USC Picked To Finish Fourth In Pac-10 Coaches Poll
With four returning starters, Women of Troy finish four points behind Oregon.


Oct. 17, 2002

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- The 2003 USC women's basketball team has been picked to finish fourth in the Pac-10 race this season by the conference coaches. The Women of Troy, who finished last season in a fourth-place tie with Oregon State and advanced to the second round of the WNIT, received 67 total points, four points behind third-place Oregon.

With three returning starters from last years' NCAA Tournament team, Stanford has been tabbed as the team to beat this year. The Cardinal claimed the 2002 Conference title with a perfect 18-0 league record last season.

Stanford, which finished 32-3 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen last year, garnered nine first-place votes in the preseason poll, while postseason NIT Champion Oregon earned one first-place vote. The Cardinal made its 15th straight NCAA Tournament appearance last season, while the Ducks captured the second NIT title in school history and first since 1982.

2002-03 PAC-10 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACHES POLL
(points)

1. Stanford (90)
2. Washington (77)
3. Oregon (71)
4. USC (67)
5. Arizona (61)
6. Arizona State (51)
7. Oregon State (40)
8. UCLA (36)
9. California (26)
10. Washington State (21)