NCAA Women’s Basketball Power Rankings: South Carolina and USC fall

There’s a new No. 1 – the UCLA Bruins – in the ESPN Women’s Basketball Power Rankings, ending the South Carolina Gamecocks’ long reign at the top spot.

But the Duke Blue Devils, who made it into the top 10, are also a team to keep an eye on.

The Blue Devils didn’t make the power rankings at all last season, but eventually made it to the Sweet 16, where they lost to UConn. That capped a 22-12 season for coach Kara Lawson, who saw a lot happen after a rough start to her Duke tenure.

Lawson took over at Duke in July 2020. On Christmas Day 2020, Duke announced that the remainder of the program’s season was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. That followed a 73-49 loss to Louisville on December 9, 2020, the last of four games the Blue Devils played this season.

Lawson has been building ever since. The Blue Devils were 17-13 in 2021-22 and 26-7 in 2022-23 (reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament). Last season’s regional semifinal appearance was Duke’s first since 2018.

Duke is now in limbo with three of four games against teams ranked by the Associated Press. The Blue Devils defeated No. 9 Kansas State 73-62 on Monday in the Ball Dawgs Classic in the Las Vegas area. They’ll face No. 8 Oklahoma there on Wednesday. They’ll travel to meet No. 4 South Carolina Gamecocks on Dec. 5.

Both are important tests against opponents picked to finish in the SEC’s top four. But even if Duke loses both games, these are the types of opponents a program seeking a return to the Final Four will have to face. Oklahoma’s potent offense will challenge Duke to keep up with the Sooners. South Carolina will learn — and likely improve — after Sunday’s loss to UCLA.

Duke junior guard Ashlon Jackson scored a career-high 30 points against K-State and leads the Blue Devils with 15.7 points per game, while forward Toby Fournier, one of the top freshmen in the country, is averaging 12.9 points achieved.

Notre Dame, the preseason favorite in the ACC, pulled off its biggest upset yet in the league with its loss to USC last Saturday. Duke — ranked No. 3 in the ACC in the preseason and with one loss so far, Nov. 10 at Maryland — could make some noise over the next nine days.

Previous ranking: 5

Not only did UCLA defeat South Carolina in the biggest game of the season so far, the Bruins had the upper hand from the start and never let up with a 77-62 victory. UCLA has six players averaging 9.0 or more points, led by center Lauren Betts with 19.4 per game. The key for the Bruins now – as coach Cori Close will no doubt emphasize – is to move forward with the same focus they had against the Gamecocks.

Next seven days: @ Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu: vs. UT Martin (November 29th), vs. Fresno State (November 30th), vs. Hawai’i (December 1st)

Previous ranking: 2

The Huskies defeated Oregon State 71-52 in their first game this week in the Bahamas. We’ll see if they face a bigger test against Ole Miss’ speed on Wednesday. So far, coach Geno Auriemma likes how much freshman forward Sarah Strong is contributing: She’s second in points and assists behind senior guard Paige Bueckers, and she leads the team in rebounds, steals and blocks.

Next seven days: @ Baha Mar Bahamas Women’s Championship: vs. Ole Miss (November 27); vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 3)

Previous ranking: 7

Sophomore defender Hannah Hidalgo has quickly risen into the running for national player of the year; Saturday’s 74-61 win at USC was a strong statement from her and the Irish. Next up, Notre Dame’s 6-foot-10 freshman Kate Koval will face TCU’s 6-7 veteran center Sedona Prince on Friday. They currently rank first and second in Division I in blocked shots per game.

Next seven days: @ Cayman Islands Classic: vs. TCU (Nov. 29), vs. Utah (Nov. 30)

Previous ranking: 1

UCLA ended South Carolina’s 43-game winning streak, but that’s not such a bad thing for the Gamecocks. They have long carried the burden of being the favorite to win the national championship. This is a very different team than last season and the players are figuring out their roles. Coach Dawn Staley is learning which players she can count on.

Next seven days: @ Fort Myers Tipoff at Florida: vs. Iowa State (November 28th), vs. Purdue (November 30th)

Previous ranking: 3

The Trojans escaped Ole Miss’ defense-led attack in the season opener Nov. 4, but couldn’t do it Saturday against Notre Dame. JuJu Watkins had 24 points against the Irish, but was 0 of 5 from behind the arc; USC shot 1-for-13 from 3. It’s going to be a big season for Watkins and USC, but this game was a good wake-up call about how much work we have ahead of us.

Next seven days: @ Women’s Acrisure Holiday Invitational in Palm Springs, California: vs. Seton Hall (November 27); vs. Saint Louis (November 29); vs. California Baptist (Dec. 3)

Previous ranking: 4

Texas did nothing wrong and dropped two spots. The Longhorns were just overtaken by teams — UCLA and Notre Dame — that played better opponents. More quality opponents are on the way for Texas, which could face West Virginia in its Florida tournament and then play Notre Dame on Dec. 5 in one of next month’s blockbusters.

Next seven days: @ Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida: vs. New Mexico State (Nov. 29), TBA (Nov. 30), TBA (Dec. 1)

Previous ranking: 9

The Sooners can score points very quickly; They are tied for first in Division I in assists (23.2 per game) and seventh in scoring average (90.8). They also rank first in rebounds per game (55.8) and rebound margin (23.7). In short, they have overwhelmed their opponents so far. Next up is their first real test when they take on Duke and Louisville.

Next seven days: @ Ball Dawgs Classic in Las Vegas: vs. Duke (Nov. 27)

Previous ranking: 10

Considering the number of newcomers (10), it’s understandable that the Terps don’t have a particularly demanding non-conference schedule. Their win over Duke on November 10th is good for their resume, and they will have plenty of chances to improve it in Big Ten play.

Next seven days: @ Navy Classic in Annapolis, Maryland: vs. George Mason (November 30); vs. Toledo (Dec. 1); vs. Mount St. Mary’s (Dec. 3)

Previous ranking: 6

The Tigers went all the way to beat Washington 68-67 in the Bahamas on Monday, scoring the winning goal from Arizona transfer Kailyn Gilbert with one second remaining. Wednesday’s matchup against No. 20 NC State is LSU’s only game against a ranked opponent – according to the current AP poll – until it faces South Carolina on Jan. 23.

Next seven days: Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship in the Bahamas: vs. NC State (November 27); vs. NC Central (Dec. 1)

Previous ranking: 13

While Ashlon Jackson and Toby Fournier score the most points, Jadyn Donovan (8.0) and Jordan Wood (5.1) are the Blue Devils’ top rebounders. Wood leads the team in field goal percentage (64.3). Under Lawson, defense was Duke’s calling card. Can the Blue Devils slow Oklahoma down?

Next seven days: @ Ball Dawgs Classic in Las Vegas: vs. Oklahoma (November 27); vs. Columbia (Dec. 1)

Previous ranking: 12

Chance Gray, a transfer from Oregon, leads the Buckeyes with 18.0 points per game. Freshman Jaloni Cambridge is right behind with 17.0. The two guards have sparked Ohio State’s offense this season, but the Buckeyes’ first test may not come until Dec. 8 against Illinois.

Next seven days: @ Daytona Beach Classic: vs. Old Dominion (November 28), vs. Utah State (November 29)

Previous ranking: 11

The Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season on Monday, losing 73-62 to Duke. They entered the game averaging 88.8 points, but the Blue Devils forced 18 turnovers and held K-State to 2 of 10 shooting from behind the arc. It was a missed opportunity for the Wildcats to improve their resume, as a win would have also given them a game against Oklahoma.

Next seven days: @ Ball Dawgs Classic in Las Vegas: vs. DePaul (November 27); vs. Central Arkansas (Dec. 1); vs. Eastern Illinois (December 3)

Previous ranking: 14

The Mountaineers have yet to be tested and are winning their games by an average of 43.8 points, led by guard JJ Quinerly’s 17.0 points per game. It could be a tough matchup on Sunday when both West Virginia and Texas reach the finals of their tournament in Florida.

Next seven days: @ Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida: vs. High Point (November 29); TBA (November 30); TBA (Dec 1)

Previous ranking: 8

The annual intrastate battles between Iowa State, Iowa, Northern Iowa and Drake are often difficult games for the perceived favorites. That was the case last week at Iowa State, which lost 87-75 at Northern Iowa on Wednesday and then needed a last-second basket from Audi Crooks to beat Drake 80-78 on Sunday. Crooks had a total of 55 points in those games. Next up is one of the Cyclones’ biggest games of the season.

Next seven days: @ Fort Myers Tipoff at Florida: vs. South Carolina (November 28); vs. Middle Tennessee (November 30); vs. South Carolina Upstate (Dec. 3)

Previous ranking: 15

The Wildcats defeated Arizona State 77-61 in the Music City Tournament on Tuesday, led by two transfers who came with coach Kenny Brooks from Virginia Tech: Clara Strack (24 points) and Georgia Amoore (9 assists). Another transfer, Teonni Key from North Carolina, led the way in rebounding (13). Kentucky, coming off a win over ranked Louisville, next faces two ranked opponents in Illinois and North Carolina.

Next seven days: @ Music City Classic in Nashville, Tennessee: vs. Illinois (November 27)

Previous placements: NO

The Tar Heels responded well to their only loss of the season, 69-58 to UConn on November 15 in Greensboro, North Carolina. They then won the Battle 4 Atlantis title in the Bahamas with wins over Ball State, Villanova and Indiana.