It should go without saying that we really don't know what we're talking about before the season starts -- not unlike the middle or end of the season, right? -- but State Farm Tipoff Classic teams Duke, Texas Tech, Purdue and Oklahoma certainly appear to have Final Four potential.

However, don't call Sunday's doubleheader (Duke beat Texas Tech 85-69; Oklahoma topped Purdue 80-75) a "Final Four in the Fall," as one scribe suggested to Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale.

		Gail Goestenkors vs. fellow extremely likable coach Marsha Sharp is like pitting Jimmy Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life" vs. Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music." Or the doll from the Island of Misfit Toys vs. Karen, the girl who helps Frosty the Snowman. Or Pocahontas vs. Mulan. How can you possibly root against any of them?

"Oh, that scares me to death," Coale said. "I don't think any of us have a team that looks anything now like it will look at the end of the season."

Coale's team doesn't even look the same as it did a month ago. The freaking ACL has struck twice in Norman, last month with senior post Jen Cunningham and this past week with freshman wing Antoinette Wadsworth.

It was the fourth ACL injury for Cunningham, which should automatically qualify her for three reincarnated lifetimes of perfect health during which she has the highest vertical leap on every team for which she plays. In this lifetime, though, her collegiate basketball career is over.

The F-ACL struck Purdue post Mary Jo Noon and guard Erika Valek last season. (And the Boilermakers still made the NCAA title game -- what a team).

Valek, who was hurt in the NCAA Tournament, is not ready to play and there's concern about her making it back this season. But Noon apparently is good to go for Sunday.

Noon, at 6 feet 5, immediately gives the Sooners the test that their doubters point to as Oklahoma's weak spot. How do they stop a big post player without anyone taller than 6-2 now on the active roster?

"We don't have an answer for a 6-5 center, that's for sure," Coale said. "What we bank on is that other teams don't have an answer for our speed."

Purdue coach Kristy Curry said of Noon, "She's in best shape of her life; that big girl's going to have to run for us."

(Note I: Last season, we mentioned that Curry -- in one teleconference answer -- managed to hit every coaches cliché ever uttered. Well, she didn't do that this time. She had some good one-liners, even. Including, when someone asked about recruiting, "We'll also go back South -- obviously with this accent, we'll work it down there."

Hey, if you "step up" in a teleconference, you get props. We keep track of these things.)

As for the first game of the doubleheader, Duke and Texas Tech have super sophomore classes that go beyond the big names of Alana Beard and Jia Perkins -- although Duke coach Gail Goestenkors made a point of saying she doesn't think Tech's Perkins has gotten her due.

(Note II: Goestenkors vs. fellow extremely likable coach Marsha Sharp is like pitting Jimmy Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life" vs. Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music." Or the doll from the Island of Misfit Toys vs. Karen, the girl who helps Frosty the Snowman. Or Pocahontas vs. Mulan. How can you possibly root against any of them?)

Texas Tech has the most experienced post player in junior Plenette Pierson. Duke has maybe the most versatile talent in the college game right now in Beard. But both coaches are worried about their teams being so young.

"There's going to be moments where we don't do things well," Sharp said.

Of course, that will be the case with all four teams. But ... so what? Who can wait to see these kids?

There have been lots of cool matchups in this event, which really has a luster to it. The games don't always meet expectations. This time, though, they might.

"I've watched it for years tip off the season," Coale said, "and sat in my living room thinking, 'Boy I'd like to participate in that some day.' "

Mechelle Voepel of the Kansas City Star is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. She can be reached at mvoepel@kcstar.com.