Jennifer
03-11-2002, 06:25 PM
Monday, March 11
Huskies finish on top for third straight season
Associated Press
From the preseason WNIT to the eve of the NCAA tournament, it was Connecticut all the way.
The unbeaten Huskies completed a season-long run at No. 1 in the AP women's basketball poll Monday, the third straight year they have finished on top.
Only Texas has had a longer run of consecutive No. 1 finishes in the poll, which started in the 1976-77 season. The Longhorns topped the final poll four straight years, from 1984 through 1987.
It was the sixth time a team went all season at No. 1 and the second time for the Huskies (33-0). They first did it in 1999-2000, a season they capped with their second national championship.
"I think it's a consistency we're proud of," Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said. "I think people around the country are starting to notice, if they haven't already.
"It's not easy to get to that point and stay there, year after year. It makes me feel pretty good about what we're doing."
Connecticut, the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Midwest Regional, received all 44 first-place votes from a national media panel and had 1,100 points.
The Huskies started the season by winning the WNIT and have been a unanimous No. 1 since beating Tennessee on Jan. 5. Tennessee had received a handful of first-place votes before then.
Oklahoma, fourth last week, jumped past Duke into the No. 2 spot, its highest ranking ever. The Sooners (27-3) are the No. 1 seed in the West Regional after winning the Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament championships. They had 1,031 points in the voting.
Duke held at No. 3 with 1,020 points, Vanderbilt moved up one spot to fourth and Stanford fell from second to fifth after losing to Arizona State in the finals of the Pac-10 tournament.
Tennessee remained sixth and Baylor stayed at No. 7. Louisiana Tech, Purdue and Iowa State completed the top 10.
Kansas State jumped two spots to 11th and Colorado fell two places to 12th. Then it was South Carolina, Texas, Old Dominion, North Carolina, Texas Tech, Minnesota, Cincinnati and Colorado State.
Boston College was 21st, LSU 22nd and Florida International 23rd. Florida and Penn State tied for 24th.
The poll had only minor shuffling and there were no newcomers. The biggest gain was two places -- by Oklahoma, Kansas State, Cincinnati and Florida International. Stanford's fall from second to fifth was the biggest drop.
Connecticut has five No. 1 finishes now, matching Tennessee for the most. All of Connecticut's have come since 1995.
The final poll had seven teams from the Big 12, five from the Southeastern Conference and three from the Big Ten.
Fourteen teams stayed in the poll all season. Connecticut, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, Stanford and Tennessee remained in the top 10 the whole time.
The others ranked all season were Duke, Baylor, Louisiana Tech, Purdue, Colorado, Iowa State, Old Dominion, Texas Tech and Florida.
Huskies finish on top for third straight season
Associated Press
From the preseason WNIT to the eve of the NCAA tournament, it was Connecticut all the way.
The unbeaten Huskies completed a season-long run at No. 1 in the AP women's basketball poll Monday, the third straight year they have finished on top.
Only Texas has had a longer run of consecutive No. 1 finishes in the poll, which started in the 1976-77 season. The Longhorns topped the final poll four straight years, from 1984 through 1987.
It was the sixth time a team went all season at No. 1 and the second time for the Huskies (33-0). They first did it in 1999-2000, a season they capped with their second national championship.
"I think it's a consistency we're proud of," Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said. "I think people around the country are starting to notice, if they haven't already.
"It's not easy to get to that point and stay there, year after year. It makes me feel pretty good about what we're doing."
Connecticut, the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Midwest Regional, received all 44 first-place votes from a national media panel and had 1,100 points.
The Huskies started the season by winning the WNIT and have been a unanimous No. 1 since beating Tennessee on Jan. 5. Tennessee had received a handful of first-place votes before then.
Oklahoma, fourth last week, jumped past Duke into the No. 2 spot, its highest ranking ever. The Sooners (27-3) are the No. 1 seed in the West Regional after winning the Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament championships. They had 1,031 points in the voting.
Duke held at No. 3 with 1,020 points, Vanderbilt moved up one spot to fourth and Stanford fell from second to fifth after losing to Arizona State in the finals of the Pac-10 tournament.
Tennessee remained sixth and Baylor stayed at No. 7. Louisiana Tech, Purdue and Iowa State completed the top 10.
Kansas State jumped two spots to 11th and Colorado fell two places to 12th. Then it was South Carolina, Texas, Old Dominion, North Carolina, Texas Tech, Minnesota, Cincinnati and Colorado State.
Boston College was 21st, LSU 22nd and Florida International 23rd. Florida and Penn State tied for 24th.
The poll had only minor shuffling and there were no newcomers. The biggest gain was two places -- by Oklahoma, Kansas State, Cincinnati and Florida International. Stanford's fall from second to fifth was the biggest drop.
Connecticut has five No. 1 finishes now, matching Tennessee for the most. All of Connecticut's have come since 1995.
The final poll had seven teams from the Big 12, five from the Southeastern Conference and three from the Big Ten.
Fourteen teams stayed in the poll all season. Connecticut, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, Stanford and Tennessee remained in the top 10 the whole time.
The others ranked all season were Duke, Baylor, Louisiana Tech, Purdue, Colorado, Iowa State, Old Dominion, Texas Tech and Florida.