Women's Hoops Guru

(Guru's note: A game story from Duke for print to lead the women's roundup is at Philly.com)

By Mel Greenberg

DURHAM, N.C. - Remember two weeks ago when things came together all over the planet to help the Eagles land a playoff berth. The home team routed Dallas and got help elsewhere with great comebacks.

Temple sort of had the same thing happen in reverse Monday night at Duke.

The Owls got routed, 87-52, by the No. 5 Blue Devils, who will probably move up to No. 4 next week.

Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie was pleased that her squad finally was able to dominate all the way as opposed to some previous games that go beyond her arrival from Michigan State last year.

"This was the first time we dominated them," McCallie said.

Asked if she had some areas of concern facing the Owls, McCallie responded, saying,

"They do so many nice things; I had tremendous concerns about their inside game with (Shanea) Cotton and (Shenita) Landry. I was very concerned about those two as seniors and players who are very comfortable. I was very concerned about (Lindsay Kimmel) as an outside and very pleased that she didn’t get open or get access to really be effective there. You treat every opponent exactly the same, and we were very prepared for Temple.”

Unfortuately for the Owls, the game was witnessed by Duke senior women's adminstrator Jacki Silar who is also the chairwoman of the NCAA tournament committee.

Fortunately, she also watched Temple's performance against Rutgers last month.

Meanwhile back home in Philadelphia some of sting down here was in being alleviated with the news that Penn was on the verge of beating La Salle in a Big Five game.

That was going to be helpful in terms of the Temple possibly still being a stand-alone champion, but with one loss, which is usually a rarity in the final standings.

Then the Guru's blackberry was hit simultaneously from La Salle and Penn that Ashley Gale hit a three-pointer at the buzzer and that La Salle scored the last 12 points to win the game.

That cost Temple's outright chances if the Guru has the match deduced correctly.

Someone should give a tarnished trophy for Penn and Villanova to share at the postseason dinner. Either the Wildcats or Quakers with a few extra minutes and points could have been unbeaten champions. Villanova finished 1-3 with the one being an upset of Temple that ended the Owls' 18-game City Series record win streak. Penn was 0-4 being in every contest as opposed to a year ago when the Quakers were crushed in all four games. They have now lost 17 straight.

All this does is make Temple's visit to Philadelphia University Sunday to play St. Joseph's a key game as the start of the Atlantic Ten schedule and also in the Big Five race.

St. Joseph's and La Salle are both 2-0 and can win outright with a sweep.

For Temple to share a title, the Owls need to beat the Hawks and La Salle to finish 3-1 while piling up Atlantic Ten wins at the same time.

Then whoever wins between La Salle and St. Joseph's in the final Big Five game in February would share the crown with the Owls at 3-1.

The Voting Gap

For the first time there is an unusually wide differential between teams ranked in the Associated Press women's poll and the coaches poll that is sponsored by ESPN and USA Today through the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

Now in this particular year it could be hard to see which group will be proven right in their deliberations.

But the Guru has heard whispers from a few coaches not on the voting board questioning how teams are getting ranked on that side of the aisle.

The Guru has responded, it is not his area of concern but said he would mention it just to note the discussion has taken place.

Things could still sort themselves out in conference play and maybe not.

Wake Forest, for example, has a great record. How great?

That will be answered with a visit to Maryland Thursday night.

Thats it for now.

We'll be back in the next 24 after we return home.