As March Madness approaches, college basketball fans are turning their attention to the top contenders for the 2025 Women’s National Championship.
So, here we’ll be taking a look at the teams that are deemed the best, and we’ll check why their odds are such, as well as what makes them strong contenders.
South Carolina Gamecocks
- Odds: +145
South Carolina Gamecocks, led by Dawn Staley, are the defending national champions and the betting favorite to win again.
Losing players to the WNBA has not made the Gamecocks any less of a feared team, however. They have a balanced roster with an excellent rotation from guards Te-Hina Paopao, Raven Johnson, and MiLaysia Fulwiley.
South Carolina is in the lead with a +29.17 point advantage, illustrating their dominance. The team also receives a 2-ranked recruit, Joyce Edwards. So far, they have won three of the last seven championships since 2017.
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- Key Player: Chloe Kitts has stepped up to the challenge, averaging 10.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
Texas Longhorns
- Odds: +400
Texas is among the early favorites to make it to the Final Four. The Longhorns, coached by Vic Schaefer, are a tough, defensive-minded team that can cause any team fits.
Texas defeated No. 5 LSU 65-58 on Feb. 16, 2025, their tenth win in a row. The Longhorns held LSU 29 points below their season-scoring average, showing how strong their defense is. Madison Booker scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Longhorns in the game. Texas is now 26-2 overall and 12-1 in the SEC.
- Key Player: Madison Booker was named to the 2024-25 Women’s Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List. Booker led the Longhorns with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the February 16th game against LSU2. The Longhorns also signed top-five recruit Aaliyah Crump
UConn Huskies
- Odds: +450
Even when the team was going through injuries in the past couple of seasons, UConn is always a threat in the NCAA tournament. Top player Paige Bueckers and coach Geno Auriemma are looking for a return to the top spot.
Although UConn has not won a national championship in almost ten years, the program continues to be associated with excellence and top-tier talent in women’s basketball.
- Key Player: Paige Bueckers‘ play will determine UConn’s success.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Odds: +700
The Fighting Irish have earned key wins against No. 1-ranked teams and just entered No. 1 in the AP poll. They won against No. 11 Duke 64-49 on February 17, 2025, marking their seventh ranked win.
The squad demonstrated a good defensive performance, holding Duke to their season-lowest second-point score. Notre Dame remains undefeated in ACC play at 13-0.
- Key Players: Hannah Hidalgo leads a fast-paced offense, scoring a game-high 19 points in the game against Duke. Sonia Citron also contributed 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals.
USC Trojans
- Odds: +950
Led by JuJu Watkins, the Trojans boast one of the nation’s best offenses and have a win over UConn. USC projects as an early favorites to be a Final Four team.
The No. 4 USC Trojans moved up two spots in the latest AP Top-25 Poll after beating formerly-ranked No. 1 UCLA Bruins. On Feb. 16, 2025, USC overcame a slow start to beat Washington 69-64. Kiki Iriafen had 19, with Juju Watkins contributing 17.
- Key Player: JuJu Watkins is the Trojans’ top scorer. Having been selected as the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the fifth time this season after putting up 38 points, 11 rebounds, eight blocks, five assists, and one steal in the win against UCLA.
The 2025 Women’s National Championship will be an exciting tournament with numerous teams on the cusp of having a deep run.
Although South Carolina is currently the favorite, all of these teams, including Texas, UConn, Notre Dame, and USC all have the coaching and talent to compete for the title. With the season ongoing and March Madness on the horizon, it will be exciting to see how all of these teams develop and position themselves for greatness.
Watch out for significant matchups and potential injuries in the weeks ahead, as they will be important in determining who’s coming at the best possible time and which team will potentially be a genuine dark horse for the tournament.
