AP

Tennessee has never failed to qualify for the women’s NCAA Tournament. Whether the Lady Vols make a 43rd consecutive appearance remains to be seen. The program that coach Pat Summitt built into a national powerhouse has fallen on tough times, culminating in Thursday night’s 76-64 loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The Lady Vols have lost seven straight games and 10 of 12 under second-year coach Kim Caldwell. Tennessee will have to rely on its strength of schedule and early-season accomplishments to make the March Madness field of 68. Caldwell says her team deserves to make it.

AP

Geno Auriemma broke a tie with Tara VanDerveer for most appearances by a coach in The Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 on Monday when UConn was again a unanimous No. 1. Auriemma has the Huskies ranked for the 655th time. UConn was atop all 31 ballots from the national media panel. The Huskies are the last unbeaten team in Division I basketball and have won 45 consecutive games dating to last season. The top five teams remained unchanged in the rankings this week with UCLA, South Carolina, Texas and Vanderbilt following the Huskies.

AP
  • Updated

UCLA center Lauren Betts carries the Big Ten trophy after an NCAA college basketball game against Wisconsin, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/William Liang)