Best of the West WBB power rankings: UCLA is No. 1 (again) as Oregon and Utah jump, USC falls
The Best of the West offers a candid assessment of the top teams in the western third of the country — a collection that includes the Mountain West and the former Pac-12 schools now scattered across the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and West Coast Conference.
The rankings will be published on the Hotline weekly throughout the regular season. Here is last week’s edition.
(Results through Monday)
1. UCLA (15-1, 5-0 Big Ten)
Last week: 1
Results: won at Nebraska 83-61
NET ranking: No. 2
Up next: at Minnesota (Wednesday)
Comment: UCLA is now the only nationally ranked team in the West, moving up to No. 3 in the AP poll after Texas suffered its first loss. The Bruins steadily pulled away from Nebraska to lead by 20 points after three quarters. Lauren Betts had her sixth double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds).
2. Oregon (14-4, 2-3 Big Ten)
Last week: 5
Results: won at USC 71-66, lost to Michigan State 85-81
NET ranking: No. 25
Up next: at Iowa (Thursday)
Comment: Oregon scored the final 14 points to upset then-No. 21 USC before failing to close out No. 15 Michigan State. The split, combined with other results, is enough for the Ducks to climb three places in the Hotline rankings. Sabrina Ionescu inspired her college team with a halftime speech when Oregon trailed by 16.
3. Stanford (14-4, 3-2 ACC)
Last week: 3
Results: beat Wake Forest 55-43, lost to Duke 67-60
NET ranking: No. 35
Up next: at Boston College (Thursday)
Comment: Stanford failed to complete a home sweep, losing a tight game to ACC co-leader Duke on Sunday. The Cardinal committed 19 turnovers that cost them 21 points. Nunu Agara scored 27 in a win over Wake Forest.
4. Utah (13-4, 4-1 Big 12)
Last week: 6
Results: won at Kansas 62-59 and Kansas State 80-73
NET ranking: No. 41
Up next: vs. Baylor (Wednesday)
Comment: Utah built on its Jan. 3 upset of TCU with a pair of hard-fought road wins. Against Kansas, the Utes led 62-50 with 4:30 left before giving up the final nine points. Reese Ross had 21 points and 10 rebounds in a win Saturday over Kansas State on coach Gavin Petersen’s birthday.
5. USC (10-6, 2-3 Big Ten)
Last week: 2
Results: lost to Oregon 71-66 and at Minnesota 63-62
NET ranking: No. 28
Up next: vs. Maryland (Thursday)
Comment: USC has lost three consecutive games for the first time since 2021-22 and dropped three places in the Hotline rankings. The 14-0 game-ending drought against Oregon continued at the outset against Minnesota when the Trojans fell behind 10-0. Kara Dunn, a transfer from Georgia Tech, scored 27 against the Gophers. Star Australian recruit Sitaya Fagan is now enrolled at USC and training with the Trojans.
6. Washington (12-4, 2-3 Big Ten)
Last week: 4
Results: lost to Michigan State 82-67 and at Purdue 78-72 (OT)
NET ranking: No. 34
Up next: at Indiana (Wednesday)
Comment: Washington failed to build off its Jan. 1 upset of Michigan, falling a week later to No. 15 Michigan State and Purdue (in overtime) after missing several shots in the final seconds of regulation. The Huskies dropped out of the AP poll.
7. Arizona State (16-2, 3-2 Big 12)
Last week: 7
Results: beat UCF 68-45, lost at TCU 77-46
NET ranking: No. 45
Up next: vs. Kansas (Saturday)
Comment: Arizona State’s first crack at a ranked opponent went downhill quickly after the first quarter when No. 10 TCU led 14-13. The Sun Devils were held to their lowest point total of the season, shooting 28.8 percent overall and 25 percent from 3-point range.
8. BYU (14-3, 3-2 Big 12)
Last week: 8
Results: lost at Arizona 75-72, won at Houston 79-64
NET ranking: No. 52
Up next: vs. Baylor (Saturday)
Comment: BYU couldn’t overcome 27 turnovers against Arizona despite leading 61-54 with 6:52 remaining. The Cougars rebounded against Houston, the only winless team in Big 12 play, and were led by Delaney Gibb’s 19 points. Four other players scored in double figures. They were 11-of-30 from 3-point range.
9. Colorado (11-6, 2-3 Big 12)
Last week: 10
Results: lost at Baylor 56-52 and Oklahoma State 63-56
NET rankings: No. 58
Up next: vs. Iowa State (Wednesday)
Comment: Colorado played solid defense against No. 18 Baylor and Oklahoma State but fell short offensively in both. The Buffaloes got within two points of Baylor with three seconds left. Anaelle Dutat had a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds) against the Cowboys.
10. Oregon State (13-5, 5-0 WCC)
Last week: 15
Results: won at Washington State 78-64, beat Seattle 68-38
NET rankings: No. 74
Up next: at Loyola Marymount (Thursday)
Comment: Oregon State’s winning streak stands at seven with the Beavers leading the WCC over Santa Clara and Gonzaga. Seattle managed just 11 points in the second half Saturday. Kennedie Schuler had 18 points, seven rebounds, six assists and seven steals. Tiara Bolden led with 24 points against Washington State.
11. Santa Clara (15-4, 5-1 WCC)
Last week: 11
Results: won at San Francisco 77-67 and Washington State 98-92
NET ranking: No. 63
Up next: vs. Portland (Thursday)
Comment: Santa Clara stayed hot on the tail of WCC leader Oregon State with a pair of road wins. Against Washington State, and despite an early Sophie Glancey injury, the Broncos produced a 35-year high for points scored in a road game. They are 15-4 for the first time since 2000-01.
12. Gonzaga (12-6, 4-1 WCC)
Last week: 13
Results: beat Portland 69-55
NET ranking: No. 68
Up next: vs. San Francisco (Thursday)
Comment: Lauren Whittaker had 22 points and 10 rebounds and the Zags outscored Portland by 20 in the third quarter, rebounding from a Jan. 4 loss to Santa Clara. The 6-foot-3 Whittaker continues to excel as a redshirt freshman, averaging 19.6 points and 9.9 rebounds.
13. UC Irvine (15-2, 6-0 Big West)
Last week: 13
Results: won at Long Beach State 78-59, beat Hawaii 50-47
NET ranking: 84
Up next: vs. UC Davis (Saturday)
Comment: The Anteaters increased their school-record winning streak to 14 games and stayed tied atop the Big West (San Diego is 5-0). They trailed 21-18 at halftime against Hawaii but led 45-38 with five minutes left, then held on thanks to five late points from Jada Wynn. Hunter Hernandez scored 41 points combined for the week.
14. San Diego State (12-3, 6-0 Mountain West)
Last week: Not ranked
Results: beat Grand Canyon 87-69, won at Utah State 73-72
NET ranking: No. 87
Up next: vs. New Mexico (Wednesday)
Comment: Rallying from 11 down in the fourth quarter against Utah State for its eighth consecutive win, San Diego State breaks into the Hotline rankings. The Aztecs are tied for first in the Mountain West and have the conference’s best overall record. Naomi Panganiban had 23 points, including the game-winning basket at Utah State.
15. UNLV (11-5, 6-0 Mountain West)
Last week: Not ranked
Results: beat Utah State 69-58, won at Wyoming 82-53
NET ranking: No. 82
Up next: at San Jose State (Wednesday)
Comment: UNLV is tied with San Diego State atop the Mountain West and on a six-game winning streak. Meadow Roland is the conference’s Player of the Week for the third time, averaging 18 points and 13 rebounds. She was the Mountain West Freshman and Sixth Player of the Year last season.
Also considered: California, Colorado State, Montana State
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