UConn stays No. 1 in women’s AP Top 25 poll after rout, Texas, South Carolina, UCLA next

UConn, Texas, South Carolina and UCLA all cruised to easy victories to remain atop The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll released Monday.

The Huskies routed then-No. 11 Iowa in the Women’s Champions Classic on Saturday to stay unbeaten and hold on to No. 1 spot in the Top 25. UConn received 25 first-place ballots from the 32-member national media panel. Texas got the other seven to stay No. 2 in the final poll of the calendar year. The next poll will be released Jan. 5.

Texas Tech (14-0) entered the poll for the first time since 2012 after beating then-No. 15 Baylor 61-60 on Sunday. The win over the Bears was the Red Raiders’ first over a ranked opponent this season and dropped Baylor to 22nd. It also was Texas Tech’s first win over Baylor since 2011.

The top seven teams remained unchanged with South Carolina and UCLA following Texas. LSU, Michigan and Maryland were next. Oklahoma and TCU were tied for eighth with Iowa State 10th after a last-second victory over Kansas.

Rising Louisville

Louisville climbed up three spots to No. 13 after routing then-No. 17 Tennessee. The Lady Vols fell to 23rd. The Cardinals have won six straight games.

Unbeatens and winless teams

There are 12 undefeated women’s basketball teams left through Sunday: Alabama, Arizona State, Texas and Texas Tech are 14-0. Georgia, Iowa State, LSU, Maryland and TCU are 13-0. Nebraska, UConn and Vanderbilt are 12-0.

Nine teams are still looking for their first win, including three from the Northeast Conference (Central Connecticut, Mercyhurst and Saint Francis). Joining them are Niagara, Long Beach State, Valparaiso, New Orleans, Florida A&M and Louisiana-Lafayette.

Conference supremacy

With Washington dropping out of the Top 25 , the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference each have eight ranked teams. The Big 12 is next with four and the ACC has three. The Big East and Ivy League each have one ranked team.

Game of the week

Teams are off for the holidays until Sunday when No. 4 UCLA visits No. 21 Ohio State as the only matchup between ranked teams that day.

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