Southern California has achieved its highest ranking in nearly four decades, climbing to No. 2 in the latest women’s basketball poll.
The Trojans secured the Big Ten regular-season championship with a victory over then-ranked No. 2 UCLA, marking their second triumph over the Bruins this year. This success propelled USC two spots forward, reaching its best ranking since January 1986, when the team was also positioned at No. 2. This achievement comes with USC receiving six first-place nods from a panel of 31 national media members.
“One of our goals was to restore USC to its former glory,” expressed coach Lindsay Gottlieb during a phone interview. “It’s a wonderful acknowledgment of our storied past and an exciting moment in the present.”
Holding steady at No. 1, Texas captured the other 25 first-place votes. The Longhorns concluded their regular season by defeating Georgia, Mississippi State, and Florida, securing a share of the SEC title alongside South Carolina.
As for the Bruins, their defeat led them to fall to fourth, with UConn overtaking them. South Carolina, having won a tiebreaker for the top SEC Tournament seed, stands at fifth. Notre Dame slipped three spots to sixth following last week’s loss to Florida State.
North Carolina State and TCU secured seventh and eighth places, respectively. Both teams enjoyed successful regular seasons, with the Wolfpack tying for the ACC title alongside Notre Dame and the Horned Frogs claiming their inaugural Big 12 title by overcoming Baylor.
LSU now sits at ninth after consecutive losses to then-No. 20 Alabama, in an overtime bout, and Ole Miss. Adding to their challenges, the Tigers will proceed without key player Flau’Jae Johnson in the upcoming SEC Tournament due to her recovery from shin inflammation.
Completing the top ten is Oklahoma.
In a notable debut, South Dakota State entered the rankings at No. 25, marking its first appearance this season. The Jackrabbits, who last graced the rankings in the 2022 preseason poll, executed a perfect 16-0 finish in conference play and have maintained an unbeaten streak in the Summit League over the past three years. Their current record includes 63 consecutive wins in regular-season conference matchups, boasting an overall 81-1 tally dating back to the onset of the 2020-21 season, with losses only to Duke, Georgia Tech, and Texas.
In terms of conference representation, the Southeastern Conference leads with seven ranked teams. This is followed by the ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12, each featuring five teams, while the Big East and the Summit League have two and one, respectively.
This marks an exciting week, as major conference tournaments are set to kick off, with their respective championship games scheduled for Sunday.
USC Ranks 2nd in AP Top 25, Highest in 39 Years
