With just seven regular-season NCAA basketball games left on their 2025/26 schedule, No. 2 UCLA is nearing a perfect Big Ten run, extending their season's conference winning streak to 11 behind a dominant 88-65 win over No. 8 Iowa on Sunday.
Bruins reserve forward Angela Dugalić led the game with 22 points off the bench, as UCLA scored 56 points in the paint behind strong front-court play.
"Angela [Dugalić] earned every single thing that happened today. Her work ethic is just undeniable," said UCLA head coach Cori Close following Sunday's victory. "The thing I'm so proud of is her consistency… doing the simplest things with elite consistency, that's where I've seen the growth in her."
After falling just short of last year's Big Ten regular-season title, UCLA is now riding a perfect conference record, with four of their final seven games taking place at home.
As for the Hawkeyes, their 0-2 SoCal road trip ended their season's unbeaten Big Ten run, with one-conference-loss No. 9 Michigan leapfrogging Iowa in the Big Ten basketball standings as the Wolverines prepare for their own Sunday showdown with UCLA.
"We're not taking any team for granted," said Dugalić. "At the end of the day, if you're our next opponent, that's who we're concentrating on."
How to watch UCLA women's basketball this week
Before hitting the road to face No. 9 Michigan and No. 13 Michigan State next week, the No. 2 Bruins will host unranked Rutgers at 10 PM ET on Wednesday, with live coverage airing on B1G+.
The 2025/26 Big Ten basketball regular-season title race is heating up, as Sunday's top-ranked clash sees No. 2 UCLA hosting a No. 8 Iowa team reeling from an 81-69 upset loss to unranked USC on Thursday.
While still unbeaten in conference play, the Bruins are coming off a close call of their own, defeating a tough Illinois side 80-67 on Wednesday — UCLA's tightest margin of victory against an unranked opponent so far this season.
"If [Illinois] can stick together… fight the urge to choose themselves or to look elsewhere… they can be in a really special place," UCLA head coach Cori Close said afterwards.
Despite entering the AP Poll's Top 10 for the first time since the Caitlin Clark era, Iowa suffered its first Big Ten loss of the 2025/26 season this week.
The Hawkeyes slipped quickly into foul trouble, as star USC freshman Jazzy Davidson notched 21 points with Iowa forced to rotate their front court.
"We were out of sync to start," Iowa assistant coach LaSondra Barrett said on the postgame broadcast. "Foul trouble was a big thing with Hannah [Stuelke] picking up those two early."
How to watch Iowa vs. UCLA this weekend
The No. 8 Hawkeyes visit the No. 2 Bruins on Sunday, with the pair tipping off live at 5 PM ET on FOX.
Thursday's Iowa vs USC matchup produced a major upset, as Iowa women's basketball suffered its first Big Ten loss of the season, falling 81-69 at Galen Center in Los Angeles.
The No. 8 Hawkeyes entered the highly anticipated NCAA showdown as the Big Ten's only undefeated team. The Hawkeyes have dominated conference opponents all season, making unranked USC's comprehensive victory even more shocking.
Iowa women's basketball ran the 2025/26 Big Ten table until Thursday's setback against the struggling Trojans. USC lost six of their last seven games prior to the Iowa vs USC clash — and making them an unlikely candidates to hand Iowa women's basketball its first Big Ten loss.
The game represented a signature opportunity for USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb's squad. The Trojans delivered their most complete performance this year, controlling the contest from start to finish while never allowing foul-afflicted Iowa to establish a rhythm.
Gottlieb praised her team's efforts afterwards, noting that USC has improved considerably and needs to continue demonstrating that consistent growth.
"Obviously a big win for us on so many levels. Iowa was undefeated in conference so far," she said postgame. "I'm so proud of our team. Great performances across the board."
For Iowa women's basketball, the defeat served as a setback to an otherwise dominant campaign. The Hawkeyes will need to regroup quickly, as Big Ten play continues to ramp up ahead of March's conference championship.
While Iowa remains a Top 10 program, the Iowa vs USC outcome will force the Hawkeyes to reassess their approach as they look to pursue a deep postseason run.
The SEC lorded over Monday's AP Top 25 Poll update with a record-breaking 10 programs representing the NCAA basketball powerhouse after another intense week of conference play.
No. 10 Oklahoma made the biggest leap, jumping six spots after ending a four-game ranked losing streak by upsetting No. 3 South Carolina 94-82 in overtime on Thursday.
On the other hand, No. 18 Kentucky saw the largest drop, sliding seven places after dropping games to No. 15 Tennessee and No. 23 Georgia.
Georgia's Saturday win over the Wildcats sent them flying into the Top 25, bringing the slate of SEC ranked teams to 10 — the highest single-week tally in the 50-year history of the AP Poll.
The Big Ten did see some positive movement as well, with No. 2 UCLA and No. 8 Iowa both making strides up the Top 10 as the only programs still unbeaten in conference play.
Now the only undefeated Division I team still standing, UConn held tight to their unanimous No. 1 ranking after downing three opponents — including rivals Notre Dame — by an average margin of 39.7 points.
How to watch Top 25 NCAA basketball this week
Ranked action returns on Wednesday, when an injury-struck No. 16 Maryland hosts No. 25 Washington at 7 PM ET, airing live on B1G+.
2025/26 AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll: Week 12
1. UConn (21-0, Big East)
2. UCLA (19-1, Big Ten)
3. South Carolina (20-2, SEC)
4. Texas (19-2, SEC)
5. Vanderbilt (20-1, SEC)
6. LSU (19-2, SEC)
7. Louisville (19-3, ACC)
8. Iowa (18-2, Big Ten)
9. Michigan (17-3, Big Ten)
10. Oklahoma (16-4, SEC)
11. Ohio State (18-3, Big Ten)
12. TCU (19-2, Big 12)
13. Michigan State (18-2, Big Ten)
14. Baylor (18-3, Big 12)
15. Tennessee (14-3, SEC)
16. Maryland (17-4, Big Ten)
17. Ole Miss (17-4, SEC)
18. Kentucky (17-5, SEC)
19. Princeton (17-1, Ivy)
20. Duke (14-6, ACC)
21. Texas Tech (20-2, Big 12)
22. West Virginia (17-4, Big 12)
23. Georgia (18-3, SEC)
24. Alabama (18-3, SEC)
25. Washington (16-4, Big Ten)
Sunday's Iowa vs Ohio State showdown ended in a blowout, as the No. 10 Hawkeyes defeated the No. 12 Buckeyes 91-70 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The victory moved surging Iowa to 18-2 overall and 9-0 in Big Ten play, marking the program's best start to the conference season since 1995-96. It also comes on the heels of Iowa claiming its first Top 10 AP Poll ranking since the Caitlin Clark era in 2024.
The matchup began with a setback for the Hawkeyes when starting guard Taylor McCabe suffered a non-contact knee injury just 23 seconds into the game. Despite losing their leading three-point shooter, Iowa responded with a 12-0 run late in the first quarter to overcome an early deficit.
Freshman Addie Deal led the Hawkeyes with a career-high 20 points and five assists. Senior forward Hannah Stuelke recorded her sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Center Ava Heiden contributed 18 points on 9-of-11 shooting, while rising star Chit-Chat Wright added 14 points of her own.
Iowa's interior presence was the deciding factor in the contest. The Hawkeyes out-rebounded the Buckeyes 48-30 and held a 42-14 advantage in points in the paint. Iowa’s bench also impacted the game, outscoring Ohio State's reserves 33-3.
Star guard Jaloni Cambridge led Ohio State in scoring, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds. But despite Chance Gray's 16 points, the Buckeyes were unable to overcome Iowa's 57.8% shooting from the field.
The Iowa vs Ohio State win marks the Hawkeye's third consecutive victory over a Top 15 opponent.
How to watch Iowa and Ohio State in Big Ten matchups this week
Ohio State will have a few days to reflect, as the Buckeyes host unranked Wisconsin on Thursday at 8 PM ET, live on Big Ten Network.
The Hawkeyes now prepare for a West Coast road trip, as Iowa tips off against unranked USC on Thursday at 9 PM ET, live on Peacock.
The No. 15 Maryland Terrapins are hunting an upset, as the once-Top 10 college basketball squad looks to bounce back from two straight ranked losses when they face a rising No. 10 Iowa side on Thursday night.
Once ranked as high as No. 7 in the 2025/26 NCAA season, conference losses to No. 12 Ohio State and No. 3 UCLA sent the Big Ten mainstay skidding in recent weeks.
"Every time this team has not had the outcome that they've wanted, they've done a tremendous job of just really taking the lessons and learning from them, and being ready to move on against their next opponent," Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said.
After last year's NCAA tournament exit in the Sweet Sixteen round, the Terps entered the 2025/26 season anticipating an even deeper run, but a rash of season-ending injuries have forced Maryland to take a different approach.
"Clearly, the injury bug has not been kind to us," Frese said after losing senior guard Kaylene Smikle to a December knee injury. "But I will say that the resiliency in this locker room, as you just witnessed, is something I haven't seen in a really long time."
How to watch Iowa vs. Maryland basketball on Thursday
The No. 15 Terrapins will host the No. 10 Hawkeyes at 6 PM ET on Thursday, with live coverage airing on Peacock.
This week's AP Poll update saw little fireworks, as the NCAA women's basketball elite continue to find their form deep into 2025/26 conference play.
The six highest-ranked programs held their ground, with No. 1 UConn and No. 5 Vanderbilt still standing tall as the season's only undefeated Division I teams.
No. 11 Kentucky saw the steepest fall, dropping four spots after Sunday's 71-59 loss to unranked Mississippi State — the Wildcats' second defeat in four games.
Elsewhere, No. 10 Iowa had cause to celebrate, as the Hawkeyes broke into the Top 10 for the first time since superstar guard Caitlin Clark graduated in 2024.
The ranking comes on the back of Sunday's 75-68 win over No. 13 Michigan State, pulling Iowa to 16-2 on the season.
The Hawkeyes now have their work cut out for them, with games against No. 15 Maryland, No. 12 Ohio State, and No. 3 UCLA slated for the next two weeks.
How to watch Iowa basketball this week
The No. 10 Hawkeyes will next take on the No. 15 Terrapins at 6 PM ET on Thursday, airing live on Peacock.
2025/26 AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll: Week 11
1. UConn (19-0, Big East)
2. South Carolina (19-1, SEC)
3. UCLA (17-1, Big Ten)
4. Texas (19-2, SEC)
5. Vanderbilt (19-0, SEC)
6. LSU (17-2, SEC)
7. Michigan (15-3, Big Ten)
8. Louisville (18-3, ACC)
9. TCU (18-2, Big 12)
10. Iowa (16-2, Big Ten)
11. Kentucky (17-3, SEC)
12. Ohio State (17-2, Big Ten)
13. Michigan State (17-2, Big Ten)
14. Baylor (17-3, Big 12)
15. Maryland (17-3, Big Ten)
16. Oklahoma (14-4, SEC)
17. Tennessee (13-3, SEC)
18. Ole Miss (16-4, SEC)
19. Texas Tech (19-1, Big 12)
20. Princeton (16-1, Ivy)
21. Duke (13-6, ACC)
22. West Virginia (15-4, Big 12)
23. Alabama (17-3, SEC)
24. Nebraska (14-4, Big Ten)
25. Washington (14-4, Big Ten)
Monday's AP Top 25 Poll featured few dramatics, as the Week 8 tally reflected another consistent slate from the 2025/26 NCAA basketball elite with only one shift in the Top 10 and marginal movement at the bottom.
Undefeated TCU keeps making gains, rising one spot to tie Oklahoma at No. 8 after taking down Big 12 foe Kansas State 77-55 behind senior guard Olivia Miles's 29-point performance on Saturday.
On the other hand, a 90-64 loss to No. 1 UConn on Saturday saw Iowa skid three spots, with the now-No. 14 Hawkeyes falling to a 1-2 record against ranked opponents this season.
Outside the relatively stationary Top 10, some blue chip programs are threatening to exit the AP Poll entirely after dropping ranked games last weekend.
Baylor experienced the greatest slide, dropping seven spots to No. 22 after falling 61-60 to Big 12 rival and rankings newcomer No. 21 Texas Tech on Sunday — the Bears' third loss in their season's four ranked games so far.
Tennessee saw a similar dip, plummeting six spots to No. 23 after losing to a surging No. 13 Louisville 89-65 on Saturday.
How to watch Top 25 NCAA basketball this week
The ranked action returns on Sunday, as No. 4 UCLA visits No. 19 Ohio State at 2 PM ET, live on the Big Ten Network.
2025/26 AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll: Week 8
1. UConn (12-0, Big East)
2. Texas (14-0, SEC)
3. South Carolina (12-1, SEC)
4. UCLA (11-1, Big Ten)
5. LSU (13-0, SEC)
6. Michigan (10-1, Big Ten)
7. Maryland (13-0, Big Ten)
T8. TCU (13-0, Big 12)
T8. Oklahoma (12-1, SEC)
10. Iowa State (13-0, Big 12)
11. Kentucky (12-1, SEC)
12. Vanderbilt (12-0, SEC)
13. Louisville (12-3, ACC)
14. Iowa (10-2, Big Ten)
15. Ole Miss (12-2, SEC)
16. UNC (11-3, ACC)
17. USC (9-3, Big Ten)
18. Notre Dame (9-2, ACC)
19. Ohio State (11-1, Big Ten)
20. Nebraska (12-0, Big Ten)
21. Texas Tech (14-0, Big 12)
22. Baylor (11-3, Big 12)
23. Tennessee (8-3, SEC)
24. Michigan State (11-1, Big Ten)
25. Princeton (12-1, Ivy)
The No. 1 UConn Huskies kept their unbeaten streak alive in Brooklyn on Saturday, taking down the No. 11 Iowa Hawkeyes 90-64 while continuing to run the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season's AP Top 25.
The Huskies spun a tale of two halves in the victory, as senior guard Azzi Fudd and sophomore forward Sarah Strong combined for 50 points — Strong with 20 in the first half, followed by Fudd's 21-point second-half show.
"That's an example of why our team is so special — any moment anyone can go off and make shots," Fudd said postgame. "We do a great job of playing unselfish basketball."
While they aren't the only team standing tall against top NCAA competition this year, UConn is averaging a 20.4-point margin of victory through five Top 25-ranked wins — and showing few signs of slowing down.
"We've had a lot of identities over the years, a lot of people are more talking about us offensively," said longtime Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma following Saturday's win. "We had to play the way the hand was dealt, we played a little bit differently. Now we're back to where we play the way I like playing."
How to watch UConn basketball in action
The No. 1 Huskies now move fully into conference play, squaring off against unranked Butler on Sunday.
The Big East matchup will tip off at 4 PM ET, airing live on TNT.
A top-tier NCAA basketball showdown is coming to Barclays Center, as the undefeated No. 1 UConn Huskies take on the No. 11 Iowa Hawkeyes at the Brooklyn home of the WNBA's New York Liberty this weekend.
The Huskies enter Saturday's game on a perfect 11-0 record flush with four ranked nonconference wins as they attempt to go back-to-back with another title run.
"With a team like UConn that is so fast, and they're almost flawless in every aspect of the game, there's no time to get too high, and certainly low," said Iowa head coach Jan Jensen ahead of the Saturday clash.
Rather than relying on one or two stars, depth is now UConn's superpower, as they keep players rested and give opponents little time to react.
"There's a benefit to it, because we can play a certain way, but it's a challenge getting all the players the minutes that they want and that they need," said longtime Huskies coach Geno Auriemma, commenting on his stacked roster this season. "Hopefully, we can manage that balance."
"I think this team has the potential to go down as one of Geno's best," complimented Jensen. "I feel like this particular team, they have a very intense defensive balance to them."
How to watch Iowa vs. UConn in Saturday's NCAA women's basketball slate
The No. 1 Huskies will look to handle the No. 11 Hawkeyes at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on Saturday.
The clash tips off at 1:30 PM ET, with live coverage airing on FOX.