Big Ten and SEC each have four teams in the top 10 in the women’s poll

Both the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference have a case to be considered the best league in women’s basketball.

Each has seven teams ranked Monday in the Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 poll, including four each in the top 10. Both leagues were strengthened this season by conference realignment, with No. 1 UCLA and No. 4 USC joining the Big Ten while No. 5 Texas and No. 10 ‘Oklahoma are new to the SEC.

UCLA was once again the top pick in the poll after receiving 30 of 32 first-place votes from a national media panel. The Bruins have been the solid No. 1 team since knocking off formerly top team South Carolina in late November. The Gamecocks, who remained No. 2, will host No. 5 Texas on Sunday.

Notre Dame remained in third, collecting the other two first-place votes, taking one away from the Gamecocks.

LSU and UConn were next after the Longhorns. Undefeated Maryland finished eighth, while Ohio State moved up one spot to ninth after Oklahoma split two games with then-No. 1 Texas. 15Tennessee.

Classified utes

Utah underwent a coaching change during the first month of the season when Lynne Roberts left to become a WNBA coach. Longtime assistant Gavin Petersen stepped in and now has the Utes ranked for the third consecutive season as they entered the poll at No. 22.

“I don’t know if this has ever happened in our game before. leaving a few games,” Petersen said in a phone interview. “Our resilient team rallied together and faced the adversity that lay ahead. We got over this emotional phase and put aside all the unknowns.

Utah picked up a huge win in the Thanksgiving tournament against Notre Dame. The Utes next face No. 12 Kansas State on Wednesday.

Rising tide

No. 18 Alabama is off to its best start in the SEC in 21 years as the Crimson Tide improved to 2-0 in the conference for the first time since the 2003-04 season with a 68- 49 against Missouri. Alabama visits No. 5 Texas on Thursday.

Conference Breakdown

The Southeastern Conference and Big Ten each have seven ranked teams this week after Ole Miss fell out of the Top 25. The ACC has six while the Big 12 has four and the Big East one.

Games of the week

No. 4 USC at No. 8 Maryland on Wednesday. The Terrapins will look to stay undefeated as they host JuJu Watkins and the Trojans in a Big Ten showdown. This is the first top-10 game for Maryland this season.

No. 14 Duke at No. 19 North Carolina on Thursday. First meeting between these two rivals who seek to stay near the top of the ACC.

No. 5 Texas at No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday. The Longhorns face defending national champion South Carolina in the first of two regular season games.