Women's college basketball Power Rankings: USC leaps to No. 6 ahead of marquee clash with South Carolina
The UConn Huskies keep their spot at the top of the pack
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2 min read
The UConn Huskies showed they are as good as advertised and became the clear No. 1 in the first CBS Sports women's college basketball power rankings of the 2025-26 season. However, the most surprising team so far is the USC Trojans, who climbed all the way to No. 6 this week after being ranked 17th in the preseason.
Lindsay Gottlieb's team showed its potential with a gritty win against NC State on Sunday. Freshman Jazzy Davidson is already making an impact, but the team has several other players stepping up, including UCLA transfer Londynn Jones. Despite the loss to USC, the Wolfpack is No. 7 because the 69-68 result could've gone either way. Wes Moore has a young team without a single senior on the roster, but they already got a strong resume win against now-No. 10 Tennessee.
Meanwhile, South Carolina dealt with some off-the-court issues this week with the suspension of Maddy McDaniel, but the Gamecocks stayed consistent and kept the No. 2 spot. They have a big test coming up this Saturday as they take on the Trojans at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles in 'The Real SC' battle.
Texas' offense reached 100 points against Louisiana-Lafayette on Monday, and their depth kept them at No. 3 this week. UCLA and LSU round out the top 5. The Bruins already notched a win against a ranked Oklahoma team, but they will be tested again on Thursday night against No. 12 North Carolina. As for the Tigers, their schedule isn't too grueling yet, but they are certainly benefiting from MiLaysia Fulwiley. The South Carolina transfer put on an impressive 22-point performance, including five 3-pointers, in 16 minutes off the bench during LSU's 117-59 win against Charlotte.
Notre Dame must also be talked about -- Hannah Hidalgo in particular. The Fighting Irish, No. 16 this week, only have three returners from last season and only two who actually saw the court. However, Hidalgo keeps showing why she is a reliable leader. On Wednesday, she made history with 44 points and an NCAA record 16 steals.
Here are the latest CBS Sports women's college basketball Power Rankings.
Women's college basketball Power Rankings
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First five out: Washington, Princeton, West Virginia, Kansas State, Minnesota
