The start of the 2023-2024 women’s college basketball season has more energy and excitement than arguably any season in the history of the sport.
From megastar Caitlin Clark to LSU attempting to repeat, Paige Bueckers returning to a very talented freshman class, the stage is set for a great season of basketball.
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To preview the season let’s look at some of the biggest questions, topics and the races to Player of the Year and the 2024 National Championship.
Are the champs even better this season?
This season the Tigers welcome in one of the best individual offensive players in the country to an offense that was already fifth in points per game last year. Hailey Van Lith brings a new dynamic to the team on the perimeter with her ability to score in bunches, create offense off the dribble and get to the rim.
The team is adding to their strengths with Van Lith in an attempt to go back-to-back as National Champions.
They also welcome in Aneesah Morrow from DePaul, who led the nation in rebounding as a freshman (13.8) and is coming off another great season on the glass (12.2) as a sophomore.
With Reese, Van Lith, Morrow and Flau’jae Johnson the Tigers have potentially the best quartet in college basketball.
Paige Bueckers is back. Is UConn?
One of the most disappointing things in women’s college basketball over the past three seasons has been the absence of Bueckers and the Huskies as contenders.
Bueckers had one of the best freshman seasons in women’s college basketball history in 2021. She joined a Huskies team without a senior, giving her the runway to win Player of the Year.
Now Bueckers appears to be back to full strength, along with Azzi Fudd and Aaliyah Edwards to try and contend for the Huskies first National Championship since 2015-2016.
While Bueckers was out, Edwards has morphed into a terrific leader and offensive hub for the team. Now the two have the chance to play a full season together for the first time in three years which should make the Huskies a genuine championship contender again.
Caitlin Clark’s potential historical checkpoints
This season has the potential for a lot of history from Clark, who is fast becoming one of the most exciting players in the history of women’s college basketball.
Clark has the opportunity to become the all-time leader in career points (782 points behind Kelsey Plum) and can threaten the single-season scoring record that is also held by Plum at 1,109 points.
Some other milestones are not necessarily in realistic reach but are fun to consider for Clark this season. She is 15 triple-doubles behind Sabrina Ionescu’s record of 26 for a career. Clark is also within reason to set the record for assists in a season, which is held by Courtney Vandersloot (367) and Suzie McConnell’s career record of 1,307 assists.
Also in the mix are career free throws made and attempted in a season and for her career. Clark can become the all-time leader in three-point attempts and makes for a season and a career.
The record book could be filled with “Caitlin Clark” at the end of this season. If she plays at that level, leads her team back to the Final Four and wins the Hawkeyes their first National Championship – it could be the perfect ending to one of the best careers in women’s college basketball history.
National Player of the Year Race
The obvious frontrunner here is Clark (+100), with Reese (+350) close behind her as a viable alternative. Who else is really in the race for the best player in women’s college basketball this season?
Bueckers (+300) is another favorite along with South Carolina senior Kamilla Cardoso (+1,800) will both have narratives and opportunities to shine as the best players on their teams too.
Veterans Cameron Brink from Stanford, Elizabeth Kitley from Virginia Tech, Alissa Pili from Utah and Mackenzie Holmes from Indiana are all +3,000 as viable options this season.
One wildcard is Ohio State sophomore Cotie McMahon (+5,000) who is coming off a great freshman season. The versatile forward averaged 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for a 25-win team that went to the Elite 8. The team should be very good again this season with more opportunities for McMahon to become more of a leader. All odds per DraftKings.
How about the Freshmen?
This season all eyes will be on USC freshman Judea “Juju” Watkins. She comes in as the top incoming freshman and could hit the ground running from day one as the leader of this Trojans team.
In Watkins first game she went off for 32 points, six rebounds and five assists in an upset win over the seventh-ranked Buckeyes.
Hannah Hidalgo should also fill a role for Notre Dame early in the season with Olivia Miles out with an injury. The second-ranked recruit Mikaylah Williams will hope to crack the Tigers rotation and help the team repeat as champions.
Other freshmen to keep an eye on include the Huskies’ Kamorea Arnold, Arkansas’ Talia Scott, Oregon’s Sofia Bell and the Gamecocks’ MiLaysia Fulwiley.
Who is going to win the National Championship?
The early favorites are the names we already know like the Huskies (+400), the Tigers (+450) and the Hawkeyes (+900). The Gamecocks (+1,100) are always in the mix under Dawn Staley, but get to enter the season under the radar to a certain degree.
There are also several other teams that have a real opportunity to make the Final Four and contend for a championship.
Parity in women’s college basketball is starting to sneak into the picture with two of the Final Four teams not being number one seeds. That was just the fourth time since 2000 that this happened, setting the stage for more teams to have a crack at contending for a National Championship.
Outside of the four favorites, this season the Utes (+950) have a great chance with Pili leading the way, the Hokies (+2,000) made it last year and two wildcard teams with a lot of talent and experience – Tennessee (+2,200) and the Fighting Irish (+3,500) if they get back a healthy Miles in time this season.
My Final Four picks are going to be the Huskies, the Gamecocks, the Utes and the Hokies.
Then, in the championship I’ll take the Huskies getting back to the top of the mountain in women’s college basketball over the Utes, who get past the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.
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