The USC Trojans are No. 2 in the latest AP Top-25 Poll for women's college basketball after defeating the No. 4 UCLA Bruins for the second time of the season. In the SEC Tournament, the South Carolina Gamecocks hold the No.

Southern California has its best ranking in 39 years after moving up to No. 2 in The Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 on Monday.

USC defeated previously-ranked No. 2 UCLA on Saturday to capture the Big Ten regular-season crown, giving its highest ranking in nearly four decades.

Auburn was the unanimous pick at No. 1 for the second straight week, receiving all 61 votes from a media panel in the poll released on Monday. The Tigers held the top spot for the eighth straight week following lopsided wins over Ole Miss and then-No. 17 Kentucky.

The air is thinner and the climb tougher at high elevation, and it’s no different near the top of the college basketball rankings. St. John’s however reached one more plateau on the ascent when it moved up a spot to No. 6 on the AP Top 25 poll released on Monday afternoon.

Fresh off winning its first Big East title in 40 years, Rick Pitino's St. John's squad earned its ranking in an AP top 25 poll since 1991, coming in at No. 6.