### Baylor and Southern California Surge into Women's Basketball Top 10 Following Impressive Openings Baylor University and the University of Southern California (USC) have made significant strides in the latest Associated Press (AP) Top 25 women's basketball poll, climbing into the top 10 after strong performances in their opening week. Baylor's victory over Duke propelled them nine spots to No. 7, while USC's win against N.C. State allowed them to leap 10 spots to No. 8. The top two positions remain held by UConn and South Carolina, respectively, with other notable teams like UCLA and Texas rounding out the top four. This shift in rankings highlights the competitive nature of women's college basketball as the season begins [https://www.eldoradonews.com/news/2025/nov/11/baylor-southern-california-jump-into-top-10-of-womens-ap-top-25-connecticut-south-carolina-1-2][https://www.westplainsdailyquill.net/stories/baylor-and-southern-california-jump-into-top-10-of-womens-ap-top-25-uconn-and-south-carolina-1-2,203037]. ### Overview of the Rankings and Key Movements 1. **Top Teams**: UConn and South Carolina maintain their positions at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. 2. **Baylor's Rise**: Baylor climbed to No. 7 after defeating Duke. 3. **USC's Performance**: USC moved to No. 8 following a win over N.C. State. 4. **Other Notable Rankings**: - UCLA and Texas are ranked 3rd and 4th. - LSU and Oklahoma hold the 5th and 6th spots. - Maryland is now at No. 9, while N.C. State dropped to No. 10. 5. **New Entrants**: Washington has entered the Top 25 for the first time in two years [https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/nov/11/baylor-usc-reach-top-10-after-wins][https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-25-women-435e96059d6543ac67ee946d3450883f]. ### Supporting Data and Rankings - **Current AP Top 10 Rankings**: 1. UConn 2. South Carolina 3. UCLA 4. Texas 5. LSU 6. Oklahoma 7. Baylor (up 9 spots) 8. USC (up 10 spots) 9. Maryland (up 1 spot) 10. N.C. State (down 1 spot) - **Key Wins**: - Baylor defeated Duke. - USC edged out N.C. State [https://www.cbssports.com/womens-college-basketball/news/womens-college-basketball-ap-top-25-baylor-usc-top-10-uconn][https://www.espn.ph/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/46918181/baylor-usc-enter-top-10-women-ap-top-25-uconn-no-1]. ### Summary of Findings **Baylor and USC's impressive performances have reshaped the AP Top 25 rankings, showcasing their potential for the season.** 1. **Baylor's Victory**: Their win over Duke was pivotal in their rise to No. 7. 2. **USC's Climb**: USC's victory against N.C. State was crucial for their jump to No. 8. 3. **Top Teams Remain Steady**: UConn and South Carolina continue to dominate the rankings. 4. **Emerging Teams**: The entry of Washington into the Top 25 indicates a shift in competitive dynamics. This season's early results suggest a thrilling race for the top positions in women's college basketball, with Baylor and USC emerging as strong contenders [https://www.eldoradonews.com/news/2025/nov/11/baylor-southern-california-jump-into-top-10-of-womens-ap-top-25-connecticut-south-carolina-1-2][https://www.westplainsdailyquill.net/stories/baylor-and-southern-california-jump-into-top-10-of-womens-ap-top-25-uconn-and-south-carolina-1-2].