South Carolina has firmly established itself as the team to beat in the first official Associated Press poll of the college basketball season. The Gamecocks retained the No. 1 ranking following two convincing victories, including a dramatic late hold against Maryland in Paris and a staggering 45-point blowout of North Carolina back in the United States. Chloe Kitts anchored the offense with a double-double in the second contest, which was effectively decided by halftime. This performance underscores South Carolina’s depth and defensive intensity, setting a high bar for the rest of the nation’s top programs.
Gamecocks cement top spot while Michigan surges to No. 2 and UConn rebounds.
The shift at the top of the standings was driven by Michigan’s explosive ascent to No. 2. The Wolverines capitalized on an 11-point victory over UConn, where Te’Yala Delfosse scored a career-high 22 points to snap the Huskies’ historic 39-game regular-season winning streak dating back to February 2025. While the loss stung for UConn, the team responded swiftly by defeating Iowa behind a monstrous 39-point performance from Sarah Strong. This resilience allowed UConn to maintain its standing, sharing the No. 10 spot with Iowa in this week’s release.
The rest of the field saw significant turbulence, most notably for North Carolina. The Tar Heels plummeted 11 spots to No. 23 after dropping both of their early-season matchups, a steep fall that reflects the high expectations placed on the program. Meanwhile, the stability at the top contrasts with the volatility in the middle, as teams like Michigan prove they can compete with the elite. As the season progresses, the gap between the No. 1 South Carolina squad and the chasing pack will be the defining narrative of the early campaign.
Source: Yahoo Sports
