South Carolina tops AP preseason women’s basketball poll

South Carolina was ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press preseason women’s basketball poll, receiving 23 of 31 first-place votes from a national media panel. UConn placed second with six votes, while Southern California, known as USC, was third with two. The poll reflects preseason expectations, not results from the coming season. Duke and Michigan completed the top five. Texas was sixth, followed by Louisville, Vanderbilt, LSU and Iowa. Defending national champion UCLA was ranked 11th. The poll’s top 25 also includes nine Big Ten teams, a record for the conference in the preseason rankings. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley described the top ranking as “a gift and curse,” saying it brings both respect and pressure. She said players notice the No. 1 position and that the team’s challenging nonconference schedule will test it. South Carolina has been ranked first in the preseason poll five times in the past seven years. The Gamecocks are scheduled to face five ranked opponents in the first month of the season, including UConn, USC and Duke. Their matchup with UConn is set for November 24 in Uncasville, Connecticut. South Carolina is also scheduled to play USC on November 15 in...