Powered by a 16-3 record, the Kentucky women’s basketball team continued its ascension in the latest basketball polls, climbing to No. 23 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

UK nearly cracked the Associated Top 25 for the first time this season, picking up 53 votes — the equivalent of 27th place — after yet another 2-0 week.

Five Southeastern Conference teams currently reside in the AP Top 25.

Kentucky returns to action Thursday in Baton Rouge, La., against No. 18/19 LSU.

ESPN/USA Today Poll   1. Connecticut (31)  19-0 775   2. Stanford 17-1 742   3. Notre Dame 17-1 702   4. Nebraska 17-0 676   5. Tennessee 17-2 649   6. Ohio State 20-2 585   7. Duke 17-3 577   8. Texas A&M 15-2 552   9. Georgia 18-2 547  10. Xavier 14-3 504  11. West Virginia 18-2 435  12. Oklahoma 14-4 429  13. North Carolina 16-3 401  14. Florida State 18-3 372  15. Georgetown 17-2 338  16. Baylor 14-4 312  17. Oklahoma State 16-3 249  18. Iowa State 15-3 210  19. LSU 14-4 184  20. Virginia 14-5 167  21. TCU 14-4 141  22. Wisconsin-Green Bay 16-2 138  23. Kentucky 16-3 100  24. Vanderbilt 14-6 77  25. Texas 13-6 49