The 10 biggest women's NCAA basketball questions for 2025-26

UConn: Title Defense Hinges on Replacing Paige Bueckers and Talented Freshmen

The Huskies' quest for their 13th national title is expected to be fueled by a deep and versatile frontcourt, led by highly productive sophomore Sarah Strong. The 6-foot-2 forward is quietly dominant, averaging 16.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game last season. Pairing Strong with other talented freshmen like Serah Williams, Jana El Alfie, Ice Brady, and Blanca Quiñonez could make this the most well-rounded team UConn has had in recent memory.

However, replacing Paige Bueckers, the top draft pick and Rookie of the Year this past WNBA season, will be a significant challenge. The Huskies' success is heavily reliant on Strong's emergence as a player, and the team will need to adapt quickly if they want to contend for another championship.

Other Top Contending Teams

USC: A Talented but Inexperienced Team Without JuJu Watkins

The Trojans have lost their star player, JuJu Watkins, who suffered an ACL injury in the NCAA tournament. Kennedy Smith's sophomore leap and top-rated recruit Jazzy Davidson could propel USC to a top-15 team, while transfers Kara Dunn and Londynn Jones will play key roles.

LSU: Freshmen Flau'Jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams Give the Bats a High-Octane Offense

The Bats are looking to capitalize on their high-powered offense with Flau'Jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams leading the charge. With a strong supporting cast, LSU could be a force in the SEC.

Texas: Bookers to Lead the Longhorns

Junior forward Madison Booker is expected to repeat as the SEC player of the year. The Bruins have a challenging non-conference schedule but retain most of their core from last season, making them a contender for the national title.

TCU: Transfer Talent Fuels Horned Frogs' Rebuilding

The Horned Frogs are coming off their best-ever season and will look to capitalize on transfer talent led by Olivia Miles. With a new coach in Mark Campbell, TCU is projected to be the Big 12 preseason favorite but faces stiff competition from Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and West Virginia.

Duke: The Blue Devils' Next Step Under Kara Lawson

Coach Kara Lawson has built a talented team under her guidance, with standout players like Toby Fournier and Emilee Skinner. If veterans like Ashlon Jackson can produce enough offense, Duke could break through to its first Final Four since 2006.

Notre Dame: Hidalgo's Rise Could Be the Key to a Better Finish

Junior guard Alee Hidalgo is expected to win her second straight ACC player of the year award and lead Notre Dame to better finishes in conference play. The Irish have made significant strides under new coach Kate Paye, but still face stiff competition from Duke, NC State, North Carolina, Louisville, and Virginia.

Big Ten Dominance

The Big Ten is projected to produce the most NCAA tournament bids this season, with seven teams seeded No. 6 or lower. This trend could be a sign of the conference's growing strength, with UCLA being the only national title contender from the conference.

I think UConn has got this ! They've got Sarah Strong leading the charge and if they can get their freshies to gel, I think they'll be unstoppable . Paige Bueckers might not be on the team anymore, but I'm sure she's gonna do great things in the WNBA . USc is looking good too with Kennedy Smith & Jazzy Davidson, and LSU's offense is going to blow some teams away !

so uconn's all like "we got this" without paige buckers, lolol, they're relying on sarah strong to carry them to another title... i guess it's doable, she does seem pretty talented
but seriously, who's gonna stop texas with madison booker leading the charge? and USC's gonna be like "hey, we might actually make a run without juju watkins" meanwhile, LSU's just hoping flau'jae johnson and mikaylah wills don't get too bored with all that hype

So much pressure on Sarah Strong and her teammates at UConn . Losing Paige Bueckers is huge, but I think they've got a solid foundation to build on. The freshman class looks strong, especially Serah Williams and Jana El Alfie. They need to gel quickly though, because the season is going to be super competitive. And what's up with USC losing JuJu Watkins? That's gotta hurt their momentum. But Kennedy Smith and Jazzy Davidson could still lead them to some wins. Overall, it's gonna be a wild ride in women's basketball this year!

OMG, I'm so hyped for UConn's title defense!!! They've got this deep and talented frontcourt led by Sarah Strong, which is gonna be HUGE! Pairing her with these super fresh faces like Serah Williams and Jana El Alfie could make them UNSTOPPABLE! And don't even get me started on Paige Bueckers' legacy - she's still a huge part of the team's DNA . Can't wait to see how it all plays out this season

I'm so hyped for the upcoming season! UConn's got some serious depth with Sarah Strong, and those freshmen are gonna be ! But let's talk about USC - JuJu Watkins' injury is huge, but Kennedy Smith and Jazzy Davidson are like the dynamic duo they're trying to be. I'm rooting for LSU too, Flau'Jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams are straight fire on offense . And Texas? Bookers is gonna lead that Longhorns team all the way to the title !

aww man u gotta feel for uconn right now they're gonna miss paige so much on that court but sarah strong is lookin up to be an amazing player & pair her with those fresh talent it's like u got a whole new team! meanwhile other teams are just tryin to find their groove too, like USC losin juju watkins... hope they bounce back tho

I just saw this thread and I gotta say, I'm loving the hype around UConn this year ! Replacing Paige Bueckers is gonna be tough, but Sarah Strong seems like an amazing player to build around . And oh man, USC's squad looks so talented, especially with Kennedy Smith and Jazzy Davidson . It's gonna be a wild ride in the NCAA this year, can't wait to see how it all plays out!

im thinkin' uconn's got a tough road ahead , losin paige bueckers is like losin a big piece of a puzzle... they gotta find ways to adapt & get sarah strong lookin good for them... but i still got faith in em

I gotta say, UConn's gonna have to step up their A-game if they wanna make it to that Title Defense . Replacing Paige Bueckers is huge, but they got some talented freshies like Serah Williams and Jana El Alfie who might just fill the gap . And let's not forget Sarah Strong, she's been quietly killing it all season ️. But if they don't adapt quick, they'll be left in the dust .

idk what ppl think about uconn's chances w/o paige buckers they gotta adapt & rely on sarah strong & those talented frosh but i got faith in them! maybe they can surprise everyone & get that 13th title USC & LSU seem like solid contenders too. how bout texas with madison booker leading the charge? & ctc is rebuilding w/ transfer talent, wish 'em luck

I'm worried about UConn, ya know? They're gonna lose Paige Bueckers and it's gonna hurt big time . Sarah Strong is looking good but can she step up even more? The team needs a cohesive flow or they'll struggle to keep up with the other top contenders . On the flip side, USC has some promising young talent coming in, so that's cool . And LSU's offense is gonna be hot! Fingers crossed for all these teams

idk how uconn can fill that huge void left by paige bueckers tho theyre rly counting on sarah strong to take over but im not sure if she can carry the team to another championship i mean we saw what they did last year and it wasnt exactly a walk in the park. still think theyve got a shot though

lol @ UConn thinking they can just copy & paste their old team with new players Paige Bueckers was literally the reason why they won last year and now they're expecting Sarah Strong to carry them to another championship? I don't think so . They need to find a way to adapt and develop their young talent if they wanna compete with the best.

And what's up with USC losing JuJu Watkins already? One ACL injury and their whole season is over? That's just not fair. Kennedy Smith might be all right, but she can't carry an entire team on her back. And don't even get me started on LSU, they're gonna need to step up their defense if they wanna make a deep run in the tournament .

Texas and Duke are always gonna be solid contenders, but TCU is looking like the dark horse here With that transfer talent and new coach, they might just surprise everyone. And hey, at least Notre Dame has Alee Hidalgo to lead them .

UConn gotta step up their transfer game ASAP

So I'm thinking if UConn can keep their team cohesive without Paige Bueckers they might just be fine... I mean Sarah Strong is looking fire and those fresh faces could be a game changer. But replacing someone as big of a talent as Bueckers is never easy . What do you guys think? Should we expect the Huskies to make it far in the tournament or are they gonna crumble under pressure

I'm telling you, Paige Bueckers was basically unstoppable last season , and her replacement will be a huge challenge for UConn. I mean, Sarah Strong is a great player and all, but she's not quite the same as Bueckers on the court. The Huskies need to adapt fast or risk getting left behind.

USC's loss of JuJu Watkins is a big deal, though - she was basically their best player . Kennedy Smith will have to step up her game if USC wants to compete with the top teams in the country. And don't even get me started on LSU's freshmen Flau'Jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams - they're a dynamic duo, but can they lead their team to a national title? I'm not so sure .

The Texas Longhorns are definitely a contender with Madison Booker leading the charge . And TCU is looking good after landing some transfer talent . But Duke and Notre Dame are still a bit of a wild card - they've got the talent, but can they put it all together?

UConn's chances at another title are looking shaky without Paige Bueckers. They're banking on some young talent to step up, but I'm not convinced they've got what it takes to compete with the big dogs . I mean, 16.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game is impressive, but can Sarah Strong really carry a team to the championship? And what about their defense? If they can't get that part of their game together, they're in trouble

I'm still thinking about UConn's chances without Paige Bueckers . They need to get those freshmen settled ASAP so they can start clicking as a team. Serah Williams and Jana El Alfie are hyped, but I want to see them play together more before making any judgments about their potential . The Huskies' frontcourt is gonna be super deep, though - 16.4 points per game from Sarah Strong? That's straight fire

UConn needs to bring in some new faces ASAP Paige Bueckers was a game-changer and their frontcourt is super deep but can they keep it up without her? The Huskies are gonna need to adapt quickly or risk getting left behind Sarah Strong is looking fire but she's gotta have some help