While the confetti has barely been swept off the floor from the 2024 women’s college basketball national championship game, sportsbooks are already looking ahead to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. And if the early odds are any indication, the South Carolina Gamecocks are poised to make another deep run next March.
South Carolina Favored to Repeat
Fresh off their third national title in five years, Dawn Staley’s squad opens as heavy +175 favorites to cut down the nets again in 2025. Led by a core of returning stars like Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke, the Gamecocks will be the team to beat from day one.
“South Carolina has established itself as the premier program in women’s college basketball,” noted an oddsmaker from a major sportsbook. “With their talent, coaching, and winning pedigree, it’s hard to bet against them making another title run.”
UConn, USC Poised to Challenge
Nipping at South Carolina’s heels are the UConn Huskies at +415. Geno Auriemma’s team is always a championship contender and will be highly motivated to reclaim the throne after a disappointing early exit in 2024.
But the rising threat to watch is the USC Trojans at +450. With a dynamic young core maturing into upperclassmen, head coach Lindsay Gottlieb has the Trojans poised to crash the Gamecocks/Huskies party at the top.
“USC is a team on the rise with all the pieces to be a powerhouse for years to come. 2025 could be the year they put it all together and bring a national title back to Los Angeles.”
– A close source connected to the program
Familiar Faces Round Out Contenders
Other perennial March Madness fixtures populate the next tier of 2025 championship hopefuls:
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish +600
- Texas Longhorns +750
- UCLA Bruins +1200
- LSU Tigers +2000
All of these programs have the coaching, talent, and tournament pedigree to navigate the madness and make a Final Four run if they get hot at the right time. Blue bloods like Tennessee, Stanford, and Baylor also lurk as threats at +10000 or higher.
Darkhorses & Cinderellas to Watch
Half the fun of March Madness is looking for those diamond in the rough candidates capable of busting brackets and becoming the tournament’s Cinderella darling. Some intriguing options for 2025 include:
- Iowa State (+4000): The Cyclones are a fast-rising program that knocked off several highly ranked opponents last season. With most of that core returning, a Sweet 16 or deeper run isn’t out of the question.
- Oregon State (+25000): Never overlook the Beavers come tournament time. Scott Rueck’s squad is a postseason stalwart and will be a very tough out in March.
- Florida Gulf Coast (+50000): The Atlantic Sun champs have become a popular Giant Killer pick in recent years. If the Eagles can secure an at-large bid, no one will be excited to see them in their region.
“Everyone focuses on the top seeds, but recent history has shown that any team is capable of making a run with the right combination of talent, coaching, and luck. Expect the unexpected.”
– A former NCAA head coach
Analysis: Odds Reflect Recent Trends
The 2025 championship odds paint a picture of the current state of women’s college basketball. South Carolina and UConn remain the gold standard, but the gap is rapidly closing as programs like USC, LSU, and Texas invest heavily in their teams.
“The growth in popularity of the women’s game is leading to greater parity,” an analyst for a major sports media outlet explained. “While the traditional powers remain strong, there are more legitimate contenders than ever before.”
That parity means the 2025 NCAA Tournament could be one of the most wide open in recent memory. Odds are just a snapshot in time – the beauty of March Madness is that anything can happen.
Storylines to Watch
As the 2024-25 women’s college basketball season unfolds, here are a few key narratives to follow:
- Can South Carolina match UConn’s record of four straight national titles? Geno’s Huskies pulled off the four-peat from 2013-2016.
- Will USC take the next step and reach its first Final Four since 1986?
- Does UConn have one more title run in it during Geno Auriemma’s legendary career?
- What impact will the transfer portal and NIL have in reshaping the balance of power?
But before the first practice even tips off, fans can dream about their favorite team cutting down the nets next April in Tampa. Because once March rolls around, anything is possible – that’s why they call it Madness.
