Southern California’s second defeat this season pushed the Trojans down to seventh place in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball rankings on Monday. Previously ranked fourth, the Trojans were left stunned in Iowa as the Hawkeyes triumphed over them with a score of 76-69 on Sunday, the same day Caitlin Clark’s jersey was retired. USC’s only other loss occurred at home against Notre Dame back in November.
Maintaining their positions at the top were UCLA, South Carolina, and Notre Dame, holding the first three spots in the rankings. UCLA secured all 32 first-place votes in the poll from a national media panel, overtaking the Gamecocks who had received the same honor the previous week. The Bruins maintained their unblemished record by defeating Minnesota 79-53 in their sole game of the week. South Carolina, on the other hand, claimed victories against then-No. 18 Tennessee and Auburn. The win over Auburn coincided with the retirement of A’ja Wilson’s jersey.
Following closely after Notre Dame in the rankings were Texas, UConn, and LSU, each moving up a spot. Ohio State, TCU, and Duke sustained their positions in eighth through tenth place.
The Kentucky Wildcats rose to the 11th spot, their highest ranking in four years under first-year coach Kenny Brooks. With a record of 19-2, the Wildcats are set for a challenging stretch of games against SEC opponents, including South Carolina, LSU, Texas, and Tennessee. Their only losses this season came against North Carolina and Texas A&M.
With no newcomers in the rankings this week, the SEC led with eight teams, followed by the ACC with seven, the Big Ten with five, the Big 12 with four, and the Big East with one ranked team.
Highlighted games for the upcoming week include TCU facing Kansas State, UConn playing against Tennessee, and South Carolina taking on Texas. First place standings will be contested in the TCU vs. Kansas State matchup, with both teams boasting 9-1 conference records. UConn and Tennessee renew their rivalry, with UConn encountering Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell’s pressing style for the first time. South Carolina looks to avenge their previous loss against Texas, maintaining a one-game lead over Texas, Kentucky, and LSU in the standings.
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