Nov. 27 Women's AP Top 25: UCLA Shines in Paradise; NCSU Climb Continues
Nov. 27 Women's AP Top 25: UCLA Shines in Paradise; NCSU Climb Continues
A signature win at the Cayman Islands Classic has UCLA holding steady at No. 2, while North Carolina State continues to surprise.
Sporting its highest ranking in program history, UCLA delivered one of its biggest wins ever with a 78-67 defeat of UConn at the Cayman Islands Classic. Behind Kiki Rice's 24 points, the Bruins proved more than deserving of the No. 2 billing they carried into Thanksgiving, and maintain with the Nov. 27 release of the latest AP Top 25.
The win over UConn preceded a rout of Niagara, improving UCLA to 6-0. The Bruins' start includes a hard-fought win over Princeton, which is now a Top 25 win thanks to the Tigers breaking into the Nov. 27 poll at No. 25.
Also new to the poll this week: Marquette checks in at No. 23 thanks to its 6-0 start. The Golden Eagles scored a win over a then-ranked Illinois team in the first week of the season, and at the Thanksgiving week Fort Myers Tip-Off, scored a 74-58 rout against Arkansas.
Marquette takes its new Top 25 billing into a homestand this week, beginning Wednesday against Memphis.
Nov. 27's highest climbers, along with previously unranked Marquette and Princeton, are North Carolina State and Ole Miss with five-spot jumps each. NC State's climb comes on the heels of beating previously third-ranked Colorado at the Paradise Jam. The Wolfpack have two top-five wins less than a month into the season following their opening-week defeat of UConn.
NCSU now joins the top five in its own right, a group also made up of South Carolina, holding steady at No. 1; third-ranked Stanford; and No. 4 Iowa. The Hawkeyes were terrific en route to the Gulf Coast Showcase championship, putting up 98 and 100 points in routs of Purdue-Fort Wayne and FGCU before a rematch with Kansas State.
K-State was responsible for Iowa's blemish, a 65-58 decision on Nov. 16. The Wildcats were up for the challenge again, playing Iowa tough. But Caitlin Clark's 32-point outpouring ensured a different result the second time around.
Clark talked with FloHoops following her Most Valuable Player performance:
Clark and the Hawkeyes rank 10th nationally in scoring offense after the Gulf Coast Showcase, averaging 90.2 points per game. Third-ranked overall Stanford isn't far behind at 86.3 points per game, an output the Cardinal bolstered with their 100-point effort against Florida State at the Ball Dawgs Classic.
Kiki Iriafen lit up Las Vegas with 30 points and 17 rebounds in the 100-88 win over the Seminoles.
Iowa, Stanford, UCLA and the rest of the pack of contenders fast forming around the nation all look to unseat LSU. The Tigers remain in the top 10 this week, despite playing at the Cayman Islands Classic without 2022-23 breakout sensation Angel Reese.
Angel Reese doesn’t appear to be with the team at the Cayman Islands Classic; LSU walked into Thursday's practice without her.
— FloHoops (@FloHoops) November 23, 2023
It's unclear if Reese traveled to the Grand Cayman Islands with LSU.
Read: https://t.co/gHkDf0MdsB
📸: © Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports pic.twitter.com/LGw9l8LF8g
Aneesah Morrow erupted in Reese's absence to lead LSU to a thrilling, 76-73 defeat of Virginia. Morrow went for 37 points and 16 rebounds.
Nov. 27 Women's AP Top 25
1. South Carolina
Record: 5-0
Previous: No. 1
2. UCLA
Record: 6-0
Previous: No. 2
3. Stanford
Record: 7-0
Previous: No. 5
4. Iowa
Record: 7-1
Previous: No. 5
5. North Carolina State
Record: 7-0
Previous: No. 10
6. USC
Record: 5-0
Previous: No. 8
7t. LSU
Record: 7-1
Previous: No. 7
7t. Colorado
Record: 6-1
Previous: No. 3
9. Virginia Tech
Record: 5-1
Previous: No. 9
10. Texas
Record: 7-0
Previous: No. 12
11. UConn
Record: 4-2
Previous: No. 6
12. Utah
Record: 5-1
Previous: No. 10
13. Baylor
Record: 5-0
Previous: No. 14
14. Kansas State
Record: 6-1
Previous: No. 16
15. Florida State
Record: 5-1
Previous: 13
16. Ohio State
Record: 5-1
Previous: No. 15
17. Indiana
Record: 5-1
Previous: No. 21
18. Notre Dame
Record: 5-1
Previous: No. 17
19. Ole Miss
Record: 6-1
Previous: No. 24
20. Tennessee
Record: 4-2
Previous: No. 19
21. Mississippi State
Record: 8-0
Previous: No. 25
22. Louisville
Record: 6-1
Previous: No. 20
23. Marquette
Record: 5-0
Previous: Not ranked
24. North Carolina
Record: 5-2
Previous: No. 18
25. Princeton
Record: 4-2
Previous: Not ranked