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
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
