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Vanderbilt Climbs Back Into Associated Press Poll at #24 1-26-04 1/26/2004 The day after posting one of its most complete performances of the season in a 90-65 rout of Southeastern Conference foe Ole Miss, the Vanderbilt Commodore Women’s Basketball squad (15-3 overall and 3-2 SEC) re-entered the Associated Press Poll at #24. The listing marks the Black and Gold’s 220th all-time ranking by the AP as the ‘Dores have now appeared in 48% of every AP poll ever released. During head coach Melanie Balcomb’s two-year tenure, VU has been listed in 20 of 29 possible rankings for a .690 percentage. Fellow SEC squad Tennessee, fresh off triumphs over Vanderbilt (79-54) and then-#1 Duke (72-69), heads this week’s ranking for the first time since Feb. 26, 2001. The Lady Vols received 44 of a possible 47 first-place votes and 1,172 points from the media panel. Duke (1,096 points/one first-place vote) fell one spot to number two, while Texas (1,074 points/two first-place votes), Connecticut and Penn State rounded out the top five. Positions six through 10 found Purdue, up two spots from last week, Texas Tech, Stanford, Louisiana Tech and North Carolina. Big XII members Colorado and Kansas State, DePaul, Minnesota and fellow SEC foe LSU rounded out the top 15. Baylor, Miami, Fla., Michigan State, Georgia, fresh off an upset of LSU, and Oklahoma garnered spots 16-20, while TCU, Auburn, defeated by VU last week 67-63, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt and Nebraska held the final five places. Overall, five schools from the Southeastern Conference were tabbed in this week’s ratings as the Commodores re-entered the poll after a three-week absence. The Black and Gold were previously ranked #23 on Dec. 29. During this past week, Vanderbilt posted a 1-1 record as the squad suffered only its third defeat of the season on the road at Tennessee (54-79) before rebounding to destroy the Lady Rebels by 25 points. The victory over Ole Miss marked Coach Balcomb’s 200th career win and continued Vanderbilt’s 13-game home winning streak. |
