College basketball is officially back, with tip-off set for Sunday! As we gear up for another exciting season, the conversation is already shifting toward which programs have what it takes to punch their tickets to the Final Four in Columbus, Ohio. With the national championship in sight, I break down my top 10 contenders heading into the season, evaluating each team's experience, offseason additions and departures, and the potential impact of its incoming freshmen.

Does your team make the cut? Let's talk. Who are you riding with this season?

Tyler was joined by South Carolina’s Tessa Johnson…

Andrew and Tyler were joined by UCLA’s Addy Brown…

The National Championship runner-up lost three seniors but will reload with the nation's No. 2 recruiting class, headlined by Oliviyah Edwards and Jerzy Robinson, along with highly sought-after transfer Jordan Lee (Texas). The Gamecocks will also welcome back star forwards Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts, adding even more firepower to an already talented roster.

One question entering the season is how South Carolina will address the point guard position following the graduation of Raven Johnson. Rather than relying on one player to fill that role, the Gamecocks are expected to approach the position by committee.

Still, depth remains South Carolina's greatest asset. Dawn Staley has assembled a roster filled with talent and versatility, featuring players who could arguably compete for starting roles at just about any program in the country.

Projected Starting Lineup:

USC finished last season with an 18-14 record while star guard JuJu Watkins spent the year rehabbing a knee injury. With Watkins back in the lineup, the Trojans will feature three former No. 1 recruits in Watkins, sophomore Jazzy Davidson, and incoming freshman Saniyah Hall. Expect the trio to lead USC's charge this season as the Trojans look to return to the national spotlight and establish themselves as legitimate Final Four contenders.

Projected Starting Lineup:

The 2026 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, Sarah Strong, returns to lead the Huskies as they look to make another run at the Final Four. With Azzi Fudd departing as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, UConn will look for additional production from Blanca Quiñonez once she returns from injury.

Despite the loss of Fudd, the Huskies remain loaded with depth and talent. Preseason exhibition play also offered a glimpse of Jovana Popovic, who has the potential to emerge as UConn's next breakout star. With Strong leading the way and additional contributors ready to step up, the Huskies have the pieces to make another deep postseason run.

Projected Starting Lineup:

Following an Elite Eight finish last season, the Blue Devils enter the new campaign determined to take the next step and make a deeper postseason run, led by star forward Toby Fournier. Emilee Skinner, the No. 4 recruit in the 2025 class who missed last season, and Texas transfer Aaliyah Crump are both expected to make an immediate impact.

And if that wasn't enough, Duke will also benefit from the addition of the nation's No. 4-ranked recruiting class, along with the return of Jadyn Donovan. With talent coming from multiple directions, the Blue Devils have the personnel to make some serious noise this season.

Projected Starting Lineup:

Michigan returns a talented core from its 2024 recruiting class, featuring Syla Swords, Olivia Olson, Mila Holloway, and Te’Yala Delfosse. With another year of experience playing alongside one another, the group figures to be even more cohesive this season. The Wolverines have also added depth through the transfer portal with Courtney Ogden, who spent the past three seasons at Stanford.

However, Michigan will have to navigate an early setback. Last month, the program announced that Holloway would be sidelined indefinitely with a left lower-leg injury, leaving some uncertainty surrounding the Wolverines' rotation heading into the season.

Projected Starting Lineup:

Notre Dame is one of the teams I believe is being overlooked heading into the season. Hannah Hidalgo returns for her senior year to lead the Fighting Irish as they look to build on an impressive Elite Eight run. Last season, Notre Dame exceeded expectations despite having a very limited rotation. This year's group already has a major advantage with added depth, thanks to a talented No. 5-ranked recruiting class and two transfers from Princeton and Louisville.

Don't sleep on this incoming class, either. The Irish have a history of freshmen making an immediate impact, and this group could be another example. With more depth surrounding Hidalgo, Notre Dame has the pieces to make another deep postseason run.

Projected Starting Lineup:

Texas lost a significant amount of production through the transfer portal this offseason, but the Longhorns still have a strong foundation with star senior Madison Booker returning alongside the nation's No. 3-ranked recruiting class. Expect to see expanded roles and increased production from Breya Cunningham and Bryanna Preston, while the addition of Oklahoma transfer Zya Vann gives the Longhorns some much-needed experience in the backcourt.

Ultimately, Texas will go as far as Booker takes them until the team establishes a consistent second scoring option behind its star. Finding that additional offensive production will be key to determining just how far the Longhorns can go this season.

Projected Starting Lineup:

Although the Bruins lost the majority of their production this offseason, with six seniors going on to be selected in the WNBA Draft, they return a talented group led by Sienna Betts, the younger sister of Lauren Betts. Cori Close made the most of the transfer portal, bringing in KK Bransford (Notre Dame), Addy Brown (Iowa State), Donovyn Hunter (TCU), Bonnie Deas (Arkansas), and, most notably, Elina Aarnisalo (UNC), who began her collegiate career at UCLA.

Timea Gardiner is also expected to return after being sidelined with an injury last season. It may take some time for this revamped group to find its chemistry, but the reigning national champions have all the pieces to make another run to the Final Four.

Projected Starting Lineup:

LSU enters the season with plenty of talent and experience on the perimeter, particularly at guard and wing, but questions remain about its depth in the frontcourt, especially following Kate Koval's late transfer portal move to Baylor. The Tigers will lean heavily on the trio of Mikaylah Williams, MiLaysia Fulwiley, and Iowa State transfer Jada Williams to lead the way, while expecting increased production from ZaKiyah Johnson and Grace Knox. LSU also added more depth on the wing through the transfer portal with the addition of Laila Reynolds (Florida).

Projected Starting Lineup:

Louisville returns three starters from last season's Sweet 16 team in Tajianna Roberts, Elif Istanbulluoglu, and Mackenly Randolph, along with key reserve Imari Berry. The Cardinals also added significant talent through the transfer portal, bringing in Carys Baker (Virginia Tech), Zamareya Jones (NC State), Amiya Joyner (LSU), and Deniya Prawl (Tennessee).

This year's roster appears to be more versatile in both the frontcourt and backcourt than last season's group. With multiple players capable of stepping up and leading the team on any given night, Louisville has the depth and balance to be a difficult matchup throughout the season.

Projected Starting Lineup:

Also Considered: Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma State, TCU, Tennessee, UNC, Vanderbilt.

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