With the calendar about to turn to the new year, the true equalizer awaits in women’s college basketball: conference play.
There’s a vast range in how difficult women’s basketball programs scheduled their nonconference slates. Some teams, such as South Carolina, lined up a litany of ranked opponents, including NC State, UCLA (which beat the Gamecocks), Duke and TCU. On the other side of the scheduling spectrum is LSU, which is still undefeated but faced only three Power 4 schools, including just one Top 25 team.
League schedules can also vary widely, but they are more level than nonconference action. LSU, for example, is now thrown into the SEC gauntlet of facing ranked teams Tennessee (home and away), Oklahoma (home) and Ole Miss (home), and South Carolina, Texas and Kentucky (all on the road).
Like those of the ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten, the SEC schedule also features new wrinkles stemming from realignment. Texas and Oklahoma join the league as programs looking to challenge perennial power South Carolina. Coaching changes make Kentucky and Tennessee intriguing teams to monitor, too.
Nearly two months into the season and with league play on the horizon, ESPN breaks down everything you need to know and answers the biggest questions about the major conferences.
