Duke Soars to No. 11 in Women’s Basketball; UConn Remains Top Team

Duke University has made significant strides in the latest Associated Press women’s basketball rankings, climbing six places to secure the No. 11 spot. This rise comes as the Blue Devils enjoy a remarkable 15-game winning streak, recently taking sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) after a narrow one-point victory against then-No. 6 Louisville. Duke’s only loss this season was a 16-point defeat to Louisiana State University (LSU) on December 4, 2023.

UConn Dominates the Poll

Meanwhile, the University of Connecticut (UConn) continues to assert its dominance in women’s college basketball, remaining the unanimous No. 1 team in the AP poll. The Huskies received all 31 first-place votes from a national media panel after showcasing their prowess with decisive victories over DePaul and Butler, winning by margins of 46 and 32 points, respectively. UConn’s current streak of 20 consecutive wins, each by at least 25 points, marks the longest such run by a Division I team in more than 25 years.

Following UConn in the rankings are the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), South Carolina, and Texas. UCLA, remaining undefeated, edged past then-No. 8 Michigan with a three-point victory on Sunday. The Longhorns also secured a win against LSU, which subsequently dropped one position to sixth in the rankings. Vanderbilt has moved back up to fifth place, while Michigan, Ohio State, Louisville, and Oklahoma complete the top ten for this week.

Despite their challenges, the Michigan Wolverines have proven they can compete with the nation’s elite. Three of their four losses this season have been by just three points, against UConn, UCLA, and Vanderbilt.

Conference Standings and Upcoming Matches

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) retains its status as the strongest conference, represented by nine teams in the poll. The Big Ten follows with seven teams, while the Big 12 has four, the ACC three, and both the Big East and Ivy League have one team each.

Looking ahead, significant matchups are scheduled for this week. No. 17 Texas Christian University (TCU) will face No. 12 Baylor on Thursday, with first place in the Big 12 Conference at stake. Baylor currently holds a one-game lead over TCU, which will also host third-place West Virginia on Sunday.

Additionally, No. 24 Princeton will visit Columbia on Friday, with the Ivy League top position on the line. Princeton leads the standings by one game over Columbia and Harvard, although the Lions handed the Tigers their sole loss in conference play during their previous meeting two weeks ago.

These upcoming games are set to further shake up the rankings as teams vie for supremacy in their respective conferences.