South Carolina women cap wire-to-wire No. 1 run in AP Top 25

South Carolina joined an exclusive group Monday, goingwire-to-wire as No. 1 in consecutive years in The Associated PressTop 25 women’s basketball poll.

The defending national champion Gamecocks (32-0) became thethird school to be the top team in the poll for the entire seasonin back-to-back years, equaling UConn and Louisiana Tech.

The Gamecocks, who are the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAATournament, have been atop the poll for 38 straight weeks, which isthe second longest run behind UConn’s record 51-week streak(2008-10). Led by Aliyah Boston, the Gamecocks were once again aunanimous choice by the 28-member media panel.

“We have the best player in college basketball that puts ourprogram in a position to be number one in consecutive seasons,”South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said.

Indiana switched places with Iowa in the final poll, moving backup to second after landing its first No. 1 seed in an NCAA tourney.Virginia Tech and Stanford, the other two top seeds, were fourthand fifth in the final Top 25.

UConn, which won the Big East Tournament last week, switchedplaces with Maryland to follow the Cardinal. It’s the first timesince 2006 that the Huskies didn’t finish the season in the topfive in the poll. They have been in the top 10 in the final pollevery year since 1994.

Utah, LSU and Villanova rounded out the top 10 teams.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Louisiana Tech had its 36-week run at No. 1 from 1980-82 whileUConn’s was from 2008-10. The Huskies have gone wire-to-wire fiveother times. Texas (1985-86), Tennessee (1997-98) and Baylor(2011-12) are the only other teams to go one full season at No.1.

JUMPING BACK IN

Iowa State ran through the Big 12 Tournament, winning threegames in three days to re-enter the poll at No. 17.

“These are moments they’re going to remember,” Iowa State coachBill Fennelly said. “It’s not just winning. They’ll remember whatthis environment was like their whole life. We beat a great team,and it was a great three days for us.”

Middle Tennessee fell out of the rankings.

CONFERENCE SUPREMACY

The Pac-12 finished the season with six teams in the Top 25, themost of any conference. The Big Ten was next with five while theACC had four. The Big 12 and SEC each had three and the Big Easttwo. The Mountain West and the West Coast Conference each hadone.