The Avenue Top 25

Top 25 Rankings 2.28.2007

1.)Duke

2.)Tennessee

3.)UNC

4.)UCONN

5.)Maryland

6.)Stanford

7.)Oklahoma

8.)Arizona St

9.)Vanderbilt

10.)Ohio St

11.)LSU

12.)George Washington

13.)Middle Tennessee

14.)Georgia

15.)Purdue

16.)Texas A & M

17.)Bowling Green

18.)Baylor

19.)NC State

20.)Marquette

21.)Rutgers

22.)Wisconsin-Green Bay

23.)Michigan State

24.)California

25.)Louisville

Bubble:Florida State, James Madison, Montana, Old Dominion, Pittsburgh, Delaware, Notre Dame, Iowa State

Conference Tourney Preview: Big East

2007 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Championship Field - Presented by Aéropostale
Saturday, March 3 - First Round (BETV & BIG EAST All-Access)

Noon - No. 5 Louisville vs. No. 12 St. John's

2 p.m. - No. 8 USF vs. No. 9 Seton Hall

6 p.m. - No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 DePaul

8 p.m. - No. 6 Pittsburgh vs. No. 11 Cincinnati
Sunday, March 4 - Quarterfinals (ESPNU)

Noon - No. 4 West Virginia vs. No. 5/No. 12 winner

2 p.m. - No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 8/No. 9 winner

6 p.m. - No. 2 Rutgers vs. No. 7/No. 10 winner

8 p.m. - No. 3 Marquette vs. No. 6/No. 11 winner
Monday, March 5 - Semifinals (ESPNU)

6 p.m. - Quarterfinal afternoon winners

8 p.m. - Quarterfinal evening winners
Tuesday, March 6 - Championship (ESPN2)

7:00 p.m. - Championship game (semifinal winners)

Predictions:

Louisville will play West Virginia, USF will play UConn, Notre Dame will play Rutgers and Pitt will play Marquette. Louisville vs. UConn in semifinal #1, while Rutgers and Pitt will play in semifinal #2. UConn vs. Rutgers in the final. UConn wins the Big East Tournament.

The Avenue Power Seeds

After a week in which Duke stayed dominant, LSU lost to Vandy, Baylor lost to A&M and UConn and Maryland looked good, much has changed within the top 16 seeds of the NCAA tourney. Here are the predictions prior to conference tourney's which start this weekend:

The 1's
Duke (The national title is their's to lose. No one else should touch them.)
Tennessee (The second best team, and probably the only one with a chance as of now to upset Duke.)
North Carolina (Ivory Latta isn't the same as she was last year and neither is Larkins. Wouldn't want to be playing them if they go back to playing like they did last season.)
UConn (Quietly moving up to the level of play that could surprise everyone.)

The 2's
Maryland (Playing better as of late. Duke and UNC fans would hate it if they win the ACC Tourney and go on another tear.)
Ohio State (They get the two nod simply because they did dominate the Big Ten. However, they are no where near the top level teams.)
Stanford (Even without Wiggins they have managed to get the job done. With Wiggins back they might be the tourney sleeper.)
Oklahoma (They hit a rough patch, but are still favored for the Big 12 Title. How can you not give a team with Courtney Paris the two nod?)

The 3's
Arizona State (If they win the Pac-10 Tourney they could be the two and Stanford the three.)
Georgia (If this team comes together they have enough talent to play with the 1's.)
Texas A&M (Looking good late in the season.)
George Washington (Undefeated A-10 season impressive considering Temple was better than expected and Xavier is an NCAA team as well. Will be threatened in the A10 Tourney on Xavier's homecourt. If they lose there, they fall to a 4.)

The 4's
Vanderbilt (Impressive win over LSU and they were a 3. Embarrassing loss to Tennessee and they are a 4.)
LSU (It pains me to put them this low because I think they are much better, but two losses in a row to Tennessee and Vandy leaves me no choice.)
Purdue (If they can win the Big Ten Tourney, they could go to a three.)
Baylor (Kim Mulkey's team should be a four even in winning the Big 12 Tourney, which I think is unlikely anyhow. They are young and inconsistent.)

Main Street: Big East brawl in Jersey tonight

For UConn it's about locking up another undefeated conference season and making sure they get that one seed in the NCAA tournament. For Rutgers it's about playing spoiler, protecting their homecourt and raising their stock for the NCAA seeding process.

The Summary: After a horrid start, the Scarlet Knight have come on strong. For awhile, it didn't seem that they were going to be playing in any post-season tournament. They started off 2-4, including getting blown out by 40 to top-ranked Duke. Then, they went on a tear, going 17-3 in their last 20 games. UConn is UConn, but no one expected them to be as good as they have been this season. Tina Charles, the #1 recruit last season, has been as good as advertised.

The Stakes: UConn already has the league title, as they are 15-0 in league play and three games ahead of Rutgers so there is no threat there, but it would be nice to run the gauntlet and almost ensure the one seed in the NCAA. Rutgers has done well in their last 20 games and have won five in a row. Coach Stringer knows if she can get the upset than she can get a higher tourney seed. UConn is 26-2 overall, with losses to Tennessee and UNC. Rutgers is 19-7 overall and 12-3 in the conference.

The Series: UConn won earlier this seasonin Storrs, 60-50, but Rutgers has won two of the last three meetings. UConn leads the overall series 19-4.

The Say: If Matee Ajavon plays like she did against their last opponent, Notre Dame, Rutgers might be able to pull off the upset. UConn is good, but this isn't UConn of old and I believe we will see them get upset in Rutgers tonight. Final Word: Rutgers pulls off the upset in a thriller!

Airs on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.

TourneyBuzz: Life on the Bubble

Aw, life on the bubble. Constant uncertainty, stress and pressure. These teams have played themselves on the bubble. Whether by playing bad or by making a late-season run to put them in contention for the NCAA's. Let's take a look at the bubble as it stands one week before conference tournaments begin:

ACC

Georgia Tech (18-10, 9-5 ACC)

RPI: 48

SOS: 31

Key Wins: Maryland, NC State

Key Losses: Georgia, Temple, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State

Status: Good. While the ACC isn't as strong as last season, Georgia Tech has earned nine wins in the league, including big wins over Maryland and NC State. Their numbers are just good enough to get in.

Big 12

Oklahoma State (19-9, 7-8 Big 12)

RPI:69

SOS:81

Key Wins:Iowa State, Nebraska, Texas (twice)

Key Losses: Arkansas State, Oklahoma (twice), Baylor (twice), Texas A&M (twice)

Status: Iffy. While no one is going to be disappointed with a WNIT bid after being in the cellar for so long, Kurt Budke's squad is on the cusp of breaking through. They must defeat K-State on the road for any chance and then win a game or two in the Big 12 tourney.

Texas (17-12, 6-9 Big 12)

RPI:31

SOS:6

Key Wins: Purdue, Oklahoma, Texas A&M

Key Losses: Duke, Tennessee, Kansas

Status:Iffy. Great RPI numbers, played a tough schedule. However, Texas should not be in this position. Injuries or no injuries, Texas has let their program slip and now will likely miss the NCAA's again this year. A five-game losing streak, broken last night against Tech, is not something the committee is going to look favorably upon. Good wins and computer numbers are keeping their slim hopes alive.

Big East

Seton Hall (18-9, 9-6 Big East)

RPI:64

SOS:60

Key Wins: Marquette, Pittsburgh

Key Losses: UConn, Kansas, Virginia, Rutgers

Status: Iffy. Computer numbers are low, but the Pirates might have a chance if they can upset South Florida on the road and get to 10 Big East wins. Might also have to get a win in the Big East Tournament.

Big Ten

Illinois (18-9, 8-7 Big Ten)

RPI: 76

SOS: 98

Key Wins: Michigan State

Key Losses: Indiana (twice), Ohio State, Purdue, Mississippi

Status: Bursting. While the Illini will finish in the top five of the Big Ten, a spot that would typically get you in, the league is down big time and Illinois needed to not lose to the likes of Indiana and Minnesota to up their league record. They will need to upset Purdue today at home and likely win a game in the Big Ten Tourney or maybe more in order to get in. A .500 league record won't do the job with that bad RPI and only one marquee win.

Pac-10

Washington (18-11, 11-7 Pac-10)

RPI:41

SOS: 21

Key Wins: Texas A&M, Gonzaga, Florida State, USC, California

Key Losses: Ohio State, Marquette, Stanford (twice)

Status: Good. Quality wins, good computer numbers, a fourth place finish in the Pac-10. All signs point to a bid for Washington. Winning their first round league tourney game will solidify.

USC (16-11, 10-7 Pac-10)

RPI:67

SOS:70

Key Wins: Notre Dame, Washington

Key Losses: South Dakota State, Stanford, Cal (twice), Arizona State (twice)

Status: Bursting. A few weeks back they weren't in contention at all after injuries depleted four of their top players. A win over Cal earlier this week would have gone a long way to improving their chances, but they lost in OT. Today they have a long-shot chance of upsetting Stanford on the road. A win there and their status is better. Right now, they are likely a WNIT team.

SEC

Mississippi State (17-11, 7-6 SEC)

RPI: 66

SOS: 46

Key Wins: Ole Miss, Georgia Tech

Key Losses: LaTech, Purdue, Tennessee, LSU

Status: Iffy. Typically, a .500 record in the SEC is good enough. Like so many of the other power leagues this season, the SEC is not as strong and might only get five teams. MSU needs to finish at 8-6 in the league and I think they are good, although their RPI is bad and they really have no marquee wins.

The Prescription: Falcons Soaring High

Balance and Miller key BG success

Folks, take notice.

39 Consecutive Mid-American Conference(MAC) Victories.

18 Straight wins

29 Straight Home Wins making it the longest active home winning streak in the country

17 Straight MAC road wins

Currently, 25-2 with losses to Notre Dame in OT and a nine-point loss to #1 Duke

Three Consecutive Regular Season MAC titles

Just another walk in the park for the Falcons of Bowling Green and head coach Curt Miller as the Falcons come into this weekends game against Ohio University ranked #16 in the latest USA Today/ESPN poll. Are we seeing the a new ODU or La Tech in the making? Time will tell. BG has extremely high hopes this season after two very tough losses in the NCAA tournament. In 2005, the Falcons lost to Deb Patterson's highly ranked Kansas St program in a nail biter after the Falcons lead most of the 2nd half. In 2006, the Falcons were disrespected in the bracketing and had to battle five seed UCLA and Kathy Olivier in the first round before falling in the waning moments of the game. The Falcons finished 28-3 last season. The BG program and fans felt short handed and wanted to prove something to the NCAA tournament committee. Curt Miller improved his non-conference schedule by playing Notre Dame, Indiana, Temple, Duke, Temple, and Delaware. BG won all but two of them, and in fact embarrassed Temple by nearly 20, Indiana by nearly 40 and only lost to #1 Duke by nine...only two teams in the country have been able to keep it in single digits against Duke.The Falcons have many attributes that have contributed to their success, but balance is their #1 weapon. Bowling Green brings five different players averaging in double figures. They are led by Ali Mann's 15.8 ppg, followed by arguably the best guard in the Midwest in Kate Achter at 11.4 ppg, Carin Horne's 11.1 ppg, Liz Honneger's 10.3 ppg, and Amber Flynn's 10 ppg. Not many teams in the entire land can boast that stat line. It doesn't just stop with the offense as the Falcon's defense is spectacular considering they hold their opponents to a dismal 38% field goal percentage and a staggering 28% from long range. Lindsey Goldsberry, sophomore from the national power Dayton Chaminade-Julienne fame, comes off the bench and averages just over two steals per game.BG has overwhelmed their opponents this season with their offensive balance as most have learned they are unable to focus on one certain player. Kate Achter may be the most fluid guard in the Midwest and is impecable at setting the offense and tone. She can finish when taking the ball to the rim, has improved her outside shooting, and has eyes in the back of her head. If she is struggling, super soph Jasmine McCall takes the lead. The starting five for Coach Miller is as versatile as any team in the country as Honneger, Mann, Thorburn, and Flynn can all step outside and knock shots down. This was very successful against Duke as 6'7" Ali Bales had to roam the 3 point line chasing the quicker player of BG.While the Falcons have been ranked all season long in the top 25, they know their tournament seeding will be key for them to make a long tournament run. The Falcons deserve a #4 seed and they should finally be rewarded for their accomplishments instead of some overdone SEC or Pac-10 team. Note to all other 63 teams in the NCAA tournament---the Falcons are for real and pose a huge threat to all.

Dr. Anthony Smith, a native of Convoy, Ohio, currently resides in Perrysburg, Ohio as a physician, and is a regular contributor for Galhoopsavenue.blogspot.com. He can be reached at anthonysmith101@msn.com

Hype Boulevard: Programs Rising, Programs Falling

Top 10 Programs on the Rise:

10. Xavier (Kevin McGuff benefitted from Kristy Curry's exit from Purdue when he snagged one of the top five players in the class of 2006 from the exodus that followed her leaving. Amber Harris is an impact player who will return the Musketeers to the NCAA's year after year.)

9. Bowling Green (Perhaps the new ODU, the new LaTech. A consistent mid-major program that can compete with the BCS schools? Curt Miller, if he sticks around, will welcome a great recruiting class and has three NCAA appearances in a row to keep the flywheel spinning with momentum.)

8. Wisconsin-Green Bay (The Phoenix are another mid-major making noise with top 25 appearances and a reputation for being a team no one wants to face in the NCAA's. Kevin Borseth, who almost left last year for Colorado, is a great coach who will keep them in contention.)

7. Kentucky (Mickie DeMoss is having a rough go this season after big expectations following an NCAA appearance last season. She is pulling in a top 20 recruiting class and will make Kentucky a contender in the SEC. After all, she did help Pat win all those national titles!)

6. Florida State (Sue Semrau brought in a top 25 recruiting class of six this year and they will make FSU a contender in the ACC and in the NCAA's. Speaking of which, the Seminoles will enjoy their third consecutive bid this year.)

5. Oklahoma State (Coach Budke kept LaTech relevant and most thought there was no way he could do it at OSU. Now, in just his second season in Stillwater, Budke has the Cowgirls at 18-9 overall and within striking distance of a .500 finish in the tough Big 12. In the coming years, the OSU vs. Oklahoma game will be a great rivalry in women's hoops.)

4. Georgia Tech (MaChelle Joseph is almost there. In her fourth season she has won nine games in the ACC, a school record, and she beat Maryland this season. She has a top 10 recruiting class coming in next season with a top 10 player. Watch out for them in the coming years. They should get an NCAA bid this season to start a trend.)

3. Middle Tennessee (What started with Stephany Smith, now at Alabama, is going to the next level with former high school coach, Rick Insell, who brought in a top 10 recruiting class at a school that no one knows a lot about. They are definitely the new LaTech or ODU. They are small, small school competing with national powers and it looks to become a trend. They have already proven themselves with a win on the road at Georgia and a near-upset of Maryland.)

2. California (Joanne Boyle benefitted from inheriting a great recruiting class, but next year she'll bring in her own top 20 recruits to keep the momentum going in Berkely. She is building a program that will be able to compete with Stanford and for long runs in the NCAA tournament. Look for their second straight NCAA appearance this season in just two years for Boyle.)

1. USC (Mark Trakh will bring in another blue chip class next season and will finally have all the peices of his 2006 recruiting class, including one of the top three players in Jackie Gemelos, who Geno wanted real bad. If they can finally get healthy, USC will be a top 10 team next season and into the future with the potential to contend not only for the Pac-10, but also for the final four and maybe even the national title. Yes, Gemelos is that good and so are the rest of players he is bringing in.)

Top 10 Programs Falling From Grace:

10. Arizona (Coach Bonvincini has allowed her once powerful Pac-10 program to fall apart.)

9. Colorodo State (This MWC program used to be a top 10 national power under now-Louisville coach Tom Cullen. Now, it's in the cellar.)

8. Alabama (Hopefully Stephany Smith can pull it together and she deserves time, but 'Bama used to do quite well under Rick Moody.)

7. Arkansas (Another SEC program that was powerful under now-A&M coach Gary Blair, but has since fallen and can't get up!)

6. Clemson (Coach McKinnon needs time, but Clemson has gone from the top of the food chain in the ACC to bottom feeders.)

5. Colorado (The legendary Ceal Barry left with a bad taste in her mouth and I am sure McConnell-Miller will turn it around, but this is a program that used to be one of women's college basketball's best.)

4. Penn State (Time to go, Rene...time to go!)

3. Virginia (Wow, how powerful they used to be, then they went to mediocre, now they don't even make the tourney.)

2. Old Dominion (Even Wendy Larry couldn't keep this program relevant. Yes, she dominates her league, but she can't contend with the national powers anylonger. It's sad to see ODU lose their commitment towards their nationally known women's basketball legacy.)

1. Louisiana Tech (Perhaps the most disappointing is LaTech, probably one of the top five women's programs of all time. Kurt Budke kept them in contention, but it hasn't been the same since Leon Barmore left and now they look like they will miss the NCAA tourney for the first time ever!)

Main Street: Weekend matchup showcases important Pac-10 finale

Talk about being riddled with bad luck. USC is a program on the rise, but four redshitrs have hampered Mark Trakh's Women of Troy from excelling this season and now they lay on the bubble. Stanford hasn't exactly been lucky either after losing JJ Hones to an ACL and now All-American Candace Wiggins is recovering from a hamstring injury. This game is important for both teams for very different reasons.

The Summary: Stanford was a preseason pick for the final four, but they started out rough. Besides a flub up at Cal, the Cardinal are once again dominating the Pac-10. Without Candace Wiggins in the lineup, though, the Cardinal are vulnerable and USC has been playing well of late. Coach Mark Trakh is building a program at the once powerful USC campus. Three years on the job and the last two have ended with NCAA appearances. Anyone remember in just his first year that he nearly upset eventual national runner-up, Michigan State, in the second round? Injuries have plagued him this year, but once again, USC can increase their NCAA chances with a big road win over the Cardinal.

The Stakes: Stanford holds a one-game lead over Arizona State in the league and will win the conference outright by defeating USC on Sunday. They are 23-4 overall. USC is 16-10 overall, but they have gone 10-4 in their last 14 games and nearly upset Cal in OT at Berkeley last night. They are well-coached and can be dangerous. USC is obviously trying for their third consecutive NCAA appearance, but they will definitely need this one over Stanford for any chance. Stanford is obviously in, but they don't want to share the Pac-10 title.

The Series: The last game saw Stanford defeat USC by 16 points. Trakh has yet to get his first win against the Cardinal.

The Say: Next season USC will be a thorn in Stanford's side for years to come as Coach Trakh will hopefully be healthy with Jackie Gemelos and other star players plus a top 20 recruiting class. I think USC will give Stanford a run on Sunday, but in the end Stanford gets the last word and another Pac-10 title. Final word: Stanford, minus Wiggins, still has enough to oust USC and send the Women of Troy to the WNIT.

The Prescription: Goestenkors-opolis?

Move over Krzyzewskiville (K-ville). A new tent city is underway in Durham, NC. Yes, the Duke students are at it again. However, this time in support of the #1 women's basketball progam who currently stands at 28-0, boasts the soon to be announced National Coach of The Year and National Player of The Year. While the final postseason awards are not given out just yet, Duke's Head Coach Gail Goestenkors will likely be accepting her award while Lindsey Harding will be celebrating her National Player of The Year Award. Combine this with the #1 national ranking, and ACC outright Title, and currently the only undefeated men's or women's team in Division 1 NCAA basketball, and one could say the Duke students should be forming this new tent city.The new tent city is adjacent to K-ville, and was created by Duke student Elizabeth Rudisill in which she opened her tent for 20 individuals. Now, more and more tents are popping up daily.Student interest in women's basketball has been so high this season that the school had to turn away students on Jan. 13 for the Blue Devils' win over Maryland. So these fans are making sure there's no way they will miss Sunday's sold-out game against No. 4 North Carolina at 4 p.m.For Goestenkors, the mere mention of the tenting students brought a wide smile to her face. The coach can look out of her office window and see the students' tents."It makes me feel really good," Goestenkors said. "This year, the students have been the best that they've ever been. They're really into the women's basketball program. They've been so supportive."Many schools starve for women's basketball attention. The ACC can proudly say they are boasting all-time high attendance rates for their high profile games this season. This past Sunday in College Park, Duke and Maryland had nearly 18,000 on hand to view this clash between ACC titans. Now, Duke has tent cities for both men AND women. Very impressive and just another accolade for the Duke program.Welcome to the City Limits of Goestenkorsopolis.

Dr. Anthony Smith, a native of Convoy, Ohio, currently resides in Perrysburg, Ohio as a physician, and is a regular contributor for Galhoopsavenue.blogpsot.com. He can be reached at anthonysmith101@msn.com

Main Street: Big Ten battle between a lock and a bubble

Tonight's Main Street focuses on surging Michigan State and slumping Illinois. The Illini need this win for even a sniff of a chance at the NCAA's. They haven't been dancing since 2003. Michigan State has come off of big wins on the road against OSU and Purdue and has become a program under Coach McAuley that seems to be a consistent NCAA team.

The Summary: After a rough start, MSU has pulled it together and their youth has pulled off big wins against ranked Big Ten faves, Purdue and OSU. They are definitely the favorite here, but you can't count out the Hall of Fame legend, Theresa Grentz. Her team started out strong, but has once again struggled to end the season. Grentz needs to get this program back on track. When she first came to Illinois she took a nothing program to back-to-back Sweet 16's within three seasons, but since has done little and has been relegated to the WNIT. Every season she has been in Champaign she has beaten a ranked team (last year it was Oklahoma) and they have not done this yet. Tonight they have a perfect chance at home.

The Stakes: MSU is 21-7 and 12-2 in the conference. To stay in contention for the league title they can't flub up here. They are also fighting for a potential four seed. Right now I would have them at a five or six. Illinois is young, sitting at 17-9 overall and 7-6 in the Big Ten. They need to win this game and probably the next at home versus Purdue for a shot at the NCAA's. That would put them at 9-7 and a solid fourth place in the Big Ten, though the league is as weak as it has ever been.

The Series: MSU leads overall 29-24, but Illinois is 14-9 against the Spartans at home. MSU defeated Illinois by 10 earlier this season.

The Say: Obviously, MSU is playing well and should get out of this game on the road alive, but I have to believe that the Grentz, one of my favorite coaches in the game will have her team pumped and inspired to defeat a ranked opponent to get their eighth Big Ten win and move towards an NCAA bid. A loss hear seals their fate to the "other" tourney. While all signs point to Coach Jo P., I am thinking upset! Final word: Illinois shocks the Spartans, slows their momentum and pulls off the upset!

Hype Boulevard: Season Awards

As the season comes to close soon, the ending remains in doubt and likely should. After all, it was Duke or UNC's National Championship to lose last year, and they both managed to when Maryland survived scares against St. John's and Utah (who had their Final Four ticket within reach) en route to their suprising run to the title. Will this year be the same scenario, or will this finally be the year when the Susan Lucci of women's college basketball, Coach G, gets to celebrate a national title and begin catching up with Coach K? There are many awards to hand out, so let's get started:

Team of the Year: Duke (Picked to finish third in the ACC, they have virtually steamrolled everyone, including the not-to-shabby UNC, Maryland twice and Tennessee. Will it continue or will they flounder?) Runner-Up: UNC (Still here. Still threatening. Waiting for Latta and Larkins to wake up!)

Player of the Year: Lindsey Harding, Duke (Candace Parker who? She doesn't hold a stick compared to Harding this season. She might get all the ink, but I think unfairly. Harding is the true POY.) Runner-up: Courtney Paris, Oklahoma (Perhaps the most dominant post ever in the game and she is only a sophomore. She single-handily is keep the Sooners at the top of the Big 12 and the national scene.)

Coach of the Year: Pokey Chatman, LSU (It would be easy to say Coach G, Pat, Geno...the usual suspects, but I think Chatman, who has kept the Lady Tigers relevant this season has done the best job. After losing National POY and all-everything Seimone Augustus and coming off three straight trips to the Final Four, Chatman has kept the Tigers in the Top10 and in reality is a legitimate two seed going into the NCAA. While the team is nearly all juniors, they are nearly all playing significant time for the first time this season, as the Tigers also lost a great player in Scholanda Hoston, as well as Florence Williams. While they have five losses (by a combined 11 points) they nearly upset a Tennessee and UConn team in the hunt for the national title and clearly can defeat anyone. In just her third full season, Chatman is an excellent coach who is just getting started.) Runner-up: Charly Turner-Thorne, Arizona State (Another up-and-comer, Turner-Thorne has become a legitimate threat to the dominance of Stanford year after year and that is what the Pac-10 needs. Only losses this season, all by single digits, came to the Cardinal twice and to Tennessee. Not too shabby for a program that gets little press.)

Freshman of the Year: Tina Charles, UConn Runner-up: Jayne Appel, Stanford (currently injured)

Best League: ACC (The league may be top heavy, but when a conference has three of the best teams in the land, along with nice supporting players FSU and NC State, it deserves the honors.) Runner-up: SEC

NCAA Sleeper Pick: Bowling Green Runner-up: Middle Tennessee

ACC Coach of the Year: Gail Goestenkors, Duke

SEC Coach of the Year: Pokey Chatman, LSU

Big 12 Coach of the Year: Gary Blair, Texas A&M

Big East Coach of the Year: Tom Cullen, Louisville

Pac-10 Coach of the Year: Charly Turner-Thorne, ASU

Big Ten Coach of the Year: Joanne P. McAuley, MSU

A-10 Coach of the Year: Joe McKeown, GW

MAC Coach of the Year: Curt Miller, BGSU

MWC Coach of the Year: Elaine Elliot, Utah

ACC POY: Lindsey Harding, Duke

SEC POY: Candace Parker, Tennessee

Big 12 POY: Courtney Paris, Oklahoma

Big East POY: Tina Charles, UConn

Pac-10 POY: Candace Wiggins, Stanford

Big Ten POY: Jessica Davenport, OSU

A-10 POY: Amber Harris, Xavier

MAC POY: Amber Flynn, BGSU

MWC POY: Mallory Gillespie, BYU

Main Street: Tonight's matchup is a Big 12, Lonestar State battle

Tonight we look at a battle in the Big 12, an improved conference this season, and one that will be even better in years to come with the addition of Kristy Curry to the coaching ranks at Tech. She already has made her mark with no recruits of her own so watch out Kim and Sherri! Texas A&M has swept the conference-faves, Oklahoma this season, and is a dangerous team come March.

The Summary: A&M is a lock for the Big Dance yet again and Gary Blair has done a great job getting the Aggies out of the Big 12 basement and into a #18 ranking and a chance at the league title. Texas Tech is dangerous and surprising. Curry has added some spunk to the program and she could pull off the upset tonight.

The Stakes: Tech is 15-12 and 6-7 in the Big 12 and likely headed for the WNIT, however, an upset here, a win at Texas and a win over surging Iowa State in Lubbock to end the season could put them in contention for the NCAA's. Right now they are bubble. A&M is fighting to stay alive at the cluttered top of the Big 12 with Oklahoma and Baylor. They need to protect their home court if they want the title.

The Series: Tech owns this series easily at 52-10, but A&M won the earlier season meeting by two points in Lubbock. They split the meetings last year.

The Say: A&M should win this game with their lofty ranking and improved level of play. In just four short years, the formidable Blair has built them into a Sweet 16 contender this season. Tech, though, could play spoiler. They have quality wins over Nebraska, UCLA, Texas and Tulane and nearly beat Oklahoma and A&M in previous meetings this season. You know the ultra-competitive Curry, who is used to the NCAA's at Purdue and LaTech, wants to end the season on a roll and have a chance to dance this March. A&M has faltered before this season when favored so an upset could be brewing. Final word: Close, but no cigar. A&M wins in a barnburner!

The Brutal Truth: Time for a change

They have tried and tried to get their programs on track, building them up the best they know how, but these five coaches and these five programs need to face the facts and realize it is time for a change. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt! For inspiration, just look to Florida's amicable parting of ways between the A.D. and Carolyn Peck.

Virginia (Sorry Debbie Ryan. You are a class act. A legend at UVA, but come on! It's time to step aside before you become a cellar dwellar in the ACC. You had your heydey in the 90's, but why not step aside with class. Replacement choice: Dawn Staley....Duh?! Who else. She has turned Temple into a force, imagine what this UVA alum and former WNBA star could do at a major school. She would strike fear into the hearts of Gail, Brenda and Sylvia!)

Texas (Yes, another coaching legend. Second in NCAA wins only to Pat Summitt. Has had some recent success and has been plagued by injuries and her recruiting classes have been excellent. Despite adversity, relevant coaches manage to find a way to keep their programs competitive. For the past two seasons Texas, plagued with injuries, hasn't risen in the face of adversity, but rather shrunk in WNIT status. Looks like they will head back to the "other" tourney again. And what happened in 2005, one year after they blew a huge lead to UConn in the final four? A second round exit after being a preseason fave for the national title? Sorry, Jody, time to go. Replacement choice: Nell Fortner would be an excellent choice for Texas. While she isn't doing well at Auburn, this Texas alum would take great pride in bringing Texas to the Final Four year in and year out.)

Kansas (Bonnie Henrickson has tried, but failed. It's not like Kansas has ever been a national powerhouse or anything, but with the success of their men's program, there is no reason to think they shouldn't be able to. Legendary coach Marion Washington led the program for decades and had them competitive and in the NCAA's with frequency. This a sleeping giant needing an awakening! Replacement choice: Cheryl Burnett. Yes, she is doing awful at Michigan, but Burnett can coach and proved so with two final fours at mid-major SW Missouri State (now just Mo. State). She would excel in the Big 12 and in the heartland, as opposed to the cold industry of Michigan.)

Penn State (Yes, another legendary coach needing to be ousted. Rene has a great class coming in next year, but I think too little too late. She is now plagued with controvery over the infamous lawsuit filed by a former player and she will miss the NCAA's once again this season. The Big Ten is down big time and they need to pick it up! It wasn't too long ago five or six teams were getting tourney bids and teams like Minnesota, Penn State, Illinois and Iowa were making Sweet 16's and Final Fours. Now, the league is OSU, Purdue and MSU and no one else. Penn State is a program that needs a change and to rejoin the upper-echelon of the Big Ten and the national scene. Bye, bye, Rene! Replacement choice: Curt Miller. The Bowling Green coach is bound to get plucked from the mid-major MAC school after this season, in which he has led his team into the national rankings and an almost certain third consecutive NCAA bid. He will be the top choice for a lot of programs, but he seems to excel in the Midwest. Makes sense to me that Penn State should benefit from this star on the rise!)

UCLA (Kathy Olivier cannot get it done at a school that wins numerous national titles every year, a school located in beautiful L.A. with a softball, men's basketball, water polo, volleyball and many other relevant national title programs to serve as a recruiting edge? Come on? It seems every year is going to be the year with this program and every year is a bust! The Bruins have given her ample time, but now is the time for change. With USC earning prized recruiting classes year after year and becoming an NCAA staple, Cal picking it up and of course with ASU growing in strength, UCLA better make a move or get lost in the shuffle. You mean to tell me you had three All-Americans on your roster all those years and you make one NCAA appearance? Puh-leeze! Replacement choice: Carolyn Peck. I don't care if she just got sent packing at Florida, the gal can coach and in the right league she could definitely build a program. She needs to get out of the South and switch coasts to California, where I believe she build UCLA into an NCAA team every year. She is a name brand and any program would be lucky to have her.

Others that need a change: Cincinnati, Iowa, Michigan, Arizona, South Carolina

The Avenue's Power Seeds

Here is our weekly prediction of the top four seeds in the NCAA's as of right now:

The 1's:

Duke (Have defeated UNC, Maryland twice, Tennessee, Bowling Green, NC State, Pittsburgh, Texas and Rutgers. Undefeated and playing dominant ball right now with POY candidate Lindsey Harding. The ACC Tournament could be a trap with UNC and Maryland wanting to trip up the Devils)

North Carolina (While they stumbled against NC State and Duke, UNC is still right up there in the hunt. Marquee wins over Tennessee and UConn, as well as Maryland. Have a chance to upset Duke in Durham to ruin Duke's undefeated regular season, but Ivory Latta isn't what she was last year.)

Tennessee (POY candidate Candace Parker is what keeps this team in contention. Lose her for any reason, Tennessee will struggle big time. They have played the toughest schedule of anyone, but weren't able to off Duke or UNC and have had scares against UConn and LSU. Should wrap up an undefeated SEC season unless they trip against rival Vanderbilt)

UConn (It's funny that you don't go to the final four in two seasons after winning four championships this decade and all the sudden people think you're an underdog. UConn has clawed its way up to the 1's quietly and under the radar. Haven't scored a big win all season over fellow 1's UNC or Tennessee, but did escape Baton Rouge by one point in a battle with a 2, LSU. Should roll through the Big East Tourney. If they don't, they are a 2.)

The 2's:

Maryland (The defending national champions in a three-way tie for third in the ACC with NC State and FSU? What has happened Brenda Frese? If you win the ACC Tourney, you're a 1)

Arizona State (Charly Turner-Thorne's team should win the Pac-10 Tourney against Stanford, who lost their starting PG following their two narrow wins over ASU. This is a dangerous team. If they don't win the Pac-10 Tourney, they are a 3.)

LSU (Poor Pokey. All five losses this season are by a combined 11 points to Baylor, Ole Miss, Georgia, Tennessee and UConn. What does this mean? LSU is capable of playing with anyone and beating any of the top tier teams. Five losses should not keep them off the second line come March.)

Ohio State (A horribly overrated Buckeye team all season long and all last year, proven by their early tourney upset to Boston College. With or without Hoskins they should have been a two seed. Winning the Big Ten doesn't help either because the conference is as weak as ever. Lost to MSU last week, finish on a slump and the Bucks are a borderline 4.)

The 3's:

Oklahoma (Suprisingly sluggish this season, but still they have Courtney Paris and other teams don't)

Stanford (Could be a 2 if they win the Pac-10 Tourney. Bad losses to Cal and BYU during the season push them down in my mind)

Georgia (Should have been a national title contender this year, but have faltered. Still dangerous.)

George Washington (A mid-major who has big wins this season. Could be overrated, however.)

The 4's:

Purdue (What have you done, Coach Versyp? Kristy Curry left you a final four contender and you can't even beat OSU or MSU at home? You're falling fast!)

Vanderbilt (Midseason slump could be erased with a big win over either LSU or Tennessee. Lose both and you are a 5 or 6.)

Bowling Green (Underrated midmajor with loads of talent. Does anyone not realize they are one of only like two teams this season to only lose by single digits to Duke?)

Middle Tennessee (Great team that nearly upset Maryland to start the season and did upset Georgia on the road. No one wants to see them in their bracket.)

Main Street: Tonight's matchup focuses on the bubble

Today on Main Street, our daily guide to the best game around, we look at West Virginia at Pittsburgh

The Summary: Life on the bubble is hard. While Pittsburgh should feel comfortable with their chances of getting into the NCAA's this season after just missing out last year, West Virginia's situation is a bit more iffy. Both Pitt and West Virginia are tied in the Big East at 8-5, along with a host of others, in a bottle jam at the middle of the conference. After winning seven in a row, West Virginia has gone 2-2. Pittsburgh is a program on the rise, but has suspect losses to cellar dwellars in the Big East like Seton Hall and St. John's.

The Stakes: Staying out of the WNIT and going to the Big Dance. West Virginina was the Cinderella of the Big East Tourney last season, upsetting team after team before getting beaten in the championship game by UConn. They did not play well at the beginning of the season, but have improved their overall record to 17-9. Pittsburgh started the season on a tear, winning their first 12 games and being ranked. Then they went 3-5. They have gone 5-1 since and stand at 20-6 overall. Last season Pittsburgh finished in the WNIT Final Four.

The Series: Pitt won last season's meeting, but West Virginia leads the all-time series 19-14.

The Say: While this game is hardly a marquee matchup, it is important to understand life on the bubble for two mid-level Big East teams. The Big East will likely get six teams in the NCAA's. UConn, Marquette, Louisville and Rutgers are locks, while Pitt, West Virginia, Notre Dame, South Florida and DePaul are all battling for the final two spots. Tonight's game will go a long way in helping narrow those final two teams down. Pittsburgh is at home and should win this game, but it will be close. West Virginia is very capable of pulling off the upset at a place where Pitt has had some bad home losses. Final word: Pittsburgh by less than five points.

Profile: Taking over Tallahassee

What stands 5'6", blonde hair, big smile, hales from the upper Northwest, employs a feisty attitude, and is transforming a cellar dweller program at a football mecca into a conference contender in arguably the best league in all the nation? Ladies and gentleman, I present to you Sue Semrau--Yes, the always energized and never tiring head coach for the Lady Seminoles of Florida St University.Many outside the women's basketball landscape do not know about Coach Semrau, but those within the confines of women's NCAA hoops know all to well about this up and coming leader...a raw talent...a new figure head in the Atlantic Coast Conference.Coach Semrau hales from Seattle where she initially attended the University of Puget Sound before transferring to University of California-San Diego to play her collegiate ball. Following her playing days, Semrau joined forces with head coach Jane Albright-Dieterle at Northern Illinois in 1991 and then both went on to take over the program for the Baders of Wisconsin. Then, finally...a huge opportunity for Semrau to take on a struggling basketball program that had gone 0-16 the season prior and a program that continued to be in the shadows of the prestigious Florida State Football program and legendary coach Bobby Bowden. What could Sue be thinking? A huge risk for an untested assistant coach from the Big 10 and a risk that could play spoiler to her young career.An unproven program in the midst of woeful seasons, Coach Semrau wanted the challenge and opportunity to make her mark in the ACC--The year 1997.By the time the end of the 2000-2001 season, she sported a 19-12 record, a #25 national ranking, and garnered FSU's first winning season since 1991. The highlight of that season may have been FSU's massive upset of the ACC's elite coach Gail Goestenkors and national power Duke within the rabid confines of historic Cameron Indoor Stadium. She was honored by her peers for her drastic turnaround that season and was announced The Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of The Year! She rolled along the recruiting trail accumulating top 50 recruiting classes and orchestrated a football approach to her coaching philosphy placing associate head coach Cori Close as the offensive coordinator, assistant coach Lance White as the defensive coordinator, and Angie Johnson as the recruiting coordinator. Seemed clever considering her encircling football culture.Fast forward to 2004.The '04-05 season was initially met with sadness and despair as one of the heralded returning sophs, Ronalda Piece, suddenly died of an anortic aneurysm. Semrau and the FSU program was extremely hurt and many thought they would not be able to overcome this loss, but she never wavered. She rallied her troops and went 24-8 in the rugged ACC and made it to the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament, and once again captured the attention of the media and her peers by being selected as ACC Coach of The Year again--her second such honor in 4 years.The 2005-2006 season was met with great success as well as her team celebrated 10 ACC victories and went 20-10 in the regular season and yet another NCAA appearance. In fact, this marked the first time since 1991 that FSU had back to back NCAA appearances.Semrau's passion for the Florida State program has translated into a great deal of success for the Seminoles. In her 10 years at the helm of the FSU program and with 155 victories, Semrau is the most winningest women's basketball coach in Florida State history. She has guided the Seminoles to double-digit victories in seven straight seasons, four straight postseason appearances, both program bests, and to three NCAA Tournaments - more than any other FSU women's basketball coach. Currently, she is 19-8 and 8-4 in conference play and continuing her football strategy with her personell. Ironically, the legendary FSU football program is now falling on tough pastures, but the 5'6" master mind, relentless recruiter, feisty blonde from Puget Sound is rising to the top of the coaching ranks and taking the Florida State Women's Basketball program to national prominence! Tallahassee has something to be proud of!

Dr Anthony Smith, a native of Convoy, Ohio, currently resides in Perrysburg, Ohio as a physician, and is a regular contributor to Galhoopsavenue.blogspot.com. He can be reached at anthonysmith101@msn.com

The Avenue Top 25 Poll

1.)Duke

2.)North Carolina

3.)Tennessee

4.)Connecticut

5.)Maryland

6.)LSU

7.)Arizona State

8.)Oklahoma

9.)Stanford

10.)Vanderbilt

11.)Ohio State

12.)Georgia

13.)Baylor

14.)Bowling Green

15.)Purdue

16.)George Washington

17.)Middle Tennessee

18.)Texas A & M

19.)Marquette

20.)Louisville

21.)NC State

22.)Wisconsin Green Bay

23.)Rutgers

24.)Michigan State

25.)Montana

Bubble:Nebraska, James Madison, Western Kentucky, Notre Dame, California, Ball State, Pittsburgh

The Avenue Top 25 is compiled through research & reality. While the AP and USA Today/ESPN polls are the accepted polls out there, The Avenue's rankings are based on strength of schedule and the rosters of the teams, the coaching and game performance, not on a popularity contest, name recognition or based on hype.

Week of February 19, 2007

Main Street: Tonight's marqee matchup pits Tennessee vs. LSU

Today on Main Street, our daily guide to the best game around, we look at #2 Tennessee and #7 LSU.

The Summary: These two have been the powerhouses in the SEC for most of this decade. LSU is rebuilding this season after losing National POY, Seimone Augustus, but they have still garnered quality wins over Ohio State, Michigan State and Georgia. Tennessee is having a banner year with National POY candidate Candace Parker. There only losses this season have been to #1 Duke and #4 UNC.

The Stakes: Unlike the past few years, this matchup has no real implications. Tennessee is a definite one seed. LSU, though, could basically secure a two seed with the home win and upset tonight. They fell short against #3 UConn at home last week when Porsha Phillips' three point attempt at the buzzer swooshed through, but was actually only a two-pointer, thereby causing the Lady Tigers to lose by one point and snap the nation's longest home winning streak. Tennessee should already have the SEC Title wrapped up, unless they would lose against LSU and Vandy to end the season.

The Series: Tennessee leads 34-9 overall and last defeated LSU in the 2006 SEC Championship Game 63-62, although LSU has won the previous two regular season matchups.

The Stars: For Tennessee it is obviously Candace Parker, although Alexis Hornbuckle adds an edge to the Lady Vols and Sidney Spencer is a dangerous three-point threat. For LSU, watch Sylvia Fowles, who is a double-double waiting to happen with her imposing presence. Quianna Chaney is the team's second-leading scorer.

The Say: Our take is that the game will be tight, however, Tennessee should pull away in the second half. The Lady Vols are used to hostile environments so they shouldn't be scared, and LSU isn't what they were the last few years with a go-to star like Augustus. LSU hangs their hat on their suffocating defense and that might be enough to pull off the upset. Tennessee wins.

On Air at 7 p.m. ESPN2

Coaching Avenue: Mulkey-Robertson should head to Florida

Florida's Bold Moves: The University of Florida took a major step in moving the world of women's college hoops into the territory of the men's game: they fired a head coach after only a five-year stint. To boot, the coach had a national title on her resume. Carolyn Peck seemed to be the perfect candidate to lead Florida to national prominence after former coach, and current Ole Miss coach, Carol Ross, had let the program slip. After being an assistant under coaching legend Pat Summitt, leading Purdue to the elite eight and then the national title in just two years and coaching in the WNBA, one would assume it would just be a matter of a few short years before the magic happened. It didn't. And Peck, like so many in the men's game, was told she was non-renewed. The move was bold by an A.D. who has built the Gainesville campus into a national title haven with both the men's basketball and football programs winning national championships this past year. Now he claims he wants a big name to build a big time program in a big time conference with big time empires lurking at every turn of the conference season. Go right and you have Georgia and Andy Landers, turn left and there's Pokey Chapman's LSU juggernaut, and up the mountain overseeing the empire, Pat Summitt and Tennessee. Who can battle this night in and night out? My suggestion: Kim Mulkey-Robertson! The Baylor coach led the Bears out of gal hoop hell and into the promised land of a national championship in 2005, just a few season's into her tenure. The former LaTech superstar player and assistant coach has the moxie, the recruiting prowess and the competitive flair that would build Florida into a national title contender year after year. So why would Mulkey-Robertson even think about leaving Baylor? How about these reasons: more money, lots more money, football and men's basketball programs as recruiting draws, better facilities, better conference and a better chance to win more national championships over and over. I am sure she can get it done at Baylor, but as she found out just months after her title at Baylor when players transferred out and she lost a recruiting battle with LSU's Chapman, not even a national title at a small school in little Waco, Texas can guarantee the same level of success year after year. If Florida's A.D. is indeed serious about building the women's hoops program into a powerhouse, there is no one else out there right now who could get it done better than Kim Mulkey-Robertson.

Second-Tier Choices: Of course, it will be tough to lure her away, so here is a list of others who can compete with Tennessee and LSU. How about Bill Lambier, who is currently coaching in the WNBA...Make a move to Kristy Curry at Texas Tech. She is a proven recruiter and tough coach. If she were still at Purdue this season, they would be a top-six team...Why not lure Van Chancellor out of retirement or Lynn Dunn away from the WNBA's Indiana Fever?...Some hot young coaches include Arizona State's Charly Turner-Thorne, Cal's Joanne Boyle, and Michigan State's Joanne P. McAuley...Some others to think about include Texas Tech's former legend Marsha Sharp, Louisville's Tom Cullen, assistant coaches Chris Daly from UConn and Gail Valley from Duke.

Welcome to The Avenue!

What is often an ignored, yet increasingly popular area of sports talk, is women's college basketball. It hasn't been around as long as the men's game, so it is still relatively young. It doesn't have the element of early exits for the big money of the NBA, which makes the environment even more interesting and pure. It doesn't bring in the money or huge crowds yet, bit still it's Final Four venues are always sold out. As the sport grows, so does the inevitability of the discussions. That's what this blog is about: women's hoops. Gal hoops, if you will. It is an address, a location, a destination for everything the enthuses, excites, inspires and frustrates us as fans of the sports. This season has proven entertaining, and we hope you will enjoy reading our insights and thoughts into the game. We want you to email us your opinions as well, and we will respond and start the discussion. If you want serious talk about a serious game, you've arrived at the right place.