Sooners No. 6 in Media Poll, Too

Nov. 3, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. -- The Associated Press' preseason women's college basketball poll debuted Saturday morning, and like the coaches, the media has the Oklahoma Sooners at No. 6.

Oklahoma's No. 6 ranking is its third best debut in the AP poll. OU opened the 2001-02, the first time the AP conducted a preseason poll, at No. 4 and were No. 3 to start last season.

The AP poll duplicates the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' preseason poll all the way to the Sooners' ranking, with defending national champion Tennessee a unanimous pick for No. 1. Connecticut is No. 2, followed by Rutgers, Maryland and LSU.

"We're the inexperienced team in the group," OU head coach Sherri Coale said. "I think it's unusual, it's atypical. There were a lot of young teams last year that experienced a great deal of success."

The Sooners are the youngest squad in the top 10, returning a team that has no seniors. However, they do return 2007 AP National Player of the Year Courtney Paris and twin sister Ashley, who will take the reigns as the veteran leaders on the squad.

Stanford is No. 7, followed by North Carolina, Georgia and Duke.

Oklahoma has the nation's toughest start, opening against 2006 national champion and preseason No. 4 Maryland before playing No. 1 Tennessee and No. 12 Arizona State.

The Sooners trail only Tennessee in total regular-season Top 25 matchups based on both preseason polls.

Oklahoma tunes up in its final exhibition game Tuesday, Nov. 6, against Coale's alma mater, Oklahoma Christian. Tip off is at 7 p.m.

AP Preseason Poll
Rank	Team (1st-Place Votes)
1.	Tennessee (50)
2.	Connecticut
3.	Rutgers
4.	Maryland
5.	LSU
6.	Oklahoma
7.	Stanford
8.	North Carolina
9.	Georgia
10.	Duke
11.	Texas A&M
12.	Arizona State
13.	California
14.	George Washington
15.	Baylor
16.	Ohio State
17.	Michigan State
18.	West Virginia
19.	Florida State
20.	Pittsburgh
21.	Louisville
22.	Texas
23.	Vanderbilt
24.	Notre Dame
25.	DePaul

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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