LaTech women
vulnerable; UH
a dark horse

Louisiana Tech is the coaches' preseason pick to win its fourth consecutive Western Athletic Conference women's basketball crown.

However, this may be the year the road to the league title is not a smooth drive for coach Kurt Budke's team.

The Lady Techsters have lost two WAC games in three seasons, both to Rice, and have lost just six games during Budke's two seasons at the helm.

This year they are 4-4 and dropped out of both polls two weeks ago after 221 consecutive weeks of being ranked. An upgraded schedule is probably one of the reasons.

The strongest candidates to end Tech's run are Rice, picked second and winners of four consecutive games; Tulsa, picked third; and Southern Methodist, picked fourth. The dark horse is Hawaii's opponent tomorrow, Fresno State.

The Lady Techsters will be tested early, as they open at home against Tulsa, already a winner over three teams receiving votes in the polls, and Rice.

"There is no doubt the level of play in this league has risen dramatically since we joined the conference three years ago," said Budke. "I think a lot of that is because of our program and the success we have had, but credit the other coaches in this league for making their programs better."

The Rainbow Wahine (4-3) are picked to finish eighth, their lowest preseason spot since joining the conference. They have won three of their last four games and need to approach this weekend with the confidence they have gained.

"I don't put a lot of credence in that preseason stuff. It's good for the media," said UH coach Jim Bolla. "What matters is where you are at the end of the conference season and where you get to start in the WAC tournament. Our goal is to get the highest seed possible."

The Wahine, off for five days, had their first full practice yesterday and they know they will have to be ready to go against Fresno State.

"The Bulldogs are playing with confidence, have won four road games, like to push the ball upcourt, rebound well and shoot the 3s," said Bolla. "I think we match up well. I don't see any significant difference between us."

The Wahine need a good start with their first two conference games at home. They want to pick up where they left off with the overtime victory over Wake Forest on Dec. 18.

"We started building during the preseason and we're still building. We're starting to learn how to finish a game. We had two great plays to get into overtime against Wake, but we have to realize it's the season. We're 0-0 in conference," said Bolla.

Here is a look at the conference teams in the order UH plays them in the first round.

"The Bulldogs are playing with confidence, have won four road games, like to push the ball upcourt, rebound well and shoot the 3s," said Bolla. "I think we match up well. I don't see any significant difference between us."

The Wahine need a good start with their first two conference games at home. They want to pick up where they left off with the overtime victory over Wake Forest on Dec. 18.

"We started building during the preseason and we're still building. We're starting to learn how to finish a game. We had two great plays to get into overtime against Wake, but we have to realize it's the season. We're 0-0 in conference," said Bolla.

Here is a look at the conference teams in the order UH plays them in the first round.

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The teams

FRESNO STATE (8-1)

Coach: Stacy Johnson-Klein (42-30, 3rd year)
2004 WAC record: 7-11.
Players to watch: Senior forward Aritta Lane, junior guard Miranda Swearengin, sophomore guard Chantella Perera.
Outlook: The Bulldogs returned their top three scorers in Lane (Aiea), Veronica Mack and Perera, but junior college transfer Swearengin leads the team with 11.9 points per game. Lane is the top rebounder with 6.6 per game. FSU has wins over Oklahoma State and Washington State. The Bulldogs had their best start (6-0) since 1990 before suffering their only loss 92-76 to No. 18 UCLA. They are sixth in the preseason poll.

NEVADA (4-6)

Coach: Kim Gervasoni (7-32, 2nd year).
2004 WAC record: 2-16
Players to watch: Senior forward April Bankston, senior guard Talisha Anderson, sophomore guard Traci Graham.
Outlook: The Wolf Pack, picked to finished last, already have four victories, one more than all last year. But they are a young team with seven freshmen and four sophomores. Anderson leads the team with an 11.9 scoring average.

SAN JOSE STATE (6-3)

Coach: Janice Richard (227-119, 12th year).
2004 WAC record: 7-11.
Players to watch: Senior forward Lamisha Augustine, senior guard Jessica Kellogg, senior center Nica Gemo.
Outlook: Richard had to replace top scorers Tatiana Taylor and Cricket Williams. Freshman center Amber Jackson has helped greatly by averaging 16 points an outing, best in the WAC. Guards Lindsay Harris and Erica McGlaston have increased their point production more than a year ago. Picked fifth.

SOUTHERN METHODIST (9-1)

Coach: Rhonda Rompola (244-152, 14th year)
2004 WAC record: 9-9
Players to watch: Junior guard Kendall Shead, freshman center Janielle Dodds, junior forward Sarah Davis.
Outlook: The Mustangs' start is a program best. They have held their last five opponents and seven of 10 under 50 points with a high-pressure defense, a strategy Rompola uses to jump-start the offense. The 6-3 Dodds is a big addition, leading SMU in scoring with a 13.2 average. Freshman guard Joslyn Greenard earned a starting job. The only loss was by 20 points to Texas Christian, the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic champion.

LOUISIANA TECH (4-4)

Coach: Kurt Budke (64-10, 3rd year)
2004 WAC record: 17-1
Players to watch: Senior guard Lakiste Barkus, junior guard Tasha Crain, sophomore guard Shan Moore.
Outlook: The Lady Techsters have to replace a combined 48 points a game with the loss of Amisha Carter, Trina Frierson and Amber Obaze. Barkus, Crain and Moore have picked up some of the slack by scoring at a 10-point pace better than a year ago. It is not known when Erica Taylor, the coaches' choice for preseason WAC Player of the Year, will be ready after giving birth to her daughter Dec. 14.

TEXAS EL-PASO (4-5)

Coach: Keitha Green (33-62, 4th year).
2004 WAC record: 10-8.
Players to watch: Senior center Marta Dydek, sophomore forward Charnette Phelps, freshman forward Kasia Krezel.
Outlook: Green has coached the Miners to a better record each season since taking the job in 2001-02. Starters Angie McGee, Ana Valtierra and Ingrid Goslin return to provide leadership. More will be expected from the 6-foot-6 Dydek who averaged 6.4 points and 4.8 rebounds a year ago.

BOISE STATE (5-4)

Coach: Jen Warden (24-44, 3rd year).
2004 WAC record: 5-13.
Players to watch: Junior forward Jamie Hawkins, sophomore center Michelle Hessing, senior guard Jodi Nakashima.
Outlook: The Broncos have their most experienced team in years with 11 returning players, including the top nine scorers and rebounders. Hawkins led the team in scoring the last two years, and led in rebounding last year. Nakashima (Roosevelt) made 41.5 percent of her 106 3-point attempts a year ago.

RICE (7-4)

Coach: Cristy McKinney (226-162, 14th year).
2004 WAC record: 16-2.
Players to watch: Senior forward Michelle Woods, sophomore forward Lauren Neaves, freshman guard Maudess Fulton.
Outlook: The Owls return four starters and three of them -- Woods, Amber Cunningham and Eshombi Singleton -- have helped Rice either tie for or finish second in the WAC the last three years. Fulton has made up for the loss of Lindsey Maynard (11.1 ppg) by scoring at an 8.7 ppg clip. Neaves leads the league in rebounding (9.7). McKinney has experimented with several different starting lineups, with only Woods being on the court for the opening tip-off in each game.

TULSA (8-1)

Coach: Kathy McConnell-Miller (80-78, 6th year)
2004 WAC record: 11-7
Players to watch: Sophomore forward Jillian Robbins, junior guard Megan Moody, junior guard Kara Pongonis.
Outlook: The Golden Hurricane are off to their best start since joining the WAC, picking up where they left off after last year's best-ever 19-12 record. Robbins, the WAC Newcomer of the Year and first-team pick, again leads Tulsa in scoring (15.1 ppg), rebounds (9.4 rpg) and blocked shots (28).