Baylor, USC Enter Women’s AP Top 10; UConn, South Carolina Lead

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Baylor, USC Enter Women’s AP Top 10; UConn, South Carolina Lead

Baylor University and the University of Southern California (USC) have made notable advancements in the latest Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll, following strong performances in their season openers. Baylor achieved a stunning victory in Paris against then-No. 7 Duke, allowing them to rise nine spots in the rankings and replace the Blue Devils at No. 7. Meanwhile, USC narrowly defeated then-No. 9 N.C. State by a single point, soaring ten positions to claim the eighth spot.

Baylor and USC Showcase Talent Despite Challenges

USC faces the challenge of missing their star player, JuJu Watkins, who is sidelined for the entire season due to an ACL injury suffered last March. Despite this setback, head coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s squad has found a promising new talent in Jazzy Davidson. Davidson made a critical contribution, hitting the go-ahead basket with 8.2 seconds remaining in the match against N.C. State.

Top Four Teams Remain Unchanged

UConn
South Carolina
UCLA
Texas

These schools remain the top four teams in the AP poll following straightforward victories in their opening games. The defending champions, UConn, secured 30 first-place votes from national media outlets, while South Carolina received the other two. LSU and Oklahoma retain their positions at fifth and sixth, respectively.

Additional Rankings and Events

Maryland improved to ninth place, moving up one spot. N.C. State fell to tenth after their losses, alongside Tennessee’s drop to twelfth and Duke’s drop to fifteenth. In a noteworthy return, the University of Washington entered the top 25 for the first time in two years.

Recent Game Highlights

This week features some exciting matchups:

No. 2 South Carolina at No. 9 USC on Saturday.
No. 17 TCU at No. 10 N.C. State on Sunday.

The upcoming game between South Carolina and USC will take place at Crypto.com Arena. The return match is set for the following year in Greenville, South Carolina.

A Historic Milestone for Women’s Basketball

The women’s basketball poll commemorates its 50th anniversary this November. The initial rankings were established in late November 1976 by Mel Greenberg as a coaches’ poll. In the 1994-95 season, the format transitioned to a system voted on by national media.

As the season progresses, fans can expect continual updates and alerts regarding the AP Top 25 women’s basketball rankings.