USC, Oklahoma State and 3 more CBB teams that will be the most improved this season

Sometimes it can seem like women’s college basketball is predictable. UConn is always good. So is South Carolina. But in recent seasons, we’ve seen new powers emerge. LSU after it hired Kim Mulkey. Michigan after one elite recruiting class. Iowa after Caitlin Clark.

Who are some of the teams set to make huge leaps this season? These five programs seem like good bets.

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USC

USC Trojans guard Jazzy Davidson | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That USC is set to be the nation’s biggest riser this season should surprise no one, because the Trojans are getting a gift that no other team is getting: the return of the nation’s best player.

JuJu Watkins suffered a torn ACL back in 2025 during the NCAA Tournament, an injury that cost her all of last season. It also cost USC a chance at a national title, as then-freshman Jazzy Davidson came out of the gate strong. A backcourt with her and Watkins would have been one of the nation’s strongest immediately, and it’s likely that playing beside Watkins would have helped Davidson overcome her biggest issue, which was a lack of efficiency. Now, we finally get to see that pairing, and as long as Watkins returns at 100 percent, the Trojans should be one of the top teams in the nation.

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Are there still concerns here? Sure. The frontcourt feels especially harrowing right now, as a lot of the size on this roster comes in the form of freshmen. Someone will need to quickly stand out there. But a backcourt with Watkins, Davidson and Kennedy Smith, the team’s third-leading scorer last season, is a really, really intriguing unit that gives USC one of the nation’s highest ceilings.

Oklahoma State

Iowa State Cyclones center Audi Crooks | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It really feels like Jacie Hoyt’s plan at Oklahoma State is to build a radically different team out of the transfer portal every year to see what sticks, and considering the team has won 20-plus games in three of the last four seasons, it’s mostly working. The 2026-27…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/usc-oklahoma-state-3-more-171306990.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-08 17:13:00

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