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Illini women's basketball lands at No. 23 in AP preseason Top 25

joe vozzelli, the news-gazette, champaign-urbana, ill.
·3 min read

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CHAMPAIGN — The hype and success from last season has carried over into this upcoming season.

Further proof that Illinois women's basketball is enjoying a resurgence entering the second season with Shauna Green on the sidelines?

The release of Tuesday's preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll that has Green's Illini ranked 23rd in the country. It's the first time since 1999 Illinois will begin a season as a ranked preseason AP team.

Illinois is coming off a 22-10 season in Green's first season that saw the program return to the NCAA tournament for the first time in two decades and finish in the top six of the final Big Ten regular-season standings.

The Illini return all five starters from last season's team, led by leading returning scorer Makira Cook.

Illinois will begin the 2023-24 season on Nov. 7 against Morehead State at State Farm Center in Champaign. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.

Illinois is one of five Big Ten teams in the initial rankings of the season, with No. 3 Iowa, No. 7 Ohio State, No. 9 Indiana and No. 14 Maryland also in the AP Top 25.

The News-Gazette has a vote in the AP women's poll, and Illini women's basketball beat writer Joe Vozzelli Jr. listed Illinois at No. 23 on his initial ballot. Here's the N-G's full ballot with the AP Top 25 as well.

The News-Gazette's Top 25

Rk., School Last season's record

1. LSU 34-2

2. Iowa 31-7

3. Connecticut 31-6

4. Ohio State 28-8

5. UCLA 27-10

6. Indiana 28-4

7. Utah 27-5

8. South Carolina 36-1

9. Tennessee 25-12

10. Virginia Tech 31-5

11. Notre Dame 27-6

12. Maryland 28-7

13. Stanford 29-6

14. Mississippi 25-9

15. Baylor 20-13

16. Texas 26-10

17. Louisville 26-12

18. North Carolina 22-11

19. Florida State 23-10

20. Colorado 25-9

21. Mississippi State 22-11

22. Creighton 22-9

23. Illinois 22-10

24. Kansas State 19-17

25. Washington State 23-11

The Associated Press Top 25

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' women's college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, and total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking.

Rk., Team Pts Prv

1. LSU (35) 899 9

2. UConn (1) 855 6

3. Iowa 780 3

4. UCLA 757 14

5. Utah 742 8

6. South Carolina 713 1

7. Ohio State 711 12

8. Virginia Tech 661 4

9. Indiana 625 2

10. Notre Dame 546 10

11. Tennessee 540 24

12. Mississippi 450 NR

13. Texas 428 15

14. Maryland 392 7

15. Stanford 389 5

16. North Carolina 375 20

17. Louisville 308 NR

18. Florida State 292 NR

19. Baylor 268 NR

20. Colorado 257 21

21. Southern Cal 209 NR

22. Creighton 123 NR

24. Washington State 61 23

25. Mississippi State 54 NR

Others receiving votes: Kansas State 47, North Carolina State 34, Kansas 26, Texas A&M 20, Iowa State 18, Gonzaga 15, Duke 7, Nebraska 5, Miami 3, UNLV 2, Washington 2, Toledo 1, Oregon 1, Villanova 1, Arizona 1.