By Mel Greenberg
Atlhough our previous post discussed the case for Rutgers to become No. 1 when the Associated Press women's poll is released early Monday afternoon -- a ranking we've since learned not likely to happen this time around -- what will be a bit of fascination is in which direction the coaches go with their vote,
The ESPN/WBCA poll runs a day behind the AP media vote, so with the No. 1 position open after Tennessee's thrashing by LSU last week, it will be a bit intriguing which way the coaches go.
The results of the AP vote will be known before the deadline for their ballots. It would seem that the coaches would be a bit sympathetic toward their colleague: Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer whose team lost to Tennessee a week ago when the Vols were able to hit two foul shots because of a "frozen" clock that prevented time from elapsing before the penalty was called against the Scarlet Knights.
So if Rutgers doesn't make the kind of advance the Guru believes worthy in the media vote -- yeah, we voted them No. 1 --- will the coaches suddenly become more conservative with their choices.
Meanwhile, the Baylor loss to Texas and ensuing win over Oklahoma in the Big 12 conference made for much angst in completing the first 10.
Duke's loss to Maryland prevented the Blue Devils from making a move forward and everyone except Old Dominion in the next five took a loss.
California will get a chance to put a strong hold on the Pac-10 lead when it faces Bay Area rival Stanford, which will be after a deadlock, when the two meet this weekend.
Temple Gets Atlantic Ten "Dress Rehearsal" Wednesday night.
Following the Owls' narrow escape from Duquesne in the last minute Sunday at the Liacouras Center, Temple will meet St. Joseph's on Hawk Hill Wednesday at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse -- the site of next month's Atlantic Ten tournament.
It's a big week for both teams. Temple moved back into a three-way tie for first with George Washington and Xavier, which both suffered upsets.
Coach Cindy Griffin's Hawks will be looking to avenge last month's Big Five loss to the Owls, who went on to complete their unprecedented fourth-straight 4-0 City Series sweep.
St. Joseph's will host George Washington, Sunday, in the first meeting of the two since the Hawks upset the Colonials in the semifinals of last season's conference tournament.
"I think the atmosphere of what we're going to face on Wednesday will be a tell-tale sign of what it's going to be like during the tournament," Temple coach Dawn Staley said.
"As much as we can talk about it, playing St. Joe's at St. Joe's is going to give us a very similar atmosphere to the tournament. We're going to use that experience as one we can draw on at the tournament."
Staley tied former Temple coach Linda Hill MacDonald for most wins in the program's history at 166, although the former WNBA all-star reached her total in eight seasons, while Hill MacDonald achieved her total in ten seasons through 1990.
The three-time Olympic gold medalists did not want to dwell on her achievement.
"I want to win them all," Staley said. "I wasn't really paying attention, but I would have loved to be here (at the total) a little bit sooner, but that's the way the ball bounces sometimes."
Drexel Stays in Knots in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Subtract Old Dominion from the mix in the CAA and it would be quite a battle for the regular season conference title.
Drexel, in a three-way tie for third place, upset second-place James Madison, Sunday, in an effort to earn a bye in next month's conference tournament at Delaware.
"A win like that erases the bad taste from the close one we lost at Northeastern," Dragons coach Denise Dillon said.
Villanova Seeks Return to Big East Tournament
After missing last season's Big East donnybrook while suffering its worst-ever record, Villanova is moving closer to qualify for this year's fiesta of nationally-ranked teams that will meet in Hartford.
The Wildcats' win over Cincinnati at the Pavilion, Saturday, moved then into 10th place, two wins above Seton Hall and South Florida.
A big reason for Villanova's turnaround is the additon of former Germantown Academy star Laura Kurz, a transfer from Duke, who appears to be part of a three-way race for Big Five player of the year honors with La Salle's Carlene Hightower and Temple's Ashley Morris.
Rush On Hall Ballot
Former Immaculata coach Cathy Rush is among the candidates on this year's Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame ballot for enshrinement in September in Springfield, Mass.
It is her sixth nomination.
We found it a bit surprising that the women's subcommittee didn't also move Rutgers' Stringer forward, although in recent seasons there has been a reluctance to name two for fear the ballot might be split, depriving any women's nominee of induction.
Considering that Stringer will most likely have her 800th win in her resume next time around -- she's three away -- that might help strengthen her cause among voters, as if any strengthening is needed.
We'll be back late Monday after we have time to study the results of the new A.P. poll
-- Mel
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