Back-to-back victories last week helped Syracuse stay inside the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the fifth straight week of the season. The No. 20 Orange beat previously-ranked Michigan State last Wednesday before cruising past Central Connecticut State, 95-63, on Sunday afternoon.

The Orange (6-3) has won two straight for the first time since the season’s opening two contests, when SU reached the No. 14 ranking. In Week 3, after a 3-0 start, SU moved up to No. 11, the highest rank in program history.

Three losses in four games followed, bumping Syracuse to No. 20, where it has now sat the last two weeks. Senior guard and Naismith watch list honoree Alexis Peterson leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring with 23.1 points per game. Brittney Sykes averages 17.8 points per game and Briana Day 12.9 to lead SU.

Seven ACC teams placed in the Top 25. Notre Dame lost the top spot it held for four weeks to four-time defending national champion Connecticut. No. 7 Florida State, No. 8 Louisville, No. 14 Miami, No. 20 Syracuse, No. 21 Duke and No. 25 Virginia Tech round out the ranking.

Syracuse hosts two teams this week: Coppin State (0-7) on Wednesday at 11 a.m. and Niagara (3-4) on Saturday at 3 p.m.