Women's Basketball: AP Poll updated after crazy week featuring several top-10 losses

Conference play rolls on as a number of top-10 teams suffered losses this week, leading to a big shakeup in the latest Women’s Basketball AP Top 25 poll.

Of course, all eyes were on Baton Rouge during the work week as undefeated and top-ranked South Carolina squared off against the defending national champions on their own home court. See how that contest altered the rankings and check out a slew of other major changes to the latest top 25. .

Go ahead and check it out right here:

1. South Carolina (19-0)

The undefeated Gamecocks remained just that, despite perhaps their toughest test of the year in having to waltz into Death Valley and face the reigning champion LSU Tigers. Even with all the pomp and circumstance surrounding such a premier home game for LSU, it was the No. 1 team in the land who pulled off the road victory.

South Carolina placed all five starters in double figures, showcasing the terrific balance the Gamecocks have at the very top of the roster. It wasn’t that any particular player stole the spotlight, nor did Carolina perform in dominant fashion. Rather, they just executed down the stretch and flipped the final quarter in their favor 24-14 to secure the comeback win on the road.

2. Kansas State (20-1)

KSU won its 14th and 15th straight games this week and continue to do so in narrow fashion. After winning 10 straight games by 16 points or more (and most of those by 20+), the Wildcats have since had to learn how to win in tight situations.

In their last four games, all wins, the margin hasn’t been larger than 11. They took down Texas at home by three a couple weeks back, and then this week, Kansas State won at Baylor by three and survived at home vs. BYU by just two.

3. Iowa (19-2)

After the Ohio State loss and ensuing court storming fiasco, Iowa and Caitlin Clark responded with a strong performance in their one game this week at home vs. Nebraska. The Hawkeyes breezed past the Cornhuskers to right the ship and remain in the top-five of the polls after some slippage last week.

Clark was once again phenomenal and cashed in a dozen field goals for the second straight game. She even one-upped her performance from 3 vs. OSU (7-18) by knocking down eight of her 15 tries vs. Nebraska. That scoring average just keeps rising.

4. Stanford (19-2)

Stanford and their dominant front-court just keep rolling over Pac-12 foes. Since that tough road loss against fellow top-10 foe Colorado, the Cardinal ran off four straight victories, sweeping the Oregon and Arizona schools in each of the past two weeks.

And let’s take a look at that front-court. Here are Stanford’s six leading scorers by height: 6’3, 6’4, 6’0, 6’2, 6’2 and 6’3. With Cameron Brink and Kiki Iriafen combining for roughly 40 points and 20 rebounds a night, with a load of other options down low, this Stanford club is a brutal matchup in the paint.

5. NC State (18-2)

NC State dropped their second game of the season on the road vs. Miami. But since, they’ve responded to win three straight games, all by double figures, against Duke (by 15), Clemson (by 22) and Boston College (by 21) to get back on track.

The Wolfpack are also another one of those balanced teams at the top of their roster. The six players who have started and played the majority of the minutes post the following point averages since the turn of the calendar into conference play: 8.8, 10.6, 11.8, 12.9, 14.1 and 15.3 for Mimi Collins, who has really stepped up vs. ACC competition.

6. Colorado (17-3)

We just addressed NC State’s balanced top-six of their rotation. But for Colorado, it’s the entire team which provides such immense depth. The Buffaloes have nine players playing more than 10 minutes a night and 13 players taking at least one shot per game with no individual averaging double-digit attempts from the floor.

Now, despite all that depth, CU has taken on a couple of recent losses to dip in the polls a bit. They split games against the LA-area schools last week, losing to UCLA but beating USC, and then did the same in the Beaver State, falling vs. Oregon State while rebounding to beat Oregon.

7. UCLA (16-3)

The reeling Bruins reached their high-water mark in the AP Top 25 at No. 2 in last week’s issue but are sliding after a 1-2 mark this week. Going back to the previous poll, UCLA rose three spots to second after toppling No. 3 Colorado and getting some help from an Iowa loss.

Just after reaching the No. 2 spot, UCLA dropped a Sunday evening contest at Utah by 13 points. They rebounded with a mid-week win over Washington by 18 but dropped their second game since the last poll on Saturday with a narrow defeat at the hands of Washington State.

8. Ohio State (17-3)

Depth, depth and more depth! Colorado went pretty far down their lineup with contributors in some capacity but the Buckeyes might go even deeper, with 11 different players logging 10+ minutes a night, with 10 of those averaging more than three shots from the floor each game.

The Buckeyes just keep rising. They enjoyed yet another 2-0 week toppling Purdue and Illinois to win their seventh game in a row, maintaining an unbeaten record since New Year’s. Plus, they have a crown jewel resume victory from last weekend in that home win over Iowa.

9. LSU (18-3)

Pete Maravich Assembly Center was the stage for an epic showdown between two of the top women’s college hoops programs in the country. Unfortunately for the Tigers, thanks to foul trouble for star forward Angel Reese and just a 14-point fourth quarter, South Carolina was able to complete the comeback win.

The Tigers get a reprieve this week, though. They do travel to play at Mississippi State this (Monday) evening, but they’ll get the following six days off before hosting Florida next Sunday.

10. Indiana (17-2)

The two-loss Hoosiers last suffered defeat in brutal fashion as Caitlin Clark and Iowa hammered IU 84-57 in Iowa City. However, since that result, Indiana rolled rolled three straight victories with two completely dominant performances.

Reeling after the Iowa loss, Indiana responded with their own beatdown of Minnesota, 65-52. They then beat Purdue by six and rounded off this past week with another home blowout, smashing Northwestern 100-59.

Remaining teams in AP top 25

11. UConn (17-4)
12. Texas (19-3)
13. Baylor (16-3)
14. Notre Dame (15-4)
15. USC (14-4)
16. Louisville (18-3)
17. Virginia Tech (16-4)
18. Oregon State (17-3)
19. Gonzaga (20-2)
20. Utah (15-6)
21. Syracuse (17-3)
22. Creighton (16-3)
23. West Virginia (17-2)
24. North Carolina (15-6)
25. Princeton (15-3)

Others Receiving Votes: UNLV 21, Washington St 15, Fairfield 13, Marquette 7, Florida St. 6, Oklahoma 6, Mississippi 2, Penn St. 1, Washington 1, Mississippi St. 1.