TCU has made history by achieving its highest ranking ever in the women’s basketball polls. After a strong showing against Notre Dame, the Horned Frogs surged up eight spots to land at No. 9, marking their first appearance in the top ten. This surpasses their previous record of 13th, set in 2004.
Notre Dame’s recent struggles have seen them drop from third to tenth place after losses to TCU and Utah during a holiday tournament. Meanwhile, UCLA maintains its status as the top team, closely followed by UConn. The Bruins received the majority of first-place votes after a successful tournament in Hawaii, while the Huskies also performed well in the Bahamas.
Following UConn in the rankings are South Carolina, Texas, and LSU, with LSU climbing to fifth after a strong performance. Duke has also made headlines, moving from 13th to eighth after impressive victories over ranked opponents in Las Vegas, marking their best ranking in a decade.
In a notable turn of events, both Michigan and Michigan State have joined the rankings for the first time this season, highlighting a resurgence in their programs. On the flip side, N.C. State has fallen out of the poll after a 24-week run, largely due to losses against top competitors.
Alabama is another team on the rise, moving up to No. 19, achieving its best ranking in 25 years, buoyed by an impressive 9-0 start to the season.
The Big Ten leads the way with the most teams in the rankings, featuring nine programs. The SEC follows with seven, while the ACC and Big 12 each have four ranked teams.
Looking ahead, a highly anticipated game this week will be Texas at Notre Dame, featuring two elite duos in college basketball. With the Irish aiming to recover from two consecutive losses, this matchup promises to be thrilling.
