The SEC is running the NCAA table, kicking off week 13 of the college basketball season with eight of the 25 programs listed in Monday's AP Poll repping the powerhouse conference.
Boosting the SEC's profile in this week's rankings is No. 23 Vanderbilt, whose narrow 66-64 upset win over then-No. 19 Alabama on Sunday helped launch the Commodores into the AP standings for the first time since the 2013/14 season.
Further up the poll, a trio of wins last week — including victories over No. 18 Tennessee and then-No. 8 Maryland — fueled Texas's return to the Top 5, with the Longhorns claiming the No. 5 spot after LSU's Friday loss to No. 2 South Carolina dropped the previously undefeated Tigers to No. 7.
Ultimately, the SEC is steadily eclipsing early season favorite the Big Ten — an unexpected turn of events that has the traditionally Midwest conference clinging onto the coattails of West Coast newcomers No. 1 UCLA and No. 4 USC.

Big swings in the Big Ten
The Big Ten's ranked programs dwindled to five after Michigan and Minnesota joined the Big 12's Baylor in exiting Monday's poll, helping pave the way for the SEC to claim more AP spots this week.
Fully entrenched in Monday's rankings drama, the Big Ten ultimately owned the highs and lows of this week's poll.
While Wolverine-ouster Michigan State earned the week's largest leap in a five-spot rise to No. 16, Maryland suffered the deepest fall. The Terps tumbled six spots to No. 14 after logging three ranked losses last week — to the still-undefeated UCLA, Texas, and new-No. 8, Ohio State.

Monday action solidifies the SEC basketball spotlight
SEC basketball wasted no time in proving its competitive mettle after taking over the AP poll, as a tough matchup between unwavering No. 2 South Carolina and No. 18 Tennessee took Monday's court.
Despite a first-quarter blitz and an impressive last-ditch 24-8 comeback run from the Vols, the Gamecocks managed to beat Tennessee 70-63.
Behind a game-leading 18 points from freshman Joyce Edwards, South Carolina held Tennessee's top-ranked offense to season-lows in points, field goal percentage (30.7%), and three-pointers made (3-for-26).
"Joyce plays the right way," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said about Edwards' big outing. "Joyce makes good basketball decisions. That’s why you see her flourish."

AP College Basketball Top 25: Week 13
1. UCLA (20-0, Big Ten)
2. South Carolina (20-1, SEC)
3. Notre Dame (17-2, ACC)
4. USC (18-1, Big Ten)
5. Texas (20-2, SEC)
6. UConn (19-2, Big East)
7. LSU (21-1, SEC)
8. Ohio State (19-1, Big Ten)
9. TCU (20-2, Big 12)
10. Duke (17-4, ACC)
11. Kansas State (19-2, Big 12)
12. Kentucky (17-2, SEC)
13. Oklahoma (16-4, SEC)
14. Maryland (16-4, Big Ten)
15. North Carolina (18-4, ACC)
16. Michigan State (17-3, Big Ten)
17. NC State (16-4, ACC)
18. Tennessee (15-5, SEC)
19. California (18-3, ACC)
20. Georgia Tech (17-4, ACC)
21. West Virginia (16-4, Big 12)
22. Alabama (17-4, SEC)
23. Vanderbilt (17-4, SEC)
24. Oklahoma State (17-3, Big 12)
25. Florida State (16-4, ACC)
Kicking off another NCAA basketball weekend with a bang, South Carolina snapped LSU's unbeaten streak on Friday, holding their SEC rivals to just 29.9% shooting in the 66-56 statement win.
No. 2 South Carolina's bench outscored No. 5 LSU's 31-2 in the contest. The Tigers' Friday shooting percentage marked their worst-ever performance under head coach Kim Mulkey.
Freshman Joyce Edwards led the Gamecocks with 14 points, while LSU senior Aneesah Morrow registered her 93rd double-double. The feat awarded her the second-most career double-doubles in women's college basketball history.
Mulkey was quick to credit newly re-signed South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley's lineup for the dominant Gamecocks victory.
"I do think they're the best in the country, even though UCLA beat them," Mulkey told reporters after the game. "I don't think I've ever coached against a team with 10 McDonald's All-Americans on a roster."

Unbeaten UCLA downs Maryland in Top 10 NCAA matchup
With LSU losing on Friday, No. 1 UCLA became this season's only remaining undefeated DI team. The Bruins subsequently solidified their top-dog status by downing No. 8 Maryland 82-67 on Sunday.
UCLA junior Lauren Betts put up a career-high 33 points in the win, shooting 14-for-15 en route to reaching 1,000 career points.
Notably, the Terrapins are still without two of their top three scorers in Shyanne Sellers and Bri McDaniel. While McDaniel is out for the season with an ACL injury, Sellers is expected to eventually return to play after suffering a knee sprain in last Monday's loss to No. 7 Texas.

Conference wins highlight NCAA basketball weekend action
The Top 10 wins booked by South Carolina and UCLA weren't the only conference victories making waves in college basketball over the weekend.
No. 21 Michigan State stunned hosts No. 24 Michigan 88-58 on Saturday. Michigan State turned a four-point halftime deficit into a prolific run that saw the Spartans outscore their instate rivals 59-25 in the second half.
In the Big 12, No. 9 TCU ended a 35-year losing streak against No. 25 Baylor on Sunday. The Horned Frogs topped the Bears 80-75 behind Sedona Prince's game-leading 24-point, 14-rebound double-double.
Elsewhere, four Top 20 teams — No. 10 Kansas State, No. 13 UNC, No. 16 West Virginia, and No. 19 Alabama — fell to unranked opponents. No. 7 Texas narrowly escaped the same fate, needing a late fourth-quarter surge to secure a 61-58 comeback win over Ole Miss on Sunday.
Deep into conference play, rivalries and upsets are putting DI college basketball's ever-growing parity in the spotlight.
How to watch top-ranked NCAA basketball on Monday
The ranked conference clashes continue tonight, when No. 2 South Carolina visits No. 18 Tennessee at 7 PM ET, with live coverage on ESPN2.
Joyce Edwards committed to South Carolina over LSU and Clemson. A conversation with WNBA star A’ja Wilson helped cement the decision for one of the top prospects in the class of 2024.
While Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley did a lot to bring in Edwards, who is the second-ranked prospect in the class, so did Wilson. Edwards had planned to wait until April to make her decision, when the regular signing period opens, but a meeting with the two-time WNBA champion during the Gamecocks’ 114-76 win over Maryland on Sunday helped seal the deal.
“Me and A’ja had a good conversation at halftime,” Edwards told the Greenville News. “All of the returning players there were really cool, but I had a conversation with A’ja specifically, because we play the most similar. She gave me a lot of good advice.”
South Carolina sophomore Chloe Kitts also provided a nudge, as the two played together this summer for Team USA at the FIBA U-19 World Cup. Kitts was “in her ear” the “whole time during USA Basketball” urging her to choose the Gamecocks, she said.
“I’m just so happy for her either way, even if she didn’t choose here,” Kitts said. “I actually sent her a message when I saw her top three just saying, do what’s best for you and where makes you happy. If it’s not here, then that’s OK. Go where you feel like you’re going to succeed.”
A native of South Carolina, Edwards chose to stay home with the Gamecocks, despite a big push from defending champion LSU. Staley is someone that she knows she can “count on” for anything, Edwards said.
“My top three schools were all kind of the whole package for me, but I knew I wanted to win as many national championships as possible, and Dawn really convinced me she can get me to that level,” Edwards said.
There was also the matter of her education. South Carolina does not have the specific engineering major that Edwards wanted, which almost kept her from the Gamecocks. But Staley worked with the university’s honors college to ensure that she could get the right degree.
“She tried her hardest and found ways to do it so I can get both experiences for my academics and athletics. It was just how hard she worked to not give up (on me),” Edwards said.