In this week’s Associated Press Top 25 women’s college basketball poll, released on Monday, one head coach makes history and the top 10 experiences a shakeup. Here are five takeaways from the poll as most teams enter the final week of the regular season.
Geno Auriemma makes history as UConn stays atop poll
The UConn Huskies (29-0, 18-0 Big East) are once again the unanimous No. 1 team in the country as winners of 45 straight dating back to last season and the only undefeated team in Division I.
Ranked for the 655th time, Auriemma broke a tie with Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer for the most appearances by a coach in the poll’s history. As one of the most balanced teams in the country with the second-best scoring offense (88.8 PPG) and the top-ranked defense (50.7 PPG), everything is in front of the Huskies to complete a perfect season.
The Sooners (21-6, 9-5 SEC) climb four spots to No. 7 riding a four-game winning streak, including three straight wins over ranked opponents. With unranked Arkansas and Missouri left on Oklahoma’s regular-season schedule, combined with its explosive offense that has scored 90 or more points 12 times this season, it could enter next week’s SEC Tournament with a lot of momentum.
The Hawkeyes (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten), also up four spots to No. 9, are coming off a statement 62-44 win over then-No. 6 Michigan on Sunday. Sophomore center Ava Heiden, who had 24 points and 10 rebounds in the game, has three straight 20-point double-doubles, which is the longest streak by an Iowa player since Caitlin Clark had four in March 2024.
The Wolverines (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten) fall two spots to No. 8 following the loss to Iowa on Sunday, their second in their last four games. Michigan was doomed by 24 turnovers against the Hawkeyes, something it must clean up with games against No. 13 Ohio State and No. 14 Maryland remaining.
The Cardinals (24-5, 14-2 ACC) plummet two spots to No. 10 after a shocking 74-72 loss to Virginia on Sunday. That marked Louisville’s second home loss to an unranked team in the last decade — both of which have come against Virginia — and it keeps the Cardinals one game behind No. 12 Duke for the top spot in the conference.
Duke slides after seeing its 17-game winning streak end
The Blue Devils (20-7, 15-1 ACC) fall three spots to No. 12 after suffering a stunning 53-51 loss to Clemson on Sunday. Until that setback, Duke had won 17 straight since beginning the season 3-6. That winning streak was the program’s longest in a single season since 2010-11.
After facing Florida State on Thursday, Duke will close out the regular season looking to sweep No. 21 North Carolina on Sunday. To do so, the Blue Devils will need to do a better job of closing out games after getting outscored, 23-12, in the fourth quarter by Clemson.
The Tigers (21-3, 9-2 Ivy League) return to the rankings after a brief hiatus. Princeton’s three losses have been against then-No. 9 Maryland and Columbia (twice). However, with neither team remaining on its schedule, Princeton could reestablish some momentum ahead of postseason play.