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Thursday, December 7, 2000
For the Cardinal, more Powell to 'em
ESPN.com
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ESPN.COM'S TOP 10
As of Nov. 14
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1. Connecticut: It's going to be a long season for non-Husky fans.
Next: Nov. 21 at Pepperdine
2. Tennessee: Didn't affect the rankings, but Lady Vols are on track for top 2001 recruiting class.
Opener: Nov. 18 vs. DePaul
3. Purdue: Forgive us, Kelly, for focusing so much on KT and Cooper. Keep up that FG percentage.
Next: Nov. 19 vs. Texas (Preseason WNIT)
4. Duke: It's early, but Schweitzer seems to have the help she needs to lead Duke deep into March.
Next: Nov. 18 vs. William & Mary
5. Georgia: Andy Landers said it all (see quote below), but we still believe in the Lady Bulldogs.
Next: Nov. 19 vs. UMass
6. Notre Dame: Life of Riley as senior to begin Friday.
Opener: Nov. 17 at Valparaiso
7. Rutgers: Congrats to coach Stringer for her HOF nomination.
Opener: Nov. 17 vs. Cal
8. Louisiana Tech: Walker has Techsters walking over WNIT foes.
Next: Nov. 19 vs. Virginia (Preseason WNIT)
9. Iowa State: Can't wait to see Welle and Taylor back in action.
Opener: Nov. 22 at Iowa
10. LSU: Ferdinand looks solid, but rest of Tigers must improve after going 8-for-38 from field vs. Duke.
Next: Nov. 18 vs. Sam Houston State
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| 20 QUESTIONS |
 If you could be any any super hero or cartoon character, who would you be? What's your favorite pre-game meal? ESPN.com asked dozens of the nation's top players to answer these questions and more. This week, Mississippi State sophomore LaToya Thomas, who led the SEC in scoring last season, shares her answers to our 20 Questions. |
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This season is supposed to be about the seniors. After all, the 2000-2001 class is being touted as one of the best ever.
But in the season's first weekend, a few freshmen were already stealing the headlines.
|  | | Powell had 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in an exhibition win. |
Duke rookie Alana Beard was the Blue Devils' leading scorer in both of their victories -- including a 56-45 win over No. 7 LSU -- in the Women's Sports Foundation tournament. The former Louisiana high school player of the year averaged 17.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 50 percent (13-for-26) from the field.
In Connecticut's 99-70 victory over Georgia, Husky Diana Taurasi, perhaps the most highly touted freshman, scored eight points on 2-for-3 shooting, went 2-for-2 at the foul line and added three rebounds and one assist in just 15 minutes. (Of course, she also made five turnovers and was whistled for four fouls, too.)
Purdue, another team with one of this season's top recruiting classes, is off to a 2-0 start. Although its upperclassmen are carrying the bulk of the scoring load, guard Cherrise Graham scored 10 points on 3-for-4 shooting in just 17 minutes of Purdue's first-round Preseason WNIT victory.
The West Coast had a freshman on the fast track, as well. Stanford forward Nicole Powell notched a triple-double -- 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists -- in the Cardinal's 104-55 exhibition win over RTU Clondica Riga of Latvia last Thursday.
Granted, the blowout was of Connecticut-like proportion, but Powell, a Parade All-American, played just 29 minutes. By halftime, she already had tallied seven points, seven rebounds and five assists.
"Nicole Powell," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer has said, "is a great addition to our team."
Apparently so.
| THE FINE LINE |
| MIN |
FG |
REB |
AST |
PTS |
| 31 |
6-11 | 7 |
11 | 18 |
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Forget her new 'do. Svetlana Abrosimova showed off a lot more in Connecticut's season-opening win over Georgia as the Russian native seemed to live up to even Geno Auriemma's high expectations. In addition to several no-look passes, Abrosimova also had four of the Huskies' 15 steals and committed no turnovers. |
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| QUOTE OF THE DAY |
| Georgia coach Andy Landers, whose No. 3 Lady Bulldogs were trounced 99-70 by top-ranked UConn on Sunday: "We got off the bus and that was the wrong thing to do. I'm really disappointed with our team. I don't think we fought them. We did not play with heart. We did not play with fire. Somebody should have come out of the stands and ripped the 'G' off our jerseys." |
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| INJURY REPORT |
| The women's college basketball world lost two-big time players last week -- one for the season, and one for good. Stanford sophomore Jamie Carey, last season's Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, announced she was ending her career because of recurring concussions. Old Dominion's Lucienne Berthieu is also out after suffering a torn ACL. The senior was among the 30 preseason Naismith award candidates. |
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