Disappointment at the top of Pac-12 women’s basketball with No. 2 Stanford’s overtime loss to No. 1 South Carolina was offset last week by UCLA, Utah and more bulk non-conference excellence.

The Bruins beat three quality teams to win the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas while ascending into the AP poll at No. 20. That puts five Pac-12 teams into the rankings, including Utah at No. 17, an eight-place leap after a school record-tying 124 points in a rout of then No. 15 Oklahoma.

Stanford remains No. 2 after its 76-71 overtime loss Sunday that arguably shouldn’t have gone beyond regulation. The Cardinal led 60-54 with 2:04 left in the fourth quarter only to be outscored 7-1 at home, forcing OT. Then in the final 10 seconds of the extra period, Stanford turned the ball over on an inbounds violation and called a timeout it didn’t have — both while down by two points.

“It might be a team just not ready to be No. 1,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said after a second early-season loss to South Carolina in as many years. “We have to be hungry as No. 2, improve, stay healthy, get better.”

Overall, Pac-12 teams are a combined 51-4 (national best 92.7 non-conference winning percentage) through Tuesday.

Here are the Hotline’s third 2022-23 women’s basketball power ratings with all but Stanford and USC in new positions.

1. Stanford (5-1)

Last week: 1

Results: beat Cal Poly 80-43, lost to South Carolina 76-71 (OT)

Next up: vs. Florida Gulf Coast (Friday)

Comment: Stanford’s 22 turnovers led to 18 South Carolina points and ultimately cost the Cardinal in a game it led for 40:44 (compared to South Carolina’s 3:25). But freshman point guard Talana Lepolo more than held her own with twice as many assists as turnovers on her biggest stage so far.

2. UCLA (6-0)

Last week: 5

Results: beat South Dakota State 72-65, beat Tennessee 80-63, beat Marquette 66-58 (OT)

Next up: vs. Jackson State (Friday)

Comment: The Bruins more than deserve a three-place Hotline promotion for avenging two losses from last season (including in the WNIT semifinals) vs. South Dakota State, dominating then-No. 11 Tennessee and finally putting Marquette away on Monday. Charisma Osborne is the Pac-12 Player of the Week and was Battle for Atlantis MVP.

3. Utah (5-0)

Last week: 4

Results: beat Oklahoma 124-78, beat Alabama 93-86

Next up: vs. Mississippi (Wednesday)

Comment: Some more on the 124-point outburst: Six Utes scored in double figures, half of those had 21 or more; a school record 41-point third quarter; 40 3-point attempts (making 13); and 51 rebounds (20 more than Oklahoma). Utah is No. 2 nationally in scoring offense, averaging 100.2 points.

4. Oregon (4-0)

Last week: 2

Results: beat Southern Utah 66-54

Next up: vs. North Carolina (Thursday)

Comment: Perhaps looking ahead, the Ducks played an incomplete game in Monday’s win over Southern Utah, dropping two spots in the Hotline rankings while moving up three to No. 18 nationally. Games in Portland this week vs. No. 8 North Carolina then perhaps No. 5 Iowa State will be telling. Portland, by the way, was named Monday to host the 2030 NCAA Women’s Final Four.

5. Arizona (4-0)

Last week: 3

Results: beat Loyola Marymount 87-51, beat Long Beach State 86-64

Next up: vs. Cal Baptist (Friday)

Comment: Like Oregon, Arizona really did nothing wrong to take a two-spot Hotline drop. It’s just life in the competitive Pac-12. The No. 15-ranked Wildcats are No. 3 nationally in scoring (93.2 ppg) with all five starters reaching double figures vs. Long Beach State.

6. Oregon State (4-0)

Last week: 8

Results: beat Eastern Washington 73-66, beat Prairie View A&M 100-59

Next up: vs. Iowa (Friday)

Comment: The Beavers are a bit under the radar so far, although 6-foot-2 forward Raegen Beers is the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week coming off consecutive double-doubles (one with 28 points). Oregon State also plays in Portland this week, against No. 9 Iowa, then potentially No. 3 Connecticut in the Phil Knight Legacy tournament.

7. Washington State (4-1)

Last week: 6

Results: lost to BYU 67-57, beat Troy 87-72

Next up: vs. BYU (Friday)

Comment: The Cougars couldn’t overcome their lack of depth in the loss to BYU, which came in 0-3. But WSU put five players in double figures in a win over Troy, including Bella Murekatete with a 22-point, 16-rebound double-double.

8. Arizona State (4-0)

Last week: 9

Results: beat New Mexico 83-77 (OT)

Next up: vs. American or Notre Dame (Friday)

Comment: Trailing by five with 2:37 left in regulation, ASU rallied to win its first game played at New Mexico since 2004. Guard Tyi Skinner had a second straight 24-point game for arguably the best Pac-12 individual weekly performance other than UCLA’s Osborne. ASU will play American, then No. 7 Notre Dame in that order in the Bahamas (provided the Irish beat American on Thursday).

9. Colorado (4-1)

Last week: 7

Results: lost to Texas Tech 86-85 (OT), beat Air Force 71-63

Next up: at Tennessee (Friday)

Comment: In the Preseason WNIT, Colorado dominated Jackson State, which beat Texas Tech. Then the Buffs tripped up against Texas Tech themselves, committing 34 fouls, tied for second most in school history. Quay Miller was named the tournament MVP and is shooting 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from 3-point range. The Buffs get a struggling No. 23 Tennessee (2-4) next.

10. USC (4-0)

Last week: 10

Results: beat USF 74-48

Next up: vs. Penn (Wednesday)

Comment: French forward Kadi Sissoko, a transfer from Minnesota, continues to lead the Trojans, scoring 21 points against USF and averaging 17.3 for the season. USC plays its next six games at home, the last of that string against UCLA in its Pac-12 opener Dec. 15, when the Trojans could be 9-0.

11. Washington (4-0)

Last week: 12

Results: beat UC Irvine 62-60 (2 OT), beat Idaho State 56-39

Next up: vs. Fordham (Friday)

Comment: The Huskies haven’t played anyone notable but their RPI and strength-of-schedule are best in the Pac-12 to date, so they get a bump back up to No. 11. Forward Dalayah Daniels, a transfer from Cal, starred in the double-overtime win with 24 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks.

12. California (3-1)

Last week: 11

Results: beat Idaho 84-71, beat Saint Mary’s 69-66

Next up: at Loyola Marymount (Friday)

Comment: The Bears took care of business, holding off Saint Mary’s even though point guard Leilani McIntosh (18 points) was the only player in double figures. Cal’s schedule is thin through the remainder of non-conference play, making a move in Hotline rankings difficult.

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