Look, if you haven't been checking the sec ladies basketball standings lately, you’re missing a literal hurricane. It is mid-January 2026. The conference is a meat grinder. We thought we knew how this would go, but then Vanderbilt decided to stop losing games, and Texas found out that life in the SEC is way more stressful than the Big 12 ever was.
Honestly, the top of the board is a traffic jam. As of today, January 18, 2026, we have three teams—Vanderbilt, South Carolina, and Tennessee—all sitting at the top without a single conference loss. That sounds clean, right? It isn't. It’s a mess of tiebreakers and looming heartbreaks.
The Unbeatable Trio at the Top
Vanderbilt is the story. Nobody, and I mean nobody, expected them to be 18-0 overall and 5-0 in the SEC. They aren't just "getting lucky." They are suffocating teams. They just moved to No. 5 in the country, and the scary part is they seem to believe the hype.
Then you have Dawn Staley’s South Carolina squad. They are 18-1 and 5-0 in the SEC. Their only blemish was a non-conference loss to Texas back in November, but they got their revenge literally three days ago. On January 15, the Gamecocks took down No. 4 Texas 68-65. It was a heavyweight fight. All five South Carolina starters hit double digits. That win kept them perfect in the SEC and basically told the rest of the league that the road to the trophy still runs through Columbia.
And we can't ignore Tennessee. They are 4-0 in conference play. While they have three losses overall, they have been perfect when it actually matters for the standings. It feels like the old days of the SEC, but with a lot more parity.
Why the SEC Ladies Basketball Standings Look So Weird
If you look at the middle of the pack, it's a bloodbath. Texas and LSU are usually the ones looming over everyone, but right now? They're looking up at Vandy.
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Texas is currently 18-2 overall and 3-2 in the SEC. That’s two conference losses. One was to LSU, and the other was that heartbreaker to South Carolina. If you’re a Longhorns fan, you’re probably stressed. They have a massive game today, Sunday, against Texas A&M. If they drop that, the "welcome to the SEC" memes are going to get very loud.
LSU is sitting at 2-2 in the conference. Kim Mulkey’s group is 16-2 overall, but they’ve been inconsistent. They beat Texas—which was huge—but they've also stumbled where they shouldn't have. They are currently 8th in the conference standings. Let that sink in. A top-10 team in the country is 8th in their own conference.
Current Standings Breakdown (as of Jan 18, 2026)
- Vanderbilt: 5-0 SEC (18-0 Overall) - The Cinderella that refuses to leave the ball.
- South Carolina: 5-0 SEC (18-1 Overall) - Still the gold standard.
- Tennessee: 4-0 SEC (12-3 Overall) - Creeping up on everyone.
- Kentucky: 4-1 SEC (17-2 Overall) - Kenny Brooks has them playing out of their minds.
- Ole Miss: 3-1 SEC (16-3 Overall) - Always dangerous, always gritty.
- Texas: 3-2 SEC (18-2 Overall) - Learning that every night is a "Game 7."
- Alabama: 3-2 SEC (17-2 Overall) - High-octane offense that keeps them in every game.
- LSU: 2-2 SEC (16-2 Overall) - Talent is there, but the record is lagging.
The Newcomers and the "Old Guard"
Texas and Oklahoma entering the league has changed the math. It’s not just about more games; it’s about the lack of "off nights." In years past, you might have a couple of games where you could rest your starters in the fourth quarter. Not anymore.
Oklahoma is currently 2-2 in the SEC and 14-3 overall. They are ranked No. 13 in the AP Poll but find themselves in the bottom half of the conference standings. That is absurd. It shows how deep this league is. You have teams like Alabama and Kentucky playing like Top-15 programs, and they’re barely in the upper crust of the SEC.
Kentucky is a particularly interesting case. Under Kenny Brooks, they’ve jumped to 17-2. They just beat Oklahoma recently, proving they can handle the high-pressure style the new teams brought from the Big 12. They are 4-1 in the SEC and look like a lock for a high seed in the tournament.
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What’s Actually Happening on the Court?
Stats are great, but the eye test tells you more. South Carolina is playing a much faster game than they did two years ago. Te-Hina Paopao and Ta’Niya Latson (who just came back from injury) are a nightmare for opposing backcourts. They don't just beat you; they wear you down until you're making lazy passes in the fourth.
Vanderbilt is doing it with defense. They aren't the highest-scoring team, but they make you earn every single bucket. They currently lead the SEC in scoring defense, holding opponents to under 55 points a game. In this league? That’s nearly impossible.
Down at the bottom, things are bleak for the "zeros." Florida, Arkansas, and Missouri are all 0-4 or 0-5 in the SEC. It’s not that they are bad teams—Florida is 12-8 overall—it’s just that the SEC schedule is a gauntlet. If you don't have three or four legitimate scoring options, you get exposed.
Key Games Today (Sunday, Jan 18)
If you're following the sec ladies basketball standings today, you need to watch these three results:
- South Carolina at Coppin State: This is a non-conference "breather" for the Gamecocks, but they need to stay sharp.
- Texas A&M at Texas: This is the "Lone Star Showdown." Texas A&M’s Fatmata Janneh is averaging 11.5 rebounds a game. If she can dominate the glass, Texas could be in trouble.
- Vanderbilt's next move: They are the hunted now. Every team they face from here on out is looking to be the one that ends the streak.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you're trying to make sense of where this is going, stop looking at the overall records. The SEC is all about matchups.
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Watch the "Games Back" column. With three teams undefeated, the first one to blink is going to fall hard in the rankings. Tennessee hasn't played South Carolina yet. Vanderbilt hasn't played the "death stretch" of their schedule.
Don't count out LSU. Kim Mulkey usually has her teams peaking in February. Being 8th in the standings right now is a bit of a mirage. They have the talent to go on a 10-game winning streak starting tomorrow.
Keep an eye on Fatmata Janneh. The Texas A&M star is one of only four players in the SEC averaging a double-double. Players like her are the "spoilers" who will decide who wins the regular-season title by stealing wins from the top dogs.
Next Step: Check the live scores for the Texas vs. Texas A&M game this afternoon. A Texas win stabilizes the standings, but an A&M upset would throw the entire top five into a blender before Monday's new AP Poll.