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  Women's Basketball Ranked 10th in The Associated Press Preseason Poll
 
 
 
The Spartans have their highest preseason AP ranking since the beginning of the 2005-06 season.
 
The Spartans have their highest preseason AP ranking since the beginning of the 2005-06 season.
 
 

Oct. 30, 2009

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Associated Press released its 2009-10 preseason women's basketball poll on Friday, Oct. 30, with the Spartans ranking No. 10. The placement is tied for the highest preseason rank in Michigan State history, set prior to the 2005-06 campaign. MSU will face four of the top-11 teams in the poll this season, including No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 5 North Carolina and No. 11 Xavier.

This season could mark the first time in Michigan State history that three ranked non-conference opponents have played the Spartans in East Lansing. Also, it is the fifth time in the last six years, that the Spartans enter the season ranked in the AP top-25.

Michigan State returns 12 letterwinners, including nine who started at least one game, from last year's team that finished 22-11 overall and advanced to its third NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Also, the Spartans tied for second in the Big Ten with a 13-5 mark. In all, MSU returns 93.3% of its points, 95.0% of its rebounds, 89.3% of its assists, 97.9% of its blocks and 91.1% of its steals.

OSU and MSU, who were picked one-two, respectively, in the preseason Big Ten polls, were the lone Big Ten schools in the ranking.

The Spartans' exhibition season begins on Thursday, Nov. 5 against Wayne State at the Breslin Center.

AP Preseason Poll
1. Connecticut (40)
2. Stanford
3. Ohio State
4. Notre Dame
5. North Carolina
6. Duke
7. Baylor
8. Tennessee
9. LSU
10. Michigan State
11. Xavier
12. Texas
13. Oklahoma
14. Virginia
15. Florida State
16. Arizona State
17. DePaul
18. California
19. Georgia Tech
20. Kansas
21. Georgia
22. Vanderbilt
23. Louisville
24. Middle Tennessee State
25. Rutgers