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2B – Daily News – Tuesday, December 21, 2010 UConn women a win away from topping UCLA Connecticut Huskies NEW YORK (AP) — UCLA’s 88-game winning streak had just been snapped by Notre Dame in 1974 when Bruins coach John Wooden was asked how long it would be before somebody beat the streak. ‘‘I have no idea how long it will be before some- body else wins that many. I know it takes at least three years,’’ he replied. Try nearly 37 years. And the University of Con- necticut women’s team can do it Tuesday night. Coach Geno Auriemma and his players — just Huskies, never the Lady Huskies — have been so dominant that some in the sports world have even suggested their overwhelming success is no good for the game. Auriemma took the debate a step further Sunday after UConn’s 88th straight win, questioning whether there is a gender bias against his team. ‘‘The reason everybody is having a heart attack the last four or five days is a bunch of women are threatening to break a men’s record, and everybody is all up in arms about it,’’ he said. There is no dispute, however, that the streak has raised the profile of women’s basketball by daring to compare UConn’s accomplishment to one of the most revered numbers in sports history orchestrat- ed by one of its most hallowed figures. ‘‘Whether you agree or disagree with the time, the era, the competitive balance — whatever your take on it is, you can put any spin you want on it,’’ Auriemma said. ‘‘You can make it better, the same or less — it’s just a matter of how you look at it.’’ UCLA great Bill Walton, who was instrumental in the Bruins’ run, said his former coach — who died earlier this year — was aware of UConn’s streak. ‘‘They play with great sense of team, great pur- pose, phenomenal execution of fundamentals, relentless attack,’’ he told The Associated Press ‘‘The reason everybody is having a heart attack the last four or five days is a bunch of women are threatening to break a men’s record, and everybody is all up in arms about it.” Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma recently. ‘‘It is what every team should aspire to, regardless of the sport.’’ While no men’s team has approached UCLA’s record set from 1971-74, Auriemma and UConn once came close. The Huskies won 70 straight in the early 2000s before tripping up against Villano- va. That was a record that many thought would never be achieved again. Until now. UConn, which hasn’t lost since the 2008 NCAA tournament, will pass UCLA with a win over No. 22 Florida State on Tuesday night. ‘‘I like to remind my players all the time, you don’t stumble and bumble into the history book,’’ Auriemma said. ‘‘You’ll have to do it the right way if you want to get in there. It may not come again.’’ These two great programs were linked even before Connecticut’s win over Ohio State on Sun- day matched UCLA’s mark. ‘‘Did you see all those layups we got today? Some of those backdoor cuts and some of that real- ly cool stuff that we were doing?’’ Auriemma asked. ‘‘Get the tape, go break it down, and find out what UCLA was running 37 years ago and you’ll see the exact same stuff. So really, how much have things changed.’’ It’s not just the X’s and O’s that Auriemma has adopted from Wooden. It’s also the pursuit of excellence. The top block of Wooden’s pyramid of success reads: ‘‘Competitive Greatness: Perform at your best when your best is required. Your best is required every day.’’ In the last decade, which includes three perfect seasons, six NCAA championships, a slew of All- Americans and many sold-out crowds and appear- ances on national television, Auriemma’s teams rarely seem to let down. UConn hasn’t lost consec- utive games in more than 17 years. ‘‘One thing that’s non-negotiable is that the one thing we have in common is we settle for nothing less than the absolute best we give you every sin- gle night. They did it and we’re doing it. Every- thing else to me is meaningless,’’ Auriemma said. UConn’s feat has left an impression on coaches across the sport. Even those who have had a some- what frosty relationship with Auriemma can’t help marveling at his team. ‘‘It should be really applauded for an incredible accomplishment in what they’ve done,’’ UConn men’s coach Jim Calhoun said Sunday. ‘‘Nobody in their sport has done it and I don’t think anybody, by the way, ever will, including them. I don’t think (UConn) can repeat, even. The game’s getting bet- ter. It’s just an incredible accomplishment.’’ High praise from a Hall of Fame coach, who casts a pretty big shadow himself on the campus in Storrs. Calhoun highly regards coaches C. Vivian Stringer of Rutgers and Pat Summitt of Tennessee, but said UConn’s winning numbers speak for themselves. ‘‘It’s proving very simply that they’re the great- est women’s program in the history of women’s basketball,’’ Calhoun said. ‘‘The streak is the greatest women’s feat that you can have.’’ Summitt, who won’t play UConn anymore in the regular season because of a feud with Auriemma, recently lauded the achievement. ‘‘Obviously, they’ve had tremendous success,’’ she said. ‘‘They know how to win. To break that record is amazing.’’ For first time in years, Raiders remain in playoff hunt Oakland Raiders ALAMEDA (AP) — The Oakland Raiders usually spend this time of year saying their goodbyes, planning for the offseason and play- ing for a job next sea- son. So even though their playoff hopes might be slim, just having them at this time of year is a welcome change for a team that has endured seven consecutive los- ing seasons. ‘‘It’s a lot more fun,’’ coach Tom Cable said Monday. ‘‘Football is football. I love football. I love coaching. That part of it is never an issue for me. It’s just more exciting. You get up and come to work and you’re excited about getting into a new plan.’’ This is new ground for the Raiders, who had lost at least 11 games for an NFL- worst seven seasons before turning things around a bit this season. For players like Pro BEARS (Continued from page 1B) record starts streak of 297 regular-season games was already over after sitting out the pre- vious week. But after feeling bet- ter when he woke up on Monday, according to the Vikings, Favre want- ed to try. He passed his pregame throwing test and trotted out in front of the Minnesota fans one last time, finding Percy Harvin for a 23- yard TD to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead after the opening drive. Favre managed one more joyful jump on a teammate’s back to cel- ebrate a touchdown, piggybacking right guard Ryan Cook before embracing Harvin and raising his left arm in triumph as he jogged off. very long. The vibe didn’t last Henry Melton tipped Favre’s pass on the next Minnesota possession, Julius Peppers intercept- ed it at the 14 and Rob- bie Gould kicked a field goal. The next drive was a three-and-out, and Favre had to hustle back and smother the ball after a high snap slipped Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, who was a rookie in 2003 when the streak of losing began, this kind of season is long over- due. ‘‘The whole atmos- phere is different,’’ Asomugha said. ‘‘In December the weather is pretty gloomy and that makes our mood gloomy — we’re not winning and all that stuff. We’re offsetting the weather now. Every- body’s happy. Every- body’s excited and we have something to play for. It’s great for us. It’s great for the mood of the team.’’ Oakland (7-7) remained in contention by beating Denver 39- 23 on Sunday. But in order to win the AFC West and make the playoffs for the first time since 2002, the Raiders will need plen- ty of help. First, they need first- place Kansas City (9-5) to lose at home Sunday to Tennessee and have second-place San Diego (8-6) lose one of its through his hands. Cut- ler zipped a 67-yard pass up the sideline over safety Madieu Williams to a streaking Johnny Knox, and the Bears built a 10-7 lead they never lost. BOWLS Saturday’s Bowl results New Mexico Bowl At Albuquerque BYU 52, UTEP 24 Humanitarian Bowl At Boise, Idaho Northern Illinois 40, Fresno State 17 New Orleans Bowl Troy 48, Ohio 21 Today’s Bowl Beef ’O’ Brady’s Bowl At St.Petersburg, Fla. Louisville (6-6) vs. Southern Mississippi (8-4), 5 p.m. (ESPN) Wednesday’s Bowl MAACO Bowl At Las Vegas Utah (10-2) vs. Boise State (11-1), 5 p.m. (ESPN) Thursday’s Bowl Poinsettia Bowl At San Diego San Diego State (8-4) vs. Navy (9-3), 5 p.m. (ESPN) Christmas Eve’s Bowl Hawaii Bowl At Honolulu Hawaii (10-3) vs. Tulsa (9-3), 5 p.m. (ESPN) Sunday’s Bowl Little Caesars Pizza Bowl At Detroit Toledo (8-4) vs. Florida International (6-6), 5:30 p.m.(ESPN) final two road games at a pair of three-win teams: Cincinnati and Denver. None of that will matter if the Raiders can’t beat Indianapolis at home this week and then win the season finale at Kansas City. ‘‘Just win these last two and let everything else take care of itself,’’ fullback Marcel Reece said. ‘‘We have to take care of our business and not worry about San Diego, not worry about Kansas City. Just worry about Indianapolis and then worry about Kansas City the last week of the season.’’ If the Raiders do win their final two games but fail to get the help they need, they would become the first team since the NFL went to divisions in 1967 to win all their division games but fail to make the playoffs. After going 8-34 in the division the past seven years, Cable put an emphasis in training camp on beating the AFC West rivals. NCAABASKETBALL The Top Twenty Five The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec.19, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking: 1.Duke (64) 2. Ohio St. (1) 3. Kansas 4. Connecticut 5. Syracuse 6. Pittsburgh Record Pts Pvs 10-0 1,624 1 10-0 1,551 2 10-0 1,479 3 8-0 1,408 4 11-0 1,395 5 11-1 1,270 8 7. San Diego St. 12-0 1,134 11 8.Villanova 9. Missouri 9-1 12. Michigan St. 8-3 13.Kentucky 14. Purdue 15.Baylor 16. Memphis 17. Minnesota 18.Texas 19.Tennessee 20. Florida 21. Illinois 1,118 10 10. Georgetown 10-1 980 15 11. Kansas St. 10-1 1,009 13 9-2 8-2 866 6 858 14 850 17 10-1 712 19 7-1 8-1 684 9 577 18 10-1 504 21 9-2 7-2 8-2 22.Notre Dame 10-1 327 24 23.BYU 24.UCF 10-2 370 12 10-1 302 16 10-0 258 — 25.Texas A&M 10-1 246 25 Others receiving votes:Louisville 124, Van- derbilt 49, Washington 49, Temple 39, West Virginia 24, Wisconsin 16, North- western 15, Cincinnati 14, North Carolina 10, UNLV 10, Arizona 8, Drexel 6, Gonza- ga 3, Saint Mary’s, Calif. 3, Washington St. 3, Boston College 2, Oklahoma St. 2, Old Dominion 2, Cleveland St. 1, New Mexico 1. Monday’s Top 25 results No. 1 Duke 98, Elon 72 No. 4 Connecticut 76, Coppin State 64 No. 5 Syracuse 97, Morgan State 55 No.16 Memphis 68, Texas A&M-CC 63 Jacksonville 71, No. Florida 68, OT Today’s Top 25 games No.2 Ohio State vs.UNC Asheville, 5:30 p.m. No.7 San Diego St.vs.San Francisco, 7 p.m. No.11 Kansas State vs.UNLV, 6 p.m., ESPN2 No. 14 Purdue vs.IPFW, 3:30 p.m. No.19 Tennessee vs.Southern Cal, 4 p.m. No.23 BYU at Weber State, 6 p.m. No. 25 Texas A&M vs.Wagner, 5 p.m. Today’s other televised game High Point vs Georgia, 4 p.m., CSNC 429 22 411 7 382 — ‘‘Doesn’t mean any- thing if we are at home, watching Kansas City in the playoffs,’’ defen- sive tackle Tommy Kelly said. ‘‘It’s some- thing nice to say, but at the end of the day it doesn’t mean anything. You don’t even get a T- shirt.’’ If the Raiders do fall short, they will likely point to some missed opportunities out of the division that cost them the spot. Sebastian Janikowski missed a 32-yard field goal at the end of a 24- 23 loss at Arizona back in week 3. Then Oak- land lost to then-win- less San Francisco 17-9 in a game filled with missed opportunities. There were also home losses to Houston and Miami and then the 38-31 loss at Jack- sonville on Dec. 12 when Oakland blew a 10-point lead and then allowed the winning score late in the fourth quarter just after tying the game up. ‘‘You sit around and think, ’God what if NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE Pacific Division WL Pct GB Lakers 21 7 .750 — Phoenix 13 14 .481 7.5 WARRIORS 917 .346 11 Clippers 7 21 .250 14 KINGS 5 20 .200 14.5 Southwest Division WL Pct GB San Antonio 24 3 .889 — Dallas 22 5 .815 2 New Orleans16 12 .571 8.5 Houston 12 15 .444 12 Memphis 12 16 .429 12.5 Northwest Division WL Pct GB 20 9 .690 — Utah Okla. City 19 9 .679 .5 Denver 16 10 .615 2.5 Portland 14 14 .500 5.5 Minnesota 6 22 .214 13.5 EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division WL Pct GB Boston 22 4 .846 — New York 16 12 .571 7 Philadelphia 11 16 .407 11.5 Toronto 10 18 .357 13 New Jersey 8 20 .286 15 Southeast Division WL Pct GB 21 9 .700 — Miami Atlanta 18 12 .600 3 Orlando 16 11 .593 3.5 Charlotte 9 18 .333 10.5 Washington 7 19 .269 12 Central Division WL Pct GB Chicago 16 9 .640 — Indiana 13 14 .481 4 Milwaukee 10 15 .400 6 Detroit 9 19 .321 8.5 Cleveland 8 20 .286 9.5 ————————————————— Monday’s results Houston at Golden State, late Atlanta 91, Orlando 81 Dallas 98, Miami 96 Indiana 94, New Orleans 93 San Antonio 118, Phoenix 110 Utah 101, Cleveland 90 Washington 108, Charlotte 75 Milwaukee at Portland, late Minnesota at L.A. Clippers, late Today’s games Golden State at Sacramento,7 p.m.,CSN Dallas at Orlando, 4 p.m. Oklahoma City at Charlotte, 4 p.m. New Jersey at Memphis, 5 p.m. Philadelphia at Chicago, 5 p.m. Milwaukee at L.A. Lakers, 7:30 p.m. Dallas Ducks we’d done that or that,’’’ Cable said. ‘‘But you can’t. At some point you have to stop and say, ’This is reality, this is where we’re at and this is what we con- trol.’ Let’s worry about what we control. That other stuff hopefully will work out for us.’’ Cable has delivered that message to his team and the players are heeding it, knowing there’s too much at stake this week to waste time looking at missed opportunities. ‘‘The moment you take to look back anoth- er team’s going to pass you.’’ linebacker Quentin Groves said. ‘‘You can’t look back, you can only look for- ward, and figure out what do I have to do on this play, at this time to beat this guy in front of me and that’s the way we take it.’’ Notes: Punter Shane Lechler is nursing a strained hamstring that briefly sidelined him Sunday and is questionable, which NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE Pacific Division WL OT Pts GF GA 20 10 3 43 95 90 18 15 4 40 96 106 SHARKS 17 11 5 39 100 94 Kings 18 12 1 37 90 75 Phoenix 15 10 7 37 89 93 Central Division Detroit WL OT Pts GF GA 20 8 4 44 105 88 Nashville 17 9 6 40 83 79 Chicago 18 14 3 39 111 103 Columbus 16 13 3 35 82 90 St. Louis 15 12 5 35 82 91 Northwest Division WL OT Pts GF GA Vancouver 19 8 4 42 101 78 Colorado 19 10 4 42 121 105 Minnesota 15 13 4 34 79 91 Calgary 14 17 3 31 91 100 Edmonton 12 14 5 29 84 108 EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division WL OT Pts GF GA Philadelphia 22 8 5 49 117 87 Pittsburgh 22 10 2 46 110 79 N.Y.Rangers 20 14 1 41 105 91 New Jersey 9 21 2 20 58 98 N.Y. Islanders6 18 6 18 65 104 Northeast Division WL OT Pts GF GA Montreal 19 12 2 40 87 72 Boston 17 11 4 38 89 68 Ottawa 14 17 4 32 81 106 Buffalo 13 16 4 30 84 95 Toronto 12 17 4 28 75 102 Southeast Division WL OT Pts GF GA Atlanta 19 11 5 43 115 100 Tampa Bay 19 10 4 42 104 109 Washington 19 12 4 42 104 99 Carolina 15 13 4 34 90 99 Florida 15 16 0 30 85 78 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. ————————————————— Monday’s results Anaheim 3, Boston 0 Atlanta 6, Toronto 3 Florida 5, Philadelphia 0 Minnesota 4, Calgary 1 Pittsburgh 6, Phoenix 1 Tampa Bay 5, Carolina 1 Vancouver 3, St. Louis 1 Today’s games Edmonton at San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Anaheim at Buffalo, 4 p.m. St. Louis at Atlanta, 4 p.m. Calgary at Columbus, 4 p.m. New Jersey at Washington, 4:30 p.m., VS Montreal at Dallas, 6 p.m. Los Angeles at Colorado, 6:30 p.m. could force the Raiders to sign a replacement as insurance if Lechler can’t go this week. ... DT Richard Seymour is also questionable with a hamstring injury. ... RT Langston Walker left Sunday’s game with a concussion and needs to go through the protocol to determine whether he can play this week. NFL AFC West WL T Pct PF PA Kansas City 9 5 0 .643 322 281 Chargers 8 6 0 .571 388 260 RAIDERS 77 0 Denver East .500 353 330 3 11 0 .214 292 415 WL T Pct PF PA x-N.England 12 2 0 .857 446 303 N.Y.Jets 10 4 0 .714 295 259 Miami Buffalo South 7 7 0 .500 239 261 4 10 0 .286 273 353 WL T Pct PF PA Indianapolis 8 6 0 .571 381 342 Jacksonville 8 6 0 .571 319 365 Tennessee 6 8 0 .429 322 282 Houston 5 9 0 .357 333 386 North WL T Pct PF PA x-Pittsburgh 10 4 0 .714 307 220 Baltimore 10 4 0 .714 324 253 Cleveland 5 9 0 .357 252 271 Cincinnati 3 11 0 .214 281 362 NFC West St. Louis 6 8 0 .429 258 295 Seattle WL T Pct PF PA 6 8 0 .429 279 363 49ERS 59 0 .357 250 314 Arizona 4 10 0 .286 255 370 East WL T Pct PF PA Philadelphia 10 4 0 .714 412 339 N.Y. Giants 9 5 0 .643 360 288 Washington 5 9 0 .357 268 343 Dallas South 5 9 0 .357 354 396 WL T Pct PF PA x-Atlanta 12 2 0 .857 369 261 New Orleans10 4 0 .714 354 270 Tampa Bay 8 6 0 .571 280 290 Carolina 2 12 0 .143 183 350 North WL T Pct PF PA Chicago 10 4 0 .714 293 242 Green Bay 8 6 0 .571 333 220 Minnesota 5 9 0 .357 244 314 Detroit 4 10 0 .286 308 329 x-clinched playoff spot ————————————————— Week 15 Monday’s result Chicago 40, Minnesota 14 Sunday’s results Oakland 39, Denver 23 Atlanta 34, Seattle 18 Baltimore 30, New Orleans 24 Buffalo 17, Miami 14 Carolina 19, Arizona 12 Cincinnati 19, Cleveland 17 Dallas 33, Washington 30 Detroit 23, Tampa Bay 20, OT Indianapolis 34, Jacksonville 24 Kansas City 27, St. Louis 13 New England 31, Green Bay 27 N.Y. Jets 22, Pittsburgh 17 Philadelphia 38, N.Y. Giants 31 Tennessee 31, Houston 17 Dec. 16 result San Diego 34, San Francisco 7 Week 16 Thursday’s game Carolina at Pittsburgh, 5:20 p.m. Christmas Day’s game Dallas at Arizona, 4:30 p.m. Sunday’s games San Francisco at St. Louis, 10 a.m. Indianapolis at Oakland, 1:05 p.m. Baltimore at Cleveland, 10 a.m. Detroit at Miami, 10 a.m. New England at Buffalo, 10 a.m. N.Y. Jets at Chicago, 10 a.m. Tennessee at Kansas City, 10 a.m. Washington at Jacksonville, 10 a.m. Houston at Denver, 1:05 p.m. N.Y. Giants at Green Bay, 1:15 p.m. San Diego at Cincinnati, 1:05 p.m. Seattle at Tampa Bay, 1:15 p.m. Minnesota at Philadelphia, 5:20 p.m. Monday, Dec.27 game New Orleans at Atlanta, 5:30 p.m.