Duke captured its second consecutive ACC tournament championship with Sunday's 70-65 overtime victory over Louisville. The No. 13 Blue Devils overcame a late deficit to defeat the No. 12 Cardinals in the first overtime title game in 17 years.
Duke's Taina Mair earned tournament MVP honors with 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Delaney Thomas put up 19 points of her own. Riley Nelson finished with 12 points plus the game-winner.
Louisville led 60-58 with seconds remaining in regulation, before Thomas converted a layup with four seconds left to tie the game at 60. Mair then blocked a Louisville shot at the buzzer to force the game into overtime.
Duke seized control in the extra period, as Thomas gave the Blue Devils the lead for good with another layup. Nelson then buried a corner 3-pointer with six seconds remaining to seal the victory. The shot came as the shot clock expired.
Imari Berry led Louisville with 18 points, while Mackenly Randolph recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds over 45 minutes of playing time.
Duke finished the season 24-8 overall and 16-2 in conference play. The Blue Devils started the season 3-6 before turning things around under coach Kara Lawson, going on to win 21 of their final 23 games heading into Selection Sunday on March 15th.
Ending on a 27-7 over all record, Louisville now awaits its NCAA Tournament seeding.
The 2026 ACC Tournament also named its all-tournament first team, with Mair, Nelson, Berry, Randolph, and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo making the cut. Duke's Toby Fournier, Delaney Thomas, and Ashlon Jackson earned second-team honors alongside Louisville's Laura Ziegler and Syracuse's Uche Izoje.
The ACC women's basketball title race is heating up, as No. 17 Duke earned a one-game conference lead by upsetting No. 6 Louisville 59-58 on Thursday night.
The Blue Devils' defense clinched the win while Duke sophomore forward Toby Fournier led all scorers with 15 points and nine rebounds on the night — with a missed free throw from Louisville sophomore guard Imari Berry sealing the deal in the game's final seconds.
"They were physical and we shied away a little bit from it instead of just going into them and drawing fouls," Cardinal senior forward Laura Ziegler said postgame.
After a slow season start, Duke has blazed through the ACC, with the Blue Devils now riding a 14-game winning streak to an undefeated conference record.
As for the Cardinals, Thursday's loss broke Louisville's own 14-game winning streak just days after the team reached their highest AP Poll ranking in four years.
That said, Louisville has an arguably lighter slate across their final six regular-season games than the Blue Devils, with the Cards fiercest foe coming from their Sunday clash with ACC third-place team Syracuse.
Meanwhile, Duke's final docket includes intrastate foe and fourth-place ACC squad NC State, as well as a pair of games against rival No. 25 UNC — though the Blue Devils are banking on ending on an upswing.
"Our goal has always been to be the team that grows the most during the season," said Duke head coach Kara Lawson. "And if each individual buys into that and the team buys into that, we will like where we are at the end of the year."
How to watch Duke and Louisville in ACC basketball action this weekend
Both Louisville and Duke will continue their ACC schedules on Sunday, with the No. 6 Cardinals taking on Syracuse at 12 PM ET before the No. 17 Blue Devils host SMU at 2 PM ET.
Both conference clashes will air live on The CW.
While the SEC and Big Ten still run the AP Poll, Monday's update revealed one ACC team quietly shooting up the Top 25 as the 2025/26 NCAA basketball regular season nears its end.
Dominant conference play fueled No. 6 Louisville's one-spot Week 13 gain, as the Cardinals ride a 14-game winning streak to the team's highest ranking in four years.
Louisville's 11-0 ACC record matches their best conference start in program history as they close in on their first regular-season title since 2021.
Elsewhere, unbeaten UConn remains the unanimous No. 1 pick after another blowout slate, with the rest of last week's Top 4 following suit.
Benefitting from now-No. 7 Vanderbilt's two-game skid, LSU rose to No. 5 while No. 13 Ole Miss jumped four spots in the week's biggest boost.
Suffering the largest fall was No. 22 Maryland, who dropped six spots as the injury-struck Terrapins keep trying to right the ship on a four-game Big Ten losing streak.
How to watch Top 25 NCAA basketball this week
The ranked basketball action continues on Wednesday, when No. 22 Maryland visits East Lansing to take on a tough No. 12 Michigan State side reeling from their own injuries — with both teams hunting bounce-back wins.
The game tips off live at 6:30 PM ET on B1G+.
2025/26 AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll: Week 13
1. UConn (23-0, Big East)
2. UCLA (21-1, Big Ten)
3. South Carolina (22-2, SEC)
4. Texas (21-2, SEC)
5. LSU (21-2, SEC)
6. Louisville (21-3, ACC)
7. Vanderbilt (21-2, SEC)
8. Michigan (19-3, Big Ten)
9. Ohio State (20-3, Big Ten)
10. Iowa (18-4, Big Ten)
11. Oklahoma (17-5, SEC)
12. Michigan State (19-3, Big Ten)
13. Ole Miss (19-4, SEC)
14. TCU (20-3, Big 12)
15. Baylor (19-4, Big 12)
16. Kentucky (18-5, SEC)
17. Duke (16-6, ACC)
18. Texas Tech (21-3, Big 12)
19. Tennessee (14-5, SEC)
20. West Virginia (18-5, Big 12)
21. Alabama (19-4, SEC)
22. Maryland (17-6, Big Ten)
23. Princeton (18-2, Ivy)
24. Washington (17-5, Big Ten)
25. North Carolina (18-5, ACC)
A major winter storm moving from New Mexico to New England has caused significant changes to the women’s college basketball calendar this weekend, with several teams adjusting their schedules ahead of predicted snow and ice.
Top-ranked UConn moved its game against Seton Hall from Sunday to Saturday afternoon. No. 14 Baylor postponed its matchup against Houston until Tuesday. Other programs, including No. 20 Princeton, Cincinnati, and Rice, moved their Saturday start times earlier to avoid deteriorating road conditions.
Elsewhere, North Carolina Central postponed two scheduled women's games in Durham, while the Sun Belt Conference proactively rescheduled its entire women's basketball slate from Thursday through Saturday. Similar adjustments occurred in the Big South, where the USC Upstate at Longwood game was moved from Saturday to Friday.
And the storm isn't just impacting college basketball. In the SEC, the top 15 swimming and diving dual meet between No. 9 Tennessee and No. 14 Georgia moved from Saturday to Friday, while No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 5 Georgia pushed up Friday's gymnastics meet from 6 PM ET to 2:45 PM ET.
Athletic departments across the country continue to monitor weather updates for further potential disruptions caused by the winter storm.
How to watch women's college basketball games impacted by the winter storm
Eastern Kentucky vs. North Florida has moved to 11 AM ET on Saturday, live on ESPN+.
No. 1 UConn vs. Seton Hall has moved from Sunday to 12 PM ET on Saturday, live on NBC Sports.
No. 20 Princeton vs. Brown has moved to 12 PM ET on Saturday, live on ESPN+.
Cincinnati vs. Arizona State has moved to 2 PM ET to 12 PM ET on Saturday, live on ESPN+.
Jacksonville State vs. UTEP has moved to 1 PM ET on Saturday, live on ESPN+.
No. 21 Duke vs. Pitt has moved from Sunday to Saturday at 4 PM ET, live on ACC Network.
Boston College vs. No. 8 Louisville has moved from 2 PM ET to 11 AM ET on Sunday, live on ACC Network.
Houston vs. No 14 Baylor has moved from Sunday to 7 PM ET on Tuesday, live on ESPN+.
No. 1 UConn has aced every test in the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season so far, as No. 23 Notre Dame looks to disrupt the undefeated Huskies' national title defense in Monday's nonconference lineup.
Fresh off a 79-66 ranked loss to No. 9 Louisville on Thursday night, the Irish will lean hard on star guard Hannah Hidalgo on Monday.
The junior is averaging 6.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists on the season, while Hidalgo's 25.1 points-per-game rate trails only No. 19 Iowa State star Audi Crooks on the NCAA stat sheet.
"It's a long season, and I can't dwell on the loss for too long because my team needs me," Hidalgo said after Thursday's fall to the Cardinals.
On the flip side, UConn is racking up blowout wins, with the team's last single-digit victory dating back to a pre-Thanksgiving 72-69 win over No. 8 Michigan on November 21st.
The Huskies are now riding a 34-game winning streak, fueled by consistent output from sophomore Sarah Strong and senior Azzi Fudd.
"I've been trying to tell the girls that UConn is a different beast," Hidalgo said. "If we think certain teams that we have lost to were tough, then we're going to have a rude awakening [against] UConn."
How to watch Notre Dame vs. UConn women's basketball
The No. 1 Huskies will host the No. 23 Fighting Irish at 5 PM ET on Monday, with live coverage airing on FOX.
Unranked Notre Dame made a statement last weekend, as the Fighting Irish took down No. 22 North Carolina 73-50 to earn their second ranked win of the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season on Sunday.
While guards Cassandre Prosper and Vanessa de Jesus bolstered Notre Dame with 17 and 16 points, respectively, junior star Hannah Hidalgo led the Irish's charge, putting up 31 points as well as snagging six steals in the afternoon matchup.
"Hidalgo was a real problem," Tar Heels head coach Courtney Banghart said postgame. "Obviously, she disrupted us in all ways, I think most of those 27 points off turnovers was because of her."
After a volatile offseason, the Irish saw their 85-week AP Top 25 streak end earlier this month following back-to-back losses to ACC foes Georgia Tech and Duke — but Notre Dame has since rattled off two straight wins to potentially re-enter the rankings conversation.
"I'm challenging them in practice," said Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey. "We're learning from our mistakes, and we're getting better. That's what I love. This group allows me to do that."
How to watch Notre Dame basketball this week
Notre Dame will face another tough test on Thursday, when the unranked Irish host a surging No. 10 Louisville at 6 PM ET, airing live on ACCN.
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)
While the AP Top 10 stayed mostly intact this week, a few programs — including the Oklahoma Sooners — are making a case for themselves as the 2025/26 NCAA women's basketball season's nonconference schedule hits its peak.
The Sooners were the only Top 10 riser in Monday's AP Poll, jumping one spot to No. 8 after taking down rivals Oklahoma State 92-70 on Saturday — a game that sent the Cowgirls out of the rankings entirely.
Bouncing back from an early season loss to No. 4 UCLA, Oklahoma's strengthening record dislodged undefeated TCU, with the Horned Frogs falling to No. 9 despite a perfect week against unranked competition.
Meanwhile, No. 1 UConn retained their crown after Saturday's top-ranked win over now-No. 19 USC, while No. 2 Texas continues to shine after humbling in-state rivals No. 15 Baylor on Sunday.
The Longhorns received eight first-place votes this week, a tick down from the last round after notching two Top 5 wins in late November.
Despite some ranked blowouts, the ACC saw the greatest movement, as No. 16 Louisville rocketed up six spots after upsetting then-No. 12 North Carolina — sending the Tar Heels skidding the same distance down to No. 18.
The SEC also saw gains, as No. 12 Kentucky and No. 14 Ole Miss both rose three spots as they creep toward the Top 10 with one loss apiece.
2025/26 AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll: Week 7
1. UConn (10-0, Big East)
2. Texas (12-0, SEC)
3. South Carolina (10-1, SEC)
4. UCLA (9-1, Big Ten)
5. LSU (11-0, SEC)
6. Michigan (9-1, Big Ten)
7. Maryland (12-0, Big Ten)
8. Oklahoma (11-1, SEC)
9. TCU (11-0, Big 12)
10. Iowa State (12-0, Big 12)
11. Iowa (10-1, Big Ten)
12. Kentucky (11-1, SEC)
13. Vanderbilt (10-0, SEC)
14. Ole Miss (10-1, SEC)
15. Baylor (10-2, Big 12)
16. Louisville (10-3, ACC)
17. Tennessee (7-2, SEC)
18. UNC (9-3, ACC)
19. USC (7-3, Big Ten)
20. Notre Dame (8-2, ACC)
21. Ohio State (9-1, Big Ten)
22. Washington (9-1, Big Ten)
23. Nebraska (11-0, Big Ten)
24. Michigan State (9-1, Big Ten)
25. Princeton (10-1, Ivy)
No. 2 Texas will continue their ambitious 2025/26 NCAA basketball nonconference schedule on Thursday, when the Longhorns take on the No. 11 North Carolina Tar Heels as part of the annual two-day ACC/SEC Challenge.
The game will mark Texas' third ranked matchup in nine days, after the Longhorns claimed a pair of impressive wins over No. 3 South Carolina and No. 4 UCLA at the Players Era Championship last week.
"We're still a long way from a finished product," said Texas head coach Vic Schaefer, tempering early season expectations following his team's 81-63 win over unranked Penn on Sunday.
Now in its third iteration, this year's ACC/SEC Challenge opened with the SEC taking a commanding lead between the two conferences in Wednesday's action.
In the day's tightest tilt, Oklahoma guard Aaliyah Chavez — the No. 1 recruit of the 2025/26 freshman class — scored a blistering 33 points to help her No. 9 Sooners to a 103-98 overtime win over NC State.
Elsewhere, No. 19 Tennessee survived an upset bid from unranked Stanford 65-62 to keep the SEC all but perfect on the day, as Syracuse tallied the only ACC win out of the seven Challenge games thus far — a 66-60 overtime victory over also-unranked Auburn.
However, the annual event heats up on Thursday, when the Challenge's three Top-25 matchups take the court.
In addition to the No. 2 Longhorns hosting the No. 11 Tar Heels, Thursday's docket features No. 3 South Carolina visiting No. 22 Louisville and No. 13 Ole Miss taking on No. 18 Notre Dame.
How to watch the Top-25 tilts in the 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge
Thursday's first ranked matchups begin at 7 PM ET, with UNC vs. Texas on ESPN2 while South Carolina faces Louisville on ESPN.
Notre Dame will then close out the 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge against Ole Miss at 9 PM ET, airing live on ESPN2.
No. 4 Texas blew past two top-ranked opponents last week, setting the tone for the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season with back-to-back wins over No. 3 UCLA and No. 2 South Carolina to earn the Players Era Championship trophy on Thanksgiving Day.
Fifth-year senior Rori Harmon was named tournament MVP, putting up a game-leading 26 points and breaking the Longhorns' career assists record in Wednesday's 76-65 defeat of UCLA before hitting the game-winner to lift Texas over the Gamecocks 66-64 in Thursday's title game.
"I just read the vibe and flow of the game," Harmon said afterward. "[Texas head coach Vic Schaefer] called the play at the end of the game, and I've been in this moment before, so it felt good coming out of my hands."
Texas's win added fuel to the burgeoning SEC rivalry, with the teams squaring off five times in the last year — and South Carolina riding a narrow 3-2 advantage.
"I'm not upset at all," Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said postgame. "This is going to help us because there are a lot of things to unpack in it."
"If you can give [Texas] a run for their money in that way, I mean, you're on to something," she continued. "I like our resiliency. We've just got to clean up some things at the end of the game."
How to watch Texas, South Carolina this week
Both Texas and South Carolina have another ranked matchup on this week's NCAA docket, with the No. 4 Longhorns taking on the No. 12 UNC Tar Heels while the No. 2 Gamecocks face the No. 23 Louisville Cardinals.
Both games tip off at 7 PM ET on Thursday, with Texas vs. UNC airing live on ESPN2 while South Carolina vs. Louisville airs on ESPN.