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Charlie Creme, ESPN.comOct 15, 2024, 12:14 PM ET
- Charlie Creme initiatives the ladies’s NCAA event bracket for ESPN.com.
Girls’s basketball supplies one thing few different sports activities can: year-round leisure.
The WNBA season nonetheless has a number of days left, however with Tuesday’s launch of the AP Top 25 preseason poll, the unofficial begin to the 2024-25 faculty season is already right here.
When an undefeated nationwide champion returns all however one key contributor and provides one of many high recruits within the nation, it is sure to be the preseason No. 1 — and that’s precisely the place South Carolina begins out. Kamilla Cardoso is gone, however Raven Johnson, Te-Hina Paopao, Tessa Johnson, MiLaysia Fulwiley and Chloe Kitts, amongst others, return, and together with freshman Joyce Edwards make the Gamecocks the favourite once more.
The star energy at UConn with Paige Bueckers and at USC with JuJu Watkins make the Huskies and Trojans formidable challengers. USC can be attempting to win its first title since 1984 — as a member of the Massive Ten. That is a headliner on a season of change, the place convention realignment will make the panorama look very totally different.
In search of Iowa or Stanford? Neither was within the preseason High 25. With Caitlin Clark and Lisa Bluder not with the Hawkeyes, and Tara VanDerveer and Cameron Brink gone from the Cardinal, these packages have simply misplaced an excessive amount of.
With schedules such an important factor in NCAA event choice and seeding, we check out the High 25 by the prism of everybody’s schedule: What’s the key sport to search for within the first two months?
All instances Japanese
1. South Carolina Gamecocks
2023-24 report: 38-0
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Michigan, 7:30 p.m., TNT (Las Vegas, Corridor of Fame collection)
Greatest early-season sport: Dec. 5 vs. Duke, 9 p.m., ESPN
The Gamecocks host UConn in what is likely to be the marquee nonconference sport of the complete season, however that sport is in February. Within the first two months, South Carolina will face NC State, UCLA, Iowa State, Duke and TCU. Whereas the second sport of the season in opposition to the Wolfpack is a Closing 4 rematch, the ACC/SEC Problem places Duke in Columbia. Kara Lawson has constructed her program round protection and recruits (slightly than transfers), a lot in the identical approach Daybreak Staley grew the Gamecocks right into a nationwide energy.
2. UConn Huskies
2023-24 Report: 33-6
Season opener: Nov. 7 vs. Boston College, 7 p.m., SNY
Greatest early-season sport: Dec. 21 vs. USC, 8 p.m., FOX
Paige Bueckers vs. JuJu Watkins is our early Christmas current. The 2 main candidates for Nationwide Participant of the Yr meet for a second time after Bueckers’ Huskies acquired the higher of Watkins’ Trojans within the Elite Eight. By this level, UConn can have already performed North Carolina, Louisville, Notre Dame and Iowa State. If it wins all of them, this assembly with USC could decide who the No. 1 crew within the nation is heading into the brand new 12 months ought to South Carolina stumble.
3. USC Trojans
2023-24 Report: 29-6
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Ole Miss, 9 a.m., ESPN (Paris)
Greatest early-season sport: Nov. 23 vs. Notre Dame, 1 p.m., NBC
Every week earlier than the 2 colleges sq. off in soccer in Los Angeles, they do the identical in basketball. Each the Trojans and the Irish needs to be within the combine for a No. 1 seed come March and the winner of this sport takes an enormous benefit in that quest. One month earlier than Watkins will get to go head-to-head with Bueckers, she faces Hannah Hidalgo, the second-best freshman to Watkins a 12 months in the past.
4. Texas Longhorns
2023-24 Report: 33-5
Season opener: Nov. 10 vs. Southeast Missouri State, 3 p.m.
Greatest early-season sport: Dec. 22 vs. South Dakota State, 3 p.m.
Proper earlier than Christmas, this might be a tough sport for Texas. The Jackrabbits are one of many mid-majors to look at as soon as once more and will make a run on the high 25 themselves. All the time well-prepared beneath coach Aaron Johnston, South Dakota State can be gifted with Brooklyn Meyer and Paige Meyer main the best way. It is a sport wherein Texas bigs Aaliyah Moore and Taylor Jones could need to shine to maintain the Longhorns away from an upset alert.
5. UCLA Bruins
2023-24 Report: 27-7
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Louisville, 11:30 a.m., ESPN2 (Paris)
Greatest early-season sport: Nov. 4 vs. Louisville, 11:30 a.m., ESPN2 (Paris)
Cori Shut has amassed a plethora of expertise with the addition of transfers Charlisse Leger-Walker, Janiah Barker and Timea Gardiner to go together with Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice. The Bruins will get an instantaneous check on how that chemistry is working in opposition to the Cardinals within the sport that kicks off the complete season in Paris. A 12 months in the past, this journey to France launched South Carolina when the Gamecocks blew out Notre Dame. Might it do the identical for UCLA?
6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
2023-24 Report: 28-7
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Mercyhurst, 5 p.m., ACC Community
Greatest early-season sport: Dec. 5 vs. Texas, 7 p.m., ESPN
Each the Irish and Longhorns noticed freshmen change into stars a season in the past with their crew leaders out with damage. Rori Harmon is again for Texas to crew up with Madison Booker, and Niele Ivey can now pair Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles, coming back from a knee damage. It is a dream backcourt matchup that would outline which duo is meshing the perfect. This appears to be the perfect Irish crew beneath Ivey. This sport and one every week later in opposition to UConn, additionally in South Bend, ought to inform us simply how good.
7. LSU Tigers
2023-24 Report: 31-6
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Japanese Kentucky, 8:00 p.m., SEC Community+
Most vital early-season sport: Dec. 5 vs. Stanford
The Tigers may as an alternative draw NC State of their second sport of the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship throughout Thanksgiving week within the Bahamas. But when LSU meets Stanford, the Cardinal may signify the Tigers’ hardest opponent in what’s one other weak nonconference schedule. Stanford is predicted to have a down 12 months after dropping Cameron Brink, Kiki Iriafen, Hannah Bounce and legendary coach Tara VanDerveer. Additionally notable: Ought to LSU meet Stanford as an alternative of NC State, the Tigers will not face a ranked opponent till a Jan. 23 journey to South Carolina.
8. Iowa State Cyclones
2023-24 Report: 21-12
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Chicago State, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 28 vs. South Carolina in Fort Myers, Florida
The Gamecocks are an early measuring stick for a lot of groups and are Iowa State’s first check of any variety on the Fort Myers Tip-Off Thanksgiving weekend. This would be the first indication of what the sophomore follow-up for Audi Crook will seem like. Emily Ryan, again for her fifth 12 months and the Cyclones all-time help chief, can even be challenged by a deep and skilled Gamecocks backcourt.
9. NC State Wolfpack
2023-24 Report: 31-7
Season opener: Nov. 5 vs. ETSU, 7:00 p.m., ACC Community
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 10 vs. South Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina
The Wolfpack can be adjusting to life with out River Baldwin and Mimi Collins, and there is nothing like seeing how ready your younger frontcourt gamers are than going up in opposition to one of many nation’s most dominant rebounding groups. Even with Baldwin and Collins, NC State was pushed round on the glass by South Carolina in final 12 months’s Closing 4 in a 19-point loss. If 6-foot-5 freshman Lorena Awou and 6-4 Boston University switch Caitlin Weimar are able to help the guard play of Aziaha James, Saniya Rivers and Zoe Brooks, this outcome could also be totally different.
10. Oklahoma Sooners
2023-24 Report: 23-10
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Southern, 6:00 p.m., SEC Community+
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 4 vs. Southern
In one of many greatest upsets of the complete 2023-24 season, the Jaguars rolled into Norman and beat Oklahoma by 9. Lots of those self same Sooners, who in the end went on to win a second consecutive Massive 12 title, are again. This sport will showcase how lengthy their reminiscences are. Including Oregon State switch 6-4 Raegan Beers, offers Oklahoma one other dimension and this can be her debut as a Sooner.
11. Duke Blue Devils
2023-24 Report: 22-12
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Radford, 11:00 a.m., ACCNX
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 10 at Maryland
Count on this to be the perfect Duke crew Kara Lawson has coached. The primary time it will get examined is the third sport of the season in opposition to a remade Maryland membership. A nationwide tv viewers will get its preliminary take a look at 6-2 freshman Toby Fournier, who has already achieved some viral fame along with her skill to dunk. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see how the combination of veterans like Reigan Richardson and Tania Mair, plus the youth of sophomores Riley Nelson and ACC Sixth Participant of the Yr Oluchi Okananwa, plus Fournier progresses from this sport in opposition to the Terps to the early-December conflict at South Carolina.
12. Baylor Bears
2023-24 Report: 26-8
Season opener: Nov. 7 vs. Incarnate Phrase, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+
Most vital early-season sport: Dec. 8 vs. UNLV
Baylor could get the chance to fulfill Indiana and North Carolina within the Battle for Atlantis on the finish of November, however in any other case the Girl Rebels, the three-time defending Mountain West champions and favorites to win it once more, signify the Bears’ most troublesome nonconference sport. Aside from a visit to Oregon within the first week of the season, Baylor would not play a real street sport till opening Massive 12 play at Kansas on December twenty first.
13. Kansas State Wildcats
2023-24 Report: 26-8
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Inexperienced Bay, 12:00 p.m., ESPN+
Most vital early-season sport: vs. Center Tennessee in St. Joseph, Missouri
It isn’t typically 6-6 Ayoka Lee should search for at an opponent, however when the Wildcats host the Blue Raiders, the Massive 12 Preseason Participant of the Yr can be matched up with 6-7 Anastasiia Boldyreva, who was Convention USA’s defensive participant of the 12 months in 2024 and was fifth within the nation in blocks per sport. A backcourt battle between all-league gamers Serena Sundell of Kansas State and Center Tennessee’s Jaylnn Gregory can be intriguing.
14. Ohio State Buckeyes
2023-24 Report: 26-6
Season opener: Nov. 5 vs. Cleveland State, 6:00 p.m., BTN+
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 17 at Belmont
If Ohio State is to undergo a loss in opposition to a mushy nonconference schedule, this might be it. Coach Kevin McGuff can be incorporating eight new gamers round Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry, and that is the second sport of the season. Belmont’s finest gamers are veterans. The Buckeyes gained this matchup by 29 factors final season in Columbus, however this time, the sport is in Nashville.
15. North Carolina Tar Heels
2023-24 Report: 20-13
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Charleston Southern, 11:00 a.m., ACCNX
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 15 vs. UConn in Greensboro, North Carolina
With loads of big-game alternatives within the ACC, the Tar Heels do not want this sport to have a profitable season, however it might set themselves up nicely to be a top-16 crew with an upset. Lexi Donarski is a high-level defender who may trigger Bueckers some issues, and North Carolina has some measurement that might be troublesome for the Huskies’ comparatively younger frontcourt this early within the season.
16. West Virginia Mountaineers
2023-24 Report: 25-8
Season opener: Nov. 5 vs. Towson, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 15 vs. Texas A&M
The Aggies signify the one possible NCAA event at-large candidate on West Virginia’s nonconference schedule. If the Mountaineers win this one, there’s a good probability for them to be undefeated heading into Massive 12 play, which begins earlier this season, Dec. 21 at Colorado. JJ Quinerly is likely one of the most underrated gamers within the nation and would be the focus of West Virginia’s offense.
17. Louisville Cardinals
2023-24 Report: 24-10
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. UCLA, 2:30 p.m., ESPN (Paris, Aflac Oui-Play sport)
Most vital early-season sport: Dec. 4 vs. Oklahoma
After enjoying UCLA abroad and taking journeys to Kentucky and Colorado, the Cardinals draw the Sooners at residence within the SEC/ACC Problem. Each groups determine to be within the combine to host first- and second-round NCAA event video games at a top-four seed, so this sport may function a deciding issue. The within battle of Olivia Cochran vs. Beers will definitely assist decide the result. Oklahoma’s second-leading scorer, Peyton Verhulst, made the ACC All-Freshman crew in 2022, however left for Norman halfway by the next season.
18. Maryland Terrapins
2023-24 Report: 19-14
Season opener: Nov. 4 at UMBC, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 10 vs. Duke
With 10 new faces in this system, it might be a good suggestion that Brenda Frese has elected to play a neater nonconference schedule than normal. A go to from the Blue Devils is the clear spotlight. A powerful group of transfers — Saylor Poffenbarger (Arkansas), Mir McLean (Virginia Cavaliers), Christina Dalce (Villanova), Kaylene Smikle (Rutgers), Amari DeBerry (UConn) and Atlantic 10 Participant of the Yr Sarah Te-Biasu (VCU) — will get the primary true check of how they’re meshing 4 video games into the season.
19. Florida State Seminoles
2023-24 Report: 23-11
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. North Florida, 11:00 a.m., ACCNX
Most vital early-season sport: Dec. 4 at Tennessee
After final 12 months’s 92-91 thriller in Tallahassee, this matchup deserves one other look. The basketball die-hards in Knoxville additionally deserve the chance to see a expertise like Ta’Niya Latson, who has averaged 21.4 factors per sport over her first two seasons. If the Seminoles need a top-four seed within the NCAA event, it is a sport they possible have to win. This may even be a résumé-builder for a Girl Vols crew that initiatives to be on the event bubble.
20. Ole Miss Rebels
2023-24 Report: 24-9
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. USC, 12:00 p.m., ESPN (Paris, France, Aflac Oui-Play sport)
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 4 vs. USC
Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin may begin two graduate college students, two seniors and a junior. The Rebels needs to be prepared to begin the season. The conflict with USC within the opener in Paris is likely to be their greatest probability to attain an affect win. 6-foot Kennedy Todd Williams, 6-2 Madison Scott and 6-2 Kharyssa Richardson have the size that would trigger Watkins some issues and Ole Miss can be pleased to have level guard KK Deans again after a knee damage ended her 2023-24 season early.
21. Creighton Bluejays
2023-24 Report: 26-6
Season opener: Nov. 8 vs. South Dakota State, 7:00 p.m., Summit League Community
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 14 at Kansas State
That is the third sport of a troublesome four-game stretch for the Bluejays — at South Dakota State, Drake at residence, at Kansas State and Nebraska at residence. A giant a part of Creighton’s NCAA event résumé can be set earlier than Thanksgiving. The tallest upperclassmen the Bluejays have is 6-2, so how they will deal with 6-6 Ayoka Lee can be one thing to look at.
22. Kentucky Wildcats
2023-24 Report: 12-20
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. USC Upstate, 5:00 p.m., SEC Community+
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 16 vs. Louisville
This is likely to be the true starting of the Kenny Brooks period at Kentucky. All of the adjustments in this system and with the roster will get its first true check in opposition to the in-state rivals. It helps that it is a residence sport and in opposition to a program wherein Brooks and his star Georgia Amoore are acquainted with, having performed in opposition to the Cardinals within the ACC whereas at Virginia Tech. Video games in opposition to Illinois and North Carolina will observe, however the schedule is manageable as Brooks and his new-look Wildcats get established.
23. Nebraska Cornhuskers
2023-24 Report: 23-12
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Omaha, 11:00 p.m., BTN+
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 22 at Creighton
Creighton can have the identical subject tangling with Nebraska’s 6-2 Alexis Markowski, though it has had success the previous two years with consecutive wins over the Cornhuskers. With the Bluejays being the one ranked crew on Nebraska’s schedule previous to Massive Ten play, the Huskers want to finish that slide to remain ranked themselves. This can even be an instantaneous homecoming for top-30 recruit level guard Britt Prince, who’s from Omaha, and is predicted to have early affect for Nebraska.
24. Alabama Crimson Tide
2023-24 Report: 24-10
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. New Orleans, 6:00 p.m., SEC+
Most vital early-season sport: Dec. 5 at California
Cal vs. Alabama as a part of the SEC/ACC Problem sounds unusual and it most likely can be for a number of years, however this represents the Crimson Tide’s most troublesome nonconference sport till they probably meet Michigan State within the West Palm Seashore Traditional simply earlier than Christmas. With Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye main the best way, it is a veteran crew, trying to construct on final March’s second-round NCAA event look.
25. Indiana Hoosiers
2023-24 Report: 26-6
Season opener: Nov. 4 vs. Brown, 7:00 p.m., BTN+
Most vital early-season sport: Nov. 17 vs. Stanford
Final November, the Hoosiers performed Stanford, Princeton and Tennessee to prep for Massive Ten play. In fact, Teri Moren additionally had Mackenzie Holmes 12 months in the past. Holmes, the most effective gamers in program historical past is gone and the nonconference slate is not as formidable. The Cardinal are nonetheless on the schedule for returning veterans Sydney Parrish, Chloe Moore-McNeil and Yarden Garzon, however this is not the identical Stanford. It does current Indiana its hardest check earlier than a visit to the Battle 4 Atlantis the place Baylor and North Carolina are potential later spherical opponents.
