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Multiple Contributors
Nov 4, 2024, 08:30 AM ET
The wait is over.
After a thrilling, record-breaking WNBA season, women’s college basketball is back.
The 2024-25 season tips off Monday, with the bulk of attention on opening day focusing on Paris, where No. 20 Ole Miss faces No. 3 USC (noon ET, ESPN) and No. 17 Louisville opens against No. 5 UCLA (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
Which players will shine brightest this season? What surprises lie ahead? Which teams will make it to Tampa for the Final Four? Can South Carolina repeat or will another program cut down the nets in April?
ESPN’s Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel address the biggest questions heading into the season and, along with Andscape’s Sean Hurd, make their preseason predictions and picks before the games start.
More: ESPN Preseason Top 25 | Ranking the best 25 players | Super sophomores | Realignment impact? | 12 best games
What is South Carolina’s greatest challenge in trying to repeat?
Voepel: The Gamecocks have had a future WNBA draft lottery pick post player on their roster every season but one since 2014-15. It was A’ja Wilson from then until 2018. From 2019-2023, Aliyah Boston filled that role. Last season, Kamilla Cardoso had the best of her three years at South Carolina. One of the current Gamecocks could reach that level. But right now, South Carolina doesn’t have that caliber of experienced player in the paint. That could be a challenge.
Philippou: Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon spoke this season about the difficulties of repeating (or in her case, three-peating) across sports, particularly when other teams benefit from being motivated by the pain of losing or desperation to win. Coming off a devastating defeat in the 2023 national semifinal to Iowa, South Carolina had that edge last season and used it to fuel its undefeated campaign, what was dubbed the Gamecocks’ “revenge tour.” Dawn Staley will look to keep her young, self-described “silly” team focused and hungry for more as South Carolina seeks its first back-to-back titles.
Creme: The Ashlyn Watkins situation. The 6-foot-3 junior forward is currently suspended after an August arrest for first-degree assault and battery and kidnapping. Staley has given no indication when or even if Watkins — who averaged 9.2 points and 7.4 rebounds last season, with a team-high 91 blocks — will return to team activities. With no Watkins, the frontcourt is thin on proven production. It’s Chloe Kitts (9.1 PPG) and Sania Feagin (6.7 PPG), and then questions.
Freshman Joyce Edwards, the No. 2 recruit in the country, might be one of the answers. She totaled 39 points with a pair of double-doubles in the Gamecocks’ two exhibition games. That level of production seems unlikely when the games start to count this early in her career, but Edwards might need to be a steady contributor if South Carolina is to win a second title in a row.
A team not named South Carolina that could win the 2025 NCAA title?
Voepel: That “other” USC, the Trojans. Like crosstown rival UCLA, plus Oregon and Washington, they must adjust to the Big Ten. But with returners JuJu Watkins and Rayah Marshall and transfers Kiki Iriafen and Talia von Oelhoffen leading the way, the Trojans could give the program its third NCAA title — and first since 1984. The Big Ten has won just one NCAA title in women’s basketball: Purdue in 1999. It would be strange if the second championship comes from an L.A. school — UCLA is also in the mix — but that’s where we are with realignment.
Creme: Last year for our preseason predictions I went with UConn under the presumption the Huskies would be healthy. They weren’t. Despite willing themselves to the Final Four, a national championship was not in the cards. That’s not going to stop me from doubling down on UConn. If they remain healthy — and given the past few years that is a big question — the Huskies are deep, have size, multiple scorers and a superstar in Paige Bueckers who has already proved multiple times she can carry a team during the most important part of the season.
Philippou: I think it’s a three-horse race between South Carolina, USC and UConn. But Notre Dame is a fourth team that could emerge as a contender. If the Hannah Hidalgo–Olivia Miles pairing lives up to billing, the Irish will boast the best backcourt in the country. Plus Niele Ivey shored up the frontcourt depth by bringing in transfers Liatu King and Liza Karlen, as well as impact freshman Kate Koval.
Similar to UConn, health has been the X factor for Notre Dame in recent years. Maddy Westbeld is out for the beginning of the season and Sonia Citron didn’t play in the Irish’s exhibition game (both were second team all-ACC picks last season). Notre Dame had only seven available players for that contest, then Karlen was injured in the first half. It’s easy to get excited about this group, but only if it manages to stay healthy.
Bueckers or Watkins for preseason player of the year?
Philippou: Bueckers is my pick, but I expect a huge year from Watkins, too. Aside from her overall body of work, Bueckers’ efficiency has been otherworldly when healthy: She has shot over 50% from the field and 40% on 3s in her two fully healthy seasons. Bueckers has been vocal about how she knows she needs to play more assertively for the Huskies to win the national championship, so don’t be shocked if we see a more aggressive Bueckers than ever in what is expected to be her final season in Storrs.
Bueckers and Watkins will square off in Hartford on Dec. 21. Behind 28 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 stocks (steals and blocks), Bueckers took the first showdown when UConn and USC met in the 2024 Elite Eight. But both teams are quite different from the ones that met last April.
Voepel: Can’t go wrong with either, but Watkins is my choice. Expect her to be as dynamic as she was last year as a freshman, even if her stats might drop a bit with more talent around her. For all the negatives of realignment, a positive is that Watkins will play more games in prime time in the Eastern and Central time zones than she did in the Pac-12. Add in the Big Ten Network’s larger audience compared to the Pac-12 Network, and Watkins should have even more eyes on her. That could help with the national player of the year campaign.
Creme: What day of the week is it? I’ve changed my mind multiple times trying to decide between these two stars, but I am going with Bueckers. Both are well-rounded players. Both are unafraid and deliver in big moments. But Bueckers does her work more efficiently. Her 53.0% field goal shooting is incredible for a guard. She scored 22.2 points per game on 15.6 field goal attempts. Watkins was second in the country at 27.1 PPG but took 22.4 shots per game and shot 40.1% from the field. Bueckers, while guarding multiple positions for the depleted Huskies, was second nationally in defensive win shares.
Neither NC State nor Oregon State received a single preseason Top 25 vote a year ago but made deep runs in the NCAA tournament. Who are this year’s underrated squads?
Voepel: TCU could be interesting to watch. If center Sedona Prince stays healthy, she and guards Madison Conner and Agnes Emma-Nnopu return as double-digit scorers. The Horned Frogs are adding transfer guards Hailey Van Lith (LSU), Maddie Scherr (Kentucky) and Donovyn Hunter (Oregon State) and transfer forwards Natalie Mazurek (South Dakota) and Deasia Merrill (Georgia State). TCU has believers among the Big 12 coaches who picked the Frogs to finish fourth in the league behind Kansas State, Iowa State and Baylor.
Creme: The Horned Frogs are my pick too. Let’s not forget TCU’s 14-0 start last season, albeit against an easy schedule, before injuries started to mount. The roster got so depleted the Horned Frogs had to forfeit two Big 12 games. TCU has added depth this year, and with Oklahoma and Texas gone, the path to the top part of the conference standings is clearer. Prince is the key. Her hand injury during TCU’s first loss of the season to Baylor was the beginning of the bad fortune. In the 21 games she played, Prince averaged 19.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks.
Philippou: They won’t be at their level from the past few seasons, and with the L.A. schools expected to dominate the Big Ten, they won’t win the conference title. But the post-Caitlin Clark Hawkeyes could surprise some people behind the tandem of Hannah Stuelke and Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen. Plus, Jan Jensen taking over for Lisa Bluder should make for a seamless transition. The Hawkeyes narrowly missed out on being ranked in the AP’s preseason Top 25 but could creep in if they start with a strong run in nonconference play.
What’s your one bold prediction for the 2024-25 season?
Philippou: One of either Tennessee and Stanford — the two programs with the most NCAA tournament appearances in the history of the sport (42 and 37, respectively) — will not play in March Madness in Year 1 of their new coaching hires (Kim Caldwell for Tennessee, Kate Paye for Stanford, which also switched conferences to the ACC).
Creme: Bueckers and Watkins are the favorites, but the player of the year race will have more than two entries. When mid-February arrives, Notre Dame’s Hidalgo and Texas’ Madison Booker will be legitimate contenders for the award. Hidalgo led the country in steals last season and could be the nation’s best defensive player regardless of position. With Miles joining her in the backcourt, Hidalgo could also have the opportunity to score more than her 22.6 points per game of a season ago. Booker was the first freshman to win Big 12 player of the year and was the chief reason the Longhorns won a Big 12 tournament title and reached the Elite Eight.
Voepel: Despite losing marquee teams Texas and Oklahoma, which will fare well in the SEC, the Big 12 will be an entertaining conference to watch. That’s because there should be a good amount of parity, perhaps even as deep as the top nine teams.
4:18
South Carolina’s Staley speaks on climate of women’s basketball
With so many opportunities available for college athletes, Dawn Staley explains the importance of staying focused and why “it’s great to be in women’s basketball right now.”
Preseason predictions
Which team will win the ACC?
Creme: Notre Dame
Philippou: Notre Dame
Voepel: Notre Dame
Which team will win the Big Ten?
Creme: USC
Philippou: USC
Voepel: USC
Which team will win the Big 12?
Creme: Iowa State
Philippou: Iowa State
Voepel: Iowa State
Which team will win the SEC?
Creme: South Carolina
Philippou: South Carolina
Voepel: South Carolina
Which teams will reach the Final Four?
Creme: UConn, South Carolina, USC, Notre Dame
Hurd: UConn, South Carolina, USC, LSU
Philippou: South Carolina, USC, UConn, Notre Dame
Voepel: South Carolina, USC, Texas, UConn
Which team will win the NCAA title?
Creme: UConn over Notre Dame
Hurd: South Carolina over USC
Philippou: South Carolina over USC
Voepel: South Carolina over Texas
Who will be the national player of the year?
Creme: Paige Bueckers, UConn
Hurd: Paige Bueckers, UConn
Philippou: Paige Bueckers, UConn
Voepel: JuJu Watkins, USC
Who will win coach of the year?
Creme: Geno Auriemma, UConn
Hurd: Lindsay Gottlieb, USC
Philippou: Lindsay Gottlieb, USC
Voepel: Lindsay Gottlieb, USC
Who is the preseason freshman of the year?
Creme: Toby Fournier, Duke
Hurd: Kiyomi McMiller, Rutgers
Philippou: Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Voepel: Sarah Strong, UConn
Which players will make the All-America first team?
Creme: JuJu Watkins, USC; Paige Bueckers, UConn; Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame; Flau’jae Johnson, LSU; Madison Booker, Texas
Hurd: Paige Bueckers, UConn; JuJu Watkins, USC; Rori Harmon, Texas; Lauren Betts, UCLA; Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Philippou: JuJu Watkins, USC; Paige Bueckers, UConn; Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame; Madison Booker, Texas; Lauren Betts, UCLA
Voepel: JuJu Watkins, USC; Paige Bueckers,UConn; Madison Booker, Texas; Kiki Iriafen, USC; Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
