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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 7:31 a.m., Monday, December 15, 2008

CBKB: Tennessee women's record Top 10 streak ends at 211 weeks

By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Sports Writer

Tennessee's record run in the top 10 is over.

The Lady Vols' streak of 211 straight weeks in the top 10 ended today when they were ranked 11th in The Associated Press Top 25 poll. Tennessee, which lost at then-No. 6 Texas 73-59 on Sunday, was last out of the first 10 on March 3, 1997. The run went 56 weeks longer than the men's record of 155 set by UCLA.

Meanwhile, Connecticut remained an unanimous No. 1 choice for the third straight week.

North Carolina, which stayed No. 2 this week, now has the longest active streak in the Top 10 with 70 consecutive weeks. It would take them nearly eight years to match the Lady Vols' run.

Stanford and Texas A&M remained third and fourth. The Cardinal will visit Duke on Tuesday night. Texas switched places with Oklahoma after its win over Tennessee. The Longhorns are 9-0 for the first since 1987-88. It's the first time they've cracked the first five since Dec. 27, 2004. Texas will host No. 21 Arizona State on Thursday.

Baylor, Duke, Louisville, and Auburn each moved up three places to round out the first 10.

It's only the second time Tennessee has been ranked so low since opening the season at No. 3 in 1986 — an almost unbelievable run for the Lady Vols, who have won all eight of their national titles during the stretch.

The Lady Vols schedule doesn't get easier. They visit Old Dominion on Thursday before hosting Stanford on Sunday.

California fell three places to 12th after blowing a 26-point halftime lead to Oklahoma on Saturday. Notre Dame dropped five spots to 13th following an overtime loss to Michigan.

Rutgers was 14th, followed by Maryland, Pittsburgh, Virginia and Ohio State. Vanderbilt moved up one spot to 19th. Florida climbed three places to No. 20.

Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, TCU and Georgia Tech rounded out the top 25. TCU fell five places after losing at Oklahoma State on Sunday. Georgia Tech entered the poll for the first time this season. The Yellow Jackets were in it for one week last season at No. 23 before falling out the next week.

Purdue was the lone team to fall out after losing to Valparaiso 71-60.