The Better of the West presents followers a candid evaluation of the highest groups within the western third of the nation — a group that features the Mountain West and the previous Pac-12 faculties now scattered throughout the ACC, Large 12, Large Ten and West Coast Convention.
The rankings shall be revealed on the Hotline weekly all through the common season.
Outcomes by Tuesday
1. UCLA (18-0/6-0 Large Ten)
Final week: 1Results: beat Penn State 83-67 and Baylor 72-57Up subsequent: at Rutgers (Thursday)Remark: Profiting from a visit east, the No. 1-ranked Bruins wore down No. 25 Baylor within the Coretta Scott King Basic on Monday forward of visits to Rutgers and No. 8 Maryland. Lauren Betts had 24 factors, 9 rebounds and a college document 9 blocks in opposition to Large 12 foe Baylor.
2. USC (17-1/7-0 Large Ten)
Final week: 2Results: beat Indiana 73-66Up subsequent: at Purdue (Wednesday)Remark: The fourth-ranked Trojans wanted a 14-2 run within the second quarter and 12-0 run within the fourth to win at Indiana earlier than a crowd of 12,534. JuJu Watkins led the best way, as regular, with 22 factors; 4 different gamers scored in double figures, and Rayah Marshall had a double-double.
3. California (17-3/5-2 ACC)
Final week: 3Results: misplaced to Duke 72-38, beat Wake Forest 67-55Up subsequent: at Stanford (Thursday)Remark: After a season-low 38 factors and a whopping 31 turnovers at No. 14 Duke, the Bears regrouped to beat Wake Forest because of 10-of-24 taking pictures from 3-point vary and a 45-26 rebounding edge. Down 4 spots within the AP rankings, to No. 22, the Bears will now attempt for his or her first sweep over rival Stanford since 1986.
4. Oregon (14-5/5-3 Large Ten)
Final week: 7Results: beat Purdue 69-53 and Iowa 50-49Up subsequent: vs. Indiana (Friday)Remark: Trailing by 15 factors within the second quarter, the Geese rallied previous Iowa by limiting the Hawkeyes to 17 within the second half. (Iowa was with out ahead Hannah Stuelke attributable to a concussion.) Oregon is 5-1 in its final six video games and presently projected to make the NCAA Event by ESPN.
5. UNLV (15-4/7-0 Mountain West)
Final week: 5Results: beat Air Drive 84-51 and Wyoming 72-71 (OT)Up subsequent: at Fresno State (Wednesday)Remark: The Rebels are on an eight-game profitable streak, preserved by their second additional time win of the season. McKinna Brackens had the game-winning basket in opposition to Wyoming. UNLV is the only chief within the Mountain West, forward of New Mexico (5-1).
6. Utah (13-5/4-3 Large 12)
Final week: 4Results: misplaced Baylor 70-61 and TCU 81-73Up subsequent: Kansas (Wednesday)Remark: The Utes proceed to come back up quick in opposition to the Large 12’s greatest and now have three losses within the final 4 video games in opposition to groups ranked No. 9 (TCU), No. 10 (Kansas State) and No. 25 (Baylor). They’re nonetheless receiving AP votes, and their schedule eases up by mid-February. Gianna Kneepkens scored 26 in opposition to TCU.
7. Montana State (17-2/7-0 Large Sky)
Final week: 11Results: beat Idaho State 94-52, Weber State 75-51 and Japanese Washington 58-56Up subsequent: at Montana (Saturday)Remark: With their tenth consecutive victory Monday, the Bobcats stay alone atop the Large Sky and make a four-spot leap within the Better of the West rankings. They are going to be favored to win their subsequent three video games earlier than a house rematch in opposition to Northern Arizona on Feb. 6. On Monday, Montana State led by 13 factors after the third quarter, then held on to keep away from an upset at Japanese Washington.
8. Grand Canyon (17-2/4-0 WAC)
Final week: 6Results: beat Abilene Christian 81-67 and Tarleton State 57-53Up subsequent: vs. Southern Utah (Thursday)Remark: The Antelopes had been lacking Alyssa Durazo-Frescas, the nationwide chief in 3-pointers per recreation, attributable to damage however however rallied from 11 right down to edge Tarleton State for his or her fifteenth consecutive win. Additionally they wanted a comeback from a 13-point deficit at halftime at Abilene Christian with Durazo-Frescas taking part in.
9. Gonzaga (12-8/7-2 West Coast Convention)
Final week: 14Results: beat Portland 66-65 and Loyola-Marymount 69-58Up subsequent: at Pepperdine (Saturday)Remark: The Zags transfer up 5 locations within the Better of the West by rising their profitable streak to 6 video games, a stretch that features a key WCC victory over Portland. Yvonne Ejim averaged 27 factors and 10.5 rebounds within the two wins to earn WCC Participant of the Week honors. She scored 35, together with the game-winning basket, in opposition to Portland. Allie Turner is the WCC Freshman of the Week for the fifth time.
10. Portland (17-3/6-3 West Coast Convention)
Final week: 9Results: misplaced at Gonzaga 66-65, received at Oregon State 86-61Up subsequent: at Washington State (Thursday)Remark: If the WCC solely will get its event champion into the NCAA Event, not less than one high quality group goes to be sadly disenchanted. The Pilots are fourth within the convention however made up for a Dec. 30 additional time loss to Oregon State by crushing the Beavers with a barrage of 14 3-pointers.
11. Northern Arizona (14-5)
Final week: 13Results: beat Sacramento State 75-70 and Portland State 76-63Up subsequent: vs. Japanese Washington (Thursday)Remark: Taylor Feldman’s 11-point scoring run within the fourth quarter, and 28 whole factors, carried the Lumberjacks previous Sacramento State. She then scored 19 at Portland State whereas Sophie Glancey led with 23 and 12 rebounds. NAU now will get 4 straight residence video games.
12. Washington (13-6)
Final week: 10Results: misplaced at Michigan 82-69, beat Purdue 87-58Up subsequent: Iowa (Wednesday)Remark: The Huskies shook off highway losses to No. 21 Michigan State (Jan. 12) and No. 24 Michigan to win huge at residence over Purdue on the day Kelsey Plum’s jersey was retired. A sellout crowd (10,010) turned out to honor Plum, the primary Husky ladies’s basketball participant to be so honored. Plum held the NCAA profession scoring document from 2017-24 earlier than Iowa’s Caitlin Clark surpassed it.
13. Stanford (10-8/2-5 ACC)
Final week: 12Results: beat Wake Forest 74-71, misplaced to Duke 74-49Up subsequent: vs. Cal (Thursday)Remark: Stanford managed a highway cut up however stays in jeopardy of lacking the NCAA Event for the primary time since 1987. ESPN is projecting the Cardinal as a bubble group and never presently within the subject of 68. The tangle with Cal has ramifications past the Bay Space rivalry.
14. Colorado (12-6/3-4 Large 12)
Final week: 8Results: misplaced at West Virginia 73-46 and Cincinnati 65-59Up subsequent: vs. Kansas State (Saturday)Remark: The Buffaloes are down six spots within the Better of the West following the highway losses (and outcomes elsewhere throughout the area). Shedding to Cincinnati was particularly expensive with No. 10 Kansas State up subsequent. Colorado dedicated 20-plus turnovers in each video games, together with 30 in opposition to West Virginia, which avenged a 65-60 loss in Boulder (Dec. 21).
15. Washington State (11-8/7-2 West Coast Convention)
Final week: Not rankedResults: beat USF 74-58 and Santa Clara 74-47Up subsequent: vs. Portland (Thursday)Remark: The Cougars dominated at Santa Clara, making up for a 68-62 loss to the Broncos earlier within the month and staying even with Gonzaga atop the WCC. With a 4-1 document within the final 5 video games, WSU is again within the Better of the West rankings for the primary time since Dec. 4.
Additionally thought of: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado State
Initially Revealed: January 22, 2025 at 8:14 AM PST
