Huskies Finish at No. 1 in Poll

[March 18, 2008]  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Connecticut entered the women's NCAA tournament at No. 1 on Monday -- the seventh time UConn finished with the top ranking but the first time since 2003.

The Huskies, which began the season at No. 2, led the final Associated Press poll with 49 of 50 first-place votes from a national media panel. North Carolina drew the other first-place vote.

Connecticut was ranked first in 12 of the final 13 weeks with the only blemish coming when the Huskies lost at Rutgers. The Huskies won the Big East tournament on Tuesday knocking off No. 23 Louisville 65-59.

The top seven teams remained the same with most finishing up their conference tournaments early in the week. North Carolina, Tennessee, Stanford, Maryland, LSU and Rutgers followed the Huskies. UConn, North Carolina, Tennessee, Stanford, Maryland and Rutgers were all ranked in the Top 10 for the entire season.

Texas A&M leaped into eighth after winning its first Big 12 tournament championship on Saturday. It's the highest ranking ever for the Aggies.

"Our final national ranking is an accumulation of three years of hard work. We are finally living up to the eliteness that people have expected of us all year," Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said. "The difference now is that we are expecting it of ourselves. I am excited for our program and hopefully, we have made this next step.

"A lot of teams are ranked in November, but they disappear in February and March. Teams win in March when they have very good senior leadership and they are happy, healthy and hungry. We are all of the three."

Duke and California rounded out the first 10. It's the 10th straight season that the Blue Devils finished the year in the Top 10.

Old Dominion moved up three places to No. 11 after winning the Colonial Athletic Association tournament this weekend. The Lady Monarchs were followed by Baylor, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Notre Dame. Oklahoma State moved up five spots after coming in second in the Big 12 tournament.

The Irish were followed by Kansas State, West Virginia, Utah, Louisville and George Washington. Louisville moved up four spots to No. 19 after finishing second in the Big East tournament.

Vanderbilt, Marist, UTEP, Virginia, and Ohio State rounded out the Top 25.

[Associated Press; By DOUG FEINBERG]

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