Women’s Top 25: Texas Moves Up to No. 3, Ole Miss Surges

Almost famous: Fairfield, Princeton, Washington, South Dakota State, Rhode Island

Notes on the votes: 

UCLA: The Bruins are playing their best basketball right now, as evidenced by a massive 96-45 victory over Iowa in the Big Ten championship game. UCLA looked every bit like a national title contender. Six Bruins finished in double figures, including freshman forward Sienna Betts, who came off the bench to finish with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 block. The Bruins have an elite starting five, but if players like Betts and Angela Dugalic continue to contribute off the bench, they will be even harder to beat.

Texas: After a 78-61 SEC championship win over South Carolina, the Longhorns not only jump the Gamecocks in my poll, but also potentially for the third No. 1 seed in March Madness. That could mean Texas gets to play in the Fort Worth regional, which is essentially a home game. Texas got a classic performance from junior Madison Booker, who finished with 18 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. The Longhorns also limited South Carolina defensively, only allowing one starter – Joyce Edwards – to finish in double figures.

Iowa: Obviously no one wants to lose by 51, but getting to the title game was a big feat for the Hawkeyes. They defeated both Illinois and a talented Michigan team on the way to the Big Ten title game, likely securing a No. 2 seed in the process. Sophomore center Ava Heiden has been particularly impressive as of late, leading her team in scoring in eight straight games. The lopsided loss was a lowpoint, but Iowa is still set up well heading into March Madness. 

Duke: The Blue Devils are an excellent example of staying the course. They started the season 3-6, but stayed committed to coach Kara Lawson’s defense-first approach, and ended up winning their second straight ACC title. Even more impressive is that they did it with leading scorer Toby Fournier struggling. She scored just 7 points before fouling out, but Duke was able to lean heavily on two guards – Delaney Thomas and Taina Mair – who both finished with 19 points.

Louisville: Despite losing to Duke 70-65 in overtime, the Cardinals are also in good shape heading into the NCAA Tournament. They defeated Syracuse and North Carolina, two other March Madness squads, on the way to the title game. Sophomore guard Imari Berry is hitting her stride, leading the Cardinals in scoring in both the win over UNC and the loss to Duke. Berry continues to improve each time she hits the court, as do the Cardinals as a whole. 

Ole Miss: The Rebels had a tough end to the regular season, losing four games in a row, including two upsets at the hands of Florida and Texas A&M. But they rallied big time in the SEC Tournament, with a win over Vanderbilt in the quarterfinals. Ole Miss led by as many as 32 before coasting to an 89-78 victory. Latasha Lattimore came off the bench to score 38 points and grab 8 rebounds, but the real difference came on defense. The Rebels held Vandy to 38-percent shooting and made things difficult for star sophomore guard Mikayla Blakes. She still had 24 points, but was just 8 for 27 from the field.

South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits remain the standard of mid-major basketball alongside teams like Princeton and Green Bay. South Dakota State won its third Summit League title in a row with a 64-51 victory over North Dakota State. The Jackrabbits are also on a 10-game winning streak. Senior forward Brooklyn Meyer, one of the country’s best mid-major players, led the way with 26 points and 9 rebounds. She’s been her team’s leading scorer in the last four games.