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Connecticut back at No. 1, Lady Vols drop to No. 3
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Connecticut was a clear choice as No. 1. Rutgers was more of a poll mystery.
The Huskies regained the top spot in The Associated Press women's basketball poll Monday after receiving 38 of the 50 first-place votes. Connecticut had been No. 1 for seven straight weeks before falling to No. 2 last week.
Tennessee, meanwhile, lost its grip on No. 1 and fell to No. 3 following a home loss to LSU on Thursday.
The Huskies romped over Georgetown and then-No. 18 Pittsburgh by an average margin of 29 points last week, with games this week against Marquette and St. John's.
North Carolina, with two first places votes, moved up to No. 2 after beating Virginia and Florida State.
Maryland and Rutgers remained fourth and fifth. Voters had mixed feelings on Rutgers after its last-second, controversial loss at Tennessee.
The Scarlet Knights received eight first-place votes — the most they've ever received — while other voters ranked them as low as eighth. The first-place votes were the first for Rutgers since Jan. 10, 2005.
"I think they are playing some of the best basketball over the last couple of weeks," said voter Mike Carmin of the (Indiana) Journal and Courier after putting Rutgers on top. "I'm counting the game at Tennessee as a win. Putting them No. 1 was not easy."
Bob Thomas of the Florida Times-Union saw it differently.
"You have to let outcomes be outcomes. We don't have do-overs," said Thomas, the only voter who kept Tennessee at No. 1. "I think Rutgers is one of seven teams that have a chance to be in the Final Four. I've fought with that core group of six or seven teams all season. It's really difficult to split differences."
Thomas moved Rutgers down one spot to seventh from last week's ballot, but it was more for LSU's win than the Scarlet Knights' loss.
"I rewarded LSU for knocking off the No. 1 team, more than punishing Rutgers," he said.
LSU, which received the other first place vote, moved up to No. 6. Stanford, California, Baylor and Old Dominion round out the top 10. It's the first time the Lady Monarchs are ranked in the top 10 since the final poll of the 1999 season, when they were fifth.
Oklahoma fell one spot to No. 11 after losing to Baylor 79-59 on Sunday. The Sooners were followed by Duke, West Virginia, Notre Dame and Kansas State.
Oklahoma State was 16th, followed by George Washington, Utah, UTEP, and Ohio State. The Miners made the biggest leap, moving up five spots.
Texas A&M, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Georgia, and Vanderbilt round out the poll. Pitt fell five spots to No. 23 after losses to West Virginia and Connecticut.
One week after seeing its string of 98 consecutive weeks in the poll end, Georgia re-entered the Top 25 after wins over Florida and Mississippi State.
Wyoming dropped out after a loss to TCU.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by mtnsvol44 on February 18, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What happens Nov. 3.????
Posted by RockyTop1 on February 18, 2008 at 2:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Typical no-KNS spellchecking???
Posted by jigsha on February 18, 2008 at 2:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry folks. That was a typo. It's been fixed now.
Jigsh Desai
govolsxtra.com
Posted by dopedawg on February 18, 2008 at 3:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Still got the faith ladys. Get off the couch, dont be lazy, win the SEC, and get #8. Play like you want it!!!! Go LV's!!!!
Posted by MemphisVol on February 18, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
what are the men ranked? hello....
Posted by marc_ash on February 18, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No worries and not a big deal. The big deal comes when the Vols play in the Tourney. Who would have thought...Lady Vols #3 while Men's team #2 with a chance at #1 on Sat!
It's great to be a Tennessee Vol!
Posted by Greyback_Vol on February 18, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow! I'd never thought I would see the UT men EVER play for the #1 spot. If they beat Memphis, well...I really don't know what happens when your team is ranked No. 1. Also, keep up the good work, ladies. Show us what you've got in March.
Posted by LadyVolsEighTimes on February 18, 2008 at 5:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm almost afraid to get my hopes up!
I believe the men will beat Memphis and get the #1 spot, I can believe that.
But is it possible we may very well have both teams as one seeds in the NCAA Tourney? Both going to the Final FOur?????
And oh Please Basketball Gods,,,,Let them both earn a National Title!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh and get Britton into rehab!
Posted by mparker on February 18, 2008 at 6:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
that's not cool...LSU deserved a stronger move up. Still, they will get their chance against Uconn in a week or so.
the LV's aren't showing up like a no. 3 team, the guard play is terrible.
I'm pretty down on the LV's, as you can tell, because of the guards and Anoaike. Anosike was my favorite LV last year, but she ain't bringing it this year.
CP is having a top year.
Posted by pdhuff on February 18, 2008 at 7:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
mparker 6:38 - Is it CP -Coach Phil or Coach Pearl that's having a good year? Couldn't resist. LOL
Posted by mparker on February 18, 2008 at 7:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
pd, I feel so bad for CPF that it isn't funny. I grew up near where he played ball, know tte type of people he comes from.
The guy bleeds every time one of 'his kids' lets him down, and/or lets themselves down.
Between you and me, his days are most likely numbered. It's not the game that has passed him by, it's the fact that it is a cold, hard business with a perfectionist audiotor: the fan.
Phillip is an 'old-school', buy, like Bobby Bowden, Lloyd Carr, even Pete Carrroll and Mack Brown. The diff for Pete and Mack is where they recruit and the fan base.
Okay, a longer response than was warrented, but I do feel badly for CPF.
Posted by Chrisoda751 on February 18, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mparker, I couldn't agree with you more. I liked this site a lot better when it was a "paid" site. Keeps a lot of the children off the posts.
Posted by utmdm on February 18, 2008 at 8:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In past years this would be enough to motivate the ladies:
UT Men #2
UT Women #3
Let's see what happens this year.
Posted by splinterdand on February 20, 2008 at 8:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Did anyone notice how well-coached that LSU team is? Van Chancellor knows his stuff. He had outstanding success at Ole Miss with minimal talent. That could be the team that wins it all.
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