Texas women’s basketball stays locked at No. 4 in the Coaches Poll as March Madness approaches, with UConn, UCLA and South Carolina holding the top spots.
The Texas women’s basketball team continues to sit firmly among the elite programs in the country, holding steady at No. 4 in the USA TODAY Sports Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll for the sixth straight week.
As the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament approaches, the rankings suggest the top of the bracket may already be set in stone.
For nearly two months, the top four teams in the poll have barely moved. UConn (31-0) remains the nation’s lone undefeated powerhouse at No. 1, followed by UCLA (28-1) at No. 2 and South Carolina (29-2) at No. 3. Texas rounds out the group at No. 4 with a 28-3 record, a position the Longhorns have now held since January.
That stability is rare this late in the season and could signal how the NCAA Tournament selection committee views the national hierarchy.
If things hold, UConn, UCLA, South Carolina and Texas are widely expected to earn the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Women’s Tournament bracket.
Texas closed its regular season with a 72-65 win over No. 23 Alabama, reinforcing its case as one of the most balanced teams in the country heading into postseason play.
The victory pushed the Longhorns to 28 wins and secured a favorable position entering the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament, where Texas receives a double-bye and will begin play directly in the quarterfinal round.
That advantage matters because the SEC is loaded. Nine SEC teams appear in the latest Coaches Poll, making the conference tournament one of the most competitive events in the country this week.
Programs like Vanderbilt (No. 5), LSU (No. 6), Kentucky (No. 19), Georgia (No. 22) and Alabama (No. 25) are all capable of making deep runs.
But here’s the interesting wrinkle ... the conference tournament may not dramatically change the NCAA seed lines.
Because the top four teams in the poll have remained unchanged for weeks, the selection committee may already have its No. 1 seeds locked in unless something dramatic happens.
That means Texas’ biggest focus may simply be maintaining momentum rather than fighting for position.
Behind the top tier, the rankings remain fluid. Michigan (No. 7), Oklahoma (No. 8) and TCU (No. 10) continue to climb, while programs like Baylor (No. 18) and Texas Tech (No. 21) keep the Big 12 well represented in the national picture.
For Texas, the mission is simple ... survive the SEC gauntlet and head into March Madness playing their best basketball.
If they do that, the Longhorns won’t just enter the tournament as a No. 1 seed ... they’ll enter as a legitimate national title contender.