Bold predictions for the 2025-26 NCAA women's basketball season: USC makes Final Four, UConn goes undefeated

The 2025-26 women's college basketball season is upon us and all we know for sure is that nothing is for certain. The road to Phoenix will be a long one but definitely a fun one to follow with so many strong contenders and talented players ready for the spotlight. The CBS Sports experts took a look at potential scenarios and made some bold predictions on what we could expect this season. 

USC will make the Final Four

USC will find a way to be much more competitive than most expect. Yes, the JuJu Watkins injury is significant. However, in my conversation with head coach Lindsay Gottlieb at Big Ten Media Day, I am a believer. Freshman Jazzy Davidson will be her only true freshman and is expected to play a significant role in a more "positionless" system, according to Gottlieb. The Trojans impressed me last season with their defensive execution, especially against UCLA and Lauren Betts. If USC can up their defensive effort while playing a fluid offensive game, I like their chances to surprise teams come tournament time. -- Erica Ayala

NCAA women's basketball 2025-26 season: Expert picks for conference winners, Final Four and national champs

Isabel Gonzalez

UConn will not win the national championship

It is understandable why almost every expert out there is picking UConn to repeat as national champions – the Huskies practically cruised to the title last year, and despite the loss of Paige Bueckers, their talent drop-off is going to be minimal. Sarah Strong improved practically every single game in her freshman year, and is a contender for national player of the year, Azzi Fudd is back and ready to maximize her draft stock and transfer Serah Williams is a phenomenal addition. So this prediction is less a knock on UConn and more a nod to the incredible talent spread across women's college basketball this season, and the fact that repeating is incredibly hard to do. 

My pick to win it all is Texas; I think Rori Harmon is going to be next-level impressive coming into her second season post-ACL tear, Madison Booker is going to be nearly unstoppable and they actually have shooters on the roster this season, which should help immensely. But LSU, with Flau'Jae Johnson, Mikaylah Williams and transfer MiLaysia Fulwiley, is going to be a terror for defenses; South Carolina is literally always a contender with Dawn Staley at the helm, and the addition of Ta'Niya Latson only reinforces that fact; and there are so many teams with talent that could lead them to tournament upsets – Lauren Betts at UCLA, Olivia Miles at TCU, Mikayla Blakes at Vanderbilt and even a Zoe Brooks at N.C. State. I don't think UConn vs. the field is a bad way to look at this season. I'm just going with the field. -- Lindsay Gibbs

UConn will go undefeated

Geno Auriemma has made some impressive runs with short-handed rosters, so it's only natural to wonder how much more dangerous UConn will be now. The Huskies are finally entering the season healthy, and this is probably one of the deepest UConn rosters in a while. This team feels like a continuation of their 2025 national championship because despite Paige Bueckers leaving for the WNBA, Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd are returning. 

Strong had an outstanding college debut and set a new NCAA Tournament freshman scoring record. Her versatility and the maturity she plays with earned her the top spot in the CBS Sports player rankings. Meanwhile, Fudd is an elite shooter who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and just had her first healthy offseason in a long time. 

UConn has other key returners including KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade and Jana El Alfy. They are joined by some impressive transfers, headlined by senior forward Serah Williams from Wisconsin. And, if that weren't enough, Geno Auriemma added a solid freshman class that includes 247Sports' No. 18 freshman Kelis Fisher, as well as Blanca Quiñonez, who brings a lot of experience playing professionally overseas. 

The Huskies' non-conference schedule is not exactly a walk in the park – they are facing six teams who are ranked in the AP Top 25 preseason poll. However, some of the ranked opponents they are facing early on are going through a rebuilding year, including Louisville, who UConn will face in the season opener. The Huskies have the luxury of familiarity thanks to their returners. Whatever questions Auriemma might have about his team should be answered by February, when UConn faces its highest ranked opponent, No. 8 Tennessee. -- Isabel Gonzalez

Blakes will break Division I single-game scoring record

Mikayla Blakes was a scoring machine as a freshman. She averaged 23.3 points per game, which was good for eighth in the country, and recorded multiple 50-point games, including a Division I women's freshman record 55 points against Auburn. Over the summer, she took her talents to the international stage and was named MVP of the 2025 FIBA Women's AmeriCup after leading Team USA to the gold medal. Blakes is only getting better, and if her 40-point outing in Vanderbilt's preseason win against Memphis was any indication, the points are going to flow just as easily as they did last season. So how's this for a bold prediction: at some point this season, Blakes will break Ayoka Lee's single-game Division I scoring record of 61 points. -- Jack Maloney