COLOMBIA – They were going to fall after a defeat a week ago, and the only question was how much.
Monday provided the answer.
The South Carolina women’s basketball team dropped one place to second in this week’s AP Top 25 after a loss in Connecticut seven days ago. The Huskies returned to first place.
Louisville remained in third and NC State in fourth, despite NC State winning the USC in December and being responsible for one of the Gamecocks’ two defeats. The USC still received two votes for the first, while Texas A&M and Stanford received one vote each.
The Gamecocks is at No. 21 Tennessee on Thursday and hosts at No. 17 Kentucky on Sunday.
Women’s Top 25 AP
1. Connecticut
2. South Carolina
3. Louisville
4. NC state
5. Texas A&M
6. Stanford
7. Baylor
8. UCLA
9. Maryland
10. Arizona
11. Michigan
12. USF
13. Oregon
14. Indiana
15. State of Ohio
16. Gonzaga
17. Kentucky
18. Arkansas
19. DePaul
19. West Virginia
21. Tennessee
22. Georgia
23. State of South Dakota
24. Northwest
25. State of Missouri
Also receiving votes: Rutgers 10, Stephen F. Austin 7, Oklahoma State 6, Florida Gulf Coast 5, Georgia Tech 3, Mississippi State 2, Virginia Tech 2, Rice 2
David Cloninger women’s top 25
1. Connecticut
2. Louisville
3. NC state
4. South Carolina
5. Texas A&M
6. Stanford
7. UCLA
8. Arizona
9. Baylor
10. Michigan
11. Maryland
12. USF
13. Ohio State
14. Oregon
15. Gonzaga
16. Indiana
17. West Virginia
18. DePaul
19. State of Missouri
20. Georgia
21. Kentucky
22. Tennessee
23. State of Mississippi
24. Arkansas
25. Rice
Michigan returns to action
Michigan returned after a 23-day layoff due to COVID to beat Wisconsin last week. The Wolverines are entrenched in third place in the AP Men’s Top 25, under Gonzaga and Baylor.
Top 25 Male AP
1. Gonzaga
2. Baylor
3. Michigan
4. State of Ohio
5. Illinois
6. Houston
7. Virginia
8. Alabama
9. Oklahoma
10. Villanova
11. Iowa
12. Texas
13. West Virginia
14. Creighton
15. Texas Tech
16. State of Florida
17. Southern Cal
18. Virginia Tech
19. Tennessee
20. Missouri
21. Wisconsin
22. Loyola (Ill.)
23. Kansas
24. Arkansas
25. San Diego State
Also receiving votes: Oklahoma State 71, Rutgers 49, Belmont 47, Louisville 40, Colorado 31, Oregon 30, Drake 22, Purdue 20, Florida 17, Clemson 17, LSU 16, UCLA 11, VCU 10, St. Louis 5, Xavier 4, Toledo 3 , UC Santa Barbara 2, Western Kentucky 2, North Carolina 2, BYU 1, Wichita State 1, Wright State 1, Utah State 1
David Cloninger’s men’s top 25 AP
1. Gonzaga
2. Baylor
3. Michigan
4. State of Ohio
5. Illinois
6. Houston
7. Alabama
8. Villanova
9. Texas
10. Texas Tech
11. Oklahoma
12. West Virginia
13. Virginia
14. Iowa
15. State of Florida
16. Virginia Tech
17. Southern Cal
18. Creighton
19. Missouri
20. Tennessee
21. Wisconsin
22. Belmont
23. Drake
24. Loyola (Ill.)
25. San Diego State
Follow David Cloninger on Twitter @DCPandC.