After just one week into the 2024/25 season, the Big Ten is leading the charge in college basketball. Multiple teams within the conference scored upsets to improve their rankings in the latest AP Top 25 update on Monday.
One of the biggest climbers was Maryland, rising seven spots to No. 11 after a thrilling 85-80 victory over then-ranked No. 16 Duke on Sunday. With four players scoring in double digits, junior guard Kaylene Smikle led the charge with 23 points for the Terrapins.
Other Big Ten teams making waves in the rankings were No. 23 Illinois and No. 25 Oregon. They both entered the standings following impressive wins against then-No. 19 Florida State and then-No. 12 Baylor, respectively.
Oregon, led by former UNC standout Deja Kelly’s 20 points, secured a close 76-74 win over Baylor, ending a 13-game losing streak against ranked opponents.
Outside of the Big Ten, Stanford also made a strong debut in the poll, coming in at No. 24. The Cardinal used their absence from the preseason poll as motivation, dominating their first three opponents with an average margin of victory of 41 points
South Carolina maintains stranglehold on No. 1
The top eight teams from the preseason poll held firm this week, with No. 1 South Carolina continuing their dominance. The Gamecocks extended their unbeaten streak to 40 games with a 71-57 victory over No. 13 NC State.
Despite missing junior forward Chloe Kitts due to academic reasons, South Carolina guards Te-Hina Paopao and MiLaysia Fulwiley stepped up, scoring 23 and 18 points, respectively.
SEC is still NCAA’s top basketball conference
Early indications suggest that conference realignment and the transfer portal have strengthened the NCAA’s top contenders once again.
Newcomers in the Big Ten such as No. 3 USC, No. 5 UCLA, and No. 24 Oregon, along with established teams like Maryland, Ohio State, Nebraska, and Illinois, have boosted the conference’s presence in the rankings, matching the SEC with seven teams in the poll.
However, the SEC remains the leading conference in women’s basketball, with four teams in the Top 10. No. 1 South Carolina leads the pack, alongside No. 4 Texas, No. 9 Oklahoma, and No. 7 LSU. Other SEC teams like Ole Miss, Kentucky, and Alabama are also featured in the poll.
AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll
1. South Carolina 2. UConn 3. Southern California 4. Texas 5. UCLA 6. Notre Dame7. LSU8. Iowa State 9. Oklahoma 10. Kansas State 11. Maryland 12. Ohio State13. North Carolina State14. North Carolina15. West Virginia16. Duke17. Baylor18. Louisville19. Ole Miss20. Kentucky21. Nebraska 22. Alabama23. Illinois 24. Stanford 25. Oregon
