{"id":394255,"date":"2026-01-06T00:59:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T00:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/394255\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T00:59:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T00:59:15","slug":"ap-womens-college-basketball-top-25-poll-breakdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/394255\/","title":{"rendered":"AP women’s college basketball Top 25 poll breakdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

The new AP Top 25 women’s college basketball poll is out.<\/p>\n

And the first rankings of 2026 came with plenty of change after the LSU Tigers<\/a>, Maryland Terrapins<\/a> and Iowa State Cyclones<\/a> all suffered their first losses of the season. Also shaking up the poll: The teams ranked Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 from the previous poll all lost in the last four days.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, LSU lost for a second game in a row, tumbling seven spots to No. 12.<\/p>\n

The Kentucky Wildcats<\/a> (up five spots), Vanderbilt Commodores<\/a> (up five) and Louisville Cardinals<\/a> (up three) each moved up to break into the top 10.<\/p>\n

What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s break down the rankings.<\/p>\n

Stats courtesy of ESPN Research and The Associated Press.<\/p>\n

All times Eastern<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 1<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 15-0<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Huskies are off to their best start since 2017-18, when they started 36-0 before losing in the Final Four.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Wednesday vs. St. John’s, 7:30 p.m., truTV<\/p>\n

play<\/p>\n

1:17<\/p>\n

UConn Huskies vs. Providence Friars: Game Highlights<\/p>\n

UConn Huskies vs. Providence Friars: Game Highlights<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 2<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 17-0<\/p>\n

Stat to know: Madison Booker has scored at least 20 points in five of her last seven games.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday vs. Auburn, 8 p.m., SEC Network Plus<\/p>\n

play<\/p>\n

2:01<\/p>\n

Madison Booker highlights key players behind Texas’ dominance<\/p>\n

After a 67-64 win over Ole Miss, Booker explains how her teammates’ contributions free her to score and help the No. 2 Longhorns challenge opponents defensively.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 3<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 15-1<\/p>\n

Stat to know: Injured Ta’Niya Latson, the Gamecocks’ second-leading scorer, missed her second consecutive game Sunday. South Carolina committed a season-high 21 turnovers in the 74-63 victory over Florida.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday at Arkansas, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network Plus<\/p>\n

play<\/p>\n

1:23<\/p>\n

Raven Johnson praises Gamecocks fight through adversity vs. UF<\/p>\n

Johnson breaks down No. 3 South Carolina’s balanced contributions through challenges and explains how she limited Florida’s Liv McGill with her defensive approach.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 4<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 14-1<\/p>\n

Stat to know: Five players are averaging double-digit scoring for the Bruins: Lauren Betts (16.3 PPG), Kiki Rice (15.3), Gianna Kneepkens (14.3), Gabriela Jaquez (14.1) and Angela Dugalic (10.3).<\/p>\n

What’s next: Sunday at Nebraska, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 8<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 14-1<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Sooners’ 13-game winning streak is the second longest in program history.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday vs. Ole Miss, 7 p.m., SEC Network Plus<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 11<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 15-1<\/p>\n

Stat to know: After handing LSU its first loss on Jan. 1, the Wildcats beat Missouri on Sunday for their eighth consecutive victory.<\/p>\n

What’s next:Thursday at Alabama, 7 p.m., SEC Network Plus<\/p>\n

play<\/p>\n

2:31<\/p>\n

Teonni Key on Kentucky’s mentality vs. LSU: ‘We’re a good team too’<\/p>\n

After posting 17 points and 16 rebounds in a road win over LSU, Key explains how the Wildcats’ effort and style of play fueled the victory.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 12<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 15-0<\/p>\n

Stat to know: Mikayla Blakes scored 32 points Sunday as the Commodores beat LSU 65-61 to give coach Shea Ralph her first win over a top-five program.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday vs. Missouri, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network Plus<\/p>\n

Editor’s Picks<\/p>\n

2 Related<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 7<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 15-1<\/p>\n

Stat to know: Oluchi Okananwa scored a career-high 34 points in an 82-67 victory over Indiana on Sunday as Maryland rebounded from its first loss of the season.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday at Rutgers, 7 p.m., Big Ten Plus<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 6<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 11-2<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Wolverines suffered their second loss of the season 64-52 to Washington, on Jan. 1. They shot 33% in the defeat.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Monday vs. Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 13<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 14-3<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Cardinals have won seven straight since losing to South Carolina in the ACC\/SEC Women’s Challenge.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday at Miami, 3 p.m., ACC Extra<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 10<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 14-1<\/p>\n

Stat to know: After five consecutive games with at least 30 points, Audi Crooks finished with 26 — including only four in the second half — on Sunday as the Cyclones lost at home to Baylor. Jada Williams (28 points) was the only other Iowa State player who scored in double digits.<\/p>\n

What’s next: ESPN+<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 5<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 14-2<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Tigers scored over 100 points in 11 of their first 14 contests — all wins — before losing back-to-back games, first to then-No. 11 Kentucky on Jan. 1 and against then-No. 12 Vanderbilt on Sunday. LSU was held to 61 points in Nashville.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday at Georgia, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network Plus<\/p>\n

play<\/p>\n

1:08<\/p>\n

Kim Mulkey pleads to refs after late missed call dooms LSU<\/p>\n

Kim Mulkey voices her displeasure to an official after Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes appears to step out of bounds late in the game.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 8<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 14-1<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Horned Frogs lost for the first time this season on Saturday, falling 87-77 in overtime to Utah. Olivia Miles had 31 points in the defeat.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Wednesday vs. Oklahoma State, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 14<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 12-2<\/p>\n

Stat to know: Iowa beat then-No. 20 Nebraska to improve to 3-0 in the Big Ten, where only UCLA (4-0) has a better record.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Monday at Northwestern, 8:30 p.m., Big Ten Network<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 24<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 14-1<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Spartans snapped Illinois’ 11-game winning streak on Sunday with an 81-75 victory.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday at Washington, 9 p.m., Big Ten Plus<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 22<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 13-3<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Bears knocked off previously unbeaten and then-No. 10 Iowa State on Sunday, beating the Cyclones in Ames.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday vs. Colorado, 8 p.m., ESPN+<\/p>\n

play<\/p>\n

0:28<\/p>\n

Taliah Scott hits game winner for Baylor over Audi Crooks<\/p>\n

Taliah Scott hits a game-winning shot as time winds down as No. 22 Baylor beats No. 10 Iowa State in Ames.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 21<\/p>\n

All of ESPN. All in one place.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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2025-26 record: 16-0<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Lady Raiders, the only unbeaten Big 12 team left, play West Virginia, the only other team unbeaten in conference play, this week.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Wednesday at West Virginia. UCF, 7 p.m., ESPN+<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 15<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 14-3<\/p>\n

Stat to know: Despite playing Texas as well as anyone — Cotie McMahon scored 12 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter — the Rebels lost to the nation’s No. 2 team by three points Sunday.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday at Oklahoma, 7 p.m., SEC Network Plus<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 19<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 13-2<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Buckeyes have won 11 of their past 12 games, with the only loss coming against UCLA.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Wednesday at Illinois, 7 p.m., Big Ten Network Plus<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 23<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 10-3<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Lady Vols committed a season-high 25 turnovers in Sunday’s 17-point victory over Auburn.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday at Mississippi State, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network Plus<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 17<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 10-4<\/p>\n

Stat to know: Freshman Jazzy Davidson leads the Trojans — who lost big at UCLA on Saturday — in scoring at 16.3 PPG.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Tuesday vs. Oregon, 10 p.m., Big Ten Plus<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 16<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 13-4<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Tar Heels lost in overtime to Stanford on Sunday after shooting 3-for-11 from the field in the fourth quarter and 1-for-5 in the extra period.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Sunday at Notre Dame, 1 p.m., ESPN<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: NR<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 12-2<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Huskies return to the poll as Notre Dame fell out.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday vs. Michigan State, 9 p.m., Big Ten Plus<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking: 25<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 13-1<\/p>\n

Stat to know: Princeton has won 11 consecutive games. The Tigers’ lone loss was Nov. 16 to then-No. 9 Maryland.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Saturday at Yale, 2 p.m., ESPN+<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previous ranking:20<\/p>\n

2025-26 record: 13-2<\/p>\n

Stat to know: The Cornhuskers dropped back-to-back Big Ten games (to USC and Iowa) before beating Purdue on Sunday.<\/p>\n

What’s next: Thursday vs. Indiana, 8 p.m., Big Ten Plus<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The new AP Top 25 women’s college basketball poll is out. And the first rankings of 2026 came…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":394256,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":["post-394255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=394255"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394255\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/394256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=394255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=394255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=394255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}