Is the ACC or SEC the best league in women's college basketball and other conference predictions

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Defending champion South Carolina is the casual prime for preseason No. 1. And the Gamecocks are again the front-runner successful the SEC. But what volition league races look similar successful each different league astir the country?

Will Baylor beryllium capable to adhd to its streak of 12 consecutive regular-season titles successful the Big 12 oregon are Texas oregon Iowa State acceptable to instrumentality to the mantle? Can anyone situation Stanford successful the Pac-12? Is Iowa acceptable to triumph the Big Ten regular-season rubric outright?

Just however bully volition Tennessee and the apical fractional of the SEC be? And successful the ACC, volition Louisville, NC State oregon Notre Dame seizure the crown?

That begs the question: Which is the astir competitory league successful the nation?

ESPN's Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and M.A. Voepel interruption down what to expect crossed the Power 5 races and foretell the victor successful each 32 conferences.

Navigate to predicted champions for every conference.

Which is the champion league successful the country: the ACC oregon SEC?

Creme: Each league enactment 9 teams successful my preseason Bracketology. They are undeniably the 2 champion conferences successful the country, but the motion for implicit champion goes to the SEC.

While the ACC has much teams among the apical 4 seeds (five) than the SEC successful our preseason bracket projection, the SEC's mean effect was 5.8 compared to the ACC's 6.4. That, positive the information the SEC had 2 No. 1 seeds (South Carolina and Tennessee) arsenic good arsenic the defending nationalist champion gives it the edge. The ACC mightiness person the astir compelling league race, but the SEC is the amended league close now.

Voepel: The rubric "best," arsenic Charlie said, inactive tilts toward the SEC, particularly considering however beardown South Carolina's chances are to repeat. What is large for the ACC is that determination are truthful galore intriguing matchups to watch. Notre Dame and Louisville took implicit the league successful women's hoops erstwhile they moved into the ACC successful 2013 and 2014, respectively. NC State has been the astir palmy of the longtime ACC teams to propulsion back.

All 3 are successful the premix again, on with different ACC stalwart, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech, which joined the league successful 2004. And tin NC State, North Carolina and Duke each marque the NCAA tract successful the aforesaid play for the archetypal clip since 2014?

Philippou: I'm going with the ACC. Yes, the SEC is location to South Carolina, but the ACC volition beryllium to beryllium mode deeper by the clip each is said and done. Below, each of america focused connected a antithetic squad we considered the champion successful the league, and that's without delving into different beardown teams specified arsenic North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Miami -- not to notation Florida State, Georgia Tech and possibly Duke.

Baylor has won 12 consecutive regular-season Big 12 titles. Does the streak extremity this year?

Voepel: The tide started to crook past play erstwhile Baylor mislaid successful the Big 12 tourney for conscionable the 2nd clip successful the past 11 tournaments. Texas won its archetypal league tourney since 2003, and present the Longhorns anticipation to adhd their archetypal regular-season crown since 2004, erstwhile they tied with Kansas State. Texas, Iowa State and Oklahoma each could contend for the Big 12 rubric on with Baylor; the Sooners are the past of that radical to triumph that, finishing archetypal successful 2009. Iowa State's lone Big 12 regular-season rubric came successful 2000, erstwhile the Cyclones shared it with Oklahoma and Texas Tech. Getting the 2nd would beryllium rather a feat for Iowa State large Ashley Joens, present successful her 5th season.

For Baylor manager Nicki Collen, this play mightiness consciousness a small much similar the Bears are genuinely her squad successful her 2nd twelvemonth successful Waco. NaLyssa Smith and Queen Egbo are some successful the WNBA. But elder defender Aijha Blackwell, a transportation from Missouri, and helping Darianna Littlepage-Buggs were selected arsenic preseason Big 12 newcomer and freshman of the year, respectively, truthful the Bears volition inactive beryllium precise bully and mightiness adjacent bask not having the people connected their backs for a change.

Creme: It volition extremity this season. In fact, I deliberation Baylor volition decorativeness 4th successful the Big 12. Texas and Iowa State look similar amended teams and Oklahoma could beryllium arsenic well.

Iowa State was wrong a crippled of Baylor during the 2022 regular play and brings backmost its 4 apical scorers -- Joens, Lexi Donarski, Emily Ryan and Morgan Kane -- and adds two-time NAIA Player of the Year Stephanie Soares. Oklahoma bushed Baylor doubly past play and could beryllium conscionable arsenic bully with Madi Williams and Taylor Robertson backmost successful the fold.

Texas bushed the Bears successful the league tourney rubric crippled and made it each the mode to the Elite Eight for the 2nd consecutive year. The Longhorns mislaid immoderate cardinal pieces to graduation and the transportation portal, but the endowment Vic Schaefer acquired successful the portal mightiness beryllium better. Texas seems connected the verge of a nationalist breakthrough.

Philippou: This is the twelvemonth the Baylor streak is astir apt broken, but fixed the endowment Collen is bringing into Waco, the Bears won't decorativeness arsenic debased arsenic Charlie predicted. In the league preseason poll, some Texas and Iowa State received 4 of 10 first-place votes, with Iowa State narrowly edging Texas by 1 constituent successful the last polling. Iowa State is my prime to triumph it all, much truthful due to the fact that the Cyclones person much returning and proven pieces successful Ames than Texas has successful Austin. But Schaefer volition apt person his new-look squad rolling travel the postseason.

Tennessee and LSU look to beryllium amended than past season, but are they acceptable to situation South Carolina?

Philippou: Tennessee has the champion accidental of challenging South Carolina. Prior to a mid-year stumble of sorts past season, the Lady Vols were looking the astir unsafe they person successful immoderate time. Though Rae Burrell is gone, Jordan Horston (especially if healthy) and the Lady Vols look acceptable to transportation the mantle. Watching however Kellie Harper incorporates her big-time transfers -- a radical headlined by Rickea Jackson and Jillian Hollingshead -- volition besides beryllium fascinating.

While Tennessee could beryllium a nationalist power, I'm not sold conscionable yet connected however things volition enactment retired astatine LSU with truthful galore caller faces. Yes, Kim Mulkey is simply a Hall of Fame coach, but it's not casual to determination connected from 4 starters, and the Tigers' flameout successful the postseason (both SEC and NCAA tournaments) was underwhelming.

Creme: Tennessee looks similar it could beryllium a superior challenger. The Lady Vols mightiness beryllium South Carolina's adjacent connected the solid -- it shouldn't astonishment anyone if these are the 2 champion rebounding teams successful the state travel season's extremity -- and the Gamecocks' perimeter shooting is simply a concern. They were 312th successful 3-point complaint past year, and Dawn Staley's lone reliable shooter a twelvemonth agone -- Destanni Henderson -- is present successful the WNBA.

The Gamecocks inactive person Aliyah Boston. They inactive cognize however to present successful large games. South Carolina inactive has to beryllium considered the favourite successful the SEC and nationally. But if the Gamecocks falter, their deficiency of accordant perimeter shooting volition beryllium the crushed why.

Voepel: Challenge? Perhaps. Finish up of? Not likely. The Gamecocks person been carrying the favorite's value successful the SEC for a portion now, truthful that isn't going to interaction them. Staley inactive puts a batch of accent connected winning the league title, and if anything, having stronger teams astir them should lone help.

LSU was a guard-oriented squad past play and relied a batch connected the acquisition and hunger brought by fifth-year seniors specified arsenic Khayla Pointer. LSU this play should look a small much similar accepted Mulkey teams with precise almighty wrong games. We mightiness not cognize each the specifics of however LSU volition look conscionable yet, but the endowment is determination and it's not going to beryllium wasted.

There seems to beryllium a batch of excitement astir this season's Tennessee team, and that's conscionable a bully happening for the athletics arsenic a whole.

Stanford won the Pac-12 by six games past year. What different squad from the league has Sweet 16 potential?

Voepel: Coach Adia Barnes' Arizona squad has apical scorers Cate Reese and Shaina Pellington backmost arsenic fifth-year seniors. The Wildcats besides adhd cardinal transfers from the Big 12 successful guardant Esmery Martinez (West Virginia) and defender Lauren Fields (Oklahoma State), who were some all-conference second-team performers past season. By December erstwhile Arizona plays Kansas and Baylor, possibly its 2 astir competitory nonconference games, the Wildcats volition amusement however acceptable they are for Pac-12 season.

Creme: Arizona is the Pac-12's second-best team. However, Oregon is close behind. If Te-Hina Paopao breaks retired to go the prima we person seen glimpses of, the Ducks could beryllium the squad trying to pursuit down Stanford. Kelly Graves volition besides request a large play retired of Sedona Prince successful the station and immoderate accumulation from different highly regarded recruiting class, but the assembled endowment is bully capable to get Oregon to its 5th Sweet 16 successful the past six tournaments.

Philippou: Voepel and Creme identified the 2 teams that person the champion accidental of making respectable NCAA tourney runs, but UCLA -- caller disconnected a berth to the WNIT semifinals, wherever the Bruins fell to eventual champion South Dakota State -- should simply beryllium amended aft caller atrocious luck with injuries and difficulties getting players successful from overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Charisma Osborne volition beryllium a senior, but tons of attraction is connected their standout freshmen, including Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez and Londynn Jones. The Bruins' recruiting people earned espnW's No. 1 ranking, truthful whether that imaginable volition manifest this twelvemonth oregon aboriginal on, the aboriginal looks agleam successful L.A.

Which is the champion squad successful the ACC?

Voepel: NC State mislaid 4 cardinal players, astir notably halfway Elissa Cunane. So this, perhaps, is expected to beryllium the play the Wolfpack relinquish the apical spot successful the league. But manager Wes Moore has displayed a beardown quality to reload and reshape his teams implicit the years. Players specified arsenic Jakia Brown-Turner and Jada Boyd volition request to determination into bigger roles, and the transfers, led by Saniya Rivers, person to nutrient quickly. Moore volition relish this challenge.

Creme: The large happening astir the ACC is 5 teams could conflict to beryllium the reply here. Notre Dame is my preseason favorite. With Olivia Miles, Dara Mabrey, Maddy Westbeld and Sonia Citron back, the Irish person much stableness among their apical players than immoderate of the ACC's different contenders, with the imaginable objection of North Carolina. Miles has first-team All-American potential. If she realizes it this season, Notre Dame volition person a constituent defender bully capable to transportation a squad successful captious moments.

"There is nary 1 that has done it arsenic consistently, since Muffet, arsenic @CoachJeffWalz."@debbieantonelli's prime to triumph the @accwbb title: @LouisvilleWBB 🔴⚫️ pic.twitter.com/RkK24x0jYP

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) October 11, 2022

Philippou: Is it imaginable we're sleeping connected Louisville of each teams? Yes, the Cardinals mislaid 3 starters from past year, but Jeff Walz knows however to bring successful transfers and incorporated them smoothly into his system, truthful it volition beryllium intriguing to spot however quickly/successfully he'll bash that with Chrislyn Carr and Morgan Jones. Plus, the squad inactive has Hailey Van Lith, who could beryllium connected the verge of a breakout season. As our workfellow Debbie Antonelli enactment it, successful caller years Walz has the champion way grounds successful the league erstwhile it comes to accordant winning.

And portion I don't cognize if it volition beryllium the champion squad successful the conference, Virginia Tech's imaginable should person hoops fans salivating, particularly arsenic ACC subordinate of the twelvemonth Elizabeth Kitley gets to instrumentality the tribunal with 1 of the astir dynamic guards successful the state successful Ashley Owusu.

The Big Ten was packed adjacent the apical past season. Which squad is considered the front-runner now?

Voepel: Despite its disappointing nonaccomplishment to Creighton astatine location successful the 2nd circular of the NCAA tourney past March, Iowa comes into this play with a batch of momentum. Caitlin Clark led Division I successful points and assists averages past season, portion Monika Czinano was archetypal successful tract extremity percentage. The Hawkeyes won 8 successful a row, including the Big Ten tourney title game, earlier that nonaccomplishment to the Bluejays.

Iowa has had the Big Ten subordinate of the twelvemonth 4 of the past 5 years, and the Hawkeyes are apt to spot Clark repetition the grant this season.

Creme: Iowa is my pick, too, but Indiana is intriguing. Iowa having Clark and Czinano backmost overshadows Indiana besides returning its 2 champion players, Grace Berger and Mackenzie Holmes. The additions of Sara Scalia, the conference's second-most productive 3-point shooter past play astatine Minnesota, and Sydney Parrish from Oregon, could amended the offense, which is truthful important successful trying to vie with the Hawkeyes. If Teri Moren is capable to travel adjacent to replicating the chemistry her squad had the past 2 seasons, Indiana has imaginable to triumph the Big Ten and scope the Elite Eight.

Philippou: As the Big Ten coaches voted successful their preseason poll, Iowa is inactive the wide frontrunner, particularly with Michigan and Maryland perchance having "down" years pursuing the departure of Naz Hillmon from the erstwhile and a large unit shakeup astatine the latter. But Ohio State (which returns apical scorers Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell) and Indiana could beryllium challengers.

Consensus picks

Team listed first/alone is the statement prime successful each conference; teams listed successful parentheses received 1 ballot arsenic the league favorite.

* Denotes a unanimous prime from our sheet to triumph the league race.

ACC: No statement (Louisville, NC State, Notre Dame)

America East: Albany (Maine)

American: South Florida*

Atlantic 10: UMass*

Atlantic Sun: Florida Gulf Coast*

Big 12: Iowa State (Texas)

Big East: UConn*

Big Sky: Montana State*

Big South: Campbell (Longwood)

Big Ten: Iowa*

Big West: Hawaii*