Michael Voepel
Multiple Authors
As we are saying farewell to the 2025-26 ESPN girls’s college basketball Power Rankings, we are saying hey to some of the enjoyable components of the season: conference tournaments.
Not all coaches agree. They view Champ Week as simply one other gauntlet to face after two-plus months of that grind. But for followers, it is an opportunity to see a number of high-stakes video games in a short while as a teaser for the NCAA match.
Sometimes, league match outcomes foretell essentially the most success in March Madness. But the team that hoists a trophy throughout these subsequent two weeks is not at all times the one in its league to go the deepest in March Madness.
In the Power 4, the 2026 regular-season champions — Duke (ACC), UCLA (Big Ten), TCU (Big 12) and South Carolina (SEC) — are additionally the defending champs of their respective 2025 tournaments.
The Bruins and Gamecocks are seemingly locks for No. 1 seeds within the NCAA match, no matter their efficiency between now and Sunday. Duke and TCU are at present projected as No. 3 seeds, so Champ Week performances would possibly play a bigger position in defending or enhancing their bracket place. With seven groups from the Big Ten and 5 from the SEC featured on this previous Sunday’s top-16 reveal, the league tournaments might make or break some March Madness seeding hopes.
Previous rating: 1
Next seven days: Big East match
The Huskies completed the common season with routs of Georgetown and St. John’s by a mixed 68 factors. They have been No. 1 within the Power Rankings this season for all however three weeks in December, when Texas moved forward. The final time they did not win their convention match was 2013 within the “old” Big East, after they misplaced the title recreation to Notre Dame. They then received seven consecutive American Conference tourney titles, and have received the final 5 within the present model of the Big East.
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Previous rating: 2
Next seven days: Big Ten match
The Bruins beat crosstown rival USC 73-50 on Sunday, with senior guard Charlisse Leger-Walker their main scorer (20 factors) for the one time this season. It’s one other instance of the various offensive threats for UCLA, which stayed within the Power Rankings’ prime 4 all season. The Bruins turned the fourth group in Big Ten historical past to complete regular-season league play undefeated (18-0). Their solely earlier regular-season convention title was a Pac-10 tie with Oregon in 1999.
Previous rating: 3
Next seven days: SEC match
Last week, the Gamecocks secured their tenth SEC regular-season title with a 112-71 blasting of Missouri, then had a bit of scare at Kentucky — however ultimately received 60-56. Center Madina Okot had a mixed 47 factors and 30 rebounds and is a pressure heading into the postseason. South Carolina, which is in search of its tenth SEC match title, additionally stayed within the Power Rankings’ prime 4 all season.
Previous rating: 4
Next seven days: SEC match
The Longhorns tied for second place within the SEC with Vanderbilt after beating Georgia 79-50 and Alabama 72-65 final week behind a mixed 39 factors from ahead Madison Booker. Texas is the one group apart from UConn to have been No. 1 within the Power Rankings this season — the Longhorns did it after beating UCLA and South Carolina back-to-back on the Players’ Era Championship in late November. They received the Big 12 match title in two of their closing three seasons in that convention earlier than transferring to the SEC in 2024-25.
Previous rating: 5
Next seven days: SEC match
The Commodores closed out their common season with an 85-60 win over Alabama and an 87-77 victory at Tennessee, behind 69 mixed factors from sophomore guard Mikayla Blakes. She’s the one SEC participant since 2000 to common at the very least 30 factors throughout convention play in a season (30.5 PPG). Vanderbilt enters the SEC match because the No. 2 seed, having tied for second place with Texas — at 13-3, a program report for convention wins — after which received the head-to-head matchup. It tied for the Commodores’ finest seed within the SEC match, and positions them to chase a seventh Champ Week trophy as they continue to be within the hunt for a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday.
Previous rating: 6
Next seven days: SEC match
Junior guard Mikaylah Williams led the way in which in final week’s wins over Tennessee (89-73) and Mississippi State (72-63) with a mixed 46 factors, 25 rebounds and 9 assists. Those victories secured the Tigers the No. 4 seed within the SEC match, and LSU is at present a projected No. 2 seed within the NCAA match. The Tigers have gone to the Final Four six occasions, however they’ve received the SEC match solely twice: in 1991 and 2003.
Previous rating: 7
Next seven days: SEC match
It’s the character of the SEC match that even excellent groups can find yourself with a nightmarish spot within the bracket. Oklahoma closed the common season at 11-5 in SEC play after beating Arkansas 89-44 and Missouri 84-78, and receiving the No. 5 seed within the league match. The Sooners missed out on the double bye for the highest 4 seeds, so they are going to begin SEC play within the second spherical and might need to face LSU and South Carolina simply to succeed in the championship recreation. That stated, they’re a projected No. 3 NCAA seed.
Previous rating: 8
Next seven days: Big 12 match
The Frogs received their second consecutive Big 12 regular-season title with a really totally different roster than final season. Last week, they’d an 83-70 win over Cincinnati and accomplished the season sweep of Baylor 65-53. The effort was led by Marta Suarez, who has made her closing college season her finest: She had a mixed 53 factors, 20 rebounds, seven assists and 6 steals in final week’s wins. Senior transfers Suarez and Olivia Miles (20.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 6.5 APG) shall be taking part in of their first Big 12 match this week.
Previous rating: 9
Next seven days: Big Ten match
Like Vanderbilt and TCU, Iowa was not in our first Power Rankings in November however completed within the prime 10. The growth of sophomores Ava Heiden and Taylor Stremlow is an enormous key. Last week, the Hawkeyes had a come-from-behind 82-78 win over Illinois after which cruised at Wisconsin 81-52. Heiden had a mixed 44 factors on 21-of-29 (72.4%) taking pictures and Stremlow a mixed 23 factors and 20 assists. It shall be robust for anybody to knock off No. 1 seed UCLA within the Big Ten match, however No. 2 seed Iowa seems to be to guard its projected NCAA No. 2 seed.
Previous rating: 10
Next seven days: Big Ten match
Last week, the Wolverines survived 88-86 in a wild additional time recreation in opposition to Ohio State that had a number of momentum shifts. Then they beat Maryland 87-69 and completed in a tie for second within the Big Ten with Iowa. Also just like the Hawkeyes, Michigan is hoping to guard its projected NCAA No. 2 seed with a very good displaying within the convention match. Iowa and Michigan might meet within the Big Ten semifinals. The Hawkeyes received the regular-season assembly 62-44 on Feb. 22, which is why Michigan is the No. 3 seed within the Big Ten match.
Previous rating: 14
Next seven days: Big 12 match
We’ve talked about earlier than how West Virginia — a program lengthy identified for protection — is having one among its finest offensive seasons. In Big 12 play, the Mountaineers have been second in scoring, averaging 76.1 factors. Last week, they beat UCF 74-62 after which Cincinnati 118-60, which was essentially the most factors West Virginia had scored since 2002. The Mountaineers have received seven of their previous eight and are the No. 2 seed within the convention match. Their solely loss in that stretch was to top-seeded TCU.
Previous rating: 16
Next seven days: ACC match
North Carolina, like West Virginia, has been flying underneath the radar this season. But since back-to-back losses at the beginning of January to Stanford and Notre Dame, the Tar Heels have received 12 of 13. Their solely loss in that stretch was to Duke on Feb. 15, however they avenged that within the regular-season finale on Sunday 74-69. An excellent efficiency within the convention match might open the door to UNC being within the prime 16 seeds within the NCAA match; the Tar Heels at present are projected as a No. 5 seed.
Previous rating: 11
Next seven days: ACC match
The Blue Devils received the ACC title outright regardless of shedding two of their final three video games. That’s as a result of Louisville, which dropped out of the Power Rankings, did the identical factor. In the ultimate week of the common season, Duke beat Florida State 80-52 however then misplaced at North Carolina 74-69. The Blue Devils have to recapture what was working so effectively throughout their 17-game successful streak.
Previous rating: 13
Next seven days: Big Ten match
The Buckeyes are holding on within the Power Rankings and the NCAA’s projected prime 16, however they can not afford an early convention match defeat. They have misplaced three of their previous 5 video games, all to ranked foes. They almost acquired an enormous win in opposition to Michigan final Wednesday however let an eight-point lead in additional time slip away to lose 88-86. But that was adopted by an essential 87-68 victory Sunday in opposition to Michigan State.
Previous rating: 15
Next seven days: Big Ten match
The Terrapins have helped their NCAA match seeding previously few weeks, successful six of their previous seven. Their 87-69 regular-season finale loss at Michigan should not damage them an excessive amount of. But like Ohio State, Maryland should keep away from an early loss within the Big Ten match to remain within the NCAA prime 16.
Previous rating: Not ranked
Next seven days: Big Ten match
On Dec. 7, the Gophers regarded as if they’d Maryland beat (greater than as soon as) however misplaced 100-99 in a double-overtime heartbreaker to drop their Big Ten opener. That might have been a confidence crusher, however it wasn’t. Minnesota stored battling and completed tied for fourth within the convention with Ohio State. Having received the head-to-head matchup with the Buckeyes on Feb. 18, the Gophers earned the tiebreaker and the No. 4 seed within the league match. Minnesota has received 10 of its previous 11 video games and enters the Power Rankings for the primary time this season of their final version for 2025-26.
Dropped out: Louisville Cardinals
