Road to the CAA title
JMU travels to take on top teams in conference
By Brian Hansen, sports editor
Posted on February 22, 2007

Whenever anyone tried to get JMU women’s basketball coach Kenny Brooks to look ahead in the season, they always got the same answer.

“You know me, the next one is the most important one,” Brooks said.

Even with last week’s schedule, featuring Colonial Athletic Association bottom-feeders George Mason and Northeastern, Brooks refused to talk about this week’s games at Delaware (13-2 CAA; 22-4, overall) and Old Dominion (13-1 CAA; 17-8, overall).

Now that showdown week is finally here, and Brooks and his Dukes’ have begun to prepare.

“This is what it’s all about,” the Dukes fifth-year coach said. “These kids are excited about the opportunity presented to themselves this week, and we’re looking forward to it.”

Adding even more fuel to the fire, JMU has now made appearances in both major women’s basketball polls, as the Dukes climbed to No. 22 in the Associated Press poll, while debuting at No. 25 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.

This is the fourth consecutive week Madison has been in the AP poll, as it appeared at No. 25 for the previous three weeks.

“To move up anywhere is an honor,” senior guard Lesley Dickinson said. “We are starting to get the respect that we’ve worked really hard for.”

Dickinson, one of four Dukes averaging double figures with 11.1 points per game, and her teammates, have the chance to do something even more influential: Earn the respect of the nation.

A 2-0 week against the Blue Hens and the Monarchs will allow them to clinch the CAA regular-season title and the top seed in the conference tournament, which starts March 8 at the University of Delaware.

“I know coach and I have talked about [clinching the regular season title],” said senior center Meredith Alexis, who last Thursday became the Dukes’ all-time leading scorer. “It was such a goal of ours to win the CAA this season.”

If JMU can get past Delaware tonight, it will get the opportunity to clinch that top spot in Norfolk on Sunday against Old Dominion — a team which has dominated the CAA over the past 15 seasons, winning every title since.

“They are the champions. They are the reigning champions,” said Brooks, whose Dukes handled ODU by 29 points at the Convocation Center. “Until someone beats them in a tournament setting, they are still the ones to beat.”

Before Madison can concern itself with the Monarchs, it must prepare to go into Delaware’s hostile environment and take down the third-place team in the CAA.

The Blue Hens, whose two conference losses have been on the road at JMU and Old Dominion, are 11-0 at home this season. They are led by the CAA’s leading scorer Tyresa Smith, averaging 19.5 points per game.

“I think we are going to need to play with extra focus,” Dickinson said. “The last thing we want to do is get down in that atmosphere.”

Added Alexis: “We already know that we can [beat them], but, we know that they are going to be looking for revenge, and the game is on their home court.”

JMU, which owns the country’s fifth-longest winning streak at 16 games, travels to Delaware tonight and Old Dominion on Sunday.

Sunday’s game at Old Dominion will be regionally televised on CSN with tip-off scheduled for 12 p.m.