
Notre Dame has surged to the No. 1 position in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll, marking their first time at the top since 2019. The Fighting Irish's rise came after UCLA suffered its first defeat of the season against USC, resulting in Notre Dame taking over the top spot. Notre Dame's head coach, Niele Ivey, expressed gratitude for the honor but emphasized the team's focus on continuous improvement.
With 16 first-place votes from a 30-member national media panel, Notre Dame faced off against No. 11 Duke in a highly anticipated matchup. Meanwhile, Texas climbed to the second spot, their best ranking since 2017, following impressive victories over South Carolina, Kentucky, and LSU.