Blue Demons Ranked 20th in Preseason AP Poll
11/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO – The Associated Press ranked the DePaul women’s basketball team at No. 20 in their preseason top 25 release earlier this week. The No. 20 ranking matches the 20th position in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches’ preseason poll released last week. Junior forward Khara Smith was one of 22 players to receive votes for the preseason AP All-America team.
Tennessee, also ranked No. 1 in the coaches’ poll, took the top spot with 20 first-place votes. The Lady Vols were followed by Texas, LSU, Connecticut and Georgia. The Blue Demons and Lady Vols collide on Dec. 12 in Knoxville, Tenn. On Dec. 9, the DePaul travels to No. 16 Purdue for a Thursday night game.
The five-player preseason All-America team consisted of Seimone Augustus (LSU), Janel McCarville (Minnesota), Kendra Wecker (Kansas State), Shyra Ely (Tennessee) and Jacqueline Batteast (Notre Dame). Smith was one of 17 other players that received votes for the preseason top five.
DePaul was the lone Conference USA school in the preseason top 25 with TCU, Houston and Louisville receiving votes. The Blue Demons were the preseason pick by league coaches to win the C-USA Championship.
The Blue Demons play the second of their two preseason exhibition games on Saturday evening. DePaul hosts BK Poprad of Slovakia at the DePaul Athletic Center at 5 p.m. The game is the first of a basketball doubleheader as the DePaul men’s team takes on St. Thomas (Texas) at 7:30 p.m.
The team opens the regular season with the annual Moran Realty Classic, Nov. 19-20. DePaul welcomes Murray State, Massachusetts and Southern California to the DePaul Athletic Center for the two-day tourney.
Associated Press Top 25 (1st-place votes)
1. Tennessee (20)
2. Texas (7)
3. LSU (12)
4. Connecticut (6)
5. Georgia
6. Duke
7. Stanford
8. Baylor
9. North Carolina
10. Notre Dame
10. Ohio State
12. Texas Tech
13. Vanderbilt
14. Minnesota
15. Michigan State
16. Purdue
17. Rutgers
18. Boston College
19. Kansas State
20. DePaul
21. Penn State
22. Oklahoma
23. Maryland
24. Arizona
25. Louisiana Tech
USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Top 25 (1st-place votes)
1. Tennessee (15)
2. LSU (10)
3. Texas (9)
4. Connecticut (6)
5. Georgia
6. Duke
7. Stanford
8. Baylor
9. Ohio State
9. Texas Tech
11. Notre Dame
12. North Carolina
13. Vanderbilt
14. Minnesota
15. Purdue
16. Michigan State
17. Rutgers
18. Boston College
18. Kansas State
20. DePaul
21. Penn State
22. Louisiana Tech
23. Maryland
24. Arizona
25. Oklahoma