Top 3 takeaways from Women's AP Top 25 poll as UCLA reclaims #1 spot ft. Duke

The women’s college basketball rankings saw UCLA reclaim the top spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. South Carolina and UCLA secured conference championships on Sunday, toppling former No. 1 Texas and No. 2 USC, respectively.

South Carolina’s Dawn Staley, USC’s Lindsay Gottlieb and UCLA’s Cori Close have all made strong cases for securing the tournament’s overall No. 1 seed. The NCAA selection committee will have some tough decisions to make ahead of Selection Sunday.

The competition among top teams has been strong all season. South Carolina, UConn, USC, Texas and UCLA began the season ranked in the top five. Throughout the season, South Carolina (three weeks), UCLA (12 weeks), Notre Dame (one week), and Texas (two weeks) have all held the No. 1 spot.

Here’s a look at the three takeaways from the latest Women’s AP Top 25 poll:

#1 Duke’s defense leading the way

Duke’s defensive performance has been exceptional. Over the past 11 days, the Blue Devils have held every opponent below their scoring average. Their defensive dominance includes limiting North Carolina by 17 points, Florida State by 20, Louisville by 24, Notre Dame by 29 and NC State by 15.

A major highlight was their ability to shut down Florida State’s Ta'Niya Latson, the nation’s leading scorer, holding her to just 12 points. After dropping four conference games, the Blue Devils bounced back by beating those same teams in their rematches.

#2 Notre Dame's No. 1 seed hopes diminish

Notre Dame’s hopes of securing a No. 1 seed have slipped away after a tough five-game stretch to close the season, which included matchups against Duke, NC State, Florida State and Louisville.

The Fighting Irish, who for a brief period held the top spot earlier in the season, have struggled with consistency lately. A season-low scoring performance in the conference tournament semifinal has raised concerns about their form heading into the NCAA tournament.

#3. Tennessee slumps at the wrong time

Tennessee’s recent form has been concerning, with three losses in their last four games. A loss to Georgia in the regular-season finale was followed by an even more frustrating defeat to Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament.

The Lady Vols fell behind by 20 points early in the fourth quarter and couldn’t mount a comeback. Head coach Kim Caldwell acknowledged that the team’s physical and demanding SEC schedule, combined with their fast-paced style of play, has taken a toll on the players. Tennessee will benefit from a week-long rest before the NCAA tournament.