After two dominant wins for Iowa women’s basketball over Northern Illinois (91-73) and Virginia Tech (71-52), the Hawkeyes received more love in the Nov. 12 edition of the USA TODAY Sports Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll.
In the Hawkeyes‘ two games this season, senior transfer guard Lucy Olsen has taken charge by leading the team in average points scored (19.5), assists (5.5), and minutes per game (37.2). The hot start from the former Villanova Wildcat has been exactly the offensive force the Hawkeyes envisioned ahead of the season.
Senior center Addison O’Grady has also found herself off to a scorching start by averaging 15 points, three rebounds, and one block per game. While the center’s stats may look tame, her near perfect 14-for-15 shooting performance through two games has been spectacular.
As for the rankings, there was no movement within the top five programs as No. 1 South Carolina remains atop the list, followed by No. 2 UConn, No. 3 USC, No. 4 Texas, and No. 5 Notre Dame.
Outside of the third-ranked Trojans, the Big Ten features five other programs within the Top 25 including No. 6 UCLA, No. 12 Ohio State, No. 14 Maryland, No. 20 Nebraska, and No. 24 Illinois.
Below is the complete USA TODAY Sports Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll rankings for Nov. 12, 2024:
| Ranking | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Carolina Gamecocks | 2-0 | 772 (29) |
| 2 | UConn Huskies | 2-0 | 740 (1) |
| 3 | USC Trojans | 2-0 | 707 (1) |
| 4 | Texas Longhorns | 2-0 | 674 |
| 5 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 1-0 | 652 |
| 6 | UCLA Bruins | 2-0 | 598 |
| 7 | LSU Tigers | 2-0 | 586 |
| 8 | Iowa State Cyclones | 3-0 | 547 |
| 9 | Oklahoma Sooners | 2-0 | 516 |
| 10 | North Carolina State Wolfpack | 1-1 | 476 |
| 11 | Kansas State Wildcats | 2-0 | 462 |
| 12 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 1-0 | 439 |
| 13 | West Virginia Mountaineers | 2-0 | 382 |
| 14 | Maryland Terrapins | 3-0 | 378 |
| 15 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 2-0 | 327 |
| 16 | Duke Blue Devils | 2-1 | 281 |
| 17 | Baylor Bears | 1-1 | 256 |
| 18 | Louisville Cardinals | 1-1 | 205 |
| 19 | Kentucky Wildcats | 2-0 | 165 |
| 20 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 2-0 | 158 |
| 21 | Ole Miss Rebels | 1-1 | 145 |
| 22 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 3-0 | 123 |
| 23 | Stanford Cardinal | 3-0 | 99 |
| 24 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 2-0 | 87 |
| 25 | South Dakota State Jackrabbits | 2-0 | 50 |
Schools Dropped Out
No. 19 Florida State; No. 20 Creighton; No. 24 Indiana;
Others Receiving Votes
Oregon 42; Florida State 38; Iowa 34; Tennessee 33; Utah 17; Creighton 11; Auburn 11; TCU 10; Michigan State 9; Middle Tennessee 8; Indiana 8; Fairfield 7; UNLV 6; Michigan 4; Penn State 3; Mississippi State 3; Saint Joseph’s 2; Gonzaga 2; Richmond 1; Columbia 1
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions.
Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews