NCAAW Predictions: South Carolina Favored to Go Back-To-Back
- Despite the loss of its leading scorer, South Carolina is the betting favorite
- Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins have UConn and USC as top title contenders.
- Check out the women’s college basketball odds with the 2024-25 season ready to get underway.
South Carolina made it three women’s college basketball titles in the last eight years with an undefeated season in 2023-24. It might have been four had the 2020 NCAA Division I women’s tournament not been called off as a result of the global pandemic.
It won’t be easy for the Gamecocks to top a 38-0 season, with UConn and USC among the top contenders heading into the 2024-25 season according to the sports betting odds.
South Carolina received 54 of 61 first-place votes in the Associated Press and Coaches preseason polls. UConn and USC come in at No. 2 and No. 3 in both polls, followed by Texas. UCLA is fifth in the AP rankings, with Notre Dame at No. 5 in a vote by the coaches.
The 2024-25 season begins on Monday. South Carolina will play Michigan at the Hall of Fame Series event in Las Vegas. There is a pretty compelling doubleheader in Paris, as USC faces No. 20 Ole Miss followed by the Louisville vs UCLA game.
Former Iowa star Caitlin Clark took the WNBA by storm as a rookie. Bueckers is expected to be the top pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Dallas, Los Angeles and Washington are the teams in contention for the top pick. All three are priced at +10000 in the odds of winning the 2025 WNBA title.
Let’s take a look at the top contenders in what could be another memorable women’s college basketball season.
4 Things To Watch in Women’s College Hoops In 2024-25
1. Gamecocks Remain The Team To Beat
Things will look a little different for the Gamecocks without leading scorer and 6-foot-7 post player Kamilla Cardoso leading the way on both ends of the court.
The duo of sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley and freshman Joyce Edwards could be something special, as South Carolina is priced by BetUS Sportsbook as the team to beat.
Doing it on both sides of the ball – we love to see it @MilaysiaF pic.twitter.com/UP28meyf75
— South Carolina Women’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) October 29, 2024
Guard Te-Hina Paopao returns, but fourth-leading scorer Ashlyn Watkins’ status is up in the air due to some off-the-court transgressions.
Arkansas transfer Maryam Dauda gives South Carolina another proven scorer. The Gamecocks face three ranked opponents in the first seven games, so it won’t take long to see how things will look different for a team priced at +150 in the women’s basketball championship odds.
2. UConn, USC Ready to Make a Run
The debate about who is the best returning women’s basketball college player usually begins with USC’s JuJu Watkins and UConn’s Paige Bueckers. Both should be making plenty of women’s college basketball news this season.
Bueckers had 28 points, 10 rebounds and six assists as UConn overcame 29 points from Watkins in an entertaining matchup in the 2024 NCAA Tournament as the Huskies punched their ticket into another Final Four.
WCBB guards with the most 25-point, 60% FG performances last season:
1. Paige Bueckers (UConn) — 8
— I talk hoops 🏀 (@trendyhoopstars) November 1, 2024
The teams will be squaring off on Dec. 21 in Connecticut.
These are not one-player teams, however. Azzi Fudd, Ashlynn Shade, KK Arnold, Caroline Ducharme and Aubrey Griffin are among the other top returnees for UConn. Fudd, Ducharme and Griffin had their 2023-24 seasons cut short by injuries and are still working their way back.
Freshman Sarah Strong will make an immediate impact, while Jana El Alfy is another post player to watch.
Former Stanford star Kiki Iriafen and Oregon State guard Talia von Oelhoffen join top-20 recruits Kennedy Smith and Kayleigh Heckel on a talented USC team that brought in some reinforcements for Watkins.
3. Other SEC Teams Title Contenders
There will be some adjusting as Texas moves from the Big 12 to the SEC. Oklahoma also made the move from the Big 12 to the SEC.
The Longhorns will be getting Rori Harmon back after she was limited to just 12 games a season ago. Taylor Jones is ready for her sixth season and third in Austin, while sophomore Madison Booker is a rising star for the Longhorns.
Former Miami post player Kyla Oldacre and Michigan guard Leila Phelia will add scoring punch to a Texas team with +700 NCAA basketball odds to win the national title.
LSU needs to replace leading scorer and rebounder Angel Reese and fellow double-digit scorer Hailey Van Lith. The trio of Flau’jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow and Mikaylah Williams will pose major matchup issues for any opponent.
Miami transfer Shayeann Day-Wilson, Arizona transfer Kailyn Gilbert and Arkansas transfer Jersey Wolfenbarger all figure prominently into the plans, as LSU might be a little undervalued at +2000 in the March Madness odds.
4. Don’t Forget About Notre Dame
As if the return of Olivia Miles to rejoin Sonia Citron, Hannah Hidalgo and Maddy Westbeld didn’t make Notre Dame a title threat, the additions of Marquette transfer Liza Carlen and Pittsburgh transfer Liatu King and another strong recruiting class make the Fighting Irish a team that will be a factor in the title race.
The Fighting Irish are at +800 in the championship odds. UCLA, with the duo of Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice, is at +1400 before things drop off a bit. NC State (+3000) and Iowa State (+5000) are among the teams worth watching.
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.
Questions Of The Day
Which conference has the most teams ranked in the top 10 in the national polls?
The SEC has four teams in the top 10 in the Associated Press preseason poll.
How many first-team Associated Press All-Americans are back this season?
USC’s JuJu Watkins, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and UConn’s Paige Bueckers are the first-team All-Americans to return for the 2024-25 season
