NEW YORK (AP) – South Carolina with the best ranking entered the new season playing three games in the first five days. The Gamecocks were challenged over the weekend at a tournament in South Dakota, but were victorious.
They remained the first choice in the Associated Press women’s basketball survey launched on Monday, receiving 29 of the 30 first-place votes from a media panel. The top 10 teams remained the same as in the pre-season, with Stanford, UConn, Baylor and Louisville completing the top five.
South Carolina debuted with an 81 point win over Charleston, before beating South Dakota by 10 and then none. 21 Gonzaga for seven.
“I don’t think many teams would leave here undefeated with the talent that was here,” said Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley. “They were challenging opponents. Challenger. Some people will not play on teams like this because you are susceptible to losing. It was good that this core group of players found their advantage. “
Stanford won his first game, taking trainer Tara VanDerveer three wins behind Pat Summitt’s 1,098 wins. It may take a while for the Cardinal to play again; Santa Clara County on Saturday announced the new COVID-19 rules which include a three-week ban from Monday on training and games for contact sports. The cardinal’s game against San Diego, scheduled for Monday, has been canceled.
UConn was also waiting to start its season after the Huskies were put on pause because of a positive coronavirus test in their Tier I group.
Mississippi State, Arizona, North Carolina State, UCLA and Oregon complete the top 10.
Texas, under new coach Vic Schaefer, won their first two games and entered the vote in 25th place in their first ranking since last December. Notre Dame fell.
Here are other top 25 female tips:
MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Iowa State had the biggest drop in the poll, dropping eight places to 23rd after splitting two games. The Cyclones beat Omaha by 26 points to open the season before falling to the state of South Dakota by 76-69. The team was longing for coach Bill Fennelly, who is quarantined after exposure to COVID-19. He will miss this week’s games against TCU and South Carolina. No. 13 Indiana, No. 18 Gonzaga and No. 21 Missouri State rose three places in the vote.
COMING UP COLLIER: Charli Collier had a stellar game for the newly qualified Texas, scoring 44 points in Sunday’s victory over North Texas. It was the highest total score in a single game for Texas players since 1994 and the fourth highest total in school history.
She hit 14 of her 17 pitches and was 14 of 15 on the free throw line. Add 16 rebounds and two blocks and it was a complete effort.
“My mindset was just to be confident and master painting, which is what I did today,” said Collier. “Our basic attack is in ink, so that’s where I live.”
WELCOME BACK TIANA: Syracuse guardian Tiana Mangakahia played her first game in 615 days when Syracuse beat Stony Brook 50-39 on Sunday.
She missed the last season to undergo chemotherapy and then had a double mastectomy last November.
The Australian had 16 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists for the then null. 23 Orange. Mangakahia, the school’s all-time assistance leader, quickly got involved with a pass to Amaya Finklea-Guity for a tray to open the scoring. A few minutes later, Mangakahia stole and scored his first points in almost two years in a fast attack basket.
“There was a lot going through my head,” said Mangakahia after the 50-39 victory over Stony Brook. “Especially on the bus. In the warm up, there were less emotions because I was just focused. But on the bus, I was very excited and just couldn’t believe that this day was here and I could play. “
CORONAVIRUS COUNT: In the first five days of the season, 69 games were canceled or postponed because of COVID-19. No. 3 UConn and Northwestern 15 ranked are still waiting to begin their seasons.
GAME OF THE WEEK: South Carolina receives No. 8 NC State on Thursday in a clash earlier in the season.
___
https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25