UConn #2 in New AP Poll

[Triad]

This is the poll i was expecting. One UCONN fan had a ranking with UCONN at #8. I think last week's UCONN BY poll had UCONN at 4 or 5. I don't doubt the next one should have us at #2 where we belong.

Keep in mind that at this point of the season, polls are not about "how good is your team". There is enough empirical evidence to compare teams who have played each other, margin of victories, and common opponents.

It's clear that tOSU and Cal are both better than most thought. tOSU beat L'ville and Cal beat then #20 Arkansas a week or 2 ago. Vandy is 6-3 with losses to UCONN, Rutgers and Seton Hall... Temple hasn't been great by any stretch, but ONLY lost to South Carolina by 7 (we beat em by 30)...

OSU has that impressive win over L'ville and faces Stanford on Dec 15. Should be an interesting game for sure. Virginia also lost to Rutgers but played #11 UCLA close losing by only 11.

I could go on and on. Dayton gave SC a tougher game than they gave UCONN, and we played without Crystal and for the most part Anna.

Bottom line - as much as UCONN has "struggled" (to our eye test), so has everyone else. NO ONE is rolling thru this season so far, not even #1 Stanford. No matter how you slice it, UCONN DESERVES to be #2 in the nation right now. Lots of hoops left to be played. Let's enjoy this challenging year (before we become uber-dominant again starting next year)!!!

Using the team X beat team y and Uconn beat x---is only good for talking points. Too many variables on individual games/individual teams for a one time deal. That's why statistics rate single games 50 50.

 

[EricSD]

Using the team X beat team y and Uconn beat x---is only good for talking points. Too many variables on individual games/individual teams for a one time deal. That's why statistics rate single games 50 50.

Sorry but I disagree. It certainly won't predict how much team X will beat team Z, but when you are talking about ranking teams, and have no other variables to compare, margin of victory is certainly useful.

I would never say "Uconn beat tOSU by 11 and tOSU beat L'ville by 11 so UCONN beats L'ville by 22", but the common opponent is a great indicator to show UCONN should be ranked ahead of L'ville at this time.

 

[Centerstream]

Is UConn No. 2? Talk to me after Oregon, Baylor, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Until then it’s just throwing darts blindfolded.

Yeah because they are all undefeated at this point of the season. But for now, I will ignore you.

 

[LoTrader]

Sorry but I disagree. It certainly won't predict how much team X will beat team Z, but when you are talking about ranking teams, and have no other variables to compare, margin of victory is certainly useful.

I would never say "Uconn beat tOSU by 11 and tOSU beat L'ville by 11 so UCONN beats L'ville by 22", but the common opponent is a great indicator to show UCONN should be ranked ahead of L'ville at this time.

@EricLA , you never mentioned the better OSU in your analysis? How does Oregon State stack up relative to Connecticut?

 

[LoTrader]

No idea really, but preseason they were #7. They have not lost a game so therefore no reason to drop, and indeed currently they are at #4. They beat Depaul, Missouri State (unranked at the time) and Miami. I have no idea if they are "better" than UCONN, but that's not what the rankings are about, are they?

I mean if an unranked team beats the #1 team, and the #1 team drops to 4 or 5, the unranked team does not suddenly leap up to #3 or 4. Another example, Oregon lost to L'ville, and dropped below them, but then L'ville dropped to 7 after their loss to unranked tOSU. But Oregon did not drop to #8 and clearly they are not as good as L'ville (at this moment) given L'ville just beat them.

what I expected you to write. Thanks for responding.

 

[EricSD]

@EricLA , you never mentioned the better OSU in your analysis? How does Oregon State stack up relative to Connecticut?

No idea really, but preseason they were #7. They have not lost a game so therefore no reason to drop, and indeed currently they are at #4. They beat Depaul, Missouri State (unranked at the time) and Miami. I have no idea if they are "better" than UCONN, but that's not what the rankings are about, are they? UCONN started the year at #4, so no matter what top 15-20 team OSU has played and beaten does not justify them jumping UCONN.

I mean if an unranked team beats the #1 team, and the #1 team drops to 4 or 5, the unranked team does not suddenly leap up to #3 or 4. Another example, Oregon lost to L'ville, and dropped below them, but then L'ville dropped to 7 after their loss to unranked tOSU. But Oregon did not drop to #8 and clearly they are not as good as L'ville (at this moment) given L'ville just beat them.

FWIW my rankings would be

1. Stanford
2. UCONN
3. OSU
4. Oregon
5. FSU
6. SC
7. Baylor
8. L'ville
9. NC State
10. UCLA

 

[EricSD]

what I expected you to write. Thanks for responding.

My pleasure. I would think it would be what anyone would write, yourself included.

 

[Plebe]

No idea really, but preseason they were #7. They have not lost a game so therefore no reason to drop, and indeed currently they are at #4. They beat Depaul, Missouri State (unranked at the time) and Miami. I have no idea if they are "better" than UCONN, but that's not what the rankings are about, are they? UCONN started the year at #4, so no matter what top 15-20 team OSU has played and beaten does not justify them jumping UCONN.

I mean if an unranked team beats the #1 team, and the #1 team drops to 4 or 5, the unranked team does not suddenly leap up to #3 or 4. Another example, Oregon lost to L'ville, and dropped below them, but then L'ville dropped to 7 after their loss to unranked tOSU. But Oregon did not drop to #8 and clearly they are not as good as L'ville (at this moment) given L'ville just beat them.

FWIW my rankings would be

1. Stanford
2. UCONN
3. OSU
4. Oregon
5. FSU
6. SC
7. Baylor
8. L'ville
9. NC State
10. UCLA

Shameless plug alert: People with strong and/or informed opinions about where teams should or shouldn't be ranked tend to make excellent voters in the biweekly Boneyard Top 25 poll. Next round of balloting due in one week, on Dec. 16

 

[j66kicker]

For 2 reasons I don't like this (not you the list) Uconn in my opinion isn't a number 2 team yet. Number 2 much like number one has new guns waiting to ambush them. I'd rather sit back at number 5 and sandbag the Baylors, Oregons, and especially the U Tenn's.

Well that isn’t going to happen as long as we keep winning. There will keep being fewer and fewer undefeated teams until there’s just us. Or... which game would you like for us to lose?

 

[Triad]

Well that isn’t going to happen as long as we keep winning. There will keep being fewer and fewer undefeated teams until there’s just us. Or... which game would you like for us to lose?

Undefeated is one thing against the top 10 but nothing against the next 40. The Number 2 at this point isn't warranted. Thumping our chests after defeating a depleted ND (while I like beating them) is not living in reality.
When, if, we defeat Baylor and/or Oregon the 2 even 1 may be deserved.
Uconn may play it super great game but when against top teams with SIZE that may not be enough especially when ONO has foul trouble. When ONO isn't on the floor Uconn struggles. As ONO goes so goes Uconn.

 

[oldude]

Undefeated is one thing against the top 10 but nothing against the next 40. The Number 2 at this point isn't warranted. Thumping our chests after defeating a depleted ND (while I like beating them) is not living in reality.
When, if, we defeat Baylor and/or Oregon the 2 even 1 may be deserved.
Uconn may play it super great game but when against top teams with SIZE that may not be enough especially when ONO has foul trouble. When ONO isn't on the floor Uconn struggles. As ONO goes so goes Uconn.

The schedule is the schedule. ND, tOSU and Cal are perennially ranked. The fact that they have fallen off this year is not UConn’s fault, although I do believe that tOSU will be a very good team by the end of the season.

As for the challenge of playing without Liv, that applies to any team for any one of their key players. MD lost to SC with Austin in foul trouble. Baylor has struggled against good competition without Cox. SC lost to Indiana with Boston in foul trouble.

More than any other coaching staff in the country, I trust Geno and his staff to have the team ready for the challenge presented by the likes of Baylor, OR, SC and any other top teams the Huskies face.

 

[LoTrader]

Well that isn’t going to happen as long as wekeep winning. There will keep being fewer and fewer undefeated teams until there’s just us. Or... which game would you like for us to lose?

There are a few competitors on the UCONN schedule that will likely remove the "0" from the UCONN Loss column. If UCONN goes undefeated this season, it will be the greatest UCONN WCBB team achievement to date.

 

[oldude]

There are a few competitors on the UCONN schedule that will likely remove the "0" from the UCONN Loss column. If UCONN goes undefeated this season, it will be the greatest UCONN WCBB team achievement to date.

I agree, although the 36-1 season the year after losing Stewie, Mo and Tuck was pretty amazing.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Undefeated is one thing against the top 10 but nothing against the next 40. The Number 2 at this point isn't warranted. Thumping our chests after defeating a depleted ND (while I like beating them) is not living in reality.
When, if, we defeat Baylor and/or Oregon the 2 even 1 may be deserved.
Uconn may play it super great game but when against top teams with SIZE that may not be enough especially when ONO has foul trouble. When ONO isn't on the floor Uconn struggles. As ONO goes so goes Uconn.

Perhaps you can help me. Who in the top 10 did Baylor and Oregon beat?

 

[j66kicker]

There are a few competitors on the UCONN schedule that will likely remove the "0" from the UCONN Loss column. If UCONN goes undefeated this season, it will be the greatest UCONN WCBB team achievement to date.

Never said UConn is going undefeated. Only that they ARE undefeated so far, as is your team, so it’s hard to say their rankings are not deserved.

 

[Husky fanatic]

If we have a bad game and lose, Geno will say they played like #”2”

 

[mbr33ct]

I'm just throwing this out there...of the 8 games UConn won, only 3 games were at home 5 away. I compared AP Top 10 with same info...and extra bonus added RPI and SOS columns, just to generate additional comments.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Perhaps you can help me. Who in the top 10 did Baylor and Oregon beat?

Exactly... at this point in the season, WHO among any of the Top 25 teams have played more than a few other Top 25s? At this time of the year, the people who vote on the polls base their votes on what they know, what they see, what they hear, what they watch on video, etc... perhaps they use other "belly rub" criteria, like the transitive property or others...The ASSUMPTION is the pollsters do their home work before they cast their votes. If the pollsters actually know what they are doing and we TRUST their product, then why do some constantly deny their product as having any validity???

I am one who says that the only poll that matters is the one at the end of the season...but even that one is subject to scrutiny... such as besides #1, the winner of the National Championship game, how do the other really line up?? Is the NC game loser really #2, or perhaps they should be #3 behind the team who lost to #1 in the semi-final, How do the runners up in the 4 regional tournaments fall in line? and so on.

At this point in the season, UCONN is as deserving of their ranking as anyone else in NCAA WBB... They have beaten all the teams they have played and they have not played any "cup cakes"...(so to speak). UCONN has beaten the teams they are supposed to beat... others have NOT... Will that play out over the course of the season,??? No One Knows...and the real #1 will be crowned in New Orleans in April. BUT for now, I can't argue with the people who vote on these rankings...as if they are in fact some sort of "expert".

 

[Triad]

The schedule is the schedule. ND, tOSU and Cal are perennially ranked. The fact that they have fallen off this year is not UConn’s fault, although I do believe that tOSU will be a very good team by the end ofmthe season.

As for the challenge of playing without Liv, that applies to any team for any one of their key players. MD lost to SC with Austin in foul trouble. Baylor has struggled against good competition without Cox. ASC lost to Indiana with Boston in foul trouble.
No one questioned the scheduling, it is what it is for good or worse.
I questioned the 2 ranking to me it is overstated. I too believe teams "get up" for the 1,2,3 teams more than other--it is a motivation to attempt to beat those. I don't like all the young guns out there looking to knock of Wyatt Erp (uconn).\
The status and ranking of other teams or why they are no longer considered top of the heap. \
Uconn is MY team and whether they are 1 or 21 I have and shall stay with them. Their method of play when they are top or bottom changes little. Their Team members change not how they play the game. I've been a Uconn fan since at least 1960 and Geno's many of his 35 years.
I don't know who questioned the scheduling--but it was me.
If you consider my saying we won't know how good Uconn is until they play the top teams--that hasn't anything to do with scheduling. It is REALITY.

 

[Triad]

Perhaps you can help me. Who in the top 10 did Baylor and Oregon beat?

It is asinine, a bit outside of reality to look at anyone's ranking while the entire NCAA WCBB is in flux. You may have notice I didn't feel it correct to list my top 10 or top 1 team. WAIT it shall change. That is REALITY.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

FWIW... UCONN is also #2 in the Coaches Poll that came out today... the Coaches poll is essentially the same as the AP Poll...minor adjustments of a spot or two here and there.

 

[j66kicker]

Oregon & Oregon State each got 1 first place vote in the AP poll. Neither got any in the coaches poll, but Louisville got one.

 

[Alydar]

I am looking forward to 9 games in Jan/Feb, UConn's games with S Carolina, Baylor and Oregon and the games between Oregon, Stanford and Oregon St. Can't miss games. The top of the PAC12 is awesome this year. But I do question the defense played on the west coast. Tara, given time to prepare can usually come up with a successful defensive scheme but for the most part those 3 teams along with past N Dame teams have relied on outscoring their opponents. Baylor and UConn play defense and in a big games shots may not fall but defense is more effort than skill, and effort usually doesn't run hot and cold. For offensive teams one cold-shooting game in the SW16 or E8 can send a great scoring team home.
Right now there isn't any team that matches the level of past No 1 teams. Stanford has the top spot but does a team that struggled against Cal Baptist and Gonzaga deserve that spot? But if not them, who? I certainly don't see one.

 

[huskyd]

Stanford on top, UConn up to No. 2 in AP women's Top 25

Connecticut jumped to No. 2 behind Stanford in The Associated Press women's Top 25 rankings released Monday after another week filled with upsets.

www.espn.com

2025-26 Women's College Basketball Rankings - ESPN

Find the 2025-26 NCAAW rankings on ESPN, including the Coaches and AP poll for the top 25 NCAAW teams.

www.espn.com

1. Stanford
2. UConn
3. Oregon
4. Oregon State
5. South Carolina
6. Baylor
7. Louisville
8. Florida State
9. NC State
10. UCLA

Does this mean we're in the Final Four? No? Does it mean we'll easily defeat South Carolina and Baylor? What does it mean? Nada.

 

[Plebe]

For a bit of perspective, last year's week 6 rankings had Tennessee at No 9.

Ha I take it that was before their 6-game losing streak

 

[Triad]

Well that isn’t going to happen as long as we keep winning. There will keep being fewer and fewer undefeated teams until there’s just us. Or... which game would you like for us to lose?

The key phrase: "as long as we keep winning", maybe , you know that our wins against AAC don't count much.
So even "keep winning" there has little value in ranking. Reality--???

 

[Triad]

The schedule is the schedule. ND, tOSU and Cal are perennially ranked. The fact that they have fallen off this year is not UConn’s fault, although I do believe that tOSU will be a very good team by the end of the season.

As for the challenge of playing without Liv, that applies to any team for any one of their key players. MD lost to SC with Austin in foul trouble. Baylor has struggled against good competition without Cox. SC lost to Indiana with Boston in foul trouble.

More than any other coaching staff in the country, I trust Geno and his staff to have the team ready for the challenge presented by the likes of Baylor, OR, SC and any other top teams the Huskies face.

USC---as you mentioned lost without Boston. Uconn is vulnerable with the sidelining for injuries, spasms, fouls on 3 or 4 key players, CW, Megan, DANGER, ONO against top talented teams (ND wasn't one of them)
Dayton wasn't one of them yet there was struggling. That level of vulnerability is more unique to Uconn this year than many other top teams. The loss of Megan, Danger, ONO for even a quarter could spell DEFEAT.

 

[oldude]

USC---as you mentioned lost without Boston. Uconn is vulnerable with the sidelining for injuries, spasms, fouls on 3 or 4 key players, CW, Megan, DANGER, ONO against top talented teams (ND wasn't one of them)
Dayton wasn't one of them yet there was struggling. That level of vulnerability is more unique to Uconn this year than many other top teams. The loss of Megan, Danger, ONO for even a quarter could spell DEFEAT.

This isn’t Geno’s first rodeo. He’s won with key players in foul trouble and he’s won with players out with injuries.

Flash back two seasons ago. With Lou out with a bum ankle and Gabby sitting beside her on the bench with migraines, UConn fell behind ND, the eventual National Champions at the XL Center in Hartford. But the Huskies stormed back in the 4th qtr to win with two AA’s sitting on the bench.

Let’s talk about the Seton Hall game. With Crystal out with back spasms, Molly gets the first start of her career and plays beautifully, while Aubrey explodes for 25 & 12.

UConn WBB does not depend on any one player. The Huskies are all about TEAM. If someone is out, the next player steps up.

 

[LoTrader]

I am looking forward to 9 games in Jan/Feb, UConn's games with S Carolina, Baylor and Oregon and the games between Oregon, Stanford and Oregon St. Can't miss games. The top of the PAC12 is awesome this year. But I do question the defense played on the west coast. Tara, given time to prepare can usually come up with a successful defensive scheme but for the most part those 3 teams along with past N Dame teams have relied on outscoring their opponents. Baylor and UConn play defense and in a big games shots may not fall but defense is more effort than skill, and effort usually doesn't run hot and cold. For offensive teams one cold-shooting game in the SW16 or E8 can send a great scoring team home.
Right now there isn't any team that matches the level of past No 1 teams. Stanford has the top spot but does a team that struggled against Cal Baptist and Gonzaga deserve that spot? But if not them, who? I certainly don't see one.

Historically, I wouldn't put Oregon State in the offensive juggernaut category, OSU has been a defense first, winning ugly at times, team. This year, the offensive production is better than years past, but OSU won't go far without a great defensive effort in every PAC-12 game.

 

[Alydar]

Historically, I wouldn't put Oregon State in the offensive juggernaut category, OSU has been a defense first, winning ugly at times, team. This year, the offensive production is better than years past, but OSU won't go far without a great defensive effort in every PAC-12 game.

I agree. Rueck hasn't had the level of talent of the other teams and his success has been more defense-based. ASU is another program that has played defense well in the past. But on the whole the PAC12 hasn't been known for defense.
I dislike the "winning ugly" label. The most defense-oriented team I have seen was Rutgers. Many UConn fans hated them but most of that was due to their success, for a time, at making UConn's offense look, shall we say, "unfamiliar".
But most of the media and most of the public is in love of offense.