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.

Maryland's Kaylene Smikle guards Ohio State's Jaloni Cambridge during a Big Ten NCAA college basketball game.
Three losses sent Maryland out of the Top 10 in the week's biggest AP poll dip. (Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY NETWORK/Imagn Images)

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.

Tessa Johnson, Adhel Tac, and Te-Hina Paopao cheer on their South Carolina teammates during an SEC NCAA college basketball game.
South Carolina is the only Division I team whose bench outscores their starters. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

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."

Rori Harmon #3 of the Texas Longhorns brings the ball up court during an NCAA college basketball game.
Texas jumped from No. 7 to No. 5 in this week's updated AP Top 25 Poll. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

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.

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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."

UCLA's Lauren Betts shoots the ball during the No. 1 Bruins' Sunday NCAA basketball win over No. 8 Maryland.
Lauren Betts reached 1,000 career points in UCLA's win over Maryland on Sunday. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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.

Michigan's Greta Kampschroeder guards a shot from Michigan State's Grace VanSlooten in Saturday's NCAA basketball game.
The Spartans outscored the Wolverines 59-25 in the second half to defeat Michigan on Saturday. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

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.

On a Thursday night that saw several top NCAA basketball teams stumble, No. 6 LSU narrowly managed to keep their perfect season intact, though No. 16 Tennessee took the Tigers to the brink in a close 89-87 conference battle.

The SEC's rising parity was fully on display as stars Jewel Spear and Talaysia Cooper posted 25 and 24 points, respectively, to try and put their surging Tennessee side on top.

Though the Vols chipped away throughout the game at LSU's nine-point first-quarter lead, it was Tiger junior Kailyn Gilbert who cemented LSU's win with a wild, last-second bucket, putting a bow on her 22 points off the bench.

LSU senior Aneesah Morrow also shined, registering 23 points and 21 rebounds — her NCAA-leading 16th double-double and second 20+ point, 20+ rebound performance this season.

Now 18-0, LSU is one of just three undefeated Division I college basketball programs this season, joining just No. 1 UCLA and No. 9 Ohio State in remaining unbeaten.

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Seven top 25 NCAA teams fall on Thursday

LSU's victory over Tennessee was just one of seven NCAA basketball games to see ranked teams fall on Thursday night. No. 5 Texas annihilated No. 18 Alabama to the tune of 84-40, while No. 19 UNC and No. 24 Cal registered upsets of No. 14 Duke and No. 21 NC State, respectively.

Unranked teams also did damage in the Top 25, with Illinois downing No. 23 Iowa and Mississippi State bouncing back from the 95-68 shellacking they took at the hands of No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday by taking down No. 10 Oklahoma 81-77.

That said, No. 13 Georgia Tech suffered the most consequential defeat after seeing their unbeaten season disappear in a 105-94 double-overtime loss to unranked Virginia Tech.

Yellow Jacket junior Kara Dunn's game-leading 33-point, 10-rebound double-double and teammate Tonie Morgan's 28 points kept Georgia Tech alive throughout much of the back-and-forth battle.

However, 17+ point showings from Virginia Tech's entire starting lineup, not to mention a late, stifling defense that allowed them to outscore Georgia Tech 13-2 in the second overtime period, ultimately secured the win for the Hokies.

Texas star Rori Harmon dribbles the call up the court during an NCAA basketball game.
Texas star Rori Harmon promises a "knockdown, drag out" against South Carolina on Sunday. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

NCAA basketball weekend rife with upset potential

With 23 ranked NCAA teams facing unranked opponents this weekend, the potential for upsets is high, though the lone ranked pairing is a highly anticipated Top-5 affair.

The SEC will take center court again, as No. 5 Texas takes on defending national champions No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday.

Ahead of the tense matchup, guard Rori Harmon promised that the Longhorns are "going to make sure it's a knockdown, drag out."

"It's going to be a battle, and we look forward to the battle," said South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, referencing her team's tough conference slate.

How to watch top-ranked NCAA basketball this weekend

No. 5 Texas will visit No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday at 1 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN.

With all eyes on the stacked midweek NCAA basketball slate, No. 4 USC eked out a gritty road win over No. 8 Maryland on Wednesday, shattering the Terrapins' undefeated season in the process.

Despite guard Shyanne Sellers's game-leading 26 points and forward Christina Dalce posting the contest’s only double-double, the Terps fell 79-74 in their first meeting with the Trojans since 1995.

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USC rallies the troops

New Big Ten team USC had to band together to overcome Maryland's defense, which stifled star JuJu Watkins's firepower by holding her to 7-for-19 from the field and 1-for-5 from beyond the arc with eight turnovers. That said, Watkins still managed to match forward Kiki Iriafen's team-leading 21 points before fouling out in the final minute.

With star guard Talia von Oelhoffen unavailable due to injury, USC’s No. 1-ranked freshman class stepped up. Guards Kennedy Smith, Avery Howell, and Kayleigh Heckel each added double-digit points to push the Trojans over the line.

"We just kind of have this unwavering confidence in ourselves," Watkins said after the game. "It was just a matter of coming together and closing the game out."

Michigan's Syla Swords defends Ohio State guard Jaloni Cambridge's drive to the basket during Wednesday's rivalry game.
Both ranked teams from Michigan fell to their Big Ten opponents on Wednesday. (Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Big Ten ruled Wednesday's NCAA court

Unlike Maryland’s unbeaten record, No. 9 Ohio State’s undefeated season narrowly survived arch-rival No. 25 Michigan on Wednesday night. After falling behind 44-31 at the half, the Buckeyes put together a second-half surge to snag the 84-77 win. Freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge led Ohio State's charge with 29 points.

Elsewhere, unranked Nebraska handed No. 20 Michigan State a second conference loss on Wednesday. Buoyed by senior Alexis Markowski’s 28 points, the Huskers channeled a second-quarter lead to down the Spartans 85-80.

Tennessee's Sara Puckett defends LSU's Aneesah Morrow in a 2024 game.
SEC powerhouses LSU and Tennessee will battle on Thursday night. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

LSU to test perfect NCAA season against tough Tennessee side

The top-ranked midweek NCAA basketball action continues on Thursday, headlined by a tightly matched high-octane showdown between two historic SEC heavy-hitters.

No. 6 LSU faces their toughest test so far when they visit No. 16 Tennessee, a team that leads the nation in offensive scoring and rebounding, three-pointers, and forced turnovers.

"[Tennessee's] style of play is like nothing I’ve ever seen," LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said ahead of the game.

"They score a lot of points and they make you play fast with their press. It’s going to be quite a challenge to keep them from scoring in the '90s. We score a lot of points, too, [but] I’ve got to stress defense. At some point we’ve got to try to stop them from scoring as much as they’d like to score."

Despite the numbers, the Vols suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday — a one-point stumble against No. 10 Oklahoma. They'll look to avenge their loss by halting the 17-0 Tigers' unbeaten streak.

Texas star Madison Booker takes a free throw against Alabama in their 2024 Sweet Sixteen game.
Texas' 2024 Sweet Sixteen win over Alabama was their first meeting in 39 years. (Scott Wachter/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

More ranked college clashes take center court on Thursday

Shortly after LSU takes on Tennessee, longtime ACC rivals No. 19 UNC and No. 14 Duke will meet for the 109th time. The host Tar Heels hold a narrow edge with a 55-53 all-time record against the Blue Devils, and will enter the clash with a redemption plan after falling 76-66 to No. 3 Notre Dame on Sunday.

With a significantly shorter history on the line, one-loss teams No. 5 Texas and No. 18 Alabama will face-off in Thursday's SEC nightcap, with the Tide rolling into Austin to seek a program-first win over their newest conference foes.

Last season’s Sweet Sixteen showdown was the pair’s first meeting since 1984, and Alabama has never beaten or even scored more than 56 points against the Longhorns throughout their three all-time meetings.

How to watch NCAA women's basketball on Thursday

LSU and Tennessee will tip off Thursday's ranked matchups at 6:30 PM ET, with live coverage on SECN+.

Duke and UNC will follow at 7 PM ET, airing live on ACCN, before Texas hosts Alabama at 8 PM ET on SECN+.

Just five teams remain undefeated in NCAA Division I basketball, after an eventful weekend showcased how thin the margins can be in conference play.

In their first season in the SEC, No. 10 Oklahoma followed up last week's loss to No. 5 Texas with a narrow victory over their previously undefeated new conference rival, No. 16 Tennessee, on Sunday. The Sooners led by as many as 19 points before the Vols mounted a furious comeback, but Oklahoma managed to overcome 31 turnovers to eke out the 87-86 road win.

With Tennessee conceding their season's first loss, only No. 1 UCLA, No. 6 LSU, No. 8 Maryland, No. 9 Ohio State, and No. 13 Georgia Tech stand unbeaten entering the 10th week of the 2024/25 NCAA campaign.

The top-ranked Bruins took down unranked Indiana 73-62 on Saturday, silencing the Hoosiers behind UCLA center Lauren Betts's game-leading 25 points and 12 rebounds.

On another Big Ten court, Maryland snapped No. 23 Iowa's 21-game home win streak 74-66 on Sunday, handing the Hawkeyes their first loss at Carver-Hawkeye Arena since February 2022.

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Injuries rattle NCAA teams

While undefeated teams continues to impress this weekend, college basketball fans held their collective breath for a very different reason on Sunday, as two of the NCAA's biggest names exited their respective games with apparent injuries.

UConn superstar Paige Bueckers left the court after suffering a knock to the leg during the No. 7 Huskies' 83-52 win against Villanova, later returning to the bench without assistance.

"It's not the worst that we can imagine," UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said of Bueckers's tumble after the game. "So, that's great news considering how awkward it was."

Elsewhere, No. 2 South Carolina forward Ashlyn Watkins suffered a non-contact knee injury in the first half of the Gamecocks' 95-68 win over Mississippi State. Unlike Bueckers, Watkins failed to return to the bench after exiting.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley didn't provide a postgame update on Watkins's status, but did confirm that the junior was not taken to a local hospital.

"Obviously, we feel for Ashlyn and her injury, and her not being able to finish the game," said Staley. "But her teammates had her back. And they did take it to another level on both ends of the floor."

How to watch this week's top-ranked college basketball games

While UConn and South Carolina face unranked Xavier and Texas A&M this week, the college court's top-ranked action returns to full force on Wednesday.

First, No. 9 Ohio State's unbeaten season will be tested by NCAA conference rival No. 25 Michigan at 7 PM ET, live on BTN+.

Then at 8:30 PM ET, undefeated No. 8 Maryland will host one-loss No. 4 USC for the first time as conference foes, with live coverage on FS1

With Saturday's 78-68 upset win over then-No. 17 Iowa, Tennessee earned their first NCAA basketball AP Top 25 nod since November 2023, slotting in at No. 19 and putting an end to the historic powerhouse's longest-ever unranked streak.

The still-undefeated Vols have featured in nearly 90% of the 870 total AP polls since the list's 1976 beginnings, but this week's Top 25 return is a triumphant one.

"The beauty of it is we earned it," head coach Kim Caldwell told reporters after the rankings dropped on Monday. "Not because the name is Tennessee. We didn’t start (ranked)."

Notre Dame's Olivia Miles lays up a shot against Texas last Thursday.
Two big wins lifted Notre Dame to No. 8 in this week's AP poll. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Minor shifts pervade updated AP basketball rankings

While No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 UConn, and No. 3 South Carolina held steady atop Monday's poll, last week's elite NCAA basketball schedule caused minor shifts throughout much of the Top 25. Behind losses to the defending champion Gamecocks, Duke dropped one spot to No. 9 and TCU slid three to No. 12.

After suffering their season's first loss on Thursday, an 80-70 overtime thriller against Notre Dame, the Texas Longhorns fell two poll positions to No. 6.

The Irish used their momentum to tack on a second victory on Sunday, routing Syracuse 93-62 behind a trio of 20+ point double-doubles from Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, and Sonia Citron. Those big wins lifted Notre Dame two spots to No. 8 this week.

Behind respective losses to aforementioned Tennessee and then-unranked NC State, Iowa and Ole Miss fell the farthest, tumbling four spots each to Nos. 21 and 22.

On the other hand, undefeated Michigan State's best start in program history saw the Spartans leap seven spots to No. 17 in the poll's biggest bump.

Louisville's Taijanna Roberts tried to dribble past UConn's Morgan Cheli on Saturday.
UConn routed Louisville in Saturday's Champions Classic, sending the Cardinals out of the poll. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

AP basketball poll exits and newcomers

Joining Tennessee in making their 2024 AP poll debut this week is No. 25 Georgia Tech, whose 9-0 record marks the Yellow Jackets' best season start since 1977. NC State is also back, tying Ole Miss at No. 22 after a week out of the rankings.

Meanwhile, Louisville's fourth season loss by way of UConn's 85-52 Champions Classic smackdown on Saturday sent the now-unranked Cardinals packing. Joining them in leaving this week's poll are Illinois, who logged their third season loss against No. 11 Ohio State on Sunday, and Alabama, who succumbed to unranked Cal last week.

UConn star Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball up the court.
Paige Bueckers's No. 2 UConn will take on Hannah Hidalgo and No. 8 Notre Dame on Thursday. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

How to watch midweek Top 25 NCAA basketball

Under the new rankings, NCAA basketball has two ranked matchups on deck this week. First, No. 18 Iowa State will battle state rivals No. 21 Iowa at 9 PM ET on Wednesday, airing live on FS1.

The marquee midweek matchup, however, hits the court at 7 PM ET on Thursday, when preseason All-Americans Paige Bueckers and Hannah Hidalgo will meet when No. 8 Notre Dame hosts No. 2 UConn.

The battle between two of the nation's best guards will be broadcast on ESPN.

Week 6 AP college basketball rankings

  1. 1. UCLA (9-0, Big Ten)
  2. 2. UConn (8-0, Big East)
  3. 3. South Carolina (9-1, SEC)
  4. 4. LSU (11-0, SEC)
  5. 5. USC (8-1, Big Ten)
  6. 6. Texas (8-1, SEC)
  7. 7. Maryland (10-0, Big Ten)
  8. 8. Notre Dame (7-2, ACC)
  9. 9. Duke (9-2, ACC)
  10. 10. Oklahoma (8-1, SEC)
  11. 11. Ohio State (8-0, Big Ten)
  12. 12. TCU (9-1, Big 12)
  13. 13. Kansas State (10-1, Big 12)
  14. 14. UNC (9-1, ACC)
  15. 15. West Virginia (9-1, Big 12)
  16. 16. Kentucky (8-1, SEC)
  17. 17. Michigan State (9-0, Big Ten)
  18. 18. Iowa State (8-2, Big 12)
  19. 19. Tennessee (7-0, SEC)
  20. 20. Michigan (8-1, Big Ten)
  21. 21. Iowa (8-1, Big Ten)
  22. 22. Ole Miss (6-3, SEC)
  23. 22. NC State (6-3, ACC)
  24. 24. Nebraska (8-1, Big Ten)
  25. 25. Georgia Tech (9-0, ACC)