Women's AP Top-25 Poll: Indiana Back in Top 10 With Two-Game Road Trip Ahead

The women's college basketball Associated Press top-25 Poll was released Monday afternoon, and Indiana came in at No. 10, its highest ranking since Week 1. The Hoosiers will play at Maryland on Wednesday and at No. 8 Ohio State on Sunday.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana women’s basketball is back in the top 10 of the Associated Press top-25 poll, which was announced Monday afternoon. It’s the first time Indiana is within that top-10 threshold since the opening week of the season, when the Hoosiers were No. 9 but soon plummeted nine spots after their blowout loss at Stanford.

Ever since, the Hoosiers have been climbing their way back to their appraisal at the beginning of the season. On Monday, they leaped from No. 14 to No. 10 in the latest poll. Indiana’s move up comes after crushing Northwestern by 41 points at home Sunday, by far the lowest Big Ten team in the NET rankings. On Jan. 21, Indiana won at Purdue, 74-68, and moved up two places from No. 16 to No. 14.

Indiana's climb is also a result of losses from Connecticut, Texas, and Southern California, which dropped below the Hoosiers. Another Big Ten team that likewise moved up four places is No. 8 Ohio State, which is tied atop the conference standings at 8-1 with Indiana and No. 3 Iowa, who moved up three spots. 

The Hoosiers will be challenged this week, playing at an unranked Maryland team, which is 0-4 versus ranked opponents but 9-1 at home. Indiana plays at No. 8 Ohio State on Sunday, potentially without an injured starter, Sydney Parrish, for both. 

Ohio State upset Iowa in Columbus in overtime two weeks ago to move up six spots to No. 12, and jumped into the top 10 with road wins over Illinois and Purdue by just three points. This week’s two-game road trip for Indiana is crucial timing in the Big Ten race. 

In the weeks ahead, Indiana’s schedule is somewhat light besides hosting Michigan State and Iowa. Two losses this week could knock the Hoosiers out of the conference race for good, but their chances to repeat as Big Ten champions would be great if they survived this road trip.

Here's the full AP Poll. 

1. South Carolina (19-0) (35 first-place votes)
2. Kansas State (20-1)
3. Iowa (19-2)
4. Stanford (19-2)
5. NC State (18-2)
6. Colorado (17-3)
7. UCLA (16-3)
8. Ohio State (17-3)
9. LSU (18-3)
10. Indiana (17-2)
11. UConn (17-4)
12. Texas (19-3)
13. Baylor (16-3)
14. Notre Dame (15-4)
15. Southern California (14-4)
16. Louisville (18-3)
17. Virginia Tech (16-4)
18. Oregon State (17-3)
19. Gonzaga (20-2)
20. Utah (15-6)
21. Syracuse (17-3)
22. Creighton (16-3)
23. West Virginia (17-2)
24. North Carolina (15-6)
25. Princeton (15-3)

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