The Guru's Musings for a Monday Morning

By Mel Greenberg

PHILADELPHIA -- Sometime later Monday afternoon, the new AP poll will be out and with it a new No. 1 team after Maryland's loss to Duke on Saturday. I'll put the link in current blog later Monday but it's the same one every week so if you don't want to wait until your Guru saunters back in here in the afternoon, you can use last week's ap link to get there. If you see a week 11, you'll know you're looking at the votes for Jan. 15.

Speaking of Durham doings, answer to a frequently-asked question on Sunday: Yes, I made it to the Angus Barn and the meal was great as always.

No, I did not stay down in the triangle for the Carolina-Connecticut game, but we may have someone on the scene.

Speaking of the scene, Acacia has sent a quick note of arrival in Italy so the bureau is up and running and she hopes to file something short real soon.

Jonathan's new blog - why do I feel like a TV series with spinoffs -- launches today (Monday) and we'll provide details in the next post later Monday.

On Sunday, 48 hours after watching Penn squander a 16-point lead Friday night in the Palestra, St. Joseph's managed to give up a 15-point second-half advantage in losing at home to Richmond in double overtime.

Our print story is at Philly.com. But since second-year Spiders coach Mike Shafer mentioned to us he's a fan of the blog, we'll give our thanks by publishing his postgame quotes here that got cut from our print story.

"Our schedule helped us a little bit there," Shafer said. "We've been in this situation many, many times and have been able to overcome.

"For us to be able to come up here and beat St. Joes on their home court is just a huge win. And for us to be able to come back is overwhelming.

"This gives you the thought we can do this anytime, any place. I'm not saying we can beat any team in the country but the experienced team wins like this."

On the big performance by former Archbishop Carroll star Katie Holzer's performance in her first homecoming visit (Richmond returns her soon against La Salle), Shafer smiled and said, "Isn't that how it's supposed to be? It's great she was able to do in front of her family."


Froim the whatever happened to department: We noticed a blurb from Texas-Commerce over the weekend noting that: "Sophomore Britney Jordan recorded her second double-double of the season and paced four Lions in double figures as Texas A&M-Commerce won its school record seventh in a row with a 80-51 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville on
Saturday afternoon.

The Peoria, Illinois native had 16 points and 10 assists as Texas
A&M-Commerce raised its record to 12-6.''

Yes, that's the same Britney Jordan who arrived at Temple several years ago as the first super blue chip player to commit to a Big Five school. She left a year later, however.

Ironically, she was going to be the player to get the Owls to the next level. Temple eventually got there, but on the work of all-American Candice Dupree.

But the item reminds us that at the time of her announcement to go to Temple, former assistant coach Ed Baldwin mentioned another recruit in the same class that may ultimately make the bigger name for herself -- That would be one Kamesha Hairston, the Toledo native who now finds herself in contention for Atlantic Ten and Big Five player of the year.

Temple has now won nine in a row, proving that there would be life after Dupree.

We can't predict the outcome of DePaul's visit to Villanova in a Big East game Tuesday night, but are sure our good friend Blue Demons coach Doug Bruno will be deservedly moaning about his roster shrinkage due to injuries.

If he can make it in time, Temple athletic director Bill Bradshaw may be in the house since he had a long association with Bruno when he was the athletic director at DePaul.

And on that note, it's time to beat the sunrise home.

-- Mel