From the mailbag:

I'm interested in Ted's take on Minnesota's Wednesday game at UW Green Bay. Tough environment at the Phoenix Sports Center against a squad in GB that defends the post like crazy and shoots the three very well. Kevin Borseth could be the best coach no one knows about in America. They just re-load. They whipped Illinois last week 74-43, then the Illini turned around and beat LA Tech in Reston! Also have easy wins over Auburn and Marquette.

Well, the short answer is that I'm worried.

Minnesota has a deeper, more talented roster than the one that went to New Orleans last year, but those pieces haven't yet coalesced into a consistently effective basketball team. And injuries have slowed our star -- right now McCarville isn't playing like she was in March.

I know almost nothing about UWGB's team this year, and I haven't seen them play since Palo Alto in the '03 tournament, but they always seem dangerous. After the stellar '03 class graduated, the Phoenix had a less impressive run last year, yet they still made the NCAAs for the sixth straight time. Although they haven't had a huge win this year, they have beaten several non-puffy programs.

You could say, based on this year's performance, that UWGB should be ranked ahead of Minnesota. The game tomorrow night is apparently sold out, which will mean a raucous partisan crowd. So I won't be surprised if we lose, and I'll be very relieved if we win.