The ACC/Big Ten Challenge came to an end after a 15-season run this year, and it went out with an absolute bang. Four matchups in the final iteration of the challenge pitted ranked teams against one another, and two of them were battles between top-10 squads. The ACC ultimately won 8-6, but there is a lot to like about the Big Ten, especially at the top.
Those two conferences will be the focus of this week’s power rankings, but first, a quick nod to the South Carolina Gamecocks, who keep finding ways to win.
Dropped out: Louisville (16), Texas (21)
Almost famous: Marquette, Nebraska, Kansas, Middle Tennessee State
Notes on the votes
• The Pac-12 continues to test South Carolina, this time in the form of UCLA as the Bruins took it to the Gamecocks on their home court. A young UCLA team built a double-digit lead against the defending champs in the first half by packing the paint and sending hard doubles at Aliyah Boston. But Kamilla Cardoso found the gaps in the defense as the game wore on, attacking the offensive glass to provide some needed scoring for South Carolina on a night when the team hit only one 3.
It all comes back to the defense for the Gamecocks, though, and against the Bruins, rim protection was the name of the game. South Carolina’s dominant front line forced…
