The women’s college basketball power rankings before the NCAA tournament reveal a landscape filled with tension, momentum swings, and a handful of teams surging into March with real championship hopes.
Conference tournament week delivered drama from coast to coast. Some games shook the rankings. Others exposed weaknesses that could matter once the NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed. And for teams like LSU, the biggest question is unavoidable: Can a title contender truly be trusted if it still can’t solve South Carolina?
The stage is set for March. The crowd is loud, the stakes are brutal, and every possession suddenly carries the weight of a season.
Top 25 Women’s Basketball Power Rankings
Here are the latest rankings heading toward Selection Sunday:
- UConn
- UCLA
- Texas
- South Carolina
- LSU
- Vanderbilt
- Duke
- Louisville
- Ohio State
- Iowa
- Michigan
- Oklahoma
- TCU
- Maryland
- West Virginia
- Michigan State
- Ole Miss
- Minnesota
- North Carolina
- Notre Dame
- Kentucky
- Baylor
- Alabama
- Princeton
- South Dakota State
Dropped from rankings: Columbia
Also receiving consideration: Illinois, Villanova, Washington
March Drama: Smaller Programs Steal the Spotlight
Before diving into the heavyweights, conference tournaments across smaller leagues produced unforgettable moments.
In the Ohio Valley Conference, Lindenwood nearly completed a Cinderella run in its first season eligible for the NCAA Tournament. Despite surviving a semifinal where they surrendered nine first-quarter three-pointers, the Lions ultimately fell in the championship to Western Illinois.
Meanwhile, the Summit League final featured two of the nation’s most productive players battling for a historic bid. South Dakota State star Brooklyn Meyer powered the Jackrabbits past North Dakota State and standout Avery Koenen, crushing the Bison’s hopes of their first tournament appearance.
Elsewhere:
- South Alabama, despite entering the Sun Belt tournament with a losing record, won four straight games before finally running out of gas.
- Samford shocked the Southern Conference by winning the tournament title and punching a surprise ticket to March Madness.
- Boise State survived elimination with a clutch jumper in the final seconds.
- High Point narrowly escaped Radford after two missed last-second attempts for a tying three.
This is the chaos that defines March. Unknown teams, desperate moments, and seasons decided in seconds.
Duke’s Hidden Engine: Delaney Thomas
Duke’s roster is filled with recognizable talent. Toby Fournier scores. Ashlon Jackson stretches defenses with threes. Taina Mair orchestrates the offense. Riley Nelson has a reputation for clutch shooting.
But the Blue Devils’ true difference-maker might be Delaney Thomas.
Advanced metrics reveal Duke is 17.7 points per 100 possessions better when Thomas is on the floor, according to CBB Analytics. Her influence was undeniable during Duke’s ACC championship victory over Louisville.
Thomas delivered a performance that defined hustle basketball:
- 19 points
- 7 offensive rebounds
- 43 minutes played
Those offensive rebounds changed everything. Duke scored 18 second-chance points compared with Louisville’s 13 — a slim margin that ultimately decided a five-point victory.
In the final two minutes of regulation, Thomas grabbed two offensive boards, scored a put-back, and hit the tying layup with just four seconds remaining. In overtime, she continued dominating the glass, creating the possession that set up Nelson’s decisive three-pointer.
For Duke, Thomas is the glue that holds the system together.
West Virginia’s Defensive Leader Delivers
Few teams embody their identity as clearly as West Virginia.
The Mountaineers’ relentless pressing defense — often called “Press Virginia” — becomes even more dangerous at home in Morgantown. The numbers prove it:
- 6 faster possessions per game
- 3 additional steals
- 10 more points off turnovers
The catalyst behind that chaos is Jordan Harrison.
In the Big 12 championship win over TCU, Harrison dominated both ends of the court. She scored 21 points and added four assists, but her real impact came defensively.
Her matchup against TCU guard Olivia Miles defined the game. Harrison drew three fouls on Miles, forcing the Horned Frogs’ star to the bench and disrupting the entire offense.
Harrison, who proudly calls herself “Jordan ‘Gimme That’ Harrison,” finished the night with three steals and helped secure West Virginia’s conference title.
After the win, emotions poured out on the broadcast as she celebrated the first conference tournament championship of her career.
Now the Mountaineers appear positioned to host NCAA Tournament games — a massive advantage for a team that thrives in its home arena.
Big Ten Questions Beyond UCLA
UCLA has looked dominant.
The Bruins stormed through the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis, winning their second conference championship since joining the league. Their depth, defense, and offensive balance make them one of the most dangerous teams in the country.
But the rest of the conference raises questions.
Michigan continues struggling with Iowa’s interior offense. The Wolverines’ defensive weaknesses against dominant post players remain concerning.
Iowa, meanwhile, couldn’t keep up with UCLA — a troubling trend after also losing heavily to UConn earlier this season.
Other conference contenders stumbled badly:
- Michigan State lost to a lower seed
- Maryland exited early
- Nebraska suffered an upset
- USC enters March on a four-game losing streak, partly due to injury to Jazzy Davidson
The Big Ten prides itself on depth, but depth doesn’t always translate into national championship contenders.
The league hasn’t won a women’s national title since 1999 — and outside of UCLA, that drought may continue.
LSU’s Biggest Obstacle: South Carolina
The biggest storyline entering the tournament might belong to LSU.
The Tigers just suffered their 19th consecutive loss to South Carolina, another painful defeat that slipped away in the final minutes.
It raises a serious question:
Can LSU win the national title if it can’t beat its biggest rival?
Statistically, the Tigers still look elite.
They enter March with only five losses, including two against South Carolina. They’ve beaten strong teams like Texas and Duke, and they destroyed Oklahoma in the SEC tournament.
Their strengths remain clear:
- Elite offensive efficiency
- Deep rotation of scorers
- Strong defensive rim protection
- Athletic depth across the lineup
And history offers hope.
In 2023, LSU won the national championship without facing South Carolina because Iowa eliminated the Gamecocks earlier in the bracket.
That same path could unfold again.
Sometimes in March, you don’t need to beat the giant — you just need someone else to do it first.
As Selection Sunday approaches, the women’s college basketball power rankings before the NCAA tournament suggest one thing above all: the race for the national championship is wide open, and March is ready to deliver another unforgettable run.
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