How Lady Vols writer Cora Hall voted in the AP Top 25: NC State proves it belongs in top 5
Feast Week revealed a lot – and not in a good way for some teams.
It was particularly bad for North Carolina and Maryland, who both lost my vote this week. The Terps lost by 20 to Washington State, marking the third time they couldn't even stay within shouting distance of a quality opponent. UNC lost to Kansas State, which isn't a bad loss, but then followed it with a loss to Florida Gulf Coast University – which Iowa beat 100-62. Both teams have talent on the roster, but I haven't seen enough from them to keep them ranked.
Virginia Tech made me lose more confidence in them in two wins against unranked opponents, barely escaping matchups with Kansas and Tulane.
Kansas probably should have won the game, but just couldn't close it out down the stretch. It didn't help the Jayhawks that officiating limited star center Taiyanna Jackson to 19 minutes compared to the 39 minutes Hokies center Elizabeth Kitley played. Tulane actually led Virginia Tech for most of the second quarter, and the game went down to the final minute. The Hokies were saved by Georgia Amoore's 24 points, but the performances inspired anything but confidence in Virginia Tech, which dropped to No. 20 on my ballot.
Big wins of the week
Indiana redeemed itself in Fort Myers, Florida, last weekend, bringing home wins against two teams on my ballot: Tennessee and Princeton.
The Hoosiers proved the blowout loss at Stanford was a one-off in tehir wins last weekend. Indiana proved its depth offensively, with Yardon Garzon putting up 23 points against Tennessee when Sara Scalia had a slow night. Scalia carried the load against Princeton, scoring 28 points, and Mackenzie Holmes looked solid in both showings. With how well Stanford is playing, the Hoosiers are back in my top 10 at No. 8.
UCLA got the big win I've been waiting for over UConn this week. The Bruins looked absolutely dominant to start, but the Huskies made their runs to make it a game. Kiki Rice had the best performance of the day, logging 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
The win could have been even bigger if UCLA had gotten Lauren Betts more touches – the sophomore scored 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting and has proven she has incredible efficiency. I don't think we've seen the best of the Bruins yet, who earned the No. 2 spot this week.
NC State is back in my top 5 after an absolutely dominant win over Colorado. The 78-60 score doesn't reflect how big of a blowout it was for most of the game, and the Wolfpack have solidified their spot as one of the top teams in the country. They get balanced scoring from their rotation and efficient 3-point shooters.
Junior guard Saniya Rivers continues to impress, averaging 13.1 points, six rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.4 steals – and she's shooting 46.3% from the field. River Baldwin was also key in their win over the Buffs, scoring 24 points on 8-for-11 shooting, and one thing is for sure from Colorado: It needs more production outside of Jaylyn Sherrod.
Teams trending in the right direction
Stanford notched an important win over Florida State this week. The score of 100-88 doesn't reflect how close the game was, and if FSU's guards had gotten hot from deep, Stanford may not have walked away with the win. But Cameron Brink and Kiki Iriafen are proving they might be the best frontcourt in the country. If the Cardinal's guards can keep up, Stanford will be a strong contender in the Pac-12.
I ranked Princeton last week for their performance against UCLA, and the Tigers didn't disappoint in Fort Myers. Princeton jumped out to a 23-7 lead after the first quarter, and the Sooners only ever cut the lead to six points. It was a dominant win for the Tigers, who made the loss to Indiana close in the fourth quarter with their full-court press. Princeton ultimately couldn't overcome Holmes and Scalia's 20-plus point performances, but I'm still high on its potential.
WEEK 2: How Lady Vols writer Cora Hall voted in the AP Top 25: Kansas State makes statement in Iowa upset
WEEK 1: How Lady Vols writer Cora Hall voted in the AP Top 25: Gamecocks back on top after one week
Cora Hall's AP Top 25 ballot for Week 3
UCLA
Stanford
NC State
Colorado
Indiana
Kansas State
Iowa
UConn
Baylor
Notre Dame
Utah
Ohio State
Tennessee
Princeton
Virginia Tech
Gonzaga
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 NC State is back in top 5 in Lady Vols writer Cora Hall's AP 25
