UConn bounced in this vote

For the first time in more than two years, I have a new No. 1 atop my women’s basketball Top 25 vote. It took a lot to pull out the eraser, but the bottom line is Baylor lost to UConn by 1, UConn lost to a team that lost to DePaul, which lost to traditionally good but unranked Purdue and Arizona State … it’s difficult to judge the wins and losses but it does make the UConn streak even more impressive, just being on top of your game enough to avoid an upset game in and game out.

Almost every league that didn’t start league play in the last week starts league play this coming week. Gonzaga gets the last non-league game on Monday, facing a decent Southern Utah team coached by  J.R. Payne (and associate head coach Toriano Towns), both former Zag assistants - Payne played for Kelly Graves at Saint Mary’s. The 9-5 Thunderbirds could be the last tough test for the Zags, 11-4, unless you count bordom, considering the WCC hasn’t exactly shown too well against quality competition.

Before you get to the vote … Washington State falls to No. 8 UCLA … Tennessee was on TV, beating LSU, but Angie Bjorklund didn’t score for the Vols, who didn’t make a 3-pointer for the first time in like 422 games.