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UConn women’s basketball remains No. 6 in AP Top 25; Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong sweep Big East awards

The UConn women’s basketball team came in at No. 6 in the AP Top 25 poll for the second consecutive week with no movement among the top eight teams entering Week 12.

The Huskies swept their pair of Big East matchups last week, beating St. John’s 71-45 on the road before dominating Seton Hall 96-36 at home on Sunday. UConn has been the only ranked representative of the Big East since Week 2, though Creighton was the second team out of the top 25 this week, receiving 28 votes behind Nebraska’s 35 and No. 25 Baylor with 37. UConn (17-2, 8-0 Big East) faces Creighton (15-3, 7-0) in Omaha, Neb. on Saturday looking to remain undefeated and take sole control of first place in the conference.

Huskies star Paige Bueckers earned her fourth Big East Player of the Week honors after becoming the fastest player in program history to score 2,000 career points against the Pirates in her 102nd game. Bueckers, who returned last week from a two-game absence due to a knee sprain, averaged 15 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists across the two victories. Sarah Strong also earned her seventh Freshman of the Week recognition after averaging 14.5 points and eight rebounds shooting 75% from the field. UConn players have swept the conference’s weekly honors four times in 2024-25.

Dom Amore: Maybe it hasn’t been on script, but Paige Bueckers, on brink of 2,000 points, has fashioned a tale of her own at UConn

UConn is set to face two more ranked opponents before the end of the regular season, beginning with No. 17 Tennessee on Feb. 6 in Knoxville. The Lady Vols dropped two spots after a loss to Vanderbilt, marking the first win in the in-state rival for UConn alum Shea Ralph as head coach of the Commodores. The Huskies will also take on No. 2 South Carolina on the road Feb. 16 looking to end the reigning national champions’ 68-game home winning streak. The Gamecocks received their first first-place this week vote since losing to No. 1 UCLA in November, and No. 3 Notre Dame also claimed two first-places votes.

AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll: Week 12

1. UCLA
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. USC
5. LSU
6. UConn
7. Texas
8. Maryland
9. TCU
10. Kansas State
11. Kentucky
12.  Ohio State
13. North Carolina
14. Duke
15. Oklahoma
16. West Virginia
17. Tennessee
18. Georgia Tech
19. Alabama
20. NC State
21. Michigan State
22. California
23. Minnesota
24. Michigan
25. Baylor

How UConn reporter Emily Adams voted in Week 12 AP poll

1. UCLA
2. South Carolina
3. Notre Dame
4. USC
5. UConn
6. Texas
7. Maryland
8. LSU
9. TCU
10. Ohio State
11. Kansas State
12. Kentucky
13. North Carolina
14. Duke
15. Oklahoma
16. Tennessee
17. Alabama
18. Michigan
19. West Virginia
20. Georgia Tech
21. Michigan State
22. California
23. NC State
24. Minnesota
25. Vanderbilt