AP Poll Logic Still Murky as Ole Miss Stays Put at No. 14

One constant throughout this college basketball season has been some the AP top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll not making much sense.

A lot of the decisions the voters made were inconsistent from one team to the next. For some teams, head-to-head wins mattered and the winner would be ranked ahead of the losing team. Other times, it wouldn’t matter.

The Ole Miss women’s basketball team has been on the wrong end of those decisions several times this season. But, at least since those decisions were made, the voters have been more consistent.

After starting February 1-1, Ole Miss fell only one spot to No. 14 poll.

The Rebels went 1-1 last week as its ended a road trip that lasted more than a week after Winter Storm Fern devastated parts of Oxford. The week started with a 71-45 win against Auburn at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala.

Three days later, the Rebels feel to then-No. 21 Alabama, 64-63, after some questionable officiating decisions in the final minute of play.

However, the voters aren’t totally clear of any controversies.

Duke moved up six spots to No. 11 after a 2-0 week that featured a 59-58 win against then-No. 6 Louisville. That may seem a reasonable move until you realize Ole Miss moved up fewer spots (four) after beating a higher-ranked team (then-No. 5 Vanderbilt) in the following week’s poll.

To quote Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin from a January press conference, “make it make sense.”

How does Duke move up more spots, and ahead of Ole Miss, for beating a No. 6-ranked team and Ole Miss was still forced to stay behind Michigan State after being Vanderbilt two weeks ago?

Please, make it make sense.

Next Up

Ole Miss had Sunday off and will make their return to SJB Pavilion in Oxford on Thursday when the Rebels host Arkansas (11-14, 0-10 SEC).

Here’s the complete top 25 poll released Monday morning.

AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll

1. UConn 25-0
2. UCLA 23-1
3. South Carolina 24-2
4. Texas 22-2
5. Vanderbilt 22-2
6. LSU 22-3
7. Michigan 20-4
8. Ohio State 22-3
9. Louisville 22-4
10. Oklahoma 17-5
11. Duke 18-6
12. Baylor 21-4
13. Michigan State 20-4
14. Ole Miss 19-5
15. Iowa 18-5
16. Texas Tech 22-3
17. TCU 21-4
18. Kentucky 18-6
19. West Virginia 20-5
20. Maryland 19-6
21. North Carolina 20-5
22. Tennessee 15-6
23. Alabama 20-5
24. Princeton 19-2
25. Washington 18-6

Others receiving votes: Minnesota 42, Rhode Island 29, Georgia 23, Iowa St. 17, Illinois 6, Richmond 5, NC State 5, Fairfield 4, N Dakota St 1.