Vanderbilt is locking down its head coach, extending Shea Ralph’s contract after she led the Commodores to last month’s historic Sweet 16 finish.
Coming off the most successful season in program history, Ralph oversaw a Vanderbilt squad that went 29-5 in the regular season — including 13 wins in the stacked SEC.
“When I arrived in Nashville, I said it felt like it was only the beginning of something incredible,” Ralph said. “And as much growth as we’ve had, the best part of being at Vanderbilt is I still feel that way every day.”
“Vanderbilt is built on bringing together the best people and brightest minds, and Shea Ralph exemplifies both,” Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Storey Lee said. “Her well-deserved recognition only reinforces what we see every day—she makes teams better, empowers women and brings people together.”
Ralph swept this year’s coaching awards, winning both AP and Naismith Coach of the Year after taking Vanderbilt to the NCAA tournament in three of her five years at the helm — ending the team’s 10-year drought.
“Shea Ralph exemplifies our commitment across the university to attract the most talented people who fit our culture and put them in an environment where they can succeed,” said Vanderbilt chancellor Daniel Diermeier.
“By forging a collaborative culture dedicated to growth on and off the court, Shea has helped our student-athletes realize the full heights of their potential, galvanized our One Vanderbilt community and demonstrated to a national audience what is possible here. I look forward to seeing her lead our program forward.”
Star guards are stepping into the March Madness spotlight, as Hannah Hidalgo and her No. 6 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish open the Sweet 16 against Mikayla Blakes and the No. 2 Vanderbilt Commodores on Friday afternoon.
Naismith Player of the Year finalist and Division I leading scorer Blakes anchors the Commodores, as they attempt to hold off Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner and DI steals leader Hidalgo.
Blakes is averaging 27.5 points per game in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, while Hidalgo powered Notre Dame past No. 3 Ohio State with a 26-point, 13-rebound, and eight-steal performance on Monday.
Both teams are pushing for program turnarounds: Vanderbilt is pursuing their first trip to the Elite Eight since 2002 while Notre Dame is hoping to make it past the Sweet 16 for the first time since winning it all under legendary coach Muffet McGraw in 2019.
"You prepare in November, December, January, so you don't have to get ready," said Commodores head coach Shea Ralph. "You don't have to rise to the level of the occasion, because you're gonna fall to the level of your standard."
The sportsbooks are currently giving Vanderbilt a slight edge, tapping the Commodores as a 5.5-point favorite over the Irish.
How to watch Notre Dame vs. Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16
The Sweet 16 tips off with the No. 6 Irish taking on the No. 2 Commodores at 2:30 PM ET on Friday, with live coverage airing on ESPN.
High Point basketball earned the highest seed in program history this year, as the No. 15 seed prepare to face No. 2 seed Vanderbilt in the first round of Women's March Madness.
"My initial thought was I'm happy we weren't a 16-seed," second-year head coach Chelsea Banbury said ahead of this week's NCAA basketball tournament.
"I think we put together a good non-conference showing this year. Our goal every year is to move up in the NCAA Tournament and put ourselves in as good of a position to win a game."
High Point basketball claimed its second consecutive Big South Conference title under Banbury earlier this month. The Panthers previously won six Big South regular-season titles, in addition to its three overall conference tournament victories.
This marks High Point's third Women's March Madness appearance and Banbury's second as head coach. Last year, the Panthers played as a No. 16 seed against William & Mary in 2025 First Four.
The No. 15 seed represents a significant step up for the North Carolina-based program heading into March Madness, with Banbury noting the Panthers won't travel far to face Vanderbilt. The Commodores are set to host the first-round matchup on its home court, giving the Nashville team a significant advantage.
"Obviously, they're a good team, but we'll have a game plan, we'll be ready," Banbury said.
The winner advances to face either the No. 7 or No. 10 seed in the NCAA tournament's second round.
How to Watch High Point Basketball vs. Vanderbilt Tip Off Women's March Madness
The Panthers take on Vanderbilt on Saturday at 7 PM ET, live on ESPNEWS.
Seeding for the upcoming 2026 SEC basketball tournament is approaching a photo finish, as ranked clashes dominate the powerhouse conference's home stretch.
Having already clinched a share of their fifth-straight SEC regular-season title, No. 3 South Carolina are just one win away from capturing the crown outright.
Meanwhile, No. 4 Texas and No. 5 Vanderbilt sit tied for second place in the conference standings with just two regular-season matchups remaining.
Though the conference tournament weighs heavy, both squads are also looking to pad their resumes ahead of March Madness's national showdown.
The Commodores will rely on Division I-leading scorer Mikayla Blakes when they face No. 24 Alabama on Thursday night, with the sophomore's 26.6 points per game lifting Vanderbilt to an 11-3 SEC record.
"It's a lot easier to go to top programs and just win," Blakes said last month, referencing her choice to join the Commodores over more traditional NCAA basketball titans. "I wanted to do the uncommon thing."
As for Texas, the Longhorns will look to keep pace against No. 23 Georgia, fueled by team-leading scorer Madison Booker's career-high 18.7-point average and guard Rory Harmon's 6.5 assists and 2.8 steals per game.
How to watch ranked SEC basketball games this week
Thursday's ranked SEC action puts the conference's second-place teams in the spotlight, with No. 5 Vanderbilt hosting No. 24 Alabama at 7:30 PM ET, live on SEC Network+, before No. 23 Georgia visits No. 5 Texas at 10 PM ET on SEC Network.
Texas faces its final Top 5 test of the 2025/26 NCAA basketball regular-season on Thursday night, when the No. 4 Longhorns visit No. 5 Vanderbilt in a blockbuster showdown atop the SEC standings.
Both squads enter the clash with 23-2 overall records and just two conference play losses, with Thursday's winner taking major strides in the regular-season title race.
Fresh off dropping 34 points in Monday's 102-86 win over No. 10 Oklahoma, star Commodores guard Mikayla Blakes enters the matchup on a hot streak, averaging 27 points over her last 10 games.
That said, Texas is riding a streak of its own, racking up five straight SEC wins including a dominant 77-64 bounce-back victory over No. 6 LSU last week.
Notably, Vanderbilt remains unbeaten at home this season, with the Commodores averaging 85.4 points per game while shooting 47.7% from the field at Nashville's Memorial Gymnasium.
To upend the home team, Texas will look to lean on guard Rori Harmon, with the fifth-year playmaker currently averaging 6.6 assists per game while breaking the program's 45-year-old all-time steals record last week.
"I think the SEC is a tough league, and I think it's kind of where I thrive," Harmon said. "I like the physicality."
How to watch Texas vs. Vanderbilt NCAA women's basketball game
The No. 5 Commodores will host the No. 4 Longhorns at 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, airing live on SEC Network+.
Once-unbeaten Vanderbilt basketball is back in the groove, as the No. 5 Commodores recorded a second straight ranked win on Monday by handing No. 10 Oklahoma an emphatic 102-86 loss.
The Vanderbilt offense exploded for 59 first-half points — the most allowed by the Sooners in any half this season — with the Commodores taking a 26-point second-quarter lead behind sophomore guard Mikayla Blakes's game-high 34 points, marking her third consecutive 30-point performance.
Also joining the Commodores' 30-point club on Monday was guard Aubrey Galvan, with the freshman joining Blakes to become the first Vanderbilt duo to do so in the same game since 1999.
"I'm really proud of them," Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph said afterwards. "What we're trying to do here is just be relentless in our quest to improve… so that we can put ourselves in position not only to win, but ultimately to be the best possible team we can be at the right time."
The Dores' defense also stepped up on Monday as Vanderbilt scored 26 points off turnovers, holding Oklahoma star freshman Aaliyah Chavez to just 14 points on the night — and 0-11 from deep.
Meanwhile, 19 points and 11 rebounds from Sooner center Raegan Beers — her 62nd career double-double — wasn't enough to move the needle as the senior fouled out with 4:26 to go off a season-high six turnovers.
Falling to 5-5 in the SEC basketball standings, Oklahoma will look to make up ground with just six games and two Top 25 opponents left on their 2025/26 regular-season docket.
How to watch Vanderbilt basketball this week
Though the No. 5 Commodores will contend with four ranked teams in their final five regular-season games, Vanderbilt's biggest test left is a Top 5 matchup against No. 4 Texas on Thursday.
The Dores will host the Longhorns at 7:30 PM ET, with live coverage airing on SEC Network+.
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)
Once-unbeaten No. 5 Vanderbilt is charging ahead, getting an extra day to recover from their blowout loss to No. 3 South Carolina after winter weather pushed Thursday night's ranked clash with No. 17 Ole Miss to Friday.
"This is why you want to play games like this, on the road in an incredible environment," Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph said after Sunday's streak-ending defeat. "There are all kinds of things that we can't control that are happening right now, but the most important part to me is how we respond to it, and that's what we're going to focus on."
As for the Rebels, Ole Miss is fresh off a bounce-back victory of their own, beating unranked Missouri 82-61 last week behind forward Cotie McMahon's 33 points.
In light of the winter storm sweeping the South, the now-Friday afternoon game will take place at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
"Disappointed that we lost a home game BUT grateful that we get to play," Ole Miss head coach Yolette McPhee-McCuin posted to social media on Tuesday, thanking administrators after the storm forced the Rebels to also postpone Monday's matchup against No. 15 Tennessee indefinitely. "Alabama Rebs we could use your support!"
The SEC foes last met in February 2025, with Ole Miss topping Vanderbilt 76-61 — though the Commodores' hot start could flip that script this year.
How to watch Vanderbilt vs. Ole Miss this week
The No. 5 Commodores will tip off against No. 17 Ole Miss at 3 PM ET on Friday, airing live on SECN+.
No. 2 South Carolina shut down No. 5 Vanderbilt in Sunday's top-tier NCAA basketball clash, ending the Commodores' undefeated 2025/26 season by handing the Nashville visitors a 103-74 defeat.
Senior guard Ta'Niya Latson led South Carolina with 21 points, as five Gamecocks finished in the double-digits to offset Vanderbilt star sophomore Mikayla Blakes's 23-point night.
"I'm really impressed that we played connected basketball on both ends," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said following the bounce-back win. "I'm happy we responded to our [Thursday] loss."
The results could significantly impact the SEC standings, where No. 17 Tennessee currently sits in the lead — though six ranked conference opponents, including South Carolina, stand between the Vols and their regular-season finale vs. Vanderbilt.
"We didn't operate the way I know my team can operate," said Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph. "It doesn't get any easier.... This is the SEC."
"There just wasn't an answer today," Ralph continued. "There's a lot we can take from it, but it also doesn't negate the fact that we've been really good up to this point."
How to watch Vanderbilt, South Carolina in action this week
Both teams return to the NCAA court on Thursday, when the No. 5 Commodores will seek redemption against No. 18 Ole Miss at 7:30 PM ET before the No. 2 Gamecocks battle unranked Auburn at 9 PM ET.
Both matchups will air live on the SEC Network.
One of the two remaining undefeated Division I basketball teams could steal the SEC spotlight on Sunday, when No. 5 Vanderbilt takes on a No. 2 South Carolina team reeling from Thursday night's loss — just the second of the Gamecocks' 2025/26 NCAA season.
South Carolina fell 94-82 in overtime to No. 16 Oklahoma, with freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez putting up a game-leading 26 points to fuel the Sooners' upset victory.
"We ran into a team that actually wanted to win more, and they made winning plays, and we didn't," Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley said afterwards.
South Carolina won't have much time to reflect, however, as they prepare to take on a surging Vanderbilt with more than just strong conference records on the line.
Sophomore Mikayla Blakes leads the Commodores with 25.0 points per game, with the standout guard sitting second-overall in DI scoring as Vanderbilt continues their best start in team history.
"I'm having to remind myself that this makes us 20-0 and that's a great thing, right?" Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph said after her squad's 81-53 win over Auburn on Thursday. "The other thing is that I like being in this place where I'm pissed off after a win because we didn't play well today, especially in the first half. I like it because it says that I know how good this team can be."
How to watch Vanderbilt vs. South Carolina this weekend
Barring any additional meteorological disruptions this weekend, the No. 2 Gamecocks will host the unbeaten No. 5 Commodores at 3 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on ESPN.