The women's college basketball Power Rankings are back after a one-week holiday break and there are a few changes. The conference portion of the season is just beginning. The Phil Knight Legacy tournament was the site of Duke's only loss of the year, which was to Connecticut. The Blue Devil got a big win against NC State in order to get ranked. They beat Louisville to confirm their status. The Wolfpack is still in the top 10. After losses to Florida State and Virginia Tech, North Carolina is out of the power rankings. There are only five teams left in Division I that are perfect. The fifth team is the St. John's Red Storm. The year is going to be interesting. Genesis Bryant made a jump shot and drew the foul. Bryant had a career-high 24 points in the win over Iowa. The junior made all three of her 3-point attempts and was 8-of-10) from the field. She had a triple-double in December. Bryant spent her first two seasons with NC State and is currently at the University of Illinois. She is part of a three-guard attack that has led Illinois to an 11-2 record. The Illini could be ranked in the AP poll, despite not breaking into the Power Rankings this week. Duke defeated NC State in double-digits. The Blue Dukes have done a good job of getting better defensively, according to the coach. They allow 50.3 points per game in the conference. They are 10th in the league in scoring offense and that has not been a problem because they have limited other teams. A message has been sent by Duke's wins over NC State on the road and Louisville at home that the Blue Devil's are ready to challenge for the conference title. The Indiana Hoosiers and Michigan State Spartans played a game. The Spartans handed the Hoosiers their first loss of the season, as Michigan State is on a three-game upswing after a five-game losing streak. The Spartans were helped by the fact that the competition was very tough. Ohio State was included in it. The losses to Georgia Tech and Purdue were close. Michigan State was due a big win, and the Spartans got it Thursday, led by senior guard Kamaria McDaniel. The Ivy League winning streak was broken on Saturday by Harvard. Moore was the assistant to the head coach at North Carolina and was part of the success of the Tar Heels. The Michigan team went to the Elite Eight last year. She took over for Kathy in April. Moore was an assistant for five seasons at Creighton. A win over Harvard is the perfect way to start the Ivy League portion of her tenure. After the 76-34 victory over Texas A&M, the No. 1 South Carolina got into a flow early. 1. South Carolina Gamecocks (13-0)
Previous ranking:
This week: at Georgia (Monday), vs. Auburn (Thursday), at Mississippi State (Sunday)Player of the Week: Genesis Bryant, Illinois Fighting Illini
Team of the Week: Duke Blue Devils
Win of the Week: Michigan State Spartans 83, Indiana Hoosiers 78
Coach of the Week: Carrie Moore, Harvard Crimson
Power Rankings
Things are calm for the defending national champion. The South Carolina bench got a lot of time in the game. Two road trips will take place this week.
2. Stanford Cardinal (14-1)
Previous ranking:
This week: vs. Arizona (Monday), at California (Sunday)
Cameron Brink had a double-double in the final win of the year. The Cardinal will play Arizona in the new year, which has a single loss. Is it possible for the Cats to give a test to the favorite in the conference?
3. Ohio State Buckeye0073 (15-0)
Previous ranking:
This week: at Minnesota (Thursday), vs. Illinois (Sunday)
The bad news for the Buckeyes is that they won't have Madison and Jacy for the rest of the year. The Buckeyes continue to win. Ohio State moved to a perfect record in the Big Ten this past week with victories over Michigan and Northwestern.
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-1)
Previous ranking:
This week: at North Carolina (Sunday)
On Thursday, the Irish overcame a challenge by Miami and then beat Boston College. They have a week to prepare for a North Carolina team that will be eager to get their first win of the season.
5. UConn Huskies (11-2)
Previous ranking:
This week: at Butler (Tuesday), at Xavier (Thursday), vs. DePaul (Sunday)
After missing two games due to illness, Geno Auriemma returned to the sideline and liked what he saw from the team. One of the best games at the University of Connecticut was played by Aaliyah Edwards. It was followed by a win over Marquette. The injuries and illness they have dealt with have not stopped them from being in the top five.
Two other tigers score in double digits to help them stay ahead of the Commodores and remain perfect.
6. LSU Tigers (14-0)
Previous ranking:
This week: vs. Texas A& (Thursday), at Kentucky (Sunday)
In the first two games of SEC play, the tigers outrebounded the Razorbacks and Commodores by a combined total of 115-54. Kim Mulkey said that rebound is going to be a big part of the team's identity. Reese has at least 14 double-doubles in a row.
7. Indiana Hoosiers (13-1)
Previous ranking:
This week: at Northwestern (Sunday)
What matters more is how the Hoosiers respond to the Michigan State loss. Indiana defeated Nebraska in overtime in a hard fought battle. The Hoosiers showed their determination in the win.
8. Utah Utes (14-0)
Previous ranking:
This week: at Colorado (Friday)
Maybe we've been holding back the Utes too much, but they deserve to be in the top 10. They only have one win over a ranked team, at home against Oklahoma in November, but they are off to a great start.
In the fourth quarter, NC State defeated Syracuse.
9. NC State Wolfpack (12-2)
Previous ranking:
This week: vs. Boston College (Thursday), vs. Virginia (Sunday)
The leadership and floor management of injured guard Diamond Johnson is missing from the NC State team. They came back from a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit to win at Syracuse.
10. Iowa State Cyclones (9-2)
Previous ranking:
This week: vs. West Virginia (Wednesday), at Oklahoma (Sunday)
Iowa State has a reputation for making 3-pointers. The fact that they made just 4-of-26 from behind thearc in their Big 12 opener at Texas Tech shows that they have other things to rely on. For the first time, Joens and her sister, who transferred from Iowa State to Oklahoma, will be on opposite sides of the field.
This is a dish from Georgia Amoore.
11. Virginia Tech Hokies (12-2)
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This week: vs. Virginia (Thursday), at Miami (Sunday)
The Hokies dropped out of the top 10. South Carolina is one of the teams that the Tigers have lost to. Georgia Amoore made three free throws in the final seconds of Virginia Tech's victory over North Carolina.
12. Michigan Wolverines (12-2)
Previous ranking:
This week: vs. Penn State (Tuesday), vs. Iowa (Saturday)
Kim Barnes Arico became the 500th coach to win 500 games when the UM beat Nebraska. In a loss to Ohio State, the UM went 2-of- 17 from behind thearc. Michigan rejoined the Power Rankings for the second time this season because of its play.
13. Maryland Terrapins (11-3)
Previous ranking:
This week: at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Monday), vs. Michigan State Spartans (Saturday)
Since their loss to Nebraska, the Terrapins have won four in a row. They are back in the Power Rankings after being out of it for two weeks. Maryland is likely to be in the thick of things in the Big Ten this season, even if they have some ups and downs.
In the fourth quarter, the Fighting Illini and Hawkeyes traded 3s.
14. UCLA Bruins (13-2)
Previous ranking:
This week: vs. USC Trojans (Sunday)
The Bruins lost a senior guard to a shoulder injury in their win over Oregon on Friday and then lost to Oregon State on Sunday. On the trip to Oregon, freshman Kiki Rice had a combined 41 points, 10 assists and nine rebound, but the Bruins would like to see him back.
15. Duke Blue Devils (13-1)
Previous ranking:
This week: at Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Thursday)
Duke is in the power rankings for the first time this season. Celeste Taylor was the key player in the Blue Devil's victory over NC State. Against her former team, forward Elizabeth Balogun had her best game of the year, with 20 points and 10 rebound.
16. Iowa Hawkeyes (11-4)
Previous ranking:
This week: at Michigan (Saturday)
They were stung by the inability to get key stops at the end. It wasn't enough at Illinois as the trio combined for 73 points. On Thursday, the Hawkeyes beat the Boilermakers by 15 points, keeping them in the power rankings. The upcoming game at Michigan, where Clark scored a career-high 46 points last season, looms large.
The North Carolina Tar Heels were dropped out.
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