When South Carolina's winning streak came to an end over the weekend, it was clear that a new No. 1 in women's college basketball was on the horizon. The voting to determine the new top team in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll was a nail-biter that came down to the very last moment.

Connecticut Takes the Lead

For now, Connecticut finds itself at the top of the rankings. The Huskies managed to finish just one poll point ahead of UCLA. It's quite remarkable that the Bruins, despite receiving 14 first-place votes (one more than UConn), were narrowly edged out. After defeating the then-No. 1 Gamecocks, UCLA showed their strength. Notre Dame, on the other hand, with a splashy win of their own at Southern California, holds the third spot overall and also received three first-place votes. Texas remains at No. 4 but managed to claim the last No. 1 vote this week. South Carolina slipped to No. 5, and USC dropped to No. 6.

In the top 10, LSU remains steady, Oklahoma moves up a spot, and Ohio State and West Virginia each gain two positions. This shows the dynamic nature of the women's college basketball landscape as teams constantly strive to improve their rankings.

The loss of Kansas State to No. 13 Duke led to a drop of two places to No. 12. Iowa State, unfortunately, fell seven spots to 15th after being upset by a hot-shooting Northern Iowa. These setbacks highlight the importance of consistent performance on the court.

Iowa Joins the Poll

Iowa makes its way into the poll at No. 24, replacing Oregon. This addition brings a new element to the competition and shows that there are always teams vying for a spot in the top 25.

The women's college basketball season is filled with ups and downs, and these rankings reflect the ebb and flow of the teams' performances. Each team is fighting hard to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these rankings continue to shift and which teams will emerge as the true contenders for the championship.