How Lady Vols writer Cora Hall voted in the AP Top 25: Why Stanford jumped on my ballot
The part of the season we have all been waiting for is finally here: conference play.
Yes, some teams put together strong nonconference schedules that gave us some exciting matchups. But most teams don't schedule tough nonconference slates anymore, and conference play already brought us some of the best games of the year (I'm looking at you, UCLA-USC).
Conference play also reveals a lot about teams, which is why I love it. How well can teams game plan against teams that know them? How will teams handle tough games every single night – especially on the road?
The team that made the biggest leap on my ballot this week is Stanford. This is partially due to NC State losing to Virginia Tech, but the Cardinal also recorded wins against Washington State and Washington – both of which were ranked at one point this season – to open Pac-12 play.
Cameron Brink continues to add momentum to her National Player of the Year campaign, and Stanford understands its strength is its frontcourt of Brink and Kiki Iriafen. The Cardinal get the duo the touches they need and there won't be many Pac-12 teams that can stop them. The Cardinal's offensive rating ranks third in the nation and their defense ranks second, according to Her Hoop Stats. They're also No. 2 in the NCAA NET rankings, which speaks to their strength of schedule.
Stanford's two Pac-12 wins were at home this week. Next week is a big week on the road against ranked opponents Utah and Colorado, and we're going to learn a whole lot more about the Cardinal.
The other part of Stanford's jump was NC State's fall. The Wolfpack dropped their first game of the season to Virginia Tech off a last-second game-winner by Elizabeth Kitley. The Hokies deserve their props, but River Baldwin's absence for NC State was clearly a factor against a post player like Kitley. I'll be interested to see how that rematch goes in Raleigh in a month if Baldwin is back.
Baylor is ranked No. 4, and while the Bears are still undefeated, I don't feel like I've seen enough to elevate them. They opened Big 12 play with wins over Texas and TCU, but the Longhorns were without star point guard Rori Harmon. I'm not convinced by how good TCU was, which played a very weak nonconference schedule. Stanford has a stronger overall resume and ratings, so the Cardinal got my vote this week.
There are a few newcomers to my ballot this week, including the return of the Tar Heels. I stopped voting for North Carolina when it was struggling in nonconference play, but with two ranked wins to start ACC play, UNC checks in at No. 20. It blew out Syracuse, which was ranked No. 25 last week, and won a close one on the road against Notre Dame. The Irish have been hampered by injuries all season, but the win is still a solid one for North Carolina.
Vanderbilt is also new on my ballot this week. The Commodores are rolling going into conference play and have put together a 15-1 record. Their only loss by eight points to NC State on the road, and they beat Mississippi State and Florida to open SEC play.
Shea Ralph has been building toward a season like this the past few years, and things are finally coming together for Vanderbilt, which enters my top 25 at No. 24.
Cora Hall's AP Top 25 ballot for Week 9
South Carolina
UCLA
Stanford
Baylor
Texas
NC State
USC
Colorado
Iowa
Kansas State
UConn
LSU
Virginia Tech
Utah
Louisville
Gonzaga
Notre Dame
Indiana
Florida State
North Carolina
Ohio State
West Virginia
Syracuse
Vanderbilt
Marquette
Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Stanford is on the rise in Lady Vols writer Cora Hall's AP Top 25
