PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Six BIG EAST women’s basketball teams remain in both the Associated Press and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls and two teams received votes after the seventh week of play.

Notre Dame jumped to the No. 2 spot in both polls after a 74-67 overtime victory over then-No. 2/2 Connecticut at home on Jan. 7.  The Fighting Irish are 15-1 on the season and 4-0 in BIG EAST play.  ND has proven itself against a tough schedule, recording a 5-1 record against teams ranked in the top-25, with its only loss coming at No. 1/1 Baylor on Nov. 2 in the championship game of the Preseason WNIT.

Connecticut fell to No. 3 in both polls after the loss at then-No. 3/3 Notre Dame.   The Huskies are 13-2 on the season, with their only losses coming on the road to the two teams currently ranked No. 1 and No. 2, Baylor and Notre Dame.  UConn will travel to Villanova on Jan. 14 before hosting No. 22/21 North Carolina on Jan. 16 in a nationally televised game on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.

Rutgers improved to No. 8 in the AP poll and No. 9 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ poll.  The 14-2 Scarlet Knights have rattled off five-straight victories since losing to then-No.6/6 Tennessee.  RU will look to ride its momentum when it hosts No. 16/15 Louisville on Jan. 14 at 2 p.m.

Louisville slipped to No. 16 in the AP poll and No. 15 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ poll after falling at S. John’s 72-64.  The 13-3 Cardinals are looking for a leader after losing two of their starters, including All-BIG EAST Preseason pick Monique Reid, to season-ending injuries.  UofL hosts USF on Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. and will travel to No. 8/9 Rutgers on Jan. 14. 

Georgetown, 13-4 (2-2 BIG EAST), fell to No. 18 in the AP poll and No. 17 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ poll.  The Hoyas lost to then-No. 20/18 DePaul at home on Jan. 3.  They suffered their second conference defeat on Jan. 10 at the hands of No. 2/2 Notre Dame, also at home.  GU will host Syracuse Jan 15 at noon in a game televised on ESPNU. 

DePaul dropped one spot in each poll to No. 21 in the AP poll and No. 19 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ poll.  The Blue Demons beat then-No. 15/16 Georgetown 59-50 in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 3 but fell to Providence 60-52 on the road on Jan. 7.  On Jan. 8, DPU announced that All-BIG EAST Preseason pick Keisha Hampton would not be able to finish the season after undergoing exploratory surgery.   

St. John’s (10-6, 2-1) is receiving votes is both polls after downing then-No. 14/12 Louisville 72-64 on Jan. 8.  West Virginia is also receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN poll.

To view the polls in their entirety, please visit the BIG EAST women’s basketball national poll page.