USC Drops To Seventh After Second Loss In Women's Basketball

UCLA center Lauren Betts, center, looks on from the bench during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Minnesota, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea

Southern Cal's recent loss to Iowa has caused the Trojans to slip to seventh place in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll. The defeat marked the team's second loss of the season, with their only other loss coming at home to Notre Dame in November. The Trojans, previously ranked fourth, were stunned by the Hawkeyes in a 76-69 upset on a day when Caitlin Clark's jersey was retired.

Meanwhile, UCLA, South Carolina, and Notre Dame maintained their positions as the top three teams in the rankings. UCLA, the only unbeaten team in the country, secured all 32 first-place votes in the poll after defeating Minnesota 79-53 last week. South Carolina also continued their winning streak by defeating Tennessee and Auburn, while Notre Dame moved up a spot in the rankings.

Other notable movements in the rankings include Texas, UConn, and LSU climbing up a spot to follow Notre Dame. Ohio State, TCU, and Duke retained their positions in the eighth through tenth spots.

Rising Wildcats

UCLA secures all 32 first-place votes as the only unbeaten team.

Southern Cal falls to 7th in AP Top 25 after loss to Iowa.

South Carolina and Notre Dame maintain top 3 positions.

Kentucky reaches 11th spot, their highest ranking in four years.

Kentucky achieved its highest ranking in four years under first-year coach Kenny Brooks, landing at the 11th spot in the poll. The Wildcats, with a record of 19-2, are gearing up for a challenging stretch of games in the SEC schedule, including matchups against South Carolina, LSU, Texas, and Tennessee. Their only losses this season came against North Carolina and Texas A&M.

Conference Breakdown

The Southeastern Conference maintained its dominance in the rankings with eight teams featured, followed by the ACC with seven teams. The Big Ten had five teams ranked, while the Big 12 and Big East had four and one ranked team, respectively.

Games of the Week

Key matchups to watch this week include TCU facing off against Kansas State for first place in the Big 12, UConn taking on Tennessee in a rivalry game, and South Carolina challenging Texas in a highly anticipated showdown.

For more updates on the AP Top 25 women's college basketball poll, fans can sign up for poll alerts and stay informed throughout the season.

Sources: AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll and Women's College Basketball