How Lady Vols writer Cora Hall voted in the AP Top 25: Gamecocks back on top after one week
It took only one week of college basketball for South Carolina women's basketball to be No. 1 again.
Virtually everyone believed the Gamecocks would go through some growing pains after the graduation of the iconic "Freshies" class led by Aliyah Boston. Even Dawn Staley didn't expect her team to come out of the gates like this.
But two top-15 wins in week one by an average margin of 33.5 points? Forget the top-ranked teams that lost, that's enough for South Carolina to be ranked No. 1 in my book regardless. The Gamecocks haven't missed a beat – and they're fun, especially their freshmen.
Of course, there's an even stronger case with the top two teams in the preseason polls losing convincingly in games they should have won.
For context, with all the teams that lost, I pretty much started over. I vote on the games and results I see, not the potential of a roster, and I weigh ranked matchups more than undefeated records with an easy schedule.
Let's get into my Week 1 Associated Press Top 25 ballot.
Who dropped the furthest after Week 1?
Surprisingly, LSU did not make the biggest drop – UConn did. The Tigers lost to a ranked Colorado team that I was super high on already, so that loss isn't as bad as the Huskies' loss to unranked NC State. LSU dropped 10 spots.
The Wolfpack impressed, especially Saniya Rivers, who had 33 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. UConn, on the other hand ... Paige Bueckers looked like Paige Bueckers, but that was pretty much the only highlight for the Huskies, who dropped to No. 13 on my ballot.
Ohio State also took a tumble after losing to USC, led by generational talent JuJu Watkins. The freshman had an unbelievable debut, scoring 32 points, and the Buckeyes cut down the nearly 20-point deficit only because Watkins was on the bench. Ohio State drops to No. 16.
Ole Miss dropped to No. 21 after getting upset at home by Oklahoma 80-70, a somewhat shocking result given the Rebels' typical defensive identity. Oklahoma enters the rankings at No. 20.
Indiana fell eight spots after getting destroyed on the road at Stanford. The Hoosiers felt the absence of Grace Berger, and All-American Mackenzie Holmes couldn't win the battle of the paint against Cameron Brink.
Who's new to the top 10 after week one upsets?
The Buffs are the first newcomer to my top 10 after sending LSU home from Las Vegas with a 14-point loss.
Colorado was the better team for 40 minutes. Jaylyn Sherrod had an incredible night, and Frida Formann lit the Tigers up from the arc. Aaronette Vonleh had 24 points and six rebounds against a frontcourt of Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow. That trio will take Colorado far this season and they jumped to No. 2 with the signature victory.
The Watkins-led Trojans are No. 4 on my ballot. You never know exactly how fast freshmen will adjust to college, but Watkins looks like she has been ready for this for years. With the players around her, she can lead USC as far as she wants to.
The Wolfpack are checking in at No. 5 after taking down UConn. NC State's trio of guards have shown what they're capable of, including freshman Zoe Brooks, they're ready to make some noise in the ACC.
The Cardinal are back in the top 10 after the beating they gave the Hoosiers. It seems I owe Stanford an apology, because I did not expect to see that kind of performance after the roster turnover. But Brink and Kiki Iriafen make up a formidable frontcourt, and they'll make Stanford a contender for the final Pac-12 title.
Florida State is the last newcomer to my top 10. The Seminoles pulled off an upset against Tennessee, and it was all offense. It ended up as a one-point win for FSU, and it got them to No. 9.
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Cora Hall's AP Top 25 ballot for Week 1
South Carolina (2-0)
Colorado (3-0)
UCLA (3-0)
USC (2-0)
NC State (2-0)
Stanford (2-0)
Iowa (3-0)
Utah (2-0)
Florida State (2-0)
Virginia Tech (1-1)
LSU (2-1)
Tennessee (1-1)
UConn (1-1)
Notre Dame (1-1)
Maryland (1-1)
Ohio State (1-1)
Indiana (1-1)
Texas (2-0)
North Carolina (2-0)
Oklahoma (3-0)
Ole Miss (1-1)
Louisville (2-0)
Baylor (1-0)
Texas A&M (2-0)
Kansas State (2-0)
Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: South Carolina back at No. 1 on Lady Vols writer Cora Hall's AP Top 25
