Feb 1st, 2010 | 11:09 pm |

By Randy Clemens

With a pair of wins by a combined 79 points, Connecticut stretched its win streak to 60 and, once again, stays atop the DSD NCAA Women’s Basketball Top-25 rankings. The big question concerning the Huskies is: can anyone come close to toppling the nation’s top team? Tuesday might be the night as eleventh-ranked West Virginia takes their shot at the defending champs.

The only other undefeated squad, Nebraska, had a relatively easy time with a pair of road wins at Texas Tech and Colorado. The Huskers return to Lincoln for a pair of games against ranked Big-12 opponents: Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.

One of the most intriguing games of the week features SEC powers Georgia and LSU. The Bulldogs and Tigers started the campaign strong, but have stumbled recently in conference play. Tennessee has a stranglehold on the top spot in the SEC and, with Kentucky putting together a magical season, The winner of this matchup could well be the three-seed in upcoming conference tournament.

Two teams fell from this week’s rankings: Syracuse and Marist. The Orange lost a pair of Big East matchups while the Red Foxes inexplicably lost to a sub-.500 Niagara squad. Taking their spots are Vanderbilt, who reenters the rankings at 24, and Gardner-Webb at number 25. The Runnin’ Bulldogs used a pair of lopsided victories, including a 45-point win against Coastal Carolina (12-7) to make their season debut in the top-25.

#1 Connecticut (21-0, 8-0 Big East)

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: (2-0) defeated Rutgers (12-9) 73-36, won at Pittsburgh (12-8) 98-56

This week: Tuesday vs. #11 West Virginia (20-2), Sunday at Louisville (11-10)

#2 Stanford (19-1, 9-0 PAC-10)

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: (2-0) defeated Arizona State (13-7) 71-48, defeated Arizona (9-10) 83-62

This week: Thursday vs. UCLA (14-6), Sunday vs. Southern Cal (13-7)

#3 Notre Dame (19-1, 6-1 Big East)

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: (2-0) defeated Providence (12-9) 84-59, won at #24 Syracuse (16-5) 74-73

This week: Monday at Rutgers (12-9), Saturday vs. Pittsburgh (12-8)

#4 Nebraska (19-0, 6-0 Big-12)

Previous ranking: 5

Last week: (2-0) won at Texas Tech (13-7) 89-47, won at Colorado (12-8) 80-64

This week: Wednesday vs. #7 Oklahoma State (18-3), Saturday vs. #14 Texas A&M (15-4)

#5 Tennessee (19-2, 7-1 SEC)

Previous ranking: 6

Last week: (2-0) defeated Auburn (12-10) , won at South Carolina (11-10)

This week: Thursday vs. Arkansas (9-12)

#6 Duke (18-3, 6-0 ACC)

Previous ranking: 7

Last week: (1-0) defeated #13 Florida State (18-4) 73-43

This week: Thursday at Boston College (12-10)

#7 Oklahoma State (18-3, 6-1 Big-12)

Previous ranking: 10

Last week: (2-0) defeated Missouri (11-9) 75-60, won at #9 Texas A&M (15-4) 67-63

This week: Wednesday at #4 Nebraska (19-0), Saturday vs. #12 Oklahoma (15-5)

#8 Ohio State (21-3, 9-2 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 4

Last week: (1-2) lost at Purdue (11-11) 63-61, defeated Minnesota (11-10) 81-58, lost at Indiana (12-10) 67-62

This week: Thursday vs. Iowa (11-10), Sunday at Penn State (15-6)

#9 North Carolina (16-3, 4-1 ACC)

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: (1-0) won at North Carolina State (12-10) 81-69

This week: Monday vs. #18 Florida State (18-4), Thursday at Miami (14-7)

#10 Xavier (16-3, 6-0 Atlantic 10)

Previous ranking: 12

Last week: (2-0) won at Rhode Island (9-13) 88-60, defeated Dayton (16-5) 74-49

This week: Wednesday at George Washington (5-15), Sunday vs. Richmond (14-7)

#11 West Virginia (20-2, 7-1 Big East)

Previous ranking: 15

Last week: (2-0) defeated Seton Hall (9-13) 53-31, defeated Louisville (11-10) 72-66

This week: Tuesday at #1 Connecticut (21-0), Saturday at Providence (12-9)

#12 Oklahoma (15-5, 5-2 Big-12)

Previous ranking: 8

Last week: (1-1) lost at #18 Iowa State (16-4) 63-56, won at Texas Tech (13-7) 70-66

This week: Wednesday vs. #20 Texas (14-6), Saturday at #7 Oklahoma State (18-3)

#13 Georgetown (18-3, 7-1 Big East)

Previous ranking: 17

Last week: (1-1) lost at Marquette (13-8) 52-45, defeated Rutgers (12-9) 59-50

This week: Tuesday vs. St. John’s (18-3)

#14 Texas A&M (15-4, 3-3 Big-12)

Previous ranking: 9

Last week: (0-2) lost at #17 Baylor (15-5) 61-53, lost to #10 Oklahoma State (18-3) 67-63

This week: Wednesday vs. Missouri (11-9), Saturday vs. #4 Nebraska (19-0)

#15 Iowa State (16-4, 4-3 Big-12)

Previous ranking: 18

Last week: (1-1) defeated #8 Oklahoma (15-5) 63-56, lost at Kansas State (11-9) 73-67

This week: Wednesday vs. Texas Tech (13-7), Sunday at Missouri (11-9)

#16 Baylor (15-5, 2-4 Big-12)

Previous ranking: 17

Last week: (1-1) defeated #9 Texas A&M (15-4) 61-53, lost to #23 Texas (14-6) 61-50

This week: Wednesday at Kansas State (11-9), Saturday vs Colorado (12-8)

#17 Kentucky (18-3, 6-2 SEC)

Previous ranking: 19

Last week: (2-0) won at #20 LSU (15-5) 71-62, won at Mississippi State (14-8) 69-59

This week: Thursday vs. Mississippi (14-7), Sunday at Arkansas (9-12)

#18 Florida State (18-4, 4-2 ACC)

Previous ranking: 13

Last week: (0-1) lost at #7 Duke (18-3) 73-43

This week: Monday at #9 North Carolina (16-3), Sunday vs. Wake Forest (13-8)

#19 Georgia Tech (18-5, 4-3 ACC)

Previous ranking: 22

Last week: (2-0) defeated Miami-FL (14-7) 80-73 OT, defeated Virginia Tech (12-9) 61-47

This week: Friday at Maryland (16-6)

#20 Texas (14-6, 3-3 Big-12)

Previous ranking: 23

Last week: (1-0) defeated #17 Baylor (15-5) 61-50

This week: Wednesday at #12 Oklahoma (15-5), Sunday vs. Texas Tech (13-7)

#21 Georgia (18-4, 5-4 SEC)

Previous ranking: 16

Last week: (0-2) lost at Mississippi State (14-8) 74-66, lost at Auburn (12-10) 67-53

This week: Thursday vs. #22 LSU (15-5), Sunday vs. South Carolina (11-10)

#22 LSU (15-5, 4-4 SEC)

Previous ranking: 20

Last week: (1-1) lost to #19 Kentucky (18-3) 71-62, won at Alabama (9-13) 78-41

This week: Thursday at #21 Georgia (18-4), Sunday vs. Mississippi (14-7)

#23 Virginia (15-6, 4-3 ACC)

Previous ranking: 21

Last week: (1-1) defeated North Carolina State (12-10) 73-60, lost at Wake Forest (13-8) 64-57

This week: Thursday vs. Clemson (11-12)

#24 Vanderbilt (16-6, 5-4 SEC)

Previous ranking: NR

Last week: (2-0) defeated Alabama (9-13) 70-61, won at Arkansas (9-12) 67-61

This week: Thursday at Florida (12-9)

#25 Gardner-Webb (18-3, 7-1 Big South)

Previous ranking: NR

Last week: (2-0) won at Presbyterian (2-17) 80-39, defeated Coastal Carolina (12-7) 78-33

This week: Saturday at Radford (5-14)

Dropped out: #24 Syracuse, #25 Marist

Also receiving consideration: Maryland (16-6), TCU (15-5), Dayton (15-5), Gonzaga (18-4), St. John’s (18-3), Syracuse (16-5), Wisconsin (16-6), Brigham Young (14-5), Lamar (17-4), East Carolina (17-4), Bowling Green (17-5), Wisconsin-Green Bay (18-2), Florida Gulf Coast (16-4), Princeton (15-2), Toledo (17-4), Hartford (18-3), UCLA (14-6), Fresno State (17-5), Penn State (15-6), Mississippi (14-7), Marist (17-5)

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