Can South Carolina run it again –

The 2023-24 girls’s school basketball season ended with perfection because the South Carolina Gamecocks went 38-0 and received this system’s third NCAA championship.

Can the Gamecocks run it again? That is one of many greatest questions that can form the 2024-25 season.

Which participant will fill the sport’s brightest highlight now that Caitlin Clark, the two-time nationwide participant of the yr, is gone? What ought to we anticipate from final season’s thrilling freshman class, led by USC‘s JuJu Watkins? How will the breakup of the Pac-12 impression the game?

With the season tipping off Nov. 4, we take a look at 10 of the largest questions heading into the 2024-2025 season.

Can the Gamecocks win back-to-back titles?

Sure, they will. However they may look a little bit totally different doing it, at the least early on, because the Gamecocks’ guards is likely to be forward of their submit play.

Heart Kamilla Cardoso, the No. 3 choose within the 2024 draft by the Chicago Sky, led South Carolina final season in factors, rebounds, blocks and area objective share. However the subsequent two scoring leaders, guards MiLaysia Fulwiley (11.7 factors per sport) and Te-Hina Paopao (11.0 PPG), return.

South Carolina nonetheless has numerous expertise within the submit, together with freshman Joyce Edwards. However ahead Ashlyn Watkins (9.2 PPG, 7.4 rebounds per sport) has been suspended since an Aug. 31 arrest on expenses of first-degree assault and battery and kidnapping. Her courtroom look set for Oct. 25 was rescheduled.

One other undefeated season looks as if rather a lot to ask. However the Gamecocks — who return 87% of their minutes performed and 84% of their factors scored from a season in the past — are nonetheless first within the nationwide championship dialogue. — Voepel

Can UConn return to the mountaintop?

UConn is the gold normal of faculty basketball with 11 nationwide titles, however the Huskies have not been the final crew standing since 2016, Breanna Stewart’s senior yr. The Huskies reached the Closing 4 in all however one season in that span, and performed within the 2022 nationwide title sport.

May this be the yr they lastly win that twelfth championship? Former nationwide participant of the yr Paige Bueckers is hungry to make it occur in her closing season in Storrs earlier than heading to the WNBA. She’ll have rather a lot on her shoulders main a comparatively younger and inexperienced, albeit gifted, crew following the departures of Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Muhl. This system might want to have higher luck with well being than it has skilled the previous few years to get again to the mountaintop. — Philippou

Can the L.A. colleges get to the Closing 4?

USC and UCLA have been two of probably the most thrilling groups to observe final season. Watkins introduced the Trojans again to prominence for the primary time in a long time, whereas Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and Charisma Osborne led a deep Bruins squad.

Each groups ought to be even higher this yr. USC introduced in transfers Kiki Iriafen (Stanford) and Talia von Oelhoffen (Oregon State), plus a stacked freshman class, to assist Watkins. In Westwood, coach Cori Shut snagged intriguing transfers in Janiah Barker (Texas A&M), Timea Gardiner (Oregon State) and Charlisse Leger-Walker (Washington State).

The battle for the Massive Ten will preview each groups’ push to get to the Closing 4 — USC for the primary time since 1986 and UCLA for the primary time within the NCAA period. — Philippou

Who will win participant of the yr?

The favorites going into the season are sophomore Watkins (27.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.3 assists per sport) and senior Bueckers (21.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.8 APG), who was the consensus participant of the yr her freshman season in 2020-21.

Different candidates would possibly emerge through the season, relying on how their groups carry out. Whereas South Carolina is the favourite at No. 1, the Gamecocks’ depth of expertise is such that they do not have an apparent participant of the yr candidate. — Voepel

Which freshmen or transfers will make the largest splash?

Final yr’s freshman class made waves all season lengthy. So did a bunch of transfers. So which newcomers — incoming freshmen or transfers to new applications — will show to be difference-makers in 2024-25?

So far as the freshmen go, UConn is the one program with two top-10 recruits, headlined by No. 1 prospect Sarah Strong. Jaloni Cambridge was an enormous get for Ohio State, particularly contemplating this system’s commencement losses. Joyce Edwards, who determined to remain house and go to South Carolina, has already obtained rave opinions from coach Daybreak Staley.

Other than the aforementioned transfers into the L.A. colleges, Raegan Beers (Oregon State to Oklahoma), Georgia Amoore (Virginia Tech to Kentucky) and Lucy Olsen (Villanova to Iowa) are among the many key gamers to observe. — Philippou

How will gamers again from accidents fare?

Three big-name guards missed all (Notre Dame‘s Olivia Miles), most (UConn’s Azzi Fudd) or a big half (Texas‘ Rori Harmon) of final season because of knee accidents. All are anticipated again, though Fudd in all probability will not play till December. They’re dynamic gamers who could make a giant distinction of their groups’ nationwide championship potential.

Different gamers to observe after harm: UConn middle Jana El Alfy (Achilles) is predicted to make her long-awaited school debut. LSU ahead Sa’Myah Smith (knee, performed seven video games final season) might be a giant help make up for the lack of Angel Reese to the WNBA. Guard KK Deans (knee, performed six video games) ought to give Ole Miss‘ perimeter scoring a lift. — Voepel

How deep can a Hidalgo-Miles backcourt take the Irish?

With Miles out, Irish followers have been robbed of a yr of a Hannah Hidalgo-Miles backcourt. However we’ll get to lastly see that dynamic duo, and coach Niele Ivey already has stated the pairing goes to be “electrical.”

With Miles and Hidalgo main the cost, optimism is excessive in South Bend that that is the yr the Irish — the ACC preseason favorites — can advance previous the Candy 16 for the primary time in Ivey’s tenure.

These two will not should do it alone, because the Irish additionally return Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld and have a robust group of newcomers: transfers Liza Karlen (Marquette) and Liatu King (Pitt) plus freshman Kate Koval. — Philippou

What ought to we anticipate of Stanford in a brand new period?

Of all of the teaching adjustments, none is larger than Stanford not having legendary Tara VanDerveer on the sideline for the primary time since she took over in 1985. Kate Paye takes over, and we’ll see how totally different the Cardinal would possibly look below VanDerveer’s former participant and longtime assistant.

There’s additionally a giant change in personnel, with Cameron Brink shifting on to the WNBA, Iriafen transferring and Hannah Bounce finishing her eligibility. They have been the Cardinal’s high three scorers from a 30-6 season.

Stanford is troublesome to mission proper now as a result of a lot is new, however the Cardinal taking part in within the ACC shall be as unusual as something. — Voepel

What is going to Iowa, Kentucky and Tennessee appear like below new management?

The state of affairs at Iowa is most just like Stanford, with Lisa Bluder stepping down after 24 years and her assistant throughout that point, Jan Jensen, taking on. The Hawkeyes misplaced not only a generational star in Clark, however gamers reminiscent of beginning guards Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall as properly. That stated, ahead Hannah Stuelke is primed for a giant junior season, and Jensen ought to get the perfect out of this group.

Kentucky continues to be in search of its first Closing 4 on the ladies’s aspect. Coach Kenny Brooks made that breakthrough at Virginia Tech, so perhaps he can do it with the Wildcats. It possible will not occur this season, however give Brooks time to determine his system.

At Tennessee, Kim Caldwell will attempt to switch her up-tempo offensive and defensive model to the SEC after success final yr at Marshall. Caldwell does not have a lot Division I expertise, so she must be taught on the fly in a hypercompetitive league. — Voepel

How will realignment impression school basketball?

The previous yr’s realignment whirlwind, and the disintegration of the Pac-12, will undoubtedly take some getting used to, significantly with Stanford and Cal now within the ACC, and USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon within the Massive Ten.

However which applications will take advantage of noise of their new leagues? The L.A. colleges are on the high of the record, with each slotted as the highest two groups within the Massive Ten preseason ballot. Within the SEC, Texas was projected to complete behind South Carolina, and Oklahoma was picked to return in fourth. May the Longhorns — a top-five preseason crew nationally — problem the Gamecocks?

Not one of the ACC newcomers appear more likely to emerge as convention contenders. Within the Massive 12, Kansas State and Iowa State determine to be the favorites with the Longhorns and Sooners gone. — Philippou