Kentucky, Vanderbilt into top 10 in
women's AP Top 25 after 4 of top 10 teams fall; UConn, Texas 1-2
[January 06, 2026]
By DOUG FEINBERG
Kentucky and Vanderbilt made major jumps in The Associated Press
women's basketball Top 25 on Monday after four of the top 10 teams
lost last week, causing a shakeup in the poll.
This was the first week since the end of November that a new school
had entered the top 10 this season.
The first four remained unchanged with UConn still No. 1, receiving
28 first-place votes and No. 2 Texas getting the other four. South
Carolina and UCLA followed while Oklahoma moved up to fifth, the
Sooners' highest ranking since they were fourth in the final poll of
2009.
Kentucky and Vanderbilt each rose five spots to sixth and seventh,
respectively, after each knocking off then-No. 5 LSU in consecutive
games. The Wildcats edged LSU 80-78 on a last-second shot.
Vanderbilt has not been in the top 10 since it was seventh on March
12, 2007. Vandy's 65-61 win over LSU on Sunday was its first against
a top five team in 17 years.
The Tigers, one of seven unbeaten teams to lose over the last week,
plummeted to 12th.
Maryland fell one spot to eighth after losing to Illinois, its first
defeat of the season. Michigan dropped two places to ninth after a
loss at Washington, which re-entered the Top 25 at No. 23.
Louisville moved up three spots to 10th. TCU dropped to 13th after
losing its first game of the season to Utah in overtime.
There are only four undefeated teams left: UConn, Texas, Vanderbilt
and No. 17 Texas Tech.
Unbeaten no more
Besides LSU, Maryland and TCU losing for the first time this season,
No. 11 Iowa State, Arizona State, Alabama and Georgia also all
suffered their first losses.
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LSU guard Flau'Jae Johnson, left, shoots a jumper over Kentucky
forward Teonni Key (7) in the second half of an NCAA college
basketball game in Baton Rouge, La., Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP
Photo/Peter Forest)
Falling Irish
Notre Dame saw its run of 85 consecutive appearances in the Top 25
end after the Irish (10-4) lost to Georgia Tech and Duke last week.
It was the third-longest active streak, trailing only UConn (615)
and South Carolina (257). Notre Dame had been in the poll every week
since Nov. 29, 2021.
Milestone wins
Louisville's Jeff Walz and Miami's Tricia Cullop both earned their
500th career victories last week, doing so in back-to-back games
against Virginia Tech.
Game of the week
No. 2 Texas at No. 12 LSU, Sunday. The Tigers will have a chance to
rebound from the tough week with a game against the Longhorns. A
victory would get LSU back in the SEC regular-season title race.
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