The South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team is poised to make another dominant run this season, and the oddsmakers have taken notice. Fresh off an undefeated campaign capped by a convincing national championship win, Dawn Staley’s squad enters the 2024-25 season as the clear-cut betting favorites to hoist the trophy once again.
Gamecocks Ahead of the Pack
According to ESPN BET, South Carolina sits atop the odds board at +175 to win the NCAA title, well ahead of perennial powerhouses UConn (+415) and USC (+415). The Gamecocks were not considered among the top tier of contenders entering last season, with oddsmakers listing them around 15-1. But after quickly emerging as the team to beat and rolling through the tournament, there’s no doubting their status now.
South Carolina returns a loaded roster featuring four starters and 87% of the minutes played from their championship team. They’re currently riding a 38-game winning streak, the third-longest in SEC history. Bettors have taken notice, with the Gamecocks accounting for over 25% of the early championship wagers at ESPN BET.
UConn and USC Nipping at Their Heels
While South Carolina may be the favorites, they’ll face stiff competition from UConn and USC. The Huskies and Trojans boast the top two contenders for the Wooden Award in Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins, respectively. UConn is drawing the most bets to win the title so far, while USC leads in betting handle (total money wagered) at Caesars Sportsbook.
Bueckers, who missed significant time with a knee injury last season, is the slight favorite at +140 to take home the Wooden Award. But Watkins, the top recruit in the nation, is right on her heels at +155. Their head-to-head matchups will be must-see TV this season.
Best of the Rest
Behind the top three, Notre Dame (+600) and Texas (+850) round out the upper echelon of title contenders. The Fighting Irish welcome back a strong core led by first-team All-American candidate Olivia Miles, while the Longhorns are hoping a trio of highly touted transfers can gel quickly and lead them to glory.
When you have a team as talented as South Carolina, it’s hard not to make them the favorites. But don’t sleep on UConn and USC – those are two programs that know how to win when it matters most. It should be a thrilling season.
– Basketball analyst and oddsmaker Sam Farha
Other notable contenders include:
- Stanford (+1200): Perennial Pac-12 power led by Cameron Brink
- Tennessee (+1400): Bolstered by top transfer Rickea Jackson
- Iowa (+1600): Looking to ride the Caitlin Clark hype train one step further
- Louisville (+1800): Reloaded roster with eyes on first title
- Maryland (+2000): Always dangerous with Diamond Miller running the show
The 2024-25 women’s college basketball season is shaping up to be one for the ages. South Carolina enters as the hunted, but a hungry pack of contenders will be nipping at their heels all year long. Can the Gamecocks complete the repeat, or will a new champion emerge? We can’t wait to find out.
