Five takeaways from AP Top 25 women's basketball poll

In this week's Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll, released on Monday, a new No. 1 emerges following a major upset on Sunday.

Here are five takeaways from the poll.

Texas reaches the top for the first time since 2004

With Notre Dame's surprising loss to NC State on Sunday, Texas (26-2, 12-1 SEC), up one spot from its No. 2 ranking, becomes the latest No. 1 team in the poll on the heels of three straight wins over top 10 opponents.

The Longhorns are the fourth No. 1 team this season, along with Notre Dame, UCLA and South Carolina. That is tied for the most No. 1 teams in one season since the women's AP poll started in 1976-77.

Despite a busy three-game stretch this week to close out the regular season, Texas is positioned with the Gamecocks atop the SEC standings and poised to make some noise in March with star sophomore Madison Booker (16.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG) leading the way.

Notre Dame drops after first conference loss; NC State rises into top 10

For the first time all season, the Fighting Irish (24-3, 15-1 ACC) lost a conference game on Sunday. As a result of their 104-95 loss in double overtime to then-No. 13 NC State, the Fighting Irish fall two spots to No. 3.

Despite a buzzer-beating three-pointer from guard Sonia Citron to force the extra frame, Notre Dame fell short and allowed the most points (104) by an AP No. 1 team in the last 25 seasons. 

For a team that shoots 40.6 percent from behind the arc, shooting 7-of-27 and allowing 104 points (24-of-26 FT) is not a recipe for success. Those are two key areas as Notre Dame looks to hold onto its one-game lead over the Wolfpack in the ACC standings.

NC State (22-5, 14-2 ACC), up four spots to No. 9, has now won back-to-back games over ranked opponents. Sunday's win over Notre Dame gave the program its fifth win over an AP No. 1 team all-time, with three of those coming in the last five seasons.

The Wolfpack have proved they can beat anyone. If they keep getting to the charity stripe and converting as they did on Sunday, their momentum may carry through the ACC Tournament and beyond.

Tennessee rises with four consecutive wins

After a monster 37-point third quarter helped Tennessee (21-6, 8-6 SEC) rally from a 37-28 halftime deficit to Florida on Sunday, the Lady Vols, up four spots to No. 11, have put together four straight wins and won six of their last seven.

In the comeback over the Gators, Tennessee forced 21 turnovers and held Florida to an abysmal 11.8 percent from three-point range. While the Lady Vols are in the middle of the SEC standings, all six of their losses have been by single digits. If a few plays go differently, Tennessee could be in an even better spot, which shows the potential this team has as it looks to go on a run in postseason play.

Baylor continues to impress and gains two spots

With eight straight wins, Baylor (24-5, 14-2 Big 12), up two spots to No. 17, has put itself into a tie with No. 10 TCU atop the Big 12 standings.

After suffering back-to-back losses to a No. 1 UCLA team and then-No. 9 TCU back in January, the Bears have won seven of their last eight games by double figures. Their only ranked win in that time, though, was against an 18th-ranked West Virginia team. Baylor won 75-65 and shot 50 percent from the field. 

With No. 14 Kansas State and No. 10 TCU remaining on Baylor's schedule, the Bears will have a good idea of where they stand entering the Big 12 Tournament following this week.

Florida State returns to poll at No. 24

With the second-highest-scoring offense in the country (89.4 PPG), Florida State (22-6, 12-4 ACC) makes its return to the poll at No. 24.

Florida State has had four players score at least 30 points this season, which is tied for the most by a Division I team in the last 25 seasons. When the shots are falling, this team is dangerous.