USA Today coaches poll for Dec. 30, 2014: South Carolina stays on top, Washington and Northwestern enter
In the last poll of 2014, undefeated South Carolina (12-0) remains in the No. 1 spot. There were no changes in the top 4. Previous No. 5 Texas A&M dropped to No. 8 after losing to Washington last night. After taking down the Aggies, the Huskies entered the poll at No. 23.
Northwestern entered the poll at No. 25 while Michigan State and James Madison dropped out. The Spartans lost to Northwestern on Saturday while James Madison fell to Vanderbilt last night.
Team records through Monday are in parentheses. Total points are based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th, ranking in last week’s poll and first-place votes received.
| Rank | School (record) |
PointsÂ
|
Last week’s rank
|
First-place votes
|
| 1 | South Carolina (12-0) |
793
|
1
|
25
|
| 2 | Connecticut (10-1) |
771
|
2
|
6
|
| 3 | Texas (10-0) |
735
|
3
|
1
|
| 4 | Notre Dame (12-1) |
709
|
4
|
0
|
| 5 | Baylor (11-1) |
643
|
6
|
0
|
| 6 | Louisville (12-1) |
611
|
7
|
0
|
| 7 | North Carolina (11-1) |
577
|
8
|
0
|
| 8 | Texas A&M (11-2) |
549
|
5
|
0
|
| 9 | Tennessee (10-2) |
539
|
11
|
0
|
| 10 | Maryland (10-2) |
538
|
9
|
0
|
| 11 | Kentucky (11-2) |
464
|
13
|
0
|
| 12 | Duke (8-4) |
419
|
10
|
0
|
| 13 | Oregon State (10-1) |
410
|
12
|
0
|
| 14 | Oklahoma State (10-1) |
351
|
17
|
0
|
| 15 | Stanford (8-4) |
348
|
15
|
0
|
| 16 | Nebraska (10-2) |
315
|
14
|
0
|
| 17 | Rutgers (10-2) |
299
|
18
|
0
|
| 18 | Mississippi State (15-0) |
269
|
19
|
0
|
| 19 | Georgia (12-1) |
217
|
16
|
0
|
| 20 | Iowa (10-2) |
180
|
20
|
0
|
| 21 | West Virginia (10-2) |
136
|
21
|
0
|
| 22 | Syracuse (9-3) |
86
|
23
|
0
|
| 23 | Washington (11-1) |
68
|
not ranked
|
0
|
| 24 | DePaul (9-4) |
65
|
25
|
0
|
| 25 | Northwestern (11-1) |
54
|
not ranked
|
0
|
Dropped out: No. 22 Michigan State (8-4), No. 24 James Madison (9-2).
Others receiving votes: Arizona State (11-1) 43; Seton Hall (12-1) 43; Florida State (13-1) 38; Princeton (14-0) 35; Michigan State (8-4) 20; St.
John‘s (10-1) 18; South Florida (10-3) 17; California (8-3) 16; James Madison (9-2) 15; George Washington (10-2) 4; Dayton (8-3) 3; Tulane (10-2) 1; Western Kentucky (11-2) 1.
The USA TODAY Sports Board of Coaches is made up of 32 head coaches at Division I institutions. All are members of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
