Arizona women ranked No. 4 in AP poll, highest in program history
Dec 13, 2021, 11:47 AM
University of Arizona Wildcats head coach Adia Barnes during a women's basketball game between the Marist College Red Foxes and the University of Arizona Wildcats on November 19, 2021 at McKale Center in Tucson, AZ. (Photo by Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
With their highest-ever ranking in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll, the Arizona Wildcats came in at No. 4 on Monday.
At 7-0, coach Adia Barnes’ team defeated North Dakota State 59-47 last Thursday before beating New Mexico 77-60 on Sunday.
South Carolina, N.C. State and Stanford rank ahead of the Wildcats, who next visit Northern Arizona on Friday before an ESPN matchup Sunday against the Texas Longhorns in Las Vegas.
UConn dropped four spots to No. 7 in the women’s AP Top 25 released Monday, its lowest ranking in 14 years after losing its first game against an unranked team since 2012.
The Huskies fell to Georgia Tech last week in its first game without sophomore star Paige Bueckers, who is sidelined for at least six weeks with a tibial plateau fracture in her left knee. The Huskies have not been ranked this low since Jan. 22, 2007, when they were also seventh.
South Carolina remained the unanimous top choice after holding off then-No. 8 Maryland on Sunday. The Gamecocks received all 30 votes from a national media panel and have now beaten four teams that were ranked in the top 10 this season. The Gamecocks visit No. 15 Duke on Wednesday.
N.C. State was again second in the poll, followed by Stanford, Arizona and Baylor. The Wildcats now have their best ranking ever at No. 4.
Louisville moved up to No. 6, just ahead of UConn, and the two teams will play Sunday in the Hall of Fame Showcase. Baylor will face Michigan in the other game at the event held in Connecticut; that contest will be a rematch of last season’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 matchup that the Bears won in overtime.
Despite their loss to Georgia Tech, the Huskies kept alive their incredible streak of not losing consecutive games dating to 1993 by rallying to beat UCLA over the weekend. Georgia Tech returned to the poll at No. 18 after its 57-44 win over UConn.
Tennessee was tied with UConn at No. 7. Maryland and Indiana rounded out the top 10.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Dropped from rankings: Oregon State 23, Colorado 25
