Typically, there's a lot of debate involved when it comes to naming the nation's top five players. This season, however, there was no back-and-forth banter because our experts reached an immediate consensus. These five are the best around, period.

PARTY OF FIVE Anderson scored 765 points last season. Chantelle Anderson: Vanderbilt Senior, C, 6-6, Vancouver, Wash. (Hudson's Bay) Ranked second in country in shooting accuracy with 64.7 field-goal percentage. Only second Vanderbilt player to score more than 2,000 career points. Eight double-doubles in 2001-02, scoring at least 20 points in 20 games and at least 30 points three times. "Makes it look easy inside, and not just 'cause she's 6-6." -- Mechelle Voepel "A great percentage shooter who has expanded her game to that face-up, 15-footer. Can go left or right and is great around the basket." -- Nancy Lieberman G MIN FG FT REB PTS 37 29.9 64.7 77.3 6.8 20.7 Beard can play any position for Duke. Alana Beard: Duke Junior, G/F, 5-11, Shreveport, La. (Southwood) Set single-season school records for points (694), field goals (275) and steals (114) last season in leading Duke to the Final Four. Has scored double-figures in 61 of 65 career games. Ranks third in ACC career charts with 3.4 steals per game. Six-time ACC Player of the Week. "Great basketball mentality and work ethic. There's nothing she can't do. Has improved some facet of her game every year." -- Nancy Lieberman "She scores, steals, scores, steals, scores ... you get the idea." -- Mechelle Voepel G MIN FG REB AST PTS 35 33.3 57.2 6.1 4.4 19.8 Powell had two triple-doubles in last season's Big Dance. Nicole Powell: Stanford Junior, F, 6-2, Phoenix, Ariz. (Mountain Pointe) First player in Pac-10 men's/women's history to win league assist and rebounding titles in same season, and first freshman to win Pac-10 rebounding title. Had five triple-doubles in 2001-02. Holds Stanford single-game (21) and single-season (327) rebounding records. "As versatile as Beard but bigger. The catalyst for the Cardinal. Can score or set up others just as well. Puts a lot of duress on opposing defenses." -- Nancy Lieberman "Provided she's healthy, she makes the idea of a quadruple-double not sound ridiculous." -- Mechelle Voepel G MIN FG REB AST PTS 35 32.2 49.0 9.3 6.3 16.6 Taurasi was UConn's second-leading scorer last season. Diana Taurasi: Connecticut Junior, G/F, 6-0, Chino, Calif. (Don Lugo) Ranked eight nationally with 44.0 3-point field-goal percentage (92-for-209) and dished out a UConn single-season sophomore record 208 assists last season. Led Big East with 2.51 assist-to-turnover ratio. Eight games with at least 20 points. "Experienced and savvy. Can deliver the ball anywhere, any time, any angle. And who did Geno give the ball to when the NCAA title was on the line?" -- Nancy Lieberman "We'll see even more of her enormous talent now that she's 'the show' in Storrs." -- Mechelle Voepel G MIN FG REB AST PTS 39 29.0 49.4 4.1 5.3 14.5 Thomas is a three-time Kodak All-American. LaToya Thomas: Mississippi State Senior, F, 6-2, Greenville, Miss. (Greenville) Ranked second in nation with 24.6 scoring average. Has led SEC in scoring three straight seasons. Enters final season as Bulldogs' career scoring leader (2,187 points) for men/women. Holds 21 Mississippi State records and is five-time SEC Player of the Week. "What more do you want than practically a guaranteed double-double every night?" -- Mechelle Voepel "Can play inside and out. Can score 40 and get 20 rebounds any night. Size, strength and versatility translates into one of game's toughest matchups." -- Nancy Lieberman G MIN FG REB AST PTS 31 34.4 57.0 9.9 2.0 24.6 ESPN's Nancy Lieberman and ESPN.com columnist Mechelle Voepel contributed to the selection process.