South Carolina, Iowa are 1-2 in women's AP Top 25; No. 3 Southern Cal has best ranking in 38 years
Southern California has moved up to No. 3 in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll, its best ranking in 38 years
Southern California rode a Pac-12 Tournament championship to its best ranking in 38 years.
The Trojans moved up to No. 3 in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll Monday after topping Stanford to win the conference tournament for the first time since 2014, their only other time in the title game. It's the highest ranking for USC since the final poll of the 1986 season, when the team was also third.
South Carolina remained a unanimous No. 1, receiving all 35 first-place votes from the AP national media panel. The Gamecocks head into the NCAA Tournament undefeated for the second consecutive season after surviving the SEC Tournament semifinals on a last-second 3-pointer by Kamilla Cardoso. The Gamecocks then beat LSU for the title in a game marred by late ejections.
Iowa moved back up to No. 2 after winning the Big Ten Tournament, rallying to beat Nebraska in overtime behind Caitlin Clark. It was the third straight conference tournament title for the Hawkeyes.
