ACC grabs top 3 spots in women's college basketball poll; UConn moves up one to No. 5

The ACC hit the trifecta in the AP women's basketball poll. <br/><br/>Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Maryland, North Carolina and Duke held the top three places in the poll released Monday, just

Monday, December 25th 2006, 12:53 pm

By: News On 6

The ACC hit the trifecta in the AP women's basketball poll.

Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Maryland, North Carolina and Duke held the top three places in the poll released Monday, just the third time a conference has had teams ranked 1-2-3. Connecticut moved up one spot to No. 5.

Duke completed the sweep by moving into the No. 3 spot in place of Oklahoma, which fell to eighth after its first loss, 74-67 to Ohio State.

Last season, Maryland, North Carolina and Duke all reached the Final Four, the first time a conference had three teams get that far. Maryland beat Duke in the championship game after knocking off North Carolina in the semifinals.

``It just shows the strength of our league,'' Duke coach Gail Goestenkors said. ``I think we are all three poised to have great seasons once again. It's an exciting time for the ACC.''

The Southeastern Conference twice had the top three teams in the poll. Tennessee, LSU and Georgia were 1-2-3 the week of Nov. 22, 2004, while Auburn, Tennessee and Mississippi held the top three spots the week of Jan. 9, 1989.

In both cases, the sweep lasted only one week.

Maryland and North Carolina, both 13-0, have been 1-2 all season. Duke (12-0) started at No. 6, moved to fifth for two weeks and was fourth the last three weeks.

The Blue Devils defeated two Top 25 teams, Bowling Green and Pittsburgh, while winning three times in Cancun, Mexico, last week. In all, they've defeated six ranked teams this season.

Maryland routed Loyola, Md., 110-55 in its only game last week and now has yet another talented player in its rotation. Tennessee transfer Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood made her first appearance for the Terrapins against Loyola, finishing with seven points and eight assists.

North Carolina was its usual dominating self in its pre-Christmas games, beating Coastal Carolina and St. John's by margins of 39 and 44 points. The Tar Heels' average victory margin is a whopping 44.6 points.

Maryland received 47 of 50 first-place votes from a national media panel. North Carolina had one first-place vote, while Duke received two.

The three ACC powers should have no trouble in their games this week. ACC play starts next week and the first time any of the three face each other is Jan. 13, when Maryland visits Duke.

Every team in the ACC is over .500. North Carolina State and Florida State, both with 10 wins, were among those receiving votes in Monday's poll.

``The ACC race is going to be just as incredible this year as it has been the last several years,'' Goestenkors said. ``We all feel that once you get through the ACC season, we will be as well prepared as possible for the NCAA tournament and a championship run.''

Oklahoma's fall was the biggest drop in the poll, which had only minor shuffling through the rest of the list after a week in which only two members of the Top 25 lost to unranked opponents _ California falling to UCLA in overtime and DePaul losing 74-73 to TCU.

There were no newcomers, just the second time this season the poll did not have at least one new team.

The four teams that followed the ACC trio moved up one spot _ Tennessee, Connecticut, LSU and Ohio State. Oklahoma, Baylor and Arizona State completed the top 10, with Baylor and ASU holding the same places as last week.

The next four places also were unchanged. Georgia was 11th, followed by Vanderbilt, Purdue and Stanford. Then it was Louisville, Texas A&M, George Washington, California, DePaul and Marquette.

Michigan State, New Mexico, Arkansas, Pittsburgh and Bowling Green held the final five places.

The loss to UCLA dropped Cal from 15th to 18th. The Bears, who recently lost point guard Alexis Gray-Lawson for the rest of the season with torn knee ligaments, rebounded to beat Southern California two days later.

DePaul fell two spots to 19th after the loss to TCU in Puerto Rico. The Blue Demons started that trip with a 97-70 victory over Loyola of Chicago.