South Carolina and UCLA continue to be the easy choices for the top two teams in the nation, but all the other spots have been up for grabs in what has already been a very competitive women's college basketball season.
Tara VanDerveer's Stanford Cardinal has enhanced its resume with a 100-88 win over Florida State. Meanwhile, the NC State Wolfpack demanded the spotlight with a 78-60 victory over Colorado.
As for the Iowa Hawkeyes, they got the rare opportunity to redeem themselves by facing Kansas State -- a team that beat them on Nov. 16 -- for the second time in 10 days. It was a tough battle that resulted in a Hawkeyes victory, and it appears Lisa Bluder's squad is back on track.
One team trending down is UConn. The Huskies have the potential to do better, but after suffering heir second loss of the season to UCLA, they are on the verge of dropping out of the top 10.
Here are our latest power rankings for the 2023-24 women's college basketball season.
1. South Carolina (5-0)
The Gamecocks have reached 100 points in four of their first five games this season with seven players averaging at least eight points per game. Senior center Kamilla Cardoso is leading the team with 16.8 points and 11 rebounds per game. Their defense is also strong as ever, as they held Mississippi Valley State to just 19 points on Nov. 24 -- the fewest points South Carolina has ever allowed in program history.
2. UCLA (6-0)
The Bruins took down UConn for the first time in program history by a score of 78-67 on Nov. 24. Sophomore guard Kiki Rice stepped up with a career-high 24 points to go along with 11 rebounds and eight assists. Deservingly so, Rice was named an Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week. This is a deep roster that has had different players step up on different nights. In the Bruins' 97-46 win over Niagara, Gabriela Jaquez and Londynn Jones were the ones who led the offense with 23 and 21 points, respectively.
3. Stanford (7-0)
Stanford collected another win against a ranked opponent, and this one really made a statement. The Cardinal took down Florida State 100-88 on Nov. 26 behind a dominant performance by junior forward Kiki Iriafen, who recorded 30 points and 17 rebounds. Iriafen has really stepped up this season by averaging 19.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Cameron Brink is also averaging a double-double of 18.9 points and 12.1 boards per contest. Brink, the 2023 WBCA Defensive Player of the Year, has already registered 27 blocks this season, the third most in the nation.
4. NC State (8-0)
NC State already put the nation on notice with a win against UConn earlier this month, and the Wolfpack's recent victory over Colorado only increased the hype. Players are having breakout performances when NC State needs it most. Junior guard Saniya Rivers put herself on the map with a career-best 33 points against the Huskies, and she has remained a consistent contributor for her team. However, against the Buffaloes, it was center River Baldwin who claimed the spotlight with a career-high 24 points.
5. Iowa (6-1)
The Hawkeyes suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of Kansas State on Nov. 16. Since that game, Iowa has blown out the three opponents it faced and then took advantage of a rare redemption opportunity. The Hawkeyes met the Wildcats once again in the Gulf Coast Showcase final on Sunday, and this time they walked away with a 77-70 victory. It was a close game that featured 10 lead changes, but Iowa found a way to win thanks to a 10-2 run over the final 2:44. Caitlin Clark led all scorers with 32 points, marking her 40th career game with at least 30 points.
6. USC (6-0)
The future of USC looks extremely bright with JuJu Watkins, who registered her fourth 30-point game when her team beat Cal Poly 85-44 on Tuesday. It's still very early in the season, but Watkins has already broken the USC record previously held by Lisa Leslie and Paula McGee for the most 30-point games as a freshman. Watkins is averaging 26.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while Rayah Marshall is adding 13.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest.
7. Colorado (7-1)
Colorado has only one loss this season, and it came by the hands of one of the nation's best teams in NC State. The Buffaloes are one of the top 20 offensive teams in the nation as they average 84.6 points per game, and one of the reasons why is they move the ball extremely well. In their 85-55 win over Boston University on Tuesday, Colorado registered 22 assists, their sixth game this season with at least 20 assists.
8. LSU (7-1)
Kim Mulkey's squad was shorthanded during the Cayman Islands Classic with Angel Reese and Kateri Poole not making the trip, and sophomore forward Sa'Myah Smith suffering a season-ending injury. However, the team still took care of business with a 99-65 win against Niagara on Friday, and then they survived a tight battle against Virginia. Junior guard Aneesah Morrow earned the AP Player of the Week honor after registering 37 points and 16 rebounds against the Cavaliers. Reese will be back in action Thursday when LSU hosts Virginia Tech, adding some extra power to the Tigers' lineup.
9. Virginia Tech (5-1)
The Hokies barely escaped Kansas with a 59-58 win during the Cayman Islands Classic. However, Elizabeth Kitley lifted her team to victory with an impressive 31 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks. According to Virginia Tech, this was the first time in 25 years that an ACC athlete registered five blocks with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds. This is very much Kitley and Georgia Amoore's team, but there is usually at least one other player who steps up to star alongside them. The Hokies' upcoming game against LSU will really test the depth and strength of their team.
10. UConn (4-2)
The Huskies lost their second game of the season by over 10 points to UCLA, continuing what's been an unusual start for a Geno Auriemma team. UConn hadn't suffered multiple double-digit losses in the first five games of the season since 1991-92, according to ESPN Stats & Info. What kept UConn in the top 10, however, is the fact that the Bruins have been so good. There is no doubt UConn is struggling with consistency, but the Huskies still have potential to be dominant when Paige Bueckers is playing aggressively and others step up. In their 71-63 win against Kansas, Aubrey Griffin understood the assignment by recording 20 points and eight rebounds.
| Rank | Team | Change | Previous ranking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Texas (8-0) | -- | 11 | |
| 12 | Notre Dame (6-1) | 14 | ||
| 13 | Ohio State (5-1) | -- | 13 | |
| 14 | Utah (6-1) | 15 | ||
| 15 | Indiana (5-1) | 19 | ||
| 16 | Florida State (5-1) | 12 | ||
| 17 | Kansas State (6-1) | 16 | ||
| 18 | Louisville (7-1) | 21 | ||
| 19 | Baylor (5-0) | 20 | ||
| 20 | Tennessee (4-3) | 17 | ||
| 21 | Princeton (5-2) | Unranked | ||
| 22 | Ole Miss (6-2) | 24 | ||
| 23 | Marquette (7-0) | Unranked | ||
| 24 | North Carolina (5-2) | 18 | ||
| 25 | Creighton (5-1) | Unranked |
First five out: Washington State, Oklahoma, Miami, Maryland, Mississippi State
