The women's basketball carousel keeps spinning, as LSU searches for new talent after 1,000+ players entered the NCAA transfer portal.
The Tigers lost three guards this week. Freshman Bella Hines joined Divine Bourrage and Kailyn Gilbert in the portal on Tuesday. Hines averaged 13 minutes per game during LSU's 2025/26 campaign, while averaging 4.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.
But coach Kim Mulkey’s program did see a boost, as 6-foot-5 No. 3 high school recruit Caroline Bradley committed to LSU. The Louisiana native plans to join the Tigers for the 2027/28 season.
"First and foremost, I want to win. But I also want to be developed and challenged over the course of the next four years," Bradley told ESPN.
"Coach Mulkey and the staff have worked to build a great relationship with me and my family... I can't wait to be a part of a family that runs deeper than basketball."
NCAA Transfer Portal Rattles Women's College Basketball
With a free range of movement and money to be made, the NCAA transfer portal can impact blue chip programs both positively and negatively as rosters become increasingly stacked.
Back-to-back Final Four participant Texas is also feeling the spin, as 2025 recruit Aaliyah Crump departed Austin after averaging 7.9 points per game across 24 appearances. Forwards Aaliyah Moore and Justice Carlton followed suit.
Big-name programs also stand to benefit from the talent pool, with key prospects like Iowa State center Audi Crooks and Virginia guard Kymora Johnson shopping for new teams.
March Madness is back for its second weekend of action, with the Sweet 16 tipping off a stacked slate to determine the 2026 Final Four contenders — with top seeds primed to collide throughout the bracket.
No. 2 seed LSU faces No. 3 Duke in Friday's nightcap, with the bounce-back Blue Devils looking to avenge their early December 93-77 loss to the Tigers.
"They're not the same team, we're not the same team," said Duke senior Ashlon Jackson. "That is a great team, great coach, great players. I would love to see our development over the months that it's been since we played them."
Both Duke and LSU have blown through the first two rounds of the tournament on 20- and 56-point average margins of victory, respectively, as Blue Devils coach Kara Lawson and Tigers boss Kim Mulkey crank up the postseason heat.
"I've gotten to the Elite Eight [every year] since I got to LSU," said Tigers guard Mikaylah Williams, who arrived in Baton Rouge just after the team won the 2023 national title. "It would be lovely for me to get past the Elite Eight and make it to the Final Four. We're almost there."
Despite Duke's recent surge, Las Vegas is currently leaning toward the SEC titans, favoring LSU by 8.5 points over the ACC underdogs.
How to watch Duke vs. LSU in the Sweet 16
The No. 2 Tigers will tip off against the No. 3 Blue Devils at 10 PM ET on Friday, airing live on ESPN.
LSU women's basketball entered the NCAA record books with Sunday's dominating 101-47 victory over Texas Tech in front of a home crowd in Baton Rouge.
The No. 2 seed broke the DI women's record for most 100-point games in a single season with their 16th triple-digit scoreline. Long Beach State previously held the mark, tallying 15 100-point games during the 1986/87 season.
LSU tied the record in the first round of Women's March Madness, ousting Jacksonville 116-58 on Friday. The back-to-back blowouts made the Tigers the second-ever team to open an NCAA tournament run with consecutive 50-point victories.
"Obviously, as a basketball player, and just like a little girl growing up watching basketball, it's everybody's dream to have their names in the history books," junior guard Mikaylah Williams said. "So, it's truly a good feeling and a blessing to even be able to do this."
Williams co-led the team with 24 points against the Red Raiders, sharing the stat with senior guard Flau'jae Johnson. Amiya Joyner added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Kate Koval registered 10 points and 10 rebounds.
In her postgame press conference, LSU coach Kim Mulkey downplayed the record's significance.
"I don't think one thing about it," Mulkey told reporters. "That is not something that, when I'm in my rocking chair, I'm gonna tell the grandkids, 'You know what we did one year?' I'll forget it. But I won't forget those national championships, those conference championships."
How to Watch LSU Vs. Duke in the Women's Sweet 16
The Tigers continue their March Madness run on Friday, tipping off against No. 3 seed Duke at 10 PM ET, live on ESPN.
The NCAA coaching carousel is picking up speed, as conference crash-outs give way to staffing changes across Division I women's basketball.
Florida parted ways with fifth-year head coach Kelly Rae Finley after the Gators' second-round SEC tournament exit last week capped an 18-15 season record. The team will miss March Madness for the fourth straight year despite rostering three McDonald's All-Americans.
"The University of Florida is committed to building a women's basketball program that consistently reaches the NCAA Tournament," director of athletics Scott Stricklin said in a Monday statement. "We look forward to hiring a coach and staff who can deliver on those expectations."
Other teams outside the postseason bubble also began making moves, shooting to strengthen both offseason recruiting and next season's showing.
Finishing last in the Big Ten at a 9-20 overall 2025/26 record, Rutgers replaced fourth-year head coach Coquese Washington — the successor of the Scarlet Knights' legendary leader C. Vivian Stringer — with LSU assistant Gary Redus II, after Redus II helped bring top-ranked players to Baton Rouge.
Mid-major staple Memphis dismissed coach Alex Simmons after going 30-61 across three seasons at the Tigers' helm.
Meanwhile, after failing to make the Big Ten tournament cut, Penn State parted ways with head coach Carolyn Kieger, who posted just one winning season in her seven years leading the Nittany Lions.
With the NCAA coaching carousel just starting to spin, expect more leaders to fall as teams progress — or stumble — through this month's national tournament.
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrated a milestone over the weekend, earning her 500th career win leading the No. 3 Gamecocks as they took down the No. 7 LSU Tigers 79-72 in Baton Rouge on Saturday.
Gamecocks guard Tessa Johnson held court with 21 points, while the Tigers' struggles at the line saw star guard Flau'jae Johnson — who otherwise led LSU with 21 points of her own — miss two free throws in the final minute as South Carolina pulled away.
"At the end, we got lucky," Staley said postgame. "Flau'jae doesn't miss free throws — we actually got a bucket after that and it's those kind of plays that are determining the game."
The victory marked the Gamecocks' 18th straight win over LSU — with South Carolina holding strong as the only SEC team still unbeaten by LSU head coach Kim Mulkey.
"It was two of the best teams in our conference, in the country, just trying to get a win," Staley summarized.
South Carolina now boasts a multi-game lead in the SEC basketball standings, putting Staley's squad in the driver's seat as they aim for a fifth regular-season title with four matchups left.
How to watch South Carolina, LSU basketball this week
SEC basketball action returns on Thursday with No. 3 South Carolina facing No. 25 Alabama at 8:30 PM ET on SECN before No. 7 LSU tips off against No. 17 Ole Miss at 9 PM ET, airing live on ESPN.
SEC basketball takes center stage on Saturday, as No. 3 South Carolina takes on No. 6 LSU in what will likely be the pair's final Top 10 test of the 2025/26 NCAA regular-season.
The Gamecocks enter the matchup riding a five-game winning streak to a conference-leading 10-1 SEC record.
Even more, South Carolina boasts a dominant 32.5-point average margin of victory this season while holding opponents to just 55.7 points per game — and scoring an average of 88.1 points of their own.
As for the Tigers, LSU is 8-1 in its last nine games, averaging a Division I-leading 96.6 points per game thanks to backcourt consistency, with a trio of guards — Flau'jae Johnson, MiLaysia Fulwiley, and Mikaylah Williams — averaging over 13 points per game.
LSU junior star guard Fulwiley notably spent her first two seasons at South Carolina before transferring last April — going on to post career highs in points, field goal percentage, and rebounds in Baton Rouge this season.
"I don't think there was any animosity or hard feelings," said LSU head coach Kim Mulkey about Fulwiley's decision to leave the Gamecocks. "Internally, she's probably going to be a little bit excited [on Saturday], have butterflies, but she's really a valuable part of our team."
The SEC rivals last met in a 66-56 South Carolina victory in January 2025, back when Fulwiley played in Columbia.
How to watch South Carolina vs. LSU basketball this weekend
The No. 3 Gamecocks will visit the No. 6 Tigers on Saturday, with the clash tipping off live at 8:30 PM ET on ABC.
No. 4 Texas defeated No. 5 LSU 77-64 on Thursday, as the Longhorns emerged victorious from the highly anticipated LSU vs Texas rematch at Moody Center.
Texas avenged their earlier 70-65 loss in Baton Rouge, while extending their home winning streak to 39 games — tied with TCU for the longest active streak in the nation.
Star forward Madison Booker led Texas with 18 points., while freshman Aaliyah Crump added 16 off the bench. The LSU vs Texas matchup got decisive in the fourth quarter with a 10-0 Texas run, as center Kyla Oldacre tallied six straight points to start the period to push the Longhorns' lead to 15 points with 5:01 remaining.
The LSU vs Texas game later turned historic, as senior guard Rori Harmon recorded six steals to become the program's all-time steals leader. She now has 351 career steals, surpassing Linda Waggoner's 45-year-old record of 346, set in 1980.
Harmon simultaneously reached 1,500 career points last night, becoming the 21st player in Texas history to achieve the milestone. In November, the 23-year-old became Texas's all-time assists leader with 894.
Harmon secured the record-breaking steal in the third quarter, diving to the floor while fighting two LSU players for a loose ball. She smiled while holding the ball tightly, knowing she had made history.
The LSU vs Texas showdown proved a defensive battle, with the Longhorns holding the Tigers to just 64 points. The Tigers entered averaging 98.9 points per game — topping the NCAA — while tallying 12 games with 100-plus points. However, Texas limited LSU to 11 points in the fourth quarter.
The loss dropped the Tigers to 21-3 overall and 7-3 in SEC play, snapping a seven-game winning streak. Conversely, Texas improved to 22-2 and 7-2 in conference play.
The No. 4 Texas Longhorns have a score to settle when they host No. 5 LSU for the pair's second and final 2025/26 NCAA basketball regular-season matchup on Thursday.
The Tigers got the better of Texas back on January 11th, securing a 70-65 win behind junior guard Mikaylah Williams's 20 point-performance.
"They were way tougher than we were," Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer said after the loss. "By far our worst game of the year, and we'll give them credit for that."
That said, Thursday's home-court advantage should give the Longhorns a boost, with Texas riding a 38-game home winning streak — the longest active home streak in Division I basketball — alongside a 63-5 all-time record at Austin's Moody Center.
As for LSU, the Tigers' schedule only gets harder from here, as the team gears up to face No. 3 South Carolina, No. 13 Ole Miss, and No. 19 Tennessee later this month.
"We don't have to rely on anybody else winning or losing," said LSU head coach Kim Mulkey. "Go win seven ball games and you might win your first SEC title."
How to watch LSU vs. Texas basketball on Thursday
The No. 5 Tigers will visit the No. 4 Longhorns at 9 PM ET, with the SEC clash airing live on ESPN.
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)
Thursday night's NCAA basketball action spotlights a tense SEC rematch, as No. 2 South Carolina hosts No. 4 Texas in conference play following the pair's nonconference Players Era Championship matchup in November.
The Longhorns just edged the Gamecocks 66-64 in the Las Vegas competition's title game, but the tide has since shifted, with South Carolina now riding a 10-game winning streak into Thursday's matchup while No. 6 LSU served Texas a season-first loss last Sunday.
"I'm really disappointed in the league for putting us in that position, but we play whoever is in front of us," Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer said of his team's grueling road trip. "It's one monster after another."
The pair's sole 2025/26 conference matchup could end up determining the SEC basketball regular-season title — South Carolina and Texas split their two 2024/25 SEC clashes to tie for last season's honor before the Gamecocks ousted the Longhorns from both the conference tournament and the Final Four.
While injuries have impacted both sides, South Carolina anticipates a roster boost from 6-foot-7 French international Alicia Tournebize, who recently joined the Gamecocks after playing pro ball in Europe.
"She looked good," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said of her team's midseason addition. "She'll play, she'll definitely play."
How to watch Texas vs. South Carolina on Thursday
The No. 4 Longhorns will tip off against the No. 2 Gamecocks in Columbia at 7 PM ET on Thursday, with live coverage airing on ESPN2.