Full Court Top 25: Week of December 21, 2009

As we move toward the Christmas break, there have been 41 teams that have made it into the Top 25 rankings of the Associated Press, USA Today/ESPN or Full Court Press. The one team that was added to that number since last week's article on this topic is Oklahoma State which moved into this weeks Top 25 at No. 22. This week we will focus on the 13 teams that have been ranked by everyone but not every week. Next week the focus will be on the 15 teams that have been rated by everyone every week.
But first, here is this weeks Full Court Top 25.

FCP RANK	TEAM		2009-10 RECORD
1		CONNECTICUT	9-0
Last week's rankings: Full Court - No. 1; AP - No. 1; USA Today/ESPN - No.1
Last week's action: v. Iona (W, 90-35)
The game of the year is set between Stanford and Connecticut on Wednesday.
Up this week: v. No. 2 Stanford (12/23)
2		STANFORD	9-0
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 2; AP - No. 2; USA Today/ESPN - No. 2
Last week's action: v. Duke (W, 71-55); v. Tennessee (W, 67-52)
Stanford won two big games this week, easily handling both No. 6 Duke and No. 3 Tennessee. Kayla Pedersen was the leading scorer for the Cardinal in both games, but the real difference was the defensive intensity. Duke shot only 28 percent from the floor and Tennessee did only slightly better at 33 percent from the field.
Up this week: @ No. 1 Connecticut (12/23)
3		TENNESSEE	9-1
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 3; AP - No. 3; USA Today/ESPN - No. 3
Last week's action: v. Louisville (W, 86-56); @ Stanford (L, 52-67)
The Lady Vols were brought back to reality against Stanford. After jumping out to an 11-4 lead, Tennessee was blitzed 26-7 for the remainder of the first half. Conventional wisdom says that the Vols should drop down after a loss, but based on their overall record, including quality wins over Baylor, Virginia and Texas, Tennessee holds at No. 3.
Up this week: @ San Francisco (12/22)
4		NOTRE DAME	10-0
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 4; AP - No. 4; USA Today/ESPN- No. 4
Last week's action: v. Charlotte (W, 90-31).
Notre Dame destroyed Charlotte in a game in which all 12 Irish players scored and no one played more than 24 minutes. The national polls will have the Irish third after Tennessee's loss to Stanford, but Notre Dame hasnt played nearly as tough a schedule as the Lady Vols, so we leave them at No. 4.
Up this week: No games.
5		BAYLOR	11-1
Last week's ranking: Full Court Press - No. 5; AP - No. 6; USA Today/ESPN - No. 5
Last week's action: v. Oral Roberts (W, 101-76); v. Gonzaga (W, 70-49); v. Arizona State (W, 70-66).
Brittney Griner is scary good. Against Oral Roberts, Griner got her first triple-double, scoring 34 points, collecting 13 rebounds and swatting down 11 blocks. She followed that with 18, 12 and 8 against Gonzaga and finished her week against then-No. 14 Arizona State with 27, 10 and 8. For the week Griner averaged 26 points, 12 rebounds and 9 blocks, and she is only a freshman!
Up this week: No games.
6		TEXAS A&M	9-1
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 10; AP - No. 13; USA Today/ESPN No. 11
Last week's action: v. Arizona State (W, 72-62); v. Gonzaga (W, 80-76).
Texas A&M rebounded from last week's loss to TCU with two big wins in Las Vegas. First the Aggies avenged their NCAA tournament loss with a 72-2 win over then-No. 14 Arizona State. That was followed by a narrow win over Gonzaga, in a game in which Texas A&M led 70-50 with 10 minutes to go. The Zags made a furious comeback, pulling to within two with 34 seconds to go, but a turnover in the final 20 seconds sealed the game in the Aggies' favor.
Up this week: No games.
7		DUKE	8-2
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 6; AP - No. 7; USA Today/ESPN - No. 8
Last week's action: @ Stanford (L, 55-71); v. James Madison (W, 79-65)
Duke beat last week's No. 20 team, James Madison, 79-65, but the margin of victory could have been much wider had Duke not slipped into a coma for much of the latter half. The Blue Devils led, 70-47, with 8:40 remaining but did not hit a field goal the rest of the way and went only 9-20 from the line.
Up this week: @ Maine (12/21)
8		OHIO STATE	12-1, overall; 1-0 in-conference
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 8; AP - No. 8; USA Today/ESPN - No. 7
Last week's action: v. Wright State (W, 84-47); v. Alabama A&M (W, 78-54)
Ohio State has one more patsy before getting back to Big 10 play.
Up this week: v. Western Illinois (12/23)
9		GEORGIA	10-0
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 11; AP - No. 11; USA Today/ESPN - No. 12
Last week's action: v. Virginia (W, 69-53)
Georgia handled last week's No. 21 team, Virginia, easily, behind 17 points from Jasmine James. The Lady Bulldogs trailed midway through the first half but outscored the Cavaliers, 33-8, over the next 13 minutes to take command.
Up next week: v. Detroit (12/22)
10		NORTH CAROLINA	9-1
Last week's ranking: Full Court Press - No. 13; AP No. 9; USA Today/ESPN No. 10
Last week's action: v. South Carolina (W, 93-85)
North Carolina showed its Jekyll-and-Hyde quality all within one game. The Tar Heels started out looking like a Top 5 team as they ran out to a 42-24 lead over a solid South Carolina squad. But then the Tar Heels stopped playing, and the Gamecocks stormed back, outscoring the Tar Heels, 41-17, to take a six-point lead. Then the Tar Heels turned it on again and outscored South Carolina, 34-20, over the remainder of the game to secure the win. Cetera DeGraffenreid led the Tar Heels with a career-high 26 points.
Up this week: No games.
11		NEBRASKA	11-0
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 19; AP - No. 14; USA Today/ESPN - No. 14
Last week's action: v. LSU (W, 77-63)
Nebraska may be the surprise team of womens basketball this season. The Cornhuskers were picked to finish just sixth in the Big 12, but the team is now 11-0 and handily beat last week's No. 7 team, LSU. Kelsey Griffin is averaging 19 points per game, but scored 30 against one of the best defenses in the nation. Nebraska takes the biggest jump in the rankings, moving up eight spots.
Up this week: No games.
12		LSU	9-1
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 7; AP - No. 5; USA Today/ESPN - No. 9
Last week's action: v. Houston Baptist (W, 93-31); v. North Carolina A&T (W, 75-33); @ Nebraska (L, 63-77)
LSU laid an egg in its first big test of the season, losing by 14 to Nebraska. The Tigers trailed 21-4 early on, and although they cut the lead to five points briefly in the second half, they never got closer. Since the Tigers' only quality win was over Middle Tennessee, who hasnt lived up to its preseason hype, LSU falls five spots.
Up this week: v. Southeastern Louisiana (12/22)
13		FLORIDA STATE	10-1
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 12; AP - No. 10; USA Today/ESPN - No. 6
Last week's action: @ UCF (W, 70-58); v. Texas-San Antonio (W, 65-50). v. DePaul (L, 60-75)
Florida State made it as high as No. 6 in the national rankings, but the loss to DePaul in Las Vegas makes clear that Florida State is not yet a Top 10 team.
Up this week: v. Hawaii (12/21 - Duel in the Desert, Las Vegas)
14		MICHIGAN STATE	8-3, overall; 0-1, in-conference
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 15; AP - No. 16; USA Today/ESPN - No. 20
Last week's action: v. Washington (W, 69-52)
Michigan State has an interesting game Monday against an undefeated but largely untested team. St. Bonaventure has beaten Marist and Bowling Green, but still it is unclear whether the Bonnies are a legitimate NCAA tournament-quality team.
Up this week: v. St. Bonaventure (12/21)
15		XAVIER	8-2
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 9; AP - No. 12; USA Today/ESPN - No. 14
Last week's action: v. Michigan (L, 71-72); v. Mississippi State (W, 81-60)
Xavier has got to be glad it doesnt have to play any more Michigan schools. Losing at Michigan State last week was bad enough, but coming home and losing to Michigan was even worse. The Musketeers rebounded with a convincing victory over Mississippi State, led by Amber Harris with 18 points.
Up this week: v. Austin Peay (12/23)
16		KANSAS	8-2
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 16; AP - No. 22; USA Today/ESPN - Not Ranked (received 47 votes)
Last week's action: v. UC-Riverside (W, 75-60)
The win over UC Riverside wasnt exactly an artistic success, but Kansas did win its eighth game of the season behind Danielle McCrays 30 points.
Up this week: @ Houston (12/22)
17		OKLAHOMA	9-2
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 17; AP - No. 15; USA Today/ESPN - No. 15
Last week's action: @ Creighton (W, 67-58)
Oklahoma is one of seven Big 12 teams in the Top 25. Texas Tech is just outside the rankings, having only lost to Tennessee and Iowa State also has only one loss. This is the best league in the nation and the conference season will start in two weeks.
Up this week: No games.
18		ARIZONA STATE	7-3
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 14; AP - No. 14; USA Today/ESPN - No. 13
Last week's action: v. Texas A&M (L, 62-72); v. Baylor (L, 66-70)
Arizona State traveled to Las Vegas last week and came away with two losses to nationally ranked programs, though both games were hard-fought. The Sun Devils played Texas A&M even for 36 minutes but were outscored, 15-5, down the stretch. The Baylor game was dj vu all over again. The game was tied with less than six minutes left, but again the Sun Devils struggled down the stretch, as the Bears outscored them, 10-6. ASU still looks like the second best team in the Pac 10, but the conference is way down from last season..
Up this week: No games.
19		TEXAS	6-3
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 18; AP - No. 17; USA Today/ESPN - No. 21
Last week's action: v. Mississippi (W, 64-58); v. Texas Southern (W, 91-42)
Last week Mississippi looked like they had an upset over Ohio State before folding in the last four minutes and losing by two. This week Texas trailed by seven with eight minutes to go and then went on a 22-9 run pull out the victory.
Up this week: No games.
20		WISCONSIN - GREEN BAY	10-0
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 24; AP - No. 23; USA Today/ESPN - No. 24
Last week's action: v. Marquette (W, 65-48)
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is 10-0 for the first time in school history with a 65-48 win over the Big East's Marquette. The Phoenix led, 38-14, at the break and Marquette never got closer than 15 points in the second half.
Up this week: No games.
21		OKLAHOMA STATE	8-2
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - Not Ranked; AP - Not Ranked (received 26 votes); USA Today/ESPN - Not Ranked
Last week's action: v. UC-Riverside (W, 69-46); v. Mercer (W, 100-68)
Oklahoma State has only lost two games this season, at Ohio State and in double overtime against Michigan State in the Bahamas. The Cowgirls have also beaten Georgia Tech and won at Vermont. Andrea Riley is one of the most exciting players in the country, averaging 24 points per game. Their schedule will be brutal once the conference season starts, but unlike prior years, Oklahoma State has actually tested itself non-conference.
Up this week: v. Oral Roberts (12/22)
22		JAMES MADISON	7-1
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 20; AP - No. 24; USA Today/ESPN - No. 25
Last week's action: @ Duke (L, 65-79)
The good news for James Madison is that Dawn Evans missed only one game due to her kidney disorder. The bad news is that even with Evans scoring 31 points, the Dukes were still easily beaten by Duke. James Madison has two easy games left before the Colonial Athletic Association season starts.
Up this week: v. Longwood (12/21)
23		DAYTON	9-2
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press- No. 23; AP - Not Ranked (received 56 votes); USA Today/ESPN - Not Ranked (received 47 votes)
Last week's action: No games.
Dayton should beat Butler this week, but next week the Flyers travel to Vermont for what could be a very difficult game.
Up this week: v. Butler (12/21)
24		VIRGINIA	7-3
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 21; AP - No. 19; USA Today/ESPN - No. 17
Last week's action: @ Georgia (L, 53-69)
Monica Wright scored her 2,000th point, only the third player in Cavalier history to do so. She should break Dawn Staleys scoring record at Virginia within the next month. Nonetheless, Virginia lost its second game in three outings.
Up this week: No games.
25		PITTSBURGH	8-1
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 25; AP - No. 21; USA Today/ESPN - No. 19
Last week's action: v. Austin Peay (W, 76-75)
Pittsburgh holds onto its No. 25 ranking with a one-point overtime victory over Austin Peay. The Panthers will have to play better to secure a win at Western Kentucky this week.
Up this week: @ Western Kentucky (12/22)

Dropping out of this week's rankings

NR		TEMPLE	9-1
Last week's rankings: Full Court Press - No. 22; AP - Not Ranked (received 21 votes); USA Today/ESPN - Not Ranked (received 39 votes)
Last week's action: v. Villanova (L, 32-44)
Temple falls from the rankings after dropping a grinder of a game to unranked Villanova, 32-44.
Up this week: No games.

A Look at the Overlaps

The teams that have been ranked at some point, but not continuously, in all three ratings are a diverse group that includes teams that were expected to be very good but who havent lived up to their preseason rating as well as teams that first popped onto the radar after exceeding their preseason expectations.

California (4-4) was ranked No. 16 by Full Court, No. 17 by the AP, and No. 13 in the USA Today/ESPN preseason ratings. But the Golden Bears proved to be a very young team that has not yet jelled. Their loss to San Jose State stands as perhaps the biggest upset of the season.

DePaul (9-3) was also included in all three preseason rankings but early losses to Northwestern and Wisconsin-Green Bay and the loss of star Deirdre Naughton to an ACL tear dropped them from the Top 25. The Blue Demons pulled off an upset Sunday beating Florida State and could be returning to the national elite soon.

Louisville (6-5) was ranked in all three preseason ratings, but despite the coaching of Jeff Walz, the loss of Angel McCoughtry and Candyce Bingham to graduation has left the Cardinals a shell of the team that made the final game last season.

San Diego State (5-4) made all three Top 25s before traveling to the Virgin Islands and losing three to Notre Dame, Oklahoma and South Carolina. The Aztecs have not looked the same since then, but they should regain their form as the Mountain West Conference begins, where they are still co-favorites with TCU.

Mississippi State (8-4) catapulted into all three Top 25s after destroying Maryland, 84-55. Then the Lady Bulldogs suffered the same fate as San Diego State, losing three games in the Virgin Islands over Thanksgiving Weekend. The SEC will give Mississippi State many chances to prove itself as the Bulldogs could finish anywhere from second to seventh in a tough conference.

Vanderbilt (10-1) has been ranked in the AP and the coaches' polls all year, but the Commodores dropped out of Full Court's Top 25 after losses to Bowling Green and their best win is over Western Kentucky. We will wait until the 'Dores earn a quality win, whether against Notre Dame or once they start playing their SEC schedule, before they get considered again for the Full Court Top 25.

Pittsburgh (9-1) is the third Big East team in this group. USA Today/ESPN had the Panthers in their preseason poll at 22 and they climbed to No. 15 in both the AP and the coaches' polls before losing to Penn State. Like Vanderbilt, Pitt does not have a quality win and the Panthers are on the edge of falling back out of the Top 25.

Dayton (9-2) played well early with wins over Michigan State, Georgetown and Purdue and a two-point loss to Louisville, which was then nationally ranked. That was enough to move the Flyers into the Top 25. The Purdue win isnt as impressive as it once looked and the Louisville loss looks worse now that the Cardinals have tumbled from the rankings. As a result Dayton, too, is on the edge. Full Court still has Dayton at No. 23, but both the AP and the USA Today/ESPN polls have dropped them from the Top 25.

Kansas (8-2) is one of the most intriguing teams in this collection. The Jayhawks lost to Xavier and TCU, the latter on a controversial time out call in the game's final seconds. Kansas beat Michigan by 11, one of only two losses for the Wolverines. They have been ranked every week in the AP and Full Court Press ratings, but the USA Today/ESPN poll has only had them ranked one week and then at No. 23. Kansas doesnt look to be at the level of Baylor and Texas A&M and with the depth of quality in the Big 12 the Jayhawks could finish anywhere from third to seventh in conference play.

Oklahoma (9-2) is proving there is life without the Paris sisters. Even after losing Whitney Hand, the Sooners have continued to win. Their only losses are to Notre Dame and Georgia, both high-ranked teams, but they also beat unranked Arkansas by a single point. Like Kansas, a finish anywhere from third to seventh in the Big 12 is quite possible for Oklahoma, and because they play in the tougher South their road may be a bit harder.

This leaves the three most pleasant surprises of the season. Nebraska (11-0) received no votes in the preseason USA Today/ESPN poll and was not in the Full Court Press preseason Top 25. Only Deb Antonelli, voting in the AP, included the Cornhuskers in her preseason vote. Deb was right, but even she didnt expect the Huskers to win all of their first 11, including a 14-point victory over LSU, which until that loss was ranked in the Top 10.

Georgia (10-0) was in the preseason Top 25 for the AP and Full Court Press but fell outside the rankings at No. 30 in the preseason USA Today/ESPN poll. An early win over Oklahoma vaulted Georgia upward and subsequent victories over Rutgers, Georgia Tech and most recently Virginia has moved the Bulldogs into the Top 10.

Full Court has ranked Texas A&M (9-1) from the outset, but the Aggies just missed the Top 25 in the preseason AP poll, coming in at No. 26 in the voting. The Aggies opened the season with an 18-point victory over Duke, vaulting them into everyone's Top 25. Subsequently, the Aggies have won at California and this weekend beat both Arizona State and Gonzaga in Las Vegas. Their only loss came at TCU where a controversial non-time out call during a battle for the ball in the game's final minutes allowed the Horned Frogs to pull off the upset. A&M could battle Baylor for the top spot in the Big 12.