Sporting its highest ranking in program history, UCLA delivered one of its biggest wins ever with a 78-67 defeat of UConn at the Cayman Islands Classic. Behind Kiki Rice's 24 points, the Bruins proved more than deserving of the No. 2 billing they carried into Thanksgiving, and maintain with the Nov. 27 release of the latest AP Top 25. 

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The win over UConn preceded a rout of Niagara, improving UCLA to 6-0. The Bruins' start includes a hard-fought win over Princeton, which is now a Top 25 win thanks to the Tigers breaking into the Nov. 27 poll at No. 25. 

Also new to the poll this week: Marquette checks in at No. 23 thanks to its 6-0 start. The Golden Eagles scored a win over a then-ranked Illinois team in the first week of the season, and at the Thanksgiving week Fort Myers Tip-Off, scored a 74-58 rout against Arkansas. 

Marquette takes its new Top 25 billing into a homestand this week, beginning Wednesday against Memphis. 

Nov. 27's highest climbers, along with previously unranked Marquette and Princeton, are North Carolina State and Ole Miss with five-spot jumps each. NC State's climb comes on the heels of beating previously third-ranked Colorado at the Paradise Jam. The Wolfpack have two top-five wins less than a month into the season following their opening-week defeat of UConn. 

NCSU now joins the top five in its own right, a group also made up of South Carolina, holding steady at No. 1; third-ranked Stanford; and No. 4 Iowa. The Hawkeyes were terrific en route to the Gulf Coast Showcase championship, putting up 98 and 100 points in routs of Purdue-Fort Wayne and FGCU before a rematch with Kansas State. 

K-State was responsible for Iowa's blemish, a 65-58 decision on Nov. 16. The Wildcats were up for the challenge again, playing Iowa tough. But Caitlin Clark's 32-point outpouring ensured a different result the second time around. 

Clark talked with FloHoops following her Most Valuable Player performance: 

Clark and the Hawkeyes rank 10th nationally in scoring offense after the Gulf Coast Showcase, averaging 90.2 points per game. Third-ranked overall Stanford isn't far behind at 86.3 points per game, an output the Cardinal bolstered with their 100-point effort against Florida State at the Ball Dawgs Classic. 

Kiki Iriafen lit up Las Vegas with 30 points and 17 rebounds in the 100-88 win over the Seminoles. 

Iowa, Stanford, UCLA and the rest of the pack of contenders fast forming around the nation all look to unseat LSU. The Tigers remain in the top 10 this week, despite playing at the Cayman Islands Classic without 2022-23 breakout sensation Angel Reese. 

Angel Reese doesn’t appear to be with the team at the Cayman Islands Classic; LSU walked into Thursday's practice without her.

It's unclear if Reese traveled to the Grand Cayman Islands with LSU.

Read: https://t.co/gHkDf0MdsB

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— FloHoops (@FloHoops) November 23, 2023

Aneesah Morrow erupted in Reese's absence to lead LSU to a thrilling, 76-73 defeat of Virginia. Morrow went for 37 points and 16 rebounds. 

Nov. 27 Women's AP Top 25

1. South Carolina

Record: 5-0

Previous: No. 1

2. UCLA 

Record: 6-0

Previous: No. 2

3. Stanford

Record: 7-0

Previous: No. 5

4. Iowa

Record: 7-1

Previous: No. 5

5. North Carolina State

Record: 7-0

Previous: No. 10

6. USC

Record: 5-0

Previous: No. 8

7t. LSU

Record: 7-1

Previous: No. 7

7t. Colorado 

Record: 6-1

Previous: No. 3

9. Virginia Tech 

Record: 5-1

Previous: No. 9

10. Texas

Record: 7-0

Previous: No. 12

11. UConn

Record: 4-2 

Previous: No. 6

12. Utah

Record: 5-1

Previous: No. 10

13. Baylor

Record: 5-0 

Previous: No. 14

14. Kansas State

Record: 6-1

Previous: No. 16

15. Florida State

Record: 5-1

Previous: 13

16. Ohio State

Record: 5-1

Previous: No. 15 

17. Indiana

Record: 5-1

Previous: No. 21

18. Notre Dame

Record: 5-1

Previous: No. 17

19. Ole Miss

Record: 6-1

Previous: No. 24

20. Tennessee 

Record: 4-2 

Previous: No. 19

21. Mississippi State

Record: 8-0

Previous: No. 25

22. Louisville

Record: 6-1

Previous: No. 20

23. Marquette

Record: 5-0

Previous: Not ranked

24. North Carolina 

Record: 5-2

Previous: No. 18

25. Princeton

Record: 4-2

Previous: Not ranked