Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 4, 1991 TAG: 9102040314
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B/6 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Cavaliers (20-1), who lost only to Penn State (17-1), made it 11 of 12 weeks in the top spot after wins at home over ACC-rivals North Carolina and Georgia Tech. Virginia received 61 first-place votes and 1,597 points, three short of unanimous.
The Lions, the only other team to be ranked No. 1 this season, received one first-place vote and 1,509 points. The Lions, whose only loss was to No. 9 Rutgers, face the Lady Knights again on Tuesday night in State College, Pa.
Western Kentucky, with the nation's longest win streak at 16, moved into 10th, the Hilltoppers's first appearance in the top 10 since 1988.
Further down, Michigan State (15-4), Fullerton State (16-4), and Stephen F. Austin (15-3) filled out the final three spots at 23, 24 and 25 respectively. They replaced Lamar, Maryland, and Iowa.
Michigan State and Fullerton State have not been ranked since the final poll of the 1976-77 season - the year the rankings began.
Stephen F. Austin finished sixth last season, but had not been ranked this year.
Michigan State's stay may be short.
The Spartans benefitted from early balloting by the nationwide panel of 64 women's coaches Sunday night. Most of the members cast votes for Michigan State on the basis of an impressive Big 10 win at then-No. 25 Iowa last Friday. It was assumed the Spartans would easily beat host Minnesota, which had won just four of 18 games.
But when you assume in this year of wild upsets, you make mistakes on who should and shouldn't be ranked. Michigan State lost 58-55.
"I guess we're going to need a recount," said Minnesota first-year coach Linda MacDonald, a member of the AP board who voted after her win.
The Spartans could stay in the poll if they beat No. 18 Northwestern on Friday at Evanston, Ill.
Fullerton State could also have problems this week with Big West games at No. 17 UNLV, Monday night, and at Long Beach State, Thursday.
Back near the top, Georgia (19-2) moved up a spot to third with the remaining two first-place votes and 1,481 points, only 28 behind Penn State. Last week the Bulldogs won at Tennessee, beat Florida State at home and won at Kentucky.
"We've had a killer schedule. So I'm pleased with the way things have gone, thus far," Georgia Coach Andy Landers said
Purdue (18-1) also moved up one to fourth with 1,349 points after an 89-64 win at Illinois. Tennessee fell from third to fifth with 1,463 points. The Vols also defeated Tennessee Tech along with the loss to Georgia.
North Carolina State (18-3) held sixth with 1,288 points, while Auburn (18-3) stayed seventh with 1,218 points. The Tigers, last year's NCAA runners-up, beat Alabama, 77-48, Saturday to give Coach Joe Ciampi his 300th win and set an NCAA home court win streak record with 63. The previous record was held by Louisiana Tech.
Defending NCAA champion Stanford (16-3) routed Pac-10 rival California and then-No. 16 UNLV to hold eighth with 1,176 points.
Rutgers (18-1) won twice and held ninth with 1,103 points, while Western Kentucky completed the first ten with 996 points.
LSU (16-4), which was upset at unranked Vanderbilt 63-62, fell from 10th to 13th, three points behind Washington.
Iowa, which lost to Michigan State, dropped out of the rankings for the first time since the 1985-86 preseason poll - a streak of 95 weeks.
Women's Top Twenty Five RecordPtsPvs 1. Virginia (61) 20-11,5971 2. Penn St. (1) 17-11,5092 3. Georgia (2) 19-21,4814 4. Purdue 18-11,3495 5. Tennessee 18-41,4633 6. N.C. State 18-31,2886 7. Auburn 18-31,2187 8. Stanford 16-31,1768 9. Rutgers 18-11,1089 10. W. Kentucky 18-199611 11. Arkansas 17-393312 12. Washington 15-384913 13. LSU 16-484710 14. Mississippi 16-474714 15. Texas 14-564517 16. Connecticut 17-355918 17. UNLV 16-454516 18. Northwestern 12-549315 19. Clemson 15-539120 20. Notre Dame 15-338019 21. Providence 18-332921 22. Florida St. 14-316922 23. Michigan St. 15-4166- 24. Fullerton St. 16-498- 25. S.F. Austin 15-382-
by CNB