South Carolina was the overwhelming favorite at this time last year, but the Gamecocks didn’t cut down the nets. LSU won the title and the defending champion Tigers are the consensus No. 1 preseason pick heading into the 2023-24 women’s college basketball season.
Yet the Tigers aren’t considered the sure thing the Gamecocks were 12 months ago.
The race to the NCAA trophy appears more wide open this season, with as many as eight contenders. The list includes UConn, which saw its streak of 14 consecutive Finals Fours come to an end in March but seems poised for a return. Two teams that reached the Final Four — Iowa and Virginia Tech — each bring back their best players in Caitlin Clark and Elizabeth Kitley, but can the Hawkeyes and Hokies return to the national semifinals?
UCLA, Utah and Ohio State seemed primed to enter the conversation. What will it take for them to get there — or what could go wrong to derail it?
The ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 will have multiple teams vying for the conference titles. Which teams are likely to come out on top in these leagues and headline the hunt for the national title? The national player of the…
