Women’s college basketball 2024-25: What we’re excited to see

After a record-drawing and nail-biting WNBA season and Finals, the baton has been handed back to women’s college basketball, which appears positioned to once again up the ante for the sport.

With parity and talent distribution in the game perhaps the strongest it has ever been, it feels like yet another historic NCAA season is in store.

From underrated transfers to big-time players returning to the court, here’s a list of some of the things we’re excited for in 2024-25.

Players returning from injury

The injury bug hit some of the game’s best and budding stars a year ago, dealing huge blows to title-contending teams. This season, those players, for the most part, are healthy and ready to go for their respective squads.

Notre Dame gets its part-magician, part-point guard Olivia Miles (knee injury) back to combine with Hannah Hidalgo. Texas gets back electrifying two-way guard Rori Harmon (ACL). Azzi Fudd (ACL, meniscus) is projected to retake the floor for UConn sometime by December, giving the Huskies one of the best shooting weapons in the country. Each of these players change the contending trajectory of their programs.

Look out for the key contributions of players like KK Deans (ACL) at Ole Miss, Cassandre Prosper at Notre Dame (lower leg) and Sa’myah Smith (ACL, MCL and meniscus) at LSU as well.

The Battle for L.A. Part 2

The first chapter of the Battle for L.A. between USC and UCLA delivered some of the best games of the entire college basketball season a year ago – earmarked by a double-overtime barn burner in the Pac-12 tournament semifinals.

As good as last year’s contests were, this year’s matchups between the two L.A. giants may be even better. Both teams, now playing within the Big Ten, have reloaded their rosters in big ways. USC, which begins the season ranked No. 2 in the country, added the top transfer last offseason in forward Kiki Iriafen, as well as a top guard in Talia Von Oelhoffen. Meanwhile, No. 5 ranked UCLA had three giant transfer signings of its own in guard Charlisse Leger-Walker and forwards Janiah Barker and Timea Gardner.

The bad news – audiences have to wait until Feb. 13 for the first matchup between the Trojans and Bruins. Surely, it will be worth the wait.

Underrated transfers to watch

A lot of big name transfer signings made waves this summer but two that perhaps went more under the radar were the transfers of Liatu King and Starr Jacobs. King transferred to Notre Dame out of Pittsburgh where she was the second-best rebounder and sixth best scorer in the ACC a year ago. She could play a crucial role for the Fighting Irish, especially early in the season with Maddy Westbeld and Kylee Watson both sidelined due to injury. With a shorthanded Notre Dame team in its season-opening exhibition, King had 27 points and 12 rebounds.

Jacobs, who transferred to Ole Miss from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, last played during the 2022-23 season, when she suited up for UT Arlington. In two seasons with the Mavericks, Jacobs averaged 18.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. As the Sun Belt Player of the Year in 2021-22, Jacobs led UT Arlington to its first conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance in 15 years. She should make an immediate impact with the Rebels.

The SEC is going to be wild

As if the SEC wasn’t already one of the top conferences in college basketball, conference realignment has supercharged it with two more Top 25 programs in Texas, which begins the season ranked No. 4, and Oklahoma, ranked No. 10. The SEC currently has four teams ranked in the AP Top 10, most of any conference, and seven ranked in the Top 25 – also the most of any conference. The depth of this conference is immense from national champion South Carolina to powerhouse LSU, as well as surging programs like Ole Miss and Alabama to burgeoning programs like Auburn and Vanderbilt. Eyes will also be on Lexington and Knoxville to see what new head coaches Kenny Brooks and Kim Caldwell can do with Kentucky and Tennessee, respectively.

Freshman phenoms to sophomore sensations 

Last year’s freshman class was one of the best, if not the best, that women’s college basketball has ever seen. 

Hidalgo was an All-American and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year for Notre Dame. Watkins led USC to the Elite Eight, dropped a 50-piece and was also named an All-American. South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley was the SEC Tournament MVP while Tessa Johnson was a hero of the national title game for the Gamecocks. Audi Crooks broke multiple school records at Iowa State. 

Each of these players will play on reloaded squads that should elevate their games in their sophomore seasons. That also includes Madison Booker, who will make a lethal pairing with Harmon in Austin. 

Two tremendous sophomore talents in the SEC yet to be mentioned – Taliah Scott who transferred to Auburn from Arkansas and Mikaylah Williams of LSU, the 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year. 

They aren’t afterthoughts. The depth of this class is just ridiculous.

Mid-major player to watch: Harmoni Turner, Harvard

Turner is an incredibly creative playmaking talent with a shifty handle, and a relentless scoring ability inside the arc for the Crimson. She was the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2022 and has since been named First-Team All-Ivy in her sophomore and junior seasons. This summer, Turner was a co-captain of the U23 team that won gold at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Mongolia. 

Last season, Turner averaged 19.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Her performance against Power 5 opponents was impressive. She put up 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists against Maryland on Nov. 6, 2023, and 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists against Baylor on Nov. 19, 2023.