By Karen Bailis
Who says there’s no parity in women’s college basketball?
On Sunday, at least four contests proved that more women’s teams are evenly matched. In all four, unranked teams beat ranked ones, with a margin of no more than 10 points.
In the closest game, No. 25 New Mexico fell to Utah, 49-48. The loss snapped the Lobos’ (10-5) 35-game
home winning streak in Mountain West Conference games that dated back to 2002. The Utes (9-6) came back from a 14-point, first-half deficit. Jessica Perry scored the winning basket with 1:34 left.
Look for Texas to replace New Mexico in today’s new AP poll, as Texas (10-4), which started the season ranked No. 25, upset No. 10 Purdue (14-3) on Sunday. Texas coach Jody Conradt, second on the all-time collegiate basketball wins list, has been frustrated this season by blowout losses to No. 3 Duke and No. 4 Tennessee. It was her team’s first win this season against a ranked opponent. Star forward Tiffany Jackson scored 20 points, including 6-for-8 from the foul line, to power her team. Purdue, under new coach Sharon Versyp, beat No. 9 Baylor convincingly earlier this season but lost to a struggling Notre Dame.
Purdue also has beaten Mississippi State (10-5), which knocked down No. 20 Arkansas (15-3) on Sunday, 81-73, after trailing by 10 in the second half. The Bulldogs are no strangers to tough competition, playing with Arkansas in the stacked Southeastern Conference. The SEC boasts five teams ranked in the top 25. Mississippi State, dominated by freshmen and sophomores, went on a 13-3 run that tied the game at 47 with 13:47 left. Their 45 rebounds to Arkansas’ 32 made a difference, along with sophomore Marneshia Richard’s 23 points and four steals. It was MSU’s first win over Arkansas since 2004.
Also in the SEC, Mississippi (13-4) downed No. 11 Vanderbilt (14-2), 76-66. Mississippi used a balanced attack and had five players in double figures. Armintie Price led them all with 21 points and three steals for a career total of 336, breaking the school record 333 held by her coach, Carol Ross. Mississippi as a team had nine steals and outboarded Vandy, 47-27. It was Ole Miss’ first win against a ranked opponent in three tries this season.
It’s no surprise that two of these games were SEC matchups. Most of the teams from that powerhouse conference could pull an “upset” of a ranked opponent at any time. They learn a lot from playing the best on a regular basis. The Big 10 Conference’s highest ranking is Purdue’s No. 10, which is sure to fall, but Ohio State’s No. 7 could rise after its Saturday win against Kentucky and Michigan State likely will fall from No. 19 after the thumping it took from No. 1 Maryland. Texas’ Big 12 Conference provides stiff competition too, with No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 9 and 2004 National Champions Baylor.