Duke women's basketball makes season debut in AP Poll at No. 19

After strong nonconference results and three consecutive wins to open ACC play, including an upset over the No. 6 team in the country, Duke once again has a number next to its name.

The Blue Devils are ranked No. 19 in the Week 9 AP Poll, debuting Monday after an eight-game win streak dating back to Nov. 27. Duke had received votes in every poll this year, but a 3-0 start to the conference schedule with wins over two teams that have combined for four of the past five ACC regular-season and tournament titles (N.C. State and Louisville) pushed it into the top 25. The jump marks the Blue Devils' first appearance in the rankings since the 2021-22 season, when they peaked at No. 15 before tumbling out of the poll for good at the end of January 2022.

Duke's entry comes on the heels of a landmark week for head coach Kara Lawson's squad. Following an eight-day holiday break, the Blue Devils (13-1, 3-0 in the ACC) went on the road Thursday and toppled then-No. 6 N.C. State 72-58. On Sunday, Duke added another resume-builder with a 63-56 victory at home against Louisville. 

The Blue Devils currently rank eighth in NET, with a 3-1 record in Quad 1 games and 4-0 mark in Quad 2, and No. 23 in Her Hoop Stats Rating, including the eighth-best defense in the country. According to HHS, Duke has played the fourth-toughest schedule among ACC teams so far, separated from a tie for the second-toughest by a negligible margin.

After their perfect start to ACC play, the Blue Devils next head to Winston-Salem, N.C., Thursday for a 6 p.m. tilt against Wake Forest.

Complete rankings:

1. South Carolina

2. Stanford

7. LSU

8. Utah

9. Virginia Tech

10. N.C. State

11. Iowa State

12. UCLA

13. Maryland

14. Michigan

15. Arizona

16. Iowa

17. Oklahoma

18. Oregon

19. Duke

20. Gonzaga

21. Kansas

22. North Carolina

23. Baylor

24. St. John's

25. Creighton

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