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Alexa PhilippouESPN
The three teams ranked in the top 10 in the Associated Press women’s basketball poll — No. 4 Indiana, No. 6 North Carolina State University and No. 7 Virginia Tech — dropped to unranked teams Thursday night. At least in 1999-2000, teams played unranked opponents in a single day, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
In East Lansing, Michigan State (9-5, 1-2) beat Indiana (12-1, 2-1) 83-78 in Big Ten play. North Carolina State (11-2, 1-1) lost at home to Duke (12-1, 2-0), where he lost 72-58. Clemson (10-4, 1-1) beat Virginia Tech in South Carolina (11-2, 1-2) to his 64-59 record, giving the Hokies his third win in three games. It was the second defeat of the
Thursday’s series of upsets increased the number of losses by the AP’s top 10 teams to 22 this season, according to an ESPN Stats & Information study. This is at least as high as he was in 2014-15, when he had the most since 1999-2000 and he had the most since January. Seven of those losses were to unranked teams, his most from 1999-2000 and his 2004-05.
No. 5 Notre Dame (11-1, 2-0) was also nearly shaken by Miami (7-6, 0-2) before pulling out a 66-63 win in Coral Gables, Florida. No. 13 North Carolina (9-3, 0-1) also fell to the unranked team of Florida State (13-2, 2-0), 78-71 at Chapel Hill, while Tarr his heels recorded his second straight loss. did.
Each of the top 10 teams to lose on Thursday were also without key starters due to injuries – since December 11th. Virginia Tech hopes Ashley Owusu (broken pinky finger) won’t be around until halfway through the meeting.
The Hoosiers are one of the six remaining undefeated teams in NCAA Division I women’s basketball on Thursday. The remaining five are 1st overall and defending national champion South Carolina, 3rd Ohio State, 9th LSU, 11th Utah and 25th St. John’s.
“We’re disappointed,” Indiana coach Teri Mollen said after Thursday’s loss, noting her team’s 21 turnovers and defensive failures against the Spartans. Give them credit, they fought to the end.I’m disappointed, but Michigan State deserved to win this game today.”
Duke led for nearly 29 minutes against North Carolina State, including the entire second half, before admirably withstanding the Wolfpack’s comeback attempt.
“When they ran, we kept our composure,” said Duke head coach Kara Lawson. We didn’t allow it to pass.That’s a big improvement for us.We haven’t had a lot of close games this year yet so I don’t know what to do.I think your team will have a close or very important game in the 4th quarter. Possession will be reacted to.
Of the three programs that secured a major upset Thursday, only Duke received votes in the latest AP poll. Clemson and Michigan State University were also absent from Charlie Creme’s latest Bracket Science on Tuesday.
The Blue Devils’ 12-1 start was their best since 2016-17, and their victory over the Wolfpack on the road was the highest ranked opponent her team has beaten since Lawson took office. It was probably the best win of Lawson’s career. in Durham in 2020.