Women’s Basketball Preseason Top 20: LSU, UConn Lead the Pack

The defending champions look poised for a back-to-back run, while the Huskies are eyeing a return to the Final Four.

1. LSU

After playing in the shadow of South Carolina and Iowa for much of last year, the Tigers are underdogs no more. Junior forward Angel Reese and sophomore guard Flau’jae Johnson alone would make Kim Mulkey’s squad capable of defending its national title, but the Tigers added guards Hailey Van Lith (Louisville) and Aneesah Morrow (DePaul) and landed two top-10 recruits. This is a superteam.

2. UConn

The Huskies’ roster is loaded with experienced talents, including juniors Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, and seniors Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Mühl, who set a school record for assists in a season last year. This group has yet to play a full season together because of injuries, but should everyone stay healthy, Geno Auriemma, who had his 14-year Final Four streak snapped last year, has a real chance to add another trophy to his packed case.

Reigning national player of the year Caitlin Clark averaged 27.8 points per game last season.

Joseph Cress/For the Register/USA TODAY NETWORK

3. Iowa

With senior guard Caitlin Clark, last season’s consensus player of the year, the Hawkeyes will be expected to put on a show every game. 

4. Ohio State

Three of the Buckeyes’ four top scorers, including Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cotie McMahon, are back. Ohio State’s press should be even more potent after landing transfer guard Celeste Taylor, who was a finalist for National Defensive Player of the Year at Duke last season. 

5. UCLA

Cori Close added to her talented group of sophomores (led by forward Gabriela Jaquez and guards Kiki Rice and Londynn Jones) when she added the No. 1 prospect of that recruiting cycle, 6’ 7” center Lauren Betts (Stanford) in the transfer portal in April. With guard Charisma Osborne deciding to come back for a fifth season, UCLA will aim for its first title since 1978. 

6.Virginia Tech

The Hokies’ core—Georgia Amoore, Elizabeth Kitley and Cayla King—is returning after a Final Four run as last year’s forgotten No. 1 seed. Coach Kenny Brooks also added transfers Rose Micheaux (Minnesota), Matilda Ekh (Michigan State) and Olivia Summiel (Wake Forest).

Forward Mackenzie Holmes helped lead the Hoosiers to their first Big Ten title in 40 years last season.

Matt Krohn/USA TODAY Sports

7. Indiana

Although the Hoosiers lost Grace Berger to the WNBA, All-American forward Mackenzie Holmes is back, as is Yarden Garzon—who, as a freshman, was Indiana’s best three-point shooter (45.8%). 

8. South Carolina

With the 2019 “Freshies”—the heralded recruiting class of Aliyah Boston & Co.—
now all gone, the Gamecocks enter a new era. Oregon transfer Te-Hina Paopao, a senior guard who shot 42.4% from three-point range last season, is a
key addition. 

9. Utah

The Utes welcome back all five starters, including senior forward Alissa Pili, who averaged 20.7 points per game as the conference’s player of the year. 

10. Mississippi

The Rebels took down No. 1 seed Stanford in the second round of last year’s tournament, and Yolett McPhee-McCuin landed several top talents in the transfer portal this offseason. Guards Kennedy Todd-Williams (North Carolina) and KK Deans (Florida) join a deep roster that returns three of its top four scorers. 

11. Tennessee

The Volunteers were one of only two teams to beat LSU last year, and leading scorer Rickea Jackson (19.2 points per game) is returning for a fifth season, as is 6’ 6” senior center Tamari Key, who sat out most of last season due to blood clots. The Vols also added impressive Belmont transfer Destinee Wells (45.5% on three-pointers) at guard. 

12. Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish ended their regular season on a sour note when star guard Olivia Miles sustained a knee injury in the finale. If Miles is healthy, the Irish—who fell in the Sweet 16 without their All-American—can challenge Virginia Tech for
the ACC title.

13. Maryland

No matter how many star players she loses, Terps coach Brenda Frese always seems able to put together a formidable roster. Diamond Miller and Abby Meyers, last year’s top scorers, are off in the WNBA, creating opportunity for junior guard Shyanne Sellers to shine.

The Trojans made the NCAA tournament last season for the first time since 2014.

Maria Lysaker/USA TODAY Sports

14. USC

With the nation’s No. 1 recruit in guard Juju Watkins, the expectations are high for the Trojans. Watkins will pair with 6’ 4” junior wing Rayah Marshall, who was eighth in the country with 11.5 rebounds per game last year. USC also welcomes a trio of Ivy League transfers, including Kayla Padilla (Penn), who was the conference’s second-leading scorer (17.7 points per game). 

15. Stanford

The Cardinal are dealing with substantial turnover after having lost Haley Jones to the WNBA and several other players to the transfer portal. Still, this should open up minutes for senior forward Cameron Brink, while fifth-year sharpshooter Hannah Jump will no doubt give coach
Tara VanDerveer’s squad some much-
needed stability.

16. Florida State

Ta’Niya Latson led the ACC in scoring as a freshman last season (21.3 points per game). With the team’s second- and third-best scorers also returning, the Seminoles should again have one of the nation’s most potent offenses.

17. Louisville

Hailey Van Lith’s departure to LSU hurts, but coach Jeff Walz has bolstered his roster with a host of transfers, including junior Jayda Curry, who averaged 15.5 ppg at Cal.

Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports

18. Baylor

At 20–13, the Bears had double-digit losses for the first time since 2009–10 last year. But Baylor brings back its core players—including senior guard Sarah Andrews and Big 12 Freshman of the Year Darianna Littlepage-Buggs—as well as a few solid transfers. 

19. North Carolina

The Tar Heels lost Kennedy Todd-Williams to Ole Miss and Destiny Adams to Rutgers but added Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Lexi Donarski from Iowa State. 

20. Texas

After capturing their first Big 12 regular-season title in almost 20 years, the Longhorns will be loaded and are hoping to have a full season from junior forward Aaliyah Moore, who had averaged 11.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in nine games before injuring her knee last year.