Women’s college basketball power rankings: Texas rises behind Rori Harmon

The 2025-26 season tipped off with last year’s Final Four on top of the preseason poll, and the three non-UConn teams entered as the most realistic contenders to dethrone the Huskies. The inaugural Players Era championship provided a unique opportunity to evaluate that trio of Texas, UCLA and South Carolina, as they battled in Las Vegas.

The Longhorns and Gamecocks looked a cut above the Bruins, and the championship game on Thanksgiving Day provided minimal separation between the SEC rivals. Texas has taken a step forward thanks to the sophomore class’ leap. Even with Bryanna Preston injured, Jordan Lee and Justice Carlton lead the Longhorns in 3-pointers and offensive rebounds, respectively. Carlton is one point away from giving both sophomores double-figure scoring averages.

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But the real separator for Texas has been the offensive aggression of Rori Harmon. The fifth-year senior is the program’s all-time leader in assists, but the Longhorns also need her to score. Her field-goal percentage of 55.9 dwarfs her prior best season-long mark of 39.7 percent. Against the Bruins on Wednesday, Harmon’s ball pressure and willingness to sacrifice her body on charges set the tone defensively and threw off UCLA’s rhythm; her scoring closed the game out.

She was the only Texas player to hit a field goal in the fourth quarter, none more decisive than a jumper out of a timeout after the Bruins had trimmed a 23-point lead to four. Harmon also had the go-ahead jumper in the final seconds to beat South Carolina and secure the championship.

UConn is brimming with options to the point that last year’s starting center Jana El Alfy can barely get off the bench, but the contenders seem a little thinner. Texas and UCLA will at least be bringing players back from injury — Preston and freshman Aaliyah Crump for the Longhorns, and Timea Gardiner and freshman Sienna Betts for the Bruins.

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For South Carolina, however, this is it. The Gamecocks have an outstanding starting five, but the team that was first or second in the country in bench scoring each of the last three seasons got 13 total points from its bench in two games in Las Vegas. There’s no margin for error for South Carolina, like when Kamilla Cardoso could spell Aliyah Boston, or Tessa Johnson subbed in for Te-Hina Paopao. The first five is all that is producing, and even if that level is up to par with the Huskies or the Longhorns, the starters can’t play all 40 minutes.

For now, UConn is still the top team in the rankings due to its depth and its win over Michigan. Texas slots in second and the Gamecocks third, with the belief that coach Dawn Staley can figure out how to get more out of her bench as the season proceeds. UCLA lands in fourth, though the case for ranking lower is fair; the Bruins’ second-half comeback against Texas and bounce-back wins against Duke and Tennessee prevent them from falling any further.

Also considered: Oregon, Richmond, Georgia

Maryland’s using its depth

The Terrapins got off to a hot start in 2024-25 before injuries decimated their backcourt, and the season-ending injury to freshman Lea Bartelme provided some bad déjà vu. But Maryland hasn’t missed a beat in 2025-26 and still has the depth to play with tempo and aggressive ball pressure. The Terrapins have the most players in the country (13) averaging double-digit minutes per game, and none of them exceed 30.

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That depth has shown off defensively. The full-court press has been disruptive, and they rank 22nd nationally in steal percentage. They forced 18 turnovers against Kentucky, a team that otherwise averages fewer than 10 giveaways per game. (As an aside, Wildcats coach Kenny Brooks needs to figure out his press break now that he doesn’t have Georgia Amoore to simply dribble through defenses.) Maryland currently boasts its best defensive rating since 2019-20, back when Shakira Austin patrolled the paint. The Terrapins have been much better on the defensive glass than in recent seasons; the arrival of Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu has been most impactful on the boards. Maryland also quickly turns defense into offense. They’re ninth in fast-break points per game and 12th in points off turnovers. That was already a strength supercharged by Oluchi Okananwa.

Maryland hasn’t had too many tests on its schedule thus far, but it aced the first one against the Wildcats. The Terrapins dictated the pace and style of play against a quality opponent.

The Commodores have their leader

Vanderbilt had a significant exodus in the transfer portal, and it begged the question of how much would be put on Mikayla Blakes’ shoulders. She has been as productive as in her freshman season, scoring more points, shooting better, and collecting more rebounds, assists and steals. But Blakes can focus on being a scorer because of the ace playmaking from freshman guard Aubrey Galvan. Galvan wasn’t even ranked among ESPN’s top 100 recruits of 2025. Nevertheless, she is eighth in the country in assists per game at 6.9. As of Saturday’s games, Galvan and Blakes were the fifth-most prolific assist combo in the Top 25 (18 assists from Galvan to Blakes).

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The Commodores are a whopping 25.2 points per 100 possessions better with Galvan on the court, and that margin is entirely on offense. The first-year guard has great handle and feel and has an ease delivering the ball to her teammates. Only four other players since 2010 have averaged at least 6.5 assists in their freshman seasons, including Caitlin Clark at Iowa and Olivia Miles at Notre Dame. If Galvan continues at this pace, Vanderbilt will be a destination in next year’s transfer season rather than struggling to hold onto its players.

UNC goes as Indya Nivar does

North Carolina had a deceptively challenging feast week in Cancun, taking on South Dakota State, Kansas State and Columbia in three consecutive days. The Tar Heels produced double-digit victories in all three matchups, led by the all-around play of senior Indya Nivar. Nivar isn’t a primary ballhandler and has benefited from the arrival of Elina Aarnisalo, allowing her to be a secondary playmaker. Nivar pushes the pace in transition, moves the ball well in the half court and is a great rebounder for her position. She has also been hugely impactful defensively, collecting 20 steals over three games in Cancun.

Nivar is currently 10th nationally in WARP (wins above replacement player), per CBB Analytics. Her value manifests in so many different ways on the court, even with UNC often playing her out of position at the four when she stands 5-foot-10. As Louisville transfer Nyla Harris becomes more comfortable in Courtney Banghart’s system, her increased minutes can push Nivar to the wing. Until then, Nivar remains the Tar Heels’ do-it-all role player. She even looks like an all-ACC performer with this start.

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Hawkeyes get things done defensively

Iowa isn’t exactly known for its defense. When Clark was in Iowa City and the Hawkeyes finished first or second annually in offensive rating, their defensive rating topped out at 213st-best in the country.

These aren’t Clark’s Hawkeyes anymore. Even after surrendering a program-record 18 3-pointers to Fairfield on Sunday, Iowa ranks 27th nationally in defensive rating, per Her Hoop Stats. The Hawkeyes have a ton of guards and wings who get after it on defense, including Kylie Feuerbach, Taylor McCabe and Chit-Chat Wright, but the star of the show is sophomore Ava Heiden. She has been tremendous at protecting the paint and put on a clinic against the Stags. At 6-4, her size is a huge help and scares away opposing guards. Heiden also has great feet and can rotate onto perimeter players.

Iowa has a history of great posts, as recently as Monika Czinano and Megan Gustafson. Heiden won’t exactly draw comparisons to those Hawkeyes with how often she dribbles and plays with her back to the basket, but those two couldn’t hold a candle to what Heiden is doing as a rim protector. The possession below is emblematic of Heiden’s consistent effort: hands up, deterring shots in the paint, recovering when the ball moves and closing out possessions with a defensive rebound.

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The intra-state matchup between Iowa and Iowa State, and Heiden versus post-scorer extraordinaire Audi Crooks, can’t come soon enough.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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