In a tumultuous week for the AP Top 25, South Carolina's dominance continued as they maintained their No. 1 ranking in the latest Associated Press women's basketball poll. The Gamecocks received all 35 first-place votes, solidifying their position as the top team in the country.

South Carolina's impressive 76-70 road victory over then-No. 9 LSU showcased their unbeaten record, while other top-ranked schools faltered. Five of the top 10 teams, including LSU, suffered defeats last week, highlighting the chaos among the rankings. In fact, a total of 12 ranked teams recorded at least one loss.

Kansas State enjoyed a remarkable week, matching their best ranking ever by claiming the No. 2 spot in the AP poll. The Wildcats, currently on a 15-game winning streak, have reached their highest ranking since November 25, 2002. Despite star center Ayoka Lee's absence due to an ankle injury, Kansas State continues to excel. However, they face a challenging upcoming stretch with games against formidable opponents Oklahoma and Texas.

Iowa climbed back up to the third position in the rankings, propelled by the exceptional performance of Caitlin Clark. As she inches closer to the all-time scoring record in women's college basketball, Clark currently sits in fourth place with 3,389 points. In Iowa's next game against Northwestern, she has the chance to surpass Jackie Stiles (3,393) and Kelsey Mitchell (3,402) and close the 138-point gap to reach Kelsey Plum's record mark of 3,527.

Following Iowa in the AP poll, Stanford and NC State secured the fourth and fifth spots respectively. Colorado dropped three places to sixth after splitting a pair of games in Oregon. UCLA also experienced a setback, falling five spots to seventh following an overtime loss to Utah and a defeat at the hands of Washington State.

Ohio State made a significant jump, climbing four spots to claim the eighth position, while LSU remained steady at ninth. Indiana rounded off the top 10 in the latest poll.

Meanwhile, UConn and Texas, both previously in the top 10, suffered losses against Notre Dame and Oklahoma, leading to a drop in rankings for both teams. The Huskies slipped three places to 11th, while Texas fell two spots to 12th.

In terms of newcomers to the poll, Princeton made a re-entry at No. 25, riding a 10-game winning streak. The Tigers, ranked for one week in November, boast a 15-3 record with losses only against UCLA, Indiana, and Rhode Island. Princeton's upcoming weekend matchups against Yale and Brown offer the opportunity to extend their winning streak. Florida State, on the other hand, dropped out of the rankings after a staggering 42-point loss to Duke.

Oregon State saw a significant rise in the rankings, jumping seven spots to No. 18. Their impressive weekend victories over Colorado and Utah included their first top-five win since 2019 against the former third-ranked Buffaloes. With five wins in their last six games, Oregon State is set to face off against rival Oregon in their sole contest this week.

As teams continue to navigate the challenges of the season, the AP women's basketball poll reflects the ever-changing landscape of the sport, with South Carolina appearing unyielding at the top and other teams shuffling their positions in pursuit of success.