AP Top 25 poll reaction: OU, Iowa and TCU on the rise

5 hours ago 3

Feb 23, 2026, 12:15 PM ET

The new AP Top 25 women's college basketball poll is out.

The top five remained the same. Oklahoma and Iowa each jumped four spots to break into the top 10, with the Sooners at No. 7 and Hawkeyes at No. 9.

TCU also climbed one spot, to No. 11.

Michigan, Louisville, Duke and Ohio State each fell at least two spots. Tennessee fell out of the rankings.

What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let's break down the rankings.

Stats courtesy of ESPN Research and The Associated Press.

All times Eastern.

1. UConn Huskies

Previous ranking: 1

2025-26 record: 29-0

Stat to know: UConn's 45-game winning streak is the seventh-longest streak in women's Division I history. Three of the five longest winning streaks are held by the Huskies.

What's next: Thursday vs. Georgetown, 7 p.m., TNT

2. UCLA Bruins

Previous ranking: 2

2025-26 record: 27-1

Stat to know: UCLA clinched the outright Big Ten title Sunday with its 21st straight win. The Bruins look to become the first Big Ten team to finish conference play undefeated since the 2014-15 Maryland team.

What's next: Sunday at USC, 6 p.m., FS1

3. South Carolina Gamecocks

Previous ranking: 3

2025-26 record: 27-2

Stat to know: Joyce Edwards recorded her 17th 20-point game this season in a win over Ole Miss on Sunday. This is the second-most in a season by a South Carolina player since Dawn Staley took over in 2008-09, trailing only A'ja Wilson who had 21 20-point games in the 2017-18 season, and went on to win the Wooden Award that season.

What's next: Thursday vs. Missouri, 8 p.m., SEC Network

4. Texas Longhorns

Previous ranking: 4

2025-26 record: 26-3

Stat to know: Texas gained its ninth 50-point win this season Sunday, which is its most in program history. This is the second most in a season in SEC history behind this season's LSU team, which has 11 such games.

What's next: Thursday vs. Georgia, 10 p.m., SEC Network

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0:23

Madison Booker dials from long distance

5. Vanderbilt Commodores

Previous ranking: 5

2025-26 record: 25-3

Stat to know: Vanderbilt is 15-0 at home this season, which is the longest single-season home winning streak in program history.

What's next: Thursday vs. Alabama, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network+

6. LSU Tigers

Previous ranking: 7

2025-26 record: 24-4

Stat to know: MiLaysia Fulwiley, ZaKiyah Johnson and Mikaylah Williams are the first LSU trio to each record a double-double in a single conference game in at least the past 25 seasons.

What's next: Thursday vs. Tennessee, 6 p.m., ESPN

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0:18

Mikaylah Williams hits the shot vs. Missouri Tigers

7. Oklahoma Sooners

Previous ranking: 11

2025-26 record: 21-6

Stat to know: The Sooners recorded their 12th game with 90-plus points this season, matching the 2022-23 season for most such games in program history.

What's next: Thursday vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

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0:24

Chavez launches great pass up ahead to Beers

Aaliyah Chavez heaves a deep pass to Raegan Beers who finishes with a lay-in.

8. Michigan Wolverines

Previous ranking: 6

2025-26 record: 22-5

Stat to know: Michigan's 44 points in a loss to Iowa on Sunday is the second-fewest points scored by the Wolverines as an AP-ranked team in the regular season since 2001.

What's next: Wednesday at Ohio State, 8 p.m., Peacock

9. Iowa Hawkeyes

Previous ranking: 13

2025-26 record: 22-5

Stat to know: Ava Heiden recorded her third straight 20-point double-double, the longest such streak by an Iowa player since Caitlin Clark had four in March 2024.

What's next: Thursday vs. Illinois, 9 p.m., Big Ten Network

10. Louisville Cardinals

Previous ranking: 8

2025-26 record: 24-5

Stat to know: Louisville's loss to Virginia on Sunday was the second home loss to an unranked team in the past decade. The other home loss was also to Virginia in 2024.

What's next: Thursday at Georgia Tech, 6 p.m., ACC Network

11. TCU Horned Frogs

Previous ranking: 12

2025-26 record: 25-4

Stat to know: Olivia Miles surpassed 2,000 career points and 800 career rebounds in Sunday's game against Iowa State. Miles became the third Division I women's college basketball player in the past 25 seasons to accumulate 2,000 points, 800 rebounds and 800 assists. The two others are Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu.

What's next: Wednesday at Cincinnati, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+

12. Duke Blue Devils

Previous ranking: 9

2025-26 record: 20-7

Stat to know: Duke's loss to Clemson on Sunday ended its 17-game winning streak, which was the program's longest single-season winning streak since 2010-11.

What's next: Thursday vs. Florida State, 8 p.m., ACC Network

13. Ohio State Buckeyes

Previous ranking: 10

2025-26 record: 23-5

Stat to know: Jaloni Cambridge had her fifth 30-point game this season in a win over USC on Sunday, which is the most by an Ohio State player since 2017-18 Kelsey Mitchell.

What's next: Wednesday vs. Michigan, 8 p.m., Peacock

14. Maryland Terrapins

Previous ranking: 14

2025-26 record: 22-6

Stat to know: Maryland recorded its third conference win by 30-plus points, its most in a regular season since 2020-21.

What's next: Wednesday vs. Northwestern, 6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network+

15. Michigan State Spartans

Previous ranking: 18

2025-26 record: 22-6

Stat to know: Michigan State gained its fourth win over an AP Top-25 opponent this season, its most since 2018.

What's next: Sunday vs. Ohio State, noon, Big Ten Network

16. Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking: 16

2025-26 record: 20-8

Stat to know: Kentucky has given up 80-plus points in three games so far this season.

What's next: Thursday at Auburn, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

1.7 West Virginia Mountaineers

Previous ranking: 19

2025-26 record: 22-6

Stat to know: West Virginia's win over Oklahoma State on Saturday is its third conference win by 30-plus points this season, which is tied for the most such wins over the past 15 seasons.

What's next: Wednesday at UCF, 7 p.m., ESPN+

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0:20

Jordan Harrison sinks it from downtown

18. Baylor Bears

Previous ranking: 15

2025-26 record: 23-6

Stat to know: Taliah Scott went 11-for-11 in free throws Saturday and totaled 22 points in Baylor's win over Arizona.

What's next: Monday vs. Kansas State, 7 p.m., ESPN2

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1:13

Arizona Wildcats vs. Baylor Bears: Game Highlights

19. Ole Miss Rebels

Previous ranking: 17

2025-26 record: 21-8

Stat to know: Ole Miss recorded a new season low in points (48) and field goal percentage (26.5) in a 37-point loss to South Carolina.

What's next: Thursday vs. Florida, 6 p.m., SEC Network

20. Texas Tech Lady Raiders

Previous ranking: 20

2025-26 record: 24-5

Stat to know: Colorado scored 27 points off of 17 turnovers by the Lady Raiders on Saturday, in Texas Tech's upset loss to the Buffaloes.

What's next: Wednesday at Kansas, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+

21. North Carolina Tar Heels

Previous ranking: 22

2025-26 record: 23-6

Stat to know: North Carolina's 30 points in the second quarter against Pitt, tied for its most points in any quarter this season. The Tar Heels scored 30 in the second quarter vs. NC Central on Nov. 3.

What's next: Thursday at Virginia, 7 p.m., ACC Extra

22. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Previous ranking: 23

2025-26 record: 21-7

Stat to know: Tori McKinney recorded a career high with 29 points in Minnesota's matchup against Michigan State on Sunday. The last time she scored 25-plus points was on April 2 against Belmont.

What's next: Sunday at Illinois, 3 p.m., Big Ten Network+