Women's AP Top 25 poll reaction: UConn stays No. 1

3 hours ago 2

ESPN staffDec 8, 2025, 12:08 PM ET

The new AP Top 25 women's college basketball poll is out.

The top 10 remained the same. The Nebraska Cornhuskers joined the poll, replacing the West Virginia Mountaineers, who fell out.

What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let's break down the rankings.

Stats courtesy of ESPN Research and The Associated Press.

All times Eastern

1. UConn Huskies

Previous ranking: 1

2025-26 record: 9-0

Stat to know: In a weekend when the No. 1 team lost in college football and men's college basketball, the Huskies easily avoided the upset bug, routing DePaul 102-35 on Sunday as Sue Bird's jersey was raised to the rafters as the third women's player at UConn to have her number retired.

What's next: Saturday at USC, 5:30 p.m., FOX

2. Texas Longhorns

Previous ranking: 2

2025-26 record: 10-0

Stat to know: Breya Cunningham scored a career-high 30 points Sunday in a 101-42 victory over Prairie View A&M.

What's next: Wednesday vs. UT Rio Grande, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+

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1:31

Highlight: Jordan Lee leads No. 2 Texas past No. 11 North Carolina

Lee shines offensively for the Longhorns after putting up 22 points while Madison Booker tallies 18 and six rebounds to secure a 79-64 victory against the Tar Heels.

3. South Carolina Gamecocks

Previous ranking: 3

2025-26 record: 9-1

Stat to know: South Carolina has won 21 consecutive games against ACC opponents.

What's next: Sunday vs. Penn State, 3:30 p.m., ESPN

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1:35

Highlight: No. 3 South Carolina outlasts No. 22 Louisville in ACC/SEC Challenge

Madina Okot records 13 points and 10 rebounds in the second half including the go-ahead layup with 1:33 left to help the Gamecocks beat the Cardinals, 79-77.

4. UCLA Bruins

Previous ranking: 4

2025-26 record: 9-1

Stat to know: UCLA is 3-1 against ranked opponents this season.

What's next: Dec. 16 vs. Cal Poly, 10 p.m., Big Ten Network

5. LSU Tigers

Previous ranking: 5

2025-26 record: 10-0

Stat to know: LSU's 93-77 win over Duke on Thursday was its first game of the season scoring fewer than 100 points. The Tigers set an NCAA record with eight consecutive games of 100-plus points to open the season.

What's next: Saturday vs. Louisiana Tech, 6 p.m., ESPNU

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1:56

Highlight: No. 5 LSU bounces back and grabs win after slow start vs. Duke

After being down 14-1 at the start to the game, The Tigers come back to seal a 93-77 victory over the Blue Devils behind Flau'jae Johnson's 18 points and MiLaysia Fulwiley's 16 points.

6. Michigan Wolverines

Previous ranking: 6

2025-26 record: 8-1

Stat to know: Michigan shot 58.9% (33-of-56) from the field in its win over Purdue on Sunday to start the Big Ten season 1-0.

What's next: Saturday vs. Akron, noon, Big Ten Plus

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0:16

Kendall Dudley hits the shot vs. Purdue Boilermakers

7. Maryland Terrapins

Previous ranking: 7

2025-26 record: 11-0

Stat to know: Maryland, which has won 25 nonconference home games in a row, needed double overtime (and 30 points and 10 rebounds from Saylor Poffenbarger to top Minnesota on Sunday to start the Big Ten season 1-0.

What's next: Wednesday vs. Delaware State, 6 p.m., Big Ten Plus

8. TCU Horned Frogs

Previous ranking: 8

2025-26 record: 10-0

Stat to know: Olivia Miles tallied 15 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for her seventh career triple-double in TCU's 95-40 victory over UTEP on Saturday. The Horned Frogs have won a school-record 31 straight games at home.

What's next: Sunday vs. Jacksonville, 5 p.m., ESPN+

9. Oklahoma Sooners

Previous ranking: 9

2025-26 record: 9-1

Stat to know: Aaliyah Chavez had a career-high 33 points against NC State.

What's next: Thursday vs. Little Rock, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

10. Iowa State Cyclones

Previous ranking: 10

2025-26 record: 10-0

Stat to know: Audi Crooks, the nation's leading scorer, scored 30 points in 19 minutes. It's her third game of at least 30 points this season.

What's next: Wednesday vs. Iowa, 7 p.m., ESPN

11. Iowa Hawkeyes

Previous ranking: 12

2025-26 record: 9-0

Stat to know: Iowa has won seven straight games against Rutgers.

What's next: Wednesday at Iowa State, 7 p.m., ESPN

12. North Carolina Tar Heels

Previous ranking: 11

2025-26 record: 9-2

Stat to know: North Carolina has lost seven straight games against AP top-5 opponents.

What's next: Sunday vs. Louisville, 4 p.m., ACC Network

13. Baylor Bears

Previous ranking: 14

2025-26 record: 9-1

Stat to know: Baylor shot 64% from the floor in its win against Southeastern Louisiana.

What's next: Tuesday vs. Alabama State, noon, ESPN+

14. Vanderbilt Commodores

Previous ranking: 15

2025-26 record: 9-0

Stat to know: Vanderbilt's nine-game winning streak is its longest to start the season since 2011-12.

What's next: Dec. 15 vs. South Florida, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

15. Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking: 17

2025-26 record: 10-1

Stat to know: Kentucky has started 10-1 in back-to-back seasons.

What's next: Sunday at Belmont, 3 p.m., ESPN+

16. USC Trojans

Previous ranking: 16

2025-26 record: 7-2

Stat to know: USC handed previously undefeated Washington its first loss of the season on Sunday, 59-50 to open the Big Ten slate 1-0. Jazzy Davidson led the way with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

What's next: Saturday vs. UConn, 5:30 p.m., Fox

17. Ole Miss Rebels

Previous ranking: 13

2025-26 record: 8-1

Stat to know: Ole Miss, which came back to beat Notre Dame after trailing by 19 points last week, suffered its first loss of the season on Sunday, falling to Kansas State 61-60.

What's next: Saturday vs. Wofford, 1 p.m., ESPN+

18. Tennessee Lady Vols

Previous ranking: 19

2025-26 record: 6-2

Stat to know: Tennessee shot a season-low 34.7% from the field against Stanford but pulled out a 65-62 win.

What's next: Sunday vs. Winthrop, 2 p.m., SEC Network +

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1:02

Highlight: No. 19 Tennessee beats Stanford in dramatic fourth quarter

Talaysia Cooper shines for the Lady Vols after putting up 19 points, six assists and 10 steals to secure the 65-62 win against the Cardinals.

19. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Previous ranking: 18

2025-26 record: 6-2

Stat to know: Notre Dame's 19-point blown lead against Ole Miss in the ACC/SEC Challenge was the largest in program history.

What's next: Thursday vs. Morehead State, 7 p.m., ACC Extra

20. Washington Huskies

Previous ranking: 21

2025-26 record: 8-1

Stat to know: After winning eight consecutive games to open the season, the Huskies lost for the first time Sunday, 59-50 at USC.

What's next: Saturday vs. Green Bay, 3 p.m., Big Ten Plus

21. Ohio State Buckeyes

Previous ranking: 23

2025-26 record: 7-1

Stat to know: Ohio State's 98-point victory over Niagara was the largest win in program history.

What's next: Thursday vs. Northern Kentucky, 6:30 p.m., Big Ten Plus

22. Louisville Cardinals

Previous ranking: 22

2025-26 record: 8-3

Stat to know: Louisville has lost 14 of its last 15 games against AP top-5 teams.

What's next: Wednesday vs. Ball State, 9 p.m., ACC Network

23. Oklahoma State Cowgirls

Previous ranking: 24

2025-26 record: 10-1

Stat to know: Oklahoma State scored a program-record 133 points in its win over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday.

What's next: Saturday vs. Oklahoma, 4 p.m., ESPNU

24. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Previous ranking: NR

2025-26 record: 9-0

Stat to know: The Cornhuskers join the poll with an undefeated record and coming off a 101-83 win over Penn State. They've scored at least 90 points in five games this season.

What's next: Tuesday vs. Omaha, 8 p.m., Big Ten Plus