AP poll reaction: UCLA is new No. 1 after beating South Carolina
The new AP Top 25 women’s college basketball poll is out.
And there’s a shake-up at the top. The UCLA Bruins are the new No. 1 after knocking off the South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday to end the defending national champions’ 43-game winning streak.
A day earlier, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish upended the then-No. 3 USC Trojans.
What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s break down the rankings.
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research and The Associated Press.
All times Eastern
Previous ranking: 5
2024-25 record: 5-0
Stat to know: In beating then-No. 1 South Carolina on Sunday, the Bruins notched their first win in program history over the top-ranked team in the AP poll. UCLA was 0-20 in that matchup entering Sunday.
What’s next: Friday vs. UT Martin, 6 p.m., Rainbow Wahine Showdown, Oahu, Hawaii
0:58
The numbers behind No. 1 South Carolina’s upset loss to UCLA
Check out the streaks that were snapped as No. 1 South Carolina falls to UCLA for its first defeat in over a year.
Previous ranking: 2
2024-25 record: 4-0
Stat to know: In her first game since suffering a torn ACL and medial meniscus in her knee on Nov. 12, 2024, Azzi Fudd came off the bench Wednesday to tally 4 points, 1 rebound and 1 steal in 13 minutes.
What’s next: Monday vs. Oregon State, 7:30 p.m., FloCollege, Baha Mar Women’s Championship, Nassau, Bahamas
1:53
Geno Auriemma tells SVP how he has the same fire 40 years later
UConn coach Geno Auriemma talks to Scott Van Pelt about how he keeps his competitive fire alive after all of his accomplishments.
Previous ranking: 6
2024-25 record: 5-0
Stat to know: Hannah Hidalgo (24 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals) and Olivia Miles (20 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) became the second pair of teammates in the past 25 years (and first since Tennessee’s Candace Parker and Alexis Hornbuckle in 2007) to each tally 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists against an AP top-10 opponent.
What’s next: Friday vs. TCU, 5 p.m., Cayman Islands Classic, George Town, Cayman Islands
Previous ranking: 1
2024-25 record: 5-1
Stat to know: UCLA upended South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, the Gamecocks’ first loss since March 31, 2023, a span of 20 months.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Iowa State, 1:30 p.m., FOX, Fort Myers Tip-Off, Fort Myers, Florida
Previous ranking: 4
2024-25 record: 4-0
Stat to know: The Longhorns have won all four of their games — Southeast Missouri State, Lamar, DePaul and Tarleton State — by at least 30 points.
What’s next: Friday vs. New Mexico State, 7:30 p.m., Gulf Coast Showcase, Estero, Florida
Previous ranking: 3
2024-25 record: 4-1
Stat to know: Saturday’s loss to Notre Dame snapped the Trojans’ 19-game home win streak against nonconference opponents. They never led in Saturday’s game.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Seton Hall, 7 p.m., truTV, Women’s Acrisure Holiday Invitational, Palm Springs, California
Previous ranking: 7
2024-25 record: 4-0
Stat to know: LSU has recorded 20-plus points in 20 quarters this season, tied with Michigan State for the most in Division I.
What’s next: Monday vs. Washington, 1:30 p.m., Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship, Nassau, Bahamas
Previous ranking: 9
2024-25 record: 5-0
Stat to know: The Sooners have beaten all five of their opponents — Southern, Virginia, Western Carolina, Wichita State and UNLV — by more than 30 points.
What’s next: Monday vs. DePaul, 5:30 p.m., Ball Dawgs Classic, Las Vegas, Nevada
Previous ranking: 10
2024-25 record: 5-0
Stat to know: The Wildcats beat Milwaukee 111-46 on 60% shooting on Wednesday. The 111 points are the second-most in program history and the most since December 2002.
What’s next: Monday vs. Duke, 3 p.m., FloCollege, Ball Dawgs Classic, Henderson, Nevada
Previous ranking: 11
2024-25 record: 6-0
Stat to know: Kaylene Smikle has scored at least 20 points in five consecutive games for the first time in her career.
What’s next: Saturday vs. George Mason, 3:30 p.m., ESPN+, Navy Classic, Annapolis, Maryland
Previous ranking: 12
2024-25 record: 5-0
Stat to know: Freshman Ava Watson hit six 3-pointers and scored 20 points in Sunday’s win Bowling Green. She totaled 17 points in her other four games this season.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Old Dominion, 11 a.m., Baller TV, Daytona Beach Classic, Daytona Beach, Florida
Previous ranking: 13
2024-25 record: 6-0
Stat to know: The Mountaineers have opened the season with six consecutive wins, but they have yet to play a road game. That changes this week.
What’s next: Friday vs. High Point, 1:30 p.m., FloCollege, Gulf Coast Showcase, Estero, Florida
Previous ranking: 14
2024-25 record: 5-1
Stat to know: Toby Fournier continues to impress as one of the nation’s top freshmen, shooting 55.6% from the field and leading Duke with 14.5 PPG.
What’s next: Monday vs. Kansas State, 3 p.m., FloCollege, Ball Dawgs Classic, Henderson, Nevada
Previous ranking: 15
2024-25 record: 5-0
Stat to know: The Wildcats have won each of their first five games of the season by at least 10 points for the first time since 2018-19.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Arizona State, 4:30 p.m., Baller TV, Music City Classic, Nashville, Tennessee
Previous ranking: 8
2024-25 record: 5-1
Stat to know: Including Sunday’s 33 points (her second career 30-point game), Audi Crooks is averaging 23.0 PPG on 56% field goal shooting since the start of last seasons Big 12 tournament.
What’s next: Thursday vs. South Carolina, 1:30 p.m., FOX, Fort Myers Tip-Off, Fort Myers, Florida
0:24
Audi Crooks’ buzzer-beater wins it for Iowa State
Audi Cooks puts up a buzzer-beater to give Iowa State an 80-78 victory over Drake.
Previous ranking: 16
2024-25 record: 5-1
Stat to know: The Tar Heels’ defense held Villanova to seven points in the first quarter and five points in the third quarter in Sunday’s 53-36 win.
What’s next: Monday vs. Indiana, noon, ESPN2, Battle 4 Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Previous ranking: 19
2024-25 record: 6-0
Stat to know: Like West Virginia, the Horned Frogs have opened the season a perfect 6-0 — but every game has been played at Schollmaier Arena. A big test awaits Friday.
What’s next: Friday vs. Notre Dame, 5 p.m., FloCollege, Cayman Islands Classic, George Town, Grand Cayman
Previous ranking: 17
2024-25 record: 3-1
Stat to know: The Rebels won their last game 76-44 win over Jackson State to give coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin her 200th career coaching victory (and 106th at Ole Miss).
What’s next: Monday vs. Boston College, 5 p.m., FloCollege, Baha Mar Championship, Nassau, Bahamas
Previous ranking: 22
2024-25 record: 5-0
Stat to know: The Illini finally hit the road this week after five consecutive wins at home to open the season.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Maryland Eastern Shore, 2:15 p.m., Baller TV, Music City Classic, Nashville, Tennessee
Previous ranking: 20
2024-25 record: 3-2
Stat to know: Aziaha James leads the Wolfpack in points (19.6) and rebounds (6.0) per game and is tied for the team lead with 3.0 assists per game.
What’s next: Monday vs. Southern, 11 a.m., FloCollege, Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship, Nassau, Bahamas
Previous ranking: 23
2024-25 record: 6-0
Stat to know: In her first start of the season, Phillipina Kyei posted a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds) to help the Ducks remain unbeaten.
What’s next: Monday vs. Georgia Tech, 7 p.m., Baller TV, Hawaii North Shore Showcase, Laie, Hawaii
Previous ranking: NR
2024-25 record: 6-0
Stat to know: The last time Iowa started at least 6-0 was in 2017-18, when Lisa Bluder’s Hawkeyes began the season 7-0.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Rhode Island, 6:30 p.m., FloCollege, Cancun Challenge, Cancun, Mexico
Previous ranking: 24
2024-25 record: 6-0
Stat to know: The Crimson Tide have started 6-0 for the second consecutive season.
What’s next: Monday vs. Alabama State, 2:30 p.m., FloCollege, Emerald Coast Classic, Niceville, Florida
Previous ranking: 25
2024-25 record: 4-2
Stat to know: The Cardinals needed a game-winning layup from Ja’Leah Williams with 47 seconds to play to top South Florida 64-60.
What’s next: Saturday at Colorado, 3 p.m., ESPN+
Previous ranking: 21
2024-25 record: 5-1
Stat to know: In their first game without Natalie Potts — last season’s Big Ten freshman of the year who suffered a season-ending knee injury last week — the Cornhuskers’ perfect season ended in an 80-74 loss to Creighton.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Kansas City, 8 p.m., B1G+
