Maybe we're just high on centers after watching Ruth Riley rise to the occasion last season and lead Notre Dame to the national title.

	THE ANDERSON FILE
	Chantelle Anderson is our preseason favorite. Honors and highlights: Naismith candidate led nation with 72.3 field-goal percentage; second-team AP All-American; SEC tournament MVP; totals 1,258 career points; owns school's single-game scoring record with 41-point performance; scored in double figures in 17 straight games, and 32 of 34 in 2000-01; leading scorer 17 times, leading rebounder seven; in NCAA Tournament, averaged 22 points, 7.0 rebounds while shooting 67.3 percent from field; named to NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament team; ranked second in SEC in scoring.

Or maybe we just know that Chantelle Anderson is that good.

Anderson, a 6-foot-6 junior center from Vanderbilt who has been named ESPN.com's preseason Player of the Year, led the nation with a 72.3 field-goal percentage in 2000-01. As a sophomore, the second-team All-American led the Commodores to a No. 3 seed and and an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, as well as an upset win over Tennessee in the SEC tournament semifinals. Anderson averaged 21.2 points and 6.3 rebounds for the year.

As ESPN analyst Nancy Lieberman put it, "Anderson is very athletic and can use either hand around the basket. She can score down low, pass out of the double team and is a great shot-blocker."

Anderson was perhaps most impressive in last season's NCAA Tournament.

The Midwest Region -- AKA "Center Central" -- featured the top centers in the women's game, including Riley and Angie Welle for second-seeded Iowa State. But when Vanderbilt and the Cyclones met in the Sweet 16, Anderson got the better of Welle, scoring 34 points in an 84-65 win. After getting Welle into early foul trouble, Anderson made 16 of 23 shots, most of them layups.

And although it was Anderson who was in foul trouble in the Elite Eight matchup with Notre Dame, she still managed 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting in 24 minutes, despite fouling out with 6:22 to play.

"She dominated Welle and held her own against Riley, one of the best college centers in recent times," ESPN.com columnist Mechelle Voepel said. "She doesn't just get position on opponents who are the same height or shorter, but also against women with her size and ability.

"She's always in the right position, getting the right shot. She has proven herself versus the toughest competition."

ESPN's Nancy Lieberman and Beth Mowins, and ESPN.com columnist Mechelle Voepel and women's college basketball editor Melanie Jackson contributed to the selection process.