Michigan and TCU move up in women's AP Top 25 ranking.
Following impressive victories against ranked opponents, Michigan and TCU have surged into the top 10 of the latest Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll.
Michigan, now ranked sixth, leaped eight spots after a dominant 93-54 win over then-No. 18 Notre Dame. Meanwhile, TCU claimed the 10th spot after a 69-59 road triumph over then-No. 10 NC State.
Michigan's triumph over Notre Dame marked their largest margin of victory against a Top 25 team. The Wolverines, reaching their highest ranking since February 21, 2022, are gearing up to face off against top-ranked UConn on Friday night at Mohegan Sun for the Hall of Fame Showcase.
"Connecticut is a top-notch team," remarked Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. "Our players are eager to test themselves against the best, although those games always make me a bit anxious."
UConn retained its position as the No. 1 team, securing 28 first-place votes from the national media panel. South Carolina climbed to second place after a 69-52 victory over former No. 8 USC, earning three first-place votes, while UCLA claimed the remaining top ballot following decisive wins over Oklahoma and North Carolina. Texas and LSU rounded out the top five.
Elsewhere in the rankings, Baylor held the seventh spot, with Oklahoma dropping to eighth and Maryland sitting at ninth.
West Virginia entered the Top 25 at No. 23 by defeating Duke 57-49 in a game overshadowed by a mid-game altercation that led to the ejection of six Mountaineers players. Duke's exit marked the end of a 24-week stint in the rankings, which was the ninth-longest active streak.
The Southeastern Conference boasts eight representatives in the rankings this week, including three in the top five. The Big Ten follows with seven schools represented, while the Big 12 and the Atlantic Coast Conference have five and four schools, respectively. The Big East has one team in the mix.
One of the standout games of the week will feature No. 19 Iowa taking on seventh-ranked Baylor in the WBCA Showcase at Disney World on Thursday. Iowa will venture outside Iowa for the first time this season, whereas Baylor has already competed in Paris and Las Vegas.
Additionally, No. 11 USC will face off against No. 24 Notre Dame on Friday as both teams seek to bounce back from recent disappointments with a quality win early in the season.