Written by DOUG FEINBERG, Associated Press Writer

On Monday, UConn fell to 17th place in the AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll, marking its lowest ranking in 30 years.

The Huskies have not been ranked as low as this since the second poll of the 1993-94 season, when they were in 18th place. This decrease also marks the end of a 357-week period where they were consistently ranked in the top 15, which is the second longest streak in the poll’s history dating back to 1977 (Tennessee holds the record with 428 consecutive appearances).

the University of Connecticut’s men’s basketball team has continued their dominant performance.

Despite facing injuries, Geno Auriemma’s squad has had a tough season thus far, but the University of Connecticut’s men’s basketball team has maintained its impressive performance.

The national media panel of 35 members voted South Carolina as the top team, with their recent wins over North Carolina and Duke. UCLA, N.C. State, Iowa, and Texas filled out the top five spots in the poll. Texas climbed five places in the rankings after defeating UConn, who was previously ranked 11th.

The Huskies have one positive aspect, as they were last outside of the top 15 on January 10, 2005. Their three defeats were against UCLA, North Carolina State, and Texas, all of which are currently in the top five.

The poll had USC, LSU, and Colorado following the Longhorns. In a victory against Virginia Tech in the ACC/SEC Challenge, the Tigers welcomed back All-America forward Angel Reese after she had been absent for four games.

Stanford dropped from third to ninth place in the rankings following their defeat against Gonzaga on Sunday. On that same day, Tennessee and UConn also suffered losses, marking the first time since December 29, 2004 that these three powerhouse teams all lost on the same day. According to the website “Across the Timeline,” Stanford currently holds the longest active streak in the top 15 with 102 consecutive weeks.

Baylor rose to the tenth spot in the rankings.

Gonzaga’s win against Stanford boosted them to the 23rd spot in the poll. This week, Washington State and Creighton also made a comeback to the Top 25 rankings at No. 21 and No. 22.

The University of Tennessee’s women’s basketball team dropped in the rankings after a difficult week, which included a loss to the previously ranked No. 18 team, Notre Dame. Other teams that also fell out of the Top 25 are Ole Miss, Princeton, and Mississippi State.

On Saturday, the Rebels were defeated by Southern Mississippi. The Lady Eagles have a record of 7-0, their strongest start in two decades, and achieved their first victory against a ranked team since the 1999-00 season. They received two votes in the current poll.

After a gap of six years, Penn State has once again secured a ranking in the polls at No. 25. The Nittany Lions have a record of 7-1, with their only loss being a close one-point game against USC during the Thanksgiving weekend. This is also the first time since the 2003-04 season that the team has won seven out of their first eight games.

On Sunday, a tripleheader will take place in Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun resort featuring South Carolina, UCLA, Utah, Florida State, UConn, and North Carolina. The matchups include Gamecocks vs. Utah, UCLA vs. Florida State, and UConn vs. North Carolina.

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Source: wralsportsfan.com