This week's topic: 2001-02 Coach of the Year candidates. This, of course, is with conference play just under way.

        1. Ben Howland (Pittsburgh). Pitt takes a 15-1 record into today's game against Notre Dame. It has started 3-0 in the Big East for the first time since 1991-92. The Panthers were 19-14 last season and picked by The Sporting News to finish sixth in the Big East West Division

        2. Kelvin Sampson (Oklahoma). The Sooners are 12-1 and ranked No. 5. They were largely expected to finish fifth in the Big 12. They already have wins over Maryland and at Connecticut this past Monday.

        3. Bob Huggins (Cincinnati). The Bearcats, unranked in the preseason, are No. 10 with the nation's longest winning streak, which is even more impressive because no opponent has come within 10 points.

        4. Bob Knight (Texas Tech). The General has taken a Big 12 afterthought coming off a 9-19 season and thrust the Tech program into the national spotlight. What else can you ask for?

        5. Jim Harrick (Georgia). The Bulldogs, who lost five key contributors from last season, are 13-2 after bouncing Kentucky this week. The Sporting News picked them to finish last in the SEC East. Lots of tough games coming up. We'll see if they're for real.

Sports Stories

2001-02 Coach of the Year candidates College hoops e-mail with Perry and Schmidt Enquirer Tipoff page Familiar faces meet in Miami-Akron game Five questions with Duke's Carlos Boozer How 'sweet' it is South Carolina between UK and 1st SEC victory UK allows Stone to play at Louisville Bellisari begins DUI sentence CCHA: Miami beats Ferris 1-0 Biggs back, 'Clones win Mighty Ducks edge 'Dogs Turfway Park: Prather finalist Iverson hangs 37 on Spurs Leafs tie Caps Coming up this week

Today's games look like... last week's
Wild-card weekend kicks off in Philly
O'Leary, banished by Irish, lands with Vikings
SULLIVAN: Selig's loan
Baseball notebook
UC foe aims for patience
UC's Williams revels in homecoming
Women: UC 77, ECU 52
Spiders want to take step up from Cinderella status
Women: Xavier 68, Fordham 63
Moeller problem 'not new'
CovCath rolls behind Bain
La Salle survives Moeller
Reading plays as a team when it counts
Sycamore nips Lakota West
Kentucky boys roundup
Ohio boys roundup
How Enquirer poll teams fared
Tristate area scores
Indiana boys basketball scores
Indiana girls basketball scores
Kentucky boys basketball scores
Kentucky girls basketball scores
Ohio boys basketball scores
Ohio girls basketball scores