While a few inspired upsets have shaken up the Top 25 in women's college basketball, a handful of teams remain perfect. The list of undefeateds has shrunk to just three: UConn , Vanderbilt, and Texas Tech , each looking to maintain its flawless record.
Sarah Strong continues to lead the UConn Huskies , along with Azzi Fudd , on another routine charge towards the NCAA Championship. Meanwhile, a lot has changed in the standings across conferences, and as a result, we're likely to see significant shifts.
The Stanford Cardinal had a mixed start to 2026. While an early loss to the NC State Wolfpack wasn't what the fans were expecting, the Cardinal has recovered with aplomb. A comeback overtime win over the seeded North Carolina Tar Heels provided some momentum, and they managed a comfortable low-scoring victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to climb up to 14-3. Nunu Agara powered the offense during the latter, pouring in 27 points.
Their game against the Duke Blue Devils , though, ended in a 67-60 loss. With no ranked game coming until the end of the month, they're expected to keep winning.
The Alabama Crimson Tide shocked everyone by recording a comfortable win over the No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats . Jessica Timmons scored a game-high 24 points, shooting 8 of 16 from the field. The win will go a long way toward aiding their SEC title hopes. That, along with the drubbing of the Arkansas Razorbacks , means the Crimson Tide currently sits pretty with its next-ranked game against the Tennessee Lady Volunteers exactly a week from now.
After a strong start to their 2025-2026 season, the Illinois Fighting Illini looked menacing, thanks to a close win over the No. 7 Maryland Terrapins . However, they have since suffered back-to-back losses to seeded teams Michigan State and Ohio State . But Berry Wallace continued to be the spark for Illinois, leading a 92-76 win over Penn State . Coach Shauna Green hopes this winning form continues against the No. 9 Michigan Wolverines .
The Nebraska Cornhuskers , like Illinois, saw their winning streak come to a halt with back-to-back defeats against ranked opponents. While the Britt Prince-led offense helped the team recover with a couple of wins soon after, a much tougher test awaits in the form of No. 4 UCLA . The Cornhuskers have a 3-2 record in conference play so far, and a loss to the Bruins could further damage their chances of a good season in the Big Ten.
December 9, 2025, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA: December 9, 2025 Lincoln,Nebraska ,USA: Nebraska Cornhuskers guard BRITT PRINCE 23 advances the ball against University of Omaha Mavericks guard REGAN JUENEMANN 24 PRINCE had 8pts on the night. Lincoln USA – ZUMAa267 20251209_zsp_a267_001 Copyright: xBrandonxAndersonx
Another tough game against the No. 15 Michigan State Spartans follows right after. It is set to be a challenging week for the Cornhuskers.
No Ivy League team seems even close enough to the Princeton Tigers in the conference. Their only defeat came at the hands of the Maryland Terrapins, as the Tigers boast a 14-1 overall record in the 2025-26 campaign so far. A series of upcoming Ivy League matchups could turn Princeton into a dark horse to enter and deal some serious damage in the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Volunteers have started SEC play menacingly, winning four straight and losing none. While they are yet to prove their mettle against ranked opposition (0-3 so far), the win over Stanford is seen as proof that the Tennessee Lady Volunteers can be resourceful. Junior guard Talaysia Cooper is the star of the show. If the 21-year-old improves her shot accuracy, she can add further weight to upcoming ranked games against Kentucky, Ole Miss , and UConn.
The Ole Miss Rebels are genuine dark horses in the Southeastern Conference, mostly due to their ability to match up with the higher seeds. The Ole Miss Rebels are now demanding people take notice of their performances, with Cotie McMahon 's 22 points leading the way in a 74-69 win over the Oklahoma Sooners .
McMahon has been playing lights out this season. The senior forward is scoring close to 20 points every game and is carrying the Ole Miss offense. However, the highlight of their recent performances against Texas and Oklahoma has been their ability to hold the two higher-ranked teams to scores lower than their season average. The key will be to convert this into more wins and grab momentum ahead of March Madness.
The Baylor Bears have recovered from their narrow loss to Texas Tech with three wins on the trot. Ranking third in blocks, the Bears are more than doing justice to their pre-season seeding at 16. A lot of their offense goes through sophomore guard Taliah Scott, who is currently averaging 20.4 points per game.
The Bears have no ranked opposition on the schedule and can set themselves up perfectly in the Big 12 with a series of more conference play victories.
The Ohio State Buckeyes fans cheered in awe after their historic win over Illinois as Jaloni Cambridge put up a career-high 41 points, 29 of which came in the second half. She followed it up with another 28-point outing to help win the game against No. 8 Maryland as well. With the No. 13 TCU Horned Frogs game on the horizon, these matchups could shape up the Big Ten standings nicely, with Ohio State currently at 5-1 in conference play.
Back-to-back wins over highly rated programs like Illinois and Washington have seen Michigan State climb to a 15-1 overall record. A flurry of ranked games awaits them. However, something unique is brewing at Michigan State. The program boasts one of the top-performing offenses this season.
There is no particular standout scorer, with five players in double figures, and Grace VanSlooten leading the charge with an average of 14.6 points per game. The Spartans boast a fluid offense with comparatively low turnover rates this season. Their precise ball movement and transition offense will be tested soon in the upcoming games against Nebraska, Iowa , and USC , which could become a season-defining stretch for Michigan State.
The Texas Tech Lady Raiders are far from being underdogs this season, sitting atop the Big 12 with an undefeated 18-0 record. While the Baylor Bears have been the only seeded challenge so far, it is the Texas Tech play style under coach Krista Gerlich that is earning plaudits and attracting interest.
The league is waiting to see what the Lady Raiders will become once their new 7-foot-1 recruit, Stephanie Okechukwu, makes her debut. But for now, the level of experience available at Gerlich's disposal, combined with their full-court pressing intensity, has been lethal.
The Iowa Hawkeyes are having to dig deep to grind out wins. Their victories over Nebraska and Northwestern are noted for their perseverance despite facing struggles. Ava Heiden, who is often in foul trouble, proves to be tough to handle when on the court, and Chazadi Wright is slowly stepping up her contributions on the scoreboard.
In fact, the sophomore guard led the team in scoring against Nebraska, scoring 24 points in a statement win that would've pleased Jan Jensen. The Hawkeyes have a grueling schedule ahead (five consecutive ranked games), and Wright's growth into the role she desires as a shooting guard will be important for them.
Losing out to Baylor and a shock defeat at Cincinnati have derailed the Iowa State Cyclones to a great extent. They are now 2-3 in conference play, despite Audi Crooks having a generational campaign. The 21-year-old not only leads the entire NCAA in scoring, but is also averaging more points (28.7) than minutes played (27.7). But she will need more help from her teammates as opponents are now restricting her movement towards or near the basket.
One of the major contributors to the three recent losses was Crooks being forced to take uncomfortable shots, which reflected in her accuracy. Iowa State will rely on her again as they face Colorado soon.
It is the Olivia Miles show at TCU. The Horned Frogs overcame Oklahoma State and Arizona State after the Utes broke their undefeated streak. But they had to climb back against Oklahoma State, scoring the last nine points of the game to clinch a 69-61 win. The Horned Frogs are currently 16-1 and will be looking at the set of largely non-ranked fixtures ahead to establish themselves in the Big 12 conference.
After a couple of close losses to Kentucky and Vanderbilt, the LSU Tigers recorded a comfortable win over Georgia. Flau'jae Johnson, who failed to trouble the scoresheet against Vanderbilt, showed just why she is one of the top prospects in women's college basketball, scoring 25 points in 31 minutes against Georgia.
LSU boasts one of the strongest lineups on paper and is the highest-scoring team in the NCAA this season. But their two losses showed an inability to close out games and a tendency to crumble under pressure. While they won against No. 2 Texas last night, Kim Mulkey will hope to see sustained better performances against No. 5 Oklahoma, who are up next.
Ole Miss ended Oklahoma's 13-game winning streak with a closely fought 74-69 victory. Aaliyah Chavez and Raegan Beers are doing extremely well, leading the Sooners' charge in the SEC. They will now face two seeded teams (LSU and South Carolina ) in a row after losing their most recent game to No. 6 Kentucky. But a couple of good results here could set Oklahoma up nicely for March Madness.
The Louisville Cardinals are on a rampage. A 6-0 record in the ACC can be credited to every player pitching in, with all of them getting rotation opportunities. All three of their losses have come against ranked opponents, and they haven't been blown out in any of them, despite facing heavyweights like UConn and South Carolina. There is a very strong chance the Cardinals can go into March Madness without losing any further games, with no seeded opponents in sight.
NCAA, College League, USA Womens Basketball: Eastern Kentucky at Louisville Dec 17, 2025 Louisville, Kentucky, USA Louisville Cardinals forward Elif Istanbulluoglu 11 posts up against Eastern Kentucky Colonels guard Ndidiamaka Ndukwe 1 and forward Joseana Vaz 4 during the first half at KFC Yum Center. Louisville defeated Eastern Kentucky 76-51. Louisville KFC Yum Center Kentucky USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJamiexRhodesx 20251217_cec_ar6_047
The Maryland Terrapins have stayed true to the preseason expectations, with their only losses coming in uncharacteristic defeats at the hands of Illinois and Ohio State. One of the most dominant teams in the NCAA this season, the Terrapins will be tested soon, with a series of four ranked opponents featuring on their schedule as the Big Ten Conference matchups continue.
One of the few teams to actually give a tough fight to defending NCAA champions UConn Huskies early on, the Michigan Wolverines have had a comfortable campaign so far. However, Head Coach Kim Barnes Arico would prefer the team be more careful with the ball and avoid turning it over, especially in Big Ten Conference matchups, which serve as entertaining litmus tests.
Clara Strack and Tonie Morgan have been ably leading the Wildcats towards contention in the SEC. But the loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide, despite having a nine-point lead at one stage, revealed worrying signs. What was particularly concerning was their lack of answers to Alabama's stifling defense on the night.
With the Florida Gators visiting soon, the Wildcats will need to find a way to keep scoring even when the game isn't going their way. Perhaps the answer lies in opting not to shoot from beyond the arc, with their players failing to find accuracy from deep.
Mikayla Blakes and the Vanderbilt Commodores are having a season for the history books. Their 17-0 record includes a recent win over No. 5 LSU, bolstering the program's credentials in the SEC. One of the leading scorers in the NCAA this season, Blakes, can further improve her numbers by finding more efficient looks on the court, making them a genuine threat in the NCAA Tournament.
Vanderbilt has two ranked games in the near future against No. 9 Michigan and No. 3 South Carolina.
The UCLA Bruins are still flying high after their dominant wins over the No. 17 USC Trojans and No. 25 Nebraska. Their next game is against Minnesota , but fans will be looking forward to their matchup against No. 8 Maryland, which is likely to be their first real challenge after the November defeat to Texas. The star-studded roster, led by center Lauren Betts , has the Bruins primed for another run at the NCAA Tournament.
South Carolina has been one of the most dominant teams. The Gamecocks did lose narrowly to Texas early in the season, their only defeat so far. But they will have their opportunity to exact revenge as the Longhorns visit Columbia.
Joyce Edwards has been leading the scoring charts (21.1 points per game) for the Gamecocks, who are not only among the top 5 highest scoring teams across all conferences but also one of the most efficient.
The preseason predictions from most experts, including the Top 25 AP poll, have the Texas Longhorns as the fourth seed. They have been utterly dominant so far, with wins over UCLA and South Carolina. Those results have made the second seed firmly theirs for quite some time, despite the recent loss to No. 12 LSU.
The players at Texas boast the league's lowest turnover rate, turning the ball over just over 10 times per game. This, along with their free-scoring offensive style, makes them a tough team to beat, especially with players like Rori Harmon , who are efficient at stealing the ball from the opposition. The Longhorns could prove to be the real roadblock in the UConn Huskies' quest to defend their NCAA Championship.
There are no surprises as to who sits atop the Top 25 AP poll rankings, week after week . The UConn Huskies have an abundance of talent, and their roster depth has been evident, especially with multiple bench players out injured. They might just end up going the entire season undefeated, especially after how quickly freshman Blanca Quinonez has adjusted to life in Connecticut .
Dec 7, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Blanca Quinonez (4) returns the ball against the DePaul Blue Demons in the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong continue to overpower opposition defenses with ease. The latter has been efficient in her attempts, which is one of the reasons she averages almost 19 points per game this season. With the offensive workload being shared by multiple players, Geno Auriemma's team looks unbeatable.
The post Women's College Basketball Rankings: Predicting AP Top 25 After Week 10 appeared first on EssentiallySports .
