In an exciting turn of events, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball team has climbed to the second position in The Associated Press women's basketball Top 25 rankings. This ascent marks their highest ranking since 2019, signaling a resurgence in their form and dedication. The Irish edged past South Carolina, who now occupy the fourth spot after their defeat against Texas over the weekend.
The top spot is firmly held by UCLA, who remains the unanimous choice among the 31-member media panel. South Carolina's loss to Texas ended their impressive 57-game conference winning streak, allowing the Longhorns to leapfrog into third place. Meanwhile, LSU and USC advanced to the fifth and sixth positions, respectively, benefitting from UConn's recent setback against Tennessee. UConn slipped two positions to seventh.
Tennessee has experienced a notable rise, moving up four spots to sit 15th, following their loss to LSU. Elsewhere in the rankings, Kentucky rose to eighth, their best since December 2015, with Ohio State and North Carolina State completing the top ten. The Wolfpack's rise was bolstered by strong performances against Duke and Florida State.
The competitive landscape saw Creighton and Baylor re-entering the rankings at positions 24 and 25, while Vanderbilt and California dropped out. Notably, the appearance of UConn in this week's rankings marked their 600th consecutive presence in the poll—a record streak that began in 1993. South Carolina holds the second-longest active streak of 242 weeks.
Grand Canyon University, participating in the Western Athletic Conference since their transition to Division I in 2013, received their first-ever vote in the poll. They have impressively won 20 consecutive games following early-season losses, thus earning recognition for their consistency and skill.
In terms of conference dominance, the Southeastern Conference remains on top with seven teams featuring in the rankings. The Atlantic Coast Conference closely follows with six, while the Big Ten and Big 12 have five each, and the Big East counts two.
Looking ahead, key matchups include the showdown between No. 1 UCLA and No. 6 USC, set to be a high-stakes encounter on Thursday, and the anticipated clash between No. 5 LSU and No. 3 Texas on Sunday. These games are pivotal as teams aim to solidify their standings before the NCAA Tournament.
