In just over a month, the NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Championship will kick off as the best teams in America duke it out for national championship glory. As of this article’s writing, South Carolina is once again tabbed as the favorite to win the championship with an impressive overall record of 22-1 and a mark of 10-0 in the hyper-competitive SEC. Meanwhile, No. 1 UCLA will have something to say about that as the Bruins are an amazing 22-0 on the season and have held off multiple foes in Big Ten action. UConn is another team that outlets are looking at as a championship contender thanks to their fantastic historical track record and head coach Geno Auriemma leading the way. Finally, No. 3 Notre Dame is in the mix as well thanks to a record of 20-2.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each of these contending squads along with a predicted winner for the 2025 NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Championship.
| NCAA Women's Basketball 2025 Title Futures |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | +165 | +165 | +165 |
| UCLA | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| UConn | +575 | +575 | +575 |
| Notre Dame | +600 | +600 | +600 |
Led by head coach Dawn Staley, the Gamecocks are looking for a repeat championship this season and have a ton of spectacular pieces once again. The trio of forward Joyce Edwards (12.4 points per game), Raven Johnson (3.0 assists per contest), and Sania Feagin (58.9 field goal percentage) have been creating headaches for opponents. Of course, with an overall mark of 22-1, few teams have been able to slow down South Carolina, aside from one squad: UCLA back in November at Pauley Pavilion, 77-62. Staley’s crew has rebounded nicely though, rattling off 17 straight wins so it will be interesting to see how they finish the season and look towards a potential rematch with the Bruins.
At a stellar 22-0, the Bruins are perhaps the squad most poised to take down the Gamecocks in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Of course, the UCLA attack is led by center Lauren Betts who has been awesome this season with a mark of 20.1 ppg and a great field goal percentage of 64%. Guard Kiki Rice has been her main running mate this season with 4.4 apg and a great mark of 13.1 ppg. Against ranked opponents this season, they have been fantastic with double-digit wins over the likes of Baylor, Ohio State (No. 8), Maryland (eighth), Michigan, and of course South Carolina. A dynamic team, there are few, if any, squads that can hang with the Bruins so it will be interesting to see if they can keep this awesome pace going all the way through the tournament.
Another team that needs little introduction, UConn’s squad is headlined by an amazing player in Paige Bueckers. Leading the team in points (18.7) and assists (4.4 per game), the Huskies have once again cruised through the competition this season in the Big East this year. In addition to Bueckers, the Huskies have an excellent forward in Sarah Strong who averages around 17.1 ppg along with a stellar field goal percentage of 58.7%.
Rounding out our list of contenders is the Fighting Irish who have been great this year and have also dominated their conference (the ACC) to the tune of 11-0 in conference play. The Irish have a pair of sensational guards in Hannah Hidalgo (26 ppg) and also Olivia Miles (16.4 ppg and 6.4 apg) that have buoyed their offense throughout the 2024-25 season. As a top-five squad, Notre Dame has the opportunity to make a run at a title if they can continue their stellar backcourt play.
After another season of teams gunning for that number-one spot, UCLA should continue its run here as the best in women’s college basketball. While they will certainly have a target on their backs, this is a great team that has a fantastic shot at winning it all with perhaps the best player in college basketball in Betts.
Once you are all up to speed in relation to the latest gaming news and notes coming from the world of college basketball, make sure to check out the excellent array of info for you at SBS. Of course, for even more information on college basketball, the NCAA betting sites rundown has your back with all of the latest markets on both men’s and women’s college basketball. Additionally, given the event in this report, the March Madness betting sites guide is your go-to source for eligible customers who are looking to have all the latest insights and notes heading into this fantastic competition. Finally, for even more analysis of the big tournament, the March Madness odds breakdown is a great source to bookmark for eligible customers as the event gets underway.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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