Collen, No. 25 Arkansas at 14-0 with SEC season on the horizon

1/4/2008 11:18 AM

By NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -Tom Collen's caution is understandable.

At his last stop, he needed four seasons to guide Louisville into the Top 25. His new team - Arkansas - is there after less than two months.

``I have no grand illusions in thinking that the program is rebuilt because we're 14-0 and because we're in the poll,'' said Collen, whose 25th-ranked Lady Razorbacks host Texas Tech on Saturday in Fayetteville. ``I think it's a work in progress. I think it's going to take time to get where we want to be. But we're excited that we're off to a good start.''

Arkansas' unbeaten run is the latest addition to Collen's impressive coaching resume. He led Colorado State to five straight 20-win seasons, then went to Louisville, where he was part of three consecutive NCAA tournament teams. His success with the Lady Razorbacks isn't a shock, but it has happened with surprising speed.

``Actually, we thought this would be a tough rebuilding year,'' said women's athletic director Bev Lewis, who hired Collen.

Louisville went 27-8 last season and broke into the AP poll for the first time. Collen then left to take over at Arkansas, where he'd been an assistant a decade earlier.

Arkansas has more tradition than Colorado State and Louisville did when Collen took over. The Lady Razorbacks last made the NCAA tournament in 2003, but they went to the Final Four in 1998, just after Collen's stint as an assistant ended.

Still, this was a team that lost its last 10 games of 2006-07 under coach Susie Gardner. The transition began during a preseason trip to Canada.

``We got 10 extra practices in, so we got most of those growing pains and getting adjusted out during that time,'' post player Sarah Pfeifer said.

Even so, expectations remained low.

``I'm excited about our start here. It certainly wasn't anticipated,'' Collen said. ``I think we looked at our nonconference schedule and felt like if we could jell quickly we could win more games than we lost. ... I don't think I would have envisioned that we would have brought in the new year with a 14-0 record.''

Arkansas' first 13 wins were all by double digits, then the Lady Razorbacks beat Marquette 71-69 last weekend to win a tournament in Hanover, N.H. Post player Lauren Ervin made the winning shot, capping a terrific start to the season for the 6-foot-3 senior. She's averaging 16.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.

Ervin credits Collen's offense, which she says gives post players more freedom to shoot from the perimeter.

``With the offense that coach Collen has ... I think it just opened it up and allows us to show different parts of our game,'' Ervin said.

Collen has also changed the Lady Razorbacks' defensive approach. Instead of trying to pressure teams and deny passes, Arkansas is playing solid help defense and holding opponents to under 55 points per game.

``We've had to train their minds to think a little bit differently,'' Collen said. ``I think when you get into the SEC you're playing against teams that are loaded with great players. I think you're better served to be able to stop great players as a team as opposed to thinking that you're going to force great players into turning the basketball over.''

The Southeastern Conference schedule has been too tough for the Lady Razorbacks in recent years. Arkansas actually started 15-1 last season, briefly entering the Top 25 before beginning league play. The Lady Razorbacks finished the season 18-13.

That's why despite this current winning streak, Collen's goals remain modest. He's not talking about a league title. He just wants to make the NCAA tournament.

``If we can be in the upper-middle pack by the end of the year, combined with our nonconference record,'' Collen said. ``Then yeah, we've got a shot.''