Top-25 Basketball Poll Shakeup After Ranked Matchups: USC Trojans, South Carolina

The No. 4 USC Trojans women's basketball team is still ranked in the top five of the AP Top-25 Poll. As the 2024-2025 season enters the final full month of regular season play, can USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb and the Women of Troy move up and secure a high seed?
Dec 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) celebrates with head coach Lindsay Gottlieb in the fourth quarter against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Galen Center. USC defeated Fresno State 89-40. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dec 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) celebrates with head coach Lindsay Gottlieb in the fourth quarter against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Galen Center. USC defeated Fresno State 89-40. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans women’s basketball team is 18-1 for the 2024-25 season. The AP Top-25 Poll has shaken up with multiple ranked teams having faced off recently. USC is ranked No. 4 in the current AP Top-25 Poll.

The Women of Troy are one of the most dominant teams this season. The only undefeated team remaining is the No.1 UCLA Bruins. As January comes to a close and teams enter the final full month of the regular season, playoff seeding is at stake.

JuJu Watkins and Lindsay Gottlieb
Dec 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) celebrates with head coach Lindsay Gottlieb in the fourth quarter against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Galen Center. USC defeated Fresno State 89-40. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC has already faced five ranked opponents this season, going 4-1 against them. The lone loss was against the current No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The biggest win of the season was arguably against the current No. 6 UConn Huskies, who were No. 4 at the time of the matchup. USC went on the road to defeat one of the toughest opponents in women’s college basketball. 

Given the toughness of the Big Ten conference, USC still has three ranked opponents on their schedule. One of which is the No. 1 undefeated UCLA Bruins, who the Women of Troy will play twice still. Their first matchup will be on Feb. 13 at a sold-out Galen Center.

The Trojans will also play the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes on Feb. 8 and No. 16 Michigan State Spartans on Feb. 19. The second matchup against UCLA will close out the regular season on March 1.

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In addition to No. 1 UCLA and No. 3 Notre Dame, the South Carolina Gamecocks are ahead of the Trojans ranked at No. 2. If the Trojans defeat UCLA that should boost USC’s ranking a little higher, especially if USC can go 2-0 against their cross-town rival. 

Notre Dame and South Carolina both have four remaining ranked opponents. Two of the Gamecocks' opponents are in the top 10, the No. 5 Texas Longhorns and the No. 6 UConn Huskies. If either or both Notre Dame and South Carolina lose, and the Trojans maintain their win streak, USC could rise in the AP-Top 25 poll by the end of the season. 

The Big Ten Tournament will take place from Mar. 5-9. This is a tough conference, one USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb has spoken highly of since the conference realignment. Gottlieb appeared on Trojans Live on Dec. 9 where she spoke about the power of the Big Ten.

USC Trojans Kiki Iriafen
Jan 12, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen (44) drives to the basket as Penn State Nittany Lions forward Grace Hall (7) defends during the third quarter at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

“Of the 18 teams in the league currently nine, at least as of last week, like I said I haven't looked today, but nine were ranked in the top 25. It is legit,” Gottlieb said. “We have to approach each game almost like an NCAA Tournament game. You get one shot, you don’t get to say okay let’s figure it out and get a doover when we get back home or something. That’s just not how we’re going to approach it.”

The USC Trojans are 8-0 in Big Ten conference play and on a 14-game win streak. There are currently five Big Ten teams in the AP Top-25 Poll, three of which are in the top 10. It is a tough conference, but the Trojans have done well thus far. The team will now have to close the season on a high note and hope for higher seeding in the postseason. 

The No. 4 USC Trojans women's basketball team will next face the 18-3 Minnesota Golden Gophers on Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. PT at Galen Center.

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Angela Miele
ANGELA MIELE

Angela Miele is a writer covering the USC Trojans on Sports Illustrated. She graduated from Rutgers University with a Master’s in Communication and Media in 2024. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in 2022 from Rowan University. She graduated with a B.A. in English with minors in Writing Arts and Sports Communication and Media. Since graduating from Rowan University, she has been a contributor on various websites, most recently covering the NFL and college football for The Forkball.