Sport Tours International/Hoopfeed NCAA DI Top 25 Poll for Feb. 13, 2018: Belmont, Nebraska and NC State enter the rankings
Belmont, Nebraska and NC State enter the poll for the first time
W?W.@USFWBB upsets No. 13 Ohio State, 84-65, behind a 41-point explosion from Kitija Laksa! (She went 8-of-13 from beyond the arc ?) pic.twitter.com/KKLnzF6x61
— NCAA Women’s Basketball (@ncaawbb) February 11, 2018
The only two undefeated teams left in Division I continue to rule the top of the Sport Tours International/Hoopfeed poll, dominating ranked teams as the regular season begins to wind down.
No. 1 Connecticut’s recent victories include a 69-58 win over Louisville Monday night. While UConn remained at the top of the poll with unanimous votes, Louisville fell a place to No. 5.
No. 2 Mississippi State had a banner week of sold-out home contests. After beating Florida on the road, the Bulldogs returned home to dominate Kentucky, 74-55.
Stanford advanced the most of any team in the poll this week, moving up two places to No. 13. The Cardinal have won six games in a row including three triumphs over ranked teams. The rest of the regular season does not get any easier for Stanford as this week Tara VanDerveer’s squad faces California in back-to-back contests in the Battle of the Bay series.
Four teams entered the poll this week: South Florida, Belmont and tied at No. 25, Nebraska and North Carolina State.
South Florida fell out of the poll at the beginning of the year but wins this month have helped the Bulls climb back into the rankings. South Florida defeated Ohio State Sunday, a win that boosted them from simply receiving votes to No. 22. Kitija Laksa led USF with a monster performance scoring 41 points.
Belmont makes an appearance in the poll for the first time ever landing at No. 24. The Bruins are 24-3, on a 15-game winning streak and undefeated in Ohio Valley Conference play.
North Carolina State also debuts in the poll. The Wolfpack took down in-state rival North Carolina 73-54 on Sunday. They also defeated Florida State at the beginning of the month.
Arizona State and TCU dropped out of the poll.
Other teams that received votes:Â West Virginia, TCU, LSU, Gonzaga, Central Michigan and Southern California.
The STI/Hoopfeed Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of media members and other women’s basketball professionals. Total points are based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th.
Sport Tours International/Hoopfeed NCAA DI Top 25 Poll for Feb. 13, 2018
| Rank | School | Last week | Change |
| 1 | Connecticut (24-0) | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Mississippi State (26-0) | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | Baylor (23-1) | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | Notre Dame 23-2) | 5 | 1 |
| 5 | Louisville (25-1) | 4 | -1 |
| 6 | Texas (20-4) | 6 | 0 |
| 7 | UCLA (21-4) | 7 | 1 |
| 8 | Oregon (23-4) | 9 | 1 |
| 9 | South Carolina (20-5) | 8 | -1 |
| 10 | Maryland (22-3) | 9 | -1 |
| 11 | Tennessee (21-4) | 11 | 0 |
| 12 | Florida State (21-4) | 12 | 1 |
| 13 | Stanford (18-8) | 15 | 2 |
| 14 | Missouri (19-5) | 17 | 3 |
| 15 | Oregon State (19-6) | 16 | 1 |
| 16 | Texas A&M (19-7) | 14 | -2 |
| 17 | Ohio State (20-6) | 13 | -4 |
| 18 | Duke (20-6) | 19 | 1 |
| 19 | Green Bay (22-2) | 20 | 1 |
| 20 | Georgia (21-4) | 18 | -2 |
| 21 | Oklahoma State (18-6) | 22 | 1 |
| 22 | South Florida (20-5) | NR | N/A |
| 23 | Michigan (20-7) | 21 | -2 |
| 24 | Belmont (24-3) | NR | N/A |
| 25-tie | Nebraska (18-7) | NR | N/A |
| 25 | NC State (20-6) | 23 | -2 |
Voting Panel
- Amanda Butler
- Lisa Bodine
- Joan Bonvicini
- Cindy Brunson
- Cheryl Coward
- Kevin Danna
- Kris Gardiner
- Mel Greenberg
- Lee Michaelson
- Viet Nguyen
- Ben Parker
- Michael Roberson
- LaChina Robinson
- Yvonne Sanchez
- Brenda VanLengen
