North Carolina has crashed into Sportsnaut’s women’s college basketball top 10 power rankings, highlighting this week’s major shakeup. Here are the latest rankings for Week 12.
10. TCU Horned Frogs (Last week: 8)
The TCU Horned Frogs (19-2) suffered a narrow 60-59 loss to Oklahoma State on the road after beating Utah at home 81-73. The Horned Frogs look to rebound against No. 25 Baylor on Sunday, January 26.
9. North Carolina Tar Heels (Last week: Not ranked)
The North Carolina Tar Heels (18-3) make their debut in Sportsnaut’s women’s college basketball power rankings after defeating Pittsburgh on the road 75-58 and Wake Forest at home 76-51. They face Florida State on Sunday, January 26.
8. Texas Longhorns (Last week: 10)
The Texas Longhorns (19-2) climb two spots after defeating two AP-ranked teams: No. 8 Maryland 89-51 and No. 17 Tennessee 80-76. They travel to face Ole Miss on Sunday, January 26.
7. Kansas State Wildcats (Last week: 9)
The Kansas State Wildcats (19-1) move up two spots after defeating both Arizona and Arizona State at home. However, star center Ayoka Lee is out indefinitely with a broken foot. Lee led the team in scoring, rebounding, and blocks. The Wildcats face Colorado on Saturday, January 25.
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6. Connecticut Huskies (Last week: 6)
The UConn Huskies (18-2) have gone 3-0 since the return of star guard and likely No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Paige Bueckers, including dominant victories over Seton Hall (60-point margin) and Villanova (43-point margin). The Huskies face Creighton on Saturday, January 25.
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5. LSU Tigers (Last week: 5)
The LSU Tigers (20-0) secured a 17-point victory over Florida on the road. They now face their toughest challenge of the season against No. 2 South Carolina on Friday, seeking to end their 16-game winless streak against the Gamecocks.
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4. USC Trojans (Last week: 4)
The USC Trojans (18-1) earned a hard-fought seven-point win over Indiana before dominating Purdue 79-37, both victories coming on the road. JuJu Watkins and the Trojans take on No. 23 Minnesota on Thursday, January 30.
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3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Last week: 3)
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (17-2) dominated their competition this past week, defeating SMU 88-64 and Boston College 89-63 on the road. They face Virginia Tech on Thursday, January 30.
2. South Carolina Gamecocks (Last week: 2)
The South Carolina Gamecocks (18-1) demonstrated their power by crushing No. 19 Alabama by 18 points and No. 15 Oklahoma by 41 points. They face one of their biggest tests of the season against No. 5 LSU on Friday.
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1. UCLA Bruins (Last week: 1)
The UCLA Bruins (19-0) remain atop Sportsnaut’s women’s college basketball power rankings, continuing their dominant run. UCLA beat No. 25 Baylor on the road, 72-57, then followed with an 84-66 victory over Rutgers. The Bruins face a challenging matchup against No. 8 Maryland on Sunday, January 26.
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