Spring Break
New ranking in jeopardy with trip to Freedom Hall tonight
Marc Gauthier
Issue date: 2/2/09 Section: Sports
Shortly after UConn's win over Providence on Saturday, the team, as well as coach Jim Calhoun, all admitted that it was nice to be recognized as the unofficial No. 1 team in the country until the polls come out today.
For most of the players on the team, the No. 1 ranking has been three years in the making, starting with the 2006 recruiting class that includes Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson, Gavin Edwards and Hasheem Thabeet.
Three years of hard work, combined with a win over Providence on Saturday and a loss by Duke last Wednesday, have the Huskies in the driver's seat for that No. 1 spot.
"We're very happy because we worked so hard," Thabeet said. "But we want to get better every day and keep working hard."
But the No. 1 spot hasn't favored any single team this season so far. North Carolina held the top spot for seven weeks before Pittsburgh took over. In the three weeks since the Panthers were ranked No. 1, Wake Forest and Duke have enjoyed one-week stays at the top of the polls.
So when the Huskies say that they've enjoyed the honor of being the unofficial No. 1 team in the country, they also are saying that they have their work cut out for them, especially when they take on No. 7 Louisville on the road tonight at 7 p.m. in front of a national audience on ESPN.
"As a team, collectively, we know how good we are, how good we can be," said A.J. Price. "No. 1 hasn't worked out so well for teams this year. We haven't been there yet. We haven't had our chance, so hopefully we'll get that. But we have a tough game coming up Monday, so there's not too much time to celebrate."
Louisville (17-3, 8-0 Big East) remains at the top of the conference as one of two undefeated teams in Big East play. The other is Marquette (19-2, 8-0).
"I'm congratulating UConn for, most likely, being the number one team in the country," said Providence coach Keno Davis after Saturday's loss. "I think it's great for the Big East. When a team that's been in third place in the Big East is No. 1, it shows how deep the league is."
For most of the players on the team, the No. 1 ranking has been three years in the making, starting with the 2006 recruiting class that includes Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson, Gavin Edwards and Hasheem Thabeet.
Three years of hard work, combined with a win over Providence on Saturday and a loss by Duke last Wednesday, have the Huskies in the driver's seat for that No. 1 spot.
"We're very happy because we worked so hard," Thabeet said. "But we want to get better every day and keep working hard."
But the No. 1 spot hasn't favored any single team this season so far. North Carolina held the top spot for seven weeks before Pittsburgh took over. In the three weeks since the Panthers were ranked No. 1, Wake Forest and Duke have enjoyed one-week stays at the top of the polls.
So when the Huskies say that they've enjoyed the honor of being the unofficial No. 1 team in the country, they also are saying that they have their work cut out for them, especially when they take on No. 7 Louisville on the road tonight at 7 p.m. in front of a national audience on ESPN.
"As a team, collectively, we know how good we are, how good we can be," said A.J. Price. "No. 1 hasn't worked out so well for teams this year. We haven't been there yet. We haven't had our chance, so hopefully we'll get that. But we have a tough game coming up Monday, so there's not too much time to celebrate."
Louisville (17-3, 8-0 Big East) remains at the top of the conference as one of two undefeated teams in Big East play. The other is Marquette (19-2, 8-0).
"I'm congratulating UConn for, most likely, being the number one team in the country," said Providence coach Keno Davis after Saturday's loss. "I think it's great for the Big East. When a team that's been in third place in the Big East is No. 1, it shows how deep the league is."
Be the first to comment on this story