Answers to Detective Work

By Mel Greenberg

In a post here a few days ago, in light of recent Maryland's back-to-back games against two different No. 1 teams, we were looking for similar occurences.

Thansk to a quick response from Christine Long of the sports information staff at Clemson, we received the following email of a similar high-quality week in the early 1990s.

In the 1991-92 season, Clemson faced #1 Virginia on Jan. 18, 1992 in Charlottesville and lost 85-52. Clemson then played #1 Maryland on Jan. 20, the next game, in College Park and lost 63-59.

Also in that season, Clemson again played #1 Maryland on Feb. 15.

This time, the Lady Tigers won the game, 72-55, at home. Then on Feb. 22, not the next game, but I think in the same week, Clemson fell to #1 Virginia, 85-81, at home.

USA Basketball announcement

USA Basketball is announcing Anne Donovan's assistants for the U.S. Senior National Team on Thursday.

If it's not noon, yet, and you are here, you need to go to Philly.com, the umbrella internet site to get some clues.

The internet gurus around here haven't shown me how to put the link into the copy, but I am being charitable sending hits in that direction.

Dupree honored.

Temple is honoring senior center Candice Dupree with a night of her own Friday at the Liacouras Center when the Owls meet St. Joseph's in a key Atlantic Ten and Big Five contest at 8 p.m. as the Temple star plays in her next-to-last regular season home game.

St. Joseph's won the first meeting at the buzzer on Jan. 27, but that game did not count in the Big Five race. Temple can gain a City Series sweep with a win tonight.

More important, the winner will hold down third place in the race for the four byes available for the Atlantic Ten tournament at St. Joseph's.

The Hawks are coming in a bit hobbled.

We reported Ayahna Cornish's knee injury earlier this week, but here's the official St. Joseph's announcement:

Saint Joseph's women's basketball guards Ayahna Cornish (Philadelphia, PA/Cardinal Dougherty) and Christine Roth (Buffalo, NY/Mt. Mercy Academy) will miss the remainder of the 2005-06 season for the Hawks.

Cornish, who sat out Sunday's game versus Dayton, will miss the remainder of the season after suffering tears to the ACL and Medial Meniscus as well as spraining the MCL in her left knee.

The junior guard suffered the injury during the first half of Saint Joseph's contest at Massachusetts as she made a drive towards the basket.

The Hawks leading scorer at 12.1 points per game, Cornish was having her best overall season to date in the Crimson and Gray, averaging a career-best 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Earlier this season, Cornish helped Saint Joseph's to the Kansas State Wildcat Classic title, garnering MVP honors. Over the two-day tournament, Cornish averaged 17 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists, earning her Big 5 Player of the Week honors as well.

A senior, guard, Roth will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a left ankle injury. A transfer from Genesse Community College, Roth has averaged 5.6 points per game during her two seasons with the Hawks.

A three-point specialist, Roth sat out the final six games of the 2004-05 season due to injury and has missed the previous eight games for Saint Joseph's this season.


"It obviously hurts losing two of our veteran players to injury for the season," said Saint Joseph's Head Coach Cindy Griffin. "Unfortunately injuries are part of the game. The depth of our team this year has been an asset and now other players will have the opportunity to step up and fill new roles."

The game will be televised in Philadelphia on CN8-TV and on the Atlantic Ten TV network.

See you in 24 hours --

Mel