By Mel Greenberg
A scheduling quirk has caused a tantalizing day-night doubleheader Sunday in and near the nation's capital inside the beltway.
The second game was already on the books and will be a reunion of Atlantic 10 Conference rivals of the past when No. 6 Rutgers (1-1) visits No. 14 George Washington (3--0) at 8 p.m. in a nationally-televised game on ESPNU.
Earlier in the day, No. 3 Maryland (4-0) will host No. 4 LSU (3-0) in the championship game of the preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament at the Terrapins' Comcast Center. Internet viewing will be available at ACC Select/www.accselect.com or through Maryland website links at www.umterps.com.
We won't be on the scene but the Guru is sure his colleagues at D.C.Basket Cases will be all over the action.
The advancement of Maryland occurred through home wins against Princeton, Delaware, and Notre Dame, while LSU beat Samford, TCU, and Michigan State.
Additionally, Maryland coach Brenda Frese's squad owns a non-tournament victory over Oklahoma a week ago in Chapel Hill, North Carolina at the State Farm Tipoff Classic.
The game will bring new LSU coach Van Chancellor, a recent inductee to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, back to the D.C. area for the first time since leading the WNBA Houston Comets on summer tours to the Verizon Center in the district against the Washington Mystics through the first decade of the women's pro league, ending in 2006.
Chancellor, of course, led Houston to the first four WNBA crowns and also coached the United States women's squad to an Olympic gold medal in Athens, Greence, in 2004.
LSU and Maryland have met four times, with the Tigers owning a 3-1 edge. The Tigers prevailed when the two last met in November, 2004 at the Coors Classic in Boulder, Colo.
Expect to see a bunch of WNBA coaches at both events considering future potential first-round talent in next April's draft will play in both games.
Both events feature premium in the post positions, Maryland offers Willingboro High's Crystal Langhorne, a preseason All-America and preseason Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, along with teammate Laura Harper of Cheltenham High,the MVP of Maryland's 2006 NCAA championship.
The Terrapins also have potential WNBA talent among their non-seniors such as junior guard Kristi Toliver and forward Marissa Coleman.
LSU has all five starters back from its Final Four contingent, highlighted by preseason all-America Sylvia Fowles, a likely No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick depending on what Tennessee's junior Candace Parker decides to do at the end of the season since she's eligible for selection.
Senior guard Quianna Chaney is another prized commodity on the Tigers' roster.
A few miles away, more WNBA draft talent will be available in senior forward Essence Carson and senior guard Matee Ajavon of Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights also offer lower-classwomen with pro potential in junior center Kia Vaughn and sophomore guard Epiphanny Prince among the starters.
George Washington has a potential WNBA player for next season in guard Kimbery Beck, while 6-foot-4 junior forward-center Jessica Adair will also be observed by scouts from the pros.
Colonials coach Joe McKeown, a native of Philadelphia, often tells tales of hitching rides home from Trenton as a student with then-Rutgers coach Theresa Grentz back in the mid-1970s. At the same time, current Scarlet Knights mentor -- Women's Basketball Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer, was building her first national powerhouse at Cheyney in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Off their past duels for Atlantic Ten supremacy, Rutgers owns a 25-8 advantage in the series.
The two are 2-2, both prevailing at home, since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big East for 1995-96,
Rutgers won the last meeting on Dec. 29, 2002. The Scarlet Knights are hoping Sunday nights on national television isn't fodder for becoming opponents' best victory.
A week ago, Stanford won a controversial 60-58 victory on a foul call in the last second and the win over then-No. 3 Rutgers was the Cardinal's first win at a top 5 ranked opponent in ten seasons.
As it is, the Georgie Washington 63-58 win at the Smith Center on Dec. 4, 1999, occurred when Rutgers was ranked No. 7 and that success stands as the Colonials' best-ever regular season win in terms of nationally-ranked opposition.
That would be topped with a win Sunday night.
Other games of note in the Top 25 on Sunday, include No. 20 Texas at No. 1 Tennessee, which will mark the first time former Duke coach Gail Goestenkors is on the opposing bench from Hall of Famer Pat Summitt since leaving for Texas last April.
Goestenkors will also be an assistant next summer on the USA Olympic squad.
No. 13 Baylor will host No. 12 California.
In games involving local teams, besides Rutgers, Temple will visit Georgia Tech in Atlantia after a near-upset of No. 8 Georgia in Athens, Friday night. Virginia Commonwealth will visit St. Joseph's and Villanova is at Monmouth.
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Day and Night in West Philadelphia
Just like the headline says, we collected double-miles going back and forth from the office twice to lead the print roundup with the afternoon La Salle-Drexel game at the Dragons' Daskalakis Athletic Center and then ventured over at night to the Palestra to get our first look at Penn, which hosted Manhattan.
We also found a tiring, but perservering Jonathan, who had covered the Penn football game in the afternoon for the print sports section of the Inquirer and then went next door to handle the men's basketball game. With the Quakers being his alma mater, he hung around for the women's game.
In the afternoon women's title, Gabriela Marginean scored 28 points to give Drexel (1-2) its first win of the season in home opener, a 57-50 victory over the Explorers (1-2), who were led by senior Carlene Hightower scoring 30 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
Andrea Peterson, a former Archbishop Carroll star and transfer from St. John's star, added 13 points as Drexel beat the Big Five school for the second time in three years. La Salle leads in the overall series, 17-4.
Penn (1-2) had troubled scoring, losing to the Japsers, 66-44, with Carrie Biemer and Kimberly Franklin each scoring 11 points.
While Manhattan was without several of its taller players, Penn coach Pat Knapp noted "you don't have to be big to score, but you have to be quick."
He also said increased minutes were given to his bench and younger players because of his "disappointment with our veterans."
Penn will host St. Joseph's in a Big Five game at the Palestra, Tuesday night.
-- Mel
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