Another player leaving Kentucky

Player news:

Another player has left Kentucky: Kyvin Goodin-Rogers.

Team news:

Iowa is battle and travel-tested.

Coach news:

Mark Campbell has been promoted to associate head coach at Oregon.

Tonight's (incomplete) results:

#1 Connecticut blew out Chattanooga, 79-31.

Oklahoma State beat Washington State, 70-60.

Middle Tennessee routed Austin Peay, 86-55. Blue Raider junior Olivia Jones notched 1,000 career points in the process.

Oregon and San Jose State are tipping off in moments.

All scores.

WNBA news:

Lynx assistant coach Jim Petersen is a candidate for the Sun head coach job.

A world of movement in this week's AP top 25 poll

Many teams moved on up like the Jeffersons in this week's AP top 25 poll:

1. Connecticut
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. Baylor
5. Maryland
6. Texas
7. Oregon State
8. Tennessee
9. Mississippi State
10. Ohio State
11. Kentucky
12. Texas A&M
13. Florida State
14. Duke
15. Northwestern
16. Stanford
17. Arizona State
18. California
19. Michigan State
20. Syracuse
21. Oklahoma
22. Seton Hall
23. DePaul
24. South Florida
25. UCLA

It's Seton Hall's highest ranking in the poll in 20 years.

Congrats to the Bruins, who have fought their way back into the rankings.

Coach's chair: Kenny Brooks, James Madison University

Loved talking to this man - so full of wisdom and kindness:

Kenny Brooks, James Madison University

Wow, and more wow

#22 Louisville was upset for the second day in a row, this time to Dayton, who won 79-66.

St. John's took down #18 South Florida, 74-70.

#8 Texas upended #4 Tennessee, though I don't consider that a "wow" as much, because Texas is hot and Tennessee escaped a couple upsets last week.

Looks like Purdue is for real this year, as #13 Stanford needed an overtime to beat them, 71-65.

Maine downed LSU, 52-41.

North Carolina rallied past Gonzaga, 67-62.

More results:

San Diego State got the best of Wisconsin, 63-57.

James Madison topped Hampton in overtime, 68-56.

One last game going on at this hour: #2 South Carolina at Hawaii.

All scores.

Player news:

Priceton's Michelle Miller - a Rhodes Scholar candidate - notched her 1,000th career point yesterday in the Tiger's tournament win over Seattle University.

Get to know Michigan State center, Czech Republic native Hana Vesela.

CSUN's Radisson Hotel Chatsworth Thanksgiving Basketball Classic, 2015

In yesterday's tournament conclusion, BYU topped Penn State, 63-51, in the consolation game. Lexi Rydalch had 24 points for the Cougars, and Kalani Purcell added 16. Peyton Whitted had 15 for the Lions.

In the title game, Georgia got off to a quick start and never looked back, as they routed their hosts, 83-58. Tiaria Griffin had a career-high 25 points for the Bulldogs. Shacobia Barbee added 18 and Caliya Robinson, 13. Sarafina Maulupe had 14 points for the Matadors.

The games showcased some of the changes that abound in the 2015-2016 season so far. Georgia coach Joni Taylor, who took over the program from first-ever coach Andy Landers this year, doesn't seem to have missed a beat. The senior-laden Bulldogs are 5-1. CSUN, which lost their core group of senior starters to graduation last season, is rebuilding.

BYU's easy dispensation of Penn State was an eyebrow-raiser, considering that the Lions were conference title contenders as recently as two years ago.

All photos by Sue Favor.

Channon Fluker (33) fights for a rebound for CSUN in the first quarter.

Claudia Ramos looks to pass inside.

The Georgia bench reacts to a bucket.

Tiaria Griffin makes a pass. She scored a career-high 25 points in the game.

Shacobia Barbee stole the ball and went coast to coast for the layup.

Rebound battle in the fourth quarter.

Penn State coach Coquese Washington and BYU coach Jeff Judkins face off in the consolation game.

Washington watches second quarter action.

Leah Knizner takes the ball up court for the Lions.

At the top of their conference just a few years ago, Penn State has fallen on hard times the last two seasons. They are currently 3-3.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The insanity continues in a two-week-old season that already feels much longer.

Upset city:

#11 Ohio State 95, #10 Texas A&M 80. Kelsey Mitchell matched a Buckeye school record with 42 points. It was the first loss of the season for the Aggies.

Purdue 62, #22 Louisville 60. The Boilermakers are 6-0, and I suspect the Cardinals will drop from the rankings Monday with their 1-3 record.

Wright State 77, #24 George Washington 71.

"Don't let the score fool you" almost-upsets:

#3 Notre Dame needed an overtime to put away UCLA, 92-84. Bruins Coach Cori Close promised her team would be there in March.

#5 Baylor had to rally from double-digits to beat #20 Michigan State in the closing minutes, 84-76.

#13 Stanford fought off Dayton, 74-66.

Close ones:

#16 Cal escaped Liberty, 77-72.

#19 Northwestern edged East Carolina, 78-75.

Auburn downed Minnesota in overtime, 81-79. Rachel Banham broke Minnesota's points-scored career mark record, held by Lindsay Whalen.

Long Beach State rallied to nip Northwestern State, 60-59.

San Francisco survived Sacramento State, 95-94.

Washington bested Texas Tech, 77-73. Kelsey Plum put up 34 for the Huskies.

Butler slipped by Clemson, 54-50.

Tulane topped Virginia, 67-62.

TCU squeaked past UT Rio Grande Valley, 71-67.

Vanderbilt defeated Ohio, 62-59.

Creighton won the battle with Eastern Washington in overtime, 66-60.

More results:

What ?? Idaho blew out Iowa, 97-65.

Times have changed: BYU 63, Penn State 51.

Missouri routed St. Mary's, 95-78, giving the Gaels their first loss.

SMU snuffed out Kansas, 73-64.

All scores.

Intriguing match ups on tap tomorrow

As holiday tournaments continue, there are some very interesting match ups tomorrow:

#10 Texas A&M vs. #11 Ohio State

#6 Maryland vs. Pitt

#13 Stanford vs. Dayton

#24 George Washington vs. Wright State

#5 Baylor vs. #20 Michigan State

#22 Louisville vs. Purdue

Missouri vs. St. Mary's

Washington vs. Texas Tech

Minnesota vs. Auburn

Rutgers vs. Green Bay

Georgia vs. CSUN

Player news:

Illinois transfer Taylor Gleason has been granted an NCAA waiver and can play for Oakland immediately.

UConn's freshman are learning "the Geno way."

Coach news:

Alabama assistant Shereka Wright has made an easy transition from player to coach.

What a day in basketball

So far, the key word for the 2015-2016 season seems to be intensity. The second major theme seems to be that some of the traditional powers are having down years. A third banner is: "expect the unexpected."

Whoa, nelly:

Didn't you just know #2 South Carolina vs. #16 Arizona State was going to be a ringer? Me too, and it was: South Carolina 60, Arizona State 58. A'ja Wilson made two free throws for the Gamecocks with .6 seconds left to seal the win.

#4 Tennessee outlasted Albany, 63-55.

#6 Maryland held off South Dakota State, 62-55.

# 24 George Washington slipped past #25 Iowa in two overtimes, 81-77.

#23 Syracuse edged Washington, 66-62.

Minnesota squeaked by Stetson, 72-69. Rachel Banham is now within 11 points of breaking the all-time school scoring record, set by Lindsay Whalen.

St. Mary's escaped Fresno State in overtime, 83-81.

Oklahoma State bettered Oral Roberts, 59-55.

Navy survived Siena, 59-58.

Auburn outperformed Boise State, 55-53.

Wisconsin rallied to top Delaware, 54-52.

Weber State defeated Portland, 57-55.

Georgia stuffed BYU, 66-58.

CSUN notched their first victory of the season....over Penn State, 81-73.

Milestone:

#10 Texas A&M's 75-58 defeat of #16 California gave coach Gary Blair his 700th career win.

More results:

UCLA beat Louisiana Tech, 68-57.

Rutgers downed Virginia, 60-48, giving them their first loss of the season.

Louisiana-Lafayette beat Arkansas, 67-59.

Alabama routed Middle Tennessee, 64-46.

All scores.

Yes, there are games today

Unbeaten club:

Virginia is 5-0 after defeating Green Bay, 68-59.

Seton Hall is 6-0 after downing North Carolina State, 58-55.

#5 Baylor whooped Cincinnati, 72-34. The Bears are 5-0.

#6 Maryland routed Old Dominion, 95-49. The Terps are 4-0.

#19 Northwestern is 4-0 after surviving Eastern Washington, 74-70.

#25 Iowa bested Wright State, 83-77. The Hawkeyes are 5-0.

Pitt's undefeated record is on the line, as it's currently halftime in their game with South Dakota State, and they lead by 2.

Two final games are on tap tonight.

All scores.

Player news:

Iowa's dynamic duo of centers are filling in big shoes.

Texas senior Imani Boyette reached the 1,000-point career mark last night against Hampton.

A big family taught Arkansas' Alecia Cooley how to be on a team. Teammate Jessica Jackson originally wanted to be a cheerleader.

Washington's Chantel Osahor is a player you'd want on your squad.

Who is the nation's leading shot blocker? Colgate's Josie Stockill.

Coach news:

Louisiana Tech coach Tyler Summitt is homegrown.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Some fascinating nuggets

This game result surprised me:

Pacific 66, North Carolina, 63.

More results:

#12 Kentucky rolled past Eastern Michigan, 89-67.

#8 Texas routed Hampton, 79-52.

All scores.

Team news:

ESPN's mid-major top 10.

Defense is a priority for Maryland going into this week's Paradise Jam tournament.

Oregon: the plan for a program-defining recruiting class.

Player news:

Jacqui Grant and Amarah Coleman will be eligible to play for DePaul Friday. They transferred from Illinois last spring.

Freshman guard Erica Ogwumike (yes, that Ogwumike) is leading Pepperdine's climb back.

A horrific injury can't stop Delaware's Alecia Bell.

The NCAA breaks down some of the country's best players.

Coach news:

Fayetteville State coach Eva Patterson-Heath is retiring.

International news:

Australia's Lauren Jackson is battling the clock for the Rio Olympics.

Great starts

Tons of games today. Nothing too much out of the ordinary, but a few things stand out:

Seton Hall's 61-54 win over UT-Arlington puts them at 5-0 - their best start to the season since 1992-1993.

USC edged Gonzaga, 60-56.

Oregon downed Clemson, 69-56, to remain undefeated.

Bucknell's 71-45 rout of Mount St. Mary's gives them their best season start in 15 years.

Team news:

Texas A&M is the NCAA's team of the week.

Coach news:

UConn coach Geno Auriemma reflects on 30 years of coaching at the school.

UT-Arlington coach Krista Gerlich was suspended for two games for unintentionally violating a university policy.

This week's USA Today top 25 coaches poll

USA Today top 25 for this week:

1. Connecticut
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. Baylor
5. Tennessee
6. Maryland
7. Oregon State
8. Texas
9. Texas A&M
10. Mississippi State
11. Kentucky
12. Duke
13. Florida State
14. Ohio State
15. California
16. Stanford
17. South Florida
18. Arizona State
19. Northwestern
20. DePaul
21. Iowa
22. Michigan State
23. George Washington
24. Oklahoma
25. Seton Hall

Staley, South Carolina taking balanced approach to great expectations

Had a chance to interview South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, All-American Tiffany Mitchell and forward A'ja Wilson outside of Sunday's game. Check out my story:

Staley, South Carolina taking balanced approach to great expectations

But wait, there's more

Santa Clara upset #13 Stanford, 61-58. It was their first win win almost 17 years against the Cardinal.

Like I was saying earlier about expecting the unexpected..............

Also, USC beat West Virginia in overtime, 78-67, behind guard Courtney Jaco's career-high six three-point shots.

This is going to be/already is a great season.

Expecting the unexpected

Last season we saw a lot of parity. This season we still see that, but we're also witnessing more than a few teams in that development phase. They're not newbies and they're not vets: they're right in the middle of construction. They win, then they lose, up and down like an EKG.

But it's still too early to make any conclusions.

Things that make you go hmmm:

Arizona beat Kansas, 67-52.

Tulsa topped Arkansas, 74-67.

Tulane slipped past LSU, 67-63.

Utah Valley bettered San Francisco, 94-88.

Ranked team results:

#4 Tennessee escaped Chattanooga, 59-57. Diamond DeShields stepped up for the Lady Vols with 17 points and big plays down the stretch.

#1 UConn blasted Kansas State, 97-57. Breanna Stewart eclipsed the 2,000 point mark in the process.

#3 Notre Dame annihilated Valparaiso, 110-54.

All scores, with a few games still in progress.

Player news:

Texas A&M's Courtney Walker is ESPNW's player of the week.

Rachel Banham is 55 points away from Minnesota's scoring record.

UConn guard Saniya Chong is ready to contribute, but she's battling a knee injury.

Senior forward Akilah Bethel brings leadership and toughness to LSU.

Lexi Bando sets the tone for Oregon.

AP top 25 poll for the week

Louisville continues to slide; Oregon State and Cal continue to rise; and Iowa enters this week's AP top 25 poll:

1. Connecticut
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. Tennessee
5. Baylor
6. Maryland
7. Oregon State
8. Mississippi State
9. Texas
10. Texas A&M
11. Ohio State
12. Kentucky
13. Stanford
14. Florida State
15. Duke
16. Arizona State
17. California
18. South Florida
19. Northwestern
20. Michigan State
21. Oklahoma
22. Louisville
23. Syracuse
24. George Washington
25. Iowa

Coach's chair: Kim Barnes Arico, University of Michigan

I had such a nice time talking to Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. Read all about it.

No. 2 South Carolina fights past UCLA, 68-65

My story from today's game, which was the best I've seen in person in a long time.

Basketball sightings at Pauley Pavilion today:

Dream coach Michael Cooper

Sparks coach Brian Agler

Sparks general manager Penny Toler

Dream forward Delisha Milton-Jones

Sparks forward Candace Parker

Sun forward Chiney Ogwumike

Referee goddess Violet Palmer

Various player agents

Plenty of UCLA WBB alumni from the Nikki Caldwell years

Coaches:

I love Dawn Staley. I loved her as a player, and I love her as a coach. She doesn't do any smiling in post-game interviews - she's too busy providing scientist-like analysis of teams, players and situations. It's pretty awesome.

Staley said she put two Pac-12 teams on the Gamecock's schedule to expose them to a different style of play. Great idea.

I will have more on South Carolina tomorrow.

Cori Close is doing great things at UCLA. She talked in post-game about how hard the Bruins worked over the summer, and how well they prepared for today's game.

"There was no emotional rah rah, it was all business," Close said. "No one was like, 'we hope this goes our way.' That's when I knew our mentality had shifted. I just think they're competitive......they just really want to be a great team."

Close can't say enough about Nirra Fields and Jordin Canada, who played each other in the World University Games this past summer.

"What I'm proud of with both of them is that they both care more about the team than they are about themselves," Close said. "And they set the bar in practice every day about the intensity with which you have to play. I still think there's more in them. We believe in them so much; they're amazing."

For her part, Canada sees the difference between this year's Bruins and last year's.

"We've already learned that we're a way better team than last year," Canada said. "We used to keep up in the first half and have so many mental lapses in the second. Coming out here today and just battling until the four-minute mark being tied - that just shows how hard we worked in the summer and how much more focused we are as a team."

"I'm proud of what we've done. We still have a long way to go, but we're a way better team than we were last year."

Staley gave much credit to UCLA, and said today's game will benefit both teams.

"They're going to be a very good basketball team because of the experience of us coming out here to play, and they're going to help us be a better basketball team because of the game they gave us," she said.

Intensity on tap

Lots of intensity and some record-breaking performances today:

#5 Baylor beat DePaul, 86-72, to win the preseason WNIT. Bears coach Kim Mulkey had great things to say about the Blue Demons.

#9 Oregon State overcame a slow start to rout UC Riverside, 86-65.

#14 Duke also got past a slow start to top Army, 72-61.

Gonzaga held off West Virginia, 72-67.

#20 Northwestern raced away from Western Michigan, 86-62.

#21 Cal defeated Cal Poly, 82-57. The Bears made a record three-point shots in the win.

North Carolina escaped Yale, 70-63.

Georgia downed Georgia Tech, 78-66.

Penn got by New Hampshire, 67-60.

MTSU defeated Ole Miss, 84-75.....and Rick Insell beats son Matt Insell's team yet again.

Missouri stopped Wake Forest, 94-81. Mizzou freshman Sophie Cunningham scored a record 42 points.

My #2 South Carolina-UCLA story will be posted shortly.

All scores.

Player news:

Princeton senior guard Michelle Miller is a Rhodes Scholarship finalist.

Duke center Amber Henson will take an indefinite leave of absence from the program.

Team news:

Kansas State looks forward to playing #1 UConn tomorrow.

Nebraska is young, but a few veteran guards help.

Parity continues

Upset:

Western Kentucky slipped past #16 Louisville, 71-69.

Close games:

#12 Texas A&M edged TCU, 82-78.

#18 Arizona State fought past SMU, 64-57.

More results:

Seton Hall's 66-54 victory over Saint Joseph's gets them off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2008.

#3 Notre Dame beat South Dakota State, 75-64.

Green Bay squeaked by Vanderbilt, 58-56.

LSU downed Long Beach State, 59-53.

Colorado State bested BYU, 61-55.

Cincinnati clipped Bowling Green, 54-51.

San Diego topped Arizona, 59-54.

Rhode Island beat Harvard, 56-52.

All scores.

Tomorrow's premiere match up is #2 South Carolina at UCLA, which I will cover.

Other good games are:

#5 Baylor vs. DePaul

#20 Northwestern vs. Western Michigan

#21 California vs. Cal Poly

Wake Forest vs. Missouri

Player news:

Oregon State center Ruth Hamblin has rocketed into stardom.

Using a student assistance fund, Lexie Brown is traveling with Duke during her transfer year.

Rachel Blackburn is doing all the little things for Nebraska.

UCLA 90, James Madison 61

UCLA dominated James Madison last night, 90-61. Nirra Fields lead four other Bruins in double figures, with 23 points. Jordin Canada added 20; Monique Billings 15; Kacy Swain 11, as well as 14 rebounds; and Kelli Hayes had 10 points.

It was an unexpected blowout, as the Dukes are a solid team that has made the NCAA Tournament for the last 10 years straight. But with the September loss of top scorer Precious Hall to an ACL tear, the Dukes are looking for someone to fill in the gap.

The Bruins, in their second counting game, continue to look like a much-evolved team from last season when there were five freshmen on the roster. Jordin Canada, who was the top scorer against St. John's last week, got a slower start Friday night. Nirra Fields, in the meantime, reeled off 10 points in the first quarter and another 10 in the second. Both players, who were on the rosters for the USA and Canada, respectively, at last summer's World University Games, benefited tremendously from the experience, which shows in their play.

The entire UCLA squad performs more like a team this season, and visibly has more on-court confidence. They should finish near the top of the Pac-12 conference.

Monique Billings snags a rebound for the Bruins in the first half.

JMU point guard Angela Mickens looks to distribute the ball.

Kari Korver runs the play for the Bruins.

Monique Billings looks for the open teammate.

Jazmon Gwathmey takes the ball inside the key for the Dukes.

Close ones

#4 Tennessee survived #25 Syracuse, 57-55.

#21 Cal got by UC Riverside, 64-58.

#24 Chattanooga edged Southern Miss, 53-48.

More results:

Utah put away George Mason, 74-62. The Utes are 3-0.

#8 Maryland's 97-41 romp over Detroit was the 400th win for Terp coach Brenda Frese.

North Carolina routed Fairleigh Dickinson, 64-46.

Ohio beat Florida Gulf Coast, 69-57.

Minnesota trounced Maine, 91-64.

Washington topped Fresno State, 89-79.

Cal Poly squeaked by San Francisco, 62-61.

St. Mary's defeated Wyoming, 70-64.

All scores.

Team news:

Ohio State is trying to learn from their losses and move on.

Player news:

"The beast" is back for the Lady Vols.

Early indicators

Seven days into the season, and results are adding up to some early thoughts:

Seton Hall downed Princeton, 71-64. The tides have turned, and the 3-0 Pirates have something going.

Virginia beat Auburn, 69-52. The Cavaliers are 3-0. No, that's not a misprint.

Central Michigan routed Middle Tennessee, 81-59. Not used to seeing MTSU lose by such a margin.

St. John's topped Rutgers on the road, 69-62. The Scarlet Knights continue their mediocrity.

Delaware bettered Marist, 56-50, as the Red Foxes continue to struggle.

#5 Baylor 66, #19 South Floria 63......the Bulls are as tough as ever.

#6 Florida State also escaped, with a 78-72 win over Tulane. What's up with the Seminoles?

Things are hot in Kansas, as Kansas State edged South Dakota in overtime, 84-81, and Kansas overcame Memphis, 72-63. Haven't seen that in many many moons.

Oregon posted a solid victory over Hampton, 86-51. Duck senior forward Jillian Alleyne broke Bev Smith's 33-year-old rebounding record in the process. Oregon is on to something in coach Kelly Graves' second year.

New Mexico State continues their hot streak, slipping past Sacramento State, 80-77.

All scores.

Though way too early to tell, it might be that some traditionally-solid teams will have a rough time this year, while typically underdog teams are on the rise. We'll see if it holds.

Team news:

North Carolina faces a season of uncertainty.

Player news:

Transfer Kyndal Clark has found a second chance with Nebraska.

No upsets: just a lot of scoring

#2 South Carolina 67, Clemson 41

#3 Notre Dame 74, Toledo 39

#4 Tennessee 74, Penn State 66

#8 Maryland 105, High point 50

#11 Texas 86, Northwestern State 33

#12 Texas A&M 72, #14 Duke 66

LSU 57, Arkansas-Little Rock 51

South Dakota State 76, Arkansas 69

Dayton 81, Vanderbilt 56

TCU 89, SMU 79

Drake 89, Wisconsin 70

Missouri 57, Wichita State 37

All scores.

I can't decide which I'm more intrigued by on tomorrow's schedule:

Princeton vs. Seton Hall

BYU vs. #17 Oklahoma

#19 South Florida vs. #5 Baylor

Oregon vs. Hampton

Eastern Washington vs. Gonzaga

Early signing period final rankings

Final rankings from the early signing period:

1. Maryland
2. Baylor
3. Texas
4. Florida State
5. Notre Dame
6. Louisville
7. Oregon
8. Ohio State
9. Stanford
10. Arizona State
11. USC
12. Michigan State
13. North Carolina
14. Connecticut
15. TCU
16. Oregon State
17. Vanderbilt
18. North Carolina State
19. Dayton
20. Oklahoma

I don't know what's more interesting: the list or the omissions.

On the pro news tip

WNBA and pro news:

What Tamika Catchings has been up to in the last month.

Lauren Jackson has suffered another setback in her recovery, and is out at last until January.

Kelsey Griffin will become an Australian.

How one of the nation's most promising players became homeless.

35 days since the WNBA season has been over, and no marketing efforts yet.

Starting out like last season

Though only five days old, this season already has a parity feel to it, much like last year.

Upset:

Indiana took out #24 Chattanooga, 54-43.

More results:

North Carolina notched their first victory of the season with a 94-58 trouncing of Florida A&M.

Utah slipped by Lamar, 71-67. The Utes are now 2-0.

All scores.

Tomorrow's premiere match up might be #12 Texas A&M vs. #14 Duke.

Team news:

Maryland is looking for rebounding help from the back court.

Today's Lady Vol hoops report.

Arizona looks to be tougher and more consistent this year.

Austin Peay returns a high percentage of scoring.

Bucknell is ready to contend for a Patriot League championship.

Cal is the NCAA's team of the week.

Player news:

Washington's Katie Collier battled past cancer to return to the court.

Ohio's Yamonie Jenkins has adopted the role of coach on the floor.

Coach news:

Georgia coach Joni Taylor has brought her Delta Sigma Theta traditions to the team.

On the court with San Francisco coach Jennifer Azzi.

Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly wants more from his post players.

USA Today top 25 coaches poll

USA Today top 25 coaches poll for the week:

1. Connecticut
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. Baylor
5. Tennessee
6. Maryland
7. Oregon State
8. Texas
9. Duke
10. Stanford
11. Mississippi State
12. Texas A&M
13. Kentucky
14. Florida State
14. Ohio State
16. Louisville
17. South Florida
18. Arizona State
19. DePaul
20. George Washinton
21. California
22. Northwestern
23. Iowa
24. Princeton
25. Oklahoma

Preaseason John Wooden Award top 30

The list:

Lindsay Allen, Notre Dame
Jillian Alleyne, Oregon
Ameryst Alston, Ohio State
Adut Bulgak, Florida State
Alaina Coates, South Carolina
Nia Coffey, Northwestern
Nina Davis, Baylor
Diamond DeShields, Tennessee
Rebecca Greenwell, Duke
Bria Holmes, West Virginia
Moriah Jefferson, Connecticut
Niya Johnson, Baylor
Brionna Jones, Maryland
Jonquel Jones, George Washington
Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Kelsey Plum, Washington
Aeriel Powers, Michigan State
Leticia Romero, Florida State
Azura Stevens, Duke
Breanna Stewart, UConn
Lili Thompson, Stanford
Morgan Tuck, Connecticut
Brianna Turner, Notre Dame
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
Courtney Walker, Texas A&M
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Maryland
Courtney Williams, South Florida
Courtney Williams, Texas A&M
A'ja Wilson, South Carolina

The upsets continue

Florida toppled #6 Florida State, 82-72.

Seminole Leticia Romero suffered a high ankle sprain during play.

North Texas took down #17 Oklahoma, 61-57.

I thought the Sooners were overrated in the first place.

The dominance also continues:

#1 UConn pounded #7 Ohio State, 100-56.

How many "can anyone beat UConn?" and "UConn doesn't miss a beat" stories will we see this year? *yawn*

#5 Baylor thrashed Southern Mississippi, 97-42.

More results:

Seton Hall hammered Rutgers, 77-49.

Pitt beat St. Francis, 74-59.

All scores, with several games in progress at this hour.

Team news:

Nebraska has quickly improved their inside game.

Player news:

St. John's Aliyyah Handford has overcome adversity, and is chasing a Big East title.

LSU point guard Rina Hill takes care of business on and off the court.

WNBA news:

Skylar Diggins returns to Notre Dame with a message.

AP top 25 poll sees predictable changes

This week's AP top 25 poll:

1. Connecticut
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. Tennessee
5. Baylor
6. Florida State
7. Ohio State
8. Maryland
9. Oregon State
10. Mississippi State
11. Texas
12. Texas A&M
13. Kentucky
14. Duke
15. Stanford
16. Louisville
17. Oklahoma
18. Arizona State
19. South Florida
20. Northwestern
21. California
22. George Washington
23. Michigan State
24. Chattanooga
25. Syracuse

Others receiving votes: DePaul 43, Princeton 41, Florida Gulf Coast 40, Rutgers 31, Iowa 10, Arkansas 7, North Carolina 6, W. Kentucky 6, UCLA 5, Missouri 3, Dayton 2, Green Bay 1, Miami 1, Oregon 1.

Coach's chair: Jody Adams, Wichita State University

Coach's chair this week.

Mount St. Joseph, Hiram College pay tribute to Lauren Hill during classic

Players from Mount St. Joseph and Hiram College stopped to pay tribute to Lauren Hill in the middle of their game yesterday during the Lauren Hill Tipoff Classic.

That gave me chills.

Team news:

Title favorite UConn isn't overlooking any foes.

Missouri is taking the team-family concept to another level.

Coach news:

Q&A with Arizona State coach Charli Turner Thorne.

Central Michigan coach Sue Guevera is leading the team into a new era.

Upendings

Day 3 and there's already some toppling:

Oregon downed #22 North Carolina, 79-77.

Cal upset #8 Louisville, 75-71.

#18 Kentucky edged #15 Arizona State in overtime, 68-64.

What a way to begin the season.

More results:

#2 South Carolina 92, UNC Greensboro 44.

#3 Notre Dame 85, Bucknell 54.

#4 Tennessee 102, Central Arkansas 47.

#13 Texas A&M 88, Southern 47.

#14 Duke 78, Winthrop 50.

#16 Stanford 65, Gonzaga 47.

Creighton 89, Marist 46.

Drake 74, Iowa State 70.

Kansas 72, Texas Southern 65.

Iowa 62, Tennessee-Martin 56.

Louisiana Lafayette 82, Ole Miss 78.

Albany 64, Pepperdine 49.

Illinois 62, Ohio 53.

Princeton 94, Duquesne 66.

Michigan 88, Detroit 61.

Penn State 75, Fordham 59.

Georgia 76, Stetson 55.

LSU 61, Louisiana-Monroe 54.

All scores.

Full slate of games tomorrow, including:

#1 UConn at #6 Ohio State

Southern Mississippi at #5 Baylor

#7 Florida State at Florida

#10 Oregon State at Portland

North Texas at #17 Oklahoma

Rutgers at Seton Hall

North Florida at Nebraska

UConn vs. Ohio State twist

Wow.....UConn will be without Saniya Chong, Natalie Butler and De'Janae Boykin in Monday's season opener against Ohio State.

Team news:

Arizona enters the season with high expectations.

Oregon is seeing a night and day difference under second-year coach Kelly Graves.

Oregon State has big aspirations this season.

Player news:

Through it all, UConn's Breanna Stewart stays humble and hungry.

Transfer point guard Minta Spears is shaking up Vanderbilt's line up.

Wisconsin's seniors are ready to rise to the top.

Lauren Hill Tipoff Classic:

Lauren Hill's Mount St. Joseph teammates prepare to honor her in the tournament that bears her name.

Day 2 results, looking ahead to a huge day 3

No surprises today, but plenty of results:

#9 Maryland whooped UMass-Lowell, 102-53.

#12 Texas beat up Texas-San Antonio, 90-53.

#21 George Washington routed Grambling State, 85-58.

Michigan pounded Binghamton, 90-62.

Nebraska clobbered Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 96-46.

Wisconsin put away Louisiana Tech, 79-65.

Arizona edged Toledo, 62-59.

Colorado bested Loyola Marymount, 92-81.

West Virginia hammered Delaware State, 77-34.

Full scoreboard.

Season openers tomorrow for #3 Notre Dame, #4 Tennessee, #8 Louisville, #13 Texas A&M, #15 Arizona State, #18 Kentucky, #19 Northwestern, #24 Michigan State, Oregon, Princeton, Penn State, Georgia, Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa State and Gonzaga, among others.

More to begin day 2

Team news:

Expectations have soared for Texas.

As the season begins, defense is a work in progress for Nebraska.

Player news:

Arizona State point guard Elisha Davis is determined to be great on and off the court.

Ruth Hamblin and the other Oregon State seniors have turned belief into reality.

Coach news:

Twenty-six new coaches take over this season.

Tennessee Lady Volunteers enter 2015-2016 stronger, more experienced

My annual Tennessee preview, featuring an in-depth interview with longtime beat reporter Maria Cornelius.

Things are already interesting

Do I smell an even more parity-filled season this year than last?

If results hold up to some of those on opening day, yes indeed.

Upset:

Gardner-Webb upended #22 North Carolina, 66-65.

Near-upsets:

#2 South Carolina held off #6 Ohio State, 88-80.

#14 Duke rallied to get by Penn, 57-50.

#23 Syracuse edged Rhode Island, 57-54.

Other results:

Wake Forest squeaked by LSU, 60-57.

Penn State survived Holy Cross in overtime, 86-82.

Virginia held off Middle Tennessee, 70-66.

Dayton downed Yale, 81-75.

NC State defeated Villanova, 70-64.

Tulane took care of Arkansas-Little Rock, 69-53.

Miami took out Wright State, 80-67.

San Francisco overcame North Texas, 69-61.

Temple beat Florida, 97-91.

UC Riverside pounded Fresno State, 86-68.

South Dakota State ran past Marist, 77-68.

Utah took down South Dakota, 66-59.

Cal defeated Austin Peay State, 67-58.

UCLA beat St. John's, 73-58.

Full scoreboard.

Tomorrow's schedule.

More college news:

NC State extended coach Wes Moore's contract through 2020.

Opening day is finally here

...and there are still plenty of story lines to go round.

Team news:

Michigan is laying the groundwork for the future.

Ohio State is now equipped to go further and faster. Their challenges have already begun.

A new dynamic is providing a hopeful start for Nebraska.

Minnesota coach Marlene Stollings will unveil a four-guard line up.

How frustration sparked change at SMU.

Tulane is looking to balance old and new.

UC Davis seeks consistency.

Rutgers has top 25 motivation.

Difficult times are finally paying off at North Texas.

Virginia Tech is looking to climb out of the ACC basement.

Clemson is still under construction.

Long Beach State preview.

Player news:

Quiet freshman Kennedy Burke brings her loud game to UCLA.

Penn State's Candice Agee is excited for her final season.

WNBA news:

Liberty forward Swin Cash is not done doing her family proud.

'Twas the night before college season......

LET'S GO!

Team news:

Kentucky hopes to capitalize on their newfound wealth of post players.

Ohio State needs time to fine-tune their presses and full-court defense.

Louisville is embracing their new identity.

Youthful West Virginia is ready for the season.

Tulane hopes a tough early season prepares them for AAC play.

Siena looks to take the next step.

Cal Poly has a new look this year.

New rules for BYU in 2015-2016.

LSU story lines.

Central Michigan begins anew tomorrow.

Robert Morris has seen a transfer of power.

Five things to know about Wagner.

Player news:

Tiffany Mitchell is South Carolina's leader on and off the stat sheet.

Rachel Banham and Carlie Wagner have returned to Minnesota.

Senior Kahleah Cooper hopes to shine for Rutgers this season.

Michigan's Hallie Thome is the finisher that they need.

Aerial Powers and Tori Jankoska won't carry Michigan State by themselves.

Marjorie Butler has got next at Georgia.

Asha Thomas and Kristine Anigwe will play big roles for Cal this year.

Two Dutch stars are adding a dynamic element at Miami.

Freshman Megan Gustafson is ready to make an impact at Iowa.

Coach news:

Tennessee coach Holly Warlick's success has been years in the making.

Tamika Catchings and Louisiana Tech coach Tyler Summmitt reflect on the good old days at Tennessee.

CSUN coach Jason Flowers is leading another march.

WNBA news:

Liberty forward Swin Cash has joined the MSG Networks as a studio analyst and a host of "Nothing But Knicks."

National Letter of Intent Day

NLI news:

Maryland signed the number one class.

Texas signed the third-best class.

Louisville signed a top 5 recruiting class.

Oregon signed the number 6 recruiting class.

Michigan State's class was in the top 15, and so was Nebraska's.

One of Kentucky's top recruits is being sidelined by a tumor.

ESPN slideshow.

Announcement video.

Team news:

The Elite 8 isn't enough for Baylor this season.

Princeton is embracing the national spotlight.

Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier and her team are ready for an encore.

Cal is beginning a season of mystery.

Changes at Marist won't change the season outlook.

South Florida is hungry for more.

Penn's four captains fill very different roles.

Florida State is ready for their season opener.

Albany hopes to continue their winning tradition.

Iowa likes being underdogs.

Hampton is seeking redemption.

Stanford is young and needs time to grow. They will be on the run this year.

How Baylor and coach Kim Mulkey have remained successful.

Ten things to know about UConn.

Freshmen could boost Virginia Tech.

Nebraska will have more wins this year, one columnist says.

Dartmouth looks to build off last year's success.

New Hampshire is set to battle this year.

Senior-laden UMaine is embracing a short-term focus for long-term goals.

Player news:

Arizona State players gained international experience in the off-season.

Leticia Romero has found a comfortable fit at Florida State.

BYU senior Kylie Maeda is pivotal as the team's starting point guard.

Notre Dame's freshmen are set to contribute.

Coppin State's seniors are motivated to leave a legacy.

UNLV's freshmen are ready to make an early impact.

Coach news:

Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman expects his team to go undefeated.

The rivalry between Northeastern coach Kelly Cole and Boston University coach Katy Steding is nothing new.

UIC coach Regina Miller has her sights set on a league championship.

Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale has added a new element to training camp.

WNBA news:

Glory Johnson tells her side of the story in her failed marriage to Brittney Griner.

Preseason AP all-American team

The team:

Breanna Stewart, UConn

Nina Davis, Baylor

Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina

Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State

Moriah Jefferson, UConn

Interesting facts:

Stewart is a unanimous choice for the second consecutive season, receiving all 32 votes from the national media panel. She's only the fourth player to be chosen as a unanimous pick twice. Beard, Moore and Griner are the other three.

The ACC feels promise.

2015-2016 taking shape

Team news:

Maryland is seeking to extend a successful run under coach Brenda Frese.

Lady Vol report.

Utah is pushing the tempo this year under new coach Lynne Roberts.

Xavier back court preview.

Virginia is adjusting to this year's rule changes.

San Francisco: one team, one dream, one stat.

Auburn looks to take the next step this season.

UT-Arlington is building depth in the back court.

Lehigh preview.

Stony Brook is eager to begin the season. They are relying on chemistry.

Illinois preview.

Inside Pepperdine.

Liberty outlook.

Player news:

An older and wiser Kelsey Mitchell is expected to have a stronger cast around her at Ohio State.

Oregon transfer Jacinta Vandenberg is excited for her debut, and the Ducks are thrilled to have her.

Amber Henson is excited about her final season at Duke.

Minnesota's Rachel Banham is ready for a comeback season.

West Virginia needs Bria Holmes to lead an offensive turnaround this year.

Maryland forward Kiah Gillespie brings her transcendent talent.

UMaine's Anna Heise blogs.

Senior forward Janelle Lane is ready to take flight at Coppin State.

Purdue's freshmen are bringing an array of skills to the table.

Cal guard Breanna Cavanaugh will take a leave of absence to recover from lingering concussion symptoms.

Winthrop senior center Schaquilla Nunn has broken her foot and will redshirt the year.

An international trio has assimilated at Wyoming.

Coach news:

Tennessee coach Holly Warlick is looking for improved defense and aggressive play.

Texas A&M coach Gary Blair previews the season.

Missouri coach Robin Pingeton and point guard Lianna Doty discuss the recent campus unrest.

Washington State coach June Daugherty has built an international roster.

Lauren Hill Tipoff Classic:

An emotional day is in store Saturday for the Lauren Hill Tipoff Classic in Ohio.

The young player's legacy continues with the tournament.

College recruiting:

School rankings, so far.

WNBA news:

Bryce Hughes, who is the son of Stars coach Dan Hughes, has signed to play for Air Force.

A bit of this, a bit of that

Team news:

Louisville is counting on their fast-adjusting freshmen.

The experimental rules that UConn tried in yesterday's exhibition game helped them.

Dayton has got one amazing recruiting class.

Player news:

Awesome feature on Oregon standout Jillian Alleyne.

Chloe Pavlech has come full circle at Maryland.

Kelsey Plum is recharged and ready to lead Washington.

West Virginia center Lanay Montgomery is stronger and better this year. The team is also counting on Bria Holmes.

Nebraska's next chapter begins with Jessica Shepard.

One-on-one with Penn State senior center Candice Agee.

How does UConn's Breanna Stewart make it look so easy? Her freshman teammates are trying to get more comfortable.

Coach news:

Illinois coach Matt Bollant has been cleared of wrongdoing in last spring's abuse allegations. But the school's athletic director has been fired.

International and pro news:

Lauren Jackson will make a call on her career in February.

The Liberty's Tanisha Wright is finding fulfillment in the WNBA.