STI/Hoopfeed Poll: More upsets and steep drops but Stanford holds steady at No. 1

Stanford stays in the top spot while several teams fall dramatically

Voting panel
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After yet another week of upsets and exciting games, several top teams saw steep drops in this week’s poll. However, Pac-12 power Stanford (8-0) held steady at No. 1 while UConn (8-0) moved up two places to No. 2 after the Huskies routed Notre Dame and survived Seton Hall after the Thanksgiving holidays.

Oregon (7-1), Oregon State (8-0) and South Carolina (9-1) round out the top five.

No. 7 Louisville had the biggest drop among the top 20 teams, falling five places. The Cardinals fell to fell to unranked Ohio State 67-60 last Thursday. The Buckeyes garnered votes but not enough to get them into the rankings this week. With a 6-3 record, they head to Northern California this weekend to take on Stanford.

No. 12 Maryland (8-2) fell out of the top ten and dropped three places after a defeat against this week’s No. 10, NC State (9-0), last Thursday in an ACC-Big Ten Challenge contest. The Wolfpack moved up two places as did No. 11 Texas A&M (7-1).

Mississippi State’s week didn’t go so well at home. No. 23 West Virginia (6-1) beat the Bulldogs in Starkville 71-65 in a Big 12-SEC Challenge matchup. The loss was the first nonconference loss in Starkville since 2014. With the win, WVU moved back into the poll this week.

As a result, Mississippi State (8-2) dropped four spots to No. 15. It was the second loss in a row for the Bulldogs who lost to Stanford on Nov. 30.

After an undefeated run of seven games to start the season, Tennessee (7-1) experienced a hiccup in their return to elite status under new head coach and Lady Vol alumna Kellie Harper. Unranked Texas (5-4) went to Knoxville and handed Tennessee its first loss of the season in another Big 12-SEC Challenge game. As a result, the Lady Vols fell five spots in the poll to No. 22.

Teams that also received votes: FGCU, Miami, Ohio State, Arizona State, Rutgers, North Carolina, California, LSU, and Texas.
Dropped out: Miami.

Rank School Record Last Change
1 Stanford 8-0 1 0
2 UConn 8-0 4 2
3 Oregon 7-1 3 0
4 Oregon State 8-0 5 1
5 South Carolina 9-1 6 1
6 Baylor 8-1 7 1
7 Louisville 9-1 2 -5
8 Florida State 9-0 8 0
9 UCLA 8-0 10 1
10 NC State 9-0 12 2
11 Texas A&M 7-1 13 2
12 Maryland 8-2 9 -3
13 Kentucky 9-0 14 1
14 Indiana 8-1 15 1
15 Mississippi State 8-2 11 -4
16 DePaul 7-1 16 0
17 Arizona 9-0 18 1
18 Gonzaga 8-1 20 2
19 Missouri State 8-1 21 2
20 Michigan State 6-2 19 -1
21 Arkansas 8-1 23 2
22 Tennessee 7-1 17 -5
23 West Virginia 6-1 NR N/A
24 South Dakota 9-1 25 1
25 Michigan 8-1 NR N/A

The STI/Hoopfeed Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of media members and other women’s basketball professionals.

This week’s AP Poll || USA Today Coaches Poll

Voting Panel

  • Mel Greenberg
  • Joan Bonvicini
  • Prentice Beverly
  • Brenda VanLengen
  • Charles Hallman
  • Rhiannon Potkey
  • Kristopher Gardner
  • Jacob Mox (for Her Hoop Stats)
  • Cindy Brunson
  • Kevin Danna
  • Jasmine Baker
  • Ben Parker
  • Viet Nguyen
  • Michael Roberson
  • Lisa Bodine
  • LaChina Robinson
  • Cheryl Coward
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