. And their best win? Take your pick among unranked Louisville, Syracuse, Pittsburgh and DePaul. In other words, they’re a reach at 15.
16. Texas A&M (22-7) 322 – 18
Morenike Atunrase (bonus points for pronouncing her name properly) is finally healthy, and that elevates the Aggies, who are one team that’s ranked too low. Oklahoma better be ready Thursday.
17. Kansas State (20-8) 310 -- 17
The Wildcats too should have gotten more love – after all, they beat a good Nebraska team and didn’t lose at all. A win on Wednesday at Kansas might get them into the top 15 before the Big 12 tourney starts.
18. West Virginia (23-6) 287 – 13
The Mountaineers have lost three of six, and two of the last three, one to Syracuse by 22. Now the Big East tourney starts, and very likely, here comes Syracuse again. Then, if West Virginia survives, it’s Rutgers.
19. Oklahoma State (22-6) 187 – 19
The Cowgirls have lost three of five, and finish up at Baylor Thursday. They’ll get another loss in the Big 12 tourney, but no matter how many losses they end up with, this is not a team any top seed wants to see in its pod.
20. Marist (28-2) 159 – 21
The Metro Atlantic hasn’t been much of a challenge for the Red Foxes, though 21-8 Fairfield might be able to make the tournament interesting. Even if they get upset, though, the Foxes should be in the NCAAs.
21. Georgia (21-8) 156 – 20
Auburn never really recovered from the loss of point guard Whitney Boddie (academics), but still it was nice for the Bulldogs to beat the Tigers by 12. As always, Georgia seems on track for a 10-loss season, despite its collection of high school talent.
22. Vanderbilt (22-7) 137 – 24
Just a note here: The Commodores beat Georgia twice, home and away, and have fewer overall losses. And the reason for them being ranked below the Bulldogs is what?
23. Ohio State (22-7) 132 – 22
We interrupt the season-long bashing of the Big 10, and the Ohio State, to acknowledge that the league has ten teams with 15 or more wins and is fifth overall in conference RPI. And it should be a heck of a tournament.
24. Texas El Paso (25-2) 123 – 23
Unlike many teams above them, the Miners won twice – yet dropped a spot. They showed grit against SMU, and haven’t lost since Dec. 1. Look, however, for an upset in the C-USA tourney.
25. Virginia (22-8) 38 – NR
The Cavaliers slide into the rankings with a bare minimum of points, but they are 25th nonetheless. And they are also a lock for the real tournament.
Dropped out: No. 25 Wyoming
I don’t quite get why losing to a highly ranked team (Utah) should be grounds for relegation, especially since Wyoming beat #17 Kansas State early in the year. But we all know mid-majors get no respect.
Others receiving votes: Wyoming 25; DePaul (19-10) 19; Hartford (22-5) 19; Liberty (25-3) 19; Western Kentucky (23-7) 16; Syracuse (22-7) 13; Louisville (21-8) 10; Pittsburgh (20-9) 10; Wisconsin-Green Bay (23-4) 10; Middle Tennessee (19-10) 6; TCU (18-10) 6; Illinois State (22-5) 5; Gonzaga (22-7) 3; Nebraska (19-10) 3; Arizona State (20-9) 2; Iowa (20-9) 2; Chattanooga (26-3) 1; Temple (19-11) 1.
I was starting to get excited about Liberty, but then the Flames were extinguished by #156 in RPI Winthrop. Hartord has lost to Boston U., UMass and Vermont. Western Kentucky got stunned by North Texas, which is 2-5 since and 11-17 overall. The mid-major top 25 candidates 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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