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Its been 15 years since Muffet McGraw and Notre Dame were No. 1 in the poll.The Irish earned the top spot in The Associated Press womens basketball Tuesday, receiving 14 first-place votes from a 33-member national media panel to earn the top ranking in the preseason. Notre Dame last held the No. 1 ranking on March 5, 2001. McGraw returns most of the core from a team that went 33-2 last season.She was happy for the compliment, but found the ranking a little high considering her team is coming off one of its most disappointing seasons in a few years and didnt reach the Final Four for the first time in six years.Id rather we earned it, McGraw said. Were coming off the worst season weve had in six years, it seems odd that were preseason No. 1. You should have to earn it.McGraw has had a bunch of very good teams over the last 15 seasons that never reached the top spot. There always seemed to be someone just a little bit better.Other teams have had good teams, too. Connecticut has had some pretty good teams in there, McGraw said. There was a year when yeah maybe, Stanford beat Connecticut, but then South Carolina went to No. 1.Baylor was a close second, four points behind the Irish. The Lady Bears garnered 12 first-place votes.Being preseason No. 2 in the country brings great recognition to our school and our program, Lady Bears coach Kim Mulkey said. We welcome it. We have a schedule, nonconference and conference, that will be most challenging early in the season. Its one that I think will help us late in the season.UConn, which has won 75 consecutive games and four straight national championships, was third. The Huskies had been the No. 1 team for the last 24 weeks.I dont think we should be No. 1, UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. I dont think we should be anywhere near the teams that almost went to the Final Four and have everybody back and have all that experience and all that talent. Weve been in those situations before and were not there now. So, wherever they put us, Im OK.South Carolina and Louisville round out the top five teams. Maryland, Ohio State, Texas, UCLA and Mississippi State are next.Tennessee, which had its run of 565 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 end last season, is back in at No. 13. The Lady Vols have been in each preseason poll except the first one. They are one of four teams not ranked in the final poll thats in the Top 25 now.National runner-up Syracuse was 14th, while Final Four participants Washington and Oregon State were 17th and 25th.The Southeastern Conference leads the way with six teams in the top 25. The Pac-12 and ACC each have five. UConn and 21st-ranked DePaul are the only two schools from non-power five conferences to be ranked.The first regular-season poll will be Monday, Nov. 14, with two big games that night. Baylor hosts UCLA while UConn visits Florida State.Here are a few other poll tidbits:ITS BEEN A WHILE: Missouri is ranked in the preseason for the first time since 1984. The Tigers reached the NCAAs for the first time in a decade and return star Sophia Cunningham. Unfortunately, they already lost second-leading scorer and top rebounder Jordan Frericks and reserve Bri Porter for the season with knee injuries.MISSING TRIANGLE: Duke is not ranked in the preseason for the first time since 1994-95. The Blue Devils arent the only member of Tobacco Road absent from the poll. North Carolina and North Carolina State arent ranked either. Its only the second time in the 41-year history of the poll that none of the three are in the preseason rankings. It also happened in 1986.HOOSIER HYSTERIA: Indiana is ranked for only the third time in the programs history. The No. 23 Hoosiers are coming into the season after equaling a school record with 21 victories and winning the teams first NCAA game. Indiana is led by junior Tyra Buss, who averaged 18.8 points last season.---AP Sports Writer Pat Eaton-Robb contributed to this story from Storrs, Connecticut.---More AP college basketball http://collegebasketball.ap.orgJames Worthy Jersey . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd. Elgin Baylor Jersey . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. http://www.lakersteamofficial.com/James-Worthy-Lakers-Jersey/ . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Custom Los Angeles Lakers Jerseys . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Shaquille ONeal Lakers Jersey . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. "We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors.Sources close to Rafa Benitez claim a three-year deal for him to take charge at Newcastle is currently being discussed.Benitez, who is without a club after being sacked by Real Madrid in January, tops a wish-list of managers who the club would like to put in charge should they decide to dispense with current boss Steve McClaren. Sky sources reported on Wednesday that Newcastle made an approach for the Spaniard, who is keen to bring his own backroom staff to the club and wants the title of manager rather than head coach. Rafas ups and downs A look back at the career of the Spanish manager Newcastle are thought to be considering scrapping their current policy of employing a head coach in order to lure Benitez to St James Park. Steve McClaren arrived at the clubs Darsley Park training complex as normal on Thursday shortly after 8am and will continue to prepare the first-team squad for their clash against Premier League leaders Leicester City on Monday Night Football. Steve McClaren of Newcastle His position as head coach looked no closer to being resolved on Wednesday, despite speaking to managing director Lee Charnley on the telephone in the afternoon.dddddddddddd The pair were initially due to meet for talks but their planned meeting did not take place. Decision-makers We profile the key decision-makers at Newcastle… McClaren will not face the media on Thursday ahead of Newcastles trip to the King Power Stadium and will hold further discussions with Charnley following training.Saturdays 3-1 home defeat to Bournemouth condemned Newcastle to their fifth loss in six matches and left them in 19th place in the Premier League table. Also See:Newcastle approach BenitezRafas ups and downsNewcastle board hold talksVault: Leicester v Newcastle 1996 ' ' '