Women's college basketball: Biggest storylines for the final week of the 2025-26 regular season
CBS Sports
by
Isabel Gonzalez
February 23, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The final week of the 2025-26 women's college basketball regular season is packed with high-stakes action as teams fight for conference championships, seeding, and NCAA tournament positioning. With just days until conference tournaments and three weeks before Selection Sunday, every game matters, especially for teams on the bubble or in contention for top seeds.
The race for the fourth No. 1 seed remains one of the most compelling storylines, with UConn, UCLA, South Carolina, Texas, Vanderbilt, and LSU all in the mix. UConn and UCLA are strong contenders due to their undefeated records and impressive resumes, while South Carolina and Texas also have solid cases. Vanderbilt's recent loss and potential missteps by Texas could shake up the rankings, but both teams need to avoid costly defeats this week.
Another key storyline is the ACC's unexpected momentum. Teams like Virginia and Clemson have shown resilience, with Virginia upsetting No. 9 Louisville and Clemson ending Duke's winning streak. This has created a competitive mid-table race for the fourth double-bye in the ACC tournament. Stanford's loss to Miami hurt its chances, while Virginia Tech continues to hold onto hope despite an overtime loss to North Carolina.
Mid-major teams are also making noise as they chase at-large bids for the NCAA tournament. Groups like the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and other mid-majors are fighting to prove their worth on the national stage, adding excitement to the final stretch of the season.
Finally, conference races are heating up across the nation, with key games offering pivotal
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Originally published on CBS Sports on 2/23/2026