Vanderbilt Commodores

Will Vanderbilt Join the Other SEC Ranked Teams?

The Commodores ended their regular season on a win streak and received a first-round bye in the SEC tournament this week, but are they closer to being ranked again?
Taylor Hodges|
Vanderbilt’ Mikayla Blakes (1) passes the ball to Aiyana Mitchell (14) after saving the ball from going out of bounds during an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi State Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn.
Vanderbilt’ Mikayla Blakes (1) passes the ball to Aiyana Mitchell (14) after saving the ball from going out of bounds during an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi State Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There was little time wasted as March got its madness started in earnest Sunday with several ranked women’s teams suffering upsets.

Vanderbilt wasn’t one of those teams, but it did benefit from the madness. Georgia beating then-No. 11 Tennessee allowed the Commodores to move into the No. 8-seed of the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament and get a first-round bye.

It’s a fitting reward for Vanderbilt, who won more than 20 games in the regular season for the second consecutive season and will be headed back to the NCAA Tournament next week.

However, based on the most recent AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll, the Commodores will head into the NCAA Tournament unranked. The Commodores weren’t ranked in Monday’s updated poll after going 2-2 in the final week of the regular season and didn’t receive any votes.

Vanderbilt awaits the winner of Wednesday’s first round matchup between No. 9-seed Tennessee and No. 16-seed Texas A&M. The Commodores will face the winner at 10 a.m. Thursday on SEC Network.

The 2025 SEC Women's Basketball Conference Championship Tournament Bracket
The 2025 SEC Women's Basketball Conference Championship Tournament Bracket | SEC X/Twitter

Here’s the complete top 25 poll released Monday:

AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll

  1. Texas (29-2)
  2. USC (26-2)
  3. UConn (28-3)
  4. UCLA (27-2)
  5. South Carolina (27-3)
  6. Notre Dame (25-4)
  7. North Carolina State (24-5)
  8. TCU (28-3)
  9. LSU (27-4)
  10. Oklahoma (23-6)
  11. Duke (23-7)
  12. Kentucky (22-6)
  13. Ohio State (24-5)
  14. North Carolina (25-6)
  15. Maryland (23-6)
  16. West Virginia (23-6)
  17. Baylor (25-6)
  18. Tennessee (21-8)
  19. Alabama (23-7)
  20. Kansas State (25-6)
  21. Oklahoma State (24-5)
  22. Florida State (23-7)
  23. Creighton (24-5)
  24. Michigan State (21-8)
  25. South Dakota State (26-3)

Others receiving votes: Louisville 40, Richmond 21, Mississippi 15, Utah 6, James Madison 5, Iowa 3, Fairfield 2, California 2, Georgia Tech 1.

Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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