Breaking news from the latest AP Top 25 rankings for women’s college basketball. The South Carolina Gamecocks have made a significant jump, moving into the No. 2 spot for the first time since their Thanksgiving matchup against Texas.
Here’s what we’re seeing from the voting breakdown: Head coach Dawn Staley’s squad earned strong support across the board, with all 32 voters placing the Gamecocks in their top four. However, UConn captured every single first-place vote, holding the top position unanimously.
Let me break down the numbers for you. Seventeen voters placed South Carolina at No. 2, while the remaining fifteen were split between ranking them at No. 3 or No. 4. Ten voters went with the Gamecocks at No. 3, and just five placed them at No. 4.
Interestingly, we’re seeing some voting patterns here. Among those who didn’t rank South Carolina second, there was division over whether Texas or UCLA should occupy that runner-up spot. Half favored the Longhorns at No. 2, while the other half gave that position to the Bruins.
Within the SEC, South Carolina received recognition as the conference’s top team on 22 of the 32 ballots—a strong showing of regional dominance.
Now, here’s a remarkable historical note I need to share with you: This marks the first season since 2018-2019 where South Carolina hasn’t reached the No. 1 ranking at some point. The program hasn’t fallen outside the top seven since before the 2019-2020 campaign—that’s an incredible streak of consistency.
Looking ahead to what’s on the schedule, we have a highly anticipated rematch brewing. This Thursday, January 15th, the Gamecocks host Texas at Colonial Life Arenaat 6:00 p.m. This is the revenge game everyone’s been waiting for since that Thanksgiving loss. ESPN2 will have the broadcast, with streaming available on the ESPN app.
Following that marquee matchup, South Carolina hits the road Sunday, January 18th, traveling to Baltimore to face Coppin State. That game tips at noon and will stream exclusively on ESPN+.
The stage is set for what could be a defining week for this Gamecocks team. We’ll continue monitoring how this top-two ranking impacts their championship prospects as the season progresses.
