When the UConn Huskies and the South Carolina Gamecocks meet in a rivalry game just before Thanksgiving, they could be playing for the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll.
The preseason version of the poll, released Tuesday, put head coach Dawn Staley’s South Carolina team at the top, with UConn No. 2. Among the 31-member panel of media members, 23 of them voted for the Gamecocks at No. 1, followed by UConn with six and No. 3 Southern California receiving two votes.
Duke and Michigan complete the top five.
The No. 1 spot
This is the fifth time since the 2020-21 season that South Carolina has been the preseason No. 1. UConn filled the position heading into last season. In that seven-year span, South Carolina has won two NCAA titles, UConn one.
But UConn is always present in the AP preseason polls. The Huskies have been a top-10 team annually since the 1994-95 season, when they held the No. 4 preseason ranking.
They went on to an undefeated season (35-0) and the program’s first NCAA title under head coach Geno Auriemma that season. The Huskies have added 11 trophies since.
South Carolina denied UConn the chance for the 13th championship last season. The Gamecocks defeated the previously undefeated Huskies in the semifinal of the NCAA Tournament in April.
UConn vs. the poll
During the offseason, we learned how treacherous the UConn nonconference season would be, but it really became clear on Tuesday after comparing the schedule vs. ranked teams.
This is the gauntlet the Huskies have waiting for them – all in the months of November and December.
No. 5 Michigan, Nov. 5, at Ann Arbor, Mich.
No. 10 Iowa, Nov. 8, at Storrs, Conn.
No. 18 Ohio State, Nov. 12, at Columbus, Ohio
No. 7 Louisville, Nov. 15, at Louisville, Ky.
No. 1 South Carolina, Nov. 24, at Uncasville, Conn.
No. 4 Duke, Nov. 28, at Boston
No. 20 Maryland, Dec. 5, at Brooklyn, N.Y.
No. 13 Notre Dame, Dec. 9, at South Bend, Ind.
No. 9 LSU, Dec. 20, at Nashville, Tenn.
That’s nine games against the preseason Top 25. What a schedule.
The full rankings
1. South Carolina
2. UConn
3. Southern California
4. Duke
5. Michigan
6. Texas
7. Louisville
8. Vanderbilt
9. LSU
10. Iowa
11. UCLA
12. North Carolina
13. Notre Dame
14. Kentucky
15. TCU
16. Washington
17. Minnesota
18. Ohio State
19. Ole Miss
20. Maryland
21. Oklahoma
22. Oklahoma State
23. Illinois
24. West Virginia
25. N.C. State
UConn men also tested
Out of curiosity, how does the road ahead for the UConn women compare to that of the No. 4 UConn men, who also challenged themselves when building the schedule?
Dan Hurley’s team will face seven opponents who hold preseason rankings. Those games are:
No. 16 Michigan, Nov. 6, at Boston
No. 5 Arizona, Nov. 18, at Tucson, Ariz.
No. 2 Duke, Nov. 25, at Las Vegas
No. 3 Illinois, Dec. 4, at Chicago
No. 17 Kansas, Dec. 12, at Storrs, Conn.
No. 9 Virginia, Dec. 20, at New York
No. 13 St. John’s, Jan. 29, at New York