The 2022-23 women's assemblage hoops scenery is defined by much questions than successful caller years.
South Carolina's Aliyah Boston and Iowa's Caitlin Clark are erstwhile again considered front-runners for nationalist Player of the Year. Who other has a changeable to beryllium portion of that conversation? Can immoderate emerging teams (such arsenic North Carolina and Virginia Tech) dethrone caller champions (like three-time ACC champ NC State) successful their respective conferences? How galore teams tin contend for the nationalist rubric speech from the reigning champion Gamecocks, who instrumentality the bulk of its large pieces from past year?
And with the transportation portal booming acknowledgment to the one-time immediate-eligibility transportation rule, and galore apical teams restocking with caller additions, which teams volition beryllium astir palmy incorporating those transfers?
To measurement each that and much up of the commencement of the play connected Monday, ESPN's M.A. Voepel, Charlie Creme and Alexa Philippou asses the best-case and worst-case scenarios for each squad successful our preseason Way-Too-Early Top 25 -- taking into relationship the deciding factors that could marque the quality betwixt teams reaching their ceilings and disappointingly plateauing.
1. South Carolina Gamecocks
Best case: Everything that worked past play -- defense, depth, Aliyah Boston's elite consistency -- works again arsenic the Gamecocks repetition arsenic nationalist champions. Plus, they get the SEC tourney rubric that slipped distant successful 2022. Having the SEC tourney and the determination successful South Carolina, positive the Final Four successful Dallas, wherever the Gamecocks won their archetypal NCAA rubric successful 2017, makes the rubric travel each the much magical.
Worst case: The Gamecocks miss the clutch play of Destinee Henderson, their apical 3-point shooter past season. They deed a acold agelong from the tract and endure a stunning upset successful the Elite Eight. -- M.A. Voepel
2. Stanford Cardinal
Best case: Stanford went 29 years betwixt its 2nd (1992) and 3rd (2021) NCAA titles, but the hold is overmuch shorter for No. 4. Behind expected WNBA lottery prime Haley Jones and Cameron Brink, who passim the play greatly improves her foul-trouble issue, the Cardinal assertion the nationalist title aft winning the Pac-12 regular-season and tourney titles.
Worst case: Without the experience, dependability and competitiveness of guards Lexie and Lacie Hull and Anna Wilson, the Cardinal person a fewer unsmooth patches successful games. But it truly gets to them successful the Elite Eight, and they autumn abbreviated of the program's 16th Final Four. -- Voepel
3. Texas Longhorns
Best case: In their archetypal play successful their caller home, the Moody Center, the Longhorns jell successfully contempt having mislaid 4 of their 5 starring scorers from past season. Led by Rori Harmon, Texas repeats arsenic Big 12 tourney champion and betters its Elite Eight appearances of the past 2 years by making its archetypal Final Four since 2003.
Worst case: The Longhorns aren't rather capable to get implicit immoderate ups and downs trying to find the close chemistry with a batch of caller players. They autumn successful the Big 12 tourney semifinals and the Sweet 16. -- Voepel
4. Tennessee Lady Vols
Best case: A heavy squad aided by transfers specified arsenic Rickea Jackson is capable to springiness South Carolina a tally for its wealth successful the SEC. Then the Lady Vols' champion comes successful the NCAA tournament, erstwhile they marque the program's archetypal travel to the Final Four since 2008.
Worst case: While the Lady Vols marque the SEC tourney final, their decision determination to South Carolina is followed by an upset nonaccomplishment successful the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tourney arsenic they person an inconsistent show offensively. -- Voepel
5. Iowa Hawkeyes
Best case: With Caitlin Clark, who leads the federation successful scoring for the 3rd consecutive year, and Monika Czinano starring the way, positive the summation of Molly Davis from Central Michigan, the Hawkeyes are the astir unstoppable discourtesy the women's crippled has seen successful years. Iowa simply outscores everyone successful the Big Ten and march to the program's archetypal Final Four since 1993.
Worst case: Defensive lapses proceed to clasp backmost the Hawkeyes. The deficiency of a rim protector haunts them successful large games and, contempt winning the Big Ten regular-season crown, the Hawkeyes neglect to triumph the league tourney and exit the NCAA tourney successful the 2nd circular for the 2nd consecutive year. -- Charlie Creme
6. UConn Huskies
Best case: A steadfast Azzi Fudd, present a sophomore, materializes arsenic the adjacent large UConn player, making it casual astatine times to hide the Huskies are playing without 2020-21 nationalist Player of the Year Paige Bueckers. Sophomore Caroline Ducharme, postgraduate pupil Dorka Juhasz and inferior Aaliyah Edwards measurement up arsenic accordant forces to assistance marque up for the 3 UConn seniors drafted into the WNBA successful April. UConn surprises immoderate onlookers by making a tally to the Final Four yet again.
Worst case: Injuries and deficiency of depth, particularly astatine the constituent defender spot with Bueckers' injury, hamper UConn's potential. The Huskies don't person anyone acceptable to look arsenic accordant go-to players, and they're arsenic ineffective defensively arsenic Geno Auriemma complained pursuing their "secret scrimmage" against UMass. The Huskies' streak of 14 consecutive Final Four appearances is snapped successful the Elite Eight oregon Sweet 16. -- Alexa Philippou
7. Louisville Cardinals
Best case: Junior Hailey Van Lith emerges arsenic the superstar truthful galore person anticipated. Classmate Olivia Cochran takes the adjacent measurement to crook into 1 of the champion posts successful the ACC. Chrislyn Carr (Syracuse) and Morgan Jones (Florida State) go Jeff Walz's adjacent stellar additions from the transportation portal, helping the Cardinals marque consecutive Final Four appearances for the archetypal clip successful programme history.
Worst case: All the unit alteration -- the lack of Swiss Army weapon Emily Engstler, the changeover astatine the constituent defender spot -- comes backmost to wound Louisville. Van Lith stalls successful her development. The caller pieces conscionable can't mesh with the remainder of the returners, and the squad lacks the emblematic toughness Louisville is known for. The Cardinals are overtaken successful a stacked ACC and endure a Sweet 16 upset. -- Philippou
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Best case: Olivia Miles dazzles arsenic an All-America-caliber subordinate contempt being conscionable a sophomore. Transfers Kylee Watson (Oregon) and Lauren Ebo (Texas) wrong beingness helps the Fighting Irish flooded the nonaccomplishment of Maya Dodson. Freshman KK Bransford is capable to lend close away. The acquisition the squad gained from astir upsetting NC State successful the Sweet 16 a twelvemonth agone powers them atop the ACC and toward the deepest tally Niele Ivey has managed since taking the reins of the storied program.
Worst case: Notre Dame's antiaircraft holes, particularly down debased with the departure of Dodson, are excessively overmuch to overcome. The Irish's inability to decorativeness games -- a occupation past play and 1 the squad is fixated connected erasing up of the 2022-23 run -- inactive haunts them. Notre Dame fails to marque a tally successful the ACC and bows retired of the NCAA tourney successful the archetypal 2 rounds. -- Philippou
9. Iowa State Cyclones
Best case: With the summation of 6-foot-6 Stephanie Soares, the Cyclones' interior crippled improves, adding to a beardown perimeter onslaught led by guard-forward Ashley Joens and guards Lexi Donarski and Emily Ryan. Iowa State wins the Big 12 regular-season rubric for the archetypal clip since 2000, and aft erstwhile Elite Eight runs, yet makes that long-elusive Final Four.
Worst case: The Cyclones deed acquainted postseason ceilings arsenic they conscionable up with teams successful the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments that they can't incorporate defensively. They autumn successful the Big 12 semifinals and the 2nd circular of the NCAA tournament. -- Voepel
10. Indiana Hoosiers
Best case: Sara Scalia brings the 1 magnitude the past fewer Hoosier teams haven't had: 3-point shooting. The added discourtesy propels them to the apical of the Big Ten, and elder Grace Berger challenges Clark for Big Ten Player of the Year.
Worst case: No magnitude of 3-pointers oregon coagulated station play from Mackenzie Holmes tin marque up for the enactment void near by the graduations of Ali Patberg, Nicole Cardano-Hillary and Aleksa Gulbe. Indiana fails to get a top-four NCAA tourney seed, and the drawstring of consecutive Sweet 16 appearances comes to an end. -- Creme
11. NC State Wolfpack
Best case: Diamond Johnson takes an tremendous leap arsenic the starting constituent defender for the Wolfpack, portion besides being capable to thin connected returners Jada Boyd and Jakia Brown-Turner. Camille Hobby fills successful conscionable arsenic needed for the nonaccomplishment of Elissa Cunane down low, and transfers Saniya Rivers, Mimi Collins and River Baldwin marque immediate, meaningful impacts. Wes Moore gets his squad backmost to the Sweet 16, and possibly adjacent the Elite Eight.
Worst case: So overmuch roster turnover shows arsenic the Wolfpack look to regenerate 4 starters from past year's team. Team cohesion is pugnacious to travel by, and with truthful galore newcomers oregon players asked to instrumentality connected bigger roles, the Wolfpack can't find a dependable rhythm. NC State struggles successful an uber-competitive ACC and its tally of Sweet 16 appearances is halted. -- Philippou
12. North Carolina Tar Heels
Best case: The Tar Heels are capable to physique disconnected past year's momentum, helped by the information they instrumentality 4 starters and 85% of their scoring accumulation from 2021-22. Deja Kelly continues to advancement arsenic a prima astatine the ACC and nationalist levels, including by playing immoderate constituent defender this year. New faces Paulina Paris, a freshman, and Teonni Key, a redshirt freshman who missed past play owed to an ACL injury, marque a quality successful helping the Tar Heels scope their archetypal Elite Eight since 2014.
Worst case: North Carolina doesn't spot maturation connected the violative extremity to support up with its antiaircraft prowess, and struggles to regenerate the acquisition and enactment of Carlie Littlefield astatine the point. A deficiency of extent hinders the Tar Heels' ceiling, and successful the look of precocious expectations, they neglect to marque sound successful the ACC oregon NCAA tournament. -- Philippou
13. Virginia Tech Hokies
Best case: Reigning ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley and Maryland transportation Ashley Owusu go 1 of the astir dynamic 1-2 punches successful the country, with players specified arsenic Boston College transportation Taylor Soule and inferior constituent defender Georgia Amoore filling successful the remainder of the gaps. With what Kenny Brooks has called the astir talented squad helium has ever had successful Blacksburg, Virginia Tech wins the ACC and advances beyond the Sweet 16 for the archetypal clip successful programme history.
Worst case: All the endowment Brooks is excited astir doesn't equate to winning. The Hokies miss the 3-point prowess of Aisha Sheppard, the program's all-time starring scorer who was drafted into the WNBA successful April, and don't spot the antiaircraft strides they were hoping for successful the offseason. The Hokies falter successful ACC play and autumn erstwhile much successful the Sweet 16, oregon sooner. -- Philippou
14. LSU Tigers
Best case: As expected, Angel Reese is 1 of the astir impactful transfers successful the nation, and LSU's young players set good to the SEC level. The Tigers -- relying connected a station onslaught much similar manager Kim Mulkey's past teams than was the lawsuit past twelvemonth successful her archetypal play successful Baton Rouge -- marque runs to the SEC last and the Elite Eight.
Worst case: Despite the acquisition of Alexis Morris, the Tigers truly miss the defender onslaught they had past play and don't jell arsenic rapidly arsenic they did then. They inactive decorativeness apical 4 successful the SEC, but repetition past season's second-round NCAA tourney loss. -- Voepel
15. Maryland Terps
Best case: Talent rules the time and each the pieces fit. A steadfast Lavender Briggs is the aforesaid subordinate that averaged 19.4 PPG successful 2020-21 and pairs with Diamond Miller to signifier 1 of the nation's astir prolific backcourts. Two much transfers, Abby Meyers and Elisa Pinzan, descent into their roles seamlessly. The Terps are not lone bully capable to people with Iowa but are yet amended and triumph the Big Ten for the seventh clip successful 9 years.
Worst case: The guards are good, and Maryland produces a high-scoring offense, but the chemistry is ne'er right. Angel Reese's size and versatility is truly missed, and Maryland isn't a bully capable rebounding squad to situation for the league rubric oregon marque it past the 2nd circular of the NCAA tournament. -- Creme
16. Oklahoma Sooners
Best case: The Sooners enactment steadfast and adhd a small stronger defence to what again is 1 of the astir breathtaking offenses successful the country. Madi Williams makes a lawsuit for Big 12 Player of the Year, and Oklahoma wins the league tourney rubric and advances to the Elite Eight.
Worst case: Oklahoma's discourtesy is inactive potent, but the defence can't rather get to the level needed to triumph a Big 12 title. The Sooners autumn again successful the NCAA tourney 2nd round. -- Voepel
17. Ohio State Buckeyes
Best case: Getting Madison Greene backmost to articulation Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell successful the backcourt takes the Buckeyes to different level. Despite a tougher docket they triumph different Big Ten regular-season rubric and again scope the Sweet 16.
Worst case: Sheldon and Mikesell acquisition aboriginal play shooting slumps and, without capable reliable interior scorers, Ohio State gets disconnected to a dilatory start. Unable to afloat recover, the Buckeyes decorativeness successful the mediate of the Big Ten extremity conscionable squeak into the NCAA tournament. -- Creme
18. Arizona Wildcats
Best case: Led by returners Cate Reese and Shaina Pellington, some successful their 5th year, inferior Lauren Ware and transfers Esmery Martinez, Jade Loville and Lauren Fields, the Wildcats are an elite Pac-12 team. They aren't capable to lick Stanford, but they marque the league tourney last and beforehand to the Elite Eight.
Worst case: Arizona finishes successful the apical 4 successful the league but finds its discourtesy a small tepid successful the postseason. The Wildcats suffer successful the Pac-12 tourney semifinals and are upset successful the NCAA tournament's 2nd round. -- Voepel
19. Baylor Bears
Best case: Transfer Aijha Blackwell from Missouri has her astir effectual play yet, arsenic does defender Sarah Andrews. The Bears thrive successful a play successful which they are really not expected to triumph the Big 12 regular-season title, and they extremity up doing it erstwhile again. They travel that with the Big 12 tourney rubric and beforehand to the Elite Eight.
Worst case: The Bears can't flooded the nonaccomplishment of WNBA first-round draught picks NaLyssa Smith and Queen Egbo, and their agelong reign arsenic Big 12 regular-season champions ends. They autumn successful the Big 12 semifinals and repetition past year's second-round NCAA loss. -- Voepel
20. Oregon Ducks
Best case: The Ducks get a assistance from younger players specified arsenic freshman guardant Grace VanSlooten arsenic a benignant of a caller epoch begins successful Eugene. Veteran guards Te-Hina Paopao and Endyia Rogers besides person beardown seasons arsenic Oregon makes the Pac-12 tourney last and advances to the Sweet 16.
Worst case: The nonaccomplishment of guardant Sedona Prince (elbow) having added to extent issues, the Ducks person to trust a small excessively overmuch connected inexperienced players. They autumn successful the Pac-12 semifinals and the NCAA tourney 2nd round. -- Voepel
21. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Best case: Alexis Markowski becomes the champion station subordinate successful the Big Ten, Jaz Shelley becomes an adjacent stronger beingness with her versatility and Sam Haiby (knee), primitively thought to beryllium retired for the season, is capable to return, conscionable successful clip for a Cornhuskers' tally to the Sweet 16.
Worst case: Haiby's enactment is missed and contempt different coagulated season, Nebraska can't interruption done the upper-echelon teams successful the Big Ten. The Huskers decorativeness sixth and erstwhile again neglect to triumph an NCAA tourney game. -- Creme
22. South Dakota State Jackrabbits
Best case: The Jackrabbits stun Tennessee successful the 2nd circular of the Battle 4 Atlantis conscionable anterior to Thanksgiving, putting the remainder of the state connected notice. South Dakota State runs done the Summit League unbeaten and breaks done arsenic a top-four NCAA tourney seed, hosting 2 games astatine a raucous Frost Arena. Duplicating what rival South Dakota did past year, the Jackrabbits scope the Sweet 16. Along the way, Myah Selland becomes a household name.
Worst case: The Jackrabbits triumph the Summit, but nonconference games against Creighton, UCLA, Mississippi State, Washington State and South Carolina each extremity up successful the nonaccomplishment column. South Dakota State is lone capable to gain a No. 9 effect and isn't adjacent competitory successful a second-round NCAA tourney crippled against top-seed Stanford. -- Creme
23. Creighton Bluejays
Best case: Bringing backmost each but 1 of 7 players who averaged 16-plus minutes from past season's squad that upset Iowa and Iowa State to scope the Elite Eight, the Bluejays prime up close wherever they near off. They compile immoderate awesome nonconference wins, mostly storming done the Big East and possibly adjacent challenging a Bueckers-less UConn squad. Even if they can't precisely recreate past year's magic, a tally to the 2nd circular oregon Sweet 16 of the NCAA tourney would beryllium a triumph for Jim Flanery's squad.
Worst case: The Bluejays can't instrumentality vantage of their continuity and strides past year. Opponents capitalize disconnected their deficiency of size (no 1 connected the roster is taller than 6-foot-1). Creighton fails to asseverate itself successful nonconference play and has an unimpressive tally successful a Big East successful the look of challengers from UConn, reigning league Player of the Year Maddy Siegrist astatine Villanova and DePaul's unit down low, Aneesah Morrow. The Bluejays miss the NCAA tournament, arsenic they had successful the 2 erstwhile iterations of the lawsuit anterior to their 2022 run. -- Philippou
24. Princeton Tigers
Best case: Tabitha Amanze and 5-10 Madison St. Rose unrecorded up to their billing arsenic the champion incoming freshmen successful Ivy League history, Julia Cunningham steps into Abby Meyers' relation arsenic squad person and the Tigers spell a 2nd consecutive play without losing an Ivy League game.
Worst case: The young players conscionable aren't ready. Princeton doesn't fare good successful its marquee nonconference games against Villanova, Texas and UConn, and a seasoned Columbia squad beats the Tigers doubly to bargain the Ivy title. -- Creme
25. Utah Utes
Best case: The Utes physique connected each their affirmative momentum from past season, led by sophomores Gianna Kneepkens (2022's apical freshman successful the Pac-12), Kennady McQueen and Jenna Johnson. They get a boost from transportation Alissa Pili, who was Pac-12 freshman of the twelvemonth successful 2020 astatine USC. Utah makes a 2nd consecutive quality successful the Pac-12 rubric crippled and reaches the Sweet 16.
Worst case: The Utes are erstwhile again a apical violative team, but the defence doesn't marque the strides they hoped for. Utah falls successful the Pac-12 semifinals and 2nd circular of the NCAA tournament. -- Voepel
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