Notre Dame women’s basketball as been raising some eyebrows with the big numbers the team is putting up, including a 41-point win over Stanford and a 39-point victory over then No. 21 California last week.
Combine said numbers with South Carolina’s loss to Texas on Sunday and the Irish are making a move in the latest national polls.
Notre Dame (21-2) has moved up to the No. 2-ranked team in the country in both the USA Today Coaches poll and the Associated Press poll.
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Unbeaten UCLA (23-0) remains the unanimous No. 1 team in the land in both polls while Texas (24-2) moved up to No. 3 and South Carolina (22-2) dropped to No. 4. LSU (25-1) completes the top five in both polls.
South Carolina lost to Texas, 66-62, on Sunday. The same Texas team that Notre Dame beat, 80-70, in overtime back on Dec. 5 at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend.
Remaining ranked opponents on Notre Dame’s schedule include a home game against No. 10/13 Duke (19-5) on Feb. 17, No. 11/10 N.C. State (19-4) on Feb. 23 in Raleigh, N.C., No. 21/23 Florida State (19-5) at home on Feb. 27. The Irish complete their home schedule on March 2 against Louisville, which is still receiving votes in both polls.
A quick look at UCLA’s schedule reveals a game this Thursday against No. 6 USC (21-2) in Los Angeles, followed by a home game against No. 22 Michigan State (18-5), games against Illinois (receiving votes), Iowa and Wisconsin, before a home finale and rematch with the No. 6 Trojans.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame women in latest rankings: Why Irish rose this week
