Texas Longhorns Upset South Carolina Gamecocks in Thrilling Women’s College Basketball Showdown
Sunday’s big game certainly lived up to the hype, and no, we’re not talking about that big game. The spotlight was on the top-5 women’s college basketball matchup between Texas and South Carolina, and it did not disappoint. The Longhorns, who were overwhelmed by 17 points in their first meeting with the Gamecocks last month, turned the tables in the rematch, winning 66-62. This victory handed South Carolina their first regular-season SEC loss in 57 games. While Texas never trailed, South Carolina kept the game tight, staying within 5 points over the last 15 minutes of play.
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley commented on the intense atmosphere, saying, “Great atmosphere. It’s great for women’s basketball, probably great for TV. Close game, great for our game. It’s just unfortunate somebody had to lose.”
So, what does this mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s dive into the new rankings and see how the landscape has shifted.
- New this week: Creighton, Baylor
- Out: California, Vanderbilt
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research and The Associated Press.
1. UCLA Bruins
Previous ranking: 1
2024-25 record: 23-0
Stat to know: Despite scoring a season-low 62 points Sunday against Oregon, UCLA posted its 23rd straight win, the longest active win streak in Division I and the longest to open a season in program history.
What’s next: Thursday at No. 6 USC, 10 p.m., Peacock
2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Previous ranking: 3
2024-25 record: 21-2
Stat to know: Notre Dame won its past two games (vs. Clemson and Cal) by a combined 88 points. It marked the first time the Irish have won back-to-back games by 35 or more since Jan. 31 and Feb. 3, 2019.
What’s next: Thursday at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m., ACCN
3. Texas Longhorns
Previous ranking: 4
2024-25 record: 24-2
Stat to know: In Sunday’s win over South Carolina, Texas became the first team to win an AP top-5 matchup without making a 3-pointer since UConn went 0-for-9 in a win over Oklahoma in the 2002 national championship game.
What’s next: Thursday at No. 8 Kentucky, 7 p.m., ESPN2
4. South Carolina Gamecocks
Previous ranking: 2
2024-25 record: 22-2
Stat to know: In both of its losses this season, including Sunday at Texas, South Carolina did not hold a single lead. Previously, South Carolina had not had a wire-to-wire loss since the 2019 Sweet 16 against Baylor.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Florida, 7 p.m., SECN
5. LSU Tigers
Previous ranking: 6
2024-25 record: 25-1
Stat to know: In Sunday’s win over Tennessee, Kailyn Gilbert scored 15 of her game-high 23 points in the third quarter. Gilbert had scored a total of 25 points over the previous seven games since scoring 22 in the first meeting against the Lady Vols.
What’s next: Sunday at No. 3 Texas, 3 p.m., ABC
6. USC Trojans
Previous ranking: 7
2024-25 record: 21-2
Stat to know: Kiki Iriafen, JuJu Watkins and Kennedy Smith all had double-doubles against Ohio State on Saturday, the first time a team has had three players do that against a top-10 team since Notre Dame did it against UConn in the 2019 Final Four.
What’s next: Thursday vs. No. 1 UCLA, 10 p.m., Peacock
7. UConn Huskies
Previous ranking: 5
2024-25 record: 22-3
Stat to know: In UConn’s loss at Tennessee on Thursday, the Huskies gave up a season-high 42 points in the paint and shot just 26.7% from outside the paint.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. St. John’s, 7:30 p.m.
8. Kentucky Wildcats
Previous ranking: 11
2024-25 record: 19-2
Stat to know: Kentucky is second in the country with 6.7 blocks per game, with sophomore Clara Strack (2.3) leading the way.
What’s next: Feb. 10 at Ole Miss, 7 p.m., ESPN2
9. Ohio State Buckeyes
Previous ranking: 8
2024-25 record: 20-3
Stat to know: After entering the week 20-1, Ohio State lost at UCLA and USC by an average of 17 points.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m., Peacock
10. NC State Wolfpack
Previous ranking: 14
2024-25 record: 19-4
Stat to know: NC State’s 23-point win at then-No. 22 Florida State was its largest road win over a ranked team since defeating No. 15 South Carolina 90-65 during the 1989-90 season.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Miami, 6 p.m., ACCN
11. TCU Horned Frogs
Previous ranking: 9
2024-25 record: 22-3
Stat to know: TCU rolled over Texas Tech for its 19th straight home win, the longest active streak in the Big 12.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. BYU, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
12. North Carolina Tar Heels
Previous ranking: 13
2024-25 record: 21-4
Stat to know: North Carolina improved to 7-0 on the road with Sunday’s win at Clemson, its best start on the road since going 10-0 during the 2005-06 season.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Virginia Tech, 7 p.m., ACCNX
13. Duke Blue Devils
Previous ranking: 10
2024-25 record: 19-5
Stat to know: Duke, which leads the ACC in forcing turnovers, pressured Miami into a season-high 28 turnovers — and scored 42 points off them — in Sunday’s 90-49 win.
What’s next: Thursday at Wake Forest, 6 p.m., ACCNX
14. Kansas State Wildcats
Previous ranking: 12
2024-25 record: 22-3
Stat to know: In Saturday’s 85-55 loss to Oklahoma State, K-State was outscored 51-20 in first half, with as many turnovers (7) as made field goals (7-for-31 shooting).
What’s next: Wednesday at Cincinnati, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
15. Tennessee Lady Vols
Previous ranking: 19
2024-25 record: 17-6
Stat to know: All six of Tennessee’s losses have been by single digits, with a combined total of 20 points.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Auburn, 6:30 p.m., SECN+
16. Oklahoma Sooners
Previous ranking: 15
2024-25 record: 17-6
Stat to know: In Thursday’s win over Ole Miss, Payton Verhulst scored 10 of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, the fourth time she has scored 10 or more points in a quarter this season.
What’s next: Monday vs. Auburn, 8 p.m., SECN
17. Maryland Terrapins
Previous ranking: 16
2024-25 record: 19-5
Stat to know: After making just four of its first 18 shots, Maryland was 26-for-42 (61.9%) from the field the rest of the game in rallying from a 15-point deficit to beat Washington 81-73.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Nebraska, 6:30 p.m., BTN
18. West Virginia Mountaineers
Previous ranking: 18
2024-25 record: 19-4
Stat to know: West Virginia opened Saturday’s 79-51 win over Houston with a 20-0 run, with 13 points coming from JJ Quinerly, who had 16 of her game-high 20 points in the first quarter.
What’s next: Tuesday at Baylor, 8 p.m., ESPN+
19. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Previous ranking: 17
2024-25 record: 20-4
Stat to know: Georgia Tech held Boston College to 15 points in the first half of Sunday’s 71-51 win.
What’s next: Thursday at Clemson, 7 p.m., ACCNX
20. Oklahoma State Cowgirls
Previous ranking: 25
2024-25 record: 19-4
Stat to know: Oklahoma State’s 30-point win over then-No. 12 Kansas State tied for the second-largest margin of victory against an AP-ranked opponent in program history. (OSU had a 31-point win over Oklahoma in January 2016.)
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Arizona, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
21. Alabama Crimson Tide
Previous ranking: 23
2024-25 record: 20-5
Stat to know: On Sunday, Alabama beat Mississippi State by 20 or more points for the first time since the 2013 SEC tournament.
What’s next: Feb. 17 vs. Texas A&M, 8 p.m., SECN
22. Michigan State Spartans
Previous ranking: 20
2024-25 record: 18-5
Stat to know: Michigan State, which entered Sunday’s game against Michigan shooting better than 45% from the field this season, shot a season-low 31.8% (21 of 66) in a 71-61 loss.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Wisconsin, 6:30 p.m., B1G+
23. Florida State Seminoles
Previous ranking: 22
2024-25 record: 19-5
Stat to know: Ta’Niya Latson, the leading scorer in the country, had a career-high 12 assists to go with 27 points in Thursday’s 101-68 win over Virginia.
What’s next: Thursday at Virginia, 7 p.m., ACCNX
24. Creighton Bluejays
Previous ranking: NR
2024-25 record: 20-4
Stat to know: Since losing two of its first three games, Creighton is 19-2, with the only losses coming to UCLA and UConn.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Georgetown, 4 p.m., FS1
25. Baylor Bears
Previous ranking: NR
2024-25 record: 20-5
Stat to know: Since losing two straight games to top-10 teams UCLA and TCU, Baylor has won four in a row by an average of 26.8 points.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. No. 18 West Virginia, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Originally Written by: ESPN
