Weekly women's basketball roundup

Here are the biggest things going on in women's college basketball last week

1. The top of the polls hasn't seen much change. But Tennessee and Texas A&M have slipped into the top 5 now, and Ohio State has dropped to #9. Florida State is quietly getting themselves up to #6 now. I'm a bit skeptical. CBI will like this that two Ohio schools are in the Top 10 in the Buckeyes and Xavier at #8.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/polls?poll=3&date=2009-12-07

2. Duke's 83-67 win at home over over Ohio State was a statement win that they have top 5 potential. G Jasmine Thomas is really coming along so far this year and dropped 29 points on them. Her overall season averages are 18 ppg and 5 apg. The second half of this game was reminiscent of the many routs we saw during the Alana Beard and Lindsey Harding/Mo Currie eras (all now playing for DC of course)! I call this the win of the week. They followed this big win with another win (though not as impressive) against Southern California. Duke will have to once again show me if they're for real this year because they have to play #2 Stanford on the road next Tuesday, when you can bet there will be a full house for the Cardinal.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/boxscore?gid=200912030173

3. Congratulations to Syracuse, usually a Big East Doormat team, is now a Top 25 team at 8-0. This is their first ever appearance in the poll as a ranked team. Coach Quentin Hillsman, a DC area native (from Suitland, MD) has given the Orange three straight Top 25 recruiting classes, and after a 9-20 start in 2006-2007, got the Orange to an NCAA berth in 2007-08 and had yet another winning season last year, the first time since 1990! Syracuse gets a lot of love only because Jim Boeheim rented Carmelo for a semester, but the Orange are for real, and clearly are fully committed to women's basketball so they can put up some fights against arch rival Connecticut.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/teams/sci

4. Maryland is back in the Top 25 after last Thursday's win over Minnesota, Brenda Frese's last pit stop (and a perennial NCAA team). Go Terps! (Hard to say it when you like Duke more, but the ACC is a damn good conference)

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/teams/maj/stats

5. Among non Big Six and major conferences (including A-10, CUSA, and MWC), James Madison of the CAA and Hartford of the American East are in striking distance of the Top 25 in both polls. Hartford plays against UConn tomorrow and the Hawks have been giant killers before, beating Duke last year, and beating this year beating Louisville, not to mention another win against Temple. Watch out for this team as a potential NCAA Cinderella. Even if they don't win the America East, they have a resume good enough for an at large provided that they take care of business against their conference brethren

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/teams/hac

That's it for the week barring a HUGE story.