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Women’s College Basketball: The Road to the Championship Begins

The wait is finally over! With the WNBA season wrapping up, attention turns to the college hardwood, where a new crop of talented teams and players are ready to take center stage. The AP Top 25 preseason poll has been released, and defending champion South Carolina sits atop the rankings, returning all but one key contributor and adding one of the country’s top recruits.

The Contenders

UConn and USC are hot on the Gamecocks’ heels, boasting star power in Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins, respectively. The Huskies and Trojans will face off in a highly anticipated matchup on December 21, a game that could have significant implications for the top spot in the country.

Schedules Matter

With conference realignment shaking up the landscape, team schedules will play a crucial role in NCAA tournament selection and seeding. We take a closer look at the Top 25 teams and their key early-season matchups:

• South Carolina faces a tough test against Duke on December 5, while UConn meets USC on December 21.
• Texas takes on South Dakota State on December 22 in a game that could prove tricky.
• UCLA opens the season against Louisville in Paris, France, and will need to mesh quickly to overcome the Cardinals.
• Notre Dame welcomes Texas on December 5 in a battle of talented backcourts.

Rising Stars

Several teams are poised to make a splash this season, including LSU, Iowa State, and Oklahoma. Keep an eye on Flau’jae Johnson, who returns to LSU after averaging 14.9 points per game last season, and Raegan Beers, who joins Oklahoma from Oregon State.

Coaches to Watch

Kara Lawson has built a defensive powerhouse at Duke, while Niele Ivey looks to lead Notre Dame to new heights. Brenda Frese has retooled her Maryland roster with a slew of talented transfers, and Kenny Brooks begins his tenure at Kentucky.

The road to the championship is long and arduous, but with these storylines and matchups, the 2024-25 women’s college basketball season is shaping up to be an unforgettable ride.