Vanderbilt has made a noteworthy return to the Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25, now positioned at No. 23, marking its first ranking in over a decade. Meanwhile, Texas has surged back into the top five, while both Ohio State and Duke have re-entered the top 10.
Under the guidance of coach Shea Ralph, the Vanderbilt team celebrates its first poll appearance since February 10, 2014. The Commodores have significantly improved, achieving two victories against ranked opponents, a feat not accomplished since the 2015-16 season. Their recent win against then-No. 19 Alabama is pivotal, particularly as the Crimson Tide was among the twelve ranked teams that faced setbacks last week.
The leading quartet of teams in the poll remains unchanged, with UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame, and USC all successfully navigating their schedules without any upsets. The Bruins earned 31 first-place votes from the 32-member media panel after a flawless performance during an eight-day East Coast trip, which included wins over then-No. 25 Baylor, Rutgers, and the previously eighth-ranked Maryland.
As the only undefeated team in Division I basketball, UCLA garnered two of the first-place votes this week, while South Carolina received the remaining top vote. Texas has climbed ahead of UConn to settle in fifth place, with the Huskies now ranked sixth, and LSU slipping to seventh. Ohio State has improved its position by four spots to eighth after defeating Maryland, which has now fallen to 14th following three consecutive losses.
The top ten is rounded out by TCU and Duke, with the Horned Frogs recently splitting their games with Oklahoma State and Baylor.
In this week’s ranking updates, Oklahoma State and Florida State have made their return at No. 24 and No. 25, respectively. The Seminoles had previously featured in the preseason rankings and secured a dramatic buzzer-beater win against North Carolina courtesy of last week’s AP Player of the Week, Ta’Niya Latson. The Cowgirls, conversely, have seen a fluctuating presence in the rankings over the past several weeks.
Teams that dropped out of the rankings this week include Michigan, Minnesota, and Baylor.
In other notable news, Tennessee’s head coach Kim Caldwell is back on the sidelines after giving birth to her first child, Conor Scott, just a week ago. Caldwell had to navigate this life-altering event while also battling the flu. She missed just one game, an 80-76 loss to No. 7 Texas, during which assistant coach Jenna Burdette stepped in as acting coach.
As for conference representation, the Southeastern Conference boasts eight ranked teams, followed by the ACC with seven. The Big Ten now has five teams after the exits of Michigan and Minnesota, while the Big 12 consists of four ranked teams and the Big East features one.
Looking ahead at the schedule, an exciting matchup is set for Friday, with Columbia taking on Harvard. This game promises a fierce competition for Ivy League supremacy, as Columbia remains undefeated, while Harvard seeks redemption after a narrow defeat against Princeton. Additionally, on Sunday, No. 12 Kentucky will face off against No. 13 Oklahoma. The Wildcats currently sit tied for second in the SEC standings with a 6-1 record.
