The 2026-27 women’s college basketball season just tipped off, and already the experts are laying down their markers. Both Lindsay Gibbs and Jack Maloney from CBS Sports agree on one thing: South Carolina is your national champion, and UConn’s Sarah Strong is taking home National Player of the Year honors. That’s a bold call right out of the gate, isn’t it?
The Reigning Champs and the Contenders
UCLA might be the defending national champs, but it’s South Carolina that rolls into the season as the nation’s No. 1 team, and both Gibbs and Maloney are locking them in for the title. UConn, despite losing key pieces like Azzi Fudd and Raven Johnson to the WNBA, is still stacked. They’ve got returning NPOY Sarah Strong, plus veteran firepower from KK Arnold, Jana El Elfy, and Ashlynn Shade. Adding Olivia Vukosa, ESPN’s No. 2 player in the class, and a bigger role for sophomore Blanca Quiñonez? Yeah, that team is absolutely loaded and both experts have them in their Final Four. Gibbs even said putting UConn and South Carolina in the Final Four is “as close as it gets” to a sure thing in college sports. They’re both looking like forces to be reckoned with.
JuJu Watkins’ Big Comeback and the Dark Horses
Then there’s USC. They haven’t made a Final Four since 1986, but you know what? Both experts are calling for it this year. Why? JuJu Watkins is back, baby, after 588 grueling days recovering from an ACL injury! She’s joining forces with Jazzy Davidson, the 2025-26 Freshman of the Year, and Saniyah Hall, the No. 1 recruit from the class of 2026. This is the most talented roster Lindsay Gottlieb has had, and after Elite Eight runs in 2024 and 2025, it’s time for the Trojans. Gibbs had a tougher time picking that fourth Final Four squad, throwing out Michigan, LSU, Texas, Vanderbilt, and even Notre Dame as possibilities. She ultimately went with Duke, citing their back-to-back Elite Eight appearances, the No. 4 recruiting class, and the addition of Texas transfer Aaliyah Crump. Duke’s Toby Fournier is even in the NPOY conversation, with Arianna Robinson and Riley Nelson ready to step up, and redshirt freshman Emilee Skinner finally healthy. Maloney, on the other hand, slotted Texas into his Final Four.
So, with the season just getting started, the path to the championship looks like it runs straight through South Carolina, with Sarah Strong leading the charge for NPOY. But can JuJu Watkins and USC defy history? Can Duke or Texas crash the party? You know we’ll be watching every single dribble to see if these predictions hold up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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