Post by rainman on Nov 1, 2007 5:56:27 GMT -5
Mike Carey is happy WVU ranked No. 22
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— Coach Mike Carey was pleased Wednesday when the West Virginia University women’s basketball team was ranked No. 22 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ preseason poll.
“That’s good,” he said. “It gives us something to work for and to shoot for. But the bottom line is we’ve got to do it on the floor. We haven’t won a game yet, so we’ve got to come out and prove we’re worthy of that ranking.”
The Mountaineers received 139 points in being ranked in a major Top 25 poll for the first time in 16 years. The 1991-92 team finished its season at No. 14 in The Associated Press poll.
Preseason rankings by The AP for 2007-08 are scheduled to come out on Saturday.
Four other Big East teams also are ranked in the coaches’ preseason listings. Those are Connecticut No. 2, Rutgers No. 3, Pitt No. 21 and Louisville No. 23.
Defending national champion Tennessee, WVU’s opponent on Nov. 21 in Charleston, was voted No. 1. The Volunteers received 26 of the 31 first-place votes.
Carey, who has all five starters back from last year’s NCAA tournament team and also Meg Bulger, who missed all of 2006-07, said his team has a lot of mistakes to correct after having a scrimmage against an outside team here on Tuesday.
The Mountaineers will play Concord at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Coliseum. It is the only preseason exhibition game WVU will play this year.
“No, we’re really not ready for a game,” Carey said. “There are a lot of things we need to improve on and a lot of things we need to continue. Our success last year doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to have success this year.
“A lot of things have got to happen, and it’s got to start on the floor.”
Carey, in his seventh year here, plans to play everybody and also different combinations against Concord.
“We’re still working on a lot of things because we have a lot of numbers to work with,” he said.
“You want to see a lot of people play, but you don’t want to disrupt your routine or your chemistry on the floor. There’s a fine line, so we’re going to have to find where that line is.”
Carey reasoned that his team is getting recognition now because of what it achieved during the past two seasons.
“But I’m smart enough to know that once you get recognition, you get it on what you’ve done and must continue to do,” he said.
“Again, we’re going to have to go out and prove ourselves all over again on the floor. Our young ladies have to go out their with a chip on their shoulders. We’re the hunted now rather than the hunter.
“It’s easier to do that when you’re the underdog and nobody expects you to win. Now they’ve got to learn how to come out … and have the emotions and intensity they need when they’re the favorite.
“That’s going to be a learning process for them. Hopefully, with the number of seniors we have, we’ll be able to do that.”
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— Coach Mike Carey was pleased Wednesday when the West Virginia University women’s basketball team was ranked No. 22 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ preseason poll.
“That’s good,” he said. “It gives us something to work for and to shoot for. But the bottom line is we’ve got to do it on the floor. We haven’t won a game yet, so we’ve got to come out and prove we’re worthy of that ranking.”
The Mountaineers received 139 points in being ranked in a major Top 25 poll for the first time in 16 years. The 1991-92 team finished its season at No. 14 in The Associated Press poll.
Preseason rankings by The AP for 2007-08 are scheduled to come out on Saturday.
Four other Big East teams also are ranked in the coaches’ preseason listings. Those are Connecticut No. 2, Rutgers No. 3, Pitt No. 21 and Louisville No. 23.
Defending national champion Tennessee, WVU’s opponent on Nov. 21 in Charleston, was voted No. 1. The Volunteers received 26 of the 31 first-place votes.
Carey, who has all five starters back from last year’s NCAA tournament team and also Meg Bulger, who missed all of 2006-07, said his team has a lot of mistakes to correct after having a scrimmage against an outside team here on Tuesday.
The Mountaineers will play Concord at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Coliseum. It is the only preseason exhibition game WVU will play this year.
“No, we’re really not ready for a game,” Carey said. “There are a lot of things we need to improve on and a lot of things we need to continue. Our success last year doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to have success this year.
“A lot of things have got to happen, and it’s got to start on the floor.”
Carey, in his seventh year here, plans to play everybody and also different combinations against Concord.
“We’re still working on a lot of things because we have a lot of numbers to work with,” he said.
“You want to see a lot of people play, but you don’t want to disrupt your routine or your chemistry on the floor. There’s a fine line, so we’re going to have to find where that line is.”
Carey reasoned that his team is getting recognition now because of what it achieved during the past two seasons.
“But I’m smart enough to know that once you get recognition, you get it on what you’ve done and must continue to do,” he said.
“Again, we’re going to have to go out and prove ourselves all over again on the floor. Our young ladies have to go out their with a chip on their shoulders. We’re the hunted now rather than the hunter.
“It’s easier to do that when you’re the underdog and nobody expects you to win. Now they’ve got to learn how to come out … and have the emotions and intensity they need when they’re the favorite.
“That’s going to be a learning process for them. Hopefully, with the number of seniors we have, we’ll be able to do that.”
