One more reason it's a good year to like orange

Sporting News, The, Jan 25, 1999 by Mike DeCourcy

Dropped out: No. 23 Oklahoma State (12-4), No. 24. Creighton (11-4).

The TSN Power Poll is determined by Mike DeCourcy and TSN editors. Records through Sunday, January 17.

INSIDE THE TOP 25

Ohio State

After an 8-22 finish, it was just a matter of how much better the Buckeyes would be. As with most Big Ten teams, it all starts in the backcourt. Transfer Scoonie Penn, who followed coach Jim O'Brien from Boston College, is the difference-maker, running the show and combining with Michael Redd for 34 points a game, Ken Johnson, averaging six boards and three blocks, and Jason Singleton, shooting 69 percent, provide enough of an inside game to keep it balanced. But OSU is hitting only 58 percent of its free throws.

TN's Power Poll Women

Rk.   Team (last week)       W-L    Comment

 1.   Tennessee (1)          14-1   Holdsclaw totalled 72 points in
                                     wins vs. S.C., UConn, Georgia.
 2.   Connecticut (2)        15-1   Average margin of victory in
                                     Big East games--25 points.
 3.   Purdue (3)             13-1   White-McCarty, Komara rank Nos.
                                     1-2 in nation in 3-pt. FG%.
 4.   Louisiana Tech (5)     13-2   Amanda Wilson is third in
                                     nation in field-goal shooting
                                     (64.6%).
 5.   Georgia (4)            14-1   Failed to hit 80 pts. only
                                     twice this season--in last two
                                     games.
 6.   Notre Dame (6)         13-2   Riley averaging 3.6 blocks per
                                     game, up from 2.2 bpg last
                                     year.
 7.   Texas Tech (7)         16-1   Has won 15 straight since
                                     losing to Old Dominion on
                                     Nov. 21.
 8.   UCLA (8)               14-4   Gave Stanford first Pac-10 home
                                     loss since '91 (67-game run).
 9.   Duke (9)               14-4   Erickson hit school-record
                                     seven 3's vs. then-No. 16
                                     Clemson.
10.   North Carolina (10)    18-2   After eight-day hiatus, three
                                     of next five at home.
11.   Colorado State (11)    19-1   Haanen, Cronin, Hammons hitting
                                     5.9 of team's 8.2 3's a game.
12.   Old Dominion (12)      10-2   Eblin hitting 36.9% of 3's,
                                     lowest in four seasons at ODU.
13.   Rutgers (13)           14-3   Fourth in the nation in scoring
                                     defense, allowing 55.4 ppg.
14.   Iowa State (14)        13-1   Leads Big 12 with FG% offense
                                     (48.4) and FG% defense (37.3).
15.   Virginia Tech (15)     16-0   Only unbeaten team left in the
                                     country.
16.   Clemson (16)           13-3   Showdown with Iowa State on
                                     Sunday (Noon ET, ESPN2).
17.   Virginia (19)          11-4   Follows with Sunday matchup vs.
                                     Baylor (2 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
18.   Auburn (25)            13-2   Field-goal percentage defense
                                     of 34.9 ranks fourth in
                                     nation.
19.   Alabama (17)           11-5   Johnson hitting 55% of FGs, 54%
                                     of 3's, 77% of free throws.
20.   Ohio State (22)        12-3   9-1 in last 10 games, with six
                                     straight Big Ten wins.
21.   Penn State (20)        11-4   Andrea Garner has eight
                                     double-doubles for the season.
22.   Florida (18)           13-6   Only top 20 team to lose to a
                                     lower-ranked team last week.
23.   Nebraska (24)          14-4   Kubik reaches 1,000-pt. mark
                                     with career-high 36 vs.
                                     Kansas.
24.   Tulane (--)            14-2   Grace Daley averaging 19.7 ppg
                                     for C-USA's top team.
25.   Boston College (23)    13-3   Top scorer Cal Bouchard out at
                                     least three weeks with ACL
                                     injury.