Big Ten, SEC lead AP Top 25 women's basketball poll
The Big Ten and Southeastern Conference both have arguments to be considered the top league in women's basketball.
Each has seven teams ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll Monday, including four apiece in the first 10. Both leagues have been bolstered this season by conference realignment, with No. 1 UCLA and No. 4 USC joining the Big Ten while No. 5 Texas and No. 10 Oklahoma are new to the SEC.
UCLA was once again the top choice in the poll after receiving 30 of 32 first-place votes from a national media panel. The Bruins have been the solid No. 1 team since knocking off former top team South Carolina in late November. The Gamecocks, who remained No. 2, host No. 5 Texas on Sunday.
Notre Dame remained third, garnering the other two first place votes, taking one away from the Gamecocks.
LSU and UConn were next after the Longhorns. Undefeated Maryland was eighth with Ohio State moving up one spot to ninth after Oklahoma split a pair of games with Texas and then-No. 15 Tennessee.
Ranked Utes
Utah underwent a coaching change in the first month of the season when Lynne Roberts left to coach in the WNBA. Longtime assistant Gavin Petersen stepped in and now has the Utes ranked for the third consecutive season as they entered the poll at No. 22.
"I don't know if it's ever happened in our game before, leaving a few games in," Petersen said in a phone interview. "Our resilient crew has stepped up and faced the adversity that's in front of them. We got through that feeling-out phase and put to rest all the unknowns."
Utah had a huge Thanksgiving tournament win over Notre Dame. The Utes next face No. 12 Kansas State on Wednesday.
Rising Tide
No. 18 Alabama is off to its best start in the SEC in 21 years as the Crimson Tide improved to 2-0 in the conference for the first time since the 2003-04 season with a 68-49 win over Missouri. Alabama visits No. 5 Texas on Thursday.
Conference breakdown
The Southeastern Conference and Big Ten each have seven teams ranked this week after Ole Miss fell out of the Top 25. The ACC has six while the Big 12 has four and the Big East one.
Games of the week
• No. 4 USC at No. 8 Maryland, Wednesday. The Terrapins will look to stay unbeaten as they host JuJu Watkins and the Trojans in a Big Ten showdown. This is the first top-10 matchup for Maryland this season.
• No. 14 Duke at No. 19 North Carolina, Thursday. The first meeting between these two rivals who are looking to stay near the top of the ACC.
• No. 5 Texas at No. 2 South Carolina, Sunday. The Longhorns face defending national champion South Carolina in their lone meeting in the regular season.
The Top 25
1. UCLA (30 first-place votes) 15-0
2. South Carolina 14-1
3. Notre Dame (2) 12-2
4. Southern Cal 14-1
5. Texas 15-1
6. LSU 17-0
7. UConn 13-2
8. Maryland 14-0
9. Ohio St. 14-0
10. Oklahoma 13-2
11. TCU 15-1
12. Kansas St. 15-1
13. Georgia Tech 15-0
14. Duke 12-3
15. Kentucky 13-1
16. Tennessee 13-1
17. West Virginia 12-2
18. Alabama 15-1
19. North Carolina 13-3
20. Michigan St. 12-2
21. NC State 11-3
22. Utah 12-2
23. Iowa 12-3
24. California 14-2
25. Michigan 10-4