In their second year in the Big Ten, the UCLA Bruins are closing in on a milestone. With a victory at longtime rival USC on Sunday, the Bruins will be just the fourth program to finish with a perfect regular season in Big Ten women’s college basketball.
The last to do it was Maryland in 2015, the season the Terps joined the Big Ten and advanced to the Final Four for the second year in a row. The others were Purdue in 1999, when the Boilermakers won the national championship, and Ohio State in 1985. That was coach Tara VanDerveer’s last season with the Buckeyes before she went on to a legendary career at Stanford. Ohio State lost to eventual national champion Old Dominion in the Elite Eight in 1985.
The Big Ten began sponsoring women’s basketball in the 1982-83 season. The league’s makeup has changed a lot since then, including the addition of former Pac-12 teams UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington in 2024-25. USC won the regular-season title last year at 17-1. The Bruins were second at 15-2, then won the league tournament title over the Trojans and made the women’s Final Four for the first time in the NCAA era. (UCLA won the AIAW national championship in 1978).
This season, UCLA’s only loss was to Texas at the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas on Nov. 26. The Bruins’ 21-game winning streak is the third-longest active streak among Division I women’s teams, behind UConn’s 29 games this season and 45 dating to last season and North Dakota State‘s 23.
The Bruins — No. 2 again in this week’s ESPN women’s college basketball Power Rankings — will take a 55-54 all-time series lead vs. USC after their 80-46 victory at home over the Trojans on Jan. 3. JuJu Watkins‘ absence as she rehabs a knee injury has changed the dynamic this season for the Trojans. But they have won six of their past seven and would love a chance to keep their rivals from having a perfect league mark.
There also are a few other longtime rivalries coming Sunday to finish regular-season play in the Power 4 conferences, including Duke at North Carolina (noon ET, ESPN) and Vanderbilt at Tennessee (2 p.m. ET, ESPN). And the Tar Heels have climbed back into the Power Rankings this week at No. 16.
Previous ranking: 1
Next seven days: vs. Georgetown (Feb. 26), @ St. John’s (March 1)
There hasn’t been much drama for the Huskies this season, but they had a little last Wednesday when they trailed at halftime for the first time in 2025-26. They came back to beat Villanova 83-69, a respectable outcome for the Wildcats. UConn followed that with the customary pummeling of Providence 81-38. Guard Azzi Fudd is averaging 17.9 points and shooting 49% this season. For her seven games in February, those numbers have bumped to 21.6 points and 52.2%.
Previous ranking: 2
Next seven days: @ USC (March 1)
UCLA secured its first outright conference regular-season title at 17-0 on Sunday with an 80-60 win over Wisconsin. That followed an 82-67 victory over Washington on Thursday. Center Lauren Betts combined for 42 points and 22 rebounds. The Bruins’ only previous league championship for a regular season came in the Pac-10 in 1999, when they tied with Oregon.
Previous ranking: 3
Next seven days: vs. Missouri (Feb. 26), @ Kentucky (March 1)
The Gamecocks have won eight in a row, beating Alabama 76-57 and Ole Miss 85-48 last week. Center Madina Okot, who has been working on her 3-point shot, was 5-of-5 from behind the arc in those games. Her bread and butter are still inside, though, with forward Joyce Edwards, who had a combined 44 points and 18 rebounds in those contests, while Okot had 33 points, 26 rebounds and eight blocks. South Carolina has clinched at least a share of its fifth consecutive SEC regular-season title at 13-1 and can claim it outright with another victory.
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South Carolina clinches at least a share of SEC title with win
South Carolina blows out Ole Miss by 37 points to clinch at least a tie for the SEC title.
Previous ranking: 5
Next seven days: vs. Georgia (Feb. 26), @ Alabama (March 1)
Admittedly, Texas faced two very overmatched foes last week in Arkansas and Mississippi State. Still, the consistency of its effort in the 93-62 and 92-42 victories had to please the Longhorns. Forward Madison Booker had a combined 44 points on 65.4% shooting, while guard Rori Harmon combined for 18 assists.
Previous ranking: 4
Next seven days: vs. Alabama (Feb. 26), @ Tennessee (March 1)
The Commodores beat Kentucky 81-79 on Sunday behind guard Mikayla Blakes‘ 35 points, her 10th game this season scoring 30 or more. Vanderbilt (11-3) remains tied with Texas in second place in the SEC and is battling the Longhorns for the final NCAA No. 1 seed. The Commodores’ regular-season finale foe, Tennessee, has a huge 80-12 series edge vs. Vandy. But the Commodores won both matchups last season (at Vandy and at the SEC tournament) and enter this matchup as favorites, as the Lady Vols have lost seven of their past nine. However, Vandy has won only once in Knoxville in 2019.
Previous ranking: 6
Next seven days: vs. Tennessee (Feb. 26), @ Mississippi State (March 1)
LSU was in trouble at Ole Miss on Thursday, trailing 63-54 after three quarters. But in the final period, the Tigers held the Rebels without a field goal (0-for-17) and won 78-70. Then they showed no mercy against Missouri, winning 108-55. MiLaysia Fulwiley combined for 48 points and 18 rebounds in the victories. The Tigers are in fourth place in the SEC; the top-four seeds get a double bye into the quarterfinals of the league tournament.
Previous ranking: 10
Next seven days: vs. Arkansas (Feb. 26), @ Missouri (March 1)
The Sooners have won four in a row, beating ranked teams Georgia (71-67) and Tennessee (100-93) last week. National Freshman of the Year candidate Aaliyah Chavez had a combined 48 points and nine assists in the victories, while forward Sahara Williams combined for 33 points, 15 rebounds and six assists. Oklahoma is in fifth place in the SEC at 9-5, although there is still an outside shot at finishing fourth.
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Chavez launches great pass up ahead to Beers
Aaliyah Chavez heaves a deep pass to Raegan Beers, who finishes with a layup.
Previous ranking: 12
Next seven days: @ Cincinnati (Feb. 25), vs. Baylor (March 1)
The Frogs had no trouble with Houston last Wednesday, winning 72-50 behind forward Marta Suarez‘s 21 points and nine rebounds. But things were tighter against Iowa State on Sunday until guard Olivia Miles took over the fourth quarter of an 80-73 win. She had 17 of her points in the final period and finished with her fifth triple-double of the season (26 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists). TCU can claim its second consecutive outright Big 12 regular-season title with two wins this week.
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Next seven days: vs. Illinois (Feb. 26), @ Wisconsin (March 1)
After hitting a three-game skid in late January and early February after a season-ending injury to guard Taylor McCabe, the Hawkeyes seem to have figured things out again. They have won four in a row, including 83-74 last Thursday at Purdue and their biggest victory thus far this season, 62-44 over then-No. 6 Michigan at home Sunday. The Hawkeyes and Wolverines are tied for second place in the Big Ten.
Previous ranking: 7
Next seven days: @ Ohio State (Feb. 25), vs. Maryland (Feb. 28)
For one of the rare times this season, Michigan didn’t seem in sync Sunday, with a season low in points in its 62-44 loss at Iowa. It seemed to be an out-of-character game for the Wolverines. They are tied with Iowa in second place in the Big Ten but have a tougher closing schedule this week than the Hawkeyes.
Previous ranking: 8
Next seven days: vs. Florida State (Feb. 26), @ North Carolina (March 1)
Duke beat nearby rival NC State 83-65 on Thursday for its 17th victory in a row. But that streak ended with a 53-51 loss at Clemson on Sunday, Duke’s first defeat since Dec. 4. Louisville was also upset by an unranked team Sunday, so Duke stayed in first place with a one-game lead in the ACC.
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Toby Fournier muscles in an and-1 for Duke
Toby Fournier muscles in an and-1 for Duke.
Previous ranking: 9
Next seven days: @ Georgia Tech (Feb. 26), vs. Notre Dame (March 1)
Louisville was stunned 74-72 at home by Virginia on Sunday. The Cavaliers really needed the win for their NCAA tournament hopes, but it cost the Cardinals a chance to move into a first-place tie in the ACC with Duke. Louisville remains in second place and will finish the regular season against Notre Dame, which is tied for eighth place in the ACC and lost to the Cardinals earlier this season. However, Notre Dame has won five of its past six.
Previous ranking: 11
Next seven days: vs. Michigan (Feb. 25), @ Michigan State (March 1)
After a 74-61 loss at Minnesota last Wednesday, Ohio State came back with an 88-83 win over USC at home. Guard Jaloni Cambridge had a combined 56 points. The Buckeyes are trying to finish in the top four in the Big Ten, but they must go through the Michigan schools this week to do that.
Previous ranking: 15
Next seven days: @ UCF (Feb. 25), vs. Cincinnati (March 1)
In their only game last week, the Mountaineers dominated Oklahoma State 72-40 and kept alive their hope of getting a share of the Big 12 regular-season title. Their last two foes of the regular season are in the league’s bottom four.
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Jordan Harrison sinks it from downtown
Jordan Harrison sinks it from downtown.
Previous ranking: 16
Next seven days: vs. Northwestern (Feb. 25), @ Michigan (Feb. 28)
The Terps are seventh in the Big Ten but have won five in a row, beating Purdue 99-66 on Sunday behind Oluchi Okananwa‘s 26 points. The season finale against the Wolverines has high stakes.
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Next seven days: @ Virginia (Feb. 26), vs. Duke (March 1)
The Tar Heels moved back into the Power Rankings and are in third place in the ACC after winning 10 of their past 11. On Thursday, they battled to a 63-60 overtime win at Virginia Tech and then beat Pitt 78-50 at home. North Carolina is 12-4 in the league, but there are three teams at 11-5, including the Tar Heels’ next opponent Virginia.
Dropped out: Baylor Bears (No. 13), Kentucky Wildcats (No. 14)
