Duke University Women’s Basketball Team Climbs in Rankings
On Monday, Duke University’s women’s basketball team made a significant leap in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, climbing to the 11th spot after achieving a remarkable 14-game winning streak. This surge followed their recent victory over then-No. 6 Louisville, which allowed Duke to claim the top position in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for the first time this season. The Blue Devils’ impressive run comes after an earlier slump that saw them lose six of their first nine games, including a 16-point defeat to LSU on December 4.
UConn Remains Dominant
Leading the poll remains the University of Connecticut, which continues to dominate the season without faltering. The Huskies, securing all 31 first-place votes from a panel of national media, extended their winning streak to 20 games, with recent triumphs over DePaul and Butler by 46 and 32 points, respectively. This feat marks the longest streak of victories by a margin of 25 points or more for a Division I team in more than a quarter-century.
Top Teams and Rankings
Following UConn closely are UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas. UCLA maintained its perfect Big Ten record with a narrow three-point win against then-eighth-ranked Michigan, while Texas improved its position by defeating LSU, which dropped to sixth place. Vanderbilt has made a comeback, securing the fifth position this week. Michigan, Ohio State, Louisville, and Oklahoma complete the top ten spots.
Despite their current ranking, Michigan has faced a tough season with three of their four losses occurring by narrow margins against heavyweights UConn, UCLA, and Vanderbilt, proving that they can compete with the elite teams in the country.
Conference Representation
In terms of conference representation, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) leads with nine teams in the rankings, followed by the Big Ten with seven. The Big 12 boasts four teams, while the Atlantic Coast Conference features three. Additionally, the Big East and the Ivy League each have one team represented in the poll.
Upcoming Matchups
Looking ahead, notable matchups this week include No. 17 TCU facing off against No. 12 Baylor on Thursday for the top spot in the Big 12, with the Bears currently holding a slim lead. Also, No. 24 Princeton will visit Columbia on Friday for a pivotal Ivy League clash, where the Tigers currently hold a slight edge in the standings over Columbia and Harvard. Notably, Columbia dealt Princeton their only conference loss just two weeks prior, adding further intrigue to this matchup.
For ongoing updates and alerts regarding the AP Top 25 throughout the season, interested readers can sign up for notifications.
