South Carolina may have gotten, to put it lightly, trounced by UConn in the championship game, but early (way too early) consensus odds opened with the Gamecocks as favorites to reclaim their lost title in 2026. While traditional power rankings are giving the defending champs the top spot, the Paige Bueckers-shaped hole in UConn’s lineup is likely what gave South Carolina the odds edge … for now.
With the portal still open until April 23, most sportsbooks are holding odds until the transfer dust settles, but some books have way-too-early odds for next season.
The Gamecocks opened at +450 on ESPN Bet to win the 2026 women’s NCAA basketball tournament, which put them at the top of the odds board over USC (opening odds: +500) and 2025’s newly-minted champion, UConn (+600). Texas, Notre Dame and LSU opened tied for fourth at +750, while UCLA opened just behind at +850.
Since then, early action has lengthened a few top odds and shortened the Bruins.
While this year’s top tier features the usual suspects, there’s also plenty of uncertainty as the transfer portal does its thing, and JuJu Watkins’ injury casts a 6-foot-2 shadow on the league futures. Watkins is expected to be out for most of the season, and The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant doesn’t have USC in her
