Blue Demons Debut at No. 25 in Preseason AP Poll
11/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO The DePaul women’s basketball team debuted at No. 25 in the preseason Associated Press poll and was one of a record-tying seven BIG EAST teams in the rankings. The No. 25 slot marks DePaul’s first AP appearance since December 2006.
Following a pair of exhibition victories over Saint Xavier and Michigan Tech, the Blue Demons open the 2007-08 regular season at Southern Illinois on Nov. 10. DePaul hosts Florida International and Florida State, Nov. 15-17, for the annual DePaul Invitational at McGrath Arena. Florida State, ranked 19th in the preseason rankings, is one of nine 2007-08 scheduled opponents in the preseason top 25.
Connecticut leads the BIG EAST at No. 2 followed by Rutgers at preseason No. 3. Following those two are West Virginia at 18th, Pittsburgh at 20th, Louisville at 21st and Notre Dame at No. 24. Joining the six BIG EAST ranked opponents are No. 1 Tennessee, No. 19 Florida State and 22nd-ranked Texas. The Blue Demons host the Lady Vols on Jan. 2 at McGrath Arena and face Texas in the first round of the Maggie Dixon Surf N Slam Classic in San Diego, Calif., on Dec. 28.
The seven ranked BIG EAST teams mark just the third time a conference has had seven teams in the preseason Top 25. The Southeastern Conference did it twice in 1991-92 and 1997-98.
Preseason Associated Press Top 25
| Rank | Team | Record | Pts. | Prev. |
| 1 | Tennessee (50) | 0-0 | 1,250 | 3 |
| 2 | Connecticut | 0-0 | 1,175 | 4 |
| 3 | Rutgers | 0-0 | 1,122 | 15 |
| 4 | Maryland | 0-0 | 1,109 | 6 |
| 5 | LSU | 0-0 | 1,049 | 12 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 0-0 | 949 | 9 |
| 7 | Stanford | 0-0 | 898 | 5 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 0-0 | 890 | 2 |
| 9 | Georgia | 0-0 | 825 | 13 |
| 10 | Duke | 0-0 | 809 | 1 |
| 11 | Texas A&M | 0-0 | 777 | 16 |
| 12 | Arizona State | 0-0 | 629 | 10 |
| 13 | California | 0-0 | 615 | NR |
| 14 | George Washington | 0-0 | 525 | 14 |
| 15 | Baylor | 0-0 | 504 | 19 |
| 16 | Ohio State | 0-0 | 458 | 8 |
| 17 | Michigan State | 0-0 | 355 | 23 |
| 18 | West Virginia | 0-0 | 336 | NR |
| 19 | Florida State | 0-0 | 323 | NR |
| 20 | Pittsburgh | 0-0 | 298 | NR |
| 21 | Louisville | 0-0 | 220 | 25 |
| 22 | Texas | 0-0 | 205 | NR |
| 23 | Vanderbilt | 0-0 | 184 | 7 |
| 24 | Notre Dame | 0-0 | 131 | NR |
| 25 | DePaul | 0-0 | 108 | NR |