Oregon Ducks retain top spot then win season opener

NEW YORK – Oregon had the most impressive win of the week in a game that didn’t even count.

The Ducks remained a solid No. 1 in The Associated Press women’s college basketball poll Monday, receiving 28 of 30 first-place votes from a national media panel. Oregon stunned the U.S. women’s national team in an exhibition game on Saturday, handing the Americans only their second loss ever to a college program.

All-America Sabrina Ionescu led the way with 30 points. The Ducks opened their season with an 89-47 victory over visiting Northeastern on Monday night.

“This is a memorable night,” coach Kelly Graves said after the victory. “Great crowd, they were loud. That’s almost really about as good as it can get in basketball. And all that being said, we’re 0-0.”

Baylor was second in the women’s AP Top 25, claiming the other two first-place ballots. The Lady Bears were followed by Stanford, Connecticut and Texas A&M. It’s the first time the Aggies are ranked in the top five since they were fifth on Dec. 29, 2014.

South Carolina moved up to sixth after an impressive road victory over then-No. 4 Maryland on Sunday. The Terrapins dropped to eighth. A year ago, Maryland went to South Carolina and rallied from an early 12-point deficit to register an 85-61 victory.

“It was an embarrassment,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said.

Oregon State was seventh, with Louisville and Mississippi State rounding out the top 10.