The net snapped, the crowd rose, and history kept rolling — South Carolina clinches share of fifth straight SEC women’s basketball regular-season title in 2026, and once again the rest of the league is left chasing shadows.
Another SEC women’s basketball season is barreling toward March, and the familiar sound echoing through packed arenas from Columbia to Nashville is this: the champs still wear garnet and black.
The have secured at least a share of their fifth straight regular-season crown. Technically, there’s work left to do. Realistically? This is a program that turns doubt into fuel and pressure into poise.
Rankings reflect games played through Feb. 24.
1. South Carolina (27-2, 13-1)
Last week: 1
There’s dominance, and then there’s what is doing right now.
This might be her finest coaching job yet — and that’s saying something in a career stuffed with banners. Roster turnover? Handled. Injuries? Absorbed. Expectations? Crushed under the weight of relentless defense and disciplined execution.
South Carolina doesn’t just win. It suffocates. Guards hound passing lanes. Posts carve space in the paint. And when the fourth quarter tightens, the Gamecocks look looser than everyone else.
Five straight titles are within reach. The machine hums on.
2. (25-3, 11-3)
Last week: 2
Memorial Gym shook when the game-winner dropped.
Aubrey Galvan’s 20-point explosion against Kentucky wasn’t just clutch — it was a statement. The freshman isn’t playing like she belongs next year. She belongs now.
Vanderbilt’s spacing has improved. The ball moves side-to-side with purpose. And when the Commodores need a bucket, they’re no longer searching. They’re confident.
If the SEC Freshman of the Year race is still open, Galvan just kicked the door in.
3. (26-3, 11-3)
Last week: 3
The sound of 3-pointers raining down is different — sharper, faster, demoralizing.
Texas buried 21 threes across its last two wins, more than it made in the previous eight games combined. That’s not a hot streak. That’s evolution.
When the Longhorns stretch the floor like this, they’re terrifying. Driving lanes open. Closeouts get sloppy. And suddenly, another Final Four run doesn’t feel hypothetical — it feels inevitable.
4. (24-4, 10-4)
Last week: 4
On the road at Ole Miss, LSU bent. Then it snapped back.
MiLaysia Fulwiley orchestrated a comeback that felt surgical — hesitation dribbles, downhill bursts, fearless finishes. The Tigers are now firmly positioned for a double-bye in the SEC Tournament.
LSU doesn’t always look polished. But it’s dangerous. And in March, dangerous travels well.
5. (21-6, 9-5)
Last week: 9
No more ranked opponents on the schedule. Four straight wins. Momentum building like a storm front.
Oklahoma is peaking at the right time. Defensive rotations are sharper. Transition offense is cleaner. The Sooners are sprinting into March with belief — and sometimes belief is the difference between a quiet exit and a bracket-buster run.
6. (21-8, 8-6)
Last week: 5
They nearly stunned LSU.
The Rebels had the upset within reach before it slipped away late, but the fight was real. Physical defense. Confident shot-making. A crowd that roared with every possession.
Ole Miss is close — close to flipping games like that in its favor. Close to becoming a second-weekend threat.
7. (20-8, 7-7)
Last week: 6
Crunch time in Nashville told the story.
Kentucky had a top-five win in its hands — then a turnover on the final possession sent the Wildcats home empty. Late-game execution remains the question mark.
The talent is there. The toughness is there. Now it’s about poise when the clock dips under a minute.
8. (21-7, 7-7)
Last week: 8
Context matters.
A .500 SEC finish would double last season’s conference win total. In a league this brutal, that’s real progress. Georgia isn’t flashy, but it’s disciplined — and discipline travels into tournament settings.
The rebuild is ahead of schedule.
9. (16-10, 8-6)
Last week: 7
February has been reflective.
Tennessee has searched for identity — lineup tweaks, rotation changes, emotional resets. The talent flashes. The consistency doesn’t always follow.
If the Lady Vols find cohesion in the next two weeks, they’re dangerous. If not, it could be a short March.
10. (21-7, 7-7)
Last week: 10
Credit where it’s due — Alabama secured the win over Florida. But finishing with Vanderbilt and Texas is no small task.
The Tide will need defensive grit and shot selection discipline to avoid sliding into the SEC Tournament without momentum.
11. (12-11, 5-9)
Last week: 14
Three straight wins, including a road victory at Tennessee.
The Aggies suddenly look alive. Confident. Aggressive. Sometimes all it takes is one spark — and Texas A&M might have found it at the perfect moment.
12. (16-13, 4-10)
Last week: 13
Another 5-11 SEC finish looms unless Florida steals one more. That’s been the ceiling for three straight seasons.
Stability matters in this league. So does trajectory. And right now, the Gators’ arrow isn’t pointing up.
13. (18-10, 5-9)
Last week: 11
A rough week turned worse when Madison Francis went down at Texas. If she can’t return soon, postseason hopes dim quickly.
Depth is thin. Margin for error? Even thinner.
14. (14-14, 3-11)
Last week: 15
Thirty forced turnovers. Thirty.
In the battle of the Tigers, Auburn swarmed Missouri and flipped the script. When the defense swarms like that, Auburn looks like a different team entirely.
15. (16-13, 4-10)
Last week: 12
History — the wrong kind.
A 53-point loss to LSU marked the worst margin of defeat in program history. Missouri can score, but defensive breakdowns have been brutal.
Reset. Regroup. Survive March.
16. (11-18, 0-14)
Last week: 16
The Razorbacks are staring at the possibility of a winless SEC campaign — something the conference hasn’t seen since the 2020-21 season.
It would take a miracle. But this is sports. Miracles don’t announce themselves.
The regular season’s final stretch is here. Brackets are forming. Seeding battles are tightening. And at the top, the standard remains unchanged — South Carolina clinches share of fifth straight SEC women’s basketball regular-season title in 2026, and until someone proves otherwise, the road to the trophy still runs through Columbia.
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