Erika Arriaran, 5-10, Texas
This sharp-shooting guard was named the national high school player of the year by Parade Magazine and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. She averaged 17.2 points and shot 52 percent from 3-point range as a senior. As a fifth grader, Arriaran was good enough to be invited to an all-star camp to compete against high school players.
Courtney Paris, 6-4, Oklahoma, Ashley Paris, 6-3, Oklahoma
With the Paris twins, OU coach Sherri Coale shouldn’t have any worries about her inside game for a while. Courtney was USA Today’s and the Naismith Player of the Year after posting some eye-popping numbers as a prep senior — 27.4 points, 18.9 rebounds and five blocks. She was the MVP of the McDonald’s All-America game. Ashley averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Candace Parker, 6-3, Tennessee
Parker was on campus last season but didn’t play because of knee problems. If anything, the delay has heightened the anticipation of this two-time national player of the year making her college debut. Parker gained fame by winning a slam-dunk contest against boys as a high school senior and her legend grew when she dunked over a Tennessee men’s player in a pickup game.
Renee Montgomery, 5-7, Connecticut
A guard who’s fleet of foot and hand, Montgomery probably will start immediately for the five-time national champs. She led her high school team in West Virginia to three consecutive state championships and averaged 22.5 points, six assists, five rebounds and five steals as a senior. Montgomery set a state tournament record with nine steals in a game in 2003.
Shaquina Mosley, 5-6, Kansas
Gillian Goring, 6-7, North Carolina State
This much talked about center has flown under the radar since earning high school All-America honors in 2002. A native of Trinidad, she originally signed with Connecticut but ended up at Arkansas-Fort Smith. Goring sat out one season at Fort Smith, then played for two years before joining the Wolfpack.
Abby Waner, 5-10, Duke
The Blue Devils are getting a prolific scorer. Waner averaged 32.5 points as a high school senior in Colorado and was the Gatorade and McDonald’s national player of the year. Her team won three state championships and she had a triple-double in a game with 45 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. And here’s one more impressive number: a 3.95 grade-point average.
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 15 points and Evan Smotrycz added 13, helping No. 22 Michigan remain unbeaten at home with a 70-61 win over Illinois on Sunday.
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College hoops power rankings A look at the top teams in college basketball based on performance and potential. NBCSports.com |
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Five up, five down from college hoops’ huge day16 hr 32 min ago Michigan State sure shook up Big Ten by beating Buckeyes17 hr 17 min ago UNLV’s thrilling win vs. SDSU adds spice to MWC race21 hr 44 min ago |
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Highlights: No. 14 UNLV 65, No. 13 SDSU 63 Mike Moser scored 19 points, and UNLV forced three turnovers in the final 42 seconds to win. |
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